Jet Lag

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Once I got off the plane in Argentina I thought to myself "please just let these flights be over". After my flight having to be changed, loosing my luggage, the pickpocketing insedent in Atlanta and not sleeping at all on the plane because it was just that uncomfortable, I just wanted to be done with the getting there part. I met a man from the states who is a Travel Agent and helped me out so much. He made sure I did everything I needed to do and directed me to where I needed to go. A worker there with Air France came up to me and said "Ms. Paysse (correctly) your luggage is with us, no need to worry." At least that was a sigh of relief. Air France was an amazing flight, a huge plane, and well...let's just say Delta needs more workers like them. Once I arrived in Santiago, the man I met made sure, once again, that everything went well for me. I got my luggage, went through customs, paid my reciprocity tax fee, went through the exit and began looking for Mario (my ride to Vina). There were so many signs being held up with peoples names on them I didn’t know how to find him. So many taxi drivers asking me if I needed a taxi which was getting pretty annoying. But then I saw him……a sign that said Amanda Payssee. Once again it was a sigh of relief. He and his son carried my luggage to the car, took a picture of me in front of the Santiago airport and drove me to my new family's house. My first word when I stepped outside was WOW. The mountains were gorgeous, the season was summer, and I was in Chile....WOW. On the way to Vina i probably looked like a child in a candy store with the window down staring out taking pictures with a cheezy smile on my exhausted face. Once we got to Vina, Mario drove me around to let me know what the area is like before he took me to my family. We stopped at a hilltop where you overlook the ocean, Vina and Valparaiso. When he stopped in front of this gate once again a sigh of relief because I was done with the dreadful part. I met Ema and Roberto and knew I would have nothing to worry about. Once I got there Ema took me for a walk to show me how to get to my school and explained the main roads in Vina. The cutest thing, she held my hand like I was a child. She told me she would be my new mother for my stay in Chile and Roberto is my new brother. We'll see how my stay in Chile goes....

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Photos

Overview of Vina
My Taxi driver stopped to take a picture of me overlooking Vina on my first day.