Ohhhh Chile how I'll Miss You

The 14th is approaching too fast and today I felt especially nostalgic. It's going to be a hard transition but I'm going to make the best of it. I'm going to recap below...

Things I'll Miss
1. The city lights and smells
2. The street dogs
3. The men selling ice cream on the street corners
4. Cheap cookies and fruit
5. Sleeping in (yes, i've finally learned how)
6. Avocado at least once a day
7. Watching all the teen boppers in their school uniforms with their mullet hair
8. The ocean
9. The amazing people I have met here
10. Walking around JUMBO
11. The vibrant night life
12. The people and their willingness to help
13. Mc Donalds soft serve ice cream (yes, its better here)
14. The crazy colectivo drivers
15. Riding on a Micro, standing and trying not to lose my balance

Favorite Memories
1. Torres del Paine..."Goodnight American SWeethearts"
2. Making shakshuka and apple crisp with amazing friends
3. Tall Itay and Short Itay (our friends from Israel)
4. Watching Grey's on Monday afternoons
5. Running a 5k in Santiago
6. Walking around the hills in Valpo (the good parts and the bad parts)
7. The border crossing on my way to Mendoza
8. Being proposed to by 4 16yr olds while teaching english
9. Working at the Colegio with a 3rd grade class
10. DAncing SALSA
11. CAmping on the beach in Horcon
12. Salamanca...the amazing food, views, and people
13. Climbing a volcano
14. Making breakfast pizza with Chileans

Things I've Learned
1. Its ok to tip people performing on the streets....its how they make a living
2. Always wear your backpack on the front
3. Be patient, go with the flow
4. The three greatest things in life: Friends, Food, Dancing
5. Sometimes you need to forget about the work you have...it will get done...and live in the moment, spending your time experiencing the culture, learning about life, and building relationships
6. 6 inches of fries topped with meat and egg will not kill you
7. Walking is one of the best ways to get to know a place
8. Treasure every moment and do what makes you happy rather than what you think others want you to do (although it is important to consider)
9. It's ok to sit around at the table for 3 hours talking
10. Talk to people, learn about them and their stories
11. Don't think you have plenty of time to "do it later" ... if you want to do something, learn something, experience something , do it now.

ok, enough of this sappy Blog....just some thoughts before I make the trip home. HOWDY to the family in NY....wish i could be there this week!!