In which I explain my first experience in a micro, my first experience on going out in Chile, and my first time going out for my mountain sporting class. Get ready to read...
So I'm sure by now that a fair few of you have been wondering why I entitled this blog "Climbing with Chileans". Well now is the time where I will explain everything. I am taking a class called 'Deportes de Montanas' which is, in essence, an extreme mounting hiking, rock climbing, camping class. As a group, we go on different types of trips, usually to the mountains, or somewhere near the mountains, and we commence the mountain sports. I have just successfully completed my first rock climbing outing. As a class we went out to Las Chilcas and climbed some pretty impressive 'cliffs'. After climbing them we repelled down and started over. I repelled down different canyons about 5 times, and I climbed two different sides of the cliff three times. Side Note: If I knew how to get the pictures up on this site, I would, but until I learn how all of the pictures will be on facebook (sorry to those of you who do not have a facebook page and/or are not friends with me). The experience of saying I have climbed and repelled down a mountain is one that I will remember forever. It was thrilling and exciting getting up that high and knowing that the only thing saving you from plummeting to the ground was a rope and your climbing abilities. It was all the more impressive that the only training they gave us was climbing up one rock wall at their gym that quite frankly my grandmother could have climbed without using her hands. So when I was asked if this class was going to be physically demanding, after only having such little training, I said no. And while it didn't require a lot of physical strength, it was much more challenging than I had anticipated, and yet, everyone was able to climb to the top and everyone repelled down. Its amazing how much we can accomplish if we put are minds to it, even if we did have to meet at 6:30 am that morning.
Meeting that early in the morning was no fun task I assure you, mostly because the metro station was closed and I had to take a micro or a colectivo (which I had only taken once, a taxi with a certain route). As I stated in a previous chapter, I had only been taking the metro everywhere because it was easy, cheap, and impossible to get lost on. Well I knew that the day would come when I would have to take that dreadful micro (a city bus), and it did come, on an unfortunate Friday. This story, as to why I despise all busses requires a little bit of back story, so I will take you back to the not so distant past, in January of 2010. It was on this cold January day, in downtown Minneapolis, that I was required to take a city bus to my school, for the first time in my life. I had been over the route with my roommate and she assured me that it was super easy and that I couldn't mess it up if I tried. Well I didn't try to mess it up, and yet somehow I did. I got off on the stop after mine and had to backtrack a couple of blocks to get to my class on time, which in itself isn't so bad, but it was winter in the midwest, and I had to cross a bridge, on foot. So that started the experience, and then, on that same day, I had to take the bus back home. Well this time I was prepared, I had counted the stops and knew that after so many stops it was mine and I would not mess it up this time. Well, I had no idea that the bus had a few more stops on the way back and so when I was counting out the stops, I had no idea that the bus was not nearly as far as it should have been. So after the number of stops had passed I knew that the next stop was mine and I got off the bus, only to realize a second to late that it was not my stop. I had to walk, in the snowy cold winter, 2 miles to get back to my house, and ever since that day I have despised all busses, even if everything goes well on them, I would just prefer to walk or bike, or crawl, or just about anything but take a bus. To add a little to that story, my sense of direction (while it has improved over the years) is still astonishingly infantile. So when I am in a new area, and I don't have any landmarks to help me know where I am, and don't recognize anything around, I get a little nervous and my brain doesn't seem to work as well. Having said all of that, the story of what happened this last Friday can now begin.
I was to meet my Mountain Sports class in Sausalito at 5:20 that evening, I had a map and the numbers of the micros that I could take. I had never really been to Sausalito, and I knew it was in the hills so I wouldn't really be able to see the ocean to help with my direction, and the fact that it was in a known 'shady' part of town only bothered me a little bit. I had been waiting to take a micro until I had to, and now that I had to, I was wishing I had more experience on them. But I still went to that bus stop, and I had to wait, and watch as 3 of the micros I could have taken passed by. Here in Chile, the micros don't really stop, you just have to flag them down and they'll pull up to the curve and you jump on while its still sort of moving. Finally, after about 15 minutes one of the micros that I could take stopped, all the way, because it was stuck behind a few other micros that were unloading. I ran to the micro, stepped on the first step, and that is when things started going wrong... As soon as I got on, the driver decided to pull away from the curb, into speeding traffic, which threw me against the railing, knocking the wind out of me. Then, I walk up to the driver to pay and tell him where I am going, and he immediately says something that I couldn't understand. So with my look of confusion, and lack of a response, he grins and asks me where I am going. Well I knew exactly where I wanted to go, so I told him the stop that I needed and he shook his head that he understood, told me how much it was (about 1 dollar) and we were off. I was trying to memorize as much as I could about where we were going, and I knew that as soon as we crossed the bridge, I had to count out 12 street crossings and get off the micro at the 12th. Well lets just say that it is almost impossible to do that here. Half of the 'crossings' are only on one side, none of the streets are clearly labeled, and we are going what feels like 300 miles an hour. So after a few minutes I decide that I should just go to the front of the bus and remind the driver that I need to get off at 12 Norte. When I reach the bus driver and ask where 12 Norte is, he laughs and says that we passed it a little bit ago. He then pulls up to the curb and in the words of my dad's girlfriend, I had to tuck and roll, because he was not going to stop. Now, all I know is that we passed where I needed to be, I am in a semi-bad part of town, and I have 20 minutes to get to class. So I start walking, backtracking until the road comes to a Y, and I can't find a street sign, and knowing that if I look too lost, or too much like a 'Gringo' I will be an easy target for pick-pocketing. I decide to go with my gut, which doesn't exactly steer me wrong, and since I have no idea where the other road would have led me, I am going to say I chose correctly. After walking around for a few minutes, I decide to just ask the next person I see how to get to Sausalito. It turned out to be a nice old woman with no teeth, who was almost impossible to understand, but I just went in the direction that she pointed me in, and after a few more minutes I made it to the class, barely late and glad to have made it! My first order of business in class was to find someone who was going to the same place as I was after class and follow them, and what I ended up finding was so much better.
I found a group of people who were planning on going out that night, and were planning on walking to the metro station as a group; just the things I had hoped to find! I got some of their numbers on the walk to the metro station and told them I would call them at 10:30 (the absolute earliest anyone goes out in Chile). I got home and told Hilda that I had plans to go out finally and would be leaving soon. She was really excited to hear this news because I had yet to go out with friends in the 3 weeks I had been here and that is really unusual behavior to Chileans. Every weekend she always asked if I had plans with friends, and every weekend I responded with 'not yet'. So she made me some food, I ate, and then she sent me on my way. My friend called me with a change of plans and said that we were meeting at 10:30 at his place to pre-game a little before we go out, and he asked me to bring something. I stopped at a liquor store to find out about the most amazing promotion I have ever heard of. On Friday and Saturday nights, the liquor stores here have a promotion for a bottle of either pisco (Chilean alcohol that is amazing) rum, or vodka, a 2 liter bottle of soda, and a bag of ice; all for just over 8 dollars. So, now loaded up with booze, ice and a mixer, I head out to my friends house with the directions he gave me, and I could take the metro! It was going to be a great night. I called him when I got to the street he lived on, he met me out by the gate (all houses have locked gates) and we started to climb the 3 flights of stairs to get to his host family's castle. Now I am extremely happy with my host family, they are great and I would never think of trading them, but my friend's host family is in a whole other dimension. As soon as we got to the top of the stairs, I started for the front door, to which he told me no, the party house is to the left. His host family has a separate building for parties!? This party 'room' had a pool table, a flat screen TV on the wall playing music videos, a bar, and seating for everyone. After congratulating myself on friend selection, we began the night. After my bottle of pisco was gone, we decided to go out to a club that his host brothers could get us into for free. At about 3:30 some of our group was a little hungry and a little tired. We went to get a 'completo' (a hot dog with a lot of avocado, mayo, and tomatoes and is equivalent to the US's big mac) and then we called it a night. I had to take a micro home, because the metro closes after 10:30, and once again I got off on the stop after mine. This time it wasn't exactly my fault, I was slightly intoxicated, it was dark, and the driver was speeding. So by the time I realized we were at my stop and I pulled the cord to tell the driver to stop, it was too late. I only had to backtrack a little, but made it home in one piece at around 4:30. It was a successful night.
I would like to add that I have since taken a few more micros and have yet to get off on the right stop, but I have also made it to where I need to go so it hasn't been a complete failure. I would also like to add just one more interesting fact about where I am living. In the United States we have ice cream trucks that drive a little slower and play music (you know the type of music, that high pitched whistling). Well here in Chile, they also have a truck that drives a little slower and plays the same type of high pitched music, except here it is the gas truck (Chileans have propane looking tanks of gas to heat their water and what not, and they have to replace the tanks twice a month). And the last truck that passed was playing the song 'Silent Night'. Interesting....
Anyway I know this was a bit longer than the usual, and I want to thank all of you that stuck through it until the end. I really appreciate it and I hope you are all finding yourselves in good health.
No Vemo Pronto
S.R.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Chapter 4 ~ Its a Dog Eat Dog World
In which I explain my daily life as a South American, some differences between here and the US, and I finally have the truth on toilet flushing...
It is a strange concept, time. It is difficult to grasp how, depending on what you are thinking about or doing in any given moment, the speed of time changes. For instance, when you are having a great time, or are on vacation, or sleeping even, time doesn't seem to slow down. It even seems to accelerate. But then the second you are homesick, or are in class, or waiting for 3 hours to get an ID at what can only be described as the DMV, sitting there, on the floor because there are too many people to even find a good place to stand; time finds the breaks. And now that 3 hours, or that 1 hour and 45 minutes remaining of class, or that 4 months until you return home seems like it will NEVER arrive. Time, for me anyway, seems to be a teenager learning to drive for the first time. Sometimes the foot slips and you accelerate into next week, and sometimes they just can't find the courage to go the speed limit on the interstate. What I'm doing with my time, however, is what this whole trip is really about.
So, what is it like, being a South American? Incredibly it can be described using only one word, relaxed. I will take you on an average day with me to show you what it is exactly that I mean. I wake up in the morning everyday (except Tuesdays because I have class) at around 10. My host mother, Hilda, makes me breakfast, which usually consists of bread with a variety of toppings on the side. She has homemade jams, she has different kinds of cheese that I still have no idea what they are, she has honey, she has butter, and if there was something else I wanted on my toast that morning, she would find it. Sometimes there is a bowl of cut up fruit and yogurt but that isn't everyday, bread is every day. After we eat breakfast, depending on the day, I either get ready for class or go in my room and relax, because breakfast was extremely stressful. After a few hours of relaxing it is time for lunch, the main, and only big meal of the day. I have yet to know exactly what I am eating, but it is always good. It is usually some kind of stew, or soup, with salad and bread. Of course there is bread, just assume from now on that there is always bread and it will make envisioning this a lot easier. So after lunch, I generally take a nap. Not a long one, only about an hour, just enough to sleep off that huge lunch I just ate. After my nap, I try to be productive, so that is when I go for a walk usually, to get to know the city, to do something, really anything that day. After my walk its time for 'once', the spanish word for 11, and what they call dinner. It also consists of, you guessed it, bread! Also, just so it is clear, all beverages are either tea, or instant coffee. I drink a LOT of tea and instant coffee, and water. If I drank milk, which I don't, but if I did, my only option would be the powdered milk that they have here. After 'once', Hilda and I clean up the kitchen and then generally play cards until 930, 10, after which, I go to my room and either watch a movie on my laptop, listen to music and play a game until around 2 or 3. Then I go to bed and start the whole process over the next day... life is a little rough right now.
What I didn't include in my daily life rituals, were my classes. I have no classes on Mondays, so what you read above is usually my Monday. Tuesday is the rough day, I have class from 8:15 until about 3:30 that day. Wednesday I only have one class from 11:45 until 1:30. Thursday I have class from 10:15 until 1:30, and Friday I have my favorite class so far, Deportes de Montanas, from 5:20 until 7:20. Because I have only had classes for one week I will wait to discuss them in more detail until further into the semester. All I can say right now, is they are small, consisting of only 9 or 10, and seem to have no real structure that I can tell right now. Interesting, yes, fun, sometimes, easy, well thats to be determined. This relaxed schedule I have had for the past couple weeks is going to change very soon, I have a lot planned for the upcoming months, but for now, its just kind of nice to not have much to do.
As for the introduction, I promised the truth about toilet flushing. Thanks to two of the best friends in the world (Chris and Ashley), I promised I would mention them, we have finally discovered the myth of the toilet flush. It was said, by many people, and only now am I wondering why I believed them and all their stupidity, that once you cross the equator, the toilet flushes in the opposite direction. Well, after a few tests, and thanks to the wonderful invention of Skype, I can safely say that it is NOT true. The toilet flushes in the same direction no matter where you are in the world.
And as for the title of this chapter. If Bob Barker ever came to Chile, he would die, if he isn't dead already, I'm not sure how old he is but he looks about 104. Anyway, the reason is, there are literally thousands of dogs living on the streets here. None of them are fixed, and most look malnourished. Some are nice, but I'd say the majority are skittish and mean at times. On any given walk, I see about 10 dogs roaming around, fighting with each other, looking through garbages, eating off of outdoor tables left unattended. And they bark, constantly and I mean CONSTANTLY, all night long. Most nights I am accustomed to it, but some nights it is hard to sleep.
Well, further chapters to look forward too consist of Mountain Climbing, surfing lessons, Machu Picchu, and further traveling. All of these activities are going to make that time that I mentioned earlier fly by.
Until the next chapter, Thanks for reading!
Nos Vemos Pronto
S.R.
It is a strange concept, time. It is difficult to grasp how, depending on what you are thinking about or doing in any given moment, the speed of time changes. For instance, when you are having a great time, or are on vacation, or sleeping even, time doesn't seem to slow down. It even seems to accelerate. But then the second you are homesick, or are in class, or waiting for 3 hours to get an ID at what can only be described as the DMV, sitting there, on the floor because there are too many people to even find a good place to stand; time finds the breaks. And now that 3 hours, or that 1 hour and 45 minutes remaining of class, or that 4 months until you return home seems like it will NEVER arrive. Time, for me anyway, seems to be a teenager learning to drive for the first time. Sometimes the foot slips and you accelerate into next week, and sometimes they just can't find the courage to go the speed limit on the interstate. What I'm doing with my time, however, is what this whole trip is really about.
So, what is it like, being a South American? Incredibly it can be described using only one word, relaxed. I will take you on an average day with me to show you what it is exactly that I mean. I wake up in the morning everyday (except Tuesdays because I have class) at around 10. My host mother, Hilda, makes me breakfast, which usually consists of bread with a variety of toppings on the side. She has homemade jams, she has different kinds of cheese that I still have no idea what they are, she has honey, she has butter, and if there was something else I wanted on my toast that morning, she would find it. Sometimes there is a bowl of cut up fruit and yogurt but that isn't everyday, bread is every day. After we eat breakfast, depending on the day, I either get ready for class or go in my room and relax, because breakfast was extremely stressful. After a few hours of relaxing it is time for lunch, the main, and only big meal of the day. I have yet to know exactly what I am eating, but it is always good. It is usually some kind of stew, or soup, with salad and bread. Of course there is bread, just assume from now on that there is always bread and it will make envisioning this a lot easier. So after lunch, I generally take a nap. Not a long one, only about an hour, just enough to sleep off that huge lunch I just ate. After my nap, I try to be productive, so that is when I go for a walk usually, to get to know the city, to do something, really anything that day. After my walk its time for 'once', the spanish word for 11, and what they call dinner. It also consists of, you guessed it, bread! Also, just so it is clear, all beverages are either tea, or instant coffee. I drink a LOT of tea and instant coffee, and water. If I drank milk, which I don't, but if I did, my only option would be the powdered milk that they have here. After 'once', Hilda and I clean up the kitchen and then generally play cards until 930, 10, after which, I go to my room and either watch a movie on my laptop, listen to music and play a game until around 2 or 3. Then I go to bed and start the whole process over the next day... life is a little rough right now.
What I didn't include in my daily life rituals, were my classes. I have no classes on Mondays, so what you read above is usually my Monday. Tuesday is the rough day, I have class from 8:15 until about 3:30 that day. Wednesday I only have one class from 11:45 until 1:30. Thursday I have class from 10:15 until 1:30, and Friday I have my favorite class so far, Deportes de Montanas, from 5:20 until 7:20. Because I have only had classes for one week I will wait to discuss them in more detail until further into the semester. All I can say right now, is they are small, consisting of only 9 or 10, and seem to have no real structure that I can tell right now. Interesting, yes, fun, sometimes, easy, well thats to be determined. This relaxed schedule I have had for the past couple weeks is going to change very soon, I have a lot planned for the upcoming months, but for now, its just kind of nice to not have much to do.
As for the introduction, I promised the truth about toilet flushing. Thanks to two of the best friends in the world (Chris and Ashley), I promised I would mention them, we have finally discovered the myth of the toilet flush. It was said, by many people, and only now am I wondering why I believed them and all their stupidity, that once you cross the equator, the toilet flushes in the opposite direction. Well, after a few tests, and thanks to the wonderful invention of Skype, I can safely say that it is NOT true. The toilet flushes in the same direction no matter where you are in the world.
And as for the title of this chapter. If Bob Barker ever came to Chile, he would die, if he isn't dead already, I'm not sure how old he is but he looks about 104. Anyway, the reason is, there are literally thousands of dogs living on the streets here. None of them are fixed, and most look malnourished. Some are nice, but I'd say the majority are skittish and mean at times. On any given walk, I see about 10 dogs roaming around, fighting with each other, looking through garbages, eating off of outdoor tables left unattended. And they bark, constantly and I mean CONSTANTLY, all night long. Most nights I am accustomed to it, but some nights it is hard to sleep.
Well, further chapters to look forward too consist of Mountain Climbing, surfing lessons, Machu Picchu, and further traveling. All of these activities are going to make that time that I mentioned earlier fly by.
Until the next chapter, Thanks for reading!
Nos Vemos Pronto
S.R.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Chapter 3 ~ Las Calles de Vina Del Mar
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.
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.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Chapter 2 ~ Chileans Speak Quickly
In which I am explaining the flight over to Chile and the first day of living with Chileans.
Well I made it to Chile, just like I always knew I would. And wouldn't you know, its a good thing I didn't worry or stress or have ANY anxiety attacks over the last few days because it all turned out great, just like I always knew it would. Except part of that isn't true. I had 10 fairly serious anxiety attacks the two days leading up to my amazing friends taking me to the airport. I was scared and nervous and I almost considered not even coming. But, as always, I was blinded by the fear of change and my friends and family all new best and told me to suck it up, stop worrying and just go. So, after I was forcibly removed from the vehicle at the airport in downtown Minneapolis I knew I was on my own until I made it to Chile.
Does anyone else ever just sit and watch all of the people in the airport and wonder to themselves, I seriously hope they are not on my flight. I don't. Except if they have kids, that are screaming and crying and running around everywhere. Then I hope that they are on the first flight to anywhere that I am not. But they weren't. That family was all on the same flight as I was, and they were sitting right behind me. It didn't turn out too bad though, it was only the flight from Minneapolis to Chicago. So then my four hour layover started. And then, miraculously, I was bumped to an earlier flight so I 'would have time to make my flight out of Toronto.' So I was given an extra hour which turned into an extra four. So my one hour layover was now a five hour layover and the plane was not going to take off until 2 in the morning. This wouldn't have been so bad if I would have figured out how to get their wireless internet in the airport to work. Or if I could have gotten ahold of ISEP to tell them that the taxi they arranged for me was going to be seriously early. So I got on the flight exhausted and nervous that once I got to Chile, no one would be at the airport waiting for me.
12 hours later, there I was, the airport in Santiago. I could understand nothing of what was going on over the speakers, I had no idea where to go, and I couldn't read the signs. So, I did what anyone else would have done in this situation, I followed the majority and did what they did. Then I got through customs and made it to my bags (which were literally the last ones off the plane) and then found someone that was holding a sign that read "Samuel Fransen". I figured 'what are the chances he is waiting for someone that is going to Chile with almost the same exact name as me?' So four hours later we pull up to Samuel Fransen's drug lord's house and my adventure in Chile begins.
Except it wasn't four hours later it was one and a half hours later, and it wasn't a drug lord's house, it was my family's house. They seem nice and I am excited to get to know them. Although, most of the information ISEP sent me about them was wrong. Such as the only two that actually live full time in the house with me are the Mom (Hilda), and the Dad (Jaime). The brother (Felipe) who is 26, I think, lives with one of his sisters down in Chiloe, but I told them I was going to have to go down and stay with them one weekend to see this island. Last night, after Hilda fed me, Felipe and I went on a walk to 'el centro' of Vina. My house is a five minute walk from the beach, which wasn't where Felipe and I were walking, but I thought everyone should know that I live on the beach... Anyway, he showed me around a little bit, taught me a little about his life and the city. I think at one point I agreed to go to a soccer game with him on Sunday, but I may have translated wrong. Which brings us to our title, Chileans speak quickly.
My family is great with me, about slowing way down and not using so much Chileno (words only they have in Spanish), but if they are talking to anyone else, I literally sit there in silence and laugh when they laugh, or gasp when they gasp. It is going to be interesting. They do know some words in english, the curse words, Harry Potter, The Hangover, Garfield, and when they say them I can't help but to laugh at their impressions of what we sound like. They try to use american accents with those words (except Harry Potter Felipe says with a slightly british accent). But I am sure I sound just as funny to them when I try to speak their spanish. They are telling me some of the Chileno words, I am remembering none of them. But now the fun part is going to see the difference from yesterday (day 1), compared to my last day here. I should be pretty good by then, I hope.
Well thats really all for now. I guess I should tell everyone that I am on Eastern Time Zone, not Pacific. So I got that wrong, but other than that...
Nos Vemos Pronto
S.R.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Chapter 1 ~ Preparation, Preparation, Preparation
In which I explain the secrets of success and the meaning of life. Except I don't really have the secrets of success or the meaning of life figured out, so instead I will just explain who I am and what this blog is going to be about.
I like to read. There are probably very few of you readers/followers/subscribers that will know where I borrowed the idea of outlining the blog (chapter) first before I actually write it, and you actually read it. Well the answer is from an extraordinary travel author by the name of J. Maartin Troost, whom I hope will give me permission to continue outlining in the same manner without accusing me of plagiarism. If, however, he (or anyone else for that matter) would like for me to stop, please send me a message, and I may, or may not, listen. I outline for two reasons; one, it helps the reader decided if he or she would like to read the particular entry, and secondly, it helps me stay focused on what I want to accomplish in any particular posting.
Who am I? Well that is a question with many possible answers. I am a 6'5" body builder who works out at least 4 hours, 6 days per week. Also, if you have not figured it out yet, I am a chronic exaggerator who is extremely sarcastic, but good looking all the same. I use the term exaggerator because 'liar' sounds so negative and accusatory while 'exaggerator' sounds witty and hilarious. Eventually, whether from pictures on here or from future blogs (or from the admission of sarcasm), you will discover that I do not work out, nor am I a body builder. My name is Samuel Ray, I am a student of World Politics and Spanish Language Skills at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. I am entering my senior (and with any luck) my final year of college and am about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. If the title has not given it away, or you are just slow enough to not have figured it out yet, the adventure is a 5 month long, study abroad in, you guessed it, Chile. What does one do to prepare for such an adventure? Well that depends on the person.
I have wanted, since middle school anyway, to go and study abroad in a foreign country. As I am now a senior, and optimistically finished with schooling soon, the time is now or never. Why Chile? Because I needed a program in a country that spoke solely spanish (to perfect my own abilities), and because in my own point of view, Spain is not as cool and too many other students travel that direction. To prepare for such an excursion I have done as much as I could possibly think to do. How much has it helped me? Well I guess we will find out in 6 days when I arrive in Valparaiso, Chile. I read books, studied cultures, customs, geography, politics, economy. I made lists, charts, and graphs. I looked at pictures, watched videos, and even read others' blogs. I attended a day of orientation and had countless meetings with school advisors and program instructors. After all of this countless obsessing and worrying I have discovered something. No matter how much I try to prepare myself for this trip, nothing is going to prepare me to the extent I would hope for. So the next best thing to do is to stop worrying and just be excited and ready for anything. I tried the neurotic, OCD, plan each day out tactic, and all it got me was sick and stressed. I believe in the saying 'If you want to see god laugh, make a plan'. And after talking several times with an amazing person who just returned from this once in a lifetime experience, I have decided that everything is going to work out regardless of whether or not I know what I will be doing on... pick a day any day. I may not know who my host family is going to be yet (even though I leave in 5 days) but what would it change even if I did know. In 5 days I am still going to be on a plane to their house and staying with them for 5 months. So tonight, I pack my suitcase with a little of everything I might need, and if I happen to forget something (very likely), I will just have to figure something else out. Because an incredible person told me once, it is those tough times in life that make the best stories. And my response to that is bring on the tough times then, because I would not want to disappoint my subscribers/followers/readers with boring posts. They have to be funny, exciting, and most of all entertaining. But the best part about it is, you can just read my introductions to determine, and if the introduction misleads you and tricks you into reading further, and then you become disappointed halfway through one of the blogs, you have the choice to STOP READING! Because how will I know...
So that is the story so far. I have been preparing as much as possible and am now as prepared as anyone else. I plan on getting on that plane, and then a quick 19 hours later I will be in Santiago. Then a short hour and a half taxi ride and I will finally be arriving to meet my family for the first time, jet lagged and unwashed. That is where I leave the story for now. I would like to thank everyone that made it through this first blog and I hope you are anticipating the next post, because that is where the real adventure is going to start!
Adios y nos vemos pronto,
S.R.
I like to read. There are probably very few of you readers/followers/subscribers that will know where I borrowed the idea of outlining the blog (chapter) first before I actually write it, and you actually read it. Well the answer is from an extraordinary travel author by the name of J. Maartin Troost, whom I hope will give me permission to continue outlining in the same manner without accusing me of plagiarism. If, however, he (or anyone else for that matter) would like for me to stop, please send me a message, and I may, or may not, listen. I outline for two reasons; one, it helps the reader decided if he or she would like to read the particular entry, and secondly, it helps me stay focused on what I want to accomplish in any particular posting.
Who am I? Well that is a question with many possible answers. I am a 6'5" body builder who works out at least 4 hours, 6 days per week. Also, if you have not figured it out yet, I am a chronic exaggerator who is extremely sarcastic, but good looking all the same. I use the term exaggerator because 'liar' sounds so negative and accusatory while 'exaggerator' sounds witty and hilarious. Eventually, whether from pictures on here or from future blogs (or from the admission of sarcasm), you will discover that I do not work out, nor am I a body builder. My name is Samuel Ray, I am a student of World Politics and Spanish Language Skills at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. I am entering my senior (and with any luck) my final year of college and am about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. If the title has not given it away, or you are just slow enough to not have figured it out yet, the adventure is a 5 month long, study abroad in, you guessed it, Chile. What does one do to prepare for such an adventure? Well that depends on the person.
I have wanted, since middle school anyway, to go and study abroad in a foreign country. As I am now a senior, and optimistically finished with schooling soon, the time is now or never. Why Chile? Because I needed a program in a country that spoke solely spanish (to perfect my own abilities), and because in my own point of view, Spain is not as cool and too many other students travel that direction. To prepare for such an excursion I have done as much as I could possibly think to do. How much has it helped me? Well I guess we will find out in 6 days when I arrive in Valparaiso, Chile. I read books, studied cultures, customs, geography, politics, economy. I made lists, charts, and graphs. I looked at pictures, watched videos, and even read others' blogs. I attended a day of orientation and had countless meetings with school advisors and program instructors. After all of this countless obsessing and worrying I have discovered something. No matter how much I try to prepare myself for this trip, nothing is going to prepare me to the extent I would hope for. So the next best thing to do is to stop worrying and just be excited and ready for anything. I tried the neurotic, OCD, plan each day out tactic, and all it got me was sick and stressed. I believe in the saying 'If you want to see god laugh, make a plan'. And after talking several times with an amazing person who just returned from this once in a lifetime experience, I have decided that everything is going to work out regardless of whether or not I know what I will be doing on... pick a day any day. I may not know who my host family is going to be yet (even though I leave in 5 days) but what would it change even if I did know. In 5 days I am still going to be on a plane to their house and staying with them for 5 months. So tonight, I pack my suitcase with a little of everything I might need, and if I happen to forget something (very likely), I will just have to figure something else out. Because an incredible person told me once, it is those tough times in life that make the best stories. And my response to that is bring on the tough times then, because I would not want to disappoint my subscribers/followers/readers with boring posts. They have to be funny, exciting, and most of all entertaining. But the best part about it is, you can just read my introductions to determine, and if the introduction misleads you and tricks you into reading further, and then you become disappointed halfway through one of the blogs, you have the choice to STOP READING! Because how will I know...
So that is the story so far. I have been preparing as much as possible and am now as prepared as anyone else. I plan on getting on that plane, and then a quick 19 hours later I will be in Santiago. Then a short hour and a half taxi ride and I will finally be arriving to meet my family for the first time, jet lagged and unwashed. That is where I leave the story for now. I would like to thank everyone that made it through this first blog and I hope you are anticipating the next post, because that is where the real adventure is going to start!
Adios y nos vemos pronto,
S.R.
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