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I'm home!

Here are some notes that I jotted down during my layover in Atlanta. Although they truly are my first reactions to being in the US, it was 5 AM. Excuse them if they're a little scattered.

I’m sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for my flight to Louisville. First observations upon return:

Americans are TALLER… and fatter than Chileans.

There’s much more diversity here. I find myself staring at anyone who doesn’t have dark hair… which is a lot of staring.

It smells good… weird, but it smells familiar.

First transaction: bought Newsweek. American money felt funny… it isn’t nearly colorful enough. It’s kind of dull.

English also feels strange on my tongue. I find myself pausing for a second before responding to customs officers or the man at the newsstand. My instinct is to respond in Spanish, but then I realize they addressed me in English and I should respond in kind.

It's much louder here. I can understand everything everyone is saying on all sides of me.

Leaving on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again.

My stuff is all packed up and I'm ready to head to the airport. I'm just waiting for my host family to get home from work and then we'll go to the airport. I'm soooooo excited to be going home. I am excited to see all of my family and friends again, but at the same time I will very much so miss Santiago.

It's a place that was home to me for 4 months. I came to care for my host family. I like the city. I think Chile is an amazing country. The thing that makes this the most difficult for me is that I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to come back. It took me 20 years to leave the country. I feel like it might be a while before I get that chance again. When I do, I want to see other parts of the world.

Chile has given me so much. I have grown a lot over the last 4 months. I have come to understand, even more than before, just how important family is to me. I have learned how to function in another language. I have learned a lot about myself and my native culture. But it's a bit like the end of The Giving Tree. Chile has given me many things, but now it's time for me to continue with my life and move along.

Bueno Bye for now!

Easter Island: Mission Complete

I'm back from Easter Island. Actually, I got back to Santiago late Tuesday night. I just haven't updated because I've been busy getting things ready to go home and saying goodbye.

Easter Island was paradise. The weather was beautiful. We were on an island surrounded by ocean for 3,000 miles in any direction. It was great!!! We watched the sunset over the ocean each night. But, as I will be home in a matter of hours and will probably see most of you soon thereafter... I won't bore you.

I'll just let you know that Easter Island was a success! I made a new friend:

I'm off to Easter Island

Since the last post I've:

1. Had Thanksgiving pt. 2 with the program and our professors (Friday)
2. Enjoyed a few nights on the town
3. Had lunch with Alex's family
4. Went to the beach for 2 days (GLORIOUS)
5. Finished my Christmas shopping
6. had two days at my internship
7. had all the gringos over to bake Christmas cookies

For the next few days I'll be in Easter Island!! :)

Bueno Bye!

Thanksgiving (part 1)

Last night I decided I wanted to do something special to celebrate Thanksgiving. Having a normal Chilean dinner and speaking Spanish just didn't seem right. So Tara and I went out to eat, which is a real treat as meals with our host families are free... and being college students we take advantage of this. My Thanksgiving at Sushi House:

Tara with our plate of sushi:

Me with our rice:

What made this particular Thanksgiving feel anything at all like Thanksgiving? The turkey!

I know I said I'd be done with classwork today, but I'm in Chile. Chile is where I have learned nothing goes according to plan. Once my host sister asked if I wanted to go to a flea market. I said yes and we went to the dentist office and had lunch in the mall's food court instead. Along these lines, we all showed up for our final presentation in our poverty and development class today to find there was no professor. Said class has been rescheduled for next Wednesday. The good news is that all of my work is done and I'm ready for it... the bad news is that it doesn't occur until next Wednesday.

I'm off to rest a bit before our Thanksgiving dinner with the program.

Bueno Bye!

Thankful

It's officially Turkey Day by Chile time. I thought I'd list out things I am thankful for:

1. My family and friends waiting for me in the States. I love you all a ton.

2. That I have been able to have this abroad experience

3. That I have 2 stress free weeks left to enjoy Chile

4. That I still have one awesome trip in front of me (Easter Island)

5. How amazing my host family is

6. How close our group of 8 gringos has become on this trip

7. My host mom's cooking (she uses far less salt and mayonaise than the average Chilean)

8. That my Spanish has been able to improve so much

9. That I've gained a better understanding of what it is to be an outsider and unable to fully express yourself in another language

10. That at the end of these 2 weeks I will be surrounded by loved ones

That's all for now.

I'm off to bed.

Happy Turkey Day to those of you in the States!

Bueno Bye!

Fall

As it is Spring/Summer here I'm having some trouble remembering that it's supposed to be Fall or that it's actually November.

A friend passed this link to me as a reminder. It's a really cute interpretation of Fall leaves:

http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/bio-diversity/

Bueno Bye!