Day two in the Chacabuco Valley. It's so much prettier than I could have ever anticipated. Before leaving to come here, I had a nice introduction to Paula, the woman who helps organize the intern/volunteer program, and to Matt, the volunteer chef. Matt is fresh off of 10 months of travel in South America, including a 6 month NOLS course in Chile. We had an epic bus adventure together, driving past one of the most beautiful lakes (and notably the second largest in S. America) that I've ever seen in my life.
We got dropped off right at the confluence of the Baker river and the Chacabuco river. The Baker is an insane blue color that is impossible to describe but so pretty.
The dusty spot on the road where we got dropped off was our uncertain home for the 15 minutes before Flavion, one of the guys from the estancia, flew down the road in a truck, apologizing for almost forgetting us (WHAT!!??). Neither Matt nor I were fussed and it only took 10 minutes or so to reach the valley that will be our home for the next 4 months. After this begins the oooohhh-ing and ahhhhhh-ing in which both of us realized we'd be sleeping with down comforters and washing up with fluffy white towels and staring out from our all wood decorated rooms onto the snowy Andes. These people really know how to take care of their volunteers. My attempt at low expectations was useless since they were far exceeded by the beauty and kindness of this place.
Waking up early in the morning, Matt and I were shown around the lodge, just a couple hundred yards from our staff housing, where Matt will be cooking and I will be doing still to be discovered tasks. So far, all I've got is that I get to drink a lot of Mate (a type of tea best if shared) with Matt and the two women who help run the lodge (Silvia and Nino)... which we did 3 times today... and that I'll eventually be bar tending this beautiful little bar that has several cow rugs and lots of couches with leather and sheep skins in front of it for the lounging pleasure of the people who come to stay. So far everyone has been super friendly. I helped out with the ironing today just for a chance to hang out with Silvia and Nino who are pretty hilarious and definitely have the potential to be funnier as soon as I get a grasp on this Chilean spanish, cachai?
This afternoon, we rambled up the road to the house of Doug and Kris Thompkins who run Conservacion Patagonica, and while being shown around their house, I came across pictures of Tom Brokaw, Yvon Chouinard, and countless others who have also visited this valley. Definitely get the idea that I'm part of something that is pretty spectacular... and I'm so happy to be here.
Tomorrow's task is to help Matt prepare lunch for everyone since the cook at the staff "casino" (mess hall) has gone to town for something to do with her son's school. After that, Matt and I are both free and so are planning to head off on a backpacking adventure for a couple of days. We have to be back for Saturday when Paula comes to the lodge from Coyhaique (and we might have our first guests??!!). Other volunteers don't arrive for another couple of weeks - so hopefully I'll get some Spanish down and get settled in before they all get here! It's pretty dang cold, but I've been told it'll start warming up in October.
I should probably go drink some more Mate.
Hasta luego.
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