Except for when I’m teaching, I only speak English on the weekends. All of us foreign teachers live in different towns, so when Friday rolls around, there’s always a massive migration to Valdivia to meet up. (Speaking our native language over a beer has become one of life’s little pleasures.)
Even though winter’s approaching, Saturday was gorgeous, and Fred, Sophie and I spent the afternoon in Niebla, a small coastal town 20 minutes from Valdivia. The drive there reminds me of Northern California’s winding, coastal highways. The road passes by local breweries, lush forests, and fishing boats and bays. We bought empanadas from the market and just chilled out the entire afternoon. Dusk set, and people began showing up with blankets and ice chests to watch the sunset. It reminded me of a lazy sunday evening at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.
I can be anywhere in the world and feel at home with the ocean.