Qué voy a extrañar de Chile

Today I am leaving this incredible country that I have been fortunate enough to spend the past semester in. I can honestly say that I love Chile and I know that I will be returning to this beautiful place. I didn't realize how insane this experience had been until I stepped floor onto the 62nd floor of the Costanera center, looked out on to Santiago and felt my chest grow heavy and my eyes start to water. I couldn't believe I was actually bringing and end to this journey. Through the past 4 months I have learned more about myself than I could ever imagine and I have experienced things that I had only dreamt of. So obviously, as I am making my bags, eating my last meal in my Chilean home, I can't help but think about all of the things I am going to miss about Chile. Here are the top 10 things:

1. La gente: the people of Chile are some of the most kind-hearted people I have ever met 
2. Mis amigos: the friends I have made here (Chilean and otherwise) are going to be my friends for life, and I know that. 
3. Sopapillas!! They smell of happiness and taste like sunshine.
4. Super8, if you don't know you just don't know.
5. La musica chileana and the street music
6. GOING OUT AND DANCING (sorry USA, but you don't know how to move those hips)
7. Chileanismos: they're why it is so hard to understand chilean but I love them, weon. 
8. Mi familia chileana. I love my Chilean family so much and I really do consider them mi mama, papa, hermana y hermanito
9. Traveling through Chile
10. La Cordillera/the mountain range of the Andes

So basically, creating a new life in a new place is one of the coolest things I have ever had the great pleasure of doing, but it also now makes if so much harder to leave. If you are thinking about study abroad, please consider coming to Chile. It has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life and I cannot wait to see how it has shaped the person I am when I go home. I also know I always have a home waiting for me in Chile, and I intend to go back and continue my journey whenever I am ready to do so.