Tuesday, May 13

Today was a very average day, which is basically exactly what I needed after a whirlwind week last week.  I went to school, took a chemistry test even though I hadn’t even been there when the material was taught (I got a 5,7 which is really good and everyone thought I was some sort of genius and I tried to explain about AP Chem but they didn’t really get it hahaha that’s ok I’ll let them keep thinking I’m a genius). After school, I stayed until 4:30 practicing the alianza dance with my friends. The alianza is the school’s anniversary, and to celebrate it, each class, A, B, and C (every lever, kindergarten through senior year is divided into 3 classes—A, B, and C), is its own alianza (I’m in the alianza A), and the 3 alianzas compete in a variety of activities to win the title. It’s basically a week of fun competitions. Apparently it’s super competitive thought because the alianzas are the week of July 11 (2 days before I leave Chile, which is perfect timing because the alianzas are like the most important event of the year in school) and we’re already preparing for the dance competition. After school, I went home, wrote in my blog for a little while, went for a run, ate once with my family, and went to bed early.

Monday, May 12

Today I had to finally go back to school after a relaxing week off. It was nice seeing my friends again and telling them all about my amazing time on Easter Island. After school  I went home for a little while to change clothes, and then I went to the Jumbo to buy a few things, then to Sally’s house to drop off some gifts I brought my family from the island (and to say hi since I hadn’t been to the house since I moved). I was planning on spending some time with Monse and Maxi and Sra Adela, but Sally said we had to leave immediately to go to the center to look for dresses and shoes for the gala we have on Friday night, so I just had to hug them and promise to visit soon and stay for more time. Sally and I took a collectivo to the center and ran around like crazies looking for dresses and shoes (and stopping to get some yummy fruit flavored frozen yogurt). Sally ended up deciding that dresses were expensive and she would use a dress she already has, and I found shoes for $24 and had already been planning on using my prom dress from the States. We hurried over to catch a collectivo back to the Jumbo so we wouldn’t be late to our 7:00 coffee date with our moms. When we all arrived, we sat down at Berezzi (the coffee shop in the Jumbo), and drank our coffees and talked for about 2 hours.

It was really nice to catch up with Nancy and to tell her everything that was going on in my life. I didn’t realize how much I missed her and valued her reactions to the things I tell her about what’s going on in my life. I really do feel like she’s my mom and I just want to hug her and have her tell me she loves me too. It was kind of an amazing realization. We finally went home around 9 because we had been sitting outside and it became too cold to bear, but we promised that we would have another mother daughter coffee date sometime soon. When Lilian and I got home, we ate once with Manuel, and then I went to sleep.

Sunday, May 11

Today Cata, Louis, and I woke up around 11, and I decided I needed to go home early to be with my family after we hadn’t seen each other for over a week. Louis’s dad came and picked him and me up and dropped me off at my house. I walked in and was only to talk to my parents for about 10 minutes about the trip and everything I’d done and everything they’d done before we got surprise visitors. Next week, Sally’s friend Eduardo had invited her to the gala of the air force school where he studies, and his friend also needed a date, so Sally invited me to go as Eduardo’s friend Nicholas’s date. Nicholas and Eduardo had decided to stop by my house on their day off to meet me and reassure Manuel that I would be in good hands at the gala. We all awkwardly sat down in the living room and talked for a few hours. I tried to make it as not awkward as possible by telling jokes and funny stories, and the boys tried to do the same, but basically everything that Manuel is involved in is very uncomfortable for everyone else, and this was no different. We still had fun exchanging meaningful looks about how bored and uncomfortable we were, and when they left a few hours later, I knew that the gala was going to be really fun with these guys. After they left, I went upstairs to put on a jacket, and then we got in the car and went to Donihue to visit Lilian’s family for the day. Today is Mothers’ Day, so I got Lilian a moai statue from Easter Island and wrote her a card, and I wrote Nancy a Facebook message, and Sally and I planned to take them out for coffee tomorrow after school (it’s fun because we share the same two Chilean moms, so we can do things for them together). We spent the day in Donihue chatting with Lilian’s awesome family and eating the great food that’s always there. My little cousin Luciana came to her grandma’s house specifically because she knew I would be coming, which I just found so adorable. Luciana is 10 and she’s an only child too, so I totally relate to how she feels and what she’s going through (she’s honestly a lot like I was at that age), so we have fun together. After once, Lilian, Manuel, and I returned home early so I would have time to Skype my real mom for Mothers’ Day. I told her how much I love her and how crazy it is that we will be seeing each other face to face in less than 2 months now. I still don’t know if that makes me sad and depressed because I’m leaving Chile or ecstatic because I get to see my family and friends back home again. Anyway, I was still tired from staying up so late the night before, so I went to bed early. 

Saturday, May 10

Today I woke up around 9 at Lily’s house, packed up my stuff, and got her dad to drop me off at the metro station. Then I had an interesting 2 hours navigating through the Santiago metro alone, but I met a nice man who helped me (even though I really didn’t need any help), and talked to me for about 30 minutes before I had to change lines. I eventually made it to the bus station about 45 minutes before Katie and I had planned to meet, so I bought a muffin for breakfast, and went to eat it while waiting for her. I was listening to music and walking toward a seat, so I almost didn’t notice when I passed right by Ruth and Michelle, also waiting in the bus terminal for their bus to Talca. We sat together and talked while I waited for Katie, and then when she got there, we bought our bus tickets and said goodbye to Ruth and Michelle, promising to see them soon, and got on our bus. We got back to Rancagua around 2, and then I waited for a collectivo for a long time and didn’t actually get back to my house until 3. My parents were at a family event in Curico, so I was home alone. I unpacked my suitcase, admired my awesome souvenirs, and packed a backpack because I was planning on spending the night at Cata’s house since my parents weren’t home. I took a collectivo over to the Jumbo and met up there with Fernanda, Lila, and Camila. It was Lila’s birthday, and she had invited us to a “tea party” at her house. I brought graham crackers from the US as her birthday gift, and made them come with me quickly to the jumbo to get marshmallows and chocolate. We went to Lila’s house and sat and talked for a while, and then had an adorable fancy tea party with cinnamon rolls, scones, and marmalade. After the tea, we went into her nice cozy living room (Lila lives in the country in a big country house made of wood so everything is nice and cozy with lots of blankets and comfy things) and watched Pride and Prejudice. All 3 of them basically quoted me the entire movie in English which was pretty hilarious. After the movie ended, we toasted marshmallows in the little chimney on the side of the room and then I got to watch their faces as they tried their first s’mores.

They laughed at how American they felt doing something they’d only ever seen in movies. Then we all sat on the couch for a while longer talking and gossiping about people before Camila’s parents came to pick her and me up around 10:30. They drove us back to Rancagua and dropped me off outside this bar inside a train car that is on the side of the street by my school. There, Cata, Pablo, Vicente, and Louis were chilling and drinking some beer. I arrived and we talked for a while longer, and then walked all the way back to Cata’s house around 12. Whenever Louis is hanging out with my friends, they kind of take advantage of the chance to practice their English and just speak in English. I would never let them do it when they’re just with me, but I can’t really stop them or blame them when Louis is there, so we spoke in a mix of half-English and half-Spanish. Vicente and Pablo are really amazing at English so it really wasn’t a problem.

When we got to Cata’s house, we sat around eating chips and laughing and talking about stupid stuff for a long time. Around 2, Vicente’s parents picked him up (Pablo had already left), and Cata, Louis, and I lay down on her floor with a bunch of pillows to watch a movie. By the time the movie was over and Louis tried to call his dad to come get him, his dad was already asleep, so Louis had to sleep over too. We put out 2 mattresses on Cata’s floor, and Cata slept in her bed, I slept on one mattress and Louis on the other. We stayed up until like 5 in the morning talking and laughing and being weird until we were finally so tired we couldn’t handle it anymore and went to sleep.

Friday, May 9

Today we woke up early, ate breakfast, and then were given an hour to pack up our stuff. I had brought a suitcase pretty full, and with the souvenirs that I had bought, it was pretty difficult to make the zipper close, but I ended up doing it. Then we all sat by the pool and waited for a while. We left around 11 for the airport, and when we got there, the counselors were waiting for us with shell necklaces to put around our necks.

We went through security and then waited for the plane to be ready while we continued signing flags. On the plane, Katie W and I got lucky enough to sit together again, and we watched Blades of Glory together. Then we got up and talked to people for a while and signed some more flags. Later, Nigel sat down in the seat next to me, put his head in my lap, and just said, “Alex I’m really going to miss you when we leave”. It was the cutest thing ever, and it basically described how we were all feeling on the plane ride back to Santiago. It was an unspoken sadness hanging in the air that these were the last moments we would spend all together. Sure, we would probably see each other again at going away parties, but nothing would be certain after this. When we got off the plane, a few people were already crying. After we got our bags and got ready to say goodbye to everybody and leave, the waterworks really started. We were all hugging and crying and promising to stay in touch and to visit in whatever country is most convenient. I know I haven’t known these people for that long or spent that much time with them, but being an exchange student somehow allows you to make very strong connections very quickly, and we are all connected so tightly now that I know we will forever be a family. It is sad that we all live so far apart and honestly will never be all together ever again. But, life moves on and things change, and I think that is the next lesson that my exchange has in store for me—how to move on and say goodbye. After we left the airport, Lily’s parents drove us back to her house.

We were pretty tired from the flight and from all the emotions of the day, so we just made some mac and cheese, talked for a little while, and then went to sleep early.

Thursday, May 8

Today we woke up at the same time as always and had breakfast, and then we all met out by the pool to get dance lessons from the dancers who had dome the dinner show for us the night before. Basically, it was totally unfair because the guys got to go off and be all manly and shout and jump around a little bit, while us girls had to make complete fools of ourselves trying to move our hips like crazy while keeping our hands calm and pretty which is honestly just impossible and sad. We still had fun though, laughing at ourselves and our incapability of moving our hips in any form remotely close to what our teachers did so easily. After an hour of dance lessons, we were turned loose for free time.

Sally and I put on our cool Chilean pants (which are totally not socially acceptable in the US which is exactly why we bought them), and walked into the center to buy a couple souvenirs that we still needed. Katie H and I ended up separating from the group and walking to this gorgeous beach (but without sand) where we found some of our friends surfing.

Then we found Terrence on the shore with a Pascuense man using an exacto knife to cut sea urchin spines out of his foot because he had apparently stepped on it while surfing. It wasn’t a pretty sight. We waited for the dudes to get out of the water, and then walked with them back to the hotel for lunch (Terrence got picked up in car because he couldn’t walk). After lunch, we had more free time, and this time we had a plan to take advantage of as much of it as possible. A group of about 10 of us walked quickly into town and rented bikes. Sally got a map, and led us up to this row of 7 moais which is famous because they are the only moais facing toward the ocean and not inward toward the island. We were told that the ride would take about 45 minutes, but we did not factor in all the hills and the intense heat of the island and the fact that we aren’t exactly seasoned bike riders.

We eventually made it, but by the time we got there we were all dead tired with read faces and sweaty backs. We took pictures of the moais, and then rode quickly and easily back down the mountain and back to the beach where Katie and I had found people surfing.

We got a much needed ice cream cone from a store by the water, and then changed into bathing suits to go for a swim (it was much to strong of a tide for us amateurs to try surfing).

I had forgotten my bathing suit, so I went in my sports bra and underwear, which was totally fine until we found one of our counselors tanning on the rocks and I suddenly felt very naked and awkward.

Anyway, after swimming and chatting with Katie H while sitting on the rocks and watching the surfers, we rode the bikes over to that same row of 5 moais that I had seen on the first day, and sat there to watch the sunset. By that time, our group had dwindled to 4 people—me, Marlene, Madeline, and Katie H, but we had a great time talking and watching the amazing sunset.

We met a 21 year old guy who was sitting near us who told us all about how he had been traveling the world alone for 9 months, working in whatever place he was to save money for the plane ticket to the next country. He told us about all the crazy things that had happened to him in Nepal and Thailand and so many other places, and I just got more and more sure that I want to keep traveling forever. It’s not even a want, it’s a need that I have to see the world, to meet its people, and to have unforgettable experiences in all its remote corners. I have without a doubt discovered my passion in life, and it is travel. Anyway, we walked back to the hotel in the dark after the sun had set, and ate dinner with everyone. Then, we all sat outside for a long time since it was the last night. We had all either bought Rapa Nui flags or brought Chilean flags or journals for people to sign, and we went around signing everyone’s flags and journals and whatnot. It was a pretty sad last night just because after this trip, there is no guarantee that we will see each other again, and a lot of people are leaving very soon. I tried to put that out of my mind and just enjoy being in such an amazing place with such amazing people for one more night.

Wednesday, May 7

Today we woke up early again and ate breakfast, preparing for another full day of exploring the island. We split into 3 different groups and went on this super long hike.

First we explored caves under ground. We had to crawl and try not to slip and fall and even at one point we had to climb directly upward out of a hole in the ceiling to get back to the path.

We followed the path through fields of green and around the edge of the island with the deep blue water smashing against its cliffs. I walked for a long time with Evan from the US, Victor from Denmark, and Alex from Germany. They’re all super smart and politically aware kids, and the amazing discussion we had about world politics and the different philosophies on what politics are correct and incorrect around the world is an experience I will never forget. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of talking to people from other parts of the world because their points of view are so different and so interesting. After the hike, we went back to the hotel and had the whole afternoon free.

A bunch of us went down to the center (giant trucks drive by and you can just stop them and jump into the back and they’re usually nice people who will take a group of 15 exchange students down to the center of town).

First, we drank some freshly squeezed juices in this little café, and then we started the souvenir shopping. We bought stuff for ourselves, our host families, and our families at home, which ended up being a whole lot of buying. My favorite purchase was a Rapa Nui sweatshirt. I always see Chilean exchange students who went to the US with their Disneyland sweatshirts and whatnot and I finally have a cool sweatshirt to wear in the US when I return. I also bought about 50 million postcards (they’re what I collect). We also brought our passports and got them stamped with the official Easter Island stamp in the post office.

Rapa Nui people do not consider themselves Chilean, and most do not like the fact that Easter Island is a part of Chile.

After spending a long time buying everything we needed, we walked back to the hotel to eat dinner. During dinner, Pascuense dancers came in and did a traditional dance show for us. After dinner, we hung out with our friends talking and chilling for a while before going to sleep.