Día 6...primer día de clases!

Today was my first day of classes! I am taking two classes, and they don't start until 10 am, which is perfect! :) I am taking a grammar class and then a culture and conversation class. I think they are both going to be really useful and I am going to learn a lot!

It's cool, I am already having a little bit of trouble at night when i sit down in front of my computer to remember to switch back into english. It's great to know that even though I am using english some parts of the day, that my brain is starting to work more in spanish. And its nice that I haven't felt overwhelmed with the spanish yet either...but I am sure that will come at some point. lol. And I am sure my english, if you can't already tell is starting to suffer a little bit from this process. 

Erin and I ventured out on our own after classes today and went to the supermercado "supermarket" called "el jumbo", its like a walmart, and we bought a couple things that we have been needing to get. It's weird, some things I didn't think would be expensive here are WAY expensive. Like for example, body lotion. Who would have thought that right?

Also, since Erin and I had to have a visa to stay here for 6 months, we had to go today to the police station and register our visa. That was a pretty interesting experience. They are definitely on chileno time, not gringo time where people get things done fast and efficient. Dad you would go crazy here! :)

I wish I had my camera with me today though, because this evening we went to a basketball game of two boys (Ignacio and Gabriel) at their highschool. It was cool because it was a court outdoors. And those two were amazing players, like they own the team and score the majority of the points. I don't know if I said this already but those two are on the national basketball team for chile and the daughter (Maite) is on the national volleyball team for chile. Which is SO cool. This family is pretty tall too. I dont know what it is, but I tend to always attract tall people. "cough cough" hannah "cough cough". ;) But nyways, it was so fun to hang out and watch and then meet some of their school friends. It was freezing outside though once the sun went down, but it was still fun. I was told today that is starts to get warmer here in like mid september, so I am extremely excited for that! the cold here isn't bad compared to the states, its just that we don't have the warm houses to come home to. 

I had my favorite meal here tonight too! Oh my gosh it was AMAZING! Pilly is really a great cook! It was rice and a huge zuchinni (which is different here) with a little bit of cheese. Then we had a salad and keke (or cake - more like pound cake though because you eat it with your hands). They always eat white bread at their meals too. They slather it in butter and marmalade. I haven't tried it yet, since it is so bad for you. But I probably should at least once right? I don't know how they eat al of this rich food and get away with is, but somehow they do. It amazes me. I am also amazed how little they sleep here and how late they stay up. Like my host family, they go to bed at like 1 am in the morning, its insane to me. I don't think I can get used to that. lol. 

I wasn't able to take any pictures today, but we are going on a tour of more of Viña and Valpo with ISA tomorrow, so I will take some then for sure! :)

Another side note...I found out today that even though the dogs and cats here are all in the streets, that the chilean people do care about them, and a lot are fed leftovers and things like that. I even saw one dog today that was wearing a little neck warmer/scarf and then another that had a knitted sweater on. So I am starting to feel a little better about that too. It's still sad, but I am a little more comforted. lol.

Time for bed for me, days feel really long here! :)

Buenas noches. Te quiero todo!

Chao,

Britt