Kia ora!
January seems so close, yet with Christmas and New Year’s in between, there will be plenty of things happening in that time. Writing this blog is stirring up some excitement in me – excitement towards connections I will make, excitement towards beauty I will witness in architecture, culture and nature, as well as excitement towards history that I will learn about a country rich with diverse viewpoints.
If there is one thing that I recently learnt when travelling to Germany, it is that having an open mind is key. Talking to people without prejudice unlocks a rich perspective that is hard to capture through words. Thankfully when travelling to Germany, I could speak the language fluently which meant communication was not a barrier. I have been making an effort to reactivate the Spanish that is lurking in the back of my mind by watching classes online and engaging with everyone’s go-to language learners tool – Duolingo.
In addition to learning Spanish, I’ve been looking at approaches Chile has been taking in response to the rapid advancements of AI. A more niche area I would also be interested in exploring whilst overseas involves dementia detection using AI, as this closely aligns with my Master’s project.
I am writing whilst sitting beside the infamous Huka Falls in New Zealand, taking a break from whitewater kayaking. This is preparing me nicely for a weekend of kayaking in one of Chile’s wondrous regions – Pucon.
I guess I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and wait for the flights to leave!