Today marks something of a milestone for me: I've been living in South America for 5 years now.
On September 1st 2003, I landed in Quito, Ecuador and now here I am in Valparaiso, Chile.
Over the past 5 years I've spent:
-3 months in Ecuador
-3 weeks in Peru and Bolivia
-2 weeks in Brazil
-2 and a half years in Argentina
-2 years in Chile
-About 3 or 4 months in England
I actually can't believe I've been out here so long. I can't believe I was 25 when I got here. It seems both far longer ago and nowhere near so long at the same time. I still kind of go 'wow' when someone tells me they've been out here for 2 years. I think that's a long time. And then I remember how long I've been here. It's weird.
Still, I'm happy in South America and, despite the many things that annoy me here, I don't want to leave just yet. I can't actually imagine being anywhere else. I don't want to be anywhere else right now. This is home.
Was it always your intention to stay when you first arrived in South America? Or did the decision happen while you were there? I'm heading off traveling for a year, from next March, including 6 months in South America, and while the plan is to return to the UK the thought has crossed my mind that if I really like somewhere, I could always stay.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoy the blog by the way.
Well...that's a good question...It was certainly at the back of my mind that I might end of staying in South America but it was never the plan. I was supposed to be in Ecuador for at least 6 months possibly longer but the serious crime there just got me down quite quickly and I went off travelling, fell in love with Buenos Aires and knew that's where i wanted to be. I've now ended up in Valparaiso and I'm happy here.
ReplyDeleteI think my original idea was to learn spanish and then probably look for work in Spain as a teacher or something else. I'm actually really glad that never happened.
I've known for a long time that living in England just isn't for me.