(Anna typing...) A couple of thoughts of my experience here in Chile:

In life its soooo weird how the grass is always greener on the other side. Here I am in this beautiful country where I get to skip out on the dark winter. I am learning so much Spanish (which I LOVE) and am eating healthier than I ever have. I get to attend an Orthodox service every Sunday and have made some new friends who I will probably keep in touch with forever. What else - so much more! The family whom I am staying with is so great. We have as much hot water a nice bed to sleep in a a great big window to open during the evenings when the wind is blowing - maybe sounds corny, but its one of the smaller more blissful parts of the trip. I have learned 3 new songs on my flute and Allie and I have started exercising and the view is enough to keep me distracted from it being difficult. The work has been good, building new muscles and in nature everyday. I get to eat strawberries and tomatoes while picking the weeds - to add to that organic strawberries and tomatoes.

So, to say all of this - how is it that I still get homesick big time?!?! I miss my friends and family soooo much. I cant believe I wont be there for when Christy and Cory have their new baby! I miss also the little comforts - going to Starbucks whenever I want - I didnt know I was such an addict! The other day I was telling Allie how much I craved Starbucks and I admit I was complaining a lol that day about little things. And, literally while I was complaining Miguelito brought Allie and I fruit to eat and came over just to say hello. Its funny how I am here and have this once in a lifetime experience and I am thinking about Starbucks!!

God is good. I have learned a lot through prayer of how to keep striving to live in the moment. Whether I am happy, sad, excited, bored, etc - to always ask God to have mercy on me a sinner and live in the moment He has given me. Its weird that whever you are - there you are (says Allie). No matter if I am in a wonderful-new country called Chile or in a wonderful-kind of smelly city Indianapolis there I am - all of my good qualities and not so good qualities.