Mi tiempo en Chile

I departed for Chile from Argentina on March 19. I took a bus from Mendoza to Valparaiso, which took over 11 hours. We were stopped on the side of the road due to tunnel maintenance for a while. I splurged on some nice seats, which allowed me to stretch out over the long journey -- and I'm glad I did.

Valparaiso

It was certainly bittersweet to leave Argentina. It's a great country with friendly people and much to offer, such as stunning architecture, delicious food, scenic nature, and vibrant city life. I would definitely recommend that people visit. At the same time, however, I'm also glad to be using my sabbatical to explore other parts of Latin America.

Like I mentioned, my first stop in Chile was Valparaiso, a historical port city situated on the Chilean coast. I specifically wanted to see this place because it's famous for street art. Some of the murals are truly remarkable, covering buildings with intricate detail. The city is also known for its activism and political messages displayed throughout the artwork. I explored much of Valparaiso on foot, but I also joined a walking tour that focused on the more famous murals.

Valparaiso street art

After a few days of exploring Valparaiso, I took another bus to Santiago, where I stayed for two weeks taking Spanish classes. Santiago is Chile's capital and largest city. I found that it resembled many cities in the US, with fast-food restaurants, large retailers, apartment buildings, and shopping malls.

During my studies, I appreciated the small class sizes compared to my experience in Buenos Aires. At one point, there were only two students: myself and another individual from Africa. This smaller setting allowed for more opportunities to practice speaking. However, it also made events outside of class and excursions less social. I simply met fewer people during my time there. While I did hang out with a few students from the school, my time in Chile felt much more focused on academics than my experience in Buenos Aires.

One notable aspect of Chile during my stay was the influx of immigrants. There is currently a migrant crisis in Venezuela, and many Venezuelans have made Chile their home. This topic came up frequently in conversations with locals and even in class discussion.

Cable cars in Santiago

Santiago has some beautiful features worth exploring. I visited various neighborhoods, took a cable car ride up a mountain, and explored the central market. My favorite part was the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, which documents the history of the Chilean dictatorship and its victims. It's an interesting museum and a must-see if you are ever in Santiago. Free of charge, although most of the information is in Spanish, so I also used it as an opportunity to practice my reading skills.

One weekend, I took a trip outside of Santiago to a resort area called Laguna Del Inca. It's near the Argentine border and has large mountains surrounding a lake. During the adventure, I fed a llama some apples.

Feeding a llama

Overall, my time in Chile was quite academic and sometimes isolating. After solo traveling to several cities over the past 2.5 months, I realize that much of your experience in a place can be influenced by the people you meet along the way. You can be in a wonderful place, but if there aren't other travelers or friends to share it with, the experience might differ from your expectations.

Regardless, perhaps a low-key two weeks was what I needed. I'm currently in Peru and traveling to Ecuador on Friday. I'll make a post about Peru sometime soon (which has been incredible). Chao!