All Good Things Must Come to an End

I'm currently sitting in Santiago International Airport trying to figure out how the past 2 weeks are already over. It truly feels like just yesterday we were checking into Hotel America and going to our first fútbol game in Viña del Mar...time flies! I'm definitely not ready to go home but am trying to just appreciate the incredible memories I have made.

As I said, last night we had pizza with the students and director from USM. It was a blast and the pizza was really unique- for example, we tried a pie with avocado, chicken, ground meat, and fruit, to name a few. It was a perfect way to end such a great experience. We honored the Chilean students with small gifts we purchased at PITT before we departed, and in turn they presented us with USM hoodies! They're so nice- I'm wearing mine now. I feel extremely fortunate to have studied at this pristegious University and to have met so many amazing people.

Following dinner, we headed back to Hotel America and got ready before going out for one last night on the town with the Chilean students. Unfortunately, due to safety issues, we could not go to the club in Valparaiso, but made the most of our last night in Viña in the Casino Nightclub. I couldn't have asked for more fun! It's funny how a group of people from two different hemispheres and ways of life are able to connect so well with each other. To say that you have friends on the other end of the world is really special- and now I can. I am very fortunate.

This trip has probably had more of an impact on me than anything else has so far in my life. Two weeks really can change how you look at the world and how you look at others in general. The lectures and company visits have taught me so much about the world of business and what I want out of my career. The globe is becoming smaller and smaller each day and that's something I am appreciate of. I plan on studying abroad in a Spanish speaking country my junior year of college, and I would love to possibly do post-graduate work abroad in order to take my Spanish to the next level afterward. In this day in age, possibilities for an international career are truly endless- probably the key thing Plus3 has taught me.

We're about to board for Dallas, Texas. It will be a long flight and assuming all goes well, we should be back in the states by 6 am. Our flight from Dallas to Pittsburgh leaves around 9 am.

This experience is something that I will always hold in my heart for as long as I live. I am certain that the memories and experiences created will never be forgotten by any of us.

One thing's for sure- Chile hasn't seen the last of me.

Adios, amigos!

Horseback Riding & Barbecue

All I can say is that everything about today was absolutely incredible- I couldn't have possibly imagined a better afternoon for our final day here in Chile. As I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, today was our day to horseback ride on the beach. It was such an awesome experience! We arrived at a beautiful horse farm around 11 am. The woman and her husband who owned it showed us around their home- they raise not only horses, but also boars, pigs, cows, and chickens! After spending so much time in the city atmosphere, it was refreshing to relax in the wide open farm land. They helped us mount the horses and gave us a few tips for riding and then we were off! I used to ride horses when I was younger, but my skills were a little shaky at first. Luckily, before long I was galloping down the coastline like a pro (or at least that's what I like to think)! I had never gone so fast on a horse before and it was really exhilarating. After riding on the beach for about an hour we migrated to a wooded trail and then to a vast desert-like area with HUGE dunes. For our final hour we returned to the beach and galloped all the way back to the ranch. My pictures truly don't do the views justice.

Mi caballo y yo

Riding down the beautiful coastline

Dunes

Following our 3 hour ride, we returned to the ranch for a barbecue. The owners prepared us a feast on their grill and outdoor oven that was absolutely delicious. We enjoyed chorizo (shout out to my Dad!!), spanish rice, tomato salad, potato salad, steak, pork, bread, salad, wine, and cookies and coffee for dessert.  It was another great meal and a fantastic end to our afternoon. The scenery at the ranch was gorgeous.

DELICIOSO!

We were all sad to leave our amazing day behind. Once we returned to the hotel, we took a quick nap and now we're getting ready for our final night! We are going out for pizza and beer with the Chilean students and will then be heading to a nightclub in Valparaiso to celebrate our last night. The club supposedly has 4 floors, each one containing a different style of dance (salsa, merengue, reggaeton, etc). I'm really excited and am sure it will be an excellent way to finish our time here. Hasta mañana!

Paintballing in Chile

Today definitely put a new, exciting twist on our trip! We were given a free morning which gave everyone a chance to sleep in and enjoy the beautiful day. Most of us grabbed some breakfast and then headed for the beach! Of course it was a bit chilly but the sun came out which made it beautiful. We had fun relaxing in the sand and taking pictures of the gorgeous Chilean coast. Alyssa, Sarah, Stefan, and Evan were brave enough to take a rickshaw ride down the boardwalk. The rest of us enjoyed watching them and checking out some of the "rock art" by the pier. Many of the rocks had quotations and biblical verses painted on them, reflecting the spirituality and catholicism present in so much of Chilean culture. I feel like everywhere we go we learn something new about the way of life here. This beach trip was a great start to our Wednesday!

Beautiful morning at the beach

"Always Smile"- my favorite rock!

This is where the day gets interesting! After returning from the beach, some of the Chilean students met us and we took a bus to go play paintball on sand dunes behind the beach. It was fun but VERY painful! I spent most of my time on the red team hiding behind a bush, but it was an interesting new experience nonetheless. Luckily nobody was injured too badly- however, Sarah received a pretty nasty sore on her arm and Molly almost got knocked out from a shot to the head. In my opinion, the best part was the view visible from the battleground. You could even hear the waves crashing in the background. At least my first time playing paintball was spent on beautiful land!

Team ROJO!

After paintball, about 8 of us went to an excellent Italian resturant in Viña. It was a nice break from the constant empanadas, although I ended up ordering more seafood! As always, it was a delicious meal with great conversation. We're back at the hotel now getting ready to go out to Cafe Journal. It's impossible to believe we only have 2 nights left...time to live it up! More later!

Hela, Centauro, y Cueco

Today wrapped up our two final company visits. After breakfast we took a bus to Hela, the company that Christian, Mike and I were responsible for researching. Hela is a firm that manufactures various power tools and distributes them to wholesale retailers and other companies. We were given a tour at the company's manufacturing plant and were walked through the production of their gratas (wire filaments) and brochas (brushes), which are the company's two main products. None of our guides spoke English, so it gave everyone another chance to improve their listening skills. Luckily, we had Daniela, Javier, Sarah, and Jorge there to help translate through the rough parts and help answer our questions!

HELA manufacturing plant

Brocha production

After our HELA tour, we headed to our final company visit, Centauro. Centauro is a company that started off by producing tomato paste and canned tomatoes, but now has greatly expanded into producing canned fruit, soup, condiments, and much more. We were given a really thorough tour of the company's plant by one of the owners. We learned that Centauro primarily exports their products to countries in Asia and also has a large clientele right here in Chile. It was really interesting, and we got to try some samples too! The tour was a great way to end our series of company visits.

An array of Centauro's most popular products

Barrels filled with 'salsa de pizza' (pizza sauce) and crushed tomatoes

Following our last visit, Daniela and Javier took us to their favorite empanada shop in Reñaca, a little town about 20 minutes from the University. Just when I think empanadas can't get any better, something surprises me! This place was awesome and had so many different flavors to choose from. It was a delicious lunch!

After finishing eating, we headed back to the University and had a Cueca class, which is the national dance of Chile. This form of dancing was certainly different from salsa and reggaeton, but just as much fun! Our instructors were dressed in really authentic costumes and it was interesting to learn about a special musical part of Chile's culture.

Our instructors demonstrating a traditional Cueca dance!

My partner and I posing for a photo!

We have just arrived back to the hotel and will probably relax tonight to rest up for our last two days here in Chile. Tomorrow we have a free morning and then will be going to play paintball with the students- I'm a little nervous! Thursday is our last day which will be spent horseback riding on the beach. We also have a final group dinner with the students and professors and will be going to Valparaiso at night to a special club. It's hard to believe our trip is almost over but there is still a lot to look forward to. Buenas noches!

Fútbol in the Sun!

Today was another beautiful, fairly laid-back day. This morning we had our last lecture at la Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria where we did most of the lecturing! We all presented our individual company analysis's to Jaime, our first instructor. Because he used to work for LAN, he was able to give us a lot of great feedback and was also able to answer some of questions about Chilean economics and healthcare. Everyone's presentations were excellent! I think Jaime was impressed as well.

After class, we had our usual lunch in the cafeteria and then headed back to the hotel for a siesta. I was really not used to napping in the middle of the day, but I can't say I minded it! After resting we walked with Camilo, one of the Chilean students, to a beautiful soccer complex right above the mall in Viña. The view was great and the weather was perfect for a little fútbol! We were seperated by gender and played for a little over an hour. It was a blast, and I must say, I think we somewhat regained our reputation after our performance at the spa over the weekend!

Beautiful day for fútbol!

After our game, most of the boys went back to the hotel while us girls walked around the mall and bought some souvenirs at the outdoor shops. After that we headed back to the hotel and stopped for empanadas at my favorite place here called Entre Manas. The food was delicious as always!

We're back at the hotel blogging now before we head out for some Monday night karaoke. This lifestyle is going to be impossible to leave! Tomorrow we have two company visits- another busy day. Hasta luego!

A Much-Needed Free Day

After running around basically non-stop for the past week, everyone fully enjoyed a day to relax and do whatever they wanted! I slept in until about 11, took a shower, and watched some Chilean TV before taking a walk around Viña with Alyssa and Evan to find some authentic Chilean pastries. We were successful in finding two delicious home-made bakeries and enjoyed our breakfast sitting outside on a bench in the sunshine. Have I mentioned how hard this will be to leave?

Sunday morning pastries

After eating, a group of us walked about 16 blocks to the mall in Viña del Mar. It was HUGE and really upscale! Unfortunately, since most of the stores are from the USA, the prices were through the roof. It was still neat to walk around and explore, especially since they had a ZARA which is one of my favorite stores that I never get to. There were also a lot of outdoor vendors which gave us a chance to shop a little less expensively.

Indoor mall in Viña

After returning to the hotel, we quickly got ready and then met as a group to walk to dinner. Jorge and Sarah treated us to the fanciest, tastiest dinner I have ever had at a restaurant called Tierra del Fuego (land of fire). The restaurant was beautiful and had a great view of the sea and the city. One of the main differences in eating habits between Chileans and North Americans is how long the eating process takes. In Chile, it's common to sit around the dinner table for 3-4 hours, which is what we did tonight. I enjoy it so much more- it gives everyone a chance to have long conversations and truly enjoy what is being put in front of you. In general, the lifestyle is so much less rushed. It's something I have definitely come to appreciate!

My delicious wine and dinner- buen provecho!

Tomorrow morning will unfortunately be our last day at la Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria. We all will be presenting our company power points to the professors and students so now it's time to make some last minute adjustments and hit the hay.

What a great weekend!

Spa Day!

Today was a blast! Thankfully we were able to sleep in until about 9:30 and then headed to the "spa" after eating breakfast. Basically, it consisted of a really nice resort with multiple swimming pools, foosball, and an area to play fútbol in. Being that it is fall here in Chile, only a few guys were brave enough to hop in the water. The rest of us enjoyed lounging by the pool in the sunshine all day long. The mountainous view was beautiful as you can see below. We also had a Chile vs. USA fútbol game- I'm sure you can guess who won! Then we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch and were given free drinks the rest of the afternoon. Talk about living the life!

Beautiful day at the spa

Fútbol!

We hung out at the spa until about 6 pm and then took a bus to the director of the university's house- he had us all over for a barbecue and it was so much fun! We ate delicious Chilean hotdogs and kabobs on the grill. It was a lot of fun to hang out with all of the students. It's hard for all of us to believe that we have only been here for about a week, because we have already made such great friends with one another and the Chilean students. Viña feels just like home to us. 

Cookout at Professor Werner's house

Tomorrow is our free day which everyone is looking forward to. I'm going to try to go for a run on the beach and check out the mall. At night we are going to a fancy dinner with some professors and students at the University. I'm so fortunate to be making so many amazing memories here. Buenas noches!