Life As a ~Chilean~ Designer

T R A B A J O    

I am currently on week three of my internship, and have been learning so much!  As an undergraduate in Interior Design back in the states, I have been placed as an intern Interior Designer in an architecture firm.  Why in Chile? ...time to put my Spanish minor to the test!

The office is mainly a residential design firm, designing exquisite homes in the diverse landscape of Chile, and have recently been working in designing some office spaces, shops, and restaurants.  I have previous work experience in commercial design working in large format retail stores, specialty retail design, and restaurant, so some of my previous practice has prepared me, yet allows me to continuously learn and grow as a designer and professional.  Experiencing a new culture also allows me to appreciate a differing perspective on design and it's function.  Many things are similar to home, which has allowed me to transition pretty easily.  Although, coming from a firm of nearly 200 people, my office is composed of 9 designers.  An adjustment in size, the office is composed of both architects, interior designers, project managers, and public relations.  Their typical work hours are a 9:00-6:00 operation, and they typically eat lunch around 2:00PM.  This was slightly different than the typical 9-5:00, but many restaurants and lunch venues don't open until 1:00 or even serve lunch until 2:00.  Venturing from the United States and working in a technical field, I have started to learn the metric system as well, and practice in various programing and software when designing.  The team is extremely welcoming and encouraging, and are a huge help in improving my Spanish and spectrum of vocabulary!  I've had to chance to visit a vendor show room with them, and listen to various vendor presentations, to learn more about products and materials available.  My previous firm had many of these opportunities, allowing me to learn more specifics and details of various products to implement into designs.  This time around I get to learn in Spanish ! and have been able to compare the varying products and materials per country, how they are used, what they are composed of, how they're sourced, etc. I have already been able to jump in and start producing content for the team as well and can't wait to see how much I will continue to grow as a designer(: