Patagonia!

After a week of goodbye parties and the end of classes, we had one week to travel and decided to spend it in Patagonia. We spent a good 24 hours on a bus, waiting, and on a plane before reaching Punta Arenas. When we finally arrived there, we found out that the bus we had planned to take to Puerto Natales was full, so we had to scramble and find a hostel for the night. Luckily, the man who had driven our transfer from the airport to the bus terminal was also a hostel owner trying to convince us to stay with him, so we decided we could go there (convenient for him, huh?). We were also really sad about missing our bus tour of the park, which was supposed to leave from Puerto Natales at 7:30 the next morning, but this man also found us a tour that left at 6:30 from Punta Arenas (somewhat more expensive). What seemed like a lost day turned into a lost 10 mil (about$16). This used about half of the money we had allowed for incidentals, so we were pretty broke the rest of the trip.

Anyway, taking the bus tour was definitely worth it. We saw parts of the park that we couldn't cover on foot in the time we had. Basically, we saw a lot of guanacas (wild llamas), lakes, Glacier Grey, and Cueva del Milodon (archeology site where they discovered remains of prehistoric animals and people). We then got dropped off in Puerto Natales.

The next day we went on a hike to the base of the Torres del Paine. It was an amazing experience, but I think it's fair to say that no one warned us of how grueling the hike would be. It was basically like being on a stairmaster for four hours straight. The other problem was that you are only allowed eight hours to make it there and back based on the bus schedule (a lot of people camp out, but we weren't prepared for that). The first third of the hike is basically open grass hills, the second third is up and down in a forest near a river, and the final third is straight up a bunch of rocks (we were some of the few people not using poles). It was definitely a difficult hike, but very pretty along the way and sooo worth it for what we saw at the top! We were literally right upon the Torres! The other thing that amazed me was that there were many older people who made it all the way to the top. Wow!

So at the top, there is a lake just below the Torres, and Evan had the bright idea that he would try to swim in it (which I advised against). So, he was running toward the water (it was pretty darn cold!), and stubbed his toe on a rock, resulting in his losing the better part of his pinky toenail. Let's just say it was a very painful trip down the mountain for him. That night we went to the emergency room to make sure it wasn't infected, which it wasn't. They put on a nice bandage, and told him to change it every couple of days, take ibuprofen, and watch to make sure it didn't get pussy or inflamed. It has continued to hurt, as expected, but thankfully has not gotten infected or out of control. A lesson for macho men everywhere!

The next day we went on a luxurious trip aboard a boat to see the Glaciares Balmaceda and Serrano. It was a gorgeous boat ride, and we saw lots of waterfalls and animals along the way. We saw the Balmaceda Glacier from the boat. This glacier was really living proof of global warming. It used to reach the water, and has now receded considerably. We hiked to the base of the second glacier, which was even more impressive. Afterwards, we had a wonderful asado (BBQ), the only large meal of our trip. The other really nice part of our trip were the people we met, most notably Chilean-Americans from Minnesota. The husband is a part-time professor in Minnesota, and a part-time professor in Concepcion. They were very interesting to talk to! We also met an Argentinian couple from Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), three younger people from Santiago, and a Chinese-Canadian couple from Vancouver. All were exceptionally nice and interesting!

The next morning we made our way back to Punta Arenas, and found another hostel to stay at (the former one was full). We met up with four other friends from the program (up to this point it had only been four of us), and went on a tour to Isla Magdalena, where thousands of Magallanes penguins live. It was really amazing to see so many in the wild, and so up close. Sea World will seem like nothing now!

The next morning, we went to the feria (flea market) to buy some gifts, and then made our way home in the afternoon and evening (arriving in the early morning). I leave to go back to the US tomorrow evening (arriving Saturday morning). So, I will see you all very soon! Thanks to all of you who have kept up with this blog, and I forgot to mention earlier that I am sorry that I took SOOO many pictures in Patagonia (upwards of 300). Hopefully your computer can flip through them quickly.

As for any last lessons from the trip, I think I will wait a bit for that to sink in, and maybe discuss it more in person. In general, I would say that I have learned to have more confidence in my own ability to problem-solve, adapt, and live outside of the world I have known. I have also learned that the world is a lot more complex than I had ever really realized, and that living in a place for a while is the only way to really learn anything about that complexity. And, well, I hope I've learned a bit more Spanish too (and that I don't lose too much of it when I come back)! Chao! Nos vemos!

Thanksgiving, Last Weekend in Conce

Wednesday a new puppy named Lulu arrived at our house, bringing much excitement (and more visits from Evan). She is the daughter of Karen's boyfriend's dog, and cute as can be! This past Thursday, Thanksgiving, the program had a very nice lunch for us. The turkey was actually very tender, and there was strawberry instead of cranberry sauce (kind of funny but good). Overall it was a very nice meal, but it was not like Thanksgiving, since all the side dishes were springtime vegetables! It was somewhat unsatisfying (fruit salad for dessert), so I went to get a churro filled with manjar (dulce de leche) afterward (some things are better in Chile!). The whole family video-chatted in the afternoon, which was really nice. For dinner, my family decided to have a "Chilean Thanksgiving" for me, which consisted of completos (Chilean hot dogs, but better, with avocado and tomato). Overall, it was very satisfying.

Friday it was raining, but I went on a mission to find brown sugar and chocolate chips and ended up using golden ("dorado") sugar and a bar of chocolate chopped up. The latter tasted good, the former didn't work out as well for my chocolate chip cookies. They ended up tasting like sugar cookies with chocolate chips in them, but they were still really good. Everyone was very impressed by them since they have only had processed chocolate chip cookies, and the neighbor came over and took the recipe which I had written in Spanish so that my host mom could help me out. Later that night we skeptically went out to try this steak place, but it turned out to be amazingly good and cheap (delicious, huge filet minon and steak frites for $8!).

Saturday we had a very, very long lunch (ended at 6pm), and then we went out to take some pictures of the centro and listen to some music and eat some churros and choripan. It was also the annual telethon which benefits children with disabilities, so lots of bands play everywhere (on TV and live, especially in Santiago but also in Conce and elsewhere). My family then made a traditional Chilean dish which is like donuts fried and then simmered in a molasses/ginger/other things-flavored sauce. Later, we went out with Evan's "hermano," Juan, and talked for several hours at a bar/restaurant about all manner of things, all in Spanish. It was a great experience in showing me how far I've come, because I remember going out with him the second week and ending up reverting mostly to English.

Today I slept late (after being out late last night), then went to the mall to take some pictures of the Christmas decorations and buy a CD, then had lunch, studied some (finals are this week haha), had once, and watched some TV with my family. Yikes only two weeks left!

Araucania

This past weekend we went to Araucania, the poorest region of Chile, to visit with Mapuche families. The Mapuche Native Americans are famous for being the only tribe to hold off the Spanish conquest. For this reason, the Spanish territory never crossed the Rio Bio-Bio (here in Concepcion). Our Chilean history professor and her husband, the doctor who has organized the clinic and hospital tours, organized this trip and were our leaders in the venture. About 20 students from the program chose to go (this trip was optional and cost extra).

The first day we had lunch at the home of a Mapuche family who are friends with my professor. They fixed us a grand traditional lunch, and afterwards we learned how they make yarn from sheep wool and weave it (this part was amazing) and about their instruments, stories, and dances (we tried several techniques/instruments/dances and didn't do very well with any of them). The grandfather of the family came with us on the rest of the journey to act as our tour guide. Later, we continued on our journey, stopping at the beach and a couple of small towns. In one town, we visited the cross-cultural hospital, where both Western and Mapuche medical services are available. There we had the rare opportunity to see a "guillatun" (sp?) which is basically a huge ceremony in which various tribes unite to perform a ceremony to bring good luck in the coming season. We could not take any pictures, but trust me that it was very interesting. We arrived at where we were staying, our professor's brother's cabin (with lots of beds!), had a late dinner, and went to bed.

The next morning we got up early to go to Lago Budi. On the way we stopped at a museum which held many Mapuche tools and a replica of a traditional Mapuche home/hut. Next we took row boats to an island in the middle of Lago Budi, which was quite an adventure given the poor weather. We had lunch on the island (bread and cheese sandwiches, at which point everyone started to complain about how much we paid). We then got back to the cabin/house, where we began work on a huge "asado" (BBQ). The neighbors roasted a whole pig and several chickens for us, and there were also lots of salads, fruits, appetizers, wine, etc. Meanwhile we rode horses, went on a tour of the forest to collect herbs with the Mapuche grandpa, and watched the pig get roasted. Afterwards, we played drinking games, which lasted until long after I went to bed.

The next morning, we were woken up abruptly by our professor asking if we wanted to go on an ox cart ride. We ran out and watched the oxen get hitched by the Mapuche grandpa and then rode the ox cart to the top of a hill. From there we could see all around the area, and there was a huge field of gorgeous purple in yellow flowers which we played in. We had a wonderful lunch, and then we started the long ride back, stopping in some small towns along the way. Overall, it was a fun and very interesting trip. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera at many moments I needed it, so I am working on gathering some pictures from other people. I will post them when I can. Be home soon!

Atacama

So this past weekend a group of eight or so of us went to the Atacama Desert, although we ended up splitting into two groups for most of the time (due mostly to inability to reach each other by cell phone in the desert). Basically the Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world and is located in northern Chile, as well as Bolivia (but we stayed in Chile, near San Pedro de Atacama). This trip was by far the most expensive I've been on so far but well worth it and definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Friday we went on a tour of the Laguna Cejas, which is three times as salty as the ocean, and thus you can float in it. Next we went to see the Ojos de... (I don't remember), which are two identical, circular lakes right next two each other (for this they are called "ojos"- eyes). Finally we watched the sunset from a lake/salt flat. It's a lake during the winter and a salt flat during the summer, and as it is spring right now it is in the process of evaporating and very gorgeous.

Saturday in the morning we went to the Termas de Puritama, these thermal pools that are the perfect temperature and very pretty and clean. In the evening we went to Valle de la Luna, probably the most famous site in the area, where you can see the sunset reflect off the Andes Mountains, which change color due to the minerals in them. Unfortunately my camera was running out of batteries that night, so I don't have as many pictures as I otherwise would have. I will try to steal some from Dipika.

Sunday morning we woke up at 3:00 am to meet our 4:00 am tour for the Geysers de Tatio. They are two hours away and at their peak activity at 6:00 am (when it is also -10 degrees Celsius). But they were amazing- like a whole field of Old Faithfuls. Afterwards the three others swam in the thermal pool nearby. I just went in knee deep because I didn't want to have a wet bathing suit afterwards. Next we saw a bunch of vacunas, one of the two varieties of wild camelloids in Chile, roaming the desert. They were once endangered because their wool is incredibly fine and impermeable and their meat is cholesterol-free. Now they are protected and no longer endangered. Afterwards we went to a small pueblo where Native Americans live. They own 600 llamas (one of two types of domesticated camelloids in Chile- other is alpacas), which they live off of (meat, wool, tools). They sell llama skewers (also cholesterol-free) and goat cheese empanadas. They were both delicious!!

The next morning we went sandboarding in Valle de la Muerta. Basically it's like snowboarding except that you rub wax on the bottom of the board and slide down the sand dunes. It was a lot easier than snowboarding since a) it doesn't hurt if you fall and b) you don't have to leaf down the mountain because you don't get that much momentum anyway (although it was definitely still a thrill).

On the way back to Conce I got a taste of the US as Gilmore Girls came on the TVs and next to me was seated a man from Oregon who has lived in Chile for the past 15 years. We discussed our excitement about Obama and our views on how many of his promises he will deliver on (especially health care given my interests and energy given that he is an exec at an energy/tech company in Santiago, although about to retire and buy an organic farm near Conce). It was actually my first time ever having an extended conversation with someone seated next to me on a plane, and it was quite interesting. I always remember my grandma did this a lot, and I think maybe now I'll try it (although there is definitely something immediately bonding about meeting someone from your country in a foreign country, so I don't know how well this would work on domestic flights).

Overall this past weekend was absolutely amazing. The scenery was so gorgeous, and we met a lot of interesting people since pretty much everyone there was a European tourist (about 1/3 British, 1/3 French and 1/3 German). I also realized that I have lost sooo much of my French from being here. Everything I wanted to say in French came out in Spanish, just like the opposite used to happen when I started studying Spanish. I am scared to go to France now because I certainly wouldn't want to lose my Spanish- the language I will certainly need more in the future. We'll see though. It's not like I wouldn't want to go to Paris. Anyway, you'll note I got kind of overzealous with the camera at some points since it was so gorgeous. Hopefully you won't find my pictures boring. Enjoy!

Pichilemu

So, first off, congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama! Tuesday night was one time when I really wished I had been back in the US. It was really cool watching the election from here, but while Chileans rooted for Obama, most do not follow these things with the same level of detail as we do (not that they should). So, a bunch of us gringos from the program got together earlier in the evening, but the buses stop running at 12 (that would be 7 California time). We didn't want to be in transit during an important announcement, so Evan, Dipika, and I came back early. It was 1 am when the announcement came, and everyone else was asleep, but we were celebrating very animatedly while trying to stay as quiet as possible (this part sort of broke down as the calls from parents came in). We stayed up until 3 am to watch Obama finish his speech. It was truly a magical night (spoiled only partly by the passing of Prop 8, of which we learned the next morning).

This weekend, we went to Pichilemu with the program. Pichilemu is a small town on the coast, which is famous for its surfing (they just hosted the World Championships). We stayed at cabins on the beach, surfed, rode horses, and relaxed on the beach. We also went and shopped at the "feria" (kind of like a flea market). There we met this amazing woman, Carmen, who is my favorite Chilean I've met so far! She knew so much about everything! She could compare the climate of Sacramento and San Diego, which she analogized to the difference between Pichilemu (like San Diego) and nearby Santa Cruz (like Sacramento-- inland and hot!). She was also so thrilled to see a group of kids of all different races (I went with Dipika, Evan, and our friend Christine who is Filipina). Such enthusiasm for and knowledge about cultural difference is rarely seen in Chile (something I miss from California).

For meals we ate at the home of friends of our program director. The food was truly amazing-- both in taste and quantity! This weekend definitely had the best food I have eaten in Chile so far (although my host family's cooking is quite good and better than food I've had at restaurants or friends' homes, so I have to be very thankful!). I can't even remember nearly all that they fed us, but there were huge "asados" (BBQs) of basically everything imaginable-- meat one night, fish the next, and poultry the next (all with delicious sauces, tons of variety, etc.). The side dishes were also delicious. Mmmm....

I haven't gone into everything in terms of surfing and horseback-riding, but they were super fun! We could take a surfing lesson and then could go out on our own after (although I only took the lesson and then stayed on the beach later). Horseback-riding in a meadow and on the beach was also gorgeous! Basically, it was a super relaxing and super fun weekend!

Santiago!

So this weekend Evan, Dipika, and I went to Santiago with my host sister, Karen, and two of her friends. As they say here, "Santiago es otro mundo"-- Santiago is another world. It is completely different than the rest of Chile in terms of its level of development. It is very much like Chicago or New York, and now I know why people describe Chile as so modern-- in fact, Santiago is so modern, and Americans rarely venture outside of Santiago (except maybe to go to Torres del Paine). There was even a Starbucks near the apartment where we stayed, and, more important to us, the diversity there (both in terms of the ethnicity of people and the opportunities, restaurants, etc.) was so much more like California than we see here in Concepcion. In some ways it made me wish I could extend to Santiago for the rest of the year, but it also made me miss the things I love about California.

So, the apartment in which we stayed is the Santiago apartment of Karen's friend's rich grandmother. It was in the Las Condes area of Santiago, which is one of the richest areas and home to many embassies and diplomats (including the US Embassy). Friday we went to La Moneda, the Presidential Palace (sort of like the White House although she does not live there). Unfortunately we could not go in, but we took pictures outside. We also went to the Cathedral in the center, which was absolutely gorgeous-- very similar to European Cathedrals. Right next to the Cathedral is the Plaza de Armas, which was full of people, music, and art, and then we checked out the shops in the center and had lunch nearby.

Next, we went to go up the most famous hill in the city using a teleferico. I honestly don't know what this is called in English, but I think the term is maybe sky bucket or tram or something (I know they have them at the San Diego Zoo and Sea World and call them sky buckets, but I don't know if this term is universal). From there we could see the whole city, and at the top there was a pretty garden and a statue of the Virgin Mary. In the evening, Karen and her friends went out to a disco, but we didn't think we could make it till 6 am (they come back when the metro starts running again), so we just walked around the neighborhood, checked out some restaurants and pubs, and came back earlier.

Saturday we got up earlier than they did (for obvious reasons) and we walking around the neighborhood. Somewhat by accident we ran into the US Embassy. Unfortunately we couldn't go in because it was Saturday. The embassy was extremely large, with huge fences and lots of security (a stark contrast to the quaint cottage that is the French Embassy). In my opinion it sort of screamed "The Communists are coming!" but I'm sure it was less off-putting inside (Evan joked that we should be able to hop the fence because, well, they can't arrest you for going home!). We also walked to the Escuela Militar (the Military Academy), which was again very ostentatious.

In the afternoon, Karen's sister, who is a student in the Air Force, came to meet us, and we went to Starbucks! The only Starbucks in Chile are in Santiago, and it was somewhat of a welcome sight from home. It was rather funny because people here are still rather unaccustomed to Starbucks. Many did not know what a Frappuccino was (also, this was both of Karen's friends' first time at Starbucks). There was a turkey and cranberry sandwich, and no one seemed to be able to explain what a cranberry was (I still don't know whether there is a Spanish word, but no one here knew what they were even after seeing them). First, the "barista" told the woman it was English for turkey. We had to correct her and say that it wasn't. But then we couldn't really explain what it was-- we pointed and said it was like a raisin but red and sour, and then we tried dried cherry, but it's not really that either. Finally she just asked if they were yummy, and we assured that they were. She bought the sandwich, and we hope she liked it.

Afterwards, we went ice skating at the mall. I am not a good ice skater-- I am from California-- but the three of us were definitely better than almost everyone there, so I think I've discovered that Chileans don't ice skate very much. Afterwards we walked all around the mall and had some ice cream. In the evening we cooked ravioli and then went to bed early since our bus was early this morning.

I am overall very glad I went to Santiago, since it has shown me a completely different side of Chile. Finally, with two days left, Obama-Biden '08!!!

Return to Lota, Plus Valparaiso and Vina del Mar

So last weekend we stuck around Concepcion, except for taking a day trip back to Lota to interview various people for our project. I interviewed my "hermana"'s mom, who is a schoolteacher in Lota. It was overall very interesting, discussing politics, education, etc. She was wonderfully welcoming, and unexpectedly fixed us all a feast of a lunch!

Last week during the week we had an evening performance of all of our poetry/interpretive dance performances for our Chilean literature and theater class (we do study literature as well, but this part was more interpretation of poetry-- more free form). They closed a restaurant for all of us to perform, and it was great to see what everyone else had done. Ours turned out very well, the highlight probably being Dipika playing her clarinet.

This past weekend we went to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, on the coast parallel to Santiago (so North of here). Valparaiso is Chile's third largest city (after Santiago and Concepcion) and its most important port. Vina del Mar (about 20 minutes away) is where Santiago's elite have their summer homes on the beach.

We took the night bus Thursday night, and arrived early Friday morning. We found a hostel then set off to see Pablo Neruda's home in Valparaiso (San Sebastiana), winding along the hills and seeing the sights of the city (too bad it was such a foggy day). Valparaiso reminded me a lot of San Francisco, with all of its steep hills, colorful homes, and nearby bay. We then went out to lunch at a lovely restaurant and in the afternoon headed for Vina. We went to the National Botanical Gardens just outside of Vina then to the Reloj de Flores (Flower Clock) and the famous Hotel Del Mar (luxury hotel and resort on the water).

Saturday we set off for Isla Negra (an hour and a half from Valparaiso), Pablo Neruda's most famous home. Our guide was wonderful, slowing down a bit for us and talking to us all about our experience in Chile. She also allowed us to take photos in the home, even though it was prohibited! So, please enjoy these extra special photos! In the evening we went to a flamenco show in Vina's gorgeous theater. We got cheap (less than $4) student tickets, so we were way up in the rafters. But we could see just fine, and it was a lovely show!

We then took the night bus back Saturday night because today (Sunday) was election day here, and as voting is mandatory ($70 fine for not voting), everything is closed. It's a good thing we did because we could not sleep at all on that bus (due to changing our tickets at the last minute, we had seats in the very back next to the bathroom). So, I slept till mid-afternoon here. We just studied and hung out most of the rest of the day. By the way, the elections here were purely local elections, so there aren't any huge results to report (not that most Americans even know who the President of Chile is anyway-- by the way, she is Michelle Bachelet, a Socialist). But, the Mayor of Concepcion will remain the same-- she is a moderate conservative, which makes my host dad happy but my host mom very unhappy-- she wanted the Socialist man to unseat her.

Basically that's all from here for now. We are halfway through the program now, which is already making me sad to leave my family here. We have a packed schedule for the remaining weekends, so let me keep you up-to-date. This weekend to Santiago with Karen, my host sister. Next weekend we go to Pichilemu, a small coastal town, with the program. The weekend after we are off to Atacama, the driest desert in the world, which is in the very North of the country. The following weekend we head to Pucon, a volcano which also has nearby hot springs, to stay in the cabin of one of Karen's friends. We will then stay here one weekend to hang out with/say goodbye to our families. Finally, we will spend Dec. 5-10 (after classes end) in Torres del Paine, at the Southern tip of Patagonia, to see the famous national park and penguins and such. I'll be back in the US on December 13th! Yikes!

Finally, with 8 days left to go, Obama-Biden '08!

Lebu, etc.

This past weekend we went to Lebu, a small mining and fishing town which is also home to the poet Gonzalo Rojas, a couple hours South of here. This was a mandatory trip organized by the program in order for us to see the poorer, rural side of Chile. We were placed randomly with high school students from Lebu for the weekend-- they guided us around Lebu, and we stayed at our homes. Basically, I think this trip could have been a lot of fun, but my student was a real jerk. He was just incredible immature and inconsiderate, which made the trip very annoying, given that I had to stay with him most of the time. But, parts were fun (mostly the parts without him). We went to the beach there, which is gorgeous and as these amazing caves that open up right on the ocean. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. We also all went out to a club, which was quite fun too (because all of the students were there). Finally, my student's sister, who was also my roommate, was very nice, and I talked to her for several hours. Overall though, it's not an experience I want to relive much, which is perhaps why I've been delaying writing this block. I think many parts of the experience reminded me roughly of the difference a Chilean would see in visiting UC students and visiting high school students in say, Tappahannock, Virginia (just to refer to somewhere I actually know). But, I must admit I learned a lot.

This week has been pretty busy as I'm settling in. School is getting busier, but more importantly other things are picking up. I am starting to volunteer two days a week in a school for children with Down Syndrome. I went to my orientation on Monday and will start right away. We also now have seminars one or two afternoons a week, discussing various topics about Chile (health, law, etc.). Today I went on a tour of a free community health clinic in a poorer part of Conce-- this is part of a three part tour of this clinic, the public hospital, and a private hospital. The tours are run by the director of this clinic. It was overall very interesting and pointed out what even a poorer country can do if it is committed to public health (as we are not in the US).

This weekend I am staying in Conce, except for a day trip to Lota to conduct interviews for a project. I think I need a break after all my traveling! Anyway, hope this finds all of you well and that Obama wins the debate tonight! FYI, daylight savings has already happened here-- we are now 4 hours ahead of California.

Settling In, Then Chiloe!!

So last week was rather uneventful, mostly just settling into the routine. Monday night we went out to eat at an Italian restaurant for a girl in the program's birthday, and I met one of Karen's best friends. Tuesday we went to "Day of the Translator" at the Univ de Conce, which wasn't that fun, but then we went out to a bar afterwards-- me, Evan, Evan's "hermano," Juan, and two of his friends. They are all really cool, and we talked a lot about US politics, Chilean politics, racism, American culture exported overseas, impressions of Chile and the US, etc. Unfortunately most of this was in English, but the subject was so interesting that I didn't feel too, too bad. Wednesday night I went out with Karen and two of her girlfriends, which was a lot of fun, and we spoke in Spanish the whole time (and they complimented me!), so overall great. Thursday night a small group of us gringos found a really nice cafe near the university which has hot chocolate (where they give you a chocolate bar and steaming hot milk and you melt it yourself), coffee, and delicious snacks and desserts. Later Thursday night, we left for Chiloe!

So 12 of us from the program went to Chiloe this past weekend. Chiloe is an island (the second-largest in South America, the largest is Tierra del Fuego) in northern Patagonia (but nine hours south of here). It is known for its incredible beauty and strong Mapuche (indigenous) culture. So, we left Thursday night and spent the whole night on the bus, arriving in the morning in Chiloe. Chilean buses are very nice (unlike most American buses), as they are the main means of transportation for the middle class. It reminded me much more of Amtrak than say Greyhound. Part of the busride was actually on a ferry, and this part was in the morning, so we got to go out and look around. The hostel owner picked us up at the bus terminal in his van and drove us to the hostel, which was very nice and close to the city (Castro).

In the afternoon we went to Achao (a smaller island but considered part of Chiloe) to see the oldest church on the island. These churches are famous because they are very old and made completely out of wood. To be honest, the town was farther than we had thought the hostel owner said and the church not as interesting as promised, so everyone was somewhat grumpy (after an all-night busride, an hour and a half more wasn't so welcome). We went to a restaurant there, which had decent food but terrible service and was overpriced (we joked they had brought us the separate gringo menu!). But while there we did see the most gorgeous rainbow! My slides are finally up, so you can check it out for yourself. You'll notice that some things were so amazing that I took quite a few pictures! I think it's that the pictures didn't quite measure up to the real thing, so I kept taking more. Oh so after the rainbow things got better, we went back to the hostel, bought some food and drink, and played mafia for a couple hours.

The next day was what made us feel the long busride had been completely worth it. We paid the hostel owner a bit to drive us and be our guide in the National Park. We went hiking through the forest, but the best was the beach! I can't quite describe it, but there is something different about the lighting here (Southern hemisphere, more towards the poles-- maybe like Alaska somewhat?). I think the pictures will describe it better than my words, but the pictures certainly don't capture it either. The entire scene was magical-- the ocean, the countryside, the mountains, the lighting. And to top it off it's springtime here, so we saw calves and ponies too! They were up close and so, so cute! You can see again that I took quite a few pictures of them. Also, two people in our group had a bet with a hostel owner up north in Valparaiso that they couldn't go swimming in Chiloe, so they did! How brave!

After the national park, we had a delicious, cheap lunch (always go with a local!) and shopped in the artisanal shops. At night we went to a party in the country. It was basically a lot of local country people, including some indigenous, playing folk music. It was very interesting, but very cold (sort of inside this wood shelter). We got back late, slept little, and woke up early Sunday for the long, long busride back to Conce. Overall, it was very much worth it! Please enjoy the pictures, now that I finally have them up (this trip definitely motivated me to do that).

A Taste of the US, and then Lota!

So Friday we didn't have much to do (given that we can't go anywhere this weekend since the Lota trip is Saturday), so Evan and I went to the mall. We needed to buy more minutes for our cell phones, some school supplies, and a hat for him (none of which he liked here). Mostly I just wanted some gelato, and we were probably a bit homesick. Anyway, we watched Viaje al Centro de la Tierra (Journey to the Center of the Earth). It was dubbed in Spanish, so it did actually have some educational value for us. But basically we just enjoyed feeling like we were a bit at home. I would feel guilty about this if I were only here for a little while on a trip, but given that I'm here for three months, I feel that it's ok to be somewhat American every once in a while (and malls are actually probably pretty universal by now).

In the evening, we watched the debate. It was covered on CNN International and was exactly the same as in the US (exact same program broadcast here- complete with Wolf Blitzer, David Gergen, et al.). Generally my family here didn't watch it but more just wanted my synopsis. My host sister's boyfriend watched some of it with us because he is a law student and interested in such things. I found out that they don't have debates of this format (one-on-one) here in Chile. Overall, I'm very glad to see Obama back on track and doing so well! I only hope this carries through the election.

Today we went to Lota, a small mining and fishing town an hour west of here on the ocean. The bus ride was early in the morning but very fun. We spent it practicing Spanish and English tongue-twisters with the Chilean students. The town of Lota is poor but absolutely gorgeous (I guess you would expect it to be given that it's on the ocean). First, we took a tour of the mine which closed ten years ago but is now open to tourists. It was really amazing getting a small taste of how difficult that work is. We then went and watched bread being made in a brick oven (the traditional way of the country) and of course ate some. Afterwards we had lunch-- salad, fried fish, rice, and ice cream-- but it wasn't very good mostly because it was just too salty. Luckily, we had a lot of delicious bread. We then went to an incredibly gorgeous park which I really can't describe. It's sort of like the Japanese garden in Golden Gate Park in that it's so manicured and nice, but it's a lot bigger and not quite in the same style. Maybe it's like an English garden. Anyway, I really need to figure out how to post a slide show. If anyone knows, let me know.

The other news of the day is that I think I can feel my Spanish getting better. I thought it was stagnant there for a while, but today I started to feel like I've made progress, at least on the understanding part. I was mostly able to understand the guide on the mining tour, and tonight at the dinner table the second wave of laughter for at least one joke was because I understood when they didn't expect me to, rather than because I didn't understand. So, hopefully I will continue to progress.

First Week of Classes

So my ear is completely better; I am just now having to finish out the course of antibiotics. Classes began in earnest this week, so I guess that's my biggest news. My intensive Spanish course consists of three classes-- pronunciation, writing, and grammar. In reality, they all overlap somewhat and all include reading and speaking (if you're wondering why those aren't one of the three), it's just that each one of the three does some reading and speaking but only really deals with one of the above subjects in addition. Each of these three classes has different professors. My pronunciation instructor is in her last year of getting her Ph.D. here and is from Mexico, which helps her in teaching us about the regional differences in Spanish. My writing instructor is also in his last year of Ph.D. training in Chilean literature and is from southern Chile but will start as a full professor of Chilean literature at a university in Santiago next year. My grammar instructor is also a professor at the Univ de Concepcion and our professor for our practicum course (go out and interview Chileans, write about it, present it) and is our program coordinator as well (meaning she coordinates housing and the "hermanos" program). They are all extremely nice; the writing instructor is the strictest but is very intelligent and engaging (kind of reminds me of Mr. Roberts). The other two are just very good and nice.

For my Latin American Studies course, there are two classes-- one for history and one for literature and theater. The history professor seems quite nice, but she assigns A LOT of reading (given that it is in Spanish and we all have to look up sooo many words). The literature and theater professor is an actor, which means that the course involves incorporating literature into theater more than the reverse. We read a lot of poetry, but we also do a lot of acting. We will be putting on a play later in the term (not exactly what I expected, but entertaining nonetheless).

I went to the mall with my family this week, and it is exactly like malls in the US, except bigger (although I think we have more; theirs is more concentrated all in one area). While there I had the best gelato I have ever eaten (better than Italy even)! It is kind of far away, but I plan to return to the mall just for that! We haven't been out much this week since we're all still a bit sick, but we plan to go out tonight (since we don't have classes on Friday).

This Saturday we (my school group) are going to Lota, a former mining town about an hour from here that is now a fishing and tourist town. Two of the "hermanas" (including mine) are from there and will be our guides on the trip. We will be touring the mine, a museum, and the park and will also have lunch and some time on our own. We will later return to Lota to do our practicum (see above).

A note on the food, since some have been asking: Breakfast and "once" (eaten in the evening), consist of roughly the same thing: bread (chilean bread is somewhat different from american bread, sort of like italian bread or italian rolls but denser) toasted with options of cheese, ham, mashed avocado (this is really good!), quesillo (something which we don't have but which most resembles the indian cheese paneer if you've ever had it; i also really love this!), marmalade, and manjar (a dulce de leche spread which is also really yummy). Tea is also always drinken with breakfast and once, and on special occasions you have sopapillas (fried pastries sort like beignets, which are also yummy). Lunch is the main meal of the day and tends to be basically like American dinners. There is always some sort of appetizer: salad (lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, onion, egg with a dressing of oil and lemon), soup, or artichoke is what I've had so far. There is then a main dish, which varies a lot, but some of what I have had is: pasta (bowtie with tomato sauce and vegetables and ground beef), chicken and rice, empanadas (pastry filled with cheese or a meat mixture-- very traditional chilean), sandwiches (not that common), asados (BBQs) for special occasions etc. For dessert, we usually have fruit (most often cherimoya, something I had never eaten before) and tea.

I actually quite like the food here, despite some telling me it isn't that good. It isn't anything like Mexican food (not spicy at all), which is a common misconception of Americans. I do miss the variety available in the US, but there are some things I wish I could smuggle back into the US, some of which we have but which just taste better here and some which we don't have: Chilean bread, marmalade (much better than in the US), avocados (also better), manjar, quesillo, juice (especially raspberry and apricot), and of course the gelato!

Anyway, sorry this turned out to be so long. Ciao!

Las Termas de Chillan

So, of course, nothing went as planned. Las Termas de Chillan was gorgeous (I am trying to figure out how to post a slideshow on a blog), but I got an ear infection, which really ruined my trip. I couldn't go in the termas (hotsprings-- see left the pools surrounded by snow and the Andes in the background), and I couldn't really go out much due to the ear infection. I also had to go to the doctor at the hotel and get some antibiotics, which was sort of a pain for Dipika's family. I think there was also some difficulty in their understanding that what I had was not just a cold, that I could not just drink liquids, rest, and hope it went away. I felt like such a burden, and some of what they said confirmed that I was in fact a burden. Anyway, I am thankful that her mom did take me and that I am on the mend now. Also, I am glad to be back here with my wonderful family that cares so much about me.

The area was gorgeous, however, and it was really wonderful to see the Andes mountains covered in snow. We went and looked at the termas but didn't go in. We also spent a good amount of time at the main hotel because Dipika's family likes to gamble a lot. None of us do, so we just hung out in the bar and watched the band. My favorite part of the whole trip was actually just hanging out in the cabin, which was really cute and rustic. We ate sooo much, which is very customary for the weekend of el dieciocho. Also, another girl from the program (also from UCSD) was there too because her mom is friends with Dipika's mom. So, we got to know her very well and are excited to have a new good friend in the program! I'll try to get pictures up ASAP, and please don't worry about my health. I am on the mend now. Classes start tomorrow so, ciao!

La Semana del Dieciocho

So this week is the week of el dieciocho (the 18th), which is the Chilean Independence Day. The official day is actually tomorrow, but tomorrow we leave for Las Termas de Chillan, which will be a separate post. So, on Monday we had our language placement exam, and on Tuesday we got the results-- all three of us are in Group 3 (the most advanced)! Hooray! Monday afternoon a big group of us met at the university, walked in the hills around there to a waterfall, and went out for ice cream.

Yesterday morning we had a general and academic orientation which discussed the basics and handed out syllabi for our classes (two intensive Spanish classes, one Latin American Studies class and one practicum-- going out and talking to people, etc.). Last night there was a party with our "hermanos" from the Universidad Santo Tomas. To be honest many of us felt like we didn't have as much in common with these students-- this university is more like a community or career college, and they are all culinary students. But, there was food, music, and dancing, so it was still fun.

Today in the morning we had cueca (traditional Chilean dance which is performed mostly at el dieciocho) clases, taught by our TAs (students from the Universidad de Concepcion). It was very fun and not as hard as I thought it would be (not that I'm an expert or anything)! Today in the afternoon we went to a cafe but then mostly just rested and packed.

Which brings me to the weekend plans-- Dipika and I are going with her family to Las Termas de Chillan. This area is in the mountains about an hour and a half from here and has skiing, hot springs, spas, a casino, shops, and restaurants. Her family has a cabin there (see picture, which was actually taken later than this post was written), and they told her she could invite one friend, so that's me. A group of guys (including Evan) is leaving Friday and renting a cabin of their own. So, we will meet up with them there. I don't plan to ski but will enjoy the hot springs and many other activities. I will be back on Sunday and update then or soon next week when classes start! Ciao!

First Night Out and Meeting My Family

The last 24 hours have been very, very eventful! Last night we had a party with our "hermanos." There was live music and food served tapas style. Afterwards, a group of about seven Chileans students and seven of us Americans went to a bar/disco. It was lots of fun, although mostly the dancing. Bars here are very smoky, which is something I'm not used to as a Californian. Also, the drinks (I just tried a sip) are very, very strong-- I really don't think I'll be able to drink them. But anyway, the dancing was very fun.

Today we woke up for breakfast, packed up, checked out, and then met our families. The dad, daughter, and her boyfriend from my family came to pick me up. We then drove to their house, where her mom was preparing a lunch of empanadas-- meat and cheese-- and lasagna. Lunch is the biggest meal here, with dinner being much lighter. After lunch, the daughter, her boyfriend, and I went to a sanctuary, which was gorgeous, a park, and the university. I probably should've brought my camera, but I'm trying not to be so much of a tourist. I do apologize for not having any pictures up yet.

We came back and then Evan came over. We live only four houses apart-- what a coincidence! His house doesn't have Internet, which is really too bad, but all of the houses are supposed to have Internet, so hopefully he will get WiFi. Tonight we had dinner (which is sort of more of a snack here), I gave my family their gifts, and then we were all able to talk to my mom on Skype. It was very exciting for them to meet each other!

A note on my Spanish: So, obviously, I do not come close to understanding everything everyone says. There is a lot of "Como?" and generally Karen (the daughter in the family) has to slowly explain things for me. I am very grateful that she takes the time to explain everything to me in slowly spoken Spanish rather than just translating for me (she studies English at the university so this would be easy for her to do).

Basically, the family I am living with is amazing. They are all so eager to help me out, and I think my Spanish has gotten a bit better just today. Or maybe it's just that my inhibitions in speaking the language have gone down because I have to speak it (Karen is the only one here who speaks English). Anyway, I should get to sleep since I have my test at 9:00 tomorrow morning, and I have to take the bus there (although Karen is taking me on the bus the first day to show me where to go, which to take, and how much it should cost so that the gringa doesn't get ripped off). Hasta luego!

The First Day (That I Didn't Sleep Through)

So, I slept through the better part of yesterday (after some quick initial exploring) because we didn't sleep at all on the plane. However, I did wake up for our dinner at 6:30. First, there were appetizers and drinks, which were quite good. I discovered that I really like the jugo de frambuesas (raspberry juice) that they have here-- something we don't have in the States. Anyway, there were several Chilean students from the university who were there to show us the cueca-- Chile's national dance-- because Independence Day is coming up this week. They showed us and asked for several volunteers to participate (I was not among them haha). We then moved on to a very lavish Welcome Dinner, which was basically a huge buffet. I met my "hermana"-- the Chilean student I am paired with to practice my Spanish, get help, etc.-- but did not get to talk to her very much, as she had other responsibilities (dancing, presenting, etc.). Lots of people went out after the dinner, but those of us who just flew in this morning mostly decided to stay back.

This morning we had a very nice breakfast-- mostly continental but some eggs and might I say very salty bacon. Then we had orientation for a couple of hours-- mostly just going over important things like the schedule, when rent is due, how to get our ID cards, do's and don'ts, etc. Then, Evan, Dipika, and I went and changed our money into pesos, watched cueca dancing in the Plaza de Armas, and walked (about 15 minutes) to the Universidad de Concepcion (see left-- entry archway). The campus is very pretty-- we took a couple of pictures, which I will try putting up later. We ran into some other people we knew from dinner last night while there, so we just chatted and looked around (no students are there because they have the week off for the holiday). We then came back and had lunch-- sandwiches and a chocolate crepe for dessert-- at a nice cafe on the Plaza.

Tonight there is a party at which we will meet more of the "hermanos." My hermana won't be there because she has an interview, but the daughter of the family I am living with will be, so I will get to meet her! I meet my entire host family and move in tomorrow. I will post how that goes! I think my posts will be not be as extensive as I settle in, but for now everything is new and exciting! I will try to post the few pictures I have taken (trying not to be too much of a tourist) when I can.

I'm Here!

So, it was a long journey, but I made it! It was an 11-hour flight from LAX to Santiago, which luckily went off without a hitch even though it was 9/11. The airlines was very nice, served two meals, and had a huge variety of movies, TV, and audio. There were so many good options that I didn't study any Spanish, like I had planned. Instead I watched The Bridges of Madison County, the end of Sex in the City (which we had rented but it froze on us), and Made of Honor. The only really bad part about the flight was that, despite lots of trying, I really couldn't sleep except for an hour or so.

Anyway, we met several other UC students on the plane, so we were able to get through Santiago together. Overall it was easy, except that my bags took a very long time to come. I was generally happy if I got through a transaction without them switching to English (despite what people may say, virtually everyone at the airport at least spoke English), although I think whether or not we continued in Spanish probably had more to do with their English skills than my Spanish skills. The flight to Concepcion was very quick (50 minutes), so I pretty much just watched the beautiful scenery, ate my snack, and then we landed. Once in Concepcion, the ten of us took three taxis to the hotel, where we checked in, and then went out.

We met our program directors in the lobby, who gave us a schedule for the next couple of days. We have a welcome dinner tonight (where we will meet our "hermanas"), orientation tomorrow, meet our families on Sunday, language placement test on Monday (yikes! mostly it doesn't matter what level you're in because they all learn the same thing in the end, but supposedly you will meet better people if you test into a higher level), abbreviated class on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Thursday off for Chilean Independence Day. One of the program directors also talked to us about our homestay families. Dipika and I already knew about ours, although she told us that we are in different barrios. Evan learned a little bit about his host family- they have been with the program for many years, and they live a couple houses down from my family! So, looks like we can get to school together.

We went out and walked around for a bit looking for some lunch but found many cafes, shops, ice cream places, open-air markets, etc. but couldn't find a restaurant that looked good. So, we went back and asked our program director for a recommendation. She recommended a self-serve place where you choose what you want and then pay accordingly. I got chicken and rice (technically arroz con pollo but nothing like the Mexican version-- much blander). It was good, but I think I will miss the variety of food available in the US. Anyway, we then came back and slept a couple of hours, and it is now nearing time for dinner. I will keep you all updated!

What I Know So Far...

So for those of you who don't know, I will be spending the next three months (from September 12-December 13) in Concepcion, Chile. Concepcion is the second-largest city in Chile and is a couple hours south of Santiago. I will be there studying through the University of California study abroad program, which is affiliated with two universities in the city (Universidad de Concepcion and Universidad Santo Tomas). While there, I will be taking primarily intensive Spanish classes, as well as a class in Latin American Studies. For those of you who have been asking, I will not be taking any biology or science classes (my Spanish isn't good enough, and that's not why I wanted to go).

My classes will be with other UC students (from all campuses), but they have set up programs for us to meet local Chilean students. They refer to these programs as the "hermanos" programs, in which we are paired with local students studying English, so that we can both practice our language skills. I have been emailed already by two girls, one from each university, who will be my "hermanas." One I just heard from, and the other I have been chatting with for a while. She is from the Univ de Conce and studies English and German. Her biggest hobby is watching theater (especially Broadway musicals).

While there, I will also be living with a host family. I have been emailed by the daughter in the family, who is also a student at Univ de Conce, studying English and French. She seems extremely nice, and I can't wait to meet her! Her father is a civil engineer and her mom is a stay-at-home mom. She has one sister who is at university in Santiago. They live very close to the university, so that should make my commute easier!

Anyway, I will update this as best I can and hope to hear from all of you! Please feel free to leave comments so that I know someone is reading this!