"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." -Robert Louis Stevenson
As I write this long overdue update, I'm looking out the window of the plane at the Andes Mountains soaring above the clouds on a blue sky day. Sounds similar to that first post I wrote as I was watching the Rockies pass below me as I left Montana, huh? ⛰ It sure brings back a sense of nostalgia and love for the Big Sky State. But not only that -- it also makes me realize how much I have fallen in love with my new home in Chile.
How is it already September 14th, almost 2 months into my exchange? I know it's cliché, but it's so so true: time flies when you're having fun. But even more so, time flies when you're immersed in a new place, overflowing with things to do and places to see and people to meet at all hours of the day! I wish I could put into words how vibrant and full of culture this city is, but I guess you'll just have to vicariously read into my experiences or, better yet, come see for yourselves! Overall, classes have been going great (except that is most definitely NOT the word I would use to explain my first biochemical engineering exam that I had yesterday!)
We have Spring Break this week, so some friends and I are headed to the Atacama Desert, hence why I'm on a plane! It's in the very Northern part of Chile (close to Bolivia) and is the driest non-polar desert in the world! And to think we consider the farm in Chester "dry"! 🌵 We'll stay at a hostel and already have a bunch of different activities planned. One afternoon, we'll go swimming in the Laguna Cejar, a lake that has the same salt content as the Dead Sea, allowing you to float effortlessly! Keep an eye out for many pictures to come soon!
It seems that the things that at first seemed so intriguing and interesting to write about have become my new normal. And so, I decided to slow down and think about the little quirks or sights that I know I will miss so much when I leave. I know this because I've been through it all before. At the end of my time in Argentina, I thought to myself, "Yeah, I'm sure I'll miss Argentina and my family and friends, but it will be nothing compared to how happy I am to be back home!" Oh, for it to be that simple. And so here's a short, most definitely non-exclusive list of the little things I love about Chile!
1.) The beach: 🏝 A born-and-raised Montana girl never having lived closer than 700 miles from the beach transplanted to a city renowned for its beaches and surfing. Now that's a sight, huh? If I get out of class early or don't have plans for the day, I'll walk 5 minutes down to the water and enjoy the sandy beaches (and sometimes frigid cold waters). I can already see myself daydreaming of the beaches in class next semester!
2.) Fruits and vegetables everywhere, and cheap: 🍓🌽 For anyone who knows me and my love for avocados, mangos, and smoothies, you'll no doubt understand this one. "Fruterías" and "verdulerías," stores that only sell fruits and vegetables, can honestly be found on almost every single block. And, not only that, but I can buy a kilogram of mangos or avocados for almost the same price that I can buy one in MT!
3.) Lack of punctuality: ⏱ Time? What's that? Say you're going to meet up with friend at 4 - definitely don't show up until 430 or 5. Class start at 9 - no biggie if you're 10 minutes late. Although this one can be frustrating at times, I definitely find myself picking up the Chilean sense of time day-by-day. This one may be a kick when I find myself running to Simperman 10 minutes late to class!
4.) Dulce de leche: 😍 The infamous dulce de leche. For any of you who followed my travels in Argentina, you know my love for this South American goodie. And for those of you who didn't, let's just say I came home to the US with a full carry-on suitcase of it! It tastes like a creamy mix between caramel sauce and nutella and can honestly be put on anything (or shamelessly eaten by the spoonful)!
5.) Seafood and sushi: 🍣🍤 Again, back to the MT girl transplanted to a beach town. Bozeman' Dave's definitely has some killer sushi, but I'm a fan of $5 specialty rolls and sushi joints everywhere you look! Not to mention the fresh seafood on every menu in every restaurant. And on Saturdays, I'll most definitely miss walking 10 min down to the local fish market (think smaller scale Pike's Place)!
6.) Empanadas: 😋 Okay, I really could write a blog all about food, but this is the last one, I promise! Empanadas are similar to calzones; a dough filled with seafood/meat/veggies/cheese and then baked or fried! My mouth is watering just writing about them and I just ate one a couple hours ago! Empanadas are the perfect snack on the go and always cost less than $2!
7.) International friends: 👯I know I talk about my study abroad friends a lot, but that's only because I know how lucky I am! I'll miss our conversations that revolve around the soccer rivalry between Colombia and Chile, the political happenings in Israel and France, and so many other world affairs. It's so much fun to learn about these other countries and cultures by actually experiencing them and getting to know the actual people!
8.) Chilean slang: 🤔 Weón po, cachaí? You could be perfectly fluent in Spanish and not understand one word of that. They say that Chile and Argentina have the two strongest accents and most slang in the world; of course, I would pick these two countries to learn! But I too have caught myself using more and more Chilean slang the longer I'm here. At least I'll have an excuse if I start calling people "weón" and adding "po" to the end of every sentence when I get home!
9.) Classy drinking: 🍹Whether it's the night of a big pro Chilean soccer game or just a Friday afternoon after classes, my friends are always wanting to meet up for a casual "Pisco" or "terremoto," the two most popular drinks in Chile. The legal drinking age here is 18 and laid-back bars and discos are scattered everywhere throughout the city and on the beach, too. I'll have an odd 6 months in between coming home and my birthday in June!
10.) Chilean asado: 🍗 And lastly, the infamous Chilean asado. I'm sure you have seen my pictures of the chorizo sausage and vegetables on the open charcoal grill. It's not only the immense feast during an asado, but the accompanying conversation and games that always seem to continue into late morning!
Even though this list doesn't begin to do Chile justice, I hope reading it made you want to visit this beautiful country!
I hope all is well back in Montana and that you're enjoying the coming of fall as much as I am spring! Please keep in touch, miss you all so much!
Love from Chile,
Kerri
