Waking up on Friday, my last full day in Chile and my last
day at school, was bittersweet in the most amazing way possible. I made sure to
breathe deeply on my walk to school so I didn’t miss a single scent. I only
looked forward, at the quickly rising run, and tried to only think of the best
times I’d had in Chile. While I knew deep down I was ecstatic to go home and
pet my own dog, climb into my own bed and speak my own language, I also knew
the twinge of sadness I felt shouldn’t be ignored.
My last week in Chile was packed with what felt like nine
million events. I visited thermals baths and a local market in Chillan. Wearing
shower caps in the thermal baths was incredibly humiliating and hilarious, but
ending that same day with good friends who were just as excited to find churros
as I was made the hideous shower cap pictures and the sulfuric rotten egg smell worth it.
I also visited a local coastal town, Tumbes, twice and got
to try the most amazing dish. They called it a crab cake, but it was more like
a cheese dip loaded with massive amounts of crab. It was a rich dish that made
me miss my own hometown filled with great seafood. The boats are so colorful in
Tumbes and the town gets very quiet if the sun isn’t brightly shining upon it.
Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to the wonderful,
friendly, patient people I’d met along in the way in Chile. As an LSU group we
had multiple dinners and parties to festively say goodbye and reminisce on the
three weeks we had all spent together. I’ll miss my wonderful, stylish teacher
Fabi, my amazing host mom who bakes the most delightful and beautiful desserts,
and all the other LSU participants who shared my love and excitement for new
foods in a wonderful new country.
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