Portfolio of Jen Ross

JEN ROSS - FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

Quick bio:

I'm a Chilean-Canadian freelance foreign correspondent based in Santiago, Chile.
I work in print, Web, radio and television journalism -- in English, Spanish or French.
I speak six languages, have two Master's degrees, and have a variety of work experience in various media.

*PLEASE NOTE:* I am currently working on contract with the United Nations and am unavailable to take on new freelance assignments until the end of my contract July 31, 2009.

Articles:

No Wonder... but wonderful Easter Island still attracts more tourists than it can handle

The Ottawa Citizen October 18, 2008

Scattered around the shores of this tiny Polynesian island, many of the more than 900 male-shaped stone monoliths, called moai, can be found face-down rather than gazing calmly from an upright position as in the iconic image of the Easter Island statues. "They were thrown down," explains local tour guide Cristian Reyes, pointing at the backs of five toppled statues. "Something happened here that made these people destroy their own gods." Such tell-tale reminders attest to this island's history of self-destruction, which some locals fear could repeat itself given the island's current rate of tourism expansion.
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Easter Island stone heads are 'dying': Gigantic statues will vanish without preservation effort

The San Francisco Chronicle December 6, 2007

Sloping slightly sideways on the grassy hills beneath the Ranu Raraku volcano, a giant stone head known as a moai shows the wear and tear of time on this triangular 64-square-mile island. On the right side of the oblong rectangular face with male features, the rock is lighter in color and its long, carefully sculpted ear and nostril are clearly visible. But on the statue's left side, the sun and wind have eroded the nose, lip and ear.
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Young Chilean keeps nearly extinct languages alive

The San Francisco Chronicle August 12, 2007

While most 16-year-old boys are busy playing video games or worrying about girls, Joubert Yanten spends most of his spare time reading dictionaries and singing tribal songs.
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Chilean players offer new take on scuffle

The Globe & Mail July 31, 2007

SANTIAGO — Popular perceptions that Chile's Under-20 soccer darlings were victimized on July 17 by Toronto police appear to be changing as some team members confirm less flattering aspects of the story.
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Canadian police 'reacted like animals,' angry Chileans say

The Globe & Mail July 21, 2007

SANTIAGO -- Reactions ranged from dismay to outrage over what the Chilean news media and government officials are calling unacceptable conduct by police against Chile's under-20 soccer team in Toronto on Thursday night.
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A series of tremors in Patagonia sparks fear, anxiety

The Miami Herald July 12, 2007

More than 5,000 tremors have been felt since January in the Patagonia region of Chile, causing residents to fear that a cataclysmic earthquake may surface.

Lure of being a wonder masks risk of repeating dire errors from past

The New Zealand Herald July 9, 2007

As the sun rises over the eastern shores of the tiny Polynesian island of Rapa Nui, the shadows of 15 stone monoliths stretch long across the grassy fields of Tongariki, towards the quarry from which they were mysteriously transported hundreds of years ago.
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Chain Reaction: The Stellar Rise of Hotel Chains in Chile

Trip Chile Magazine July-September 2007

SANTIAGO – With its stunning geography and boundless natural wonders, sturdy economic development, stable democracy and the lowest crime rate in South America, (Chile may have visitors wondering why it has taken so long to expand its hotel industry.) But when it rains, it pours, and the development of major hotel chains has seen an important boom in recent years.
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South American Prodigy: The voice of spirits past

The Toronto Star June 9, 2007

Extinct since the '70s, aboriginal language is spoken again by self-taught Chilean high school student.
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Aruba: C'mon in, under the water's fine

The Miami Herald February 25, 2007

ORANGESTAD, Aruba -- His white lips seem to curl into a smile as I chase a fat electric blue Parrot Fish past brain-shaped coral, swaying fans and cornflake-like seaweed. Twenty-five feet below the surface, I'm breathing freely, beneath Aruba's turquoise blue waters. The best part is, I don't have scuba certification -- and I don't need it to explore this underwater wonderland.

Chile Kick-Starts Debate on Gender Quotas

Women's E-News February 16, 2007

Chile may be notable for having a female president, but the country ranks 14th out of 18 Latin American countries in female political representation. Congressional hearings on a gender-quota bill for political parties are stirring debate.
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Venetian history surfaces in basic black

The Australian January 13, 2007

NO image better depicts Venice than a classic black gondola gliding along its narrow canals. And, thanks to new regulations passed by the city council, gondoliers will have to make sure that image remains intact.
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Thousands pay last respects to Pinochet

The Independent December 12, 2006

Thousands of mourners filed through the military academy in Santiago yesterday to pay respects to the former dictator Augusto Pinochet, who died from heart disease on Sunday, aged 91.
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Controversial legacy of former Chilean dictator

Christian Science Monitor December 12, 2006

General Pinochet is credited with stablilizing Chile's economy, but is best known for his repressive rule and alleged human rights violations.
SANTIAGO, CHILE – The death Sunday of one of South America's most notorious dictators, Gen. Augusto Pinochet, frustrated the efforts of those who had hoped to see him condemned for the human rights abuses committed during his 17-year rule.
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Chileans celebrate death of reviled dictator Pinochet

Globe & Mail December 11, 2006

SANTIAGO -- Many Chileans celebrated the death of dictator Augusto Pinochet yesterday amid hopes that his passing would help to speed the prosecution of other human-rights abusers and frustrations that the reviled dictator was never found guilty.
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Crowds take to streets to celebrate Pinochet's demise

The Independent December 11, 2006

The streets of Santiago were a cacophony of car horns and cheering yesterday, as Chileans took to the streets in droves to celebrate the demise of South America's most notorious dictator.
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Ski resorts give Chile a lift in quest to lure travel dollars

Globe & Mail November 24, 2006

While many Canadians are planning their ski vacations this winter, some are making plans to hit the slopes next summer, at the other end of the hemisphere. Far-flung places such as Chile might seem like a costly stretch for Canadian skiers, who have lots of snow and ski resorts like Whistler a domestic flight away. But this South American country has geography on its side.
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World's wineries develop a nose for Chile

The Globe & Mail October 20, 2006

A barefoot beauty queen dances about in a giant vat of grapes, to the lively sounds of Chile's typical folk music, cueca, before more than a thousand spectators sipping wine from tiny plastic shot glasses. The ceremonial squish is to open a massive wine-tasting event hosted by 20 local vineyards in the town of Santa Cruz. In the heart of Colchagua, one of Chile's hottest wine-growing valleys, it's a chance for local vintners to strut their stuff, and even do a little real estate.
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Madurodam: A model city

Dallas Morning News October 15, 2006

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Madurodam is not a name you'll find on any map. But it has become one of the most visited cities in the Netherlands. With a population of 66,000, an extensive infrastructure of canals, rail lines and its own airport, Madurodam is like any other average-sized Dutch town. With one big difference – everything here is 25 times smaller.
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Goodbye garish gondolas: tradition wins over business

National Post October 14, 2006

Nothing better symbolizes the romantic lagoon city of Venice than the picture-postcard image of a gondola gliding along its narrow canals. In recent years, however, the classic black banana-shaped boats have grown increasingly more flamboyant, with multicoloured seating, gilding and flashy decorations, all designed to lure tourists away from the motorized water taxis that have eclipsed the gondola as the main mode of transport. No more: Thanks to new regulations passed by Venice's city council, gondoliers will have to think again about hanging those plush dice on the gunwale and return to the traditional black design.
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Surprising & spectacular: Why more people are going to the end of the Earth to hike

Ottawa Citizen October 7, 2006

Torres del Paine National Park is a hiker's paradise that's fast becoming a pilgrimage of choice for nature buffs, adventure tourists and those with an appetite for the non-conventional. Peter Potterfield recommends it in his new book Classic Hikes of the World: 23 Breathtaking Treks. In its 15th anniversary issue, National Geographic Traveler named Torres del Paine as one of the Top 50 "greatest places of a lifetime" and in the Top 10 in the "Paradise Found" category.
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Caribbean conundrum: Arubans defend their native tongue

The New Internationalist October 2006

Oranjestad, Aruba – At Aruba’s weekly Bonbini festival, where tourists come to marvel at the Carnaval costumes and take in a bit of the island’s folklore. A petite solo singer in a slinky red dress takes the stage, and is belting out a song dedicated to her island, and its beloved language – Papiamento.
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Selling on Chile’s mean streets

Globe & Mail September 29, 2006

With her one good arm, Carmen rearranges the cellphone cases atop her makeshift cart on a busy pedestrian mall in downtown Santiago. Amid the lunch hour rush, she hollers at passersby, in the hopes that they'll stop to peruse her wares. She's one of the thousands of street vendors who eke out a living selling hairclips, underwear, pirated CDs and other inexpensive goods on almost every downtown street corner in Chile's capital.
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Brazil's 'good leftist' poised for election repeat

Globe & Mail September 26, 2006

SAO PAULO — Four years ago, the thought of electing a radical former union leader from a poor background made Brazil's business classes cringe. But today, populist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is widely praised for reducing hunger and stabilizing the country's economy, and he appears poised to coast to re-election on Oct. 1.
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In Chile, free morning-after pills to teens

Christian Science Monitor September 12, 2006

SANTIAGO, CHILE – This month, Chile began to combat the problem of high teen-pregnancy rates by distributing free morning-after pills to girls as young as 14 years old. Government support of emergency contraception is not unusual in Latin America or in Europe. Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the over-the-counter sale of morning-after pills (known as Plan B), for women over 18. Girls age 17 and under must have a doctor's note. But the Chilean government, by giving away the pills to such young girls, is igniting a storm of opposition from critics who say it undermines parents and is tantamount to abortion.
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Brazil makes headway in bid for 'Zero Hunger'

Christian Science Monitor September 11, 2006

BRASILIA – In the sprawling shantytown of Estructural, Norberia Brito holds her newborn daughter in one arm, while with the other she stirs her feijao, a lunch of black beans and rice. It's one of the few dishes the young mother of three can afford on the 95 reals ($44) she gets monthly from the government.
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Island Fever

Latin Trade August 2006

Vacation travel booms in a Caribbean hotspot, prompting some to worry about its impact.
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Circus makes performers out of troubled youth

Globe & Mail June 16, 2006

SANTIAGO -- Beneath a sprawling big top in the north end of Chile's capital, a tiny woman in an ornate tutu carefully balances herself with a pink paper umbrella as she walks up a tightrope. Watching her every step is a wide-eyed Soraya Sepulveda. The 23-year-old circus student is one of 450 young people who were invited to a special private performance this spring of Cirque du Soleil's internationally acclaimed show Saltimbanco.
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How Chile's growth skipped its schools

Christian Science Monitor June 14, 2006

SANTIAGO, CHILE – "A country's development is expressed by the quality of its schools, not by the quality of its highways." The hand-painted sign hung outside a Santiago high school last week, one of hundreds that have been paralyzed in recent weeks by massive student demonstrations calling for education reform in Chile.
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Alarm bells ring in tourist paradise

Toronto Star June 10, 2006

Oranjestad, Aruba—This Caribbean island nation's stunning turquoise waters, white sand beaches and romantic sunsets have lured tourists for decades. Its position outside the hurricane belt allows for a year-round influx, and the constant trade winds have made it a windsurfing, sailing and kite-skiing hotspot. But in recent years, residents have begun questioning just how much tourism this tiny island (covering less than 200 square kilometres) can sustain, given its impact on the coastline.

Circus arts lift Chile's troubled youths

Christian Science Monitor June 7, 2006

SANTIAGO, CHILE – In the north end of Chile's sprawling capital, Santiago, the graffiti-covered neighborhood of Quinta Normal is considered one of the most "vulnerable" inner-city communities for youth. The Lo Franco Elementary School has long struggled to inoculate its preteens against the temptations of drugs and other social ills. But they've started making inroads, with an unusual approach.
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Immigration situation sounds eerily familiar

Miami Herald May 28, 2006

Aruba's need for cheap labor and proximity to countries with people who need jobs has inflated the number of undocumented migrants there -- at a level far exceeding that fueling the debate in the States.

Care for every child

Toronto Star May 27, 2006

Despite its relative poverty, Chile is working to provide universal daycare — something that affluent Canada says it can't afford.

Peru Campaign Quiet on Reproductive Issues

Women's E-News May 22, 2006

In Peru, which has one of the highest illegal abortion rates in Latin America, the sole female presidential candidate is out of the race and women's groups say sexual and reproductive rights have been missing from the campaign season.
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Peruvian voters to pick between bad and worse

The New Zealand Herald May 6, 2006

Beatriz Alonso is having her nails done at a mall in the middle-class neighbourhood of Jesus Maria as she watches the electoral results on television. She cringes as she hears that the gap between the second and third-placed presidential candidates is narrowing. With 99 per cent of the polls in, three weeks after the elections, Alan Garcia has edged ahead.
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Chile's Bachelet Promises Pension Payday for Women

Women's E-News March 10, 2006

Chile's president-elect Michelle Bachelet has promised an overhaul of the nation's private pension system. She says her reform will do much more to help women than the "pension for housewives" promised by her opponents during the campaign.
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Bachelet Era Begins with Change

Christian Science Monitor. A1. February 1, 2006

Michelle Bachelet made history Jan. 15 by becoming Chile's first female president. Monday, she chalked up yet another precedent: naming a cabinet of 10 female and 10 male ministers. It's the first of its kind in the entire western hemisphere - and one of few examples in the world.
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Chilean Women Celebrate Signs of Rapid Change

Women's E-News January 19, 2006

Times are changing rapidly for women in Chile, where Michelle Bachelet is taking over as president and a far-reaching law on domestic violence is taking effect. SANTIAGO, Chile (WOMENSENEWS)--For 25 years, Maria Victoria Torres put up with daily physical and emotional abuse from her husband. He would punch and kick her, pull her hair, call her names and even lock her in a dark room for days on end.
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Chileans prepare to welcome first female president

The Independent January 16, 2006

SANTIAGO, CHILE – In what's seen as a cultural breakthrough for the most conservative country in Latin America, a female Socialist - promising to maintain the country's free-market policies - is poised to become the next president of Chile.
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Beavers too eager for their own good

Miami Herald December 22, 2005

Chileans set to elect a woman

Christian Science Monitor December 9, 2005
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Fujimori rolls dice on comeback in Peru

The Globe & Mail November 8, 2005
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In traditional Chile, meet the soldiers with pearl earrings

Christian Science Monitor. A1. November 7, 2005
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Sewage plant in Chile combats disease

Toronto Star November 5, 2005

Mountain of money

Latin Trade November 2005
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Venezuela Will Retry Teen's Accused Torturer

Women's E-News October 7, 2005
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Chile passes progressive domestic abuse law

The Globe & Mail September 30, 2005
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Birdsong Regained: Paraguayan government bends to farmers' demands

New Internationalist Magazine September 2005 Read More

Brazil’s disappearing jungle

Toronto Star August 6, 2005

Chile's New Sex-Harassment Law Takes Off

Women’s E-News June 30, 2005
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Brazil tries to stem tide of sex slavery

Women’s E-News June 19, 2005
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Moving heaven, earth - and glaciers

Toronto Star June 4, 2005

Brazil begins talking openly about abortion

Women’s E-News May 15, 2005

Brazil is moving to address the problem of illegal abortion, the country's fourth leading cause of maternal death. In March the government eased abortions for rape victims and in April it formed a committee to review all its abortion policies.
Read more - THIS WAS AMONG FIVE ARTICLES IN WOMEN'S E-NEWS THAT JOINTLY WON THE 2006 ROSA CISNEROS MEMORIAL AWARD IN JOURNALISM

Women in Chile Look Toward Rome with Apprehension

Women’s E-News April 15, 2005
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Regime's top officials face torture charges

Washington Times April 5, 2005
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Chile's Politicians Battle Over Emergency Contraception

Women's E-News April 1, 2005
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In Britain and Chile, lessons for revamping social security

Christian Science Monitor March 14, 2005
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President of Bolivia tenders resignation

March 8, 2005 Globe & Mail
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Falling water, rising hopes

March 5, 2005 Toronto Star
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Chile wants to pull Asia - all of it - into a growing global trade orbit

March 2005 Latin Trade
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Chilean Women Chalk Up Income Gains

February 20, 2005 Women's E-News
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Hip Hop goes Home

February 19, 2005 Ottawa Citizen

Human rights victories stir resentment

February 8, 2005 Washington Times
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VALLE DEL ELQUI: Magical Mystery Tour

February 2005 IN-LAN
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Paying the price for growth

January 8, 2005 Toronto Star

Pinochet ruled fit for trial

January 5, 2005 Globe & Mail
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OPEN HOUSE: A Canadian company sees Latin America as a springboard for its assembly-line homes

January 2005 Latin Trade

Legal Momentum Gathers in Chile Against Pinochet

December 25, 2004 Washington Post
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Chilean Women Celebrate Gaining Right to Divorce

Dec. 3, 2004 Women’s E-News
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Chilean torture was policy, Lagos says

Nov. 30, 2004 Globe & Mail
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Pinochet torture victims angry at pension

November 30, 2004 The Independent
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Illegal abortions rampant in Latin America

November 28, 2004 Women's E-News
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Chile passes law to allow divorce for the first time

November 28, 2004 The Independent
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Chilean court slaps down notion of amnesty

November 19, 2004 Globe & Mail
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Critical Mass on a roll in Chile: 'Raging Cyclists' inspired by S.F.'s biking movement

November 14, 2004 San Francisco Chronicle
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TransAlta first to trade emission credits

Toronto Star October 22, 2004

Rights groups back Chile's tribal 'terrorists'

The Independent and The Belfast Telegraph October 21, 2004
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Bikers pedal for cleaner air

Toronto Star October 9, 2004

Pinochet faces fraud charges over secret £4.4m accounts

The Independent October 1, 2004

Latin 'untouchables' face heat

Christian Science Monitor September 16, 2004
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Noose tightens on Pinochet

New Zealand Herald September 11, 2004
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Latin America: Does It Exist?

Hispanic Magazine August 2004
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Poor paper pickers of Chile

Toronto Star July 31, 2004

In Chile, Hope Is Reborn in 30-Year Quest for Justice

Washington Post July 18, 2004
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Picking a tutti-frutti tree

Washington Times June 14, 2004
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Chilean military puts on a new face

Washington Times June 1, 2004
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Money that grows on crops

Christian Science Monitor April 15, 2004
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Canadian companies anxiously await a decision on new mining fees in Chile

Canadian Business April 11, 2004

Countdown to freedom

The Guardian Monday, March 22, 2004
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Chile defies church and legalises divorce

The Guardian Friday, March 12, 2004
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Latin America eyes defense pact

The Washington Times Tuesday, February 10, 2004
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Bolivia hopes to float its bid for sea access

The Globe & Mail Monday, January 12, 2004
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Chile tackles child-sex trade

Christian Science Monitor Tuesday, January 13, 2004