This post is about my arrival in Chile and my first day as an exchange student! All around the excitement, the confusion and the feeling of starting a completely new life 😱🤩!
Landing in Chile
The morning we landed in Chile felt like something straight out of a movie. The sun rose golden over the Andes, and its rays made the snow on the mountain peaks glow red. I stared out of the window in amazement as we landed.
I gathered my things and left the plane with the other exchange students, saying “Chao” to the flight attendants. While waiting in line for passport control, I suddenly felt how cold it was. We had taken off in the German summer and arrived in the Chilean winter. Later, when stepping out of the airport, I would notice what a harsh reality this was. 🥶
My First Impressions
We got through the checks surprisingly quickly and were met in the arrivals hall by staff from the exchange organisation. Two young woman greeted us warmly. “Hola chicas, tenían un buen vuelo?” (Hey girls, did you had a good flight?) They asked. We nodded with our heads, still a little overwhelmed and tired. The Woman led us to a taxi that would take us to the bus station. As one of them turned around and said “put your belt, please!” We all had already put them. She laughed “Well, that wouldn’t have happened with Chilean kids!”. The skyline of Santiago passed by outside the window, and I still couldn’t believe this was really happening. We were in Chile. I had never been to a country this different and this far away before.
After the taxi ride, we had breakfast at the bus station. When I mixed a little bit of spice and Chilean avocado with my Subway sandwich, it tasted like a whole new food to me! We had to wait very long ant the bus station, and chatted about our flight and what we imagined our new homes to look like. The staff from the organisation gave us some last tips to get used to our new lives easier. After a good four hours (my patience was definitely tested), our bus finally arrived, and I got on together with another exchange student. The ride was relaxed, and after another three and a half hours, I arrived at my new home: Talca.
Talca is a large city with around 250,000 inhabitants and the capital of the Región del Maule, the seventh region of chile.
Arriving safely in my city… right? 😵💫
When I got off the bus, I looked around for someone who might be waiting for an exhausted exchange student. But I was alone. At that moment, I didn’t know that the bus had stopped at a different station than it was supposed to.
Luckily, I wasn’t the only one who got off there and had wanted to arrive somewhere else. I walked to the correct station together with some other passengers. Yes — a 20-minute walk with around 30 kg of luggage 🧳✨! Million thanks to the man that showed me the way, you are a hidden hero!
I didn’t have a Chilean SIM card yet and couldn’t call anyone to explain what had happened, so my host family was pretty surprised when I suddenly appeared, walking down the street with all my bags. Within seconds, my heavy luggage was taken from me, and I was greeted very warmly. My host mum and sister had little Chilean flags and cheered exited with them. We drove to their home in car and I tried to take in every second- everything my new family was asking me to the skyline of the city, but my concentration was already very low at that point 😅.
Now I’m sitting in my new room, in the house that will be my home for a year, full of avocado (and very ready to eat a lot more of it here 🥑) and just incredibly happy to have arrived safely. Of course I’m a little scared of what will come, but I’m ready for that challenge!
Stay tuned for updates — welcome, new life!
