Last pages

Doesnt it feel good to finish something, a book, a test, hiking mt kilimanjaro? Today was all about tying up loose ends. Sylvain got his test scores and learned he passed all his classes, I sold my books and got 20 bucks for them - in New York I would have gotten half that. On the way home from spinning class where Claudio played 3 songs from the Venga Boys because once I had a fit of laughter when during class We Like To Party came on which I hadnt heard since high school, and I dropped off a bag of stuff (including the 6 knives my mom had sent me when I first arrived) to give to Elisa. Yesterday I donated 3 bags of clothing to the YMCA saying Quiero dar esto meaning I want to give this, the woman receiving said bags asked something and I responded por las mujeres - for the women, she looked in the bag and asked what women? to end most of my transactions when I have no idea what else to say because often with the help of fluent friends I prepare a speech, this time I hadnt expected anyone to ask for what women and therefore I was stumped. In this situation I smile for a long time, and eventually someone says gracias. Even with the donated clothes, the bag of books I sold and the shoes Ive worn out and tossed away, my bags are still full, not as full as when I came, but stuffed nonetheless.

Im doing a last load of laundry while Sylvain retrieves his boxing stuff, our bags are packed and we leave for Pucon in 3 hours for on last Chilean adventure. We've both been hopped up on the excitement of leaving, heading home after a long time away, seeing friends, and the holidays ahead

So here pretty much ends the Chilean chapter. Bring on Paris.