1 month, come and gone

Can you believe it?! Tomorrow will mark 1 month exactly since I've been gone. Oh how the time flies!!

Life in Chile is good and not so much different than being in the states. I still love living with Ximena and her family. It's funny, both times when traveling abroad I've always said, "ehh, I really don't want to live with a family. I mean I'm well into my 20's (now fast approaching 30), and it would just be weird to have parents around. I don't want to offend anyone or for things to be weird...I'd rather live in an apartment with other people my age". Let me tell you, that school of thought has totally reversed! I couldn't imagine living with nicer people. They cook me food, try and make conversation, joke with me, make sure I'm safe, wish me safe travels when I leave the house...heck, her mom even brings me fresh baked bread in bed sometimes!! They are genuinely good people and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else during this stay. And of course like living with anyone, parents or whatnot, we have our 'chores' so to speak. We all take turn doing dishes after meals. If I'm running out to head to class, her mom tells me not to worry about mine and takes care of it for me. Once a week we clean the house...her mom cleans the downstairs and Ximena and I take care of our upstairs area. I help her mom iron because out of all the household chores, that's the one she hates the most! The whole situation just works! Oh and I've finally gotten this whole Chilean diet thing down! Their main staples are tomatoes, chicken, avacado, ham and bread. Ximena and I decided to go on a diet together to motivate each other. We started last week and made her mom understand that we don't want a bunch of sweets, I don't want bread all the time and cook with very little oil! I've lost a little over a kilo so far!!

On a funny side note for those who did not hear about this, I did lock myself out of the house once already! Our house is completely gated/fenced and when someone rings the doorbell, they're at the gate. We have a little phone by the door with a camera to see who's there. Her mom always tells me when she leaves to not open the door for anyone and I'm happy to oblige! Well just a little over a week ago I was waiting for my new debit card to come from the states. I was home alone and the doorbell rang. I went to the camera to see if it was the mailman. Now I have no idea if they wear uniforms or whatnot and I saw the man had a bag on his shoulder. I still was scared to open the door so I waited until he walked a couple houses down and then went out to peek outside the gate, leaving the house door open behind me. Next thing I know, the wind catches the door and slams it shut! My keys and cell phone were both inside the house and no one ever informed me of a spare key. Walked all around the house, hoping by some miracle something would be open, but I knew better. This place is locked down like Ft. Knox when her mom leaves, complete with bars over the downstairs sliding doors and windows. Then I remembered that the window above the stairs was open and plenty big enough for me to crawl through. So I drug the trash can over next to the garage and climbed up the wall in this photo...
Then I carefully slide along the outside edge of the top of the garage because the roof of the garage is tin. Then I made my way over to the window on the far right in this picture...then lowered myself inside on to the landing between the stairs. I was so happy and proud of myself at this point and there was no way I was going to say a word to anybody! Just like a little kid, I thought I had gotten away with something...until the next morning. I wasn't paying attention that I had left dirty footprints on the wall under the window as I was sliding in. That morning her mom had noticed them, asking if they were from me. I couldn't help but laugh and told her what happened. She started laughing and then showed me where the hidden spare key is outside the house...just in case it happens again hahaha!!


Life is good and I would say that I'm pretty much accustomed to the daily life and getting where I need to go. I love taking walks and learning the city...I always have my city map with me just in case. Unfortunately I don't walk as much as I would like these days because I seemed to have developed a case of tendonitis on the outer side of my right foot. I bought some anti-inflammatory cream and I try to ice it after I walk for long periods of time but I pretty much had to cut out the walking to campus thing. How can it get better?...they say to cut out any activity that irritates it, like walking on uneven surfaces!! Do you know how hard that is to do when you live in a city that was rocked by a quake?! So I've come to rely on public transportation quite a bit these days. It's actually really efficient and inexpensive. I take either the bus or colectivo (shared taxi), just depends on which one comes by first. What I really love is that you can hail either one no matter where you are...no bus stop needed. It's basically like NYC, you just hold your arm out, index finger extended and they stop! I like the buses but boy are they crazy drivers. When you get on, make sure you grab the pole by the driver immediately because they don't take your money until they're already on the move again. Bus is only $350 pesos during the week and $370 on Sundays (that's less than $1 US). The colectivo is just a regular sedan style car and you better be ready to scoot over because they always put 3 people in the back and 1 in the passenger seat. They're usually quicker at getting thru the city and only cost $100 pesos more than the bus. And I don't know why I mentioned that just the bus drivers are crazy, pretty much all the drivers here are nuts. Careful walking across the street because people drive fast, don't stay in the lanes and are always zipping around and cutting each other off!

The aftershocks are still happening and the frequency of them varies. My 3rd week we had a lot of them but nothing over the top, crazy strong. There was one earlier this week at about 6am, a pretty strong one, 6.1 I think. Guess who slept through that one?! lol Getting used to them? Maybe. Sleeps like a rock? Most likely.

Social life is going well. The people in my classes tend to be pretty nice and we've since gained 2 more girls in our classes. Sindy and I hang out quite a bit since we're both foreigners and exchange students. I even cooked us dinner at her place last weekend. I've missed doing that so much!! (click on the picture)! Then the next day we took a bus with her friend David to Laguna Grande (Big Lake) in San Pedro. We spent the afternoon walking around and taking pics and relaxing...it was a perfect day! Click the pic! Nicolas and Daniel have been pretty busy lately, but Nicolas and I are trying to get together sometime soon. He's going to introduce me to some of his friends! I'm still pretty timid when it comes to speaking spanish here. They speak so fast and fluid and I know I sound awkward so I tend to stay pretty quiet. Understanding isn't the issue, it's having my brain translate the words I want to speak quick enough. But I have faith, I'll get better ;)

I have my first exam in operations management coming up this Thursday. It's a written exam and I've already asked the professor if it's ok for me to write some of my answers in english. I'd hate to know the right response and then put the wrong word and get it wrong. He is really nice and said that it was fine. My other class, management models, is ok. The subject matter is pretty easy but the professor is a bit odd. Nice but odd. It's a lot of reading and our grades are based on 2 in class presentations, 1 exam and 1 group project. My first presentation is at the end of June and has to be about 30 mins!! Not only do I hate speaking in front of people, but my longest presentation has only been about 13 mins. I'll survive but I'm not happy about it ;) I did ask the professor if I was allowed to do mine in english because again, when speaking about business, the last thing I want to do is look like a fool in front of 15 people when trying to talk about something I could easily convey in english...which most of them understand anyways! This professor didn't seem too happy about it, but he agreed. Who knows, 2 months from now I may be ready to present in spanish...I hope!! Speaking of spanish, that is my other class I have as well. I have it on Wednesday mornings and this week will be my 3rd class. The first class consisted of 3 people, myself, another girl from the US (PA), and another girl from Australia. The class actually exists because of me...it's called Spanish for Foreigners in Industrial Engineering (that's the masters program here that I'm taking my classes in). The 2nd class had 3 more people, a girl from France, a woman from Japan and a guy from Germany. I am literally the only real 'student' there in that program! The women, all except the girl from France, are there because they married Chileans and want to learn Spanish. The girl from France and the guy from Germany are exchange students but not in the engineering program. I feel special ;) But the professor is super nice and I'm excited to learn from him!!

I know I sent you all an email about getting hired at the Berlitz School, teaching english. They were supposed to call me last Thursday or Friday to give me log-in info for the website to start my online training but I haven't heard from them yet. I'm not worried, I know I'm hired. Everything here runs much slower than in the states. It's the latin way!

In reference to the latin way, I've been dealing with the Chilean government here for the past couple of weeks. I had to register my visa & passport with the police within the first 30 days of being here. Then they give you this paper and you take that to another government office to apply for your Chilean id card. The police were really nice, the id people, not so much. But I filled out my application and was set to pick it up last Wednesday. Except on Tuesday I got a call from them saying my application had been denied because the copy of my passport wasn't clear for them to read my sex and that the visa expiration date the police had put in the system was wrong. So I had to go back to the police and then back to the id place on Wednesday and redo everything. As long as all is well, I'll have my id on the 3rd!

So I know this has been a super long blog and thanks for reading it all!! The ones from here on out shouldn't be too bad once school gets in full swing! I'll leave you with one last album of photos. These were taken yesterday at Parque Pedro del Rio. It's one of Ximenas' favorite spots that she wanted to share with me. It's where the river meets the sea and wait until you see the photos...breathtaking!!

Settling into a schedule

My tourist week is over and I'm finally beginning to get into the swing of things here in my new life. The Thursday after Pucón was my first class. I have Operations Management and it's my only evening class this semester. I only know one other person in my class, Sindy, who is from Guatemala and is here for 2 years to complete the industrial engineering program. She's been really helpful in showing me where our classrooms were, introducing me to other classmates, etc. She even went with me last week to the city center to register my visa with the police and then to go apply for my Chilean id card (I have to go pick that up on the 21st!).

So new classes, new professors, new country and everything taught to you in Spanish...a little daunting at first and I have to say I was a little afraid of the unknown. Not to mention when we walked into class, Sindy and I are the only 2 females in the program! She warned me of this from her other classes where she is the sole female. The class is 3 hours long, as most master courses are, and once it got going, I was fine. We had copies of the slides and of the first couple chapters of the textbook. I was surprised at how easy it was to understand most of the business spanish terms and lecture. Now don't get me wrong, I still have to look up a lot of words, but I bought myself a little notebook that I keep in my purse to write all the new words I've learned so I can study them. The text doesn't seem to be hard to follow and the subject matter is relatively easy to learn and as with most coursework, crosses over into other classes and subjects I've taken thus far. As of this week I've had my 2nd class and still seem to be following along ok. I might just do alright afterall!!

My 2nd class is Managaement Models and this lovely class takes place on Saturday mornings starting at 11am...talk about putting a damper on your weekend! But as with the last class (and all the same classmates) it was easy to follow, the professor was nice and just seems like it's going to be a lot of reading and we have to do a couple of class presentations, those I will have to practice, for sure! After class last Saturday, Ximena and her parents invited me to a BBQ with them at the house...and as you know, I never turn down food!! It was awesome. Her parents cooked for us, although I offered up my help, they politely declined. We popped open a couple bottles of wine and sat on the back patio enjoying the sun and all the amazing food they cooked (which was enough to feed about 10 people, no joke!). We had sausage, chicken, pork, beef, a salad of tomatoes & cilantro, boiled potatoes, bread and a bottle of Cab & a bottle of Merlot. After dinner her mom did a little cleaning in the kitchen and took a nap. Ximena, her father and I continued sitting outside chatting it up about life. He was full of questions about my family, why I chose Chile, how I was taking care of school, and once he found out, making sure to let me know how blessed I am to have opportunities such as these. It was a really great night!

Sunday I got to participate in my first volunteer project with a group called Techo para Chile (a roof for Chile). I met up with Daniel & Sindy that morning and we took a bus over to Coronel. It's a small city about 20 mins outside on Concepción on the water. They are a very poor town and most of their homes resemble that of shacks even before the quake. Now a lot of those homes are destroyed leaving many residents living in tents with winter fast approaching. So Techo began this project on Friday and we helped finish it on Sunday. We helped build a simple wooden home, 1 of 15 that were completed, to provide better protection from the wind and rain. It was a whole new experience for me...a lot of hard work and sweat but in the end and seeing the looks of gratitude on their faces was worth it! We had a great group of people working on our home and we just had fun with it. Our poor house had so many problems, from uneven walls, split boards, nails not in the right places...but we just kept laughing and fixing it as we went a long. It was every bit a 9 hour day of work. They fed us some rice and eggs while we were there and we kept working until the dark no longer allowed it. I was covered in dirt and exhausted but soooo happy I had the opportunity to help. I'm really hoping to do it again soon!

I have a little more to tell but I'm going to let that roll over into my next blog! Time to do some homework and studying. Then I think I'm going to cook some dinner for me and Sindy tonight!!...how I've missed cooking for my friends!

Temuco & Pucon

April fools day this year was anything but a joke! Ximena and I decided to take a little weekend adventure and head to one of her favorite cities, Pucon. The only thing I knew about the city before leaving was that it was close to water and it had an active volcano...I was sold!! Our house is only a couple of blocks from the bus station so we figured we'd wing it and just walk over and find some tickets. We discovered that there were no direct routes to Pucon but we could take a bus to Temuco and then find a ticket from there to Pucon, so, we were off!

The tickets are super cheap, probably about $12, and it was THE most comfortable bus I have ever ridden in. It was a double-decker complete with foot rests and almost bed style reclining seats...so of course we both took naps during our 4 hour ride. Once we got to Temuco we began our mission to find a connection to Pucon. Of all the different companies there were in this station, not a single one had a ticket. But on a recommendation of one of the people there, we took a colectivo into the city and made our way to Jac Bus...one of the big companies here. They had tickets but not for a little over and hour, so we bought 2 and then Ximena took me to what is considered their famous market. Temuco is not an overly exciting city but the market was pretty cool. There were tons of stands with touristy-novelty items, including lots of cooper items (one of their main exports in Chile), ones with meats, produce and a handful of restaurants with traditional Chilean food. We were hungry so we decided to have lunch. We shared a little 1/2 bottle of white wine and Ximena ordered Curanto (a soup with mussels, clams, pork, sausage, chicken, cilantro, lime juice and potatoes) which was very tasty and I ordered Lomo de lo Pobre, basically steak, eggs, onions and french fries (not adventurous I know but she said it was a traditional dish, and I like tradition!). Here are some scenic pics of the ride and from inside the market!

After lunch we boarded our bus to Pucon and the trip was just around 2-2 1/2 hours. This bus, not quite as comfy as the last. We finally got in town around 8:30 and with my travel guides in hand, we went in search of a hostel. We were so tired from walking and busing all day that we pretty much settled on the 1st halfway decent place we found, The Treehouse. Complete with and an actual treehouse outside, along with hammocks and a cozy wooden interior. Upon entering the room, Ximena found a slug on the floor near her bed and needless-to-say, that was our one and only night in that hostel! haha! That night we went out to this local spot called Mama's & Tapas...exhausted from traveling all day, we didn't stay out late.

The next morning we got up and had breakfast at this oh so cozy restaurant called Cassis on one of the main streets. Raspberry tart, papaya juice, fresh breads, ham, cheese & jams...love Chilean breakfast!! After that we went on the hunt for a new hostel. We found this cute little place called La Tetera (The Teapot) and after seeing the rooms and the price with breakfast included, we were sold! After we moved our stuff we took a walk around the town. It was sunny and warm with a slight breeze and a perfect day for walking. We window shopped through some of the stores on the main drag and through some little stands in the park and then made our way down to the beach. Because of the volcano, the beach we went to was black volcanic sand...it was a surreal experience!! We hung out on the beach for a little while enjoying the sun and played fetch with a random stray dog...there were dogs running around that town everywhere! After the beach we walked over to another lake where there were tons of flowers and boats...I could have sat there for hours. **Mom I threw some pics in for you of a flower stand on the side of the road. The flowers are all carved out of wood. You really can't tell until you pick one up...I didn't believe it and made Ximena walk to the shop with me to prove it! lol

Walking back through town we started making stops at random excursion shops. We really wanted to go to one of the volcanic hot springs and do some ziplining. After pricing different places, we decided on a package that included both...we were to leave the next morning at 11am. Walking made us sleepy so we headed back to the hostel for a quick nap. After that we headed to the casino! My first time in a real casino...it wasn't that big really. We grabbed a drink and headed for the slot machines. After losing $15 I decided to call it quits...gambling was never really my thing, I don't even like the lottery.

Saturday morning we got up early and got ready for our trip to the hot springs!! Ximena and I are so much alike in our packing styles...you would think we were moving there!! lol The drive was only about 20 mins and the tourism place provided the transportation. The first thing we did was ziplining!! They drive us up this crazy twisting road up a steep hill. Here they gave us instructions (in spanish of course), and our first 2 lines were really low to the ground just for practicing. After that we walked up another steep hill to our first long, super high line. I had previously thought of trying to climb the volcano...a 5 hour hike...but after that hill, I realized I'd never make it! The first line they made us do in pairs...I went with one of the instructors. Now mind you, I'm terrified of heights but I love to challenge my fear. I would zipline again in a heartbeat!! The view, the adrenaline, the air...those guides have a really great job!!

After our lovely adrenaline rush, we changed into our swimsuits and heading to the springs. We were a little disappointed that the water wasn't that hot. It was kinda our own fault for choosing the biggest company in town that cares more about the number of people they book rather than the quality of the place they take you too. But the sun was shining, there were mountains and a volcano in our sites and we were relaxing...no complaints here!! **Don't forget to click on the pic for the photo album!!

Sunday was our last day in Pucon. It was really, really windy, to the point where dirt and dust were blowing into our eyes. It was then that we decided to leave. Our trip home was quite the adventure!! We walked to 4 different bus companies to find a bus to Temuco. Remember it was Easter Sunday, so once in Temuco we couldn't find any tickets back to Concepcion!! So Ximena has an aunt that lives only and hour or so away from where we were. So we took a bus to her city and stayed with them for the night. Just like the rest of her family, they were very welcoming and nice. I got to have my first Chilean style hotdog, complete with aioli, avacado, ketchup and sauerkraut...I hate to say it, but it almost beat Happy Dog!!!

Monday afternoon we finally made it home and spent the rest of the day relaxing from vacation!! lol

The university & my house

Week one is in the books with 19 more to go! I'm working on loading the photos to Kodak slowly but surely. I'll have them up soon, I promise!

So lets start where I left off last time which I believe was last Tuesday. Ximena and I went to the local mall to do some window shopping. Most of the stores were open, along with the theatre and food court, but the bowling alley was still closed and under construction from the quake. And I got to try what they consider the BEST hamburger in Chile from a place called Rich. I have to say, it was pretty tasty!! Although it still doesn't beat a Lolita burger ;)

Tuesday was the first night without a curfew in the city. They had it in place for a month because of people looting during the night and wanted people to be safe. So that night Ximena and I got an invitation to our neighbors house to watch a movie with a couple of friends...we watched "Up" (in english with spanish subtitles), haha. After that we took a drive around the city to look at some of the damage without all the crazy traffic around! There are so many buildings waiting to be demolished, it's insane.

Wednesday I decided to take a walk down to campus...I wanted to see how long it would take me verses paying for a colectivo (shared taxi) every time. The walk wasn't bad, only about 20-25 mins, and although the day started out gloomy, it turned out to be a beautiful and full of sunshine! I met up with Nicolas and Daniel, fellow classmates of mine who gave me a tour of the campus. There are only 2 buildings that had structural damage during the quake. The main one is the chemical engineering building. It caught fire and exploded,not just once, but twice, due to the contents of the building. The building attached to it was damaged as well. The library had no structural damage but is closed off because pretty much every book that used to be on a shelf, is now on the floor! The campus in general is beautiful. The college is famous for the medical arc and for the clock tower(which also happens to be the mascot). There is a superstition at the university too. Under the medical arc the school emblem on created in tile on the ground. As you watch people walk thru, you notice no one evers walks over that emblem. They say that if you do, you will not finish your degree...better safe than sorry I say! Click on the photo. It's a link to pictures of the campus.


In an effort to keep this blog from being ridiculously long I'm going to end it here and will write about my trip to Temuco & Pucon in a day or so. There is one more set of pics to go with this blog. Click the photo to see the rest of the house I'm living in!!

Blog 1 Pics

My next update is in the works and should be up in the next few days! Here is the link to the pics that go with the last blog, just click on the photo!!