Whelmed
"I know you can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, but can you ever be just whelmed?"
..."I think you can in Europe"
-10 Things I Hate About You
I had my study abroad orientation for Santiago, Chile today. I leave mid-February, but I would definitely say I'm feeling just whelmed. I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes (I know I'm a jerk) while people asked questions like: "How dangerous is it exactly?" " You're positive we can drink the water there?" and "I've heard that women in Chile dress much more conservatively than American women, how should we dress?"
Before leaving for Colombia I was in a constant state of such intense feelings. Excited, worried, feeling totally uninformed, losing sleep etc. Some days I felt as if I was willingly walking towards a death sentence, while many around me confirmed this with cute comments like: "Don't get abducted by the FARC, watch out for the cocaine, etc."
I'm feeling totally safe and secure going to Chile, and as a result I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it. I know that once I'm there I will be extremely excited to once again be surrounded by Latin culture, and I'm sure I will quickly feel at home.
I guess for now though, I'm just feeling whelmed...I guess also proving to be the exception to the rule from above as I'm located in Wisconsin, not Europe.
posted by Molly at
8:21 PM
8 Comments:
please don't think you will be safe and secure going to Chile.
I'm not saying you won't be; but not being alert/on guard- specially when out and about- will ONLY bring bad news.
It's going to be amazing; pero me imagino q it won't be a walk en el parque.
December 6, 2008 2:59 AM
Oh, I know.
Just the fact that there's no threat of guerilla violence within miles has been making me rest easier at night.
December 6, 2008 11:54 AM
Through anecdotal evidence, Santiago in my estimation has the second highest incidence of pickpockets, only beat by Cuzco. I agree though, people are funnily stupid. Suerte con el viaje y avisame si quieres contactos en Baires.
December 6, 2008 12:49 PM
Gracias Arthur!
I do want contacts in Baires-- I just found out the bus ride is only 24 hours from Santiago!
Also Arthur I need the link to your blog... I think I remember you moving it off of nomadlife...but I do not recall where to.
:)
December 6, 2008 2:45 PM
I am going to Colombia and not losing sleep yet.
Now I feel like I should be worrying more.
Cool.
December 7, 2008 5:59 PM
You should NOT be worrying more.
You'll be fine, glorious even.
I was worrying because I was a baby, had never been to south america, and didn't know anyone personally (I had never met sarah staff in the flesh until I was in colombia) that had been to colombia.
December 7, 2008 8:37 PM
screw chile. come back to colombia and study at UPB. they have foreign relations and human ecology and all that stuff you do :)
December 9, 2008 9:41 AM
BLOGGING! I've noticed your posts have condensed a bit since my last visit. This must change when you're in Chile, maybe go with biweekly novellas.
December 30, 2008 8:49 AM
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