Echo de menos

Sunday. August 2, 2009

11:32 pm (chilean time)

So I have been neglecting my blog once again as Miss Hannah so candidly pointed out to me. But I haven't had that much going on. This past week was my orientation week for the upcoming semester, which I will start classes this coming Wednesday (August 5, 2009). It was nice though because Erin and I didn't have to do the majority of the activities because we already had done them when we arrived here in Viña and Valparaíso. The first day of orientation was fun though, because there were massive amounts of people. I think about 3oo international students in all, from all around the world. The majority being from the U.S. and France, but from all countries really. But on this day we recieved our schedule for the week, a really nice PUCV (my university) agenda, and information on a cd about all the classes, which I unfortunately can't view because I no longer have microsoft office on my computer - yeah don't really want to talk about this, its still freaking me out. Then we had a welcome meeting in a big auditorium from the staff in the international office at PUCV (or which is also called here just "catolica") and from the university president. After we got snacks: coffee/tea/hot chocolate, sandwiches, cookies and chocolate. And we ate and got to watch a performance of live music and different dances, all traditional of Chile. It was really fun.

Traditional dance of Isla de Pascua (Easter Island)

La Cueca

A dance of the country side A shot of the auditorium:

Can you find me?

Oh and I have to add that I didn't take any of these photos. They all came from the website of a local newspaper here in the Viña/Valpo area. And the photo to the right, this one was in the actual newspaper. I couldn't find a copy to bring home, but yeah I am famous here in Chile now. No big deal or anything.

For the rest of the week, Erin and I really didn't have to do much else. We had to go on only one of the tours, because it was of all the buildings of the university. Which is little different because it is not all one single campus, there are buildings for catolica al around Viña del Mar and Valparaíso. we did go on one tour with the ISA kids around the downtown area of Viña because we wanted to meet them all and get to know the new group a little better. And they all seem so nice, a really great group of people. Very different from the summer group though. But I hope to get to know them better... but to be truthful I would prefer to spend more time with Chilenos than people from the states that I could meet anytime. Also, we had to take exams this week to test our spanish. It was on the schedule that we were going to have to take a written and then an oral exam. Luckily, since we had already taken the written exam when we first arrived, all we had to take was the oral part. I was nervous for this because I feel that my Spanish has improved (or at least my confidence to speak spanish and not worry if its all perfect or not) but you never know until you are tested. For this exam, one by one we sat down with a native chilean and we conversed for about 5 minutes. And I of course worried for nothing. I had no problems speaking, and I actually felt like I was speaking spanish well and at a pretty normal speed. She asked me questions about Chile and my month here so far, what I thought of the people, my family, the spanish, my classes from the summer program, etc. All things I had no problems talking about. I actually found it kind of fun. And she didn't even recommend that I need to take more spanish classes, like the intensive classes with only international students. I felt pretty good too because Lizette had asked me if I thought about taking spanish classes (with international students) and that she thought its always good practice but that I already speak spanish quite well. It was quite the compliment coming from her. :)

So the orientation week went by fast (ended last thursday) and it was a nice to not have to think too much and just being able to relax.

On friday we went to Casablanca to spend the day with Marcello on a little outing in the countryside. It ended up raining all day friday, so we had lunch in the house instead of a picnic. And then we took a drive in the car through the countryside instead of at a nearby lake where we were going to take a stroll and have a little adventure. But it was a great time even with the rain. We ended up going to two more vineyards, one called "La Cuadra" and the other "William Cole." Both were spectacular. We had a little wine tasting at William Cole because the other was WAY too expensive (but it was the more beautiful of the two). The wine was of course amazing and we had a blast learning about the wine and taking in the moment. That night we spent time with Marcello and the grandparents, whom I love, and stayed in Casablanca overnight. They are such sweet people! It was nice to have a relaxing day because we knew the following day was going to be crazy.

The next day (saturday), we (Constanza, Sergio, Marcello, Erin, and I) all went to Santiago. We went there to shop and aid in the already great economy of Chile. We went first to an area called "Patronato." This is a section of Santiago, but we only went to one street there. This street is very long and lined with only stores of clothes, and then also lined with people selling clothes in the streets. It was so much fun. The clothes were almost all womens clothes, of pretty good quality and all very pretty. Us three girls were pretty much in heaven. The boths waited patiently and held our things as we tried on things. But their time came later when we went to two HUGE malls. The malls are gigantic here and filled with very beautiful clothes, and lots of stores I could never afford. But it was really fun to buy what I could and just window shop with the group. But I did buy quite a lot... which is not that unusual for me. :)

In the end I came away with:

From Patronato:

Three chaleco's (sweater): two black (but very different) and one purple (and all together under $10)

2 bufandas (scarves) - gotta make up for my stolen one from Europe

1 thin cotton cover up/cardigan type thing - I don't even know how to describe, but its in a style distinct of Chile. And the color is like a light purple/rose color, very pretty.

From Parque Arauco and Providencia (the two malls):

1 sweatshirt/light zip up jacket (I really didn't bring enough of these here)

1 pair of the most beautiful leather boots (and ON SALE - my favorite words)

1 chaleco blanco (white sweater) - that I think it the most beautiful piece of clothing that I have ever owned, yes I am in love with a sweater right now.

And while in Santiago in one of the malls, we stopped for coffee in a Starbucks!!! They only have about 5 Starbucks in Chile, and all in Santiago. And oh my gosh it was absolutely amazing! I paid an arm and a leg for a chai tea (about 4, almost 5 american dollars) but it was the best chai I have ever tasted! I was in heaven for about the 10 minutes it lasted before I devoured it. I knew I had been missing my lovely chai tea, but I had no idea that much. Yeah I am pretty much missing it like cray right now. Probably the worst idea to let myself have it, but there was no way I could go to Starbucks and deprove myself from one of my very few comforts in the world. It was pure bliss, just no other way to explain it. I'm sure I could just go on forever about this part of the day, but I think I will spare you all, for your sake. But in my head I will be dreaming of you chai tea... yes you are already missed greatly.

Today (sunday) was probably one of my most laziest days here in Chile. None of us woke up until like 11:30, way late! But we didn't get home the night before until like 11 back to Casablanca, and we had spent like 11 hours walking and shopping (and I am not kidding about how long we were shopping, we seriously shopped the whole day only took a break for lunch and coffee - my family here does not take shopping lightly).

So yes that is all I have to update you all on. As usual I probably could have summed it all up in one quick paragraph rather than my lengthy babbling, but since I am not there to force you all to listen to my rambling, I just had to find another way to get it all in!

This week, I have two more days off and then I will start classes on wednesday. The classes I am taking are:

1. written spanish
2. spanish literature (of Spain)
3. Interpersonal relations - an anthropological view
4. the modern history of Chile

I really wanted to take a traditional dance class of Chile and dazzle these chileans with my amazing dancing skills (sarcasm for those who can't tell), but it didn't fit with my schedule. Darn! They are really going to miss out. I guess I am just going to have to learn another way, in an even more public place. Yay!

I am sure I will be posting soon about how crazy difficult classes are, but I am going to be optimistic and hope they are really fun, not too hard, and that I learn a lot. Wish me all luck! And I will try to post more often...right after exciting this happen rather than a week later! :)

Buenas noches y Chao! Hasta luego!