The title of this entry speaks nothing but the truth- “Mi corazón está en Chile” or, “My Heart is in Chile”. I can’t believe how much I miss it already. It’s hard being so close but knowing I can’t go back. I guess I technically will go back on Tuesday when I fly back to Santiago but I’ll only be in the airport and nothing else. On Tuesday when I said good-bye to my mama, it was really difficult, and we were both tearing up. When I was complaining to her [...]

Well, here it is, the final week of our program. It’s funny how just a month and a half ago I was sitting in an airport crying because I wanted to leave and go back home and now here I am thinking that going back might be the worst idea I’ve ever had. Don’t get me wrong, I miss my family and friends, but I have fallen completely in love with this place. It’s so true what they say about studying abroad; you get excited to go, feel homesick for [...]

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged, I’ve been so busy! Our program is quickly approaching the end so I’m trying to do everything I can before I have to leave. Since I’ve last blogged I’ve gone surfing (so much fun!), eaten the world’s best empenadas, witnessed a violent protest from the fishermen, and gone sledding in the Andes Mountains! Monday this week was another holiday so we got another long weekend. Two of my friends and I decided to take a bus to Mendoza, Argentina. The bus ride is [...]

It’s been an interesting week. First of all, there was a student protest on Thursday. Last year around this time, there was a 4 month long student protest for lower interest rates on student loans and school was literally not in session for 4 months, both at universities and colegios (high schools). Schools were vandalized and some almost went bankrupt due to all the damage. On Thursday, it was just a small, mostly peaceful, protest that lasted a few hours, and the worst damage was done in Santiago. Our school [...]

The past 2 days have been busy! My new friends and I have been walking around a lot and discovering new places around the cities. Two days ago we went to “El Mall” and downtown Vina del Mar. We walked along the beach at night- it was so beautiful. I love the fact the this area is shaped like a horseshoe so I can see Valpo’s coastline from Vina and vice-versa. When we were walking we could look across and see Valpo all lit up and sparkling. Unfortunately, I didn’t [...]

Yesterday was my first full day in Chile and also the orientation for my program. Matias and I walked to the metro station together so that I knew how to get there and how to use it. Since he and I go to the same school, we rode all the way together which was much easier than going alone. The metro ride (once you get out from underground) is really beautiful. It passes right alongside the ocean and you can see the coast of Valparaiso in front of you- so [...]

Well, I was definitely not excited yesterday afternoon. Once I got to the Atlanta airport things started getting a little better. I ended up meeting one of the people from my program, Jackson, at our gate and it was nice to see a “familiar” face (we’ve been facebook friends for a week or two). After we boarded I heard two guys in front of me talking and we realized that we were all studying at the same university, so my class of 4 students doesn’t mean I won’t meet other [...]