Casi, Kenna and I left on Friday morning for Santiago and spent the entire weekend in a flat my parents own. My Chilean dad gave me a huge gift before we left. He bought all three of our train tickets, first class, which cost about 75 dollars total. Then he told me there would be a taxi waiting to take us to an apartment they own, that we would get to use it for the whole weekend, and that the taxi would be back in the morning on Monday to take us back to the train station. When I left on Friday morning he gave me 40 mil, which is about 80 dollars, to pay for any taxi rides we would have to take. Plus, my mom got us a reservation at an Italian restaurant called Domenica. The owner is a good friend of theirs so they worked out the payment method in advance, which means we got to have a nice Italian dinner for free. I was floored when they told me all of this, it was an amazing gift.We rode the train to Santiago on Friday, went walking all over the town in the afternoon, and then went to a nice dinner. In the morning we got up fairly early and spent the day walking around town and sightseeing. We went to the zoo as well, it was horribly depressing though. The cages were very small, and they didn't really have any habitat to make it feel like home, plus the people were feeding the animals. Not very good conditions to say the least. So we left early and continued to walk around. We caught the subway home at the end of the day, then bought some pizza and went to relax for the night. On Saturday we got up late and took our time getting ready then walked to Vale's house, Casi's Chilean sister, and spent some time chatting. After that we took the subway to the other side of town to go to The Killers concert. We couldn't find the arena, so we asked a man and his wife, they were walking that direction, so they took us part way. When we got to where their son was waiting in a car she tried to explain where it was, then stopped and said it was super far. She then told us, here my son can take you in his car... so we got into a stranger's car and he took us. So much for my teachings as a child, haha. It ended up perfectly safe though, and we had a great conversation with the man about how we shouldn't do anything like this after the concert because it was a little bit of a sketch area, go figure. It was very entertaining. The concert was absolutely amazing. We all got T-shirts before for about 16 bucks (yay for cheap concert shirts, that never happens in the states). We met a kid named Hugo at the concert. It was his first one, and none of his friends were able to afford it, so he hung out with us. I loved it, and hope to go to another soon.
On Monday we rode the train home and then that night I went out to dinner with my family, and they gave me a gift of artificial diamond earrings. My mom said it was because she always sees me wearing the same ones, and that I needed a new pair. It was a very fun dinner, with lots of laughs, and wonderful memories. I already miss them all very much.
On Tuesday I had class and then we held a big asado, or bbq, for all the gringos. My mom couldn't make it because she was in Santiago, but my nannies helped my dad and I host it. Turned out to be another giant success, just as Thanksgiving was. Everyone had a great time, and we had our last choripan of the term and partied the night away... almost. Florencia came, and had us stop the party around 11:30 because we had Spanish 311 in the morning. That was just fine with me considering we had started at 6. It was a very eventful night of drinking all kinds of crazy things: Jager bombs, Absinthe, piscola, we had it all, haha. Then people were jumping into the pool, Pat broke a glass and then later stepped on a missed piece and cut his foot... there was just adventure all around. But, evern so, it turned out to be very fun, and we all enjoyed ourselves very much.Wednesday we had 311 again and then ceremonia de despedida and cena de despedida. we spent all of 311 receiving little gifts from Margarita and then singing the most famous latin american song: Te Levante La Mano by Americus... a very entertaining class to say the least. It was great fun, and we didn't mind not actually having to do anything. The ceremony in the afternoon was nice. I actually understood the speeches this time, unlike at our welcome ceremony, which was rather rewarding. After a few speeches they gave each of us little diplomas and a gift. The gift was a knit beanie from the mercado that says Chile across the front. After that we went to the cena de despedida and ate at Tijuana. It was pretty funny considering we went at 9 and no one was in the restaurant but us. People don't normally start coming out till around 11. So we had a huge table to ourselves in the middle of the restaurant and danced on our own personal dance floor. I left fairly early because we had our last final in the morning. It was sort of a bittersweet dinner because it was fun, but we all realized that it was the last time all of the group would be together. We are making plans and hoping to get together for a few gringo parties in the states next term.
Thursday I took my oral final with Kenna at 11, it only lasted 15 minute, so we went to the mercado one final time. After that we went to lunch at my house to eat with my family and relax by the pool in the sunshine. It was a very relaxing day just tying up loose ends and packing up loose things. That night my mom got home and we had Santiago lasagna and chocolate cake, then I gave my family a final piano/singing concert. It lasted about an hour because my mom kept saying next, what's next? It was very fun. Then when it was time for Andrei to go to bed my parents told him to say goodbye and then get in the shower. He gave me a hug, but then wouldn't let go. It was adorable, he just kept saying, "You can't leave, I'll miss you, and you're going to miss my birthday." His mom kept telling him to get in the shower, but he just would not let go. He finally let go once I promised him he could come wake me up before he left for school and say goodbye. After that my dad and brother and I exchanged e-mails and such, and they both told me they were going to get Skype so they can talk to me while I am here.
Friday morning I got ready and then my brother Yerko came home from colegio after a test just to say goodbye, then he had to drive straight back to his next class, it was very sweet. I said my goodbyes to Mary and Mahry. They each gave me a little gift. Mahry gave me a wooden box from the mercado with the Cathedral on the top and afectuosomente, Mahry written on the inside of the lid. Mary gave me a little blue porcelain holder for earrings and neclaces. They both kept telling me how much they would miss my smile and the happiness I brought into the house. They said there would be something missing that they couldn't describe, that was just me. It was hard to leave them. After getting everything in the car and saying all my goodbyes my parents took me to pick up Casi and then brought us to the bus station. We met Kenna at the bus station, we had so much stuff... two big suitcases each plus a backpack and carry-on each. My parents waited with me until the bus came, then we said goodbye and I left on the bus with Casi and Kenna. It was so incredibly hard to say goodbye to them, and my dad told me, "remember that you are a Luksic now, and a Luksic never gives up." They both thanked me for being their new daughter and told me they will miss me very much.
It was a long 6 hour bus ride, 5 hour wait in the airport, 10 hour flight to Dallas, 3 hour lay-over that turned into 4 after a delay, and another 4 hour flight to Portland. There were 5 of us on the trip together and we all made it through customs and safely home without incident. My parents and Danny picked me up in the airport and I am home! It is definitely wonderful to be home, I have missed everyone so much, and I couldn't be happier to be back with Danny. But, it is also very strange, and a little hard to be back. I miss my Chilean family so much already, and just feel a little weird about everything. Haha. Oh well, yay for reverse culture shock!I think that about sums up my last week. I will be writing one last blog after this, probably over the weekend. I think it will be just a little reflection about things I have learned and how the trip was, people I've met, that sort of thing. Hope everyone is doing wonderfully, I will be seeing some of you very soon. Thank you all so much for reading and supporting me while I was away. All the prayers from you were invaluable and helped me to overcome the obstacles I encountered. Call me if you want to get together over break or just to chat 971-275-5490. Chao for now.
Kayli
