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