Mindset.

My time in Chile was probably the most emotional time for me on my journey so far. There I sat, alone in a hotel room in an anonymous metropolis with 8 million people...

The hotel was great, no question about it. It was absolute luxury to be able to sleep with European standards again. The bed was huge and comfortable, there was a cozy blanket, a functioning shower with hot water, and finally a decent flush on the toilet. Plus, a good breakfast every morning, everything was clean, and my skin could finally recover from the 1000 tons of sunscreen, bug spray, and other environmental influences of the recent times. That felt really good.

But in such a hotel and in such a big city, making contacts was somehow harder. The typical 'backpacker vibes' that I knew from hostels were not given in the hotel, of course. People wanted to go on family vacations or finish business trips, but not necessarily start the day without plans and 'connect'.

And then suddenly the calmness came, which I hadn't experienced since my journey. It felt like my dopamine levels had been constantly boosted in the past weeks and months by great places, great people, constant traveling, and new adventures, leaving nothing left. Construction sites in my head suddenly found a lot of space again and made me thoughtful. And don't worry, this won't be a spiritual 'I go traveling and reinvent myself'. :D I feel too comfortable and secure in my little created nest in Berlin for that. But I did question some things. There were many things that I regret and wouldn't do again, and many things for which I would give myself a high five and would do them again anytime. Who doesn't know that?!

Anyway... What I actually wanted to express with all this: Everything always looks super beautiful and easy on my pictures, but it isn't always. I often feel insecure on the journey, worry, or struggle to leave my comfort zone. And yet, of course, every mastered adventure brings the greatest carefreeness and the greatest feeling of freedom ever. It doesn't make sense somehow, but that's how it is.

The absurd thing is that after admitting to myself that I'm somehow a bit down right now, it's completely okay that things don't always go smoothly, and I have decided to make the best of it, the best comes out of it. My flu was gone, the sun finally came out, and I coincidentally met people who enriched my day. In the second week, I was still able to see a lot of Santiago and its surroundings, went hiking, took a day trip to the Pacific coast, visited museums, and joined city tours. So it turned out to be a great time in Chile after all, and I'm so grateful that DKMS made it possible for me and I didn't have to go back to Germany to be able to donate.

My conclusion about Chile: A super beautiful country with very familiar living standards. On one side, you have the Pacific Ocean, on the other side, the huge Andes. That is really impressive, and I will definitely visit Chile again under different circumstances to see the north and the south. Compared to the rest of Latin America, the people in Chile are rather reserved and calm, but also very warm-hearted. Due to the countless natural disasters in the country, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, etc., it seems like everyone here lives by the motto 'Carpe Diem'. Nice motto, even without earthquakes. ;)

The donation went smoothly, by the way. But because I think the topic is so important, there will be a separate post about it afterwards.

PS: The construction company of the construction sites in my head has obviously gone bankrupt or is not very eager. But since even BER eventually opened, I remain hopeful. :D