Traveler, your footsteps are the road
And nothing more.
Traveler, there is no path.
The path is made by walking. - Fragment of Cantares, Antonio Machado
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to return to my country after 5 months away from the place where I was born. Walking down the streets that I knew like the palm of my hand and noticing from small transformations to substantial changes that have been generated due to Chile's Awakening. Observing walls that speak through its writings, expressing what thousands of Chileans do not dare to say out loud for fear of repression and the desire for freedom.
At times I felt like a tourist walking around my city, feeling that it is no longer the same, perhaps because I have changed too. However, I am truly grateful I could visit such must-see places, such as the municipal market in Chillan, which fills me with a unique energy every time I go. All the colors and smells of fruits and vegetables and people visiting "El Arca de Noe" the oldest bookstore in town. Others walking around the handicrafts, seeing people working hard from very early morning and people who greet you with a smile even if you don't know them; are the things that form the very essence of the real Chile, the memories I miss the most.
I also enjoyed the afternoons I shared with my granny and mother who to receive me, were waiting for me with freshly baked bread and freshly picked cherries and figs. Afterward, I used to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in the garden with my dogs, feeling the smells of the orchard.
I remember that one day, as we were driving through the highway, I could observe large hectares of monocultures. Mainly pines and eucalyptus that dry the land, but that are located there due to the big industries that "legally steal" the water from our country because they own it. It reminded me that Chile is the only country in the world with a privatized water system. Thereafter, to keep going we had to go through the most expensive toll in Chile USD 5.56 for a length of 81 kilometers. I started thinking of how illogical it was to have allowed a basic resource such as water, and the roads that connect different cities, have become for-profit and for big companies' interests.
Some harsh realities were present throughout my trip, however, I am deeply grateful I spent the end of year celebrations with my family. On New Year's Eve, we took over old Chilean traditions that would give us "good luck" for the coming year. We had to eat 12 grapes that represent each month of the year, drink champagne with pineapple ice cream, as well as going out for a walk in the street with a suitcase to have a year in which to travel.
Being back in Tanzania, I can say that I do miss the 3 weeks that I was able to reconnect with Chile again. However, I feel truly grateful to be studying here and I know that my family feels the same way. I was able to realize how much they mean to me due to all the support they have given me, as well as learning to appreciate small details way more, such as a welcome hug. Without any doubt, it was a different and new sort of break for me, in which I could reflect on several of the experiences I had here and the fact that I came back to my homeland some months after Chile's Awakening. I feel that I needed to come back because it was a unique opportunity to realize what matters to me, besides recharging energies for the second semester.
On January 11th, I started my trip to Santiago International Airport to return to Tanzania. I tried to pay attention to every detail for the last time and look out the window of the plane to say goodbye to Chile in gratitude for the memorable re-encounters. Not as a goodbye, but as a see you soon.
You can also find this article on the UWC East Africa Student Magazine started by our friend from Guatemala Ken Baeza. Go and check the link and you will read many other articles written by UWCEA students!
Link for the magazine: https://issuu.com/kibo112002/docs/uwc_east_africa_student_magazine_issue__1/1?ff
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