Back on the road again– for living out of a suitcase has become the norm and plane windows now provide a sense of comfort. Sedentary has become a foreign concept. Familiarity has become uncomfortable. Thus as our plane set down and I set eyes upon the changing landscape, I found myself back in a land of newness, one where the even grocery store shopping incites a sort of childhood excitement and the streets of a small Chilean town transform into unexplored land. Now twelve days in since our arrival, the explorations have begun, faces have become familiar, and the season change has taken full force. Fireside– this seems to have become our place of comfort, of refuge, and of gathering as our DukeEngage Chile group has ventured into the southern hemisphere. Yet even in swapping out swimsuits for sweaters and flip-flops for hiking boots, our first week was one spent of seizing every possible moment to immerse ourselves into the arrestingly stunning views of the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve we now call home. We are certainly a group comprised of eight adventurous souls. And the exploring has begun. With much of our program’s focus on conservation efforts, what better way to fully delve in than hike the senderos of the reserve? The breath-taking beauty of the land we are fortunate enough to call our backyard for the next two months is hard to truly capture. Mountains of water rush through carved canyons and over cliffs with such force and power. “Salto,” spanish for waterfall, has become a key word in our Chilean lexicon as waterfalls seem to be around every corner. Venturing to the nearby Salto Huilo Huilo, Puma, Leona, and Espiritu, we found ourselves amongst the mist, spray, and rainbows, as countless waterfalls towered overhead. Further trips into the depths of the Huilo Huilo reserve, led by the resident park ranger, allowed us a glimpse at the huemuls, a rare Chilean deer species with an estimated population size of under 20 within the reserve. Conservation efforts within Huilo Huilo currently address the conservation of the species, efforts to maintain genetic diversity, and outreach within the local community.
Hikes to nearby future lake testing sites and guanaco enclosures have provided a further glimpse into the natural landscape of Chile, not to mention a quick photo-op! -Micaela
3 Comments
Melissa M.
6/15/2017 07:50:11 pm
Good luck on this amazing adventure! I participated in DukeEngage Chile (in another capacity), and cherish those moments and relationships.
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6/22/2017 02:18:51 pm
Hi, how can I put in touch with duke engage chile ??
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Dani
7/5/2017 01:15:46 pm
Hi, I'm with the DukeEngage Alumni Reader Program (RP), and have been browsing your blog. The pictures from your hikes and other adventures are simply stunning and make me want to visit Chile myself! I'm also curious about what the town(s) you've been living in are like. Are you staying with host families, in hostels, or in some other type of apartment?
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