The reason I haven’t been updating this blog as frequently as I said I would, as often as I would like to, is because I know what will happen after I post the last post: my trip to Chile will be over. I know I know, it’s been over for three months now, but in my head it’s not yet “official” because I haven’t finished writing about it. Is this called denial?
Over the past few weeks I’ve come to the conclusion that I am indeed facing reverse culture shock (despite my attempts to thwart it). It’s so much more subtle than I imagined it would be that I can’t tell you the exact moment I realized I was having Chile withdrawals.
As my graduation gets closer and closer and I make plans for the future (eeeek!), I know that all journeys must come to an end. There’s a line in a favorite song of mine (“Volver” by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera) that goes, “Pero el viajero que huye, tarde o temprano detiene su andar. But the traveler who flees, sooner or later must stop running.” I don’t want to tell myself to “stop running” necessarily; rather, I want to think of it as pausing long enough to enjoy all the wonderful things that are happening around me at this very moment. And you guys, you who have been taking part in my adventures and traveling with me deserve to know how they end.
So, without any more ceremony, I present to you: the first installment (out of four) of ”¡Chau, Chile!” :)
To start: the second post about Perú!
Day 1. My study abroad buddies and me at Kilometer 82, the start of the Inka Trail!
