August showers bring September flowers... and more wind.

The home stretch is here. It's hard to believe that we're entering our 6th month in Chile which has served as a signal that the end is near. At this point, there's a certain mix of emotions ranging from excitement to pure dread regarding our impending return to the places we used to call home. For many of us, including myself, the places we used to call home won't be there. It'll be time to start something new all over again.

I can't help but become a bit sentimental and reflective as I think about leaving this place. I think about all the things I've learned and experienced so far and find myself very satisfied about what I'll take away. I've gotten actual experience in teaching. I've learned a moderate amount of Spanish. I've met people that I'll never forget. I've done and seen things that I'd never dreamed I'd see. There are also some things that I'd hoped to figure out by the end of this experience that haven't happened. However, I've come to realize that those questions are ones that will never be truly answered for me. I'm much, much more comfortable with that thought than I've ever been in my life. I've learned a lot about my capacities to find happiness in things that seemed trivial or uninteresting. For this, I'm very excited about the prospects of returning to the good ol' US of A to waste more time with lots of trivial and uninteresting things... kidding, of course (I think).

It feels as though my daily routine and my feelings about it have become polarized. There are lots of things that are great about teaching at my school and living with my host family. The good things have only gotten better and really are the things that keep me going. For example, walking through the halls at school and seeing tons of kids smile and trying to say "Hello! How are you?" is always guaranteed to cheer me up. I can't be in a bad mood after receiving a hug from 10-15 3rd graders. It's more impossible than swallowing a spoonful of cinnamon or eating three packages of saltine crackers in 2 mins (you'll have to try those out to understand what I mean). I find my family, on the whole, to be very caring and kind. My host dad is a great guy that always looks out for me and always wants me to feel included. My host mom is very hard working and I don't quite understand how she's able to balance so many things at once while still remaining so sweet and calm.

At the same time, there are a few things that aren't as great that can test my patience. I've found that trying to teach a group of 11-12 year old girls anything is probably one of the most frustrating things I've ever done. They insist on talking, giggling and avoiding work at all times. They literally cannot be quiet for more than 30 seconds at a time. There are also a lot of challenges when it comes to school that have nothing to do with the students. Working within the framework of the school and with a group of teachers has been challenging as well. The nature of things seem to be constantly changing which can be incredibly frustrating. I've also rediscovered to joy of living with teenagers. Cold shoulders, loud screams of "Mamá" and hearing the same song on repeat for 3 hours at a time is something I've had to get used to.

All in all, traveling Chile has been everything I expected it to be and a whole lot more. I'm excited about the last 2.5 months of this experience and the warm weather and clear skies that lie ahead in spring. Vamos a ver...