Stuck in South America

South America was a place I chose to do an exchange programme aged 17. Such poignant memories : walking along cobbled paths in Uruguay , squeezing into crowded trains in Argentina , watching pink sunrise overlooking the mountains of Chile.... I regret I did not make use of more opportunities there stuck in despair at times when things were not panning out as imagined . The intimate encounters I had with families there and friends are engrained in my mind , still vivid 20 odd years later . I loved those families and although I was not their child I shared their table and hugs and my tears . I’m indebted to some of the people there and should go back . Funny that  my best friend there married an English speaking person adopting their culture in a sense over her Latin roots . I think the political corruption and financial difficulties in Argentina made it hard to remain loyal to their culture . She I would love to meet up with again . I loved her mother and brothers . Such a vulnerable age ...I could have married into that culture ...I was ripe for opportunity. Yesterday I spoke Spanish with a Colombian woman and as is often the case she commented on my distinctive Argentinian accent and the fluency of my Spanish . I think the experiences there shaped me so that I was desperate to express muse,f through their tongue and the Spanish took root deep in my heart , interwoven in my brain . Quite extraordinary considering most brains absorb best in their infancy or at least early primary . The depth of my experience meant my heart , mind and body was intent on connecting and possibly I fired new brain connections - dendrites ...something that tends to happen more often in recovery from major car accidents and the like.
My worldview was partially shaped by my experiences there too but I think I will leave that to another blog.