The grant would pay for me to travel to and live in Cochabamba, Bolivia for two months and work at a human rights non-profit. I learned a lot from this experience both personally and professionally, and upon my return to the U.S., I continued learning Spanish and devoted myself to the study of development economics, public policy and inequality, with the goal of developing the skills to promote sustainable, culturally sensitive development and knowledge exchange.
My motivation led me to apply for a Master's program in Global Affairs where I was able to work with an education non-profit in Chile on a school improvement project. During this project I learned about the ability of education to transform individuals and communities, and between my experiences in the classroom and in Chile, I decided to apply for a grant to continue my work in Chile after graduate school. I have come to believe that we all have a lot to learn from one another, whether as individuals, communities, cultures or countries.
So here I am, today, living in Santiago, Chile! Originally, I came here to research school improvement and its relationship to school culture. But if traveling has taught me anything, it is to be flexible and expect the unexpected. I’ve got to say though, pandemic has tested my limits. Like most expats I know, I almost hopped on a plane back home to the U.S. In fact, of the thirteen people in my research program, only two of us remain in Chile. However, after carefully weighing the pros and cons, I decided to stay and make the best of my situation. The Chileans I've met are extremely warm, generous people, and I am fortunate that I have a network I can rely on during this uncertain time.
