Hello everyone!! It’s so bittersweet to be back from my trip, but I am psyched to tell you all about it. Since we’ve gotten back, it’s been so hard to get back into the swing of things! Spring break always seems to do that to me. Everything else seems so boring compared to traveling! But nevertheless, I’m back to English online, registering for my junior classes (crazy right?) and answering emails. But! To the good stuff. Last week was needless to say an amazing adventure. I’ve never been so independent in my life. You wouldn’t believe some of the things I did with our group. First of all, I traveled in a smaller group with my two friends Curtis and Stefanie. Because it was our “free travel” we got to choose our destination and did all out budgeting and planning ourselves. I was really proud of the trip we planned out and was so blessed to have every bit of our travels and transitions from location to location go smoothly. It was a biiig, answered prayer.
We started off by wishing our other girls goodbye Friday, which was so hard because they had chosen another location! We prayed over each other and mayyybe cried a little bit, but got excited as both of our adventures were about to unfold. Saturday we packed up, made our flight to Santiago and settled into our first hostel. It was a great day—especially because I LOVE flying. Our first night in the city we really didn’t do anything, just checked in, ate a delicious, giant Chilean burger and rested up for the next night. On Sunday I had booked us a bike tour with an excellent company there in the city who took us around on these cute green bikes on what was a tour of the city through the eyes of a local. So instead of a ton of historical or political stuff, we got to see a lot of the popular restaurants, markets, and sights of the typical Santiago day. It was so much fun, our guides were great and we met some wonderfully sweet people. That day we also enjoyed a nap in one of Santiago’s beautiful parks because the weather was so nice, roaming around the Museo de Bellas Artes, and that evening we climbed this terrible hill called San Cristobal to see this incredible sunset over the city, with the Andes in the distance. It was not my thing, haha, but it was definitely worth the view. The walk down was probably the worst part because we didn’t think about it getting dark, yikes, let’s just say I fell a couples times. But! We got deeeelicious frozen yogurt which I haven’t had since home. It was a really good first day.
The next morning we traveled by bus to another part of Chile to probably the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen called Vina del Mar. I was really proud of how well we did with finding our bus! Seriously, God was guiding each part of transitions. It was great. We chose Vina because that’s actually where the Harding Latin America Study Abroad program is located and Stef and Curtis are friends with one of the guys there- his name is Jay. So we got there Monday, met up with Jay who was a really nice guy, and enjoyed the day around town and at the beach. I finally got to put my toes in the Pacific Ocean and it was freezing but the beach seriously was incredible! We enjoyed the whole afternoon sitting, talking, watching the huge waves, and byyy the way- I started Harry Potter this week so of course it was the most perfect afternoon. That night we met the rest of the Harding group and instantly because friends! We only got to hang out with a portion of them, but we hit it off so well. We went to dinner with them and had awesome Mexican food, which I’ve missed dearly. They had guacamole! It was my favorite part I think. Then we went to their usual hang out spot called Bravs, which is this delicious ice cream place where you get the biggest serving for nothing, so of course I was in. I tried so many samples before I picked one, they cut me off, haha. Then Tuesday, while their group was in classes, Curt, Stef and I wandered around this great artisan market then we met up with them to head out to these huuuge sand dunes out on the coast. We bussed out there and spent about an hour hunting down something to slide down them on. Basically all that happened is we ended up just getting covered in sand, had nooo success, but had such a great time with each other trying to figure it out. After a long walk back to the beach, our group laid out on the warm sand the rest of the day and enjoyed getting to know each other even more. It was really nice to get to know the other girls and compares schools and everything else. I think it’s interesting to think about how different my life would be if I had chosen another college and it was cool to think that I would have made just as great of friends as those girls if I had. They were so sweet and the guys were great too! I loved our little group. Starvinnnggg after such an eventful day we headed back to town, had burgers at Bravs and of course got ice cream. Wednesday we enjoyed wandering around some again, and found this adorable store that reminded me exactly of IKEA, but even cuter.. they had to pull me out of there! After their group got out of class we took a train out to the beautiful neighboring beach town called Valparaiso, got to see some amazing graffiti and enjoyed the view of the water. It was perfect. We wandered around some markets there and loved the brightly colored houses dotting the hilly landscape. This place was so beautiful! We headed back to Vina, again super hungry, tried Chilean pizza (which now I’ve tried in every country I’ve been in, and let’s just say they’re all super different) and duuhhh, headed to Bravs! So if you’re counting I had frozen yogurt once, and ice cream three times. Let’s get real, is anyone surprised? Vina was probably my favorite part of the trip, duh because it was the beach, duh because there was fantastic ice cream, but a lot of it was the wonderful people I got to meet. That group was so much fun and I loved seeing how similar I was to girls who grew up in an entirely different part of the country and go to a completely different school. I love how God interlaced them into my study abroad experience and I really hope to keep up with them in the future.
Thursday we headed away from the beach (so sad for me), through Santiago, and grabbed a bus to start our long travel to the Andes. This required a bus from Vina to Santiago, two subways in the city, a bus from Santiago to a town called San Jose and a taxi the rest of the way to our isolated hostel in the Andes. Once we got there, first of all- stunned by the truly breathtaking view from our “refuigo” window, we just enjoyed our first afternoon snoozing in the warm sun and I read- of course. There we shared a room with four Norwegian students, which ended up being super interesting. They taught us about some of their funny cultural things and we compared the US and Norway. They also taught us how to count to one-ten, a thousand thanks ("tusen takk"- my favorite), goodnight, hey, and some other funny ones. They were so funny, and great. They hung out with us both days we were there, played cards with us, and ate supper together each night. In the Andes on Friday morning we had a great breakfast, and headed out for a wicked long hike. I don’t think anyone that knows me would believe all that I did that day, haha. Our group started at about 1946 m and climbed about another 1500 m, which I don’t even fully understand how I did, but it was a big accomplishment for me. Slowly but surely, we climbed up, saw the most insane views, and after 6 and half long hours, we made it back the refugio. Filthy, super hungry, and exhausted we showered up that night, had a huge plate of spaghetti and I enjoyed the night reading and looking at the most amazing sky full of stars I’ve ever seen. I got to see the Milky Way and a shooting star! I already love looking at the stars, but that night I seriously felt like I was reading a love letter from God by giving me the most wonderful view, away from the lights, just me and Him out there. I felt like they were glowing bright, just for me. It’s super cheesy, I know, but I loved that night!
The next morning, we enjoyed some last minute views of the mountain range, enjoyed breakfast, said goodbye to our new friends, and headed back for the long travel to Santiago in order to catch our flight back on Sunday. The rest of our time spent in Chile was just enjoying the movement of city life back in Santiago, visiting a few artisan markets, frozen yogurt again (we just had to), and this night we stayed in a different hostel- which I actually thought we were getting robbed in, haha, but don’t worry I was just freaking out for nothing. We didn’t do much of anything on Sunday, just enjoyed walking around, seeing the people, walked up another hill to see a different view of the city in the daytime, and got ice cream (one more time) at this famous Chilean ice cream shop. That afternoon, before we caught our flight, we sat in this great park for hours- people watching and reflecting over the week. We even got to watch a commercial being filmed! It was so funny, one minute we were just sitting there, eating our ice cream, and the next this makeshift set unfolded before us all of a sudden. Then that night we flew back to Montevideo and I saw the most beautiful sunset, over these incredible clouds, with the Andes in the distance. It was mesmerizing!! I was so glad to have a window seat. That night we got back and were so so excited to be reunited with the other girls! We all screamed and hugged each other and did what girls do, haha. It was so much fun and so fantastic to be greeted by my best friends and share all our fun stories.
Overall, the three of us had an incredible adventure, saw some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen, and I felt God’s protective hand over us the entire the week. Even though I was sad to be away from my other friends for the week, Stef and I had such a great time getting to know each other more deeply and bonded so much! I also appreciated the opportunity for some much needed quiet time and reflection, away from the bigger group and loved how God revealed himself to me through the beauty of his creation and in a dozen other ways. We learned a lot about how to travel (the do’s and don’ts and the things they don’t tell you), about the adventures of hostel life and meeting strangers, and just how HUGE our world is really. We covered so much ground last week and barely touched all that Chile is when you really look at a map. We experienced great food, friends, and made memories that will, as the saying goes, last me for the rest of my life. I kept catching myself thinking how I’ll be able to say, “When I was 19… I climbed the Andes” or whatever other adventurous things I surprised myself with. It’s funny that one of the reasons I said I wanted to do the Latin America program versus Europe was because I figured its more likely for me to travel over there one day than come to South America so I should do this now, while I had the chance, and now that I’ve been here, my list of places I want to go in the world and places I want to see has doubled. Now that I’ve had a taste of this beautiful continent, I have no doubt that I will be back here one day to see all the other incredible places I’ve heard about since arriving. The tricky thing about studying abroad is it creates this since of urgency to hurry up and go see the rest of the world. Thing should be interesting when I settle back into Allen, Texas- lets just say that. It really was a great adventure and I’m so appreciative for all I experienced and all I learned.
Since getting back, we are already counting the days for the next trip coming up on April 8th to Brazil with everyone and are trying our best to stay focused on all of our pointless classes. I am continuing to absolutely love the girls I’m living with and actually just today, after registering for my classes for the fall, helped make a chart of when each of us are in class so we can coordinate schedules and have lunch or whatever else together. With my classes set, housing situation for the fall finalized, and a strange feeling that this semester is quickly coming to an end, I’m so happy just to take every hour of this experience for what it’s worth. I know the end is coming up fast with only 6 weeks left, but I have come to love where I’m at, and am thrilled to see whatever else God has to show and teach me in my remaining time. I love that He’s torn me down so much this semester, only to build me back up now to see my growth up until this point. He has gifted me with so much insight into my character and where I want to go with my faith, He has answered a long awaited prayer in giving me these beyond amazing friends to grow with and enjoy, and most of all He has revealed so much of Himself to me this semester that it’s created this deep hunger within me for more and more of Him. I feel like I’m at this turning point in my life as I face the last few months of being a teen (CRAZYYY) and am so excited to wake up each morning and choose to follow and pursue the Creator of the universe who delights in my prayers and is thrilled to watch me attempt to serve Him. Call it some kind of study abroad high, or whatever else it may be, but I am genuinely glad to be where I am and ask that you continue to pray for me as I finish out my time here and God finishes His work in me during this specific season of my life. I hope to come back to all of you a brighter, more beautiful version of Hailey, who continues on this long and exciting path of growth and as an advocate of the Kingdom on into the summer and fall, and as many days as God will give me to serve Him.
Well now I feel like I’m just rambling, so I’ll wrap up. First of all, thank you once again for following me this semester, or more like for walking with me this semester as I record it. I hope you are enjoying reading it as much as I enjoy sharing it. Second, thank you for the continued love and prayers. I’m such a relational person and you don’t know how much it means to me to feel all your support and encouragement while I’m away. And last, I love you all and appreciate the relationships I have with you more than I can express.
I love you and will be seeing you sooner than you think!!!
Hailey.
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