Life in Chile
Well it's been a few interesting months to say the least! About two months ago I got to head way up north, to the good old state of New York to visit friends and family for about 18 days. It was an absolute blast. After a warm welcome from my family in New York and a birthday party for my now 5 year old nephew, I spent a week at my parent's house, which I realized when I was there, that that was the longest number of consecutive days in a row I had been at my parents house since when I lived there during summers in college, so about 6 years ago. I worked at my dad's store, Impressions Now, sold all my stuff from my storage unit, or the majority of it at least and spent several long wine filled nights on the deck with my parents and a fire chatting about life.
Parker showing off his baseball skills
Cassie and I in NY!
At the beach with Kendra
Hanging out with Katie!
To cool for school in his shades
Introducing some pisco sours to my parents at my welcome home BBQ
And the rest of the family joins in ...
Notice the Colo Colo jersey!
At the playground with Parker and Aiden.
Next I headed to Albany for a night with friends and do the "ahhh" I used to live here thing. It was actually a bit of a high to walk into DeJohn's restaurant only after a year being away but feeling like such a different person and really enjoy the martinis, pizza and spinach salad that was a staple in my life before coming to Chile! Made the VERY long trip to Rochester, NY, weird how not driving for a year made driving two hours from my house to Rochester on the thruway (for those not from NY, its a very boring stretch of road with NOTHING to look at but exit signs) to visit some very dear friends and bask in their new life changes, houses, jobs, marriages, and engagements. Everyone I saw during the two weeks home had some sort of big piece of news to share with me, it was nice to see someone you love in person and see who they had become recently. After a very appreciated veggie burger from the Distillery (I felt somewhow old going there as I hadn't been since I was 24) and breafast panini from Magnolias (stil my favorite restaurant EVER) I got back in my car to make the two hour trek back.
Started the second week on an adventure of my own in NYC when my Chilean boyfriend, Nicolas, decided he wanted to finally "see the US" (apparently Florida doesn't count, sorry Sherri) he booked his flight to California, scooted around the west coast and the pacific coast highway on a motorcycle, danced in a pool in vegas, climbed yosemite, and froze in san francisco, to fly to NY for a week in my world. We spent the week doing all the touristy things (which I haven't done or hadn't done in 10 years or more). We went up the empire state building, took the staten island ferry, went to the financial district, spent a lazy day in central park, ate and drank at some of the hot spots (HUMMUS was amazing, good suggestion Katie), took a picture with the bull, strolled down 5th avenue, saw a broadway show, ate NY pizza, got soft ice cream, rented a row boat in central park, talked about how NYC looked more like a city in a "developing country" than Santiago, ate GOOD food, went to the beach, took the LIE, was confused how someone could live in one state, work in another and go out in a third (NJ, CT, NY), met my family and friends, and eventually dropped into bitter sweet exhaustion at the end of the week on my aunt's couch. One highlight was somehow finding whitecastle on the 4am drive to the airport.
His first real bagel, so proud.
On top of the Empire State building
Staten Island Ferry
National History Museum
I got to do a lot in a little over two weeks and one of the most important things I got to do on my vacation was feel excited about my life. Never once had I gotten to visit friends and family and all the cities I have lived in (except London) in a short period of time and enjoy every single one of them for what they are. I got to see my beautiful friends and here about their new apartments, houses, jobs, future husbands, wives and BABIES! and see smiles on their faces. It was a great trip that could not have gone smoother.
Eventually we landed back in Santiago, Chile after another long 12 hour plan ride to be greeted by fairly warm weather (left in winter jackets and boots and was told how "white" I was by family at home). It seems like ages ago now skipping around NYC in a sundress and singing broadway tunes at the top of our lungs, but I am happy to be back. The question that always resonates in my head..."so when are you going to be home?" Is becoming harder and harder to answer. What is home exactly? The place you grew up, where your family lives, where you live, where you made your life? Home is an interesting word to think about and yet when I get this question, I just smile my best smile and say, oh ya know, I'll be back again.
My new apartment (well since the end of May).
Been up to some exciting things back in Chile as well...
Climbed Manquehue with Mariah and Enrique!
Top of Cerro San Cristobal on bikes with Mariah,
My one year anniversery in Chile with Annie.
Celebrating the coming of spring and Julie's last week in Chile.
Partying on the top of Santiago.
Got to see another independence day in Chile, this time from a country standpoint, went paragliding, rode my new bike (alot), hiked another moutain, threw a party (or two) and started planning my next trip.
I am not sure what the addiction is to this country is, I believe my very curly haired English friend and I coined it recently by thinking of how in Chile nothing feels too impossible, hike a mountain one day, ride your bike to a market the next, go skiing, head to the beach, plan a trip to the desert, or one of 7 gazillion nation parks, find a new sushi restaurant or just do nothing. One of my favorite parts of life in Chile is doing nothing. Coined most commonly as Sunday Funday, I love the days when I wake up, have no plan and have no rush to get anywhere. Sunday Funday can be described in many different ways, but for me, its a slow walk around different neighborhoods, looking at something you never took the time to look, sitting on a park bench because you can, eating ice cream, drinking wine, cooking food, and enjoying the person that's next to you.
Parker showing off his baseball skills
Cassie and I in NY!
At the beach with Kendra
Next I headed to Albany for a night with friends and do the "ahhh" I used to live here thing. It was actually a bit of a high to walk into DeJohn's restaurant only after a year being away but feeling like such a different person and really enjoy the martinis, pizza and spinach salad that was a staple in my life before coming to Chile! Made the VERY long trip to Rochester, NY, weird how not driving for a year made driving two hours from my house to Rochester on the thruway (for those not from NY, its a very boring stretch of road with NOTHING to look at but exit signs) to visit some very dear friends and bask in their new life changes, houses, jobs, marriages, and engagements. Everyone I saw during the two weeks home had some sort of big piece of news to share with me, it was nice to see someone you love in person and see who they had become recently. After a very appreciated veggie burger from the Distillery (I felt somewhow old going there as I hadn't been since I was 24) and breafast panini from Magnolias (stil my favorite restaurant EVER) I got back in my car to make the two hour trek back.
I got to do a lot in a little over two weeks and one of the most important things I got to do on my vacation was feel excited about my life. Never once had I gotten to visit friends and family and all the cities I have lived in (except London) in a short period of time and enjoy every single one of them for what they are. I got to see my beautiful friends and here about their new apartments, houses, jobs, future husbands, wives and BABIES! and see smiles on their faces. It was a great trip that could not have gone smoother.
Eventually we landed back in Santiago, Chile after another long 12 hour plan ride to be greeted by fairly warm weather (left in winter jackets and boots and was told how "white" I was by family at home). It seems like ages ago now skipping around NYC in a sundress and singing broadway tunes at the top of our lungs, but I am happy to be back. The question that always resonates in my head..."so when are you going to be home?" Is becoming harder and harder to answer. What is home exactly? The place you grew up, where your family lives, where you live, where you made your life? Home is an interesting word to think about and yet when I get this question, I just smile my best smile and say, oh ya know, I'll be back again.
Been up to some exciting things back in Chile as well...
Paragliding in Huechuraba!
Got to see another independence day in Chile, this time from a country standpoint, went paragliding, rode my new bike (alot), hiked another moutain, threw a party (or two) and started planning my next trip.
I am not sure what the addiction is to this country is, I believe my very curly haired English friend and I coined it recently by thinking of how in Chile nothing feels too impossible, hike a mountain one day, ride your bike to a market the next, go skiing, head to the beach, plan a trip to the desert, or one of 7 gazillion nation parks, find a new sushi restaurant or just do nothing. One of my favorite parts of life in Chile is doing nothing. Coined most commonly as Sunday Funday, I love the days when I wake up, have no plan and have no rush to get anywhere. Sunday Funday can be described in many different ways, but for me, its a slow walk around different neighborhoods, looking at something you never took the time to look, sitting on a park bench because you can, eating ice cream, drinking wine, cooking food, and enjoying the person that's next to you.
SO cute. I really enjoyed reading, Meg. I couldn't agree more. Can't wait to get back!
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