Due to the escalation of Covid-19 in South America the decision has been made to extract Lachlan from Chile as soon as feasible.  He is currently registered for the return-leg of a Chilean government-organised charter flight for Chilean's from Melbourne. We all wish Lachlan safe travels for an incident free return to our side of the world! Here is his latest email report to the RYE D9920 Committee:
 
With a flight booking this last weekend, it looks like this will be my last monthly report.  I'll use this opportunity to summarise my rather unconventional exchange.
 
Please click on "Read More", for Lachlan's full report.
 
Chile is a hectic place. Chileans are energetic, accommodating and opinionated people. It is not unusual to roll down your car window to call to a person you recognise on the street, or to have a casual chat with the person behind you in line. Chatting can be a little difficult for foreigners though, since the spanish here is pretty much it's own dialect - leaving me conversationally fluent in 'Chileno' as well as Spanish. The accent and slang was its own culture shock. Chilean spanish is famously difficult to understand, but learning here was a unique challenge that I don't regret undertaking. If anything, it's worth it for the colourful swear words and phrases that I've had the pleasure of learning (and memorising for future reference).
 
The relaxed spontaneity of life here is something I am really going to miss. A successful exchange in Chile is to embrace the fact that you don't know what's coming next, to go with the flow and eagerly engage with wherever it takes you. It's taken me to some truly memorable places, even in my short time here, and it's taught me some important lessons about never taking any moment for granted. I would say this year has definitely shown that situations can change in an instant, so treating each moment like it's your last is a lesson I will always attribute to my time in Chile.
 
I was lucky to have 2 fantastic host families. My first family took me in and treated me like I was their own. I truly consider them family, and moving host families involved a lot of teary farewells. My second family is just as lovely, although my time with them has ended up being rather short. I could fill a book with the small things that made my time living here special. From conversations with my abuela, chess games with my host dad to just waking up every morning and saying 'Buenos Dias!' to everyone. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to build a life here, making friends and connections that I hope will last for years to come.
 
Rotary clubs here are a lot different than back home. Typically clubs are smaller and a lot more informal, most meetings being held over tea in a relaxed environment. I've had many great experiences visiting clubs, one notable meeting resulting in me trading ties with the district president on the dance floor. A story for another time, but a testament to what to expect in a Chilean Rotary Celebration. My club here in Cartagena was very kind and welcoming, my counsellor and YEO being unendingly supportive in helping me get settled in. Overall, I've had a very positive experience with Rotary here - I even ended up joining a Roteract group and acting as a translator between my club and a club in India. Rotary really does connect the world.
 
Chile is a hectic place, and this year has been anything if not eventful. As my exchange comes to a close, I can proudly say I have no regrets. The opportunities I took and things I've experienced have made for an unforgettable exchange. Although a full 12 months wasn't meant to be, I'm so grateful for the time I've been able to spend here. I can confidently speak in spanish, have a wider cultural understanding and I've made some incredible relationships along the way. I just want to thank you all for making this possible and having the confidence to send me on this amazing journey. I hope, once this pandemic is all said and done, I can thank you all in person :)
 
Cuidase y gracias de nuevo a todos.
Ciao ciao
Lachlan Kerr