Home, in Seattle, officially.
It's been about four weeks now and with the mountain of laundry just about done I can finally see my floor. I've also been doing a little bit of hiking, waitressing, roadtripping, margarita-drinking, and catching-up with friends and family.
It's been an amazing month but insanely busy. This week has been "Math Camp"--a math refresher course put on by University of Washington, math homework, babysitting, job meetings, stress over class scheduling, etc, etc. The pre-school crunch---that love/hate relationship. I've realized that cars definitely make things much more efficient, which means you can pack 5 times more into one day--something I eagerly awaited being without a car in Chile, but now...? being immobile is starting to look attractive ;)
It's hard to come up with 'closing thoughts' about Chile. In some ways I feel like leaving was anti-climactic because I think somehow I expect to go back at some point--if even just to visit. My last few weeks were full of activities with the girls, dancing at Maestra Vida, live drumfest, a day of skiing in the Andes, and even a hint of warmer weather (Yes, I left Winter there just to get ready for Winter coming here--where was the logic?!)
I'm eager to go back, but also enjoying (and more deeply appreciating) those things I love about this city--boats, water, trees, music, food, paved sidewalks...
I feel very lucky to have had my experience in Chile. Not only for the experience there, but for what it has given me to carry back here. Of course, even just four weeks out, I am looking back on my life there with rose-colored glasses. But there were parts of life there that merited those glasses, and the parts which I found more difficult just gave me more opportunities to appreciate the parts which were beautiful. I think that's something that I'm carrying home with me--a greater appreciation. For people in my life. For the opportunities I have in this country. For the roadblacks that cause me to look around at what's beside me rather than always what's up ahead.
Also, I read/am reading some great books which definitely defined my time down there...If anyone's interested:
The Gringo Trail, by Mark Mann
The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell
The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell
The ReEnchantment of Everyday Life, Thomas Moore
