Leaving Santiago, Never Easy

So I'm back. I wish I could make "back in the USSR" turn into "back in Mo-o-ontreal" but it doesn't seem to work that well...

Chile was incredible. Much more than a vacation, it was like a personal voyage into the past, towards the future. Craziness. That city is insane. Everyone is running around at 120 km/hour, giant buses swerving every way, cars speeding down residential streets, trucks, people, people, people. Montreal is so tiny. There's only 1.8 million of us on the entire island! A few statistics:
+At it's longest and widest, the Island of Montreal is 50km by 16km.
+Total surface area is 482 square km.
+Latitude 45 N
+There are 75 islands within the City limits and 380 islands within the entire metropolitan region.

And just so you know exactly *how* cool Montreal is, the Plateau Mont-royal neighbourhood is ranked "4th hippest" in North America, just after Williamsburg in Brooklyn. This according to some people called Utne Reader, whoever they are.

Anyway, joking aside, I'm happy to be back home, but leaving Santiago is, in fact, never easy. I used to describe the city as a black hole, a thing with a huge suction power that would just totally obliterate your longing to go anywhere else. My mom says people there are living in a dream and I should be careful not to wake them. This is a very smart thing to say because I am constantly waking people rudely. It's an Aquarius-rebel thing.

Santiago was a love-fest. I went to see old friends and family and I was treated just splendidly. Everyone was warm and friendly and it was a great opportunity to really see who my friends are over there. I think time and distance can do funny and weird things to relationships and seeing as I put a heavy value on loyalty, it was wonderful to see who was really there for me.

So what did I do? Mostly I want to keep the memories and I'll show the pictures later, but en bref I went to a lot of lunches, sat at the pool a couple of times (not enough), slept over at my grandmother's (a highlight), had dinner with friends and saw the fireworks downtown for New Year's. Also played dice until 9:30am. Saw people I hadn't seen in over 2 years. Saw people I saw just a few months ago in New York. Had pisco sour every day to make up for lost time. Went to Providencia too many times (shopping district like downtown Montreal). Had a few very necessary and key conversations. Saw all my babies. Stuffed a few of them into my suitcase to take home with me... ;)

Although the most memorable thing about this trip for me will be those key conversations that opened or closed relationships, I didn't come away with everything resolved. Some stuff is just a lot harder to deal with. Without getting too personal on a public blog, I can say I had ...I *have*... issues with conservative views on life and love. I'm big on tolerance, but how do you incorporate intolerance in others into your life? I don't want to be liberal fascist like *some* people I know, but... I don't know.

So now I'm back, happy to be home, loving the snow, hoping to keep up the good spirits into February and thereby avoid that freaking-out period everyone seems to go through due to lack of sufficient sunlight! I'll be leaving for Vegas this Friday, for work. One week. Of course, they say it's snowing in Nevada... we shall see. I'm also hoping I can meet up with my friend Andrea and her family in Philly or New York at the end of February-beginning of March. Maybe just a weekend, you know?

Next plan: get an apartment for February 1.

Coming soon: I upload 160 pictures onto my website: www.isabelbrinck.net

See you all. Don't make resolutions yet. The year of the rooster doesn't start until next month!