Halloween
Trip Start
Jul 13, 2005
1
15
32
Trip End
Mar 02, 2006
Valparaíso,
Chile
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Hi everyone, how are ya´ll? I cannot believe its November, and less than a month till the end of classes. Things here continue to go well, and it should just keep getting crazier from now in! So here's the run down on the last week.
Tuesday night we had to watch a movie for Globalization class called Sexo con Amor (Sex with Love) at Sarah's house. It was a Chilean flick and rather interesting choice for a class movie. It was all about sex and chileans being unfaithful ect. It was also rather funny at times, and its always fun to watch Chilean movies. The movie wasn't too hard to understand, but I'm still excited about watching movies that feature other dialects of Spanish that are much more pure. Apparently they are really easy to understand!
Wednesday was international day at PUCV. As part of our Spanish grammar class we had to help out. We set up a stand, people brought food, we answered questions, had little pictures and stuff. It was fun to have all the different countries represented, and
it was weird to be a representative of our country in this kind of way. It made me realize how much I am an ambassador of the U.S. to the people here. It puts on the pressure!!
Wed. night I went to the Piedra Feliz again for some jazz. It was fun and we went 'for old times sake' with Jake and Sarah. Jake's friend from Tennessee was visiting. I have to make sure to work on those southern connections! The 'sobrino' who's rooming with my host family also came along. He's the one coming to Vermont to be a ski instructor in Dec-March. Afterwards we drove home in his truck that he brought here. It was the first time I had been in a private auto driving around the city in like 3 months.
Went to flute lessons for the first time in 2 weeks because of some schedule problems etc. It was a decent lesson although I'm still not finding enough time to practice. I really got used to using the practice rooms at K, and hopefully when I get to use those in the spring, I'll improve a lot more!
I was thinking the other day about how much time here has flown by and how soon my time here will be up. This 5 day weekend is my last weekend here at home. Luckily I realized that I still have about 4 months in S. America. Sometimes I wish time would just slow down, and other times I want to be home to see all of you! If there's anyway to actually convey what study abroad is about, it's that it is an emotional roller coaster!
Friday we had mountain sports for the first time in about a month. The profs had been in Europe. Unfortunately the entire class didn't show up except 3 gringos...Sarah, Jessie, and I. Prof. Otto gave class anyway and then showed us pictures from Europe afterwards. After class we walked down through Viña to Bravissimo to get ice cream and then walked the beach to end the day.
Saturday I got up early as always. I was thinking about going fishing with Glen, the husband of the program director, Marcia, but then in talking to him I learned that the fishing season doesn't open until the end of November or something. So, since that plan didn't work out I instead walked from my house to the Quinta Vergara a relaxing garden getaway from the rest of the city. I hiked through the woods and up to a point where I settled in and read some Isabel Allende (in Spanish this time) for a few hours. I then walked back through the city, bought a winter hat for 90 pesos (perhaps because they are well into the summer tourist season now!) and then walked home taking the scenic route! The family ate McDonalds for dinner, but I was fed at home with a ham and cheese burger and some strawberry juice....mmmm. Oh, and when they say McDonalds here its 'mAcdonalds'...they put that extra A in there!
At night I met up with one of the guys from Techo Para Chile and we went to Cafe Journal, then met up with Jessie and the three of us went to the beach, drank some pisco and chatted for a while.
The rest of the weekend was spent mostly around the house, but on Halloween we went to club 'Scratch' where they were having a Halloween costume event and stuff. I was a pirate, yarrrrr. It was my first time there and it was pretty cool. Tuesday we ate lunch as a family which is always nice (and of course it was delicious) At night Veronica and I went to one of her friend's home who is Kristen's host mom. Unfortunately Kristen wasn't there, but we had a great time and she made pizza. They have an apartment looking out over the ocean which is fantastic.
Well I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Halloween! If you have a minute tell me what you did! How are you and what's going on in all your lives? They have the Christmas stuff out already in the Jumbo supermarket, and it makes me sentimental for that season at home! However I'm not going to complain about the weather! Well take care everyone, until next time!
Abrazos,
