Views of Santiago!

Hola!

        I wanted to go ahead and post some photos from Santiago before time went by, I also have a picaso album, but chose a few from around the city to put up on here as well. I tried to label and explain as much as I could, not sure if the pictures do the city justice, but it really was a great place to spend three weeks with my fellow volunteers! Enjoy!

 Chilean flag in Santiago

 Monica & I

 Max & Matt

 Monica, Matt, Ashley, Jade, Chels, and Max

 Cerro San Cristobal

 Plaza de Armas Cathedral

 Mapocho river...a.k.a. mud sludge + trash

 View of the Andes atop San Cristobal

 At the top of San Cristobal

 Monica & Max

 Matt & I - our first asado!

 Max & I

Monica & I at the asado

 Entire World Teach 2011 group:)

Human Rights Memoriam 

Settling in...:)

Buenos Dias! I have arrived in my new town, which I believe is called Villa Alemana, but honestly I can't quite tell yet:) I am not living in Quilpue, rather teaching there! So I think I am located near Vina del Mar, which is a bigger city right on the coast of Chile....I am hoping my orientation improves!

I was so exhausted yesterday that I nearly slept till noon today...eeks! My house is located on the hill above the city and overlooks the beautiful town and mountains in the background. It is quite big and should have everything I need. My house is a 3 bedroom place, with 2 patios - it is so lovely and quaint. My new family includes Elizabeth mi mama, Carlos mi papa, and Emelia, mi hermana. My host parents are in their 30's (and newly expecting!) and my sister Amelia is 8. She goes to Colegio Montesol (by the way, colegio = school, grades 1st -12th) -  but I will not be teaching her in 4th grade because I will teach grades 5-12. My schedule is Monday-Friday 0800-1800, with breaks between classes, and I get done on Fridays at noon, which will help with traveling on the weekends!

If I had any doubts about Chilean food in the beginning, my mind has been changed! My family has already fed me some delicious food...and turns out, in Chile, I love fish! It is so different from the states....very fresh and tasty! I learned how to make homemade mayo today...which I realized I have not mentioned yet, but Chileans are obsessed with mayo.  Other strange food phenomenons worth mentioning since I am on the topic include:

-completos: hot dog + massive amounts of mayo + palta (avocado) = awful!!!
-excessive pan: white bread is a staple here. breakfast is always white bread with jam/butter
-yogurt, milk, eggs = not kept in the refrigerator....room temperature yogurt = unpleasant and watery
-vienneses: a.k.a hotdogs...chilenos love these things....no entienda!
-empanadas: delicioso!! I really like these...they are essentially pita pockets with all kinds of ingredients, meat, cheese, olives, ham, the occasional egg...you never know what you might find:)

The only other things that really throws me for a loop is the toilet paper thing...its never ever flushed, it is always placed in a garbage next to the toilet. need I say more....? My sister Alissa would freak...:)

Overall, I am very happy. It is very difficult to be in a place where nobody really speaks your language. My host family speaks very quickly, and I feel so ridiculous always asking them to slow down and repeat...I feel like a child, who knows few words and can ask for so little. I know this is part of the process, learning Spanish has become very important to me, and I know this means having patience and working at it, and above all, making a fool of myself. My family does a good job teaching me, and being patient...and when all else fails, there are laughs to be had. I remain content: I have hot water, the internet, a cell phone, and am very very comfortable...so much for roughing it! We will see how winter goes though;)

I miss home, and think of it often and fondly.
till next time,
lck

Quilpué: my new home!!

Today was a very exciting day!! I was able to find out my regional placement and the school I will be teaching at. I depart for Quilpué, Chile on Friday! I still don't know any information about my host family, but Friday they will meet at the terminal! I am very excited for this placement with the Colegio Montesol, my field director Heather has given me great reviews of this school and I cannot wait to meet my students!! Additionally some of the great people I have met are going to be near me, and we are very close to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar which are on the coast of Chile:) News to come!!


On a different note, I have not been able to write since the weekend, but I would really like to dedicate an entry to the amazing experience I was able to have last Saturday. We were lucky enough to have Andres, and his daughter/translator Paola, take us around Santiago for a Human Rights tour.Prior to this trip, I knew so little about the history of Chile and the unbelievable tragedies that occurred during the dictatorship, and fear I am unable to do it justice (but will do my best). Our "tour guide" was Andres, a man who was actually detained and tortured by the secret police during the Pinochet regime from 1973 to 1989. With Andres we went to many different sites of torture and execution of Chileans considered to be a threat to the government...men and women, most in their early 20's but some as young as 16 were taken and detained by the secret police, tortured for information, and some were never found again. The details of these awful events were first hand from Andres, and he lost many friends and colleagues during this time, and was tortured and humiliated for information. It was a very powerful and impressionable day that brought many tears to my eyes and pain to my heart. The suffering of these people, and the fact that there are so many "disappeared" is a very sad part of the history for Chile. I have never met someone so brave, strong and kind. Just looking at his eyes, there was no hate or bitterness, but the acceptance and forgiveness of those who had hurt him. This experience was very important for us to have in understanding the Chilean way of life and attitude.


This week has been really busy and full of a second orientation by Ingles Abres Puertas - We also went out for terramotos (a Chilean drink made of Pineapple ice cream, wine, and brandy a.k.a. an earthquake!) with our Spanish tutor Arnavik, who is a lovely hilarious man:) Tonight is one last asado with some friends who live in Chile, and by friday I depart! Yahoo!


More to come,
lck  

 Santiago de Chile

 Cerro San Cristobal

La Moneda Palace

Buenas Dias! Today was my last day of WorldTeach orientation! We have been super busy since arrival going through all kinds of teacher training and preparation for our roles as English teachers for Ingles Abres Puertas. This weekend we move to a new hostel in Santiago and meet up with many other volunteers participating in the program. Sad to leave our lovely hostel, but excited to meet more volunteers and get moving towards my host family and host school scenario! I still do not know where I am headed next weekend, but I did find out that I was placed in region 5 - Valpo and am very excited about this! I will post details when I get them!

Tonight is my last spanish lesson as well - my spanish tutor's name is Arnavik, and he is a wonderful funny man who is very patient! Chilean spanish is unlike any other kind of spanish, and there are many words in Chile that means things here, but not anywhere else:) Chilenismos are everywhere and we have been learning many of them this week. My favorite thus far is 'es lo que hay (po)' - which means, "eh, it is what it is!" This week we have met many so many Chileans eager to help you and be patient with you, they are always reminding me to cover my purse and be careful - so sweet:)

What else? I have begun to adjust to the idea that white bread is my new staple, i also have fallen in love with a particular empanada (similar to a pita pocket? sort of...) "napolitana". And there is more fruit than I have ever experienced. Walking down the street there are vendors of every kind all over. It is also very hot and very sunny! I must say, coming from Minnesota, it is quite nice!! The sun really does feel hotter here though, and I have already achieved my signature "lobster" status amongst the group:)

I already feel that this group of people from WorldTeach are my new family, they are such amazing accomplished people that I am honored to work with. We have had a blast this entire week getting to know everyone and I am looking forward to the adventures that await us! Will write more soon, as for tonight, I am headed to my first asado (barbeque) on the roof of Heather's (my field director) apartment here in Santiago! 

Arrival in Santiago de Chile!

Hola! I have officially been in Santiago for 5 days! It has taken a few days of getting settled in to launch this site, but I hope this is going to be a good way to let all of my friends and family stay in touch back home!

Where to start? We arrived in Santiago at 5:45am on Wednesday March 9, 2011. After two connecting flights from Miami, Florida and then Bogota, Columbia, I was ready to get out of the plane! First observations?Santiago is a huge city, and looks upon first glance much like many other cities in Europe. The infrastructure, highway system, and transportation is very nice - so I have had no trouble getting from place to place. Our hostel is in the City Centro, which makes for a decent walk to just about everything you might need! Chileans are very friendly, eager to chat with you, and find out where you are from...(though, really, I  am obviously a gringa!)

One of the biggest adjustments in the first week has been adapting to the food:) There have been roughly 3 enjoyable delectable Chilean meals...but it is not an understatement of how much white bread they eat here! Each morning I have a white roll, a warm/watery yogurt, and instant coffee (Nescafe). They also give you a small chocolate cookie with every meal. which perhaps leaves something to be desired, but as the bread doesn't seem to hold too long, is a pretty tasty snack! I know I will find things that taste good soon, and everything is an adjustment, but I find myself missing Latte's, salads, and brown rice! To their credit, Chile has the most abundant supply of fruit and vegetables at all times, it is so so cheap to buy fruit I can hardly get enough!

I have to run to my spanish lesson, but look forward to more updates!
Chao!