Estoy enamorado con la vida – I’m in love with life

Here in Santiago I’m walking everywhere. Now that I moved my way to the metro is about 10 minutes every morning. Just before entering the metro I can see the biggest flag of Chile at la Moneda (..remember, when I told you about it in my first post after my arrival :P?). If the wind is good you can see this huge this flowing through the air and I don’t know why, but it makes me happy every single time. It’s probably like I’m really happy every time I see the “cordillera” the Andes. As well I'm in love with the constant vibe that is part of me by being surrounded by those different cultures in form of friends who have become so close to me, I could have never thought these 6 months would ever turn out like this. 

 

The overwhelming feeling of having so many positive vibes around you, so many nice people, incredible places, unfelt emotions… it’s not even possible to put this into words. The easiest might be the feeling of “home” how I never had it. It might be the constant unconscious thought of this being temporal, of all relations built here, the whole community that these exchange students have built, are “pasajero” (fugacious) why I am not really missing anything. Every day again I try to live every moment to the fullest because I know there is just two months left here before I will leave to another place that screams to be explored. YES, I booked my flight to Bógota, Colombia. The country of so many loved ones here in Santiago and a very special one that teaches me every day to see something positive in everything. 22 days will be left to explore this wonderful country of all things I adore – Coffee and dancing <3 

Also this way of thinking… learning a new language has been already been a pleasure with Dutch, but with Spanish I’m able to dive into a whole new culture, a new way of thinking and speaking as there are so many ways of saying things that are impossible to be translated exactly the same in German, Dutch or English. Therefore I already start mixing up languages (again… with 4 it’s not even fun anymore haha). With Spanish I developed a new facet of my personality for sure, this part of me that always whispers “Tranquila, calm the F*ck down") which is helpful in a lot of situations and until now I just experienced it in a positive way. Worrying helps nobody and getting angry does not make the metro any emptier  ;)

Not just my trip of two weeks to the North of Chile, Bolivia and Peru has taught me a lot, as well does my time living and exploring Santiago. This incredible big city has been my home for three months now and still I feel like I just have a glimpse of this huge city hosting 40% of Chile inhabitants. Sadly I am still here for my studies, which makes it a bit challenging to go out and explore it more when there is like three papers and one exam waiting for you to prepare them. Therefore I’M SORRY that there hasn’t been more posts enriching this collection of memories here on my blog. But be aware I’m already working on my posts to my trip so stay tuned.

To close my “I walk home after Spanish class” thought mishmash, some pictures collected the past few weeks in different trips or just here in Santiago, loving life and living to the fullest…

(as well as my thoughts this is not chronically ordered..) 

Enjoying our last pisco together before lovely Tatjana leaves to Karlsruhe again.

Going crazy somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Atacama, because you even meet your exchange people there

lovely travel friends from Brazil <3

Enjoying some refreshing coca beer with my Lieblingsschweizerin

I call them Family :-*

Mexico, the US, Venezuela, Colombia and Germany in one picture - is there more to say?

More travel buddies, those to cross the border in Peru to return to Santiago after two weeks of traveling alone

One last night out with lovely people - thanks for hosting me the first week here in Santiago!!

Another country entering my heart with those lovely weirdos. Los quiero!!

Representing the Netherlands in a International "Fería" of our Uni by making "Pepernoten"

Almost all houses have a pool here so we went to a friends place to enjoy it

Mexico, Germany and Colombia bathing in the same sun

Why I love life here?....

Spring finally arrived and magically changed Santiago into a wonderful garden

Pichilemu - you beautiful city at the coast

...two of my favorite things in one picture...

Estoy feliz, contigo.

Lovely ladies

Tu sonrisa <3 me encanta!

..could not resist of a sneak peak of natures wonders I was allowed to experience during my trip to Bolivia

Birthday girl, Leyla

All waiting for the birthday girl to come home - she did not know therefore it was 22:00 when she arrived :D Latin America be like :P

Those colours O.o

More compañeros del intercambio to be met during my travels in Bolivia :)

normally I'm not patriotic but I could not resist to take this picture - after my trip even more grateful for my origen

Muchos Besos,

Leonie

PS. Wow I just figured exactly today two months ago I posted the last post. Man time is flying guys, you have no idea. It is blessing and curse at the same time….