Back in Wisconsin

It's been awhile since I last posted anything of substance, but that's because I've been super busy the last month and a half. The flight back was easy and painless. I arrived on time, but my baggage came back about 90 minutes later. My dad met me in Chicago, and I was ushered back to the midwest with some cold weather and about 3-4 inches of snow. 30 hours later, I was driving up to Boulder Junction where I started work at the Staff Recruitment Coordinator/Outpost Director. Now I'm back where I was about a year ago, except this time I have responsibility, and a place to stay besides Jay and Brooke's guest room. It's been a wild turn-around, but fun. I'm still finding things that I learned in Chile coming up in my everyday life, and finally came to realize that I'm not going to go "back" to where I was before, but I will forever keep some of my year down there and it has further shaped who I am. My first week was centered around learning what goes on in the office, and getting acquainted with everything. Last week I was down in Cincinnati, Ohio for the Mid-American Camping Conference which was a blast. It was nice to get some new ideas and talk to some of the other camps from around the midwest. I think there were about 200 other camp directors ranging from Nebraska to Pennsylvania to Missouri and one camp from Florida. So we had a lot of experience at this conference and a wide range of scenarios that were discussed. Also it was nice to see another camp, since I've been at Camp Manito-wish since the mid 90's, and spend some quality(or quantity) time with two co-workers. We drove down to the conference, which translates to about 30 hours in a van with these two other guys.
Today's Saturday, and I just got back from about an hour cross country ski with the weather showing a balmy -3 F, and clear skies.
I don't know how much I'll update this now that I'm back in the US, and doing more of a job than kind of exploring South America, but I'm sure when I get some downtime I'll update it every once in a while.

summer break pictures

pictures
Here's my summer break pictures.

Back in Santiago

Finally, I'm back where it's warm, or some would say hot. I made it back this evening, without any problems. I've been catching up with roommates and will meet up with a Camp friend, who is down for the holidays.
Pictures will eventually make it up.

What a trip: "Cold" Summer Break

I´m back where I started, in the same hostel in Punta Arenas I was in December 10th. Since then I´ve been here and there. From here we went to Ushuaia, which is the official, End of the World. In fact I got my passport stamped with a stamp that says, "fin del mundo, Ushuaia Arg" So I guess that´s quite official. We did a hike from town up to a glacier, and walked around the coast another day. From what I´ve seen in pictures, the place reminds me of what Alaska could be like. From Ushuaia we basically bussed up to Puerto Natales, which took two days to get there because of bus routes and schedules. From there we headed into Torres del Paine National Park for eight days. This was the main reason for my 20 days in Patagonia, and I loved every minute of it from the freezing nights, snow flurries in the morning, 18 mile days, rainy days, sunny days, windy (every)days, drinking straight from the glacial rivers, relaxing, and just enjoying time away from it all, and enjoying the camping lifestyle. After the hike, we dried off and made some great food in Puerto Natales for Christmas Eve, and on Christmas we took a bus to El Calafate to check out a gigantic glacier. It´s something like 200 feet high and apparently, all of Buenos Aires could fit on top of the glacier. It was actually kind of a let down for us because the weather was rainy and finally broke 20 minutes before we had to leave. Plus in Torres del Paine we walked up and over a mountain pass(3.5 hours up, and 3 down) and had views of the 3rd largest glacier not in Antarctica on the way down from the pass. That, was an amazing view. But nonetheless, it was an impressive glacier and if the weather would have been more agreeable, it probably would have been special. Instead, we all read in the restaurant, and all three of us finished our books that we started the previous day. Since El Calafate, I´ve been traveling solo without Steve and Kaleah because they continued north, and I´ve met plenty of people already, and today, I tried to go visit a penguin colony with an Italian I met here, but with 70 mph winds, the boats were not leaving. So we walked around town and took pictures of all the "penguins" we saw around town. Tomorrow I head back to warm Santiago, and I´m ready. I know this wont sound too crazy to all you northern dwelling residents, but I haven´t worn shorts or a t-shirt since December 9th because it´s been windy, cold, windy, cloudy, windy and drizzly for the last three weeks. I checked what the weather should be like the next ten days, and it doesn´t look too bad, high of 89, low of 56 and sunny. I didn´t check for Boulder Junction, WI, but I´d assume it´s just slightly cooler. I´ll post pictures when I get the chance, and plan to upload all of them into a photo album.
Love to all.

Punta Arenas

I made it here safe and sound and met up with my two friends in the city without problems. Today we´re taking a 12-14 hour bus trip to Ushuaia. Last night I went to bed at 11:00, and it was still bright out. I´m pretty far down here.

Pucon was amazing

I got back from Pucón this morning, did laundry, had a class, went grocery shopping for my trek in Patagonia, finished grades, packed for the next twenty days, and am heading out to give my last finals in about a half hour. There's mainly pictures here because I can't focus enough to write anything coherent. Pucón has been the highlight so far, and I know the south will be equally impressive. The mountains, lush green trees and moss covered woods, rivers, waterfalls, natural thermals and a view of volcanoes were impressive.
Tomorrow I have a flight to Punta Arenas that leaves at 9:00am, and the plan is to take an overnight bus to Ushuaia tomorrow night. We'll see how that works. In case I don't get to update this before Christmas, Merry Christmas everyone!


(View of Volcan Villarrrica, which I climbed on Saturday)



(Ojos del Caburgua. Very pretty waterfalls)


(Climbing the Volcano)



(More climbing pictures. We woke up at 3:45 and were hiking at 6:00am)


(2,847 meters up, or in "American" 9,340 feet up, on top of the Volcano)


(Natural thermas which were wonderful after hiking two days straight)


(In Huerquehue National Park, looking at the Volcano, that was climbed a couple day's ealrier)

Finals are wrapping up

Well, I have a break in my schedule between tonight and Tuesday night, so in order to use my time efficiently, I'm taking an 11 hour bus to Pucón tonight and returning Tuesday morning. Then Tuesday I'll do some laundry and pack for my trip to Patagonia. I leave Wednesday, December 10th, and will be down in the southern most part of Chile. I fly in and out of Punta Arenas. From there, we're heading south to the fin del mundo, or End of the World. The city is called Ushuaia. Then finally, I'm off to Torres del Paine .

It should be a fun and busy last couple weeks down here in Chile.