Packing up and leaving Chicago has been a lot harder than I expected.\u00a0 To be honest, I\u2019ve had a few good cries along the way.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to miss the city I\u2019ve grown to love and call home \u2014 especially the people who have made it all worthwhile.\u00a0 But alas, I had to take this opportunity.\u00a0 A quote from Mark Twain comes to mind and this sort of mindset influenced my decision to study abroad.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn\u2019t do than by the ones you did do.\u00a0 So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.\u00a0 Catch the trade winds in your sails.\u00a0 Explore.\u00a0 Dream.\u00a0 Discover.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Many people wonder why I chose to study abroad in Santiago, Chile, of all places.\u00a0 I did so for many reasons, some of which include:<\/p>\n
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- I wanted to study in a Spanish-speaking country to improve my fluency in the Spanish language.<\/li>\n
- Loyola University Chicago has an affiliate program with Universidad Alberto Hurtado, which also provides a Jesuit education \u2014 something I have grown to appreciate.<\/li>\n
- I have the opportunity to live with a host family, allowing myself to become better immersed in the local culture versus if I were to live with other Americans.<\/li>\n
- Both Santiago and Chile are extremely beautiful and include a wide range of geographical landscapes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As I embark on my journey, I face a mixture of emotions.\u00a0 I\u2019m excited, nervous, and scared; but I\u2019m more excited than anything.\u00a0 I want to experience all that is Chilean.\u00a0 I\u2019m anxious to be on my way, for I have a long trip ahead of me: 12 hours and 15 minutes of travel time, including a layover in Dallas, Texas.<\/p>\n
\u00a1Adi\u00f3s amigos! Abrazos y besos.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n*Originally written on January 10, 2013<\/p>\n
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Packing up and leaving Chicago has been a lot harder than I expected.\u00a0 To be honest, I\u2019ve had a few good cries along the way.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to miss the city I\u2019ve grown to love and call home \u2014 especially the people who have made it all worthwhile.\u00a0 But alas, I had to take this … <\/p>\n