How Stella (and her family) Got their Groove Back

What a difference a few days makes!  A week ago we were feeling overwhelmed, rushed and a little rusty at navigating our way through a foreign country.  It only took a few extra days but I’d say we’ve got our traveling groove back!

Last Friday, we took the metro to a bus terminal, and hopped on a bus 5 minutes later for Valparaiso.  It was a gorgeous, comfortable, air conditioned trip though wine country!  The kids were excited to travel through a couple of long tunnels through the mountains. 

We spent almost 4 days in Valparaiso.  It’s a large, colorful, quirky, hilly city about half way down the coast of Chile.   

lots and lots of graffiti around the city!

because the hills are so steep, they had a few of these 'funiculars' to take you up and down

we spent one afternoon at the beach :)

It was nice being on the ocean and exploring a very unique city but the highlight for all of us (including the kids) was staying with a SERVAS host family.  SERVAS is an international organization connecting travelers to host families around the world.  It’s been in operation since 1949 and I just heard about it last year.  We applied as a family, went through a thorough application process, were reference checked and  interviewed.  Once accepted, we were given host lists for the countries we are traveling to.  We were lucky to make a connection with a great family in Valparaiso.  Michael and Paz, along with their children Melinka, Felix and Gala, welcomed us strangers into their home and busy lives without a hesitation.  Our experience with them was easy, homey, comfortable, familiar, casual, accepting and warm.   We prepared and ate meals together, the kids jumped on their trampoline, we did laundry, and I helped Paz one evening, peel peaches for jam.  Our time in their home had a ‘help yourself, make yourself at home’ feel.  Michael and Paz are freelance architects and spoke English well.   We had lots of great conversations about life in Chile and life in Canada.  Our long talks ranged from Pinochet’s reign to social, economic, and political topics as well.  And………bears!   Their kids were especially fascinated with the wildlife in Canada –particularly bears – if we had ever seen any, been chased by or know anyone who had been attacked or eaten by one.   Conveniently enough, Jeff had video footage of a bear who visited the cabin we rented last summer.  They couldn’t believe their eyes!!!   

 

Those 4 days in Valparaiso  were exactly why we love to travel.  Making connections with local people brings so much more to the travel experience.  You leave behind the sheen of being an ordinary tourist and you get to see what true life looks like for a family in Chile.  Not to mention the advantage of having some locals direct you to the best sights around town.   

This homestay experience was an invaluable one for Stella and Max as well.  The first day, well not even, maybe the first hour,  all the kids were shy and very aware of the language barrier.  In contrast, on the day we were leaving, there were some tears and no one was eager to go or see us go.  We had to repeatedly call for the kids who were playing in their new friends’ bedrooms.  Max and Stella were very quiet as we drove away.  When we asked what was wrong, they told us they were sad to leave their new friends and that they wanted to stay longer.