Like this:

This is going to be short because I need to make lasagna for Zach’s little birthday celebration tonight.  Happy First Winter Birthday Ever Honey!

Today I had to go to the US Embassy to get a document notarized in order to start work back for Wake County in the fall.  The embassy is a really nice, big building (of course – I don’t know why in my mind I thought it would be this old house type building with a little notary office in it.  What was I thinking?? I digress…).  There was an American flag flying in the courtyard, which is a site I haven’t seen in awhile.  I walked in to this huge hall of tons of people trying to get their visa’s for the US or deal with lost passports and such.  Thankfully, my number was called quickly and I walked up to the counter and there was a distinctly American face standing on the other side of the window to do the notary for me.  He greeted me in English (with no accent), asked me where I was from, spoke to me in English the whole time.  Talked to me about the massiveness of the Atlanta airport.  All in English.  Of course I see Americans here in Chile all the time, but it’s just friends.  I never “do business” in English.  I’m constantly struggling with expressing my needs and making sure things get done in Spanish.  But my interaction with this American was so easy and comfortable.  It seems weird, but I felt so “home.”

After leaving the embassy, I rushed to an American sports bar and watched the second half of the US vs. ALG game to qualify for the next round in the World Cup.  I knew a few people there, but mostly it was just a bunch of random people from the US.  When Donovan scored, we cheered and hugged!!!  Beers fell and bottles broke!  After they won the game, the bar played all kinds of patriotic American songs.  It was a blast!

My experience at the bar and the US embassy gave me a little piece of the States today, and made me a little homesick for the first time sense coming back in March.  I’ve been very nostalgic the last few weeks as  I realize our time in Chile is really winding down.  It’s bittersweet.  We have loved Chile.  We leave for the US a month from today.  As I sit here looking out over Santiago from our apartment, I hold some great excitement in my heart because the American face behind the counter at the embassy and the American bar reminded me how much I miss my country and I’m looking forward to coming home.

Advertisement