Dimka Bahamonde never imagined she’d call Aberdeen, South Dakota, home. Growing up in the lush, rain-soaked town of Los Muermos, Chile, population 17,000, her life was surrounded by farming and modest city living. Her summers, marked by warm January and February days, were spent playing with neighborhood kids. Snow was a rare, once-in-a-decade treat.
Her childhood revolved around a tight-knit community, a small school she attended from kindergarten to graduation, and her loving family—her mother, a teacher; her father, a police officer; two sisters; and a brother.
But Dimka always dreamed big. Pursuing her passion for teaching, she enrolled in college to become an English as a Second Language teacher. There, she learned about an exchange program offering students the chance to study abroad. Dimka applied, was accepted, and chose Northern State University for its affordability—and, she thought, the lack of other Chileans.
When she arrived in Aberdeen on a cold January day in 2009, she immediately questioned her decision. “What am I doing here?” she wondered, as she settled into Jerde Hall alongside a small group of international students. Aberdeen’s cold winters were a stark contrast to the start of the Los Muermos summer season.
Dimka was assigned a host family. They were kind, supportive, and helped her ease into life in the States. However, it was her friendship with Nancy Hartung, another host family member, that truly deepened her sense of belonging. Nancy called Dimka her “Chilean daughter,” a relationship Dimka described as life changing.
“You don’t think you need that until you realize you do,” she said.
Classes began, friendships formed, and Aberdeen slowly felt less foreign. Dimka even found another Chilean student at NSU. One March evening, while playing soccer in the Dacotah Gym with other international students, an American student named Nick Eilts wandered in. He joined the game, and Dimka later found out he had been looking for every excuse to bump into her—including frequenting the print lab just to walk by her.
Nick eventually asked Dimka on a date—sort of. Unsure if she’d agree, he invited her friend along, too. Dimka found it charming. Their first date was at the Red Rooster Coffeehouse, and their relationship blossomed.
After both graduated in May 2009, Dimka returned to Chile while Nick stayed in Aberdeen. The distance was hard, but Nick’s optimism kept their relationship strong. He visited her in Chile before starting his master’s program at a Montana University. He proposed during one of her visits to Montana, and in 2015, he moved to Chile and they married.
By 2017, the couple began considering a move back to the United States. Nick found a job he was passionate about as the Director of YAPA, a youth centered non-profit in Aberdeen. Dimka agreed to the move, knowing the strength of the Aberdeen community. He moved to start his new job, but it wasn’t until October 2018, after a lengthy green card process, that she could join him.
Dimka threw herself into the community and taught immigrant children as a Reading Instructor at Lincoln Elementary and eventually landed an ESL teaching position at Central High School in 2020. She found meaning in her work and pride in helping students and families navigate life in a new country. “I’ve even helped many people fill out Walmart job applications,” she joked, but her dedication to her students and their families is anything but trivial.
In May 2020, the couple bought their first home. Two years later, they welcomed their daughter, Lucia, and Dimka embraced motherhood in a town that now felt like home.
This past July, Dimka applied for U.S. citizenship, and by August, she had passed her test. Now she’s pursuing her master’s degree at Northern, returning to the school that first brought her to Aberdeen.
When asked what she’d like to say to the community that has become her home, Dimka reflected:
“When my husband and I decided to settle down in the U.S. after a few years living in Chile, the only thing that made it easier was knowing that we were moving into a community like Aberdeen. Your kindness, understanding, and encouragement have made me feel at home, thousands of miles away from where I grew up. It’s a blessing to live and work in a place that values education, diversity, and inclusion. Every smile, every conversation, and every act of support reaffirms the strength and heart of this town.
“To my ESL community: thank you for trusting me to be part of your learning journey. To my colleagues, neighbors, and friends: your generosity and openness inspire me daily.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Aberdeen, for embracing me and my family as one of your own.”
Dimka’s story is one of resilience, love, and finding home in the most unexpected places. Aberdeen isn’t just where she ended up, it’s where she truly belongs.
- Share
