In which I discuss my first week surviving in Chile, my week of orientation, and what I still have to look forward too in the coming months.
Well, one week down and not one spider! For those of you that are wondering, I hate, and I mean HATE, spiders. I have not seen one spider since arriving here! I may have just jinxed myself by stating that, but I wanted to celebrate a little bit. As for the rest of my first week a lot has happened.
First, I want to congratulate myself for venturing off on my own and only getting lost every other time. Everyday, except the first day I was here, I have ventured off on my own to learn my way around the city and to pass the time. I have only been lost a handful of times but seeing as I am writing this blog, I have found my way back to my house every time! Everyday my spanish is getting better and every night my brain is full of new information. I am exhausted after a full day of translating every single word spoken that day. But my comprehension has improved immensely and my speaking skills have become more rapid and with more fluency. I still struggle a lot, and by struggle I mean that half the time I'm talking to someone they are looking at me like I am a down syndrome three year old. But as for the host family they are amazing. My host mother, Hilda, is truly a generous person. Everyday she makes all my meals (lunch is the main meal, the others usually consist of bread and tea or instant coffee), she makes my bed, and does my laundry. I would like to clarify something here, I make my own bed every morning, but every day I return to my room, and I don't know when she is doing it, but my bed is re-made. My host sister, Silvana, has left and returned to her home in Chiloe, but has told me to come and visit her soon. Felipe, my host brother, leaves tomorrow night for his home in Chiloe. I will miss them both, but will see them when I make my way down south. Jaime, my host father, is a busy person but extremely nice. He works at a hospital an hour and a half away. He leaves before anyone wakes up in the morning and doesn't return until about 7:30 at night. I see him for about a half hour everyday and then he goes to bed. And, lastly, Alejandra, my other host sister and the twin of Silvana, lives in Santiago with her pololo (boyfriend in Chilenismo) for three or four days a week, and lives here the remainder of the time. We also have another college student that 'lives' with us but I honestly have only seen him twice, Damion.
The reason I have only seen him twice brings us to our next topic, the University. I don't know if it is my fault for not researching more thoroughly, or if I should blame ISEP for not sending me an e-mail until yesterday (a week after I've already been here), or if it is something the school should have brought to my attention before I arrived, but the school I am supposed to be attending is closed. Not for good, but the students are 'rioting', for lack of a better word. All of the students and most of the faculty are on strike from the school and have shut it down for a better educational system. The school system currently is too expensive for them, and has too few benefits to make up for the cost. All of this is coming from my translations of what people are telling me, so if you don't agree with it, that is completely fine with me. Regardless, all of the classes that I would have been able to take with the other Chilean students are not starting on time, and nobody knows when they are going to resume. I have been informed that this is not a violent protest, but could turn violent at any time. The students, including Damion, have been having marches and demonstrations and have surrounded the school's main building, and most of the other buildings for that matter, and won't allow others entrance. It is a fascinating time to be in Chile, thats for sure. I had no idea that I would be here witnessing history being made, and while that is all great, there are a few problems with it also. For instance, my schedule, which I am very happy with, has been changed, and the buildings where the classes for the foreign students are normally held, have also been changed. I had hoped to attend a few classes with Chileno students, but seeing as no one knows when those classes will start and if they don't start soon I may not get credit for them, I have decided to only take the classes offered to the foreigners.
I have been placed in an advanced communication and culture class, and have decided to fill the remaining spaces as follows: I am talking the Mountain sports class (to be explained at a later time), a history of Latin America course, some kind of beginner art course called taller de papel (paper workshop), and a history of Valparaiso course. They all seem interesting and fun and my schedule is amazing. I have no classes on monday and only one on friday (Deporte de montanas) so that is great. And I have no classes that run later than 3:30, so the nights are mine to do whatever I choose. I have met a few people, but I have yet to make any close friends. I am holding out until school starts to see what all my options are, I wouldn't want to settle for a friend that is only kind of cool, when there might be one that is as awesome as I am!
Other than that, and I know this post is a tad bit long, I haven't done much of anything. I have been hanging out with my family a lot and have been wondering the streets during the days. The only transportation I have used so far is the metro, because its super easy and cheap and I know how to use it now so it would be hard for me to get lost on it. Buses, on the other hand, I am terrible at taking. I am waiting to use those until I know more about the city and until I can understand the Chilenos a little better. As far as what I have to look forward too, surfing lessons, a trip to Machu Picchu, and one other adventure to a country that is yet to be determined. Classes start on tuesday for me and I have a carete to attend tonight. (Carete is the chilenismo term for party)
Until next time
Nos vemos pronto
S.R.
No comments:
Post a Comment