The First Fake Ending

Dearest Friends,

Thanks for all of your support so far, this is going to be rather short and bland as compared to my previous efforts. At the moment I'm writing you from the arid beach town of Iquique. After spending much time at the end of the world, I've headed to the northern regions of Chile. At the moment I still expect to be home December 11, 2013.

We arrived in Santiago, November 29, 2013 and as soon we walked into Balmaceda airport things seemed different. Adam, Pawel, and I were getting on a plane to Santiago. We made small talk, "How were your goodbyes? How exciting is this?!?!" Yeah. It's exciting. However, it feels a lot like I just left home, not like I'm going home. Walking around the sprawling city of Santiago, I felt like a zombie, this isn't my home and it's so freaking hot. Oh yeah, it's hot and we walked around the city like people stuck in a different time. Intermittent conversations helped pass the time, however it felt awfully like those of people forced together by time and space. The fact is, Coyhaique has stolen my heart. Reflecting on my experience with other volunteers made realize the magnitude of my decision to come to Chile. When I went to Uganda, I knew I was coming back and that I was only studying. Here, I was living. I am a member of the community.

Iquique: After a ridiculously long 26 hour bus ride, largely filled with landscapes vaguely reminiscent of California, we made it. It's pleasantly warm, and as we speak 10:30pm my time, I'm still comfortable in my sundress. Watching the waves crash of the ocean, makes me think of San Diego. After, cooking dinner, my plans of a vegetarian meal were interrupted, as an older gentleman offered me fresh caught and cooked fish. He's from Basque country and his accent is a little hard to understand. Well here's to the life of intrigue and circumstance. Let the first fake ending of this adventure live on. Pictures soon, I promise. I plan on

Lots of love,
Jameisha