So I was dropped off at the airport, checked in my bags, went through security, the usual. I was excited to be leaving for South America. Then it happened again…I truly am an unlucky person when it comes to flights. I get to my gate, and there it was….flight delayed. IF the delayed flight came in, I would have had thirty minutes to rush through the gigantic airport that is Miami international to catch my connection to Lima, Peru. Then my luck got worse, it delayed another hour, and then my luck became the worst, the flight was delayed until nine thirty in the morning…the next day.
Since I was clearly going to miss all my connections, I had to rebook all my flights, putting me a whole day behind. Then the next day came, I got to Miami, sat through a two and a half hour layover and finally (!) got on the flight. We pulled out for like thirty seconds, and then the captain pulled back in for a “mechanical issue.” There was a “slight” complain with the engine. The “short” delay lasted for an hour and a half. But I made it, made it to the airport of Santiago, Chile. As I walked out of customs, I was smothered (no, no literally) by like six different taxi drivers looking for business on a Monday morning. I then took a taxi, nervously, and we drove through the rainy morning. But things got better. To break the awkward silence, I started to converse with Enrique, the taxi driver. To my surprise my Spanish wasn’t as bad as I had thought (but still bad enough). We got stuck in traffic and so he got off the freeway and drove through an old neighborhood. As I cleared the fogged up window, I saw houses and walls dipped in local graffiti. It looked fantastic! Then as we entered the center, the heart of Santiago, he pointed out “El Mercado Centro,” a beautiful park, and some neat buildings.
Later we arrived near my apartment complex. I wasn’t able to find my building, but Enrique was kind enough to help me out. He even gave me a word of advice, “keep your camera safe, it could get snatched” (in Spanish of course).
There I was, finally where I was supposed to be a day ago, yet late for orientation. I quickly dropped off my stuff and my host Mom took me to the IES Abroad Center (nicest person ever). If I could go through this much chaos in a matter of one day, I think I may be ready for the next four months.
I am very excited to walk the rain filled streets that I drove through that morning, and talk to its people, and taste some “Pan” from the “Panadería Castaño.”
Sheron Mathew
<p>Hi! I am an observant incandescent light bulb. I may seem dim idle, but I am constantly taking everything in. At times I flare up from the stimulus I receive from my surrounding environment. I try to capture these unique moments through the sharp opening and closing of my camera's shutter by a mere click of a button. I use these captured images to give meaning to that moment and connect it to me, life, our world and the things and people that fill it. Won't you join me in putting this world into perspective?</p>
