PITT HOME |FIND PEOPLE

Emily McCabe

Bio Summary
Cohort Year: 
2010
Home Institution: 
Arcadia University
Heinz Programming Area: 
Children, youth, and Families
Study Abroad Country: 
Chile
International Experience

Emily McCabe spent six weeks volunteering at an art-intensive daycare in Viña del Mar, Chile through the organization Experiential Learning International.  The majority of the children, ages two-five, at the daycare were considered at-risk or troubled youth and therefore the focus of the daycare was to help them express themselves using art.  Emily helped the teachers with planning and facilitating different daily activities ranging from snack time to making castles out of shoeboxes and toilet paper rolls.  When there was a lull in the day she would often teach the children English by sharing songs like the Itsy Bitsy Spider, games like Seven Up or simply answering when the children would point at an object and ask for a translation.  The children firmly decided that “kiwi” was their favorite English word, as it is pronounced the same in English and Spanish.  Emily experienced an immensely different culture in many aspects: language, food, greetings, socializing and care giving.  She was also able to witness the cultural view of women in Chile which differs greatly from the United States.  Her Spanish improved both in vocabulary and pronunciation due to the lack of English spoken in her designated area.  On the weekends, Emily capitalized on the opportunity by traveling up and down Chile.                   

Community Engagement Experience
CEE Title: 
Not In MY Backyard- Human Trafficking and Social Justice Forum

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