We asked our Chile volunteers to describe the communities in which they live and schools in which they teach.  We hope this sample will give you a picture of life as a WorldTeach volunteer in Chile with the Ministry program, but please keep in mind as you read these that every site is unique.  Your experience will be what you make of it!

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Community

For the last 4 months, I have been living in Los Ángeles, Chile located in Region VIII, about six hours south of Santiago. Los Ángeles is known for producing lots of fruit, wood and milk. Wood is probably the largest industry here and also provides many of the jobs. Most of the wood is made into paper, but some is used for construction and exportation. It is city of roughly 170,000 people, mostly families and youngsters. Although it is a small city, it has everything you need. There is a small university here, a shopping mall with a movie theater, several bars, a couple places to dance, plenty of parks, and many places to eat.

Just a short bus ride to the north you will find the incredible Salto del Laja. Also, Concepción is just a couple hours away. On clear day you can see Sierra Velluda and Volcán Antuco, and on really clear days you can view the Cordillera de los Andes. Los Ángeles is a great location if you like to ski. The Termas de Chillán are nearby as well as Volcán Antuco, and both are incredible!

Host School

I am working in a high school recently renamed Santa Maria de Los Angeles, formally the Liceo de Niñas, which means it is overrun with female students. Classes usually have about 40 students (but don't worry, you only get half at a time). Most of my classes are all female with 4 or 5 male students, but there are some classes of all males. There are over 50 teachers and around 8 English teachers. I work with 2 of them. The English level of the students is very low.

I am lucky enough to have my own classroom (one of the things the Ministry requires) which is pretty nice in comparison to the other classrooms. There is a white board and the Ministry provided a load of supplies at the end of Orientation. The school also provided me with 2 boxes of materials for my classes. My school does not have a lot of money, but they make every effort to provide me with whatever I need and so far I cannot complain. However, you learn to make do with what you have. For example, I bring in my computer speakers and iPod when I want to play music in class.

Teaching Assignment

My school is part of the Jornada Escolar Completa, which means school goes from 8-5. The idea behind this plan was to get kids off the streets, but the ridiculously long school day has left teachers and students burnt out and unmotivated. Fortunately, I have about half the hours of a regular Chilean teacher and a very nice schedule. Originally my schedule was very scattered, but now I only have classes in the morning, except for Friday when I teach both in the morning and afternoon.

My co-teacher and I have a good relationship, and any issues I have I usually talk about with her. The director of my school is also really great and helpful. I teach for 20 hours a week (but I am supposed to teach 25). I teach all 4 levels of high school, but the level of English is basically the same (very, very low) so I manage to use the same lesson plan for every class, with a little bit of tweaking. I have over 400 students and even after 4 months am really struggling to learn names. I see them once a week for 45 minutes (but by they time they are actually in class, seated and quiet it's really 30).

Living Arrangements

I really lucked out with my host family. At first their over-protectiveness was incredibly overwhelming. I don't remember receiving this much attention EVER in my life. They refer to me as their hija (daughter) and really make me feel like a part of the family. Sometimes it's frustrating—my mom always has to know when I will be home, they don't let me leave my bed if I have a runny nose, and they constantly worry about me. However, I often get breakfast in bed, my mom gives me Spanish lessons everyday, and they take me places on the weekends.

I have 4 brothers (ages 24-30, they don´t all live at home but they come to visit) who take me skiing, dancing and to Chilean barbecues. We have a nana (maid) who washes, dries, irons and folds my laundry, makes my bed and cooks delicious, healthy (this is not so normal) food. I have hardly washed a dish since I arrived. When I tell my mom from home about this, she laughs at me and tells me not to get used to this lifestyle!

The house is incredibly clean, I have my own room, and I think perhaps the warmest house in Chile. There is no central heating here, but there is constantly a fire burning, and I cuddle with a hot water bottle at night. My house is a 20-minute walk from the school (although there are plenty of colectivos (form of public transportation), I prefer to walk) and about a 10-minute walk from the center.

Language Issues

This program requires that you have a basic level of Spanish upon arrival. When I got here I had a pretty good grasp on Spanish. I am now halfway into my stay here, and my Spanish has improved immensely. The Ministry provides us with bi-weekly Spanish classes. It's not easy though, Chileans have just about the most difficult Spanish I have experienced in all of South America.

Greatest Challenges

I think the biggest challenge I am facing here is figuring out what to do with my free time. I only have classes in the morning and because I use the same lesson plan for all of my classes, I don't spend a lot of time lesson planning. I have found it difficult to meet people my age because most of them have left to study or to find work. That is not to say that there aren't people my age here—I just haven't found them yet. This has also been a brutal winter (the coldest in 40 years they say) which has turned me into a bit of a homebody.

Greatest Rewards

Some days it feels like my students aren't learning anything, and I get so frustrated. But then a student walks in the classroom with a big smile on her face because she is excited to see me and be in my class—because it is different and I am different. My presence in the school makes them curious about the world outside of Los Ángeles, Chile, and I find that to be incredibly rewarding.

WorldTeach History

I am one of five WorldTeach volunteers in Los Ángeles, and we are the first volunteers at this site.

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