My first week in Pucon, Chille

Deja vu is all I can manage to say. I’m sitting in a chair overlooking the lake that my parents were looking at 15 years ago. They say it has grown, and I believe them. It sorta reminds me of Aspen, CO with a mix of Cour De Lane, Idaho. Sitting on a piece of land between a dormant volcano and Lake Villarica is sorta unnerving knowing that the volcano is still bubbling and rising every time I see steam rise after a chunk of snow hits molten rock. They have some beaches around the lake with sand, but guess what? The sand is actually black ash from the eruptions of Volcano Villarica. Every morning, I wake to the sound of Sheep, South American Chicken Hawks, Cows, and Horses. After all, we are living on a farm sort of plot of land. Our typical schedule goes like this.

Gavin working at the little desk in our room – the view is amazing.

Wake up and make bed
Schoolwork
Breakfast
Schoolwork
Lunch
Activity
Dinner
Relaxing time
Lights out and sleep

Pretty typical right? Well, I could kinda say yes, kinda say no. Schoolwork is taught from my parents, not at an actual school. The activities, are…… well, different. In the last few days, we have gone to two national parks, the beach, three different hikes, and a thermal springs. Whew! All of that in less than a week. No real rest between activities. ” Mom and Dad, we have three weeks! We don’t have to do every thing possible in a week!” They never listen to me when I say that. If we were here in November, my parents would be having a huge flashback. This area is where my parents had their honeymoon here 15 years ago!

Some strange things happen here. The sheep outside like to sleep under this tree together at the same time every day for the last days we have been here. Most mornings, the clouds cover the entire area until 7:00 then they clear up. The same weather happened to us in Las Cruces. what a coincidence huh? I think the lake is affected by tides because the waves get bigger and the water is higher at certain times and the waves are smaller and the lake is lower at some times. This happens every day. What to expect, I don’t know. But things will get weirder, I can tell you that.