by Brianna Langley | Mar 29, 2014 | Opinion
The Driest Place in the World (originally published on Feb. 27) From the snowcapped peaks of Torres del Paine, the Chilean Global Learning class of 2014 journeyed straight up to the north of Chile, and in less than a week, we were in the driest place in the world: the Atacama Desert. The best way I can think of to describe to you what sort of adventures the Atacama holds is to simply take you through what we experienced while we were there, step by step. What I first noticed about the Chilean desert is that it is a place with almost as much topographic diversity and variety as the country of Chile itself. In some areas of the Atacama, all you can see is brown; brown and flat and complete desolation of life (or anything terribly interesting to look at for that matter). In other areas, little bits of plant manage to sprout up in seemingly spontaneous locations until you finally reach the actual oasis, where green is always greener. These are the rare jewels of the desert where exotic plants and thirsty, bright flowers flourish healthily in between the sweetest little villages that provide homes to the human population of the Atacama. Then there are the mountains and volcanoes; beautifully crafted monstrous sculptures that loom in every horizon. The two desert valleys we were privileged to visit during this particular visit to the Atacama were Death Valley and Moon Valley. Both valleys were expansive and had rolling dirt mountains that looked like a frozen sea of sandy brown waves. (Although I’ve never had the opportunity to travel...
by Brianna Langley | Jan 27, 2014 | Opinion
In my experience, I have found the most stressful part of any journey oftentimes accompanies the preparation and anxiety that arises before ever even taking that first step onto the airplane, vehicle, boat, etc. Knowing something about where you’re going obviously helps, but if your destination is somewhere you have never been before, no amount of reading, packing or studying will keep those fears, doubts and second thoughts from festering in your mind. The key is to channel these oftentimes negative feelings into something positive, like excitement or eagerness. If you keep reminding yourself how fulfilling your trip is going to be, you’ll eventually convince yourself that you are excited and eager to be going. Then, one day, you’ll find that you actually are, just as you were when you first decided to take the trip. This was the process I had to work through when I decided to participate in Global Learning. The minute I saw my new home, though, I felt at peace and reassured. Santiago has been nicknamed the city of Saints for the capital’s deeply rooted traditions in Catholicism. This core essence of the city can be felt everywhere, from the world-famous Metropolitan Cathedral to the hilltop sanctuary “San Cristόbal”, where a 22-meter tall limestone Virgin Mary stands, looking out over her loyal and dedicated city. With its towering buildings and ongoing cityscape, Santiago has the potential to feel like a megacity to newcomers. Nearly half of Chilé’s 14-million inhabitants live in Santiago, giving it a population of over 7-million. The Chileans of Santiago seem to be especially proud and in touch with their European...
by Jeremy Keck | Apr 21, 2011 | News Slider
For years, Lipscomb University has offered its students the opportunity to study abroad. For the first time, Santiago, Chile was as option. Santiago is Chile’s capital and largest city with a population of over six million. Those students who chose to journey to Chile returned this past Monday with a lot of positive things to say about their semester. “Best trip of my life. Best semester ever,” said Ashley Guinn, a junior bio-chemistry major. “It was a great experience. I loved traveling, getting to learn Spanish and learning about a whole new culture.” Kelsey Hopkins, a sophomore Spanish major, also described it as one of the best experiences of her life. “I definitely learned a lot of Spanish,” Hopkins said. “I met so many new and interesting people. Since I’m a Spanish major I wanted to become more fluent, so it was great getting the opportunity to hang out with some Spanish-speaking people.” Guinn expressed that being in a country like Chile has its share of differences from the other study abroad programs, like Vienna or elsewhere in Europe. “I think being in South America as a whole is a completely different experience,” said Guinn “Nobody spoke English. If you went to Europe you may find some people who spoke English.” Some of the places students got to go include Ester Island, the Atacama Desert and Patagonia. If you are interested in the possibility of studying abroad this summer, there will be a meeting in Ezell 109 on Thursday from 5-6 p.m. regarding that...
by Kathryn Claire Watts | Oct 6, 2010 | News Slider
How amazing would it be to go surfing in the morning and skiing in the afternoon? Take a trip to Easter Island, or to the Atacama desert? What if you could get class credit for it? Next semester, Lipscomb is introducing its inaugural trip to Santiago, Chile. Students who go on this trip will have the chance to interact with Chileans, sample unique cuisine and live in the world’s longest country, from north to south. The students will take humanities courses, as well as Spanish, and get to choose from several electives ranging from biology to PE. Linda Benthall, the on-site coordinator for Santiago loved the time she spent there last spring. “I visited Santiago in May and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the people and the country,” Benthall said. “The people are laid-back, fun and friendly. They have a rich political history. [Chile’s] geography is fascinating, as it’s the longest country in the world and is just over 100 miles wide. “It has a desert on the north, mountains on the east, glaciers on the south and an ocean to the west, creating a type of ‘island’ from the rest of the continent. It also claims a large chunk of Antarctica.” The Chilean adventure is just the latest life-altering trip offered by the university. “Lipscomb students consistently say that a semester abroad is life-changing,” Benthall said. “They learn so much about themselves, a foreign culture and God’s presence around the world. Students gain confidence, perspective and adaptability that is valuable for the rest of their lives.” Memphis native Matt Filchak, a French major with minors in both German and Spanish,...
