It's January Already??

This will be my last post from Chile =( I truely cannot believe how fast time has flown by. I have laughed, cried, found life long friends, and a girl that I am starting to fall in love with... and just when I am really feeling a part of this amazing community, it is time to leave it. In one week I will be flying back to the United States, to jump back into classes, surfing, and who knows what else.

I can't say I want to go (in fact I definitvely don't want to go) but I am also very excited to reconnect with all my friends and family. I have missed you guys a lot. That being said I have absolutely loved my time here. Last year, I felt so bogged down in classes and the stress of my school, I decided I wanted a change, I didn't even care if it was a change for the worse or the better. I remember thinking, "even if it is worse, at least it will be different."

But this has definitly been a change for the good, in fact the great. I have made great friends here, and am now a part of the Muñoz González family, por siempre. My last few weeks have been full of adventures. I have been exploring the beautiful moutains around Coyhaique with my brothers and friends, rock-climbing (which I think might be my next great passion) going to Discotechs almost every night, and sleeping in late (it's going to be quite a shock to force myself up at 7 after weeks of lazily getting out of bed around 12).

Here are some photos of my recent explorations...

One of the more memorable things I have done in the last week is climbing one of the cellphone towers that have a birds eye view of Coyhaique. We were just kind of exploring around the area, trying to get a good view when we found the antenna with the door wide open, a stellar ladder, and even a safety cage to make sure you didn't fall. Sorry mom, this is just one of those adventures you can't pass up =D

Up on top of the antenna, with Coyhaique in the background. And for those of you who are wondering, yes I could see my house from here.

Climbing up the antenna (note the safety cage mom!).

Frolicking through a daisy field in the middle of the Patagonia. You know, it happens.

Checking out an abandoned house.

The crew in our newly discovered hide-out.

Something that I have been doing a lot recently, and which I am really enjoying, is rock climbing. Luckily Coyhaique is in no short supply of rocks. This is definitely a passion I want to take home with me, a little bird told me California doesn't have to bad of rock climbing either...

My brother Webo, or Felipe, on the boulder.

Hauling my self up the boulder, blue jeans and all. Can't wait to try climbing with some real equipment...hahaha.

One of my good friends here, Juan Barrientos, is a talented dirt biker. These are pictures from one of his races that I went to.

Juan, in the white, seen getting some fatty air.

The starting line.

And now I will leave you with this final picture after such an amazing 6 months in Chile. It is a panoramic shot I took up on top of the Antenna. Blogspot really cut down the resolution quite a bit, which is unfortunate, but I think it is pretty impressive none-the-less.

Behold, Coyhaique, Capital of the Chilean Patagonia. And my new home away from home.

Estancia Chacabuco

Well, I have less than a month left in Chile. I have absolutly loved my time here and I am really going to miss Coyhaique when I leave. That being said, I can't wait to come home, reconnect with family and friends. Although I haven't really ever arrived at the level of "home-sick" I definitely miss you guys.

This past week I traveled 8 hours south with a friend, and AFS exchange student, Kate, who lives in Punta Arenas. We traveled south by bus to the Estancia Chacabuco. The Estancia is owned by Doug and Kris Tompkins, who are good friends of my uncle Sandy, and who are turning the ranch into a national park. The have bought up all the land in between two seperate reserves, and are going to donate the land to the Chilean government on the condition that they join all three reserves together into one big national park.

It is really a great project, check it out at http://www.conservacionpatagonica.org/

If you are really feeling inspired, go ahead and donate. There are probably thousands of organizations saving the rainforrest, but this is one of the only ones I know that is working to save the truly unique Patagonia for generations to come.

We stayed there for 4 days, working with the other dozen volunteers eradicating invasive species and removing fences that previously divided up the land into the various ranches.

It was a lot of fun getting to know the other volunteers, who all had their own amazing adventures to tel of, but best of all was exploring the truly breathtaking landscape. Here are some pictures of our trip down there, and from the ranch.

A view of some stellar cliffs, through the trees

One of many lush rivers that we got to play in.

James, one of the dozen or so volunteers, hanging out in the field.

A map of the future Patagonian National Park

Taking out the final (submerged) posts of a gaucho's fence

Not the worst place in the world to volunteer, that's for sure.

Here we are walking along the road, removing "plantas exoticas" or non-indigenous plant species

Pretty much where ever you looked, there was a breathtaking view such as this one. At the bottom of the picture you can see one of the volunteers letting off some steam by chasing Guanacos, a cousin of the llama.

A guanaco herd grazing, in front of the amazing Cordillera Carrera

A panoramic view of the Estancia Chacabuco headquarters. On the left you can see the restaurant they are building for the future Patagonian national park.

Arriving in Cochrane, an hour outside of the Valle Chacabuco

I snapped this photo on the way back to Coyhaique. This is the magnificent Cerro Castillo, named so for the medieval castle like form of the mountain.

This is back in Coyhaique, taken just outside my house. We have had 2 or so weeks of amazing sunsets like this one, and with the arrival of summer it doesn't get dark until around 10.

This is the Piedra del Indio, named so because you can see the face of an Indian (If you can't find it, look just below the guy standing out on the edge, who happens to be your's truly)

This is another picture of me hanging out on the Piedra del Indio

Boda de mi hermana Andrea

Last night my Chilean sister got married to her fiancee, and family from all over Chile came to Coyhaique, so it was a real pleasure to meet all them. Here are some pictures of the celebration.

Andrea and Misael cutting the cake

My lovely parents, Enrique and Lili, on the dance floor

The day started with the entire family visiting the grave of Rodrigo, the oldest brother, who died in a car crash two years ago. The saddest part of this whole story is that, although he never knew it, his girlfriend was pregnant with his child at the time. Now Benjamin, his son, is 2 years old, and is a beautiful reminder of the presence of Rodrigo in their lives. His son looks just like Rodrigo, and lives with his mom in Chiloe.

The grave of Rodrigo, my Chilean brother that I never knew.

Rodrigo's son, Benja, with his mom Venesa

Benjamin with his grandpa, my Chilean dad, who he calls "Tata" which is the Mapuche word for grandfather

These are some assorted photos from the last few weeks, which have been sunny and beautiful, with a few days of snow and rain.

A snowy Cerro Macai, or as I like to call it, Ancient Majestic, towering above my school.

A more detailed pic of the snowy Macai

Although Chile is a "developed" country (what ever that is supposed to mean) there is a ton of trash everywhere. Definitly one of my least favorite things. Almost every scrap of earth is covered with cigerette butts, bags, bottles, etc

This is what almost every scrap of land looks like in Coyhaique, very sad. It depresses me everyday that people can live in such a beautiful place and just trash it.

Another view of the trash of Chile, I get to walk past this everyday on my way to school, what a pleasure.

Campamentos , the equivalent of the projects, which I pass everyday on my way to school.

Macai- The Ancient Majestic

The other day, I decided to go for a walk and see if I could take some pictures from La Piedra el Indio, a beautiful rock outcropping that I can see from my window, that towers 100 or so feet above the Rio Simpson. This little walk reminded me of how nice it is to just amble, to walk around with out a direction or purpose, just soaking up the surroundings.

When I arrived it was cloudy and grey, but after a few minutes sitting on top of the rock platform the sun burst through the clouds iluminating the beauty of the place. I had an amazing view of the Cerro Macai, which I have nicknamed the Ancient Majestic, and the Rio Simpson, which as of now doesn't have a nick name. It was a beautifully stagnent moment, I stopped and breathed, had a quick meditation session, and all of the sudden I could see the world much more clearly. I could hear the birds in the woods that surrounded me, the river murming and gurgling below, I could smell the snow on the wind, I could feel the energy of this amazing, and powerful place on the globe. For the first time the thought crossed my brain: I am Patagonian.

The first picture I snapped of Macai, the red circle is my house, which has a very ideal position in the world

A panoramic shot of Macai, I wish it had more detail on this page, but there is a limit to the resolution. The original shot is really quite breathtaking.

Walking down to the Piedra de Indio, it is a sharp knife of a rock that juts above the river, and is rumored to be the most popular place for suicide in Coyhaique.
The view of the Rio Simpson and the Piedra del Indio from my window. There are worse views in life.
This is a picture I took from the back of my classroom of the ancient magestic after a brief, but intense snow storm. Global warming has screwed things up down here, it has snowed more recently (spring) than it did all winter.

Los Colores de Brazil!

Pausing for a moment, I can see clearly I have had ridiculous luck, seeing Chile, Argentina, and Brazil in just the last few weeks, not to mention the previous trips to Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, etc. I like this travel stuff, I plan on doing it for some while. Thanks mom and dad for all these opportunities you have provided.

Anyway, I just got back from a 10 day trip to Brazil with my class, and it was an amazing trip.

Our home base was Comboriou, a tourist city in the south of Brazil. From there we explored (in our own chartered bus) Blemenau, Florenapolis, and their surrounding beaches.

I really feel in love with Brazil. The people are amazingly friendly, happy, and helpful, and culture vibrant and dare I say it, sexy, and the whole place has a very laid back feeling.

It was a really nice break from school, and from college applications, which I am working on finishing up this month. Although it rained the first few days, we had some truly magnificient days in the end of the trip. The dripping heat was a big change from the snow of Coyhaique,

and the culture very different as well.

I have been playing around with a program that helps you "stich" pictures togethor to make panoramics, this is one I took on a beach near Camboriou.

One our first day we went to Blomenou, which was one of the first German colonies in Brazil, and seeing as it is October, we went to Octoberfest, which is a really big deal there.

Here is a photo of the "varones" in the class enjoying some German brew at Octoberfest.

Some "ninas alemanes" after their traditional german dance, at Octoberfest.

Beer (english)= Cervesa (Spanish) = Chopp/Cerveja (Portugese)

Another Panoramic, same beach, near Camboriou

German Architecture in Blumenau

From left to right: Charlie, German Lady, Panchito

Me and my brother in Blumenau

The whole class in Florenapolis

Both sides of Brazil

One of the best experience of the trip was going on a "pirate ship" that took us on a 4 hour ride a North of Camboriou to a private beach. There was dancing, kariokee, and of course the national Brazilian drink: Kaiparina

Sonnely and I waiting on the dock for the pirate ship.

After a refreshing swim, pirate ship in the background

Pirates!

Dancing Ache, a Brazilian club dance

More dancing

A view of the ship from our private beach

A view of a mellow beachtown from the ship, again using Autostich

Hanging out on the roof of the hotel