offically more than a week

Hola!

So its officially been more than a week since I arrived here! Wonderful. I've gotten lost so many times trying to either find my house, or La Catolica. I get there eventually, thank goodness. We started ILP (Intensive Language Program) classes on Monday. My professor, Lésmer, is really fun and overflowing with information. A jolly man. We have reviewed grammar, once again. But we've also learned a lot about Santiago, people's different perceptions of Santiago, and little facts about how to not invade people's space in the metro, while keeping your stuff safe. He's a passionate guy too, talks a lot about the poverty, the misery that hasn't surfaced publicly. Like many large cities around the world, Santiago is separated into different regions. Some regions are filled with the upper, upper middle and middle class; these places have a lot of power, but they also consist of a smaller percentage of the population. Other regions are more "dangerous" and poor, and they are filled with a lot of people. In the peripheral areas of the city, tons of dilapidated houses made of cardboard, tin, old wood, all smushed together. There's nearly no space in between houses. These were the marginalized areas that we saw coming the aeropuerto to El Centro de Santiago. It's hard for me to enjoy Santiago at times knowing these things. A lot of the gringos here often complain about how Ñuñoa has nothing to do, and they're often looking for "cool places to hang out". It's totally an American thing to do. So many Chilenos don't have the time or the money to enjoy the supposed pleasurable things that Americans flock to try. If people want to experience the true Chileno life, I'd be sure that it would consist of less bar-hopping and more of carrying responsibilities. I know we have an advantage, both monetarily and academically (there's a little more leeway for alumos de intercambios). But that doesn't entitle us to splurge our money, or act as if we knew it all. I sense a sentido de superioridad at times from some gringos. But maybe I'm just being too critical. Or not.

On another note. This past weekend we went to Algarrobo, a nautical city situated about 1.5 hours away from Santiago. We stayed in a hotel (purposed more so for summer vacationers), and there we had our orientation for the program. We had a lot of time to explore so a lot of us went to the beach, to San Alfonso del Mar, home of the largest pool in the world. Yippee. At night people played pool, many decided to have a room party. Some of us just sat and talked to the monitores (Chilenos around our age that help us become familiarized with Santiago) and to each other. One highlight of this trip was the fiesta for San Pedro y San Pablo, saints of the fishermen. While walking with someone, trying to find where the majority of the gringos went, we ran into some gringos from our group and a chilena. They led us to a little blue building of a sort, that had an open roof patio thing. Bonfires on the beach were burning, people were surrounding it drinking their cervezas and Piscolas. On the top, lights were hanging from pole to pole, loud music from a live band was blaring while families, including abuelas, parents, and children were either standing around or dancing. Nearly all 50 of us were there. It was pretty obvious that the gringos had taken over. The band playing traditional Latin American dancey-type of music kept doing shout-outs to those from "C-AH-LI-FORR-NIAAAA". We danced and danced, invited abuelas to dance with us, talked to people (emborrachados y no emborrachados). Overall I had a good time. On the other hand, my clothes stunk with a delicious oder of smoke, beer (sort of... I don't know why, I didn't drink- I promise), sweat, and other strange smells. We returned to Santiago with our brains full of information about the program, and for some beginnings of a cold.

It's been quite an aventura trying to find my way around. I get lost because there's so many corners (esquinas) that look alike. I tend to forget the names of the streets because they are either too long, or they look alike. It takes about 35 minutes to walk to La Catolica. The first time I tried to find the place, it took me almost 2 hours. Good thing Chilenos are very helpful and kind.

Well then, picture time!

La Catolica

Protestas de los penguinosPerspectiva desde el auto (aeropuerto a Santiago)

el gato, esperanza, se acostando encima de la cama

Algarrobo

perros callejeros

puesta del sol

la piscina grande