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!