Being here in Chile, I have experienced so many new things, new perspectives and new adventures. After visiting the enchanting world of Torres del Paine, I had the chance to come back to the real word and say hello to city life too!
What’s amazing is that in the region of Valparaíso, murals can be found everywhere. It’s inspiring to see what people can create. Through a couple friends, we met the three guys who make up the group called Vida Ingravita. To paint a mural here, you must ask permission of the owner. This group has been trying to get permission to paint one of the walls of a home in Valparaíso. They saw it every morning from their home for two years and patiently waited to paint it. The owner was finally convinced when he saw the artwork they had sketched. As luck would have it, when Jill and I met them, they let us help paint! It’s one thing to see art, but another thing to be a part of creating it. We were basically just coloring in the lines, but it was one of the most unique experiences I have ever been a part of! I felt mesmerized by the work and the precision taken to create such a beautiful piece of art.
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My next trip was Lollapalooza, a huge two-day music festival that actually originated in North America and has now spread to other countries. Lollapalooza Santiago included bands such as Of Monsters and Men, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, Pearl Jam, The Black Keys, and Deadmau5. I went with a really great group of people, including Gabriela and her friend Eduardo. Gaby is actually someone I met for coffee in Ottawa while she was on her exchange and since arriving she has been so kind and inviting! I loved the music, atmosphere and the people. You could feel the energy everywhere you went.
I was lucky to be able to stay with two really great friends who live in Santiago; Pia and Camila (and their family) who were so warm and welcoming. I continued my love for palta (avocado) at their house and their brothers and parents were extremely caring towards me. I met both of them while I was in Canada too, so it was great to reunite! I know I will see them again. Thank you girls for teaching me how to make homemade ice cream! Besitos!
From a business perspective, it was very interesting to see all these companies market themselves at Lollapalooza. Some of the big telephone companies (like Claro) or banks (like BCI) advertise, but in a way that I’ve either never seen or perhaps never noticed before. They chose really interactive activities with the music goers. They had karaoke stands, a mechanical guitar (like a mechanical bull but a guitar), had climbing areas, lots of photo booths and even a relaxation area where I got a massage! Yes, I’ve seen things like this in Ottawa, but I seemed to notice that companies here really try to create sustainable relationships with their customers and be noticed in variety of creative ways.
Finally, the latest trip! Six girls, three days and a volcano! What does that mean? It means a whole lot of fun and a whole lot of girl talk! I went with a group of girls that were from both mine and Jill’s university and truly bonded with every single one of them. We had some delicious breakfasts, went white water rafting and climbed partway up (due to some bad weather) the famous Volcano Villarrica. We also visited the hot springs at night, another chocolateria (of course!), a national park and a small Mapuche (indigenous people) village!
What I loved about this trip was the girls. I have always loved to meet new people but I am really enjoying the ability to gain new perspectives and make new friends. It was also interesting to see different group dynamics. What I found amazing was how in every group, everyone always has a talent for something, whether it’s something like cooking or being organized, calming people’s nerves or being enthusiastic. Being here has definitely made me appreciate the people in my life, both at home in Canada and here in Chile!
With some good friends here to visit, I’m enjoying being a bit of a tour guide and it’s helping me discover my own city as well. To my friends and family back home, I miss you! It is incredible to be here, but it can be a strange feeling to be so far away from home.
Lots of love from the “gringita” (little foreigner) in Chile!