A Tough Game

6.12.2015 Friday

What a splendid and occupied life it is in Santiago!

Last Saturday, June 6, I had an opportunity of a lifetime and was able to hike through the Andes Mountains with my friends. In the morning, I awoke early, threw on jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, my parka and my boots, grabbed my backpack and headed to the school to meet up with everyone. It was a two-hour bus drive to reach the trail so I napped as best as I could in my uncomfortable seat. It was much needed as I did not sleep well on Friday night. We arrived at the trail head and started an amazing ascent. 

The first leg of the hike was quite strenuous. We climbed rapidly, but after about forty-five minutes of intensity, the trail leveled out and remained flat for the majority of our trek. 

After about two and a half hours, we stopped by a lake to eat a lunch of tomato and cheese sandwiches. After a nice little break, we hiked for another thirty minutes or so and reached the peak we'd been chasing after all day. It was incredible. 

It's cliche, but pictures really don't even begin to capture the beauty of the mountains. As we trekked, we were surrounded by peaks, in a valley between the summits. Every few minutes I believed that I had seen it all only to be stunned yet again. The mountains were incredibly colorful, a mixture of several minerals, rocks, flowers, and shrubs. The snowy peak that served as our check point for the day was massive when we reached its base, full of snow and even a glacier. Even the sky was a deeper blue than I have ever seen and the clouds were being pulled along by the wind, performing a delicate dance for us. 

I could have stayed there forever. 

Eventually we began our return to our bus. Even walking away from the snowy summit, it was still beautiful, each of the peaks having its own unique characteristics. The hike was over five hours and a distance of nearly ten miles. Yet, the sites never became familiar and I never was content to stop looking. I would do it again in a heartbeat.  

Additionally, in the Andes I had an idea for a project to keep Kelsey and I entertained over the next year in Chile and Peru. If you are unaware who Murad Osman is, then please look up his work because he is gifted, creative, and has had the opportunity to travel more than most people. A photographer, he created the project Follow Me To in which he takes a picture of his girlfriend in various spots throughout the world. It's always the same pose: her back is to the camera, her arm reaching back and holding Murad's hand, the scenery surrounding her silhouette. Amateurs, Kelsey and my attempts are but mere child's play. However, as we travel throughout South America it is a project we have decided to pursue in an effort to capture our adventure in a creative and fun way. I believe the Andes were a stunning place to start. Thanks for the inspiration Murad. 

Add the Andes to your bucket list. Trust me. 

Worn out, we stopped at a restaurant in the mountains for empanadas fresh out of a large outdoor oven. I tried a pino, a type of Chilean empanada. It was... strange. Steak, onions, a random half of a hard-boiled egg, and one olive. Not one of my favorites but, hey, I can check it off of my list!

Sunday was a day of wine, wine, and wine. In the morning we headed to one of the many local vineyards, Santa Rita, for a tour and wine tasting. Before the tour, we explored the winery's museum which is full of many tribal pieces of artwork, pottery, and tools. Many of the items came from Easter Island and the handiwork was intricately detailed. No pictures were allowed in the museum, but the collection was very impressive.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and taught us the steps of examining a wine before taking a sip. I'm basically an expert now... So if you need somebody to sample some wines for you and examine the quality... Oh right. I'll be in South America. Drats.

The Santa Rita even had a flourishing garden to wander through with wine in hand after the tour. Moreover, they gave us our wine glasses from sampling as a gift. Flowers, various wines and a free glass. Chile's alright. 

As a naive twenty year old, I assumed we were going to head to lunch after winery number one, but no! Why would we ever do that? The more wine in empty stomachs the better! So to Concha y Toro we went.

Concha y Toro sells some popular wines in the U.S.A. and is well-known in many countries. Of course, this meant the famous grounds were gorgeous, however I preferred the small and personalized feel of the Santa Rita. Still though, more wine. And another free wine glass! 

We even had the opportunity to continue our Follow Me To project. 

Finally, we headed to a restaurant for an as-always exquisite meal. It was 3:30 in the afternoon. My breakfast was a couple of pieces of bread with jam. Needless to say, food was heaven. 

Salad, steak, rice, and ice cream for dessert. Oh, and of course there were Pisco Sours and wine with the meal. Oh, Chilean life. 

'Twas an enchanting weekend. 

After dinner on Monday, Elizabeth and I returned to the school to learn how to make Pisco Sours, pebre, and sopapillas. It was absolutely delicious! Everything was fresh and homemade. 

Pebre is a type of Chilean salsa that often tops sopapillas. Typically, sopapillas are not a dessert as I am accustomed to. This is a more or less Americanized idea. Rather, street vendors sell them as a snack or main meal in the winter. High calorie and warm, they're the perfect go-to meal during the cold months. 

Aaaaand, now I'm hungry. 

Tuesday was a very mellow and quiet evening which was good. As much as I want to go non-stop every day, I need days here and there to unwind. 

Wednesday was perhaps the funnest day of my adventure so far. Elizabeth and I went with a group of other students from the school, who we really don't know well, to a dinner and show at The Buenos Muchachos. At first, it was a little uncomfortable, especially since everyone was conversing only in English, something prohibited for us. However, once we arrived at the restaurant and received our food, music began and it became too difficult to try to talk anyway, so we sat back and enjoyed incredible food and a show of Chilean songs and dance. 

 When we finished the bottle, they popped open another one. Whoops.

 That pile of meat was intended for three of us. We didn't even come close.

The show was incredibly enjoyable! Great dancing and various people from the crowd even got pulled out onto the dance floor with the pros. Including myself for a dance called the Cueca...

Uh huh. So that was something.

Towards the end of the dinner, I ended up front and center again with the rest of my group. The MC called us up on the stage in order to celebrate my new amigo Carlos' birthday. Music played and we danced in front of everyone. Needless to say, there were many giggles.  

I mean, even this place's restrooms were fantastic.

Kid you not, the walls were covered with "art" like this. Prettiest bathroom I've ever seen.

After, Elizabeth and I shared a cab with the birthday boy and headed to Mito Urbana, the club that has free drinks for foreigners on Wednesday nights, and had some more great times with friends. Plus, some Chilean grabbed my hand as I walked by and I really couldn't get away so I had to dance some more. Obviously. When the song ended, I explained that I needed to head back to my friends. He laughed, said okay, and gave me a hug goodbye and the traditional kiss on the cheek... but the dude tried to swivel his head and kiss me on the lips! Guess guys are the same in every country. Praise the Lord I'm good at dodging. Also had some other random guy tell me he loved me as I walked by and blow a kiss at me. No, I didn't blow a kiss back. Maybe... What?! I promised to keep this uncensored!

Seriously though, a very fun-filled night with good friends and, I assure you [Mom], we all made good decisions. Welcome to the life of a twenty year old. Slightly loco, but mostly very fun and full of so many memories with friends. Good times, right?

Yesterday, after all the fun, I was quite tired all day. After struggling through classes, I had a nice siesta before dinner. And, most importantly, before the big soccer game between Chile and Ecuador. Previously known as the South American Football Championship, the Copa America is a tourney to determine the continental men's soccer team champion in South America. This year, Chile is the host country and last night was game number one. Earlier in the week, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jenna and I went to Estacion Central (Central Station), a part of town recommended to us by our teachers. It's a market place full of various stores and vendors, but their sole products, at least right now anyways, are soccer goods. It was fantastic and so cheap! We were definitely ready for game time on Thursday.  

We gathered at the school with a large crowd of students and teachers to watch the game. It was more than fun. It was electric. Even though we were watching the game on a small screen, my teachers were ecstatic for their team. It was like being at a sports game in the States. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to be in the stadium for a game. Even prior to the game, vendors in the streets had all sorts of Chile gear for sell in addition to their regular goods. Everyone's focus was on the competition.

I'm not a fan of soccer, but I would happily watch more games with true fans. The emotions are indescribable. Though I didn't know the names of the players and barely know the rules of soccer, I was in various moments stressed, yelling, and cheering along with everyone else. I don't believe there's another sport that can quite unite people like soccer does. There's so much pride and spirit. 

Plus, we won 2-0. Vive Chile! 

Overall, it was another incredible week in Santiago and I love it here so, so much. However, I realize that the Chilean life I know is full of activities and events everyday; this isn't realistic. While I am sampling an amazing flavor of the lifestyle here, I am still a tourist participating in touristy activities. It's an exciting life, but it's the life of a foreigner blended with the life of a native. It's a strange mix. I can't help but appreciate every minute of it, of this life-changing opportunity.

Even when my heart longs to be at home with my friends and my family, which it has been doing quite often this week, I cannot help but love this world. It's hard. It's frustrating. There are moments when I feel so great and confident in my Spanish but there are even more where I feel stupid and incapable, like I will never be fluent in a second tongue. Even in the house, there are many times when I get lost in the flurry of Madre's words and zone out. It's easy to become exhausted in the Spanish bubble and want to pop it. 

More than anything, it's challenging to experience and learn so much so far from home. I'm comfortable here and I'm happy, but home will always be where my family is. I have friends here, so that makes it easier, but I still can only communicate with them in Spanish. My skills have improved immensely because of this, but I still can't express all of my feelings and thoughts in a language that is not my own. I desire to speak fluently and clearly, like a native, but I'm realizing that involves an immense amount of work, time, patience, and immersion in an unfamiliar culture. The commitment and the unavoidable hurdles are intimidating, but the dream and possibilities are still oh so sweet and tantalizing. 

So, when things get hard, it's my dreams and my already unbelievable travel experiences, like this unforgettable week, that will propel me forward. I have so many grand plans and schemes in my head of my future, but they won't just magically occur on their own overnight. The question is, am I willing to fight for my dreams? If I wasn't, I wouldn't be in Chile and I wouldn't be heading to Peru in two months. No matter which path my life leads me down, I will have highs and lows. It's all about attitude, perspective, and endurance. After all, it's the struggle that makes crossing the finish line that much more satisfying.

Ciao!

"You will never be entirely comfortable. This is the truth behind the champion - he is always fighting something. To do otherwise is to settle."

- Julien Smith

Chi-! Chi-! Chi-! -Le! -Le! -Le! Vive Chile!