My new life in Chile--and the craziness continues.

Okay everyone, I am back! Sorry it’s been awhile, but things have been crazy…all the going out, plus going to school sometimes too J To start off with the updates, my group of Americans took a big trip to the south of Chile two weeks ago. We spent 12 hours on a bus each way traveling to Pucón (overnight trips) and got to do a lot of cool stuff during our time there. Our first day was spent with the Mapuche, the indigenous people of Chile. We had to lots of museum stuff like usual, but then they cooked us this huge feast of amazing food in their community center, and afterwards we went out into the farm country where they live and they taught us their dances, their songs, and one of their traditional games. We spent the entire day with them, learning from them and about their own culture and people within that of Chile, it was great. The next day we were able to do all these outdoor excursions if you were interested or had any energy to do so. A huge part of the group went on an 8-hour hike to the top of a volcano, but I decided to do something a little less extreme. I went on a canopy tour instead, which is where you are in a harness and you basically go flying through the trees on zip-lines from station to station. It was something that I have always wanted to do and it was SO MUCH FUN sailing around high up in the trees and over rivers! Our last day in Pucón was spent standing in the rain, touring the best waterfalls in the area and seeing one of the huge lakes…it was all incredible to see. Before we had to board the bus to go home we got to spend about 3 hours swimming in hot springs, which was fantastic after being so cold and wet all day. We got back to Viña at 7:30 in the morning and then had to go to class all day, yuck, but it was a really cool trip overall.

The next important thing that has happened since Pucón was my birthday!! I had the most fantastic birthday down here, my new American friends did so much to take care of me and make sure that I had a wonderful time. My friends Abigail and Sarah bought me an amazing strawberry tort (because dessert is always so much better than a real present, haha), which Abigail carried in one hand while wearing a dress and heels and riding the micro to my house to bring it to me. Later, about 13 of my friends got all dressed-up and came to my birthday dinner at this fancy restaurant right near the beach. The food was amazing and surprisingly cheap, and it was followed with a big piece of birthday cake and a huge shot of some really strong liquor (??—I have no idea what it was) that the waiter brought to me. It was my first shot ever, and needless to say, it succeeded in knocking me off my feet for the rest of the night. After that, we ran over to a nearby karaoke bar where the partying continued and my whole group sang “Quit Playing Games With My Heart” by the Backstreet Boys to me at my request, hahaha. The night was sooooooooo much fun, it couldn’t have been better, and I don’t know how that can be topped next year when I’m back in the States.

Last big thing: I went to my first fútbol game this past weekend…soccer, and oh yes, it was possibly the wildest thing I have ever experienced. The fans are like nothing I have ever seen, with their chants and songs and jumping and humongous flags and banners. There were kids climbing the fences around the field to spit on the players from the opposing team…there were fireworks and streamers and reggaeton…there were carabineros (police) dressed in full riot gear, shields and all, and military vehicles parked around the stadium…the fans gathered all of their streamers together later in the game and lit them on fire, creating a huge bonfire in the stands…when the game ended and everyone got angry that their team hadn’t won they began throwing rocks and logs from the bonfire at and also kicking the carabineros until the police chased them back into order with nightsticks…outside the stadium, to disperse the fans the police shot out a bomb of tear gas…at this point we RAN…wild kids would scream at and charge cars full of fans from the opposing team. Things I learned from the fútbol game: be alert—know where the fans from the opposing team are and when you see them coming down the hill, you sure as hell should NOT be wearing anything of your team’s color, as well as you should always be paying attention for explosions of tear gas, in which case you should cover your face and quickly push through the crowd to escape.

Other than all of that, classes are finally in full-swing. I am taking a course with my American travel companions called Chilean and Latin American Identity: The Challenges of Globalization, Spanish Grammar for Foreigners, and my other classes are with Chilean students—Psychology of Love and Sexuality, Art and Society in Pre-Hispanic Chile, and a Phys. Ed. class called Self-Care and Healthy Living. I hardly ever do homework here, EVER, I’m not sure if that will change in time, but I sure hope not. Beyond school, I’ve been going to the beach, attempted to watch the March Madness games via the Internet on a laptop at my friend’s house, and started going to the discotecas (dance clubs) that are really popular in the city.

That’s about all I have to share at this point…I continue getting to know my host family better each day, constantly meeting new people in the street who help me find micros and the way back to my house from wherever I’ve been taking a class (I’ve become so bold, you have no idea, and you will all be surprised), getting slightly better at Spanish every day I spend here attempting to learn from their craaaaazy version of the language, and eating more fruit, vegetables, and bread than ever before…plus manjar too, of course! I really miss toilets that have seats and can flush toilet paper (and I miss having TP in general), I miss showers that have a regulated water temperature (the calefont is a total gamble as to whether the water will burn you alive or be unbearably freezing), and I miss peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, and Italian food!!! I am wondering when the stomach sickness, the flea bites, and the sexual harassment from the men will ever stop…even though I’m entirely sure that none of these things are going to get better in the coming 4 months. Anyways, all I know is that I’m pretty sure that nothing back in the States will ever scare me or intimidate me again…I can handle anything after living here. This country is making me brave because it’s so crazy and I have to figure stuff out and get what I need on my own, in a different language, with people and things that I don’t know. I really think everyone will be surprised at how I’ve changed when I get back home. I am in love with this country and this whole continent, I think, and although it’s just a phase I feel like I want to stay here forever…life will be so insanely boring back in the U.S., so sanitary and safe and clean and logical! Okay, well that is all for now, I miss you all and wish you were here to live this with me. It has been an incredible month, every day is still entirely an adventure, more stories to come later on!