New(ish) blog!

I just opened my email to find a TON of emails from people wondering how Ecuador went, and how this sailing adventure is currently going....  Before I left Ecuador, I compiled a list of 100 things I wanted to do before I turn 22.  And I've been tracking my adventures, acclaims, and setbacks there.... so follow me on
100 in 365 days


As soon as I have firm feet in the US, I'll upload photos from the past few months!

Chau, chau, Chile.

I guess this is my last blog post in Chile. . . .

In high school, some crazy teachers taught me the importance of reflection. So throughout the semester, I kept this little notebook of funny experiences (or not so funny ones…) that forced me to come to some sort of realization about myself.

1. Nothing is universal, except the existence of people. To say “we’re all the same” seems to be kind of a lie. I really think people ARE different depending on where they live, and what value system they grew up with. Different doesn’t mean worse or better, however, nothing of the sort. At the same time, I’m willing to bet we can all find at least one thing in common with every other person in the world. It makes the world feel smaller, more homey, no?
2. If someone can’t pronounce your name, change it! It’s just your name, not your identity. Thus, I am now “Colleens”.
3. Red does NOT always mean stop.
4. Being scared, sad, annoyed—it’s okay! I think I’ve learned to not worry so much about how people perceive me, especially when I feel “negative” emotions. But they’re also human.
5. Skinned knees aren’t embarrassing. It just means you did something fun. And probably fell.
6. Seize every opportunity, no matter how small, to do something different and new. Even if it’s just crossing the street at a different intersection. Who knows what’s there.
7. Don’t be too proud to ask for help, even when finding things on your own is more rewarding.
8. I can’t be frustrated when things are hard. Don’t give up because you can’t do something 100% perfectly.
9. Bring your own toilet paper
10. Get one good hug every day.
11. It sucks to not be the best, but that doesn’t always mean that you’re the worst
12. Bread can be a meal. Or all meals. Or four meals in a row.
13. I kind of miss studying sometimes, and feeling like I’m getting something done. I think I was made to be a really competitive person.
14. I can definitely relax, but I will never be a relaxed person
15. I need to appreciate things, even when they become normal. The ocean is still beautiful, even if I see it every day. It’s never the same.
16. I always over-think everything, but it’s the decisions that I think about the least and just do that always turn out best.
17. I need to tell people that I appreciate them. Or else they won’t ever know, and how sad would that be
18. I need to act like I take myself seriously. I have a really bad habit of either putting myself down or making comments about how bad my majors are jokes. I can’t do that anymore. No one will take me seriously unless I start taking myself seriously.
19. It’s hard being a tourist, being foreign. Although the novelty can be fun at the beginning, it wears off, and I’d give anything to just blend in a bit.
20. I appreciate the US in a way I never did before. I hope I don’t ever criticize my country for being intolerant, for being discriminatory. Which isn’t to say I think it’s perfect yet, not in the least. I think I’ve just learned that it could be SO MUCH WORSE in the US. But you’re allowed to look 100% different, and that’s no big deal. Move here from another country – it’s okay.
21. Real coffee can NEVER be overrated.
    
22. I'm going to miss Chile.
    

La cascadaa

I forgot that I took a video of the waterfall!! Excuse me awkwardly high-pitched and squeaky voice at the beginning.....

It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN

Doo dee doo doo.... doo dee doo da doo....


So last weekend was my final trip, to Pucon, a small town in the lakes district of Chile. I think it might have been the greenest, most peaceful place that I've visited so far. A good last hurrah, methinks.

We traveled through the night on Thursday for the umpteenth time, and arrived early Friday morning. We settled into our cabanas (note: CIEE paid for this trip, for everything except excursions, thus our accommodations were INSANE. I shared a cabin with four other girls. There were TWO BATHROOMS, and a kitchen. 'Twas the life), and headed out again to a Mapuche community center. We spent the afternoon there, ate their amazingly delicious food, played with their instruments, and then headed back into town. Everyone was exhausted, so we cooked in that night and braced ourselves for the next day...

On Saturday, I went ziplining in the morning!! It's apparently the longest zipline circuit in South America, which was sweet. It's the second time I've flown in South America!

The group getting ready!

Achieving flight... AGAIN

Later that afternoon, I went horseback riding on this cool mountain trail. The people who we rented the horses from matched us up by haircolor.... I mean, that's one way to do it, right? But my horse had brown hair and blue eyes! At the end of the trail, we hiked a little bit to the most impressing waterfall I've ever seen.... I know the picture is sideways, but if you tilt your head and imagine, I think you understand the beauty :)

This is what I look like as a horse.

This is what I look like on a horse


Waterfall!

Another night in, with this sweet card game that I'll have to teach yall when I get home! And then on Sunday, we went to these hot springs about an hour outside of Pucon! However, I was much more intrigued by the river that ran next to the hot springs, and spent most of my time playing on the rocks.... until I fell into the water, and got scared by the rapids and decided that maybe the small pools were a better fit for me.



And today is my last FULL day in Chile. I'm really excited to go back, but at the same time, I don't want to leave. I want to do both at once. I have that awkward, nervous lump in my throat... it's kind of the same way I felt when I came here, which surprises me.

36 hours until takeoff....

Using my blog for evil....

Well, no. Not evil. But I just caught wind of this really cool project that Xerox has undertaken. Every person who goes on this website can choose a postcard, personalize a message, and have it printed and sent to the US troops abroad. For free. You just need to go to http://www.letssaythanks.com, choose your card, and hit send! It's super easy, and it's a tiny gesture.... but imagine how cool it would feel to get a postcard from someone far away, just saying keep on keepin' on? And I know it sounds lame, but being abroad has really shown me just how much I appreciate everything I have in the US. We're truly lucky to be able to experience such a unique freedom.


Later tonight, I'll blog about my last trip that just occurred this weekend.


Flying home this Friday! Craziness.

Lots of love,

(HAHAHA!!! Funny sidenote: I sent out a bunch of emails yesterday to family members, and I sign a lot of them "Lots of love, Colleen". Then I had to send one to someone in the financial aid department at Vanderbilt. So I wrote this long, formal email [formal email? Think about that one] and ended it with.... "Lots of love, Colleen". Hahaaaahahaha. It was one of those things where I hit send and IMMEDIATELY my stomach dropped, and I realized what I did. Oops....)



Colleen.

The Beginning of the Lasts

That was a weird title to create.

But it's true. I have ten days left in Chile, and we're all making bucket lists of what we need to get done before we leave. It's a weird feeling, an entirely mixed feeling.

Yesterday was mine and Sarah's last taller de ingles. And I wasn't expecting it to be as sad as it was. The kids were actually upset to see us go, which always surprises me. And they are absolutely adorable children. They surprised us with a bit of a going away party, complete with cookies and crackers. Then, they gave each of us a bag of chocolate covered cookies with a stuffed animal on top. Too cute.

The outside of the school

Inside of the school....

The neighborhood (truly a wonderful shot....)

The CHILDREN! With Juan en Serio y Gringa, our stuffed animals

Los ninos y yo

Katherine hogging all the brownies...

Los ninos con la comida!

Preparing the feast

The Hoedown Throwdown (YouTube the original from the Hannah Montana movie)


Wrapping things up is always kind of awkward.

I love globalization.

Well, not really. But sometimes, it can be nice.



For example: I am currently sitting in Starbucks in Viña, drinking BREWED COFFEE from a paper (not styrofoam) cup. And they are playing Christmas music. And the Christmas music is English.

When I went downstairs to get more coffee (and show Chile just how much of a consumer I can be...), I heard more English-speaking people than I've ever heard in one place, except when there are reunions with all the other gringos here. Baby it's Cold Outside in English + English speakers + coffee = super happy Colleen.

And it's kind of pathetic that it makes me feel like that. That Starbucks feels like home? Kind of low. But at the same time, it makes sense. It makes sense that something familiar is comforting.


As I'm sitting here, a young boy of about 12 walked in and put rosary beads on all of the occupied table. We all ignored them, pretended they weren't there, and waited for him to come back and recollect them. Then he asked for money, and I said no. And I felt that pang that's become part of everyday life here, the one that reminds me I'm refusing to help people even though I could.

Do I really even have the right to feel so comfortable and at home right now, when I know that right outside the door there are billions and billions of people struggling to get by?


A $4 cup of coffee isn't so appealing anymore.