Inspiring Women Magazine November 2023

minority. In our son’s graduating class of 50,
there were six. Our children became bilingual
practically overnight. The Nido’s classes were
small, and our children developed deep
friendships with classmates they remain in
touch with and visit to this day.
Reentry for our children was intense after
having assimilated so deeply. Our son went
directly to university, where he found “other”
foreign students in culture shock to hang out
with. Although the Seattle-area high school
our 16-year-old daughter entered was diverse,
repatriation was very difficult as there
were no other students returning from
living internationally.
How did your overseas experiences affect
your career when you returned home?
When we moved to Chile, I had no idea I
would return to the United States with a lifechanging
professional specialty. Before Chile,
I had traveled in Europe and South America.
Some trips lasted several months, but until
Chile, I had not understood the flexibility and
determination it takes to live successfully
overseas. As an expat and a professional
counselor, I had plenty of opportunity to
observe my family's struggles and successes
The "Sugarloaf" in Rio de Janeiro
(left)
Page 103
1970s boat building in Southern
California. Harriet is seated, third
from left. (top)
Market at Aguas Calientes in the
1990s before the town became a
high end hotel tourist mecca
(middle)
Hiking Torres del Pines,
Patagonia Chile, 2000. (bottom)
as well as those of others. When my Spanish
became proficient, I was invited to consult with a
Chilean group of psychiatrists and psychologists
who served multicultural clients living in
Santiago, in addition to my work with the State
Department. When we returned to the United
States, I became involved in the Society for
Intercultural Education, Training and Research,
Families in Global Transition and the Boeing
Company, in addition to private practice.
What are the biggest challenges you had to
overcome adapting to your new country?
Misogyny was the biggest challenge. In the
1990s, Chilean women were 30 years behind
their sisters in the United States. Argentina and
Brazil were leaders in women’s rights at the
time. It was really difficult, painful, to explain
to my daughter how there were no girls' soccer
teams she could try out for. She, like her
brother, played soccer since the age of six. At
school recess, Sarah would shock the boys with
her ball-handling skills on the playground. She
took up modern dance and enjoyed it, though it
never filled the love spot she had for soccer.
The lack of professional mobility for women in
Latin America also surprised me. Physicians,
attorneys and psychologists practiced in
settings under male directors
or had home offices. School
principals and department
chairs at universities were all
men. Domestic violence and
rape were tolerated in a way
they were not in North America.
How did you embrace your
new culture? Is there
something you can tell us
about that culture that made
you happy?
We were fortunate as one of
Charlie's colleagues had studied
in the United States and took us
under his family’s wing, inviting
us for meals and showing us
where to shop. He had children
near our children’s ages. The
kids got along. Through the
American Women’s Club, I met
long-time expat women who
were an invaluable resource for
just about everything!
Chilean folk songs are lovely,
with traditional guitar or
sometimes brass
accompaniment. They often
have unrequited love themes
not unlike traditional country
and western songs in the
United States. The songs are
easy to sing along with and
are often done as sing-alongs in
bars or at parties. On
September 18, National
Independence Day, with the
Festivas Patrias and Chilean
Cuecua, there are dances at
parties and in the street, and a
great time is had by all.
In your travels, what was your
favorite culture you encountered?
Why?
Over time, I have been
fortunate to visit several
Brazilian states, both rural and
urban, for work and vacations.
I love Brazilian music, the
country’s energy and its
incredible physical beauty. I
am not fluent in Portuguese,
but with its similarity to Spanish
and French, I have picked
up enough of the language
to communicate.
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