I would have to become nocturnal to survive in South America.

Phew, I am finally back in Valdivia from Bariloche, Argentina. Even though it feels like I just spent 4 days in another city or state, I was actually in a completely different country. I have the stamps on my passport to prove it. My time in Bariloche started out a little rough. It was freezing cold and pouring rain when we arrived there on Friday. Walking around outside was completely miserable. Luckily, the rain stopped by Saturday morning and we were able to have an entire sunny (but still cold) day. Saturday morning we rode an aerosilla (ski lift) to enjoy the view of Argentina. Every time I go somewhere in South America, I think that there is no way the view could be any more incredible. Yet, I continually find more and more beautiful places. The picture above is the view from the top of the aerosilla. Not only can you see Argentina's beautiful lakes; you can see the Andes Mountains in the distance. Views like this prove that God is good.

Just in case the view wasn't enough to prove his love for us, God gave us Argentinian chocolate. There are chocolaterias on every corner in Bariloche. Don't worry, I took full advantage of this. I even brought home a bag to enjoy over the next two weeks. Unfortunately, that bag that was supposed to last two weeks only lasted about five hours. I honestly had no control over the situation. The chocolate covered pistacios, mint chocolate, and banana split bars were staring at me from my dresser begging to be eaten. I only did what was best for the poor little guys. For those of you who will be receiving chocolate as a souvenier, be thankful that I locked it in my suitcase out of my sight.

Even with all the souveniers I have purchased, there are several items that I have yet to find in a souvenier shop. The first item is a shot glass for my dear friend, Joshua Reynolds. Who would have thought that it would be hard to find a shot glass in a country that drinks so much? The second item on my list is a Chilean workout video. Seriously, these people are all skinny. In fact, I have not seen one obese person since entering this country. I think that is because all of their food is prepared fresh every day by their nannies. Also, the largest meal in Chile is lunch, not dinner. This means that their food actually digests instead of sitting in their stomachs all night like ours does. The Chilean system works so well that they can pretty much eat whatever they want. This includes bread, ice cream, and cookies. Chileans definitely don't torture themselves with the absurd diets we Americans love. The third item I am still in the market for is a portable Chilean nanny. I don't know what I am going to do when I go back to school and Pasqui isn't there to make my bed, fold my underwear, make my lunch, and arrange my belongings on my dresser. Hello, reverse culture shock.

I am also going to miss my Chilean family. It's hard leaving them because I have no idea when I will see them again. I am already planning my next trip to come visit. The picture to the left is my sister, Fernanda, and I in front of the river in Valdivia after a fashion show. Fernanda, Maca, and Natalie (my cousin) have taken me all around Valdivia and introduced me to their friends. They have also introduced me to Chilean nightlife. Being a girl who is usually in her pajamas by 11, I didn't even know after midnight existed. The discoteques in Chile are worth staying up for, though. Most people show up around 1 a.m. and stay until 5 or so. In Argentina, people show up even later and the discos are open until 8 a.m. Insane, I know. In America, most places close around 2 a.m. My Chilean friends laughed when I told them this. I cannot figure out how these people party so hard. We gringos just can't keep up. If I ever moved here, I would have to completely reverse my sleep cycle. I would have to become nocturnal to survive in South America.