With her fluent Spanish, big smile and outstanding personality, student Noelle Schumcher is a walking ambassador of arguably one of the best experiences a high school student can have. 

Foreign exchange has made a great impact on Schumcher. It all started when her sister Rachel went to Ecuador, ever since, she made it her goal to take this opportunity when given. Schumcher tells about her worldliness, “I think I have changed. Now I have a lot more experiences to help me think and make decisions. I have a different perspective than I did before I left, on a lot of things.”

In August 2018 she left her small town Menasha to another small town, just 5,747 miles away called Angol, Chile. Life was spontaneous in Chile.  She stayed with two families that year with two different kinds of family structures and relations. Right away Schumcher was greeted by friends and family with a welcome party. Following that, an array of parties, traveling, friendships, sceneries, empanadas, music and family reunions took place but the important part was not only learning but living in a different culture. 

Schumcher talks about the activism and passion that her Chilean friends have, she says, “ The youth there are so very passionate and want to help as many problems as they can. Abortion is illegal in Chile, a lot of the politicians keep making laws that have negative outcomes for Indigenous people, the police brutality is out of hand and the cost for the bus and untilites is rising.”

The fight between people and government has been getting fierce. Teens this month in Chile started protesting the inequalities within the government. Using social media and hashtags like #EvasionMasiva to protest the increasing prices of essential utilities. The majority of lower income Chileans are struggling to take on debt and plan financially for the future as reported in The New York Times.

Currently the government has made a curfew and protesters in Chile are fighting. President Piñera has managed to send his armed men to take down defiant protesters. This took a calm protest to the next level when police took unnecessary violent action. Fifteen people died that Tuesday morning. One bruised and bloodied man told his side of the story to  Guardian News and Media: “I was coming home and the military patrol stopped me, they put me in the truck and – ‘Bang! bang! bang!’ – they smashed me in the head with the butt of a gun. I begged them to stop but they kept on kicking me – and they took my friend away.” 

Even with these demanding laws, the youth in Chile including Schumcher’s friends have made it their job to try to fix these problems and fight against their government. Showing a lot of strength, love and kindness toward the world, Schumcher was accepted and loved automatically by these people she had never met before and because of their worldliness and open embrace, she has a new perspective and long lasting friendships for years to come, just 5,747 miles away.

Gallery • 11 Photos

With its vibrant hillside houses, Valparaiso is an exciting port city on the coast of Chile.