Sweaty foreheads and dirty feet.
Avocado hotdogs and broken English.
Loud colors and louder voices.
No schedule creates long bible studies
And surreal sunrise hikes.
Construction projects for Christmas
And testimonies in Spanish.
Fresh peaches paired with
Shivering showers.
Scalding sun matched by
Crystal clear stars.
We’ve settled in with
Pictures of home on the walls and
Goodnight hugs from our host parents.
We’ve ventured far enough to find the
Mall and the
Man who sells fresh strawberries.
We recognize the outline of the
Snow peaks in the distance but have only
Hiked the smallest hill.
Los Andes knows the Americans are here
And both Chileans and Americans are
Ready.
So here’s to
Language barriers
“Chilean time”
And bread with every meal.
