The end.

Well, here we are, nearly 6 months since I set out on this journey and I sit here with 25 hours left in Chile. These past several days have been the perfect way to end my time here. I am so glad that I had this week of chill time to relax and slowly say goodbye before heading home tomorrow. My life here in South America has been so relaxed and not crazy full of plans for the past 6 months, which is a drastic change from my life back at UCLA with band and Psi and classes and running and everything I'm involved in. It has been very nice to take advantage of this last week of relaxation and my South American lifestyle before heading home to my go go go life that looks to be about to take off running the second I step off the airplane in less than 48 hours.

The past several days have involved LOTS of world cup watching. We went to the California Cantina to watch the USA's last game and then I bounced over to Lindsey's apartment on Monday to watch the Chile game versus Brazil, as inevitable as the outcome may have been. That was a particularly fun game to watch since Lindsey's roommate is from Brazil and is soccer obsessed! She even offered us to stay with her in Brazil in 4 years when the World Cup is there, so if I'm rich in 4 years that is definitely where I'll be. She actually told us we are welcome in Brazil whenever, so that is really exciting and someday hopefully I'll be able to see her again and utilize that connection!

After the Chile game, as there was absolutely no one on the streets after Chile having been kicked out of the World Cup and it was a holiday, I headed over to John and Karen's for dinner and to say good-bye since they went to Valpo yesterday for a few days. They fed me an amazing pasta dinner with grogg (warm, sugary wine) and we chatted for a while before we parted ways. It was really great getting to spend time with Karen down here in Santiago, and is especially cool that when we both get back to the USA and hang out in December we will be able to understand this portion of each others lives that will be so foreign and far off to every one else. Yes, I tell you all reading this blog what I do day to day and how I'm feeling, etc. But there is really no comparison unfortunately between being here and doing these things with me, and reading about them.

Yesterday Lauren and I went to the Santa Lucia artesan market and I bought some little trinkets for myself and others and then met up with Lindsey for one last Pastel de Choclo (sooo good) in Plaza de Armas. I got to Plaza de Armas early so I walked around Santiago Centro for a bit trying to soak it all in one last time. It is incredible and almost unbelievable how much this city has grown on me. In all honesty, when I first arrived I thought Santiago was kind of just a massive, uglier Los Angeles. I'm not sure when or how it happened, but now I love it. The european architecture in the centro is stunning and I LOVE the fact that Santiago is such a walking city. It will be so different to be in a city where no one walks anywhere! That is something I will definitely miss. It just gives the city such a neat vibe, and there are always people walking everywhere!

For dinner last night, Lindsey, Lauren, Ariel, Christine and I went to a delicious vegetarian restaurant that I had never been to. It was a great way to begin to end my time here, eating delicious food with my best friends from down here (minus Gina and Kathryn). Today I spent packing packing packing and seem to have successfully fit everything. Thank goodness my Dad came and I sent home y gifts I had bought up until then with him, because otherwise it would have been a lost cause fitting it all. I took a packing break to grab one last ice cream with Lauren at a new shop (gasp! no Bravissimo!).

The plan from here on out is to eat some dinner, head over to Lauren's, and go out tonight. Tomorrow I'm meeting Lindsey for lunch in Providencia before heading to the airport at 4 and heading HOME.

I'm trying to grasp my head around that I am about to end my study abroad experience. This was something I talked about doing since junior year of high school. Before I knew what college I was going to or what my major was, I knew I was studying abroad. I set this goal for myself nearly 5 years ago, having no idea that it is probably the largest, most emotionally investing goal I would set for myself thus far in life. Now, I am 24 hours away from checking it off. Being done. I can almost say "I studIED abroad." It's a pretty incredible feeling.

Hopefully this is a see you later to Chile, rather than a good-bye. At some point in my life, probably in the far future when I can afford it, I definitely want to come back. Hopefully I'll keep up my Spanish and be able to put it to use again! For now, all I can think about is how I am heading HOME, in all meanings, sentiments, and possible interpretations of the word.

Thank you all so much for reading my blog and staying in touch through this incredible experience. You were all here for me, even though you were thousands of miles away, through the beginning, the tough parts, and all the joyous adventures and life lessons and experiences. I'll try and do one last post-home entry in the coming days. I love you all so much and really and truly cannot wait to see you soon.

Much Love, Heather.