Helloooo there. I've been really busy since my last post, so I figured I'd update you all on my current life. It's awesome. I've been traveling! Hopefully I will be continuing this trend as much as possible!
Well, a few weeks back we took a day trip to some neighboring small towns around the Santiago area. Saturday morning, at 9 o'clock. Interesting morning to say the least. Get home the night before at 6, wake up at 8. Excellent start to the day! Anyway, we left Viña around nine that morning and headed to our first destination, a small town called Curacaví, where we visited a one of a kind chocolate factory! They make chocolates in a purely organic fashion, most shapes, and MANY flavors. We got to try a whole bunch of kinky varieties! Oregano, ahí, mustard, cheeeeese. They were all delicious, the flavors were subtle but vibrant, and each chocolate was hand made. It was a really cool little factory, and a great place to get my host mom a mother's day gift! (Sorry mom mom, the chocolates don't last THAT long)
Next, we headed to a small town called Pomeira, known for its ceramics. We spent an hour or so wandering the streets, looking at many small little shops, and spending our money on little gifts and trinkets for all you bums back home! After Pomeira, we headed to Isla Negra (which isn't actually an island) but rather a really gorgeous little area on the coast, where Pablo Neruda had one of his three house (I've seen two now, this one, as well as La Sebastiana, which is found in Valparaiso). We took a little tour around his house, checking out his massive collections of random things. That man lived in the antithesis of poverty, that's for sure. Out back was his tomb overlooking the sea. A nice little plot of land to say the least, this poet was quite well off!
Well, the next few weeks that followed were really good! Met some new friends who live out in Reñaca, one city over, and we had an asado (BBQ) at their place and then watched the Chileans last warmup before the Copa Mundial! Let's hope they pick it up, they lost to Mexico. Boo. We're tentatively planning a weekend camping trip up north with our new friends, so that should be a real blast!!
Well, this past weekend I went on a trip! It was absolutely fantastic! I went to Saltos del Laja, a small little area about an hour south of Concepción, known for its WATERFALLS. I went with my friend Jeff, and two of his Chilean friends (Pedro and Natali) and we all had a blast! We left Valparaiso at 10 on thursday night and arrived in Concepción about 6:30 the next morning. We had to wait in the bus terminal so that we could hit up the grocery store, and it was FREEZING. It's actually cold in Chile, I never would have thought. We hopped on a micro and headed to the grocery store near our train terminal, only to find out that the train had just left and that the grocery store was still closed! An interesting start to the trip to say the least. While we there, we saw firsthand some of the intense damage caused by the earthquake. An entire building had literally fallen over. Timber it went, I can't imagine having been there. Overall the damage in Concepción didn't look too bad, but granted, I only saw a small portion for a very short amount of time. I just everyone is getting back on their feet. So, long story short, we eventually caught a bus that took us straight to our cabañas, so we were in business!
Five minutes from our lodgings was the first, and biggest waterfall we saw. It was just incredible. So big, and so powerful, I've never seen anything like that before in my life. We trekked along the side, getting up the top. The views from all angles were so incredible, getting wet and muddy was totally worth it! Following the first waterfall, we walked about 3 kilometers north in our attempt to find the Salto Chico. We arrived there only to find that it was on private property! Did that stop us? Not a chance. We hiked our way towards the sounds of rushing water, crossing little rivers as we went until we reached the top of the waterfall. This waterfall wasn't as big/wide across as the first, but it had multiple levels, a dynamic that the first didn't have. This one also was completely natural, and not geared towards tourists at all. It was just the falls. Incredible. We basically crossed the pinnacle of the falls, and sat down right in the middle! Some great photos were had from that vantage point, let me tell you.
The next day started out a little slow. We had to find a bus on a sunday that would take us to Concepción reeeeally early in the morning. So that was bureaucratic and a pain, but we got in taken care of. Jeff and I decided to go explore, so we just headed out in the middle of the afternoon. We soon heard the sound of rushing water, and decided to get dirty! We hiked along el Rio Laja, starting up high near the road, heading down for the following kilometers as we made our way closer to the river. It was a great hike. IN THE RAIN. But we survived.
Overall, the trip was short, filled with dilemmas, but AMAZING. Truly an adventure. I only hope to have many more in the next two months before I head home!!
Check out the pictures on my facebook. Keep in mind that no photograph can do this place justice. Amazing.
Gracias, que todos esten bien! Ciao, nos vemos!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
How do you study?
So, I've been here a little more than month, and am still, without a doubt, having a very good time. I've definitely settled into more of a routine, which is nice. A little more stability is never a bad thing. Classes are beginning to cause me some strife. I mean, who really wants to read about philosophy and how it relates to social work in SPANISH. Personally, I don't like philosophy in English, let alone in Spanish. So, as you can guess, I have a test coming up in Social Work, and a test coming up in Geoecologia. These are both my classes with chilean students, so the tests might prove to be a little difficult, and perhaps somewhat daunting. So I guess I'll have to study? That word sounds pretty foreign to me (haha get it, foreign? I'm in Chile. Wow, the cleverness that is oozing from my fingers when I should be sleeping...)
But anyway, so once I get through these next two weeks, I'm going to try and take a trip. I've been looking into San Pedro de Atacama, which is supposedly incredible! It's northern Chile, I believe I will have to fly to get there. I've also been looking into taking a trip into Argentina, probably Mendoza. Who knows, maybe a flight to Buenos Aires? It's all pretty much up in the air currently, I just know that after taking these tests, I will definitely be interested in taking a break!
Sidenote: I shared some beers with some friends on the beach in the middle of the night. Cross that off the bucket list!
Ciao!
Until next time.
Saludos,
Michael
But anyway, so once I get through these next two weeks, I'm going to try and take a trip. I've been looking into San Pedro de Atacama, which is supposedly incredible! It's northern Chile, I believe I will have to fly to get there. I've also been looking into taking a trip into Argentina, probably Mendoza. Who knows, maybe a flight to Buenos Aires? It's all pretty much up in the air currently, I just know that after taking these tests, I will definitely be interested in taking a break!
Sidenote: I shared some beers with some friends on the beach in the middle of the night. Cross that off the bucket list!
Ciao!
Until next time.
Saludos,
Michael
Thursday, April 15, 2010
My real semester has finally begun!!
Hello all! I'm writing to you on a cloudy afternoon. What's up with that? Well anyway, things here are going very well! I just got back this past weekend from La Serena, a coastal city about 6 hours north of Viña. It was a lovely weekend, a more relaxing weekend compared to my volcano hiking self the week prior. We (it was the entire study abroad group) left Thursday morning, arriving in La Serena/Coquimbo (they are like twin cities, like Viña/Valpo, only on a smaller scale) around 6. We went straight to the grocery store, and my roommates and I decide to have a chilean asado, which is like a traditional chilean grill out type action. We bought some meat, some veggies, some beer, and headed back to our nice apartment complex. We grilled the night away, and had a really great time. The food and drink was delicious, definitely a nice start to the trip. The following day we had some free time to explore La Serena, so we hopped on the micro and went on an adventure, eventually hitting up an archeological museum and a really cool Japanese Garden. The day was a little cloudy, but I still had a really nice time.
Later that night we went to an observatory in Vicuña, a nice, small city further up into the mountains. Let me tell you, the stars were incredible! It was so dark, the stars were right there in your face. Twas a really great time, the stars shining and twinkling bright. I could have very easily spent the night under the stars.
The next day we had lunch at a solar restaurant! I thought initially it would be a restaurant run via solar electricity, but the food was actually cooked by the sun, in ovens and stoves right out under the sun. I've never had a more tender piece of meat! The food was delicious. From there we went to the Capel Pisco Factory, and had a little mini tour. It was cool to see the process and to understand how the pisco was made. The smell of alcohol was very apparent throughout the factory; I can't imagine working there with a hangover, most unpleasant. I have to say, since being in Chile, pisco has been my beverage of choice. I will be sure to bring back a bottle or two. :) From there we did a quick stop at the Gabriela Mistral museum and then headed back to our apartment for a little food/celebration in our last night in La Serena.
This past week has been kind of hectic with school and whatnot. I finally have my official Chilean identification, so I don't have to carry around a copy of my passport has an ID, so that's definitely a plus. The semester is really getting going, I don't think we have a schedule break until the end of May. So it would seem that traveling might be out of the question for a while, but you guys must remember, I don't have any class on Fridays, so anything can happen. In the next week or so I have two papers to write, a quiz to study for, and an entire book to read. So that will be a lot of fun. NOT. But I'm sure I will get it done without much ado, but still, I would much rather be climbing a volcano, let me tell you.
Well I think that's all for now. Hope everything at home is going great.
Ciao Ciao Bye Bye
Later that night we went to an observatory in Vicuña, a nice, small city further up into the mountains. Let me tell you, the stars were incredible! It was so dark, the stars were right there in your face. Twas a really great time, the stars shining and twinkling bright. I could have very easily spent the night under the stars.
The next day we had lunch at a solar restaurant! I thought initially it would be a restaurant run via solar electricity, but the food was actually cooked by the sun, in ovens and stoves right out under the sun. I've never had a more tender piece of meat! The food was delicious. From there we went to the Capel Pisco Factory, and had a little mini tour. It was cool to see the process and to understand how the pisco was made. The smell of alcohol was very apparent throughout the factory; I can't imagine working there with a hangover, most unpleasant. I have to say, since being in Chile, pisco has been my beverage of choice. I will be sure to bring back a bottle or two. :) From there we did a quick stop at the Gabriela Mistral museum and then headed back to our apartment for a little food/celebration in our last night in La Serena.
This past week has been kind of hectic with school and whatnot. I finally have my official Chilean identification, so I don't have to carry around a copy of my passport has an ID, so that's definitely a plus. The semester is really getting going, I don't think we have a schedule break until the end of May. So it would seem that traveling might be out of the question for a while, but you guys must remember, I don't have any class on Fridays, so anything can happen. In the next week or so I have two papers to write, a quiz to study for, and an entire book to read. So that will be a lot of fun. NOT. But I'm sure I will get it done without much ado, but still, I would much rather be climbing a volcano, let me tell you.
Well I think that's all for now. Hope everything at home is going great.
Ciao Ciao Bye Bye
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
You went to Pucón and did what?!
Hello all! Today marked the end of perhaps my best weekend thus far in Chile. Let me just say, that without a doubt, I've never had such a feeling of accomplishment or just pure joy after I finished climbing a volcano this weekend. Yes, you heard that right, Michael, the guy who is obsessed with movies and sports, who has never really gone camping in his entire life, made it to the top of el Volcán Villarica, which measures neartly 3,000 meters in altitude. I will get to that, let me fill you in on the events leading up to said wonderful excursion.
Wednesday night I got on the bus with a new friend of mine, Leanne, and we started our 12 hour overnight journey. Let me tell you, traveling overnight is the way to go. We drank and laughed and annoyed a bunch of Chileans before shutting it down, and before we knew it, we had arrived! Upon arrival, we sought out our hostel, checked in, unpacked our bags, and went in search of an adventure! Our hosts at El Refugio, our hostal, were incredible! They answered all of our questions, set up excursions for us, gave us advice on food/drink, etc. They were really great hosts, we are surely indebted to them. So that first day the owner of the hostal showed us this little hand-drawn that showed us how to reach a very secluded waterfall. When I say secluded, we were the only people out on the trail. Just us and nature; let me tell you that's a really great feeling. It was drizzling went we started our trek, so that made the hiking a little more difficult, a little more muddy. Before long you don't even notice how dirty, just how eager you are to reach your goal! It was about a four hike in total, worth every minute. As we got closer and closer you could hear the rush of the water, the power of the waterfall was so near! Then, as you're climbing down, all of a sudden you can see it! What a rush, what a great feeling! We climbed all the way to the base of the waterfall and you couldn't even hear the person next to you. The sound, the power, it was just an immense feeling, one that I will never forget.
So later that night after a little shower and a little nap, we decided to hit the store. We grabbed a little pisco, a little vino, and headed out on the town. We found this really nice place, I had a little salmon with some rice, we split a bottle of some great chilean wine between the four us. This was just another sign of the great times to come. We got back to our hostel, shared some drinks with some new European friends, and hit the hay very satisfied and very content.
The next morning we waited for the fifth member of our group to arrive (Anna. So in total there was five of us. Myself, Anna, Leanne, Omkar, and Ben). We weighed our options and decided to try out some ziplining. Let me tell you right off the bat, I'm a little scared of heights. The height itself doesn't really get me, it's the thought of someone falling. Not necessarily me, but one of my friends. That just wouldn't be a good feeling. So, I said screw it, let's do it, I have nothing to lose. I'm in Chile (which has become a fantastic motto, If I might say so). So we did it, and I survived. We climbed across the wire bridge high up in the canopy of the forest, and ziplined across el río Trancura. It was a great feeling.
After the canopy, we decided to explore Pucón a little bit, and we hit up a black sand beach on a lake! The lake was just beautiful! It's completely surrounded by hills/mountains and in the background lies the incredible Villarica! We rented a little paddle boat and tried our darndest (mostly through Ben efforts, gotta give him the credit) to get out onto the lake. It was a great feeling. Later that night we had some drinks, met some new friends, and just had a great time.
The following day, which started a little later than usual because of our equally as late night, was a little more relaxing. Explored some more of Pucón, hung out at the beach, had the best frozen yogurt in the world. A good day. We were preparing for the next day's hike. Villarica! We were just getting ready.
So, Villarica. Our first day in Pucón was a little cloudy, so we couldn't see the volcano right away, but when we did: INCREDIBLE. It's a snow-topped volcano, nearly 3,000 meters in height. We had to be at the Sierra Nevada at 6:30 in the morning, which in itself was a challenge for us gringos. That night the clocks in Chile were scheduled to jump back. So we planned accordingly, set our alarms on our phones and whatnot, and went to bed. The next morning we're all ready to go, but sadly we realize that our phones did not adjust to the time change on their own, so I went back to bed. haha A wonderful start to a wonderful day!
We got to the office, and they provided us with all the necessary gear: boots, pants, jacket, helmet, gloves, krampons, and PICKAX. I used a fricken pick ax. If I didn't have it, I would still be in pain! So we set off, drove about 15 minutes to the base of the volcano. The climb started out rocky, pretty straight up hill, kind of steep. Then the real hiking started once we reached the ice/snow. We were forced to zig-zag up the mountain, fighting the wind as best we could. I used the pick ax as a really nice crutch, basically a third leg. It really helped to keep my balance, because as we climbed higher, the wind got stronger. It was really tough going, a slow process. I think as a whole was about 4-5 hours and 2 back down. Worth every achy joint and every doubt, because one you get to the top there is just an incredibly euphoric feeling. Standing on your two feet, looking out across the distance, seeing lakes, mountains, volcanoes, rivers. It was just indescribable. Any word I put on this page will never do it justice. Neither do the pictures. So trust me, if ever an opportunity like this presents itself, take it. No matter the cost, the pain, the exasperation. The feeling is completely worth it.
Needless to say, later that night we had a little celebration! We grabbed a couple boxes of wine and headed out to some hot springs! They are called termas here in Chile, and the ones we went to were called Los Pozones. They were in a very secluded little area, really nice, built around rocks, and very warm! Saved my muscles for sure. We all pretty much crashed after that, and it was a wonderful sleep.
The following we day we packed up our gear and prepared to leave. We hung around the hostal, explored a little of Pucón, and had a few beers with our new friends before heading out. Bus ride back was pretty pain free, and here I am back in Viña del Mar, ready for my next adventure (which coincidentally will be this coming weekend, we as a group are going to La Serena, which is six hours north of here. It should be a great time).
Well that's all from me here in Chile, I've posted some pictures on Facebook, but those don't really this scenery any justice. I have them all saved on my computer, and I know my mom is itching to do a scrapbook, so I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to see the wonders of Pucón and all of Chile.
Ciao! Adios! Que te vaya bien!
Wednesday night I got on the bus with a new friend of mine, Leanne, and we started our 12 hour overnight journey. Let me tell you, traveling overnight is the way to go. We drank and laughed and annoyed a bunch of Chileans before shutting it down, and before we knew it, we had arrived! Upon arrival, we sought out our hostel, checked in, unpacked our bags, and went in search of an adventure! Our hosts at El Refugio, our hostal, were incredible! They answered all of our questions, set up excursions for us, gave us advice on food/drink, etc. They were really great hosts, we are surely indebted to them. So that first day the owner of the hostal showed us this little hand-drawn that showed us how to reach a very secluded waterfall. When I say secluded, we were the only people out on the trail. Just us and nature; let me tell you that's a really great feeling. It was drizzling went we started our trek, so that made the hiking a little more difficult, a little more muddy. Before long you don't even notice how dirty, just how eager you are to reach your goal! It was about a four hike in total, worth every minute. As we got closer and closer you could hear the rush of the water, the power of the waterfall was so near! Then, as you're climbing down, all of a sudden you can see it! What a rush, what a great feeling! We climbed all the way to the base of the waterfall and you couldn't even hear the person next to you. The sound, the power, it was just an immense feeling, one that I will never forget.
So later that night after a little shower and a little nap, we decided to hit the store. We grabbed a little pisco, a little vino, and headed out on the town. We found this really nice place, I had a little salmon with some rice, we split a bottle of some great chilean wine between the four us. This was just another sign of the great times to come. We got back to our hostel, shared some drinks with some new European friends, and hit the hay very satisfied and very content.
The next morning we waited for the fifth member of our group to arrive (Anna. So in total there was five of us. Myself, Anna, Leanne, Omkar, and Ben). We weighed our options and decided to try out some ziplining. Let me tell you right off the bat, I'm a little scared of heights. The height itself doesn't really get me, it's the thought of someone falling. Not necessarily me, but one of my friends. That just wouldn't be a good feeling. So, I said screw it, let's do it, I have nothing to lose. I'm in Chile (which has become a fantastic motto, If I might say so). So we did it, and I survived. We climbed across the wire bridge high up in the canopy of the forest, and ziplined across el río Trancura. It was a great feeling.
After the canopy, we decided to explore Pucón a little bit, and we hit up a black sand beach on a lake! The lake was just beautiful! It's completely surrounded by hills/mountains and in the background lies the incredible Villarica! We rented a little paddle boat and tried our darndest (mostly through Ben efforts, gotta give him the credit) to get out onto the lake. It was a great feeling. Later that night we had some drinks, met some new friends, and just had a great time.
The following day, which started a little later than usual because of our equally as late night, was a little more relaxing. Explored some more of Pucón, hung out at the beach, had the best frozen yogurt in the world. A good day. We were preparing for the next day's hike. Villarica! We were just getting ready.
So, Villarica. Our first day in Pucón was a little cloudy, so we couldn't see the volcano right away, but when we did: INCREDIBLE. It's a snow-topped volcano, nearly 3,000 meters in height. We had to be at the Sierra Nevada at 6:30 in the morning, which in itself was a challenge for us gringos. That night the clocks in Chile were scheduled to jump back. So we planned accordingly, set our alarms on our phones and whatnot, and went to bed. The next morning we're all ready to go, but sadly we realize that our phones did not adjust to the time change on their own, so I went back to bed. haha A wonderful start to a wonderful day!
We got to the office, and they provided us with all the necessary gear: boots, pants, jacket, helmet, gloves, krampons, and PICKAX. I used a fricken pick ax. If I didn't have it, I would still be in pain! So we set off, drove about 15 minutes to the base of the volcano. The climb started out rocky, pretty straight up hill, kind of steep. Then the real hiking started once we reached the ice/snow. We were forced to zig-zag up the mountain, fighting the wind as best we could. I used the pick ax as a really nice crutch, basically a third leg. It really helped to keep my balance, because as we climbed higher, the wind got stronger. It was really tough going, a slow process. I think as a whole was about 4-5 hours and 2 back down. Worth every achy joint and every doubt, because one you get to the top there is just an incredibly euphoric feeling. Standing on your two feet, looking out across the distance, seeing lakes, mountains, volcanoes, rivers. It was just indescribable. Any word I put on this page will never do it justice. Neither do the pictures. So trust me, if ever an opportunity like this presents itself, take it. No matter the cost, the pain, the exasperation. The feeling is completely worth it.
Needless to say, later that night we had a little celebration! We grabbed a couple boxes of wine and headed out to some hot springs! They are called termas here in Chile, and the ones we went to were called Los Pozones. They were in a very secluded little area, really nice, built around rocks, and very warm! Saved my muscles for sure. We all pretty much crashed after that, and it was a wonderful sleep.
The following we day we packed up our gear and prepared to leave. We hung around the hostal, explored a little of Pucón, and had a few beers with our new friends before heading out. Bus ride back was pretty pain free, and here I am back in Viña del Mar, ready for my next adventure (which coincidentally will be this coming weekend, we as a group are going to La Serena, which is six hours north of here. It should be a great time).
Well that's all from me here in Chile, I've posted some pictures on Facebook, but those don't really this scenery any justice. I have them all saved on my computer, and I know my mom is itching to do a scrapbook, so I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to see the wonders of Pucón and all of Chile.
Ciao! Adios! Que te vaya bien!
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Chile PROCRASTINATION Effect
Hello everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been settling into a routine, getting things organized and whatnot. Overall things have been amazing! I still cannot ask for anything more!
Firstly, let me tell you how hard it is to focus and actually DO HOMEWORK here in Chile. Yesterday, Sunday, the devil of all homework days. I set out to write a 3 page paper for my Chilean Lit class, finish my 15 minute presentation for grammar, and the 25 discussion that would follow. It took me like three hours just to finish my essay. That's FOREVER. I'm used to spitting out words and making an essay, but in Chile, with the sun shining and the beach looming, things just don't to get done. I wonder why that is? For instance today, I got home after class around 4, sat down on my bed for less than five minutes, and then I was out. Comatose. I slept for two hours. It was an accident. Chile has it out for me. In the best way of course. :)
So what have I been up to in the southern hemisphere you ask? Pure mischief. My friend Nick told me specifically before I left, don't do anything he wouldn't, so, let me tell you, I have a pretty free reign! I've been going out at night, having some drinks, singing some karaoke, doing some dancing, embarrassing myself in front of Chileans, and most importantly, making Chilean friends and improving my Spanish. If there's one thing I'm going to take out of this trip more than anything else, it will be my concerted effort to improve my Spanish. For instance, today I went to the bus station in an attempt to buy a bus ticket for my upcoming trip to Pucon (which you will here about in great detail upon my return), and lo and behold, I had little to no trouble. It just proves to myself that I could realistically live in a spanish speaking country. A little bit of an ego boost I guess, haha.
Classes have been going really well! Most classes are done in a lecture format, which I don't really mind at all. The students here are a lot more independent, there isn't much dependence on the professor. As an extranjero, this is both a good and bad thing. It's great in the fact that it forces to ask my classmates for help, but tough in the sense that there isn't much guidance or structure from the professor. An example: I had to get the syllabus from the department secretary, make my own copy, and I have to return it for the next class. Also, another HUGE difference. They don't really have textbooks. As a student you check out the required reading from the library, and make a photocopy; of the ENTIRE book. I don't think there are any copyright laws here. But I don't mind at all, I'd much rather pay 1.500 pesos for a book, rather than an arm and a leg in the states! That is for sure.
As far as classes go, I won't be too stressed throughout the semester, so that is more than ideal!
My sister, who is pretty much like my second mother, runs her own wedding planning business, and she just planned a HUGE wedding. I heard that there was more than a 1,000 people there. Why does this pertain to me you ask? She got to keep ALL the leftovers. Food, drinks, liquor, the works. So, needless to say, for the last few days I've been feasting like a king. Salmon rolls. RATATOUILLE. So good, I never would have thought I would have that of all things in Chile. :)
In the next two weeks I will be going on two different trips, one to Pucon and the other to La Serena. I will fill you in upon my return, but internet might be sparse the next few weeks or so. That gives you the opportunity to write me a letter! Let me be your pen pal!
Well hope all is well!
Ciao!
Firstly, let me tell you how hard it is to focus and actually DO HOMEWORK here in Chile. Yesterday, Sunday, the devil of all homework days. I set out to write a 3 page paper for my Chilean Lit class, finish my 15 minute presentation for grammar, and the 25 discussion that would follow. It took me like three hours just to finish my essay. That's FOREVER. I'm used to spitting out words and making an essay, but in Chile, with the sun shining and the beach looming, things just don't to get done. I wonder why that is? For instance today, I got home after class around 4, sat down on my bed for less than five minutes, and then I was out. Comatose. I slept for two hours. It was an accident. Chile has it out for me. In the best way of course. :)
So what have I been up to in the southern hemisphere you ask? Pure mischief. My friend Nick told me specifically before I left, don't do anything he wouldn't, so, let me tell you, I have a pretty free reign! I've been going out at night, having some drinks, singing some karaoke, doing some dancing, embarrassing myself in front of Chileans, and most importantly, making Chilean friends and improving my Spanish. If there's one thing I'm going to take out of this trip more than anything else, it will be my concerted effort to improve my Spanish. For instance, today I went to the bus station in an attempt to buy a bus ticket for my upcoming trip to Pucon (which you will here about in great detail upon my return), and lo and behold, I had little to no trouble. It just proves to myself that I could realistically live in a spanish speaking country. A little bit of an ego boost I guess, haha.
Classes have been going really well! Most classes are done in a lecture format, which I don't really mind at all. The students here are a lot more independent, there isn't much dependence on the professor. As an extranjero, this is both a good and bad thing. It's great in the fact that it forces to ask my classmates for help, but tough in the sense that there isn't much guidance or structure from the professor. An example: I had to get the syllabus from the department secretary, make my own copy, and I have to return it for the next class. Also, another HUGE difference. They don't really have textbooks. As a student you check out the required reading from the library, and make a photocopy; of the ENTIRE book. I don't think there are any copyright laws here. But I don't mind at all, I'd much rather pay 1.500 pesos for a book, rather than an arm and a leg in the states! That is for sure.
As far as classes go, I won't be too stressed throughout the semester, so that is more than ideal!
My sister, who is pretty much like my second mother, runs her own wedding planning business, and she just planned a HUGE wedding. I heard that there was more than a 1,000 people there. Why does this pertain to me you ask? She got to keep ALL the leftovers. Food, drinks, liquor, the works. So, needless to say, for the last few days I've been feasting like a king. Salmon rolls. RATATOUILLE. So good, I never would have thought I would have that of all things in Chile. :)
In the next two weeks I will be going on two different trips, one to Pucon and the other to La Serena. I will fill you in upon my return, but internet might be sparse the next few weeks or so. That gives you the opportunity to write me a letter! Let me be your pen pal!
Well hope all is well!
Ciao!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Clases y Carreteando
Classes have started! Yesterday was my first day, today I had only one. I'm done for the week. I've managed to not schedule any classes on Fridays. How convenient is that? :) With that said, let me tell you that the night life in Chile is VERY fun. I'm not a dancing type, but you just can't really help yourself. Let me explain.
Two nights ago, Tuesday, a small group of us led by una chica chilena, (her name is Cami, she's a host sister of another girl, Leanne) took us to a bar. I was expecting a crowded bar, you know some music, maybe a couple beers. Nothing extreme. We get to this place, which for the life of me I can't remember what it's called, and I could not have been any more mistaken. They're were colors, and music, and an MC. Hmmmmm. I'm thinking to myself. It seems we have entered into a KARAOKE bar. What the hell, let's have fun. I had a blast. The six of us sang along, and we even got into the action a little. My friend Jeff and I sang Mariposa Traicionera, and then like the gringos we are, we sang the Celine Dion song from Titanic. It was a really good time!
Yesterday, in addition to it being St. Patty's Day (which, for obvious reasons isn't really celebrated in Chile) it was Catherine's 21st birthday, a girl in my IFSA group. We all went out to Cafe Journal, a bar known to house a lot of gringos. It was such a blast. You we got there around 10:30, had a couple rounds, and then, all of a sudden, dancing. I'll let you use your own imagination on that one.. We all had a blast to say the least! Needless to say, tonight might be an early night.
If you were curious, carretear means to go out/party. One of the many chilenismos I have come across thus far. I'll try and make a list sometime for you all to say how different the spanish is here. It's really quite incredible!
Well that's all for now.
Ciao!
Two nights ago, Tuesday, a small group of us led by una chica chilena, (her name is Cami, she's a host sister of another girl, Leanne) took us to a bar. I was expecting a crowded bar, you know some music, maybe a couple beers. Nothing extreme. We get to this place, which for the life of me I can't remember what it's called, and I could not have been any more mistaken. They're were colors, and music, and an MC. Hmmmmm. I'm thinking to myself. It seems we have entered into a KARAOKE bar. What the hell, let's have fun. I had a blast. The six of us sang along, and we even got into the action a little. My friend Jeff and I sang Mariposa Traicionera, and then like the gringos we are, we sang the Celine Dion song from Titanic. It was a really good time!
Yesterday, in addition to it being St. Patty's Day (which, for obvious reasons isn't really celebrated in Chile) it was Catherine's 21st birthday, a girl in my IFSA group. We all went out to Cafe Journal, a bar known to house a lot of gringos. It was such a blast. You we got there around 10:30, had a couple rounds, and then, all of a sudden, dancing. I'll let you use your own imagination on that one.. We all had a blast to say the least! Needless to say, tonight might be an early night.
If you were curious, carretear means to go out/party. One of the many chilenismos I have come across thus far. I'll try and make a list sometime for you all to say how different the spanish is here. It's really quite incredible!
Well that's all for now.
Ciao!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Validation
I've discovered that Viña offers many tiny little truffles of fun, even when you're not looking for it. I met up with a friend this morning at a busy intersection, and lo and behold, to my right was this HUGE palace. It was amazing, I will be sure to visit once again. I spent like 15 minutes talking to my host mom after dinner, and it was the highlight of my day. That is saying something because I walked along the beach. :) It's these little intricacies that totally validate my reasoning for coming. Any apprehension or doubt regarding this trip is gone. The city alone offers an escape from reality. In addition I can spend time with my family and just smile. Needless to say, I'm currently on a high. :)
Ciao for now! I'm headed out tonight for a cerveza! And then classes start tomorrow. I'll be sure to keep YOU posted on how those go!
Ciao for now! I'm headed out tonight for a cerveza! And then classes start tomorrow. I'll be sure to keep YOU posted on how those go!
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