Fun in the Sun

Hello again! This is blog #3. Life here has been very busy. This blog will probably have a few explanations of what has been going on, as well as some pictures interspersed. Vamos (let's go)...

Okay, life here is much different than what I am used to in many aspects. First of all, as you may be able to tell in pictures, the population is large. :) The hills surrounding the water are plastered with houses. Many of these individuals who live on the top of these hills ride the ascensors down to work or wherever they must go. Here is a picture of one. After arriving at the top, a view such as the one in the picture may be seen.
The houses tend to be extremely colorful. There is also much graffiti. In such large cities as these, there are numerous street entertainers trying to get money. At stoplights it is not uncommon to find jugglers. It is also not uncommon to see beggars on the daily walk from school.

My host brother and I went for a 3-hour walk around our city. I finally have somewhat of a grasp of where places are. It's funny, because I have to ask the question "Where do I live?" frequently. I thought about how I will probably never be able to ask that question in another place without getting strange looks. Anyway, my brother and I walked along the beach and even went to a zoo. We saw so much of God's beautiful creation that day, both with the amazing waves and the magnificent animals!

As for my host family, we get along great. God has really blessed me. I really like the Church we are going to as well. Also, I have made many Chilean friends through Church activities, whether at youth group or playing frisbee, etc.

As you probably know, it was Valentine's Day recently. I went to a party for "El dia de los no enamorados", which was basically for those not in love. It was interesting. One thing to note on the culture aspect here is that they get less sleep than we do in the U.S. I returned from this get- together at about 3 a.m., and didn't go to sleep until 4 a.m. (Don't worry, I slept in the next day.) Also, this past week was a family friend's birthday. I went with my host brother. We danced salsa. It was fun. But, we did not get home until about 3 a.m. on a school night. I am not used to that. I told my family that I don't know how they do it. However, they are also in their summer vacation right now. To the contrary, I have to get up and go to school.

Anyway, yesterday my host mom and I went to the beach. We both fell asleep on the beach. The weather here is about 90 degrees and I have to wear lots of sunscreen. I was surprised by the huge waves. They actually were curled over enough to have surfers ride the wave like we see in movies. I really enjoy watching the waves. They are so beautiful!- powerful, yet serene.

This blog did not have much of a specific focus. Rather, it sporadically explained what's been going on. Maybe my next one will focus on cultural differences or something like that. Stay tuned.... :)

My Very Busy First Week

Wow! This has been an amazing week. It's hard to know where to start. As for my classes, they have been going well. For this first month I am taking an intensive month of Spanish in order to prepare me for a semester of classes with Chilean students. After classes, our group often has orientations or excursions.
As for our tours around the cities/excursions, we went on a boat ride that offered a beautiful view of Valparaiso. We also rode an ascensor to the top of a hill, offering another gorgeous view. It is interesting how the houses are all over in the hills here. We also went to Sand Dunes in Con Con. I had never seen these before. It was hard work getting up them, because our feet dug into the sand. The sand was also VERY hot. But, the view from the top was amazing. We were so dirty though. The sand blew so hard up there. I got it in my eyes, mouth, arms, legs, etc. We also went horseback riding on a beach. It was so much fun! My horse was a little wild, running into the water and such, but it was very fun! We also went to a beach to swim. The ocean is pretty cold here. The weather has been around 90 degrees here. We also took a tour around Vina, stopping at some different places. Since these sister towns are SO big, we often ride the micro, which is a bus. It was funny, because the bus drivers pack them so full. When all the seats are taken, the bus drivers start filling the aisles. Then, when someone has to get off, it's in a hurry, and it's body-to-body squeezing to get out. It was pretty comical to me.
Okay, now for what's been more exciting to me... My host family and the activities therein. First of all, my family is so nice. We talk about Christianity, history, and many other things. My brother has been so helpful taking me places and teaching me things. But I didn't want him to think that he had to. He said that his friends are my friends. I appreciate that a lot. Families here kind of accept their host students as part of their family. Last night I went to a Church service for youth-young adults. It was really cool. I met a lot of people. Afterwards a group of about 15 of us went out for ice cream. We were probably at the ice cream place for a couple hours. We laughed and laughed. I didn't get home until 1 a.m. or so and am tired. But, a group of us are going to go play frisbee today. I am very excited about getting to hang out with Chileans. When the U.S. students hang out, they usually talk English. And I would prefer not to talk English. So, it's better practice for me and I think I can get to know more of the culture. Also, this group of friends from the Church is great!
Oh, and another thing- My host brother has given me two salsa/meringue dancing lessons. I think he has his work cut out for him. Hehe. It was fun though.
In a brief summary, that has been my week. I have been so busy that it's hard to find time to get my homework done. But hanging out with Chileans is very important. It's kind of my homework too, since I want to better my Spanish-speaking ability. Last night was fun talking in Spanish in a larger group!

El primer dia

My first day in Chile was awesome. Flying into Santiago, I saw mountains after mountains. It was beautiful. I met my host family today, and they were so sweet and excited to meet me. They are so awesome! My host mom and host brother picked me up and took me back to the house. I also have a host sister. Compared to living where I have in the past, this is so different!
I talked so much Spanish today, which was great. My host family has had some students before but never a girl. I was nervous about my Spanish speaking ability but they said that I am doing great.
We went for a walk around a very small portion of this huge town. We ate ice cream cones as we walked along by the beach. I love talking with my family. My brother had a friend over last night, and it was great to meet and talk with him too. It's great practice talking to people in Spanish. As we were sitting around talking, I.....hold on.....I should back up a minute. Before this trip, I told people that I was not going to be funny in Chile. It's not that I think I am really funny in the U.S.; it's just that I figured my jokes would not work in Chile and I wouldn't know the language well enough. And although I am still learning and will be learning for the next 6 months, I was able to joke around with them last night. They understood and we all laughed. It was a great time.
Today I took 2 placement exams- one written and one oral. My mom had to drop me off at school, and my brother picked me up. This will be the routine for the next couple days or however long it takes to find my way. It is usual for people in Chile to return home for a long lunch period. I have to return to orientation later today. Classes start tomorrow. I am already noticing cultural differences and am excited to learn more.
It is going great. Praise be to God!