First Graduate

This post is part of an ongoing series of blog entries by Anjie D (FG3), a Junior at Barnard College writing about her experiences studying abroad in Chile. Here's an excerpt of her latest musings.

The time has come to say goodbye to the great nation that has hosted me for the past semester. I can honestly say that because of my experiences in (and around) Chile I will be returning to the U.S. a slightly different person. And I think that slightly different person is an improvement upon the former Anjie who existed before.

Let’s review.

The old Anjie would not have had the courage to jump out of a plane after receiving safety instructions in Spanish. She was too chicken for that kind of thing.

The old Anjie would not have danced in clubs until four in the morning. She was too shy for that kind of thing.

The old Anjie would not have hiked just short of 30 beautiful miles (48 gorgeous kilometers) in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine in a day and a half. She was too lazy and out of shape for that kind of thing.

The old Anjie would not have left home base to go to Peru, Argentina, the Atacama desert, southern Patagonia, Santiago (IFSA trip and individual trip), Isla Negra (IFSA trip), La Serena (IFSA trip), Maitencillo, Casablanca… The old Anjie was too cautious to spend travel money on, well, actually traveling. The old Anjie had backwards financial logic. The old Anjie was also a home body with little interest in sitting on buses, trains, and planes in order to go somewhere new. The new Anjie, though, gets pumped up about travel opportunities and will continue to travel within the US whenever possible.

The old Anjie would not have let that boy kiss her goodnight. She was too involved with herself to even try to be involved with someone else.

To read the full post, please visit Anjie's blog on the IFSA-Butler site.