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Public health in Chile: Reporters’ Notebooks

For the month of February (2016) fellows of the UBC School of Journalism International Reporting Program are traveling throughout Chile reporting on public health. Below are daily notebooks from reporters in the field.


Santiago, February 14 2016

Konstantine Roccas

We’ve arrived in Santiago, Chile to officially begin our whirlwind reporting tour. Our fellow students arrived a week ago. Their reporting involves covering migration and HIV in the northern parts of the country. My team was designated ‘Team South’ and as described we are going to be covering HIV and the stigma and challenges facing those with the illness in the south.

I have personally been assigned the task of producing, editing and shooting the virtual reality aspect of this project and I’m looking forward to the challenge. This will be a UBC J-school first and I will be shooting the VR segments in 180 3D and 360 2D. I look forward to seeing the results.

 


Arica, February 8 2016

Mike Lakusiak


Today we landed in Arica, the “place of eternal sunshine” according to a faded storefront awning. The desert port city is right near the northern border of Chile with Peru. While its location (and the associated economic migration into mining-rich Chile) presents great storytelling possibilities, it also posed some roadblocks for us today.

Lessons:

– Crossing an international border in a rented van is easier-said-than-done. Adding shooting locations in other countries therefore requires some forethought.

– It’s difficult to develop trusting relationships with sources when you’re under time constraints and have only ever talked via Skype prior to arriving in the field. It’s not impossible though.

– Setting up a portable virtual reality studio in a hotel room is surprisingly straightforward. Explaining what it is to people is less simple.

– Even when the sun stays up until 8:30 p.m., you still manage to run out of daylight for shooting.
Keeping track of gear, going through a checklist and making sure it’s ALL in the van before you leave for a shoot is mandatory.

– Locals, like drivers, are your biggest resource for the little things during a shoot. Most of them will even put up with your horrific Spanish proficiency.

– The mental calculation of what warrants how much time and effort for the sake of the story we’re going to produce in the end is a constant conversation.

 


Arica, February 8 2016

Jon Hernandez

The town itself is unlike any place I have ever been to. Giant swaths of sand border the entire city, supporting larger-than-life statues of the holy father as if he is looking down on the city from all angles. The air is thick and dry. The roads are cluttered and the food is delicious. The sidewalks and parks flow with a vibrancy that is unique. There’s so much interaction, so much chatter between everyone walking the streets. Vancouver streets are silent in comparison.

One thing that stands out are the couples. Maybe it’s just summer loving, but ever since we arrived I’ve seen more public displays of affection than I have over the past six months at home. Ironically, it ties quite neatly to a point that was made today by Liliana Munoz. She says Arica is a very promiscuous city. According to Liliana, young people in Arica are often romantically engaged and they tend to be involved with a multiple partners at one time.

That’s why Liliana’s spends her nights talking about safe sex in Arica’s night clubs. She’s trying to raise awareness about HIV in an effort to save lives.