"How do you measure a year in the life?"

“Five hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
Five hundrend twenty five thousand
moments so dear
Five hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year”
-"Seasons of Love:" Rent


The measurement of time is clearly objective. Sixty seconds comprise a minute; sixty minutes comprise an hour and so forth. Yet, the way we perceive the passage of time is entirely dependant on our experiences. An hour spent languishing in a boring science lecture certainly feels significantly longer than one spent laughing with friends over a steaming cup of coffee.

Thus, it seems somewhat inaccurate to state that I have now officially been living in South America for a year. After all, any consider this unit of measurement as being a long stretch of time and I feel as if I only just arrived. Although my perspective, hopes, and dreams have been completely transformed by the abroad experience, I would not even blink if someone suggested that I had actually just boarded the plane a few weeks ago.

Units of time, therefore, seem like a rather frivolous way to quantify this past year. Yet, as an overly-organized individual, I feel the need to neatly categorize it in some manner, so I've turned to the lyrics of “Seasons of Love” as a means of finding the answer (clearly, I cannot deny the influence that the incredibly talented singers from Tufts-in-Chile have had on me).

Could it be in DAYLIGHTS? From the 19 hour days we enjoyed while trekking through Torres del Paine to the agonizing sunburns resulting from the powerful sun in Paraguay, the light of day always brought adventure.

Or in SUNSETS? The setting sun did not, however, signify much as the nights similarly brought much laughter as I my two left feet struggled to dance salsa.

Or in MIDNIGHTS? Given that the nightlife in Santiago has barely begun when the clock's hands meet at the twelve, I often watched the day technically begin while chatting with friends about topics such as the mysterious lack of a “linea 3” on the metro and the sociological reasons behind just about any phenomenon ranging from the lack of social mobility in Chile and the United States to our choices regarding who to date/marry.

Or in CUPS OF COFFEE? While these conversations never proved dull, I certainly needed to inhale coffee in order to study for my classes, from which I often gained insight into both the designated topic and Chilean culture.

Or in INCHES? Unfortunately, as a student interested in a variety of fields and enrolled in an interdisciplinary major, my class selection generally involved spending too much time crammed into the metro traveling between campuses. The opportunity to study at the different campuses was, however, in itself advantageous as I saw the very different attitudes and beliefs held by the majority of students within various departments at the same university and between the student bodies at two of the largest universities in the city.

Or in MILES? Although I oftened complained about the commute to class, these trips were significantly shorter than those necessary to arrive at my various internships revolving around topics as varied as environmental justice, property law, and education. Once again, the time spent in the sweltering metro proved worthwhile however. Without a doubt, the opportunity to conduct English workshops / substitute teach / monitor the computer room at a school for marginalized youth who have been excluded from the mainstream school system proved to be an eye-opening experience that reconfirmed my hopes to someday teach abroad regardless of the constant obstacles faced in the classroom and drastically changed my perceptions on education in both Chile and the world. Not to mention the inspiration that I drew from the spirit and resilience of some students at the school.

Or, as a devoted runner, maybe I should define miles in terms of the miles of roads explored as I ran in both the stifling heat of Paraguay and the frigid Andean air near Las Trancas.

Or in LAUGHTER? While I would love to measure a year in laughter, the amount of time spent laughing at my own blunders would be impossible to calculate. Who knew that “estar en rajas” does not necessarily mean go to sleep due to exhaustion? I certainly didn't.

Or in STRIFE? Luckily, I barely ever needed to raise my voice, let alone fight with anyone in Chile or Paraguay. Paraguay has, after all, been affectionately dubbed the land of friends.

Should I choose one of these terms to describe my year? No. Each of the concepts accurately describes a portion of my experience this past year, but none of them actually embody it as a whole.

Infive hundrend twenty five thousand
six hundred minutes
How do you measure a year in the life

How about LOVE?

Given the importance of family in South America, many question how I can spend a year away from my parents. While I miss them, the answer is simple; I have found the love and support of innumerable other individuals who have made this year absolutely unforgettable. From my incredible Chilean host family who has treated me like a daughter ever since our first meeting at Laurita's baptism to my Paraguayan co-workers who adopted me over the holidays, I have never lacked the love of a pseudo-family.

And, if the language barriers proved overwhelming, the Tufts-in-Chile crew really did turn into a family as Katrina recently noted. While I am sure we will continue to spend time debating mundane philosophical topics,baking (250+) cookies, or showing off on the dance floor in Boston, I already miss your smiling faces.

Not to mention the countless other friends that I've made along the way. Whether playing soccer, checking out photo exhibits, chugging (too many) cups of coffee, bringing Mexican food to Chile, etc., these individuals have made this past year absolutely incredible. While I may not see some of them again, they will always stand out in my memories of my time spent in Chile and Paraguay.

So. Given the number of people who have impacted my life, I think it's fair to say that the only way to measure the year is to....


MEASURE IN LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE.