Submitted by Michael Irwin on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Chile sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
This past weekend, we took a visit to the south of Chile to a town called Puerto Varas. It could quite possibly be the prettiest town I have ever been in. The town has a heavy German influence in its architecture and there is a large lake with two volcanoes in the background. We stayed in cabanas near the lake for four nights and it was enjoyable getting to know my classmates better. What was great about this weekend was that I felt like I was able to leave everything behind and think only in the present; something that can be very difficult to do sometimes. The incredible views made it easy to de-stress and relax.
On Sunday, we went into a local market where cheap and fresh food was sold. I decided to challenge myself by picking out ingredients to try to make a meal for my classmates. The market was right on the water, so I chose to buy salmon along with other spices and vegetables. It was definitely a challenge cooking in the cabanas because I did not have the resources I would normally have had back at home, but I was able to make it work. My classmates were all satisfied with the outcome!