Human Conditions

The ability of humans to adapt is unbelievable. To move away from everything one knows into a place of the complete unknown is a unique opportunity available to us by way of planes trains and automobiles. Humans can survive. And here, surrounded by new sights smells people and language, I find myself accepting it all and working my way through. It has instilled a sense of being a child again. There are so many things that need to be explained for me to understand, and curiosity is rampant. 

After arriving last night we spent some time with introductory games and then were let loose to roam the city. The town is quaint, and falls gracefully over the sloping and folding hills. This is the Lake District and across the local lake loom two distinct volcanoes. Their white caps seem to be floating in the sky. I am enchanted by this place. The buildings seem to be giggling and gossiping about us Americans as we stumble over the rolling r's and language gap. There is no uniformity to their architecture, and they are as colorful as the environment around them. It all feels alive.

Last night we cooked a family dinner with wine that I purchased! Though sleep sung strongly through our bodies, the wine sung sweetly through our conversations and we began to get to know each other. Although we are all new friends, something about the isolation facilitates a necessary bond. We are here on this journey together and can find comfort in the familiarity of people from our own place. 

Sleep was long and deep. I arose before the others, as usual, and began to cook an American breakfast on my Chilean hostel stove. After a hearty combination of eggs, potatoes, and bacon, we set off on a hike to learn the local botany and see a city park. The canopy was dense and felt somewhat Mediterranean. The highlights of the walk were hearing a mysterious hummingbird sing a beautiful and loud song, and a plant called Nulca or "poor mans umbrella" that has a design that funnels water to its roots. I have yet to find the hummingbird and perhaps with get a chance to use the plant when it rains.

Currently I am sitting in our hostel with my fellow amateur-biologists drinking Pisco sours, gathering together the food we bought today and playing Tetris with our packs. As the day slips on to 9 PM with the sun still in the sky, it is time for dinner and I must sign off for now.

Thank you for spending time reading this and I hope to hug you again soon.

Con Amor,

Hannah