On The Move

So I'm sitting on my bed filthy (I slid head first down a mountain), too tired to shower, too unmotivated to do hw, and happy as a clam. So I thought after 5ish? weeks maybe I should blog? Haha random.... For those of you that have been wondering what the heck I have been up too I'll try to fill you in and I may be just as random as the time I have chosen to write this... Guess the easiest place to start would be today!

So got up early-ish and met two of my guys friends from church for a hike up Mt. Manquehue. Keith is a definite outdoor adventurer that pushes me (especially during our run up Cerro San Cristobal) and I appreciate him for that, Bryan is a chill US Marine that works at the embassy here and gets all my silly movie quote references (If you are reading this I'm going to miss you when you leave.... even tho nobody knows when that will be exactly). I enjoy just listening to the two of them talk because it's all stuff I don't know much about, like their travels, guns, Marine life, etc. The hike wasn't too long but at times steep. Loved getting to the top and looking out over all of Santiago. I've climbed up all the smaller hills closer to the middle of the city but it was nice to finally get up an actual mountain. I figure it made up (kinda) for not getting up my childhood mountain, the Sierra Buttes, this year. The view was still pretty stunning, even with all the smog, and some time to just sit and reflex on the vastness of the city was wonderful. The way down was a bit more intense then the way up and in my attempt at some faster fast feet I did I pretty good head first baseball slide. Some cuts on my belly, a bruised thigh, bloody knee, and a pinky hang nail, but I'm no worse for the wear. Some say I'm accident prone.... I think I just do some higher rick things than most? Haha either way I don't mind a cool bruise or scar anyways.

After getting down the hill we piled back into the white Marine armored SUV (I've gotten to ride in this a few times and while it may look pretty harmless the doors weigh a ton and the windows are like 2 inches think. You can literally feel how heavy it must be while you're it it) and headed for snacks then a movie at the Marine house. Leave it to me, in my quest for guy friends, to hang out at the US marine house. Haha I kid. It is a great place to hang out tho and I'm always joking with Bryan that I only hang out with him for his house, not true at all but funny. We finally watched Mean Girls, which we were SUPPOSED to watch saturday during waffle afternoon but Keith managed wiggle his way out of it. Not this time tho! The group of us definitely got a laugh. That movie never gets old. Four for you Glen Coco! After beating Bryan at 3 games of ping pong I finally pulled myself away and hopped on the subway for home.

This weekend just got better and better. Friday the USAC group hit the Ocoa Valley national park for some hiking. Its known for it's interesting microclimate, Darwin's studies, and some of the southern most palms in the world. I really enjoyed the hike with everyone! I wish I could calculate how much I have ran, hiked, walked, this week, cause it's probably the most in one week I can think of in a VERY long time. Feels epic! After a great night out on friday where I stayed up really late (early?) enough to get to watch the mountains around Santiago turn blue as the sky got lighter, I took it easy with waffles and a movie in the afternoon. Sunday was church and the usual sunday lunch at my host aunts house with all my host family. With all the good food (my madre makes empanadas as big as your head), good people, good weather I feel spoiled. I'm actually getting good enough at spanish to crack a few jokes and understand a bit of what is happening.

While it's been a good weekend it's been a bit more self-reflective than most. At times I just have to stop and ponder who am I, what am I doing here, I don't really deserve any of this, etc.... Now that I'm settled, all the more subtle things that come with living in one place for an extended period come out. It's hard to explain. After the shine wears off and relationships have been built. When the routine has formed and strays away from it can throw you off a little. Sounds funny but things still surprise me here. I'm settled in yet at the same time things still seem to change so much. It's cool yet takes some getting used too.... you think i'd be used to it but ah well. In the end I find it as reminder of how human I am. I feel blessed to have found such a great church and bible study (we are heading to our church wide retreat this weekend and I'm very excited!) filled with such a diverse set of people. Add it too all the amazing people in USAC and the Chilean friends I've made here and I've ended up very happy/well balanced. While I miss frisbee (I dream about my friends in Humboldt almost every week), I've learned to keep it in my backpack and through whenever I can. Skype dates with besties also help keep me sane :)

Well I'm going to chao because my host family is home and I want to go play with my adorable 2 year old cousin Emiliano. This is only a tiny bit of my life in Chile but hope you guys enjoy it! MISS YOU and LOVE YOU all very much!