Culture-Shock: A Two-Way Street
By: Maya Grodzka
A woman waiting on the traffic light on Agustinas Street in Santiago, Chile. (Photo: Maya Grodzka)
This year I spent the second half of my summer
5,125 miles away from my hometown of NYC, studying
abroad in the remarkable city of Santiago, Chile. The
experience overall was extremely novel and exciting
as I traveled around a foreign country essentially by
myself. Overwhelmed by a feeling of refreshment, I
immersed myself in the authentic culture and lifestyle
in the best way I possibly could. The country blew me
away with its unique language, the numerous mouthwatering Chilean dishes (even for a vegan), the incredibly vast and diverse geographic terrains, and
much more. In a single month, Chile uncovered to me
a strange yet exquisite way of life that I now find difficult not to reflect on and appreciate on a daily basis. As
a result, I encourage every college student to study
abroad at least once during his/her undergraduate
years. The amount you discover ab