A HOLIDAY

One of the best holidays I’ve had so far started with me having a panic attack. I know how that sounds, but believe me. This story does make sense once you hear all of it.

Now, to put some context before anything, you need to know two things about me.

One, I’m a big chicken when it comes to try new things. I love my comfort zone. It keeps me warm and safe and sound. Why on earth would I want to leave it? I know what people say about “trying new things” and “getting life experiences”. But to be fair, my sense of adventure (even though I would like to think otherwise) is none; or maybe it’s there, but it’s been asleep for the past eighteen years and I have no problems with it staying that way.

Second thing you need to know about me: I despise highs. It’s not just fear, or respect, but hate. Of course I can deal with common highs as in two-floor-distance-from-the-ground highs, even three-floors sometimes. I mean, I’m not that of a chicken, you know? My problem comes with four floors and more. Again, I know what people say about the beautiful views you can get, and the feeling of freedom, and the postcards, and blah, blah, blah. But here is my deal; how can you be focusing in all those “wonderful” things when you are in a constantly danger of a free fall? Once a friend told me: “Well, you won’t pass from the ground” and that’s the entire point! If I fall, I know there’s something awaiting for me in the bottom. Something cold, and hard. Something that will hurt. I could die! And no, I’m not being dramatic. It can happen, it has happened.

Anyways, after this quick Monica 101, you are probably guessing most part of the story. Just imagine how I felt when my parents told me we were going to Valdivia in a freaking plane! It was like it they would’ve thrown me out of my beloved comfort zone, chosen one of my biggest fears, mixed it all together and put it in a card that read “Happy Holiday!” Well, it didn’t just felt like that, it was exactly that! Except for the card part, that was a metaphor, but the rest was true.

So we packed all the things we will be needing (while I was still trying to convince my dad that a car trip of seven hours couldn’t be that bad and failing at the same time), got ourselves into my uncle’s van and drove all the way to the airport. By that time all the hopes of changing my parent’s mind where lost, buried, and burned. Luckily, up until the moment my uncle parked, I was feeling fine. Not spectacular, but fine.

Then I got out of the van.

That’s how this story starts. Yep, that’s the panic attack. Told you it made sense, although it really didn’t? Even I can see how stupid it was to be all shaky and crying in front of so many people from so many places. I mean, I hadn’t even seen a plane taking off or anything. It would’ve made much more sense for the panic attack to come once I was actually inside the plane, not out! Funny thing, I didn’t feel scared for the rest of the trip. Definitely nervous, but it was a level I could handle. I even sat next to the window!

The next hours came and went. I got some reading done, took a bunch of pictures and slept a little. This situation did not change my relationship with highs. I still hate them. But it taught me there’s some of it I can work with.

Ok! So, after this long, long intro (sorry not sorry) I can finally talk to you about my holiday.

Being in Valdivia for me was like being in an entire different world all together, and I’m not exaggerating. I think this impact on me was because I’ve lived my entire life in Santiago and a have the vivid image of concrete when I think of it. The image of smog, of River Mapocho being almost dry. So when I get to this place, whit green all over it, with this huge and beautiful central river, I’m most definitely stunned. Even the people were great! If you asked someone “Where is X Street?” they didn’t look at you like if you were going to rob them or something. They replied you politely “This is here, and that is there”.

Other reason why I enjoyed being there so much was because of the different backgrounds you could find. You had forest on one side, beach on the other and the city in between, like a perfect popurri of everything.  We met the historical Fort Niebla, and bought a tour to the islands Corral and Mancera. If I’m remembering correctly, we stayed for two weeks, so we had enough time to do everything we wanted.

And yeah… that’s my favorite holiday so far.

PS: I know I wrote a lot of words, but in my defense the instructions said “At least 250 words”… they didn’t include the maximum and I tend to take instructions literally… so yeah…