Looking back…
Before leaving the UK I was told that the Year Abroad:
- Will be the best year of my life.
- Will only be enjoyed if I join dozens of societies and make many friends.
- Will change who I am.
- Is something I cannot hope to understand as I have not done it yet.
Well…
It wasn’t the best year of my life. I won’t let it be. I have many more exciting years to live. I didn’t join a single society and I didn’t really make friends either, but that didn’t stop me improving my language skills and getting to know every corner of Santiago. I think I am still the very same person who left the UK, only with an extra year’s worth of experiences on my shoulders. It turns out that the Year Abroad is more or less the experience of an immigrant. It isn’t “fun”. It is challenging. But it is a welcome challenge. It leads to many moments of happiness.
You might learn something new…
and get to see one of the world’s miracles!
If you work on your Chilean accent you might even get away with paying the national fee!
…Just don’t let it get dark… a puma’s eyes glow red at night. I know… from experience!!!
This might be your Christmas dinner! This fish, corbina, was given to me as a gift by a fisherman. He wasn’t very amused. A sea lion ate almost all his fish while he was pulling up the nets. His gift was very appreciated. Otherwise it would have been pasta for Christmas!!
You may need to prepare a volcanic eruption evacuation bag every night.
You are bound to find yourself in uncomfortable political situations sometimes.
You’ll get homesick sometimes.
Especially when your parcels arrive like this….
But when you really need help (like petrol, 200km from the closest petrol station), someone will be there to help you!
