When in Chile!

After being in Chile for a few days, there are many things I can reflect on. My week has been difficult, but definitely a good learning experience.

One "critical incident" I have been faced with a lot has to do with the language barrier. I speak no Spanish and I knew this would make my trip difficult, but I don't think I truly understood how much I would have to rely on other people for my information. My original host family did not speak any English and once they learned that, they did not speak directly to me much. I ate meals with them but had very little interaction with them besides this. This made me feel very left out, but from their point of view it must have been very difficult as well. I do not think they were a bad host family, but overall, they were not the family for me and I knew I could be happier and enjoy the trip more elsewhere. My new host family however had been wonderful. Although their English isn't perfect, they really try and they help me to understand Spanish as well.

New Years Eve, Missi, Riley, and I experienced a very difficult situation. Due to a misunderstanding, we bought tickets for an event that we thought would be from around midnight to three am when in reality it was an hour away and would not be over until 6 am. We fought through crowds and traffic and eventually were helped home by two boys our age. New Years Eve is very different here, and was a little chaotic, especially because we were in an unfamiliar city where we didn't speak the language well. For us, it was too much, but for people more familiar with the area and tradition, it may have been a very fun evening. It shocked me not only how crazy it was, but how nice the locals are. The fact that these two strangers helped us to get home and even paid for our uber was crazy to me. Between these boys and the stray dogs that walked us home and protected us, we were able to get home safely. This situation may have been difficult for us, but I learned a lot trying to get through it.

Overall, although the language barrier has been tough, I am having a great time. I love the culture and the weather and I'm so excited to see what the rest of the weeks and the camp with the children will entail! Adios for now!