Start of school and more Santiagonian adventures!

Basically, these last couple weeks have been a blur.  After much havoc and running around, I chose my class schedule, and I am actually, believe it or not, quite happy with it!  I am taking all four of my classes through La Católica, which is the best university in Chile.  My final schedule is: Poesia Chilena (yeah, poetry....in spanish...about Chile...the professor is amazing and super energetic, and although I don't understand the poems and the people in the class are all like Chilean poetry prodigy students, I find the class intriguing), Folklorico Chileno (boring class. BORING class...I can't even hear the professor, no matter where I sit in the class, let alone understand him...only taking the class cuz Kate and Sam are in it), a Spanish grammar class (the only class I'm taking with foreigners), and Coro (yeah, you got it, chorus!).  Basically I needed a forth class that I could take for the full amount of units, but was easy and fun since lovely USC won't accept another class for ANYTHING.  The counselor at La Católica suggested this to me, even though I warned her that the only place I've ever sang was in the shower.  She said not to worry, and the girl that was in the office before me didn't seem like she had a good voice either.  I told her that that seemed pretty assuring to me, so I signed up for the class!  The first day proved to be a delight, and the first song we sang was in english.  How fun....except the song was spelled phonetically how chileans are able to speak english...a.k.a. "the" is spelled "da".  I have actually been meeting some really nice chilean friends in the class...I'm the only foreign person.

My schedule is actually a winner, too.  I have chorus on Mondays, and then all the rest on Tuesdays and Thursdays...

Other than school, I have been fully taking advantage of soaking in the Chilean culture.  I tried out for the varsity volleyball team at La Católica, and I made it...I went to a couple weeks of practice and then I decided that it was taking up too much of my time, so I decided to retire.  It was a great experience, and I met some great girls.  The coach, believe it or not, was one of the best coaches I've ever had.  Too bad I only had him for 2 weeks :( oh well.

Last weekend Sam, Kate, and I went to Viña del Mar, the famous beach town here.  We wore our bathing suits and sundresses, took the 2 hour bus ride to the beach, and it was 60 degrees and cloudy.  Nevertheless, the scenes were beautiful, and I can't wait to go back there again when it's sunny and beachy!  

We went to Cerro San Cristobal, this mountain that you take a cable car (scariest thing ever) up and you have a beautiful view of all of Santiago.  At the top of the mountain, there is a HUGE statue of Mother Mary.  It was a great site to see...very beautiful and peaceful!

I swear I have been eating nothing but dulce de leche, cheese empanadas, pistachio ice cream, agua con gas (fizzy water) in all different flavors, tomatoes, and avocados.  All of those aforementioned objects are available in copious amounts, and very much eaten by me.

Besides school and adventures, I have been spending much of my time getting lost!  Getting lost here in Santiago is not that bad...it's actually quite fun, and very educational.  The first week of school, I took a bus to a different campus to try out a class, and I was only supposed to have taken a bus home as well.  The trip home should have only taken me about 20 minutes total, for this campus was very close to where I reside here.  Much to my surprise, I became severely lost in the area around the campus, and it took me 4 buses + 30 minutes on foot after I decided to walk the rest of the way to return.  When I descended from the last bus in that adventure, I finally realized that instead of getting angry when I get lost, I should be appreciative, because it in turn makes me more educated of my surroundings, therefore I will learn the city better.  I got off the bus loving Santiago and with my new and improved mentality, and I looked onto the sidewalk I was about to walk upon and I noticed about 30 chilean construction workers sitting alongside a building on their lunch break.  I walked alongside them without making eye contact with any of them as I was cat called, tsk-ed at, called "rubie rubie (rubia = blonde hair, rubie=affectionate), said "I looove you" to, proposed to, and much more.  As I finally completed that march of love, I realized there is never any need to feel alone in the world, or unloved...because if you ever do, just dye your hair blonde and move to Chile.

My adventures here are nonstop, but they are just starting. I promise, more will be posted soon!

Love from this rubie,

Jennifer

Patagonia, the most magical place on earth.

Alright, I just got back on Sunday from the best and most adventurous vacation I have EVER been on...we had a 5 day break before choosing classes/attending classes started, so a group of us decided to take advantage of the most free time we'll have for the rest of this trip and take a plane down to Patagonia and fit in as much touring as we could during the long weekend.  Needless to say, it was a great start to my time down here in Chile.

Patagonia is the southernmost part of Chile/Argentina...it's VERY cold, and if you've never heard of it, google it...it's full of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.

On Wednesday night, Leif picked me up and we took a bus and metro to meet Kate at the stop where we pick up the buses to the airport.  We all boarded the bus with our huge backpacking backpacks and other luggage we needed and awkwardly entered the airport.  Our flight was painless, except for the fact that I get nervous on airplanes...like to the extreme.  I sat in between Kate and Leif (poor guys) and they held my hand like I timidly requested while we were taking off.  Leif was grossed out that my palms were sweating so much because I was nervous, and would only put his hand on top of mine to avoid the sweaty mess.  What a great friend :) Hahaha oh jokes.

We arrived in the Punta Arenas airport and it was FREEZING.  We grabbed our luggage and took a transfer to our hostel.  Sam, Beth, and Matt, who arrived to Patagonia earlier that day, called us and told us to meet them at a local bar.  We dropp

ed our stuff off at the hotel and then met them at this po-dunk amazingly chilean bar where people were salsa dancing and having tons of fun.  The girls immediately found chilean hombres to dance with and learn the moves, and Leif and I stayed on purse control.  

We went back to the hostel, where we all shared this big room with six beds.  The next morning, we woke up and went out into the tiny town of Punta Arenas, found some food, explored, and then got bundled up to go on the PENGUIN TOUR!  

We took a 2 hour boat ride to Isla Magdalena, which is basically a freezing island filled with penguins!  We got off the b

oat and we explored the island for an hour.  We were able to get so close to the penguins, and poor Leif even got bitten by one!

It was so cute seeing the thousands of penguins just waddling around on the island...they sure do have a different life. I have a new appreciation for those little black and white guys :)

The next day we woke up early to take a 4 hour bus ride to Puerto Natales, so we could take a 2 hour bus ride to Torres del Paine.  We basically spent our bus rides sleeping and eating because we were already exhausted from the trip, and the hard part hadn't even begun!  Because we didn't have enough time to camp, and we planned the trip last minute, we ended up having to book a room at the most expensive hotel in all of Patagonia, Hotel Torres.  It was absolutely ridiculous...we all shared a triple room, with two people to a bed.  

Me in front of la cordillera with the rainbow before our beautiful hike up Torres del Paine:)

Our only option for dinner was the resort's expensive and super fancy restaurant, so we were very out of place in our dirty sneakers and sweats eating alongside the world's most wealthiest and 'super refined' travelers.  We got a few looks, but the waiters loved us.  I think they were excited with the opportunity to finally talk with people under the age of 60.  We then went back, showered, and got ready for bed as we had a huge day ahead of us.  Kate and I were sleeping buddies, and believe it or not, we got a good night's rest.

We woke up bright and early at 6am, because we had to start our hike by 6:45.  The nature/mountains/lakes/waterfalls were absolutely amazingly beautiful, and it had rained throughout the entire night, so there were a couple of majestic rainbows.  The hike started out fun, but we were trying to go at a fast past in order to be back by 1:30.  It normally takes people 8 hours total to hike the Torres del Paine, but we had to do it in under 5 hours.  It didn't take long for us to get completely exhausted. The wind picked up right as we were at the top of a cliff, and Kate and I feared for our lives because the trail was so narrow and steep.  The hike was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my entire life, but I'm glad I did it.  We felt so accomplished...it was definitely not for the feeble-hikers.  It's been 3 days since the hike and we're all still immensely sore.  It really bonded our group, and it was the most memorable experience of my life. 

That night after catching the 6 hour bus ride back to Punta Arenas, we got ready, went out for Beth's birthday dinner, and then went out to a bar.  It was a fun night, but ended very early due to our immense fatigue, or deliriumS as Leif put it.

We woke up Sunday morning and hopped on a plane back to good 'ol Santiago, and here I am! 

Sorry the post was so long...and I promise more updates soon!  Blogger is being a buttface and  I am having a hard time uploading pictures, so I will soon I promise!

Penguin love,

Jennifer

Schooling in Santiago

So starting last Monday, I've been going to school for 8 hours a day for a 2 unit CIEE course in order to integrate with the chilean culture and its history and people.  The lectures haven't been 100% enticing, but what HAS been fun is going out and exploring all the Santiago has to offer!  On Monday, we walked over to la Plaza de Monedas, which is the chilean equivalent to the white house.  It, too, is white and huge, and there are chilean police officers called carabineros heavily guarding the vicinity.  In the background of this picture is la Palacia Moneda.  In the front of this picture is my little CIEE group and our instructor.  It was soo hot walking around, but it was totally worth it.  The streets in downtown  Santiago are so wide but filled with people walking around!  Señor Gonzalez works to the left of the picture!  

The rest of the days, we went touring around Santiago and listening to more and more lectures.  It was fun, and I really got to know our group a whole lot better.

This post has to remain quite cortito because I am currently about to leave the door to catch a plane to Patagonia, which is the southernmost tip of South America.  It's cold and rainy there, but it's going to be beautiful, and I'll even get to hang out with the penguins!

Life here in Chile is absolutely amazing.  I will post more pictures and anecdotes upon my return from Pat!

Mi familia cariña

The past three days  with my host family have been absolutely a joy...I did not imagine that it would be this pleasant and fun and perfect...especially since the picture that they sent in to the program was one without them smiling (I become nervous...but very prematurely). Funny story-when I was at the supermercado, I paid with my credit card and they asked to see a copy of my passport.  When I was getting it out of my purse, the sheet of paper that had the picture of my host family (the Gonzalezes) fell out, and my host father said "AY! QUE MALO ES!"...meaning "wow...this picture is really bad!"  I was laughing so hard that I had to tell him the story about  me being very concerned that everyones' host family picture had them smiling but mine were very stern looking!  It was hilarious...

Anyways....my family has wasted no time with getting me accommodated.  I have been with them for three days now and I've already been to the Nuñoa's park, grocery stores, super markets, swimming in the pool with the family, I played ping pong with Señor Gonzalez (and he wants me to call him Tío, and Señora Gonzalez, Tía), went to la ferría, which is a fruit and vegetable market, met the entire Gonzalez family (today was my host sister's, birthday), and so much more.

Oh, and about my family!  I have a madre, padre, and hermana!  Evelyn, my host sister, just turned 28 today! None of them speak english, so my mind has not had a second to rest the last three days.  I can only speak spanish, or I have to be a mute!

Last night, for Valentine's day, Evelyn invited me out with her friends.  Since Sam was out camping and canoeing with her host brother, Evelyn invited Kate to join us!  We went out at 10:30pm, and met Kate at the subway.  Then we went to this really fancy bar...it was packed with all of the pololos (pololo=novio in Chile!) and it was romantic, so Kate and I enjoyed being each other's date for Valentine's day.  We started the night speaking in complete spanish-with not a word of english, but as the night wore on, we decided that we could use this time together to give our minds a rest and resort to english...good idea because we were there till 5 o'clock IN THE MORNING!  2:00am rolled around and Kate and I were exhausted, thinking it was almost time to leave...but no! These chileans stay out practically until the break of dawn...we went downstairs to the basement and joined all of the young chilean crowd in the discoteca, and danced for 3 more hours!  Kate and I were the tallest women there, and the most gringa.  It was hilarious, and I am so happy I got to experience the chilean nightlife on my second night in the country, but I was glad to go home and finally fall asleep!

After mass today, my family wanted to introduce me to the priest.  Señor Gonzales leaned into this older priest, and said "TENEMOS UNA GRINGA!! SE LLAMA JENNIFER!", and since the priest still had his microphone on from mass, it echoed throughout the entire building...it was too funny to be embarrassing :) hahaha  

Oh, and during mass, I think I spotted another foreign exchange student!  There was this guy about my age who was very very white and was standing about 2 feet taller than the dark family next to him.  Evelyn and I were cracking up and we are almost positive that he's a student...practically the hugest guy in mass!

Tonight we had a great celebration for Evelyn's birthday....I met the entire family and some of Señor Gonzalez' brothers and sisters.  They are all so nice and I feel like I've known them for forever!

Alright...I have to wake up in 6 hours for my first day of CIEE classes on contemporary chile!  

Besitos,

Jennifer

Mi nuevo hogar...

Qué una semana!  The past two days have been such a blur...it seems as though they have been mixed into one!  Let me start from the end of the first day in Santi...

CIEE shuttled us to this amazing restaurant in the heart of Providencia (which is now Sam's new home!)  There, we were all immediately served Pisco Sours, Chile's most well-known drink...it has tequila and pisco (unattainable in los estados unidos) in it, and my goodness was it good!

Everyone was excited to find their new favorite drink in the latin american specialty of pisco sour-also known as the cheapest drink you can find on the menus!  The restaurant had authentic chilean food, and there was a live guitarista playing songs about chile and its heavenly sights.  We then had dinner along with some fine chilean wine, and were shuttled back to the hotel.  

Upon returning to the hotel, we all decided we wanted to see what downtown Providencia was about.  We traveled to a karaoke bar, where it was just us and random chileano hombres.  After watching many make fools of themselves, I decided I wanted in.  I kindly asked/forced Sam to sing "Fotografia" por Juanes with me.  The man was impressed that we knew such a song, and we sang it to the best of our abilities, oh yeah, along with some creepers who came up and sang and took pictures of us with their super metro nokia camera phone.  Definitely hilarious and definitely glad I took Jujitsu before coming here. :) hehehe...

After a couple karaoke adventures, we decided to head home a little early and get some rest.  Thursday morning came fast, and we woke up and went downstairs for a nice santagonian breakfast.  It included crackers, cheese, and tons of meat.  I'm not quite sure if it was really a santagonian breakfast, but it sure is a lot different than what I'm used to, so I guess that classification will have to fly.

We were taken to this amazing vegetarian restaurant for lunch, where we had agua SIN gas.  It's kind of weird here.  There are two types of water...water con gas or water sin gas...without gas is no fizz, and with gas is fizzy...but saying "con gas" or "sin gas" when ordering at a restaurant has its inevitably immature hilarity...

The evening came quickly, and we went out to enjoy another chilean dinner...this time on our own cuenta.  We got a recommendation from the señor in the hotel, and off we went.  Then we went out a bit for Matt Wilson's birthday (he turned 21...anticlimactic a bit?) and we had a blast dancing at un discoteca!

Then we went home...had to get rest, because today we met our host families!

And that, my friends, will have to wait for tomorrow because I have to go to la ferria manana con mi familia, and I have to get my beauty sleep that has been severely lacking :)

Alright alright-let's just say-I love my host family...I can't wait to talk about them and my experiences with them today about it tomorrow in my post. Confusing? I'm delirious.

Hasta :)

                                                     Henneeeefur

Santiago, my new home for the next 5 1/2 months...

I'M HERE!  I seriously never thought this day would come...the day when the highly-waited 5.5 month culture shock-filled study abroad adventure would begin!  I'm here, in the very sunny, very hot, and VERY foreign Santiago.  

The plane ride was great, minus the fact that I managed to get a measly 3 hour-night's sleep...Kate, Sam, and I all sat next to each other, and slept, watched movies, and shared intimate secrets and anxieties about our upcoming South American adventure.

Alas, we touched down.  Nothing special, really.  It basically just looked like California...but I knew the real adventure was awaiting when I could leave the airport and explore Santiago.

We made our trek out of the ginormous jet, and proceeded to customs.  I was called in with my passport first, and ended up being the last one finished-go figure.  The man wouldn't stop talking to me and asking me questions.  Our conversation was entirely in español, and he admitted to me that when he first looked at me, he thought I wouldn't be able to speak spanish (like I haven't heard that one before), but he is VERY impressed with my skillz!  Booyah!

Oh, and during the flight, we had been forewarned about smuggling in agricultural goods--produce and NUTS.  I was freaked out at such a thing and was struggling the entire flight with the decision to either toss the 3 pre-packaged trail mix packages that Bubba packed for me, or fill out a separate sheet to attempt to claim them.  In the end, I decided that I was going to throw them away...for fear of a hefty fine.  So, when I was chatting it up with the customs hombre, all of a sudden I freaked out because I thought it was too late to dispose of the nuts, and I hurriedly but quietly said, "OH! SENOR!  Los nuts! los tengo!" ...he was so confused...and said "Que, senorita?" and I was like "Los nuts! Del Trail Mix!!! Aqui, tengo tres paquetas! Tomalo....puedes comerlo!"  And I proceeded to slide my trail mix packages through his glass door and smiled as he looked on in immense shock.  If you don't know spanish, basically, the dialogue was me telling him that I had nuts, him not knowing what I meant, and then telling him they were nuts in trail mix packages, and then I proceeded to give him the packages and told him that he could eat them if he wants to.  

I'm sure that's one of the many confusing/ridiculous Jennifer-gone-latina spanish conversations that will erupt during my visit here.

After we got our luggage, we found the CIEE man and he led us through the airport-everyone was staring at us because we all looked so out of place, but what surprised me and I guess it shouldn't have was how darn hospitable chileans are.  It's remarkable.  I know you can't be too trusting, but they took such good care of me and my luggage and with helping me find my way, that I couldn't believe it...you just don't get that service in the U.S...and definitely not at LAX!

We all arrived at the hotel, got assigned our roommates for the next two days, and then walked a few blocks for lunch.  It was some kind of smorgus-board cafeteria, and I had to be vegetarian for the afternoon because I could not cut the meat, let alone chew it!  It was all fun though...

We got back to the hotel, then had an orientation session, met everyone in the CIEE group, and now we have a 3 hour break before we go out to dinner and whatever else we want to do-we'll be freed!  Hallelujah!

Alright...I think I'm going to shower finally and take a nap.  I am so delirious I feel like the ground is shaking under me...but-they do have earth tremors in Chile! So....

Hasta luego!

dallas: the land of opportunities

Finally the day of travel has come for this weary but excited future Santiagonian!!! Late this morning, after a tearful goodbye to my mamacita, the travel chauffer, the one and only Bubba Mansour, drove me to the Southwest Florida International Airport...once I got to the airport, I immediately sighted the airliner that would take me to my desination: Air Force One!!! No, Nelly wasn't singing his jam, and I wasn't running around in those super fly tennis shoes...President Obama was giving a speech in Ft. Myers when I arrived at the airport, and so I got to witness the ginornous jet with it's glaring "The United States of America" parked in it's secluded area of the airport. Yeah...I guess I felt pretty cool:) But no, I got you there...no Air Force One for me...I boarded a flight for commonfolk.

After a tearful goodbye to Bubba, I put on my huge traveling backpacking backpack-stuffed to the brink-and went through security. I hopped on the plane, and after a bit of turbulence and a decade of my finger rosary I brought with me, I landed in Dallas! Hallelujah! Now I have only 4 hours left of this eye-opening layover...the terminal that I am camping out in is soley for international flights, and it is unbelievable. Restaurants gallore, a bunch of foreign looking people (I feel like I'm back on USC's campus), and definitely some sketchy people...but all in all it's pretty amazing!

I think the first batch of my fellow CIEE-ers arrive in about an hour or so, so maybe I'll be able to spot them (if they look anything like me, then I know I can look for a glossy-eyed/weary/very excited mix of a person)!

Well well! I have some web surfing to get to, and I have 10 minutes left on my wireless meter!
Adios for now...in 15 hours I'll be in Santiago!