How Fantastic

In actuality, my fantastic voyage did not begin on June 20th, when I stepped onto a plane destined for Santiago, Chile. It began exactly one year ago when my mother, two sisters, and I put our post-dinner eucre game on pause. Since the new year was fast approaching, the topic of conversation turned to our goals for the coming year. When my turn came, I told my family (my dad had now joined the table) of my plans--and my current dilemma.

I had two options: (1) go abroad to Mexico City (which would later be changed to Santiago) during the summer and return for fall classes as normal or (2) find job/internship during the summer and head to Rio de Janeiro during the fall.

And then my sister, Sylvia, stepped to the plate and changed the game.

'Why don't you go on both programs?' she asked me.

I had never really considered such an option primarily because it didn't seem feasible or practical. But when did practicality and feasibility hold determining sway in the decision-making process? That is, of course, not to say the decision was a rash one, made after I listened to 'Life in Technicolor' (yes, Timothy, that song makes me want to buck all sense of practicality, but, yes, that is why I like it. Call me an emotive simpleton. Whatever :) ).

I digress.

Point being: there was A LOT of thinking/agonizing that went into choosing to spend 6 months in two of South America's most prominent countries. Risks were calculated; benefits imagined and believed in. And in the end, option #3 was chosen.

So, away I went.

And no sooner had I left, I have now come home.

I realized a couple weeks into my time in Chile (and my time as a blog writer) that the title for my blog and my trip was a bit...well, yes...corny: 'Benjamin's Fantastic Voyage' (didn't you know I was sponsored by Hallmark?). But having returned home and reviewed the definitions for 'fantastic' and 'voyage,' I feel it is very much appropriate.

'Eccentric, odd, imaginary, or groundless?' Absolutely.

'A long journey...full of adventures?' Far too many to remember them all.

But far too fantastic for me to forget.

For those of you who came along and read the majority--if not all--of the words I wrote: GRACIAS/OBRIGADO/THANK YOU :) I typically do not condone vicariously living, but I hope I gave you all the best opportunity to do so in the past 6 months.

Hasta luego e um grande abraço.