Having never traveled outside the border of the United States, I have to admit I was a little nervous to be hopping on a plane to the southern tip of Chile. I have traveled on many occasions with Christian Santelices, the found of the Global Community Project and all have gone well so far. That fact gave me a little bit of comfort. What lay ahead in Patagonia was a complete mystery. I knew absolutely nothing about Chile other than its location and official language, Spanish. Numerous questions raced through my head as I flew from the safety and familiarity of my home country. What kind of technology did Chile have, what were the people like, what did they eat? My mind was open, ready to take in every possible piece of information presented to me.
The two weeks I spent in Patagonia were among the most amazing in my entire life. My journey began in the town of Punta Arenas where I stayed with the Borics, a local family. While conduction my home stay I attended Simon Boric’s high school, ate a fantastic Easter Lunch with the Borics entire extended family, and even attempted to dance in an authentic South American Discoteca. From Punta Arenas we traveled north to the town of Puerto Natales and from there, Torres del Paine National Park. Torres del Paine has to be among one of the most unbelievable areas on the planet. The beauty of the place is indescribable. In the park we spent a little over a week trekking, repairing/re-routing trails, and making friends with the locals. Our small American team was paired up with a group of Chileans who worked in the park. Our band of trail workers traveled across the park together enjoying the scenery and repairing trails along the way. Once our adventure in Torres del Paine came to an end we drove south again to Estancia Rio Verde. This ranch, owned by Christian’s father Sergio, is enormous. I remember driving for what seemed like hours and still being on the property. At Estancia I was introduced to Christian’s family and the process of running a Chilean sheep ranch. During our stay we had the opportunity to heard 700 head of sheep, assist in a cattle sort, and participate in a Chilean Asado (similar to an American barbecue). Almost as soon as the trip began it was over. We waved goodbye to great friends we made and began the long travel back to the states.
Two things can happen when a group of people live in the mountains for weeks at a time. That group can turn into great friends, or obnoxious enemies. I am glad to say that everyone in our group came out of the experience with only friends. When people go through the same adventure, a unique bond is formed. This bond is unexplainable and can only be understood by those who have experienced it.
Traveling to Patagonia not only introduced me to an amazing place, but also to an amazing group of individuals. From late night conversations in a mountain hut, to sharing in the joy of a completed section of trail, we call have experiences we will never forget. By forming such a unique friendship, we have created an experience that shall remain ingrained in our minds for the rest of our lives.
