Stay flexible...

Phew, where do I start?! Maybe I'll pick up on the spoiler from the last post, because there were some pretty drastic changes that had to be made. So, grab some popcorn and read this shitshow (with a happy ending). My sister Nadine was actually so brave and didn't fly back to Germany despite some unforeseen changes in plans, but instead made her way to me in Colombia on her own. I'm proud of you, little one (she hates it when I say that :D)! It's crazy, suddenly holding my little sister on the other side of the world. Such a beautiful feeling to have a piece of family with me. And since my room at José's is big enough for two, the organization wasn't too dramatic logistically (aside from the mental stress) and everything seemed to be going in the right direction again. Or so we thought, because there was still the stem cell donation for DKMS... Of course, fate of travel challenged us once again, so I had to travel to Chile unexpectedly just a few days after Nadine's arrival - however you want to call it, had to, could, wanted to. Before that, some health checks need to be done and evaluated, and the immigration officers won't let me enter Colombia (a so-called red country) twice within a short period of time, so now I'm stuck here for 14 days and have to wait. Wow. It would be nice if it were at least summer here and I could soak up the sun, but no, of course I arrived here in the depths of winter. The winters in Chile are mild and bearable compared to those in Germany, but I was surprised by a temperature difference of 20 degrees and pouring rain upon my arrival. My mood could have been better. To make matters worse, I was a bit under the weather in Cartagena, as it turns out that germs from children are really something (now I understand all parents who have children in daycare or school). Well, and all of this has gotten even worse with the change in weather here in Chile. My body just briefly showed me the middle finger and wondered what other tricks I had up my sleeve. Perfect timing for a donation.

But seriously, what are 14 days of being "stuck" in Chile or a little cold compared to a truly life-threatening illness?! It's really important that my stem cells can be sent to my recipient as quickly as possible, so it was out of the question not to make the trip. And even though I'm complaining a bit like a little princess here, I really enjoy and gladly donate for my genetic twin a second time. I hope it saves his life! In this context, I really have to give a big shoutout and a lot of recognition to the DKMS team. Despite the circumstances, they all try to make my stay here as pleasant as possible, there's always an interpreter by my side at the hospital, and everyone is super nice. I'm really impressed that I'm being flown to Chile, the only DKMS partner clinic in America, and don't have to go back to Germany to donate. And in the end, the effort for each individual is so small compared to a saved life (unless you're sitting on the other side of the world :D). So, people, if you're not registered with DKMS yet: what are you waiting for?! This issue concerns all of us!

But maybe I'll talk about the donation and the whole process another time. I still have the actual lymphocyte collection ahead of me.

Accordingly, my first days in Chile were very, very quiet. To make sure the donation doesn't fail because of my stupid flu, I'm doing everything to get better quickly and have spent most of the rainy days in the hotel. I was a bit disappointed at first, but occasional ups and downs are somehow part of traveling. So now I'm making the best of the situation and trying to see at least a little bit of Santiago and the surrounding area. On first impression, Chile has very Western standards. Suddenly everyone is following traffic rules again, there are no insects running around the hotel, and you can find many familiar brands and products. Unfortunately, the prices have also adjusted accordingly. Too bad, chocolate.

Well, but I can't actually say much about Chile yet, except what it feels like to lie in bed with a fever. Conclusion: It's not necessarily more exciting than in Germany.

But what's actually more important is how my last week in Cartagena was. To summarize it in keywords: loud, colorful, wild. I really had a great week and enjoyed it to the fullest. The time with the kids at the school was really fun and I learned a lot - not just Spanish or viruses. :D Well, just when I had solemnly buried my "perfectionist monk," I had to cut the project short due to the donation. Super sad and of course very sad for the children too, because every helping hand is important there. My conclusion about the project: I would do the experience all over again and I'm very grateful for the time. However, I wouldn't necessarily go through a German organization for such volunteer work, as the actual projects unfortunately receive too little of the money. But that's another topic that doesn't belong here. I can only recommend to everyone to look beyond the tourist bubble in the respective countries. Because that's what sets traveling apart somehow from "normal" vacations - at least for me personally.

Other than that, I spent the afternoons at the beach, by the pool, in cafes, or occasionally enjoying some culture. Last weekend, we celebrated the farewell of the two other volunteer helpers at the project, Madita and Maresa, and the arrival of Nadine. And it was quite a celebration. Tequila and rum send their regards.

Well, and because you should always leave when it's the most beautiful, as mentioned at the beginning, I'm now in Santiago and Nadine is in Cartagena waiting for me. Not bad either. But we've already made some rough travel plans for the time after Chile and anticipation is the greatest joy.

So, enjoy the summer in Germany for me and we'll be in touch.