Ohhhh...The Joy!!

I suppose that a few people in my adult life know something about my AFS Experience in Chile in 1970, but it hasn't generally been something I've spoken about until this Journey began to allow me to consider returning to Chile this fall. Usually I state that I'm proud to be a Returnee, and leave it at that...though for many years we volunteered with AFS and even hosted kids in our home(s) in California when our kids were small.

The Summer of 1970 was long ago, and not just in time. Four students had been murdered at Kent State. The entire Ivy League shut itself down in protest, and collegians across the world were in revolt. The University at the Sorbonne (Paris) was closed.

In Chile, Salvadore Allende, an avowed Communist, was running for president against America's favorite, a conservative named Allesandri. We were told not to be seen in political demonstrations of any sort, lest the newspapers believe we'd chosen sides...but on our first day in Santiago a photo-op was arranged at the Capital (La Moneda) to meet President Frei. My picture shaking his hand was splashed across the country. (Actually, aside from the political stuff, it was pretty cool. I was on the second page and Pele was all over the paper, given that Brazil had just achieved World Cup victory in Mexico City the day we arrived in Santiago.)

Anyway, without running a diary of the 12 weeks I was there, it was a pure delight for this young man from Lompoc. I met friends, tried to learn some Spanish, was hosted by an amazing family--two sisters and two brothers that were all about the same age, and two of the most wonderful parents I could have asked for. Return was difficult, and communication eventually ended following the Allende election, future coup d'etat, my own immaturity and language barriers. Though I've thought of my family often with love and concern, I never knew what happened after I departed and I've felt guilty about it since. Time nor finances allowed me to return.

In preparation for this trip, then, I started trying to find ways to locate them. Turns out that the phone book white pages for the entire country are online and searchable. No magical Facebook connections are required, we don't need six degrees of separation. Two weeks ago I wrote to the two siblings I could find in the phonebook and Ana, the woman I sorta dated in Los Andes and appears that she still lives there following her marriage. (Thinking of the headline, you know where this is going....)

Last night, one of my host brothers sent email back. The elation I feel is hard to describe. The kids have gone on to get married, have their own kids, move away from the town I visited, Los Andes. Papa died 15 years ago and Mama is suffering with Alzheimer's, but lives with one of my host sisters. We're going to GET TO SEE THEM when we go to Chile. There will be plenty to update with each other between now and then, and the magic of the internet will make it happen. But for now, I'm jumping for joy to know that we've reconnected and will expand our relationship again.

Maybe 1970 wasn't so very long ago, after all. I can sure remember grinning like the village idiot as I was being introduced in class, and not having a clue what anyone was saying....seems like just yesterday.