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