Why?

For my first post, I figured it would be appropriate to describe why I am doing this - why I am writing a BLOG about my life, my adventures, my travels as if it were worth spending time to read. Well, first, I admit that this is somewhat of a self-serving venture. After my first week abroad in Chile, I find that keeping contact with everyone I know and love has become somewhat difficult. I have been having some of the same conversations (mostly by email) over and over again, and have even found myself shamefully copying some parts of conversations and pasting them in the next. Sorry if you have been a victim of this laziness. Perhaps you have had thoughts like, "Why is he telling me that Chilean girls all have great asses?" I know you didn't need to know that, Mom, and I apologize.

Second, I hope that the things I write here will be more substantial than my communications on my other newly, regrettably chosen social media site. I will try to avert from one-line kickers that have come to mind about my new lifestyle, which will make little sense to those who have not experienced the target of the reference. This will be a place for explanation, for stories. This will be a place where those people who care about me enough to extend their 8 second attention spans a few minutes can read about what is happening with my life. But please don't think that I mean this blog will be painstaking to read. By all means it won't be. The amount of amazing things I have done since being here in Chile fills a year of my life in the states. I will have tons of stories to tell, and I won't exaggerate. 

Third, hopefully I can use this site to divert my family members away from overusing my facebook for keeping up on my life. Honestly, Mom, you don't have to "like" everything I post. Honestly, I think it might be scaring my friends away. Also, I promise to soon teach you the difference between writing on my wall where the world can see, and sending a private message. That way, next time you ask if I ran out of baby powder for my jock itch, all potential future wives will not go running for the hills (of which there are many here in Chile to choose from).

Last, I'm in a foreign country. While I speak decent spanish (which is improving all the time), it is honestly nice to step outside this experience and look at it. Hopefully, this will be a good opportunity to do that. I'll try not to be overly critical of the bad parts, and not overly enthralled with the good ones. All in all, I think this will be a good account of what it is like to be a foreigner in this country, trying to adapt, fit in, meet friends, and maybe meet a nice girl to date. 

So that is it. Those are my reasons. I'm sure there are many more in my head, or perhaps some reasons that tie together in more complex ways. But, for the most part, that is it. I honestly detest people who think their lives are so worth reading or even writing about, but I guess that I'm hoping mine will be. So this is my first blog. More to come.

P.S. I forgot to mention the name. Chile + Travel = Chravel. I'm not really all that clever...