All Of a Sudden, There's a Deadline.

Hello!

I know it's been a really long time since my last blog post, and for that I'm sorry. With all of the drama that was my first part of this semester, this past month or so of routine going to classes and homework and doing absolutely nothing exciting has been so wonderful. Honestly never thought I'd say that.

And while monotony might be thrilling for some, it doesn't exactly lead to spectacular blog posts. But you know what does?

Being woken up at 10 am by a completely random fife and drum parade going down your street.

Chilean parade from my window

The greatest part about it was that it was either a) completely random, or b) scheduled and forgotten about: there were no road closures or warning signs. I even watched part of the parade get disrupted by a truck who decided it wasn't going to wait for anyone else to walk by.

It was while I was watching this group of high school (baby marines??) walk by that I began to think of how much I was going to miss when I get on that plane to come back home. And all of a sudden, it hit me very hard: I now have a deadline. But instead of my deadline being the excitement of a five month trip to experience a new country, it's the dread of packing my bags and going back to a country that doesn't entirely feel like home anymore.

I mean, I knew it was going to happen, but it hurts to recognize just how much I have fallen in love with this country and how little time I have left to experience it.

Which of course then got me thinking of all of the things I want to do but keep saying "I'll do it next weekend." Eventually (and soon) there's not going to be a next weekend.

So here it is, here's my bucket list. I have 58 days in which to actually get them done. Oh gosh that's not a lot of time.

Alison's Chilean Bucket List:

1. Pisco Bar on Cerro Alegre
2. Museo Fünke in Viña
3. Museo de Bellas Artes in Valparaíso
4. go to the bagel place in Viña
5. find a favorite café
6. find a favorite bar
7. go back to the cervezería near the ascensor Reina Victoria
8. find that cookie place from the tour with Mom and Dad
9. buy a PUCV sweatchirt
10. go back to Antonia Wine Bar underneath the ascensor Reina Victoria
11. follow the painted ants on Cerro Alegre
12. visit the natural history museum/art gallery on Cumming Street in Valparaíso


Ok wow that's a lot. But I can do it. I've got weekends free and no class on Mondays or Fridays I can totally make this work.

In addition to this striking realization, we also went to Santiago for a day. Of course, that was the day after Monica's birthday party so you can imagine that most of us were slightly exhausted. But no matter how tired I was, it was still a fascinating trip.

Most people know that Chile had a dictatorship. Beginning on September 11th, 1973 with a military coup d'estate, Augusto Pinochet ruled over Chile with a harsh, unforgiving, ruthless iron hand. He persecuted any and all political opponents, putting anyone with remotely leftist affiliations into torture camps until he was finally outed at the end of the 1980s.

This trip was extremely interesting for me, not just as a history major. Given that my family is slightly political (shocking, I know) it really made me wonder if I would have had the courage to fight against this government that willing killed anyone who it thought was even somewhat against it. In addition, we had the opportunity to hear from a torture camp survivor, and to talk to her and hear her experiences and know that she is still actively fighting for political equality was really inspiring.

A photo from our trip to the Human Rights Museum

I've really started thinking about what I'll bring back with me. Besides photos and souvenirs and memories, I mean. I've started doing a lot of thinking about the kind of person I'd like to be, and if I'm actually living up to what that means. And while I'd love to get all philosophical now, I've got a test to study for and a bucket list to finish!

I'll keep you posted! Wish me luck!