I know I should have learned spanish first, but the heck with it

By Andrew Ford | Published: January 25, 2010

Post written by Andrew Ford. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe.

AndrewFord/BAREFOOTFORD Have you been thinking about visiting Santiago, Chile? Don't. They will rip out your heart when you get here.

“I’m no more than a friend girl, I can see that you need more. My boots are on my feet now, My bag is by the door.” Pretty Girl from Chile – The Avett Brothers

Santiago, Chile — It’s warm, sunny and there’s a patio covered with grape vines – and grapes – just outside my door. I just got done working on some English homework for an online class and other than being thirsty (and too scared to drink out of the tap, for now) I’m pretty content with where I’m at. Something like red Jello in a cold fridge.

The down-low:

I’m a full-time student at Boise State. With a combination of online classes and internship credits, I can still do everything from use the library at Boise State to ride the bus.

Why using the bus to get around could be difficult:

I’m living, working and writing in South America this semester. So unless Valley Ride expands south, way south, I’m going to have to stick with the Metro system for now. I bought a ticket from Boise to Seattle, Seattle to Atlanta and finally Atlanta to Santiago, Chile. I’ll be living here 5-6 weeks before moving on to Buenos Aires in early March.

Where I live:

For now, I’m staying at a guest house of a Chilean family who’s son married an American student, who’s now a photographer. I live with a Chilean civil engineering student and a fellow Gringa, an American from Minneapolis.

Why South America? (Are you joining a gang?):

To be the first college guy that said they were going to South America and actually do it. Just kidding! I’ve always wanted to visit Buenos Aires, Argentina, so I figured I’d do Chile, Argentina and Brasil, moving North-East as I go.

Who is BarefootFord?:
It’s me. Andrew Ford. I’m a mass. communications and journalism student at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, USA. I’m a huge Bronco football fan (Of course, I went to both Fiesta Bowls) but also ride my bike everywhere and try and recycle when I can. I’ve tried being vegan, raw, you name it, but usually I just come back to being reasonable and throwing as many bananas and blueberries in my diet as I can.

Barefoot? Hippies? No thanks.:

No hippies, no dreads. If you want to travel, you can’t bring everything. So before I left the U.S. I’ve been downsizing all of my possessions, from clothing to obligations. So living bare is just an extension of living the way I want to live: With the ability to travel whenever I want, wherever I want.

What’s next?:

While I think the challenge of traveling outside the U.S. is something that every Gringa needs to tackle, but it’s usually more of a mental challenge than a physical or monetary one. If you want to travel, you can. Right now. If I can travel off the exact same student loan I would have blown on housing, pizza and light beer, you can scrounge up the cash too. Regardless, the goal of BarefootFord.com isn’t to teach you how to travel, but to make you want to.

AndrewFord/BAREFOOTFORD Among the many things you cannot bring into Chile without declaring before hand: Bananas, Apples, Mangos...

I know I should have learned spanish first, but the heck with it

Post written by Andrew Ford. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe.

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