The End

Well my time in South America is officially over, or will be in just a few hours. Right now I am lying on a couch in the air conditioned hotel waiting until 7 when I will head to the airport to officially leave this continent that has been home for the past 4 and a half months. I can't believe it, and honestly right now I don't even know how to begin to process it, I am not sure what it will be like to be home knowing that my semester abroad is over and just a memory...sound corny I know but I have been planning this semester since high school. I really can't believe it is over.

First family photo once mom and michael arrived!

The time with my family has been wonderfully. My mom and brother arrived on the 21st and if we weren't already packing our days full of tours and visits we managed to fit even more in! We visited all over the sacred valley spending nights in hotels which consisted in eating a small dinner and falling almost immediately to sleep. After hanging our Cusco and the Sacred Valley we headed to Aguas Calientes the town where Machu Picchu is. Machu Picchu was to incredible for words, and I am a pretty bad writer so I can't even begin to explain the beauty and fascination I felt when I was there, not to mention the altitude sickness. Man was it hard to breathe...I am hoping all the climbing at the high altitude will do my fitness wonders for lacrosse season. We spent two days up in Machu Picchu and the second day my brother and I climbed Wayna Picchu the tallest peak in the Machu Picchu area...it was one of the toughest things I ever did...it was insanely steep and with the trouble breathing we had to take many breaks...but the view from the top was unreal.

Family at the top of Machu Picchu

The view from Waynu Picchu when it finally cleared up!
My brother and I at the top of Waynu Picchu before the fog cleared up!

After Machu Picchu we went to Puno where Lake Titicaca is, Puno is even higher than Cusco so again the altitude sucked. We spend christmas day in a tour bus driving across peru from Cusco to Puno, the ride would have been enjoyable but we were stuck in the back of a Russian tour bus with smelly people and a loud russian guide...not the best way to spend christmas but at least we were together! We take a day tour of Lake Titicaca where we got to spend time on the floating islands of Uros...one of the most amazing things I have ever seen and then go to another larger island close to Boliva. It was amazing...the day that we left to fly back to Lima my mom and dad got really sick, probably a mix of the altitude and the food. After spending the night in Lima we headed to Santiago via airplane and spent the first day in Santiago in our hotel room letting my mom and dad rest and try to feel better.

Some of the woman on one of the Floating Islands of Uro! They were amazing!

Highest point! 4,335 meters above sea level! Boy was it hard to breathe!

Our time in Santiago flew by but we kept very busy. The first real day we took it easy because mom and dad were still getting their strength back but we walked around Santiago and I tried to play tour guide. Day 2 we took a tour to Valpariso and Vina del Mar which was fabulous. The last day we packed up and I showed the family around the city some more...we also went to my host families house to have a wonderful dinner. My mom was very happy to meet the woman who had kept me safe the last 4 months. Yesterday (new years eve) my mom dad and brother left to fly home and I brought in the new year with a mini bottle of champagne and myself in the hotel in Santiago, it was a nice way to end this Chilean Adventure. In just a few hours I will be on my home...first to Atlanta and then to Boston. I am unbelievably anxious to get home but sad to know that this is the end. I think I will be processing this adventure for many months to come. I have just 10 short days at home which will hopefully be filled with lots of friends and lots of catching up and then I head back out west to see more friends and start the lacrosse season. I have so many wonderful things to look forward too but I am not sure if I am ready to look back on this adventure quite yet...I would prefer to keep living it.

Thank you for everyone that read, I love you all.

Besitos,

Ana