Jeanyna in Santiago

Hello hello everyone! My name is Jeanyna and I’m an Environmental Studies major from New York City. As a Latinx, queer, first-gen & low-income student, I am very thrilled to study abroad in Santiago, Chile this spring semester through Middlebury College. Study abroad is an important aspect of many students’ journey at Amherst, but the experience is extra special for FLI students, who for many, like me, would be their first time traveling and living away in a different country–all (or, mostly all) expenses paid for! I hope to document my cultural shocks, adjustments, and personal growth while I navigate the campus of the Universidad Alberto Hurtado, interact with my host family, and explore the rest of Santiago. I also intend to use this blog as means to explore my passion for social justice activism, since I’ll be enrolled in the Social Movements track in my program. Chile is currently in the process of rewriting the national constitution and welcoming a young, progressive, president-elect (Gabriel Boric) this March, so I feel very fortunate to be there to witness and experience Santiago amidst these shifts. I look forward to sharing this digital space with you all and hope that my experiences can help prepare prospective queer, FLI students of color for a meaningful study abroad!