Hasta luego, Chile!

What are you going to miss the most about Chile? What was your favorite part about Chile?

I have been asked this a ridiculous amount of times. I decided that's like asking somebody, "what's your favorite part of that hamburger you just ate? Did you like the bun the most? Or the tomatoes? Maybe the meat?" I don't think those are very fair questions. A hamburger is yummy because all the ingredients taste good together but eating a hamburger patty without the pickles and ketchup just isn't the same. What I am trying to get at is that I don't have a favorite part of Chile. All of it put together, the good and the bad, made my experience what it was. I will miss my meals of rice, beans and fish. I will miss my daily tea and avocado sandwich. I will miss taking my bus to the gym. I will miss watching futbol games with my friends. I will miss the hundreds of asados (BBQs) that happen nearly every weekend. I will miss seeing vendors on the street. I will miss buying warm, crispy, sopapillas from those vendors. I will miss my school, my classmates, my teachers, and I will even miss my least favorite class- music class. There are so many small factors of my life in Chile that I became so accustomed to (I barely even notice them now) but I will miss them when I am back home without them. Of course I'll miss my family and friends here but I know I will keep in touch with all of them and see most of them again. If any of you guys are reading this (and translating it or just being awesome and understanding it): my home in Colorado is always open for your visits!

What have I learned from this experience?

Well, first, there is all the stuff that all exchange students all over the world learn... adaptation, open-mindedness, thankfulness, independence, and so on. But like every study abroad experience, mine wasn't just that. Yes I adapted to a new culture, a new way of life with new schedules, new meal times, NEW LANGUAGE, new foods, etc. and yes, I am 100 times more open-minded and thankful, and yes, I have become an independent 16 year old that knows the Santiago metro system by the back of her hand. (Notice I didn't say BUS system because that would take about three years of me being here to learn.) But my experience was more. I learned from mistakes I made here. I realized money should not be your main goal in life because sometimes the people with the least money, have the most love.  I have learned ways to stand on the bus when it's packed full or when the driver doesn't take a turn smoothly (which is frequent), I have learned which avocado to pick at the market and overall, I learned to live as a Chilena. (I am still working on my Chilean accent, though!)  

Will it be hard to go back to my life in Colorado?

Without a doubt. I have never been so alone with so much independence. I left my parents, my comforts that my home gives me, my sport teams, and my friends to go on this crazy adventure. I go around this city solo, I can eat as many desserts as I want, I don't get asked to clean my room and I don't have soccer practice everyday. But as they say, with freedom comes responsibility and so it did. Without my parents here to tell me what to do and what not to do, I gained my own discipline, responsibility, and ability to take care of myself. I overcame the occasional homesickness, I had to manage my money (not just my $20 of allowance back home) and I made sure that when I am back sleeping in my own bed, I will NOT have any regrets of what I should have done in Chile. My life in Colorado hasn't changed, but  I have.  So to answer the question in bold, yes, it will be a little weird when I go back home and return to being a high-school student with parents who make sure I eat all my veggies. I also think that I might get reverse culture shock going back to the ways of the US. Don’t get me wrong though,  I am psyched to see my family and friends in the US!!

Last Saturday night, my friends threw a "despida" (goodbye party) for me. They made me typical Chilean food and drinks since I am clearly Chilena now, (don't be deceived by my eye and hair color). Yesterday was my last day of school. My grade had a surprise going away party for me. One thing I noticed was that Chileans give a lot of gifts. Even my previous families grandparents came by and gave me going away gifts, my host aunt did too, and the teachers at my school as well. 

They all signed one of my school shirts!

Good-byes have been said, hugs have been given, tears have fallen, and promises to visit soon have been made.

And that wraps up my trip to Chile. Leaving Colorado was hard, but in a different way because I knew my life would pretty much be waiting for me when I returned. Leaving Chile will be worse because even though I know someday I will go back, and I’ll see my friends again, stay with my host family, run on my paths, eat my sopaipillas, completos and avocado sandwiches, shop at my stores, look at my view of the Andes, wait for my D17 bus, take my metro, walk through my streets, climb up my stairs, but it will never be my life like it was. I’ll be more of a tourist than a local.

However, I left having had the time of my life.  A time of bravery and risks that started by  filling out the CIEE application to packing one too many pairs of shoes. A time where lifelong friendships were born, a love for learning languages and international travel took root, and a lifetime’s worth of memories were made.

Chile, no es "adios" es "hasta luego."