Now that the trip to Chile is less than a week away, the romanticized notions I had of studying abroad are slowly giving way to the reality that I'm about to spend 3 weeks as a FOREIGNER in a foreign land. Yikes! I'm both excited and nervous about the adventure ahead.

I have a decent understanding of Spanish (by no means fluent), but it seems that Chilean Spanish is a bit distinct from other countries. It will be a challenge adjusting to the language, and I hope the process is more fun than frustrating.  I'm sure I'll be overwhelmed at first, so I'm reminding myself now to take things slowly and to have no expectations other than living in the moment and enjoying this awesome experience.