So, so far, as anyone who has talked to me knows, I have been having the best time of my life here. Chile is an absolute gem of a place because of the people, the things to do, and the general medio ambiente (environment).
The first few days were, admittedly, some of the worst days of my life. After a cancelled flight, two lost suitcases, and a tearful call to my dad telling him "I had to go back to Loyola," I was very leery of my decision to pack up and leave for seven months. However, as soon as I saw my gorgeous host mother, Orietta, I knew I had made the right choice. Although our car ride was an awkward combination of exaggerated hand gestures and me saying the only word I could remember at the time ("¡Sí!"), I knew I had gotten the perfect family. Aside from my host mother, I also have three hermanos who definitely keep me on my toes, make me feel like I live in a frat house, and have quickly become three of my best friends.
Aside from my family, the other people in my program are great as well. They have quickly become some of my best partners in crime and some of the best "gringos" ( a typically derogatory word for an American) I have met.
Right now, my days are consumed with my intensive Spanish class and super long naps, but the nights have been wonderful. The clubs here are crazy, drinks are cheap (drinking age is 18:))) ), and the people are super fun. We quickly discovered the national brandy, Pisco, and how well-paired it is with Coke, along with dirt-cheap lager Escudo. But don't worry Mom and Dad, I'm responsible:) I have been to some of the Chilean hotspots for going out, the best being Bellavista, an area filled with bars with a somewhat shady reputation but always a good time:)
I have also taken time to be the typical tourist and have visited some of the typical tourist sites such as the mall/ train station Estación Central, La Vega Mercado, a house of Pablo Neruda, La Moneda (where I caught a glimpse of Chile's recently elected president, Sebastian Piñera), and the Plaza del Armas, which is a sort of downtown square with little shops, government buildings, and the most gorgeous Cathedral I've ever seen. Also, my class took a trip to a home for sick and homeless called Hogar de Cristo. This sobering trip was an eye opener for the foreign students, as most of us never see the poor population in our comfortable homes and apartments.
This past Saturday, my class took a trip to Valparaiso, a port city about 2 hours away from Santiago. At first, I was very put off as we left sunny 90 degree Santiago and looked up to see clouds, rain, and about 60 degree weather. However, I quickly fell in love with this little town, especially when we went to their annual cultural festival, which was filled with little vendors, a ton of greasy food, and a line up of South American bands that sang until about 1:30.
That's all for now! Hasta Luego...
No comments:
Post a Comment