Jan-Jelle during his internship in Chile

Hey! Who are you and where are you from? Where do you study/live/work?

Hi! I’m Jan-Jelle and I’m from Venlo. I study Human Resource Management at HAN University of Applied Sciences.

What was the first thing you thought when you arrived in Chile?

I was very excited and happy to make this trip. I arrived in Chile at 1 a.m. and was tired from the journey. Beyond Santiago’s airport are industrial areas and some of the poorer neighborhoods of Santiago. But further into Santiago, it started to look better—at least as far as you could see at that time. At first, I thought Chile was a poorer country because of the neighborhoods near the airport, but in hindsight and during the days of exploring, it was actually quite okay.

What was the most shocking difference between the Netherlands and Chile?

The landscape. You never get tired of the vast landscapes Chile has to offer. In the north lies the Atacama Desert (the driest desert in the world), and in the south are glaciers and icy landscapes. All over Chile, there are also hundreds of inactive volcanoes scattered throughout the Andes Mountains. These big differences in landscapes make Chile very impressive to see. This is a huge contrast to the landscape in the Netherlands. So the difference in landscape.

Have you ever felt homesick? How did you deal with it?

I didn’t feel homesick at all, but that’s probably because I was only in Chile for two weeks.

Do you feel at home in Chile? Why (not)?

I do feel at home in Chile because people are very friendly. I stayed in a student house with 15 other people, and everyone was very helpful, sociable, and friendly, which made me feel at home. It’s of course nice to discover Chile either alone or together with others.

Give us tips on who you should befriend abroad. The Russians? The Irish? The Americans?

This is a tricky question because people from every country are, of course, individuals and quite different. I can say that I made friends with people from various countries, including Germans, Mexicans, Dutch, Belgians, and French. I noticed that Spaniards were a bit more reserved in Chile. Among tourists from different countries, I saw a lot of French and Mexicans in the parts of Chile I visited. Of these two, Mexicans are better to have as friends.

Describe the people of Chile in three words.

Hospitable but lazy.

Was there a typical local dish that you REALLY couldn’t eat?

No, everything I ate was good, and I didn’t hear from others about really bad food.

What did you learn from your experience abroad? Was it the beloved community you liked? The cheap cocktails? The beautiful nature? Or was your experience less than expected? Details, we want details!

I learned that there are cultural differences around the world and that people can live very differently but still lead good lives. The community I was part of during my stay was very nice and also really helpful if you needed assistance.

I learned that Chile is a prosperous country despite being in South America. You pay about the same prices for necessities as in the Netherlands. The beautiful nature is definitely worth seeing, and I highly recommend doing so. My experience was certainly not less than I expected beforehand. Fun parties, friendly people, beautiful nature, and not too expensive.

Despite all the beauties of the country, it is, of course, a country in South America, and poverty still exists here and there. Therefore, it is not advisable to walk alone late at night. In certain areas, pickpocketing, theft, or blackmail can occur. All the advantages the country offers for a visit outweigh the few disadvantages you will find everywhere in the world.