Spontaneous trip to Santiago, Chile
What do the people in Santiago and Helsinki have in common?
At 11:56am this past Wednesday (4 days ago), I bought a flight to Santiago, Chile for Friday evening. A solo flight to a country where I did not know a single soul. I decided that morning that I wanted to explore a new country for a week and, hours later, booked the flight. I figured I had 24 hours to decide whether or not I wanted to go through with the idea. Little did I know that the 24-hour cancellation policy that airlines have only applies if you’re more than 7 days out from your flight!
Admittedly, I was a bit anxious about the idea of going solo to a country where I knew absolutely no one. With Slush in Helsinki, I knew some of our clients, but there was also a conference. A shared experience and intention that brought many people together. But Santiago? A new type of adventure. I consider myself a decisive person, but I still wasn’t 100% set on the trip. After some conversations with colleagues Saurabh, Yash, and my family members, I decided to go for it!
I thought that at least it would take the first taxi ride from the airport to meet someone, but I ended up exchanging contact information with a local I sat next to, who I spoke to for 3 hours (!) on the plane, plus the flight attendant who then introduced me to her dad, who drove me from the airport!
There’s a certain energy that shows up when you tell people you spontaneously booked a flight, don’t know anyone, and genuinely want to learn about the culture and history.
As I write this note, I just arrived back from a wonderful experience led by Chef Cristian, whereby we went to the local markets, bought the ingredients, and went back to his beautiful home and cooked the most delicious local meal together while overlooking the Andes. I’m feeling an enormous amount of gratitude for this experience. Looking out to the green mountains, I was reminded of the hills of the mountains near my grandparents’ home in Tehran. Nostalgia and a sense of peace.
Now a quick initial note on the people of Santiago and how they remind me of the people I met in Helsinki. Two completely different climates, countries, and cultures? Maybe. Here is but one observation, 30 hours in:
There is a sense of humility in the people in both Helsinki and Santiago. Helsinki’s cold weather, combined with only a few hours of sunlight, is something that the entire city shares. No matter your socioeconomic status, the reality of nature bounds its people. Same with Santiago. A country that often faces the unpredictability of earthquakes. You cannot escape either of nature’s forces. Both humbling, both reminding us that we’re not entirely in control. A sense of groundedness is what I’m sensing. Could I, as well, be in a more grounded state than I previously have been? Could very much be the case.
Overall, I’m learning much about myself and this beautiful country. Cheers to more adventures. Solo, with friends, loved ones, and people like Chef Cristian who come into our lives maybe for but one evening, but where the experience impacts your life in ways that are also unpredictable.
You can’t connect the dots looking forward. Only looking backwards. Who knows what dots will be connecting coming out of this trip.
Wow Daniel! So cool you did that and to bad I didn't read this article earlier! I could have invited you to a few places here in downtown Santiago.