Back in the USA

I went to the grocery store today and was completely overwhelmed.  It was so big with so many options!  There were thousands of salad dressings and millions of cereals to chose from.  And don't even get me started on the cheeses!  I about pissed my pants just looking at all of the cheeses.  I think I wandered a bit looking fascinated by everything the great Dahl's had to offer.  This is only one of the many things that I am facinated by or confused by or keep trying to do wrong since I have returned to the US.

One thing I can't seem to get used to is putting the toilet paper in the toilet.  You may or may not remember one of my first blogs where I talked about forgetting to ask if I could throw the toilet paper in the toilet and ended up clogging the toilet.  Now I can't seem to remember that I don't have to throw the toilet paper away.  My hand always starts to creep over towards the trash can to throw it away, but I have to remind myself that I need to put it in the toilet.  Perhaps I will get used to it before I leave next week.


I got my car back the day after I got back.  It was really weird driving at first.  Especially going from Iowa City to Ankeny.  I felt like I should be on a bus with at least one crying child.  Not driving myself halfway across the state.  It's been fun though.  I can listen to the music really loud and sing and dance, and I don't have to worry about people looking at me like I am crazy because I am dancing my way down the street.


Although I have been loving seeing my friends and family, and I am enjoying the tasty cheeses available, I do miss Chile.  When I was spending my last couple of days in Mendoza, I was thinking, "I got home in a couple of days."  And then I would remember that I was only going back to Santiago, and I wouldn't be living there anymore.  After being away for a couple of weeks, I loved Santiago again, and I was truly sad to leave last week.  I am already looking forward to the 10 year reunion.  Now I just need to start saving my monies so we won't have to be ballin' on a budget.

PS- I have so many stories and pictures from Argentina, and as soon as I get a chance, I will tell you all about it.  For now, just know that it was an experience, and I loved it.  

Less Than a Week Left

So I have spent the last couple of weeks in BFA (that´s Bum Fuck Argentina), and I have so many stories to share.  But I also have lots of photos to go with the stories, so you have to wait until I get back in Santiago de Chile to hear about my two weeks away from civilization and hot showers.  I think there will actually be a series of posts about my experience becuase frankly, it was far to much for one blog post.

It has just hit me (as I sit here checking up on civilization and generally trying to waste another 45 minutes before I can check into my hostel and dump my bags off) that I am going to be back in Iowa in less than a week.  And I can´t believe it.  I am not at all ready to leave South America.  There is too much I haven´t seen and done yet.  (I haven´t even had the opportunity to go up Cerro San Cristobal after the rain!)  Although Santiago was begining to get daunting after not having been able to leave for so long, it feels like I am going home on Monday.

For now, I am super exctied to spend the next couple of days in Mendoza and hang out.  I have decided that I need to just live it up while I am here (and live it up some more when I get back to Santiago before I have to leave.)  And I think it is all going to seem even more fantastic and exhilerating after not having had a hot shower in over a week.