The days are getting shorter and shorter here it seems. Last night we had a wonderful farewell dinner with all of the students in my program and our directors. We went to a really nice restaurant on the sea and I had a real steak! I say real steak because the meat here, although tasty, is very different from what I'm use to eating in the USA. The steak here is usually thinner and very well done. Last night though I had about a 8-10oz ribeye (I think) which was red all the way through--just like I like it! I told Mamá about it this morning and she made the face that I make when she likes to kid with me about making me eat a meal of just vegetables. Chileans like their meat well done and all the way grey---and then some. Afterwards I went and grabbed a drink with a couple of friends then came home and fell asleep to a movie. It was a fun night.
So I have been thinking of all of the quirky things that have accompanied/happened/I have done on my trip and since time is winding down I figured it is time to share a few of those with all of you, if for no other reason than the fact that they make me laugh.
Right before I was about to board my plane in Austin I basically had to repack in the parking lot. I don't remember exactly why (probably because my suitcase wouldn't shut) and so there I was with everything out everywhere and my mom just watching me and laughing. I guess Austin put a little bit of hipster (ha..haha) in me because one of the things that I left in my trunk was my hair brush. I figured I'd just buy one when I got here...well, I kept telling myself I would and never did. Thus, my hair hasn't been brushed in four months now---don't worry, I've found that fingers work quite well.
Back in the states I never drank coke...like ever. Well, confession number two, I'm pretty sure I drink a coke here every couple of days. I never realized how much tea I drank until I didn't have it anymore. I of course still drink tons of water but with out iced tea I needed to drink something with caffeine and so that was it. Granted, when I get back to the states you can bet I won't be drinking anymore...I'm ready for a big tall glass of iced tea with a lemon!
I wear the same clothes probably every week. I brought more summer clothes than I did winter and I also brought nice clothes that I thought I'd wear to school and such like I do in the states. That's the thing here though, no one ever really dresses fancy or even what you and I would call casual--it's super casual! I'm pretty sure I wear jeans and a sweatshirt everyday. I love it, and never did I think I would say this, but I do miss getting dressed up to go out to dinner or whatever--it's just not a part of the culture here really and dressing up makes you stick out.
Before I leave I will probably throw away half of the shoes I brought with me. I love my shoes, and didn't bring all my favorites, but almost every pair I brought here is wrecked. I never realize how much I walk until I look at my shoes, all of which at this point are pretty much falling apart. Sad day? Nah...I've walked a lot of miles in this country and it was worth it.
I have probably eaten more vegetables here than I have in my entire life. I really am one of the most pickiest eaters ever and really don't eat vegetables at all--besides green beans, tomatoes, and potatoes. Here though, I definitely get my dose everyday--I will be happy to integrate this aspect of my life back into my diet back home.
Keeping on the train of food, I definitely have tried to go by the "You never know until you try it" motto here, mainly because Mamá says so. There are a long list of foods that I have tried here including, horse, eel, locos, weird green vegetables, tropical fruits, maté (which is a drink), and others. I definitely haven't liked everything that I have tried but I do know what things taste like and I have found one or two things that I would be willing to eat again (not horse)!
I have one thing left to complete my Chilean bucket list and I'm pretty sure it's going to happen. Other than going to Easter Island, which I don't have the funds to do, snowboarding in the Andes is the last on my list here. I am pretty sure my friends and I are going to make a ski run the final week that I am here which is like....a week away. I'm pretty excited and hope that everything works out.
I haven't used a cell phone (actively) since I left. Because I have an iPhone, I am able to text other people with iPhones through iMessage but I do that pretty rarely and so I really don't use my phone here at all, other than to play games on the rare occasion. I didn't purchase a local phone here (which some of my friends still hate me for haha) and have really been disconnected throughout the day. Of course at night I get on my computer where I write, do homework, Skype my parents, and talk to my friends. It is definitely a lot easier than I thought it would be. There are also pros and cons of course to not having a phone all the time. A definite pro is that people can't really stand you up--if you say you will meet me then you do mainly because you can't cancel on me last minute because I don't have a phone. I also definitely can walk to school "smelling the flowers" not in the middle of a phone conversation or a text or whatever. It is nice for sure, but it's different. I'm sure I could do the same thing in the states but would I want to--no. My lives in the two places are very different and living without a phone is something I can do here but I wouldn't be willing to do at home.
My Mamá and I were walking to the grocery store this morning and we were talking about how little time I had left and how we were both sad. The feeling, like I have said before, is bittersweet but I know how much I have grown and learned while I am here. Looking at all the little funny/random things that I have realized that I don't "need" here is interesting. I definitely have tried to avoid comparing my two lives and how things work in the both of them so that I can better integrate into the Chilean culture, but as my time comes to an end, I'm not going to stop myself from getting a little excited to go back to my homelands and see all of the other people in my life that I love.
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