Well… hello loyal friends and family members (who unfortunately have to be)! I know, it has been far, far too long since I’ve told you what has happened to me. I left you with the introduction to a thrilling new story about trying to find chocolate chips in Chile – and you might have thought I was still searching (it was quite an obscure find).

But to alleviate you all, I am safe and sweating back in Knoxville already! I arrived home just about a week ago and still am living partly out of my suitcase! It’s been a strange transition – I’ve unconsciously jumped back into lots of ro...

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I left Ancud and my dear friends early in the morning to head to another town called Dalcahue that has a Sunday craft market. Jose and Elizabeth were so generous with everything because I know that they don’t come by money easily. Jose is an artist and his work is displayed all over the town in murals and restaurant signs. But as is the case for almost every artist, work is few and far between. Jose told me that just about every morning he goes out early and walks through the town to see if any signs need retouching or addresses painted, etc. That’s their income. But yet anything they ha...

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So, I said goodbye to my family yesterday and hopped onto a bus headed south (Puerto Montt). I did cry and hugged them all several times over. I really will miss them – especially my oldest brother Gabriel who has become one of my closest friends.

I’ve kind of had a crazy last week with goodbye parties, skiing in the Andes, fixing my temporary visa, and packing my life into my suitcase, box, and book bag. All those stories will have to come later. Today I crossed the channel from the mainland onto the island of Chiloe. I decided to stop for just a few hours in the northern city of A...

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So, yesterday was yet again another rainy, foggy day here in ¨Vineyard of the Sea¨ town. It´s interesting because....

Today I got drenched! It was raining cats and dogs… hmmm…. Maybe that’s why there’s so many strays here? I don’t know if I’ve really talked very much about it, but Chile (most especially the cities) has a horrible pet over-population problem. There are animals everywhere - particularily dogs. It’s really sad because they are on every street block usually curled up on the sidewalk almost in the way of the pedestrian traffic. They get into garbage cans and of course, crap everywhere, so you really have to be careful where you step. Nothing has been passed to control the pet population beca...

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