I am right where I need to be

October 07, 2018

I am right where I need to be

Domingo 23 septiembre:

I am in Villarrica and have settled way into my second floor room in the home of Silvia and her son Bastian. This Eureka-Arcata combo of a town is my speed exactly and is oh so beautiful (I haven’t even seen the volcano yet!). It has rained every day and my new Blundstone boots are lifesavers, though I dream of a nice new chilean sweater and hopefully I cross paths with one soon.

After Silvia’s muy rica Carbonada lunch today, Miriam and I took the micro to Pucón. All the shops were closed, which was good all the same since they were touristy as heck. The sun through the storm clouds was dramatic (I gasped) and by the time I got back to Villarrica in the evening, the sky over the lake had cleared and the sun was shining strong through the winter chimney smoke. I hiked through the neighborhoods up the hill to get a good view of the mountains across the way, which were still stormy and epic, and Volcan Villarrica’s snowy white skirt was all I could see underneath her cloudy hat.

Ended today strong with my 7th cup of tea.

Viernes 27 septiembre:

Finished the week-long Latin American Biodiversity Conservation course after two days of lecture and three field trips. Much of the information was familiar, but with a local twist. This weekend I will write an essay for the class on how a national park in chiloe is working to involve local indigenous communities in conservation efforts, instead of pursuing “pristine” landscape at the expense of the locals.

Today we had class outdoors up in Parque Nacional Huerquehue. We squished up the mountain to a lake surrounded by araucaria forest (the bizarrest beautifulest “trees”) and vertical rock cliffs. It rained the entire time, but sometimes the rain, instead of falling, seemed to be accelerating toward the ground with the intention of maximum impact. Thick, heavy drops were easy to catch on my tongue, and by the time we were hiking down the mountain, water was racing down the trail with us. We slipped our way over mud and ice and muddy ice and it felt like the whole mountain was getting bathed in chocolate milk. The counselor inside of me was ashamed at our terrible risk management (everyone was cold and wet and come emergency, we all would have been hypothermic within hours). But my camper side was happy to whoop and hollar and leave no mud puddle un-stomped.

Lunes 1 octubre:

Yesterday was somethin else. I spent the first part of day writing an essay about La Isla Grande de Chiloé, then walked in the frigid sunshine to school and caught a bus south with 17 of my friends. We were headed to some hot springs near Lago Calafquen, and though the stormy sun made the rolling hills along the drive glow epically emerald, I couldn’t shake my regret for how much I was paying for this adventure. It wasn’t until we ditched the pavement and started snaking up gravel into the snowy mountains that the money seemed worth it. It didn’t seem real, so when the van stopped to put on chains, we all ate a bunch of snow to make sure. With decorated tires we crept the final kilómetros to the hot springs no problem. The other van, however, broke down, and after getting towed, sliding through the snow, and finally rescued, they missed their chance to soak and went home early.

For the luckiest of us who made it, it was hecking breathtaking. It was full of contrast: monochrome black pools and white snow with a bright red walkway running up the tall and narrow canyon. Our chatter floated over the loud water easily at first but as we spread out among the pools further up the creek, the distance between conversation grew and we watched the snow fall and melt on our arms and the steam rise up into the trees. I got to watch the stars appear as the day fell away and I was speechlessly grateful to be there, with good friends and space to breath and think. After a long van ride in the dark I arrived home to a warm bowl of Silvia’s porotos (beans) y toda estaba bien.

Sabado 6 octubre:

First week of “real” classes locked and loaded. And they are COOL. Forest Ecosystem Conservation on Tuesday was familiar for sure but the profesor spiced it up with ideas for community integration in conservation projects. With Profes Rukmini and Martín on Thursday we learned about Territory, Interculturality, and what culture even is, anyway. And yesterday Gonzalo introduced our research project, which will synthesize all parts of this program throughout the next nine weeks. Our teachers value our experiences, seek to foster conversation, and lack the condescending attitude that some professors posses in our research institutions back home. THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD.

We saw good folk music and jazz this week for free at the cultural center in town; we’re so lucky!

On Wednesday, Kelsey and I used our day off to hike up to a terrific waterfall on the slopes of Volcan Villarrica. We got off the bus just outside Pucón, and walked up dirt roads through the forest, over streams and dried lava, and with occasional views of the glaringly white volcano and the Huerquehue alpine across the valley to the north. Our trail ended with a view of a waterfall, and we bush-whacked further to some pools upstream from the falls. It was basically magical, other-worldly, and downright splendid. We took a dip in a frigid pool milky with bubbles and lizard-ed it on a rock in the sun with our little paraíso to ourselves. It was a long trek back and I definitely injured my knee but it ended in beer and burgers and watching the volcano turn purple with the sleepy sun.

Looking north from Pucón: