Yesterday at 2:00pm I met up with a lot of friends in the bus terminal. They passed me letters and took pictures together and everything felt happy and light. The bus actually began driving away as we took our last group picture and we had to run to catch up hahaha. All of my friends wanted to go to the airport, but it's far away and expensive so I went with Manu, Rorro, and Paula. During the bus ride I talked to Paula while all of my other friends texted me sweet goodbye messages. There was a bit of traffic, so it took us a little longer than usual to get to the airport, but we had planned for that and had hours of spare time. When we arrived at the bus station, we all hauled all my heavy bags over to buy another bus ticket that would take me to the airport and then ran around buying Chilean treats I wouldn't be able to find in the US. Manu is the coolest kid ever and because he couldn't take me all the way to the airport, he rode the bus to Santiago with us just to "take me as far as he could" and then took another bus home to Rancagua right after! Saying goodbye to him wasn't difficult because we were all in just such good moods hahahah. It was weird! Before leaving, he handed me some Chilean chocolates and a Spanish grammar book that would answer the type of questions I am always asking him. It was the greatest gift and he knows me so well! I really love him.
After that Paula and Rorro and I got on the bus to the airport. I seriously cannot stress how un-sad we all were! It felt so normal and I began getting excited about my journey home! I told them I was bummed to leave Chile because I know I will miss it a lot, but I had nothing to look forward to anymore other than seeing my family in the US again, so why not get happy about that?! None of us had any idea of what I needed to do at the airport, but we figured it out as a team! We printed my ticket and then went and test-weighed my bag because it looked very heavy. It was VERY heavy. Like $150 dollars worth of too-heavy. However my friends and I are little geniuses and decided to buy the cheapest little suitcase we could and distribute the weight. It worked and it was kind of hilarious sitting on the ground in public while throwing my clothes all over the place. The only downside to bringing another bag was that it meant I wouldn't be able to take my ukulele. I left it in the good hands of Paula and promised to come back for it in December hahaha.
After all my bags were checked and ready, we still had about an hour before I needed to enter international security so we decided to go eat dinner in a restaurant. We laughed and had fun and it was seriously the best last meal I could have possibly eaten!
After dinner we went downstairs and I hugged my beautiful friends goodbye. I knew I would miss them, but that made me happy because all I felt was how much I love them to pieces. I then took a deep breath and walked into security, and it was as simple as that.
During my journey from Chile to the US I met many amazing people who helped me in a lot of ways. If it weren't for a man who pretended I was his daughter to let me get through security in the fast lane with the rest of his family, I would have missed my connecting flight! I got a lot of compliments on my blazer and I didn't sleep at all but I am having a good time hahahah.
In 10 minutes I will arrive in SFO and hug my family for the first time in a year. Wow. It's really been a whole year, and what a great year it's been! I am such a lucky girl, and I know this little ending is just a big beginning in disguise. :)
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