We’re in Chile!

Let’s back up with how all of this came about. Back in September, Brandon heard about the Startup Chile program– a program that will give huge grants to companies to come down to Chile for 6 months to start their businesses and employ Chileans. Since he was working  on a few startups including Prixm, he thought it could be a good way to get funding. He called me one day from work asking if I’d like to go. I told him, “of course!” because I’m always up for a travel adventure, but I didn’t know the ins and outs of it so it was easy to say yes.

After doing some research, we learned we were too late for the program this January, so we pushed the idea to the backburner of our brains, thinking that maybe sometime we’d go, but not this winter.

At the start of December, things changed. We started discussing the idea again, not through the 6 month program, but on our own. Doing it that way started much more appealing–6 weeks is better than 6 months, or at least less of a commitment and less to figure out.

We planted the seed and started seeing it grow rather quickly. Details began to fall into place. We believe that dedicating time in the temple each week and reading the Book of Mormon helped us receive these blessings to make it work out.

A few years ago, I was in the RS presidency when a young father named Paul Moore passed away in our ward. He battled a nasty case of cancer and quickly left his wife and 2 little girls. I met a lot of his family throughout the months of his treatments and then again at the funeral.

I came across a Discover Chile facebook group of US moms to gather ideas and research this crazy idea. The next day, I got a private message from Paul Moore’s sister, who said she noticed I joined the group and we had a few common friends, including Paul Moore. Her and her husband had moved to Santiago a few months ago and provided so many great resources for us…including a group of English-speaking moms who were members of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It turns out that I met Pauls sister Melecia at the funeral. Small world.

We have wonderful apartments lined up here in safe areas, thanks to my new “Chilean” friends who I haven’t met yet. And a huge ol’ bucket list of things to do and see.

So here we are. We’re probably a bit crazy, yes, but we’re so grateful for this adventure we get to have!

P.S. This was Eli’s first flight. Ironically, for being the best baby we have had, he did terrible. He wouldn’t sleep, nurse, or eat. It was a long, sleepless night flight for us, but thankfully after days later he was back to himself.