Bakán

Hola a todos! Hope this martes finds you all well. It has been a while since I have written, but rest assured, it has been for good reason. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. I started my medical internship at Consultorio Reina Isabel II, a local clinic in Valparaíso. I've been to the Atacama Desert and was once again made aware of how minuscule our existence is in the universe. I went skiing in the Andes outside of Santiago, which was without a doubt a highlight of the trip. I say these things not to boast, but to reflect on my time here and take mental inventory of the incredible beauty I have experienced here in Chile! Sunday my Chilean family got together one last time before I leave. It almost hurts me to type that. No tengo ganas de irme. Recently, I have realized how comfortable I have become here. It has only been two short months, so how is it possible to be settled into a new city, with a new family, a new job, a new language? I'm not sure I have the answer to the question, but I'm glad it happened. It is with a grateful frustration that I write this blog post in english, because I have used so little of the language here that my writing has suffered. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to pick up the skill of language learning, and I hope it is something I will continue for the rest of my life. By no means am I fluent. In fact, I don't think I ever will be, but the ability to navigate (I misspelled that word the first time, so I think that proves my point.) another language and communicate with people 5,000 miles away from home with something special. That opportunity, that passion, that calling is not something I can take lightly, and for that I am grateful.

Enough about my feelings, you came here to live vicariously through me right? Right. I'll try not to disappoint. As I said, there has been a lot going on here the past few weeks, so here's a quick summary of each adventure. I'll be the first to admit, saying these experiences as "cool" is a criminally underwhelming description of lo que ha pasado recientemente. So I choose to describe what I've seen and done as: bakán.

Bakán (bah-kahn) adj.- A Chilenismo used to describe something as "cool"

During the second month of my program, I have been given the opportunity to work in a local consultorio in Valpo. This has been a fantastic chance to learn about a foreign healthcare system and expand my knowledge of general healthcare practice, and I can truly say I am glad I chose this program. The real challenge has been doing all this in Spanish. The comical reality is while I have learned an incredible amount during my time at the clinic and met some amazing people, there are still conversations with technical medical terms that I am not sure I'll ever understand. While at times cripplingly under-funded, the public healthcare system of Chile still manages to serve the local community at no cost to residents, a system that the United States lacks. Being in this environment really does give me a new perspective on the conditions and policies of US healthcare. Ask me sometime, I'm sure I could go for hours.

Second on the agenda is a summary of the trip to San Pedro de Atacama. San Pedro is a small town of about 5,000 people on the edge of the driest desert on earth located in northern Chile near the borders of Argentina and Bolivia. My friends Mitch, Charlie, Doug and I spent four days here over a long weekend experiencing some of the most desolate landscapes on earth. For me, it is hard to say which was my favorite part, as each tour offered something completely unique and gave me a new appreciation for how small I am in the grand scheme of things. In the span of two days we saw sparkling blue lagoons at 14,000 ft, flamingos in the third largest salt flat on Earth, floated in a salt pool, visited a geyser field at almost 15,000 ft, and laid in the road staring at one of the clearest nights I've ever seen. It is honestly a trip probably a trip best described by pictures, so without further ado:

 I went skiing in the Andes. Yes, you read that correctly. Last Saturday a group of seven from my program went to the resort La Parva for a day of skiing at around 10,000 ft. I'm not the most experienced skier, but I'd like to say I did all right! We had a great time, and left the mountain super exhausted. Surely I've said enough about the beauty of Chile, but once again the views were breathtaking. Looking down on the sprawling city of Santiago from the snow was a mental picture I'll keep for years to come. Thanks to Charlie, I have GoPro footage of me skiing in the morning!

View from the top of the mountain

Well, that's about it for this time. Next up, a long-awaited, six day trip to Peru to meet up with long lost friend and roommate Cody Burton. My time here in Chile has come to an end.  I am extremely thankful for the opportunities and experiences I have had here, and I cannot wait to apply the skills I have developed here when I return home. It has been so much more than bakán; it has been unforgettable. I sincerely hope that I will be returning one day to this place I have grown to love. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Chao,

Blake