Sunday March 30, 2008
Today was my first mountaineering expedition. It was a day trip where we met at 8am (although I actually left the house @ 6:30 am to make it there on time by bus since the metro doesn’t open until 8am on a Sunday). We all packed into cars driven by the Chilean students who were able to aquire them for at least the day then headed up into the mountains.
We split into 10 groups of about 7 or so, each led by an ayudante, or student helper. We all proceeded to hike up and then back down into a valley where the mountainside was full of little rocks and perfect for the day’s lesson. We all learned how to stay in control and slide/ski/surf down the mountainside using our piolets (ice-picks) to steer, balance us. It was adventurous, fast, athletic, and quite dirty, which for me equaled a very good time. After having lunch in the vallesito (little valley) we headed back up to do come obstacle course sliding with and without the piolet.
While learning all of this we also learned that if a rock starts falling down the mountain the first thing you should do is yell “piedra” (rock) and then get out of the way. Throughout the day various students got taken by surprise when a rock they couldn’t see hit their foot when the person up the mountain from them jumped out of the rock’s path. It was also quite comical when someone would start to slip down the mountain and the ayudantes would yell “alumno” instead of “piedra”. I will definitely not forget that word; it may be the last word in Spanish I ever remember but I can tell you right now I don’t think I could forget it if I wanted to.
Monday, March 31, 2008
A couple busy days in Santiago
Wednesday was soccer practice and Miercoles Po. Miercoles Po is an event that occurs every Wednesday at different venues discotheques and bars throughout the city for Catolica students. All foreign students get in free and it is a fun was to get to know different venues throughout the city as well as meet other Catolica students.
On Thursday I went back to the Christian group for college students called El Oasis. It was really great and I’m so glad that I was introduced to it. It reminded me of old-school FUMC youth, there was dinner, a scripture reading, a skit, a testimonial/devotional, as well as live music being played by a band of el Oasis members. The really interesting aspect of it is that it is all in Spanish which is fun for me and the other 5 or so English speaking exchange students who go there. I’m thinking that on Monday I will leave practice early to make it there just a tad late.
On Friday I took my first ride on the public bus system. I know it has taken me awhile but I figured out the bus system here in Santiago since the metro didn’t go out to where the mountaineering store was located. I was so proud of myself. I also went to a barbeque with the girls soccer team here and had a really fun time hanging out and getting to know them better especially away from the soccer field.
Saturday I got a package from home with CHOCOLATE and SHOES two of the things a girl can never get enough of! It was so exciting, especially since I had resigned myself to not receiving the package until at least Monday!
On Thursday I went back to the Christian group for college students called El Oasis. It was really great and I’m so glad that I was introduced to it. It reminded me of old-school FUMC youth, there was dinner, a scripture reading, a skit, a testimonial/devotional, as well as live music being played by a band of el Oasis members. The really interesting aspect of it is that it is all in Spanish which is fun for me and the other 5 or so English speaking exchange students who go there. I’m thinking that on Monday I will leave practice early to make it there just a tad late.
On Friday I took my first ride on the public bus system. I know it has taken me awhile but I figured out the bus system here in Santiago since the metro didn’t go out to where the mountaineering store was located. I was so proud of myself. I also went to a barbeque with the girls soccer team here and had a really fun time hanging out and getting to know them better especially away from the soccer field.
Saturday I got a package from home with CHOCOLATE and SHOES two of the things a girl can never get enough of! It was so exciting, especially since I had resigned myself to not receiving the package until at least Monday!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
getting the groove of things
Monday March 24 and Tuesday March 25
I ended up getting an extension on my paper on the play Almas perdidas which is great, and I found out that I can be reimbursed for montanismo equipment as long as it doesn’t exceed $200, um awesome, hello camping equipment and piolet [sp].
I was able to Skype it with my family last night too which was an absolutely lovely ending to my <> . I enjoyed wishing everyone on the street a “feliz Pascuas de Resurreccion” as well as singing Easter hymns and songs from My Fair Lady with Laura and Jules.
Today I officially registered for my classes and also got my student discount Bip card (for the metro and buses). This card lets me travel for 1/3 of the cost on public transportation with is great since I have to take the metro to campus every day.
Instead of going to soccer practice today, I had decided ahead of time that I would attend a Monday night Bible study. Since I wasn’t going to practice I decided to go for a run at around 6, not the smartest idea. While the temperature was great I was running in the middle of Rush hour, tons of cars and smoke and I think it messed with my health cause I started to get a headache.
I went to El Oasis and had a real fun time getting to know people and participating in the games and it was just really great to discover this place that is so close to where I live and such a great group to be a part of. Unfortunately my headache got worse and I went home a little early and went to bed around 9:30 (waaaay early by Chilean standards) and I think 12 hours of sleep was what I needed just because of all the stress and activities and everything catching up with me.
I woke up Tuesday feeling good and went window shopping with Jamie before classes began then got out of my last class early and am enjoying the free time before I have to buckle down and get cracking on all my school work. Luckily I only need to get C’s to transfer the credit, I don’t have to strive for A’s which is an interesting feeling but I’m kind of enjoying knowing the pressure is kind of off and that I can enjoy what I’m reading rather than overanalyze it all.
I ended up getting an extension on my paper on the play Almas perdidas which is great, and I found out that I can be reimbursed for montanismo equipment as long as it doesn’t exceed $200, um awesome, hello camping equipment and piolet [sp].
I was able to Skype it with my family last night too which was an absolutely lovely ending to my <
Today I officially registered for my classes and also got my student discount Bip card (for the metro and buses). This card lets me travel for 1/3 of the cost on public transportation with is great since I have to take the metro to campus every day.
Instead of going to soccer practice today, I had decided ahead of time that I would attend a Monday night Bible study. Since I wasn’t going to practice I decided to go for a run at around 6, not the smartest idea. While the temperature was great I was running in the middle of Rush hour, tons of cars and smoke and I think it messed with my health cause I started to get a headache.
I went to El Oasis and had a real fun time getting to know people and participating in the games and it was just really great to discover this place that is so close to where I live and such a great group to be a part of. Unfortunately my headache got worse and I went home a little early and went to bed around 9:30 (waaaay early by Chilean standards) and I think 12 hours of sleep was what I needed just because of all the stress and activities and everything catching up with me.
I woke up Tuesday feeling good and went window shopping with Jamie before classes began then got out of my last class early and am enjoying the free time before I have to buckle down and get cracking on all my school work. Luckily I only need to get C’s to transfer the credit, I don’t have to strive for A’s which is an interesting feeling but I’m kind of enjoying knowing the pressure is kind of off and that I can enjoy what I’m reading rather than overanalyze it all.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
2nd Full Week of Classes
This week was a lot of fun and busy. It’s definitely nice to feel like I’m in a sort of routine. I registered my visa on Monday then there was a scrimmage with the soccer team against the School of the Americas. There were so many girls that we split into 1st half and 2nd half teams, and it is a completely different style of soccer here.
Later Monday night I met up with some of my Australian friends to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, which is not really big in Chile. We just ended up having a leisurely lounge at an outdoor bar/restaurant since the only Irish pub in the area was overcrowded and had a cover of 10.000 which is just over $20.
I was also able to meet up with another AHS Alum who is currently studying in Santiago. Carter has been here since July and is studying at U de Chile which is the other big university institution in Chile.
On Thursday there was a Colo-Colo game vs. Boca Jr.’s and when my friends invited me to come watch with them I didn’t realize they meant at the stadium watching live. It was so much fun and luckily not anywhere near as dangerous as watching soccer in England or Argentina. There were no assigned seats but since I was a little late in meeting them we ended up having to watch the first half standing up on he back of some nice gentlemen’s chairs. In the second half, another girl and I decided that since we were pretty tall by Chilean standards we would watch the game at a closer distance with Javi, our Chilean friend and guide to all things Colo-Colo. WE ended up standing right up by the field and had to answer a couple of friendly questions about where we were from and why we, as girls, were interested in soccer. As we left, a paraplegic boy who we had talked to decided to give me his Colo-Colo flag, and seeing no other alternative I accepted it with a smile.
On Friday the city was shut down for Good Friday and it remained so until about Sunday afternoon. For Easter I ended up going to 2 Aussie friends’ apartment Saturday night, sleeping over then going to an international, interdenominational service in English. We then went back and set up a small fete with friends about 8 in total and ate well, having the Australian Easter tradition of hot cross buns as well as some delicious cooked vegetables, salmon, and cheese sandwiches. Our friend Jules from Australia is quite the chef. The only really weird thing this Easter, besides being away from home was the fact that down here it isn’t spring, but fall. As soon as I found a bush with flowers I had to pluck one off and put it in my hair, just to make up for the fact that it wasn’t springtime.
After a nice, long, lazy Sunday I went to a Starbucks hoping to get a wireless internet connection but the only non-secured one I can access is for a hotel lobby and I don’t feel like buying a room to get wireless. I should’ve checked for wireless reception before I ordered by highly caffeinated beverage.
I decided that on Monday, rather than go to soccer practice, I would work out on my own then go to an 8:00 Bible study for college students that takes place about 2 blocks down and 2 blocks over from where I live. I can go one day without soccer and if it ends up being enjoyable it might become a weekly thing. I just really need to find this play I’m supposed to read before Tuesday so I can spend time on Monday writing about it.
Later Monday night I met up with some of my Australian friends to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, which is not really big in Chile. We just ended up having a leisurely lounge at an outdoor bar/restaurant since the only Irish pub in the area was overcrowded and had a cover of 10.000 which is just over $20.
I was also able to meet up with another AHS Alum who is currently studying in Santiago. Carter has been here since July and is studying at U de Chile which is the other big university institution in Chile.
On Thursday there was a Colo-Colo game vs. Boca Jr.’s and when my friends invited me to come watch with them I didn’t realize they meant at the stadium watching live. It was so much fun and luckily not anywhere near as dangerous as watching soccer in England or Argentina. There were no assigned seats but since I was a little late in meeting them we ended up having to watch the first half standing up on he back of some nice gentlemen’s chairs. In the second half, another girl and I decided that since we were pretty tall by Chilean standards we would watch the game at a closer distance with Javi, our Chilean friend and guide to all things Colo-Colo. WE ended up standing right up by the field and had to answer a couple of friendly questions about where we were from and why we, as girls, were interested in soccer. As we left, a paraplegic boy who we had talked to decided to give me his Colo-Colo flag, and seeing no other alternative I accepted it with a smile.
On Friday the city was shut down for Good Friday and it remained so until about Sunday afternoon. For Easter I ended up going to 2 Aussie friends’ apartment Saturday night, sleeping over then going to an international, interdenominational service in English. We then went back and set up a small fete with friends about 8 in total and ate well, having the Australian Easter tradition of hot cross buns as well as some delicious cooked vegetables, salmon, and cheese sandwiches. Our friend Jules from Australia is quite the chef. The only really weird thing this Easter, besides being away from home was the fact that down here it isn’t spring, but fall. As soon as I found a bush with flowers I had to pluck one off and put it in my hair, just to make up for the fact that it wasn’t springtime.
After a nice, long, lazy Sunday I went to a Starbucks hoping to get a wireless internet connection but the only non-secured one I can access is for a hotel lobby and I don’t feel like buying a room to get wireless. I should’ve checked for wireless reception before I ordered by highly caffeinated beverage.
I decided that on Monday, rather than go to soccer practice, I would work out on my own then go to an 8:00 Bible study for college students that takes place about 2 blocks down and 2 blocks over from where I live. I can go one day without soccer and if it ends up being enjoyable it might become a weekly thing. I just really need to find this play I’m supposed to read before Tuesday so I can spend time on Monday writing about it.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Montanismo morning activity March 16, 2008
Well bright and early Sunday morning at 9am for my Montanismo class there was an activity on campus to help prepare us for the 1-3 day long excursions which will take place later in the semester. Unfortunately I was a couple minutes late as there are not as many trains running in the metros on Sundays so the wait can be longer. This meant I was in the Papas Fritas (French fries) group with all the other late people, not really a bad thing it just meant that we had to stand in the middle and just know that we were late…
The whole group split into 12 teams and we had to go through 12 different tasks in 2 hours, each worth a certain amount of points and the team with the most points at the end got to eat lunch first. The tasks ranged from boiling water to make tea with one of those travel makeshift gas-stove things, scaling a rock climbing wall, going through a “spider web” of ropes with a backpack and not touching any, but my favorite was when we got to rappel down the side of the mathematics building, sure it was only 2 stories but I still felt like a cool secret agent.
My team ended up 5th, not too shabby for a bunch of Papas Fritas, although we did change our name to Chorillanas (a dish with kinda philly-cheesesteak combo with a over easy egg on top of French fries, I tried it on Monday and while greasy it was quite tasty). It was a lot of fun and it makes me that much more excited for our excursions, although I still have to find someone to borrow an ice-pick from…
The whole group split into 12 teams and we had to go through 12 different tasks in 2 hours, each worth a certain amount of points and the team with the most points at the end got to eat lunch first. The tasks ranged from boiling water to make tea with one of those travel makeshift gas-stove things, scaling a rock climbing wall, going through a “spider web” of ropes with a backpack and not touching any, but my favorite was when we got to rappel down the side of the mathematics building, sure it was only 2 stories but I still felt like a cool secret agent.
My team ended up 5th, not too shabby for a bunch of Papas Fritas, although we did change our name to Chorillanas (a dish with kinda philly-cheesesteak combo with a over easy egg on top of French fries, I tried it on Monday and while greasy it was quite tasty). It was a lot of fun and it makes me that much more excited for our excursions, although I still have to find someone to borrow an ice-pick from…
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Santiago Tour Games
These are pictures from the Santiago Tour Games, which were like a scavenger hunt around Santiago for exchange students and freshmen
We had to get a picture with Caribineros (policemen)
We had to get a picture with Caribineros (policemen)
The whole group
With two of the guards from la Moneda
Cristian y Yo
March 16, 2008
Interesting Facts I’ve Encountered/Things to Know if You Come Visit
- You “say hello” with a quick peck on the right cheek, not to do so is rude but as a foreigner you get some leeway
- They like mayo here, a lot! And it comes in pouches not bottles
- Hotdogs are also very popular
- Stray dogs are popular as well. They roam the city with free reign, how else do you think the grass gets so green?
- If you are a girl you will get whistled at. Period.
- The don’t flush the toilet paper, it goes in a trash can in the stall
- There is no toilet paper in the stalls, you get it as you walk in to the restroom
- The water is OK to drink but it has chlorine in it
- If buying bottled water, Beware! Chileans love their carbonated water. Make sure what you have is Agua sin gas
- They drink a lot of coffee/tea/instant coffee, I have no clue how most people stay hydrated cause they sure don’t drink water
- Bureaucracy stinks, and it is everywhere, 5 stamps required, it is South America
- The ice-cream however, is quite tasty and it too is everywhere
- PDA runs rampant. Everyone lives with their parents until marriage so the hormones are raging when teenagers/young people/any people are out of the house
- Speaking of PDA a boyfriend or girlfriend is a Pololo(a) to say you have a novio(a) means you are engaged; pololear is a great concept and we should bring it to the US
¿Cachai, po?
Friday, March 14, 2008
First Full Week of Classes
Week of 10-14
Monday, well I didn’t have any classes today but I still went to the campus to register for classes and just try to figure stuff out. I ended up being able to take all the classes I wanted and I finally heard back on Wednesday from the professor in charge of approving classes for my Spanish major. Looks like I’ll get all the approval from Richmond I was expecting, I just have to make sure to keep all the syllabi to justify the credit.
On monday I also practiced with the Universidad Catolica girl’s soccer team. It was interesting; it reminded me of high school ball since the level of dedication doesn’t have to be that high. There was also a big difference in the skill level but at least I was on a field and there was some conditioning/exercise.
Tuesday I had my Montanismo (mountaineering) class and it was just a bunch of exercises to help people get in shape before we climb a mountain and have to walk for 5 hours straight or whatever. It was fun and there are a lot of people to meet, and I’ve found it’s always easier to meet people goofing off playing games/relay races so it’s nice.
Wednesday I decided that since I didn’t have classes I would go to register my visa at the Policía Internacional. Once I found the building I had to wait in line, take a number, wait, then the moment I sat down at after being called into the office the whole system shut down. Apparently the internet company lost signal…after waiting and chatting politely with the gentleman helping me we found out that there was no way it would get fixed in the day. I’ll have to go back Monday since that’s my next free day but I have until the 29th to get it done so I’ll be OK.
Wednesday night I met some other girls from the US who’ll be practicing on the soccer team with me when we can. It’s nice cause it’s not that big of a commitment but I still get to play. I also met up with my Aussie friend Jamie who has been to Chile twice before and we went to a club to see some of her friends in a Chilean rock band play. It was a lot of fun although the Chileans love to party a lot later than us Americans, even when I’m having a good time, I feel like I’m always the first to want to sleep, haha.
Thursday all the extranjeros (exchange students) and noventos (freshmen) had a day off of classes for Paseo a la Playa, a beach party about an hour away. It was a lot of fun although it was pretty cloudy and the water wasn’t really warm enough for swimming. It was a great way to hang out and meet other exchange students.
This week there’s another person staying at the house with me. She’s from Australia and waiting for a work visa from Britain and during her break between jobs she’s traveling South America. She’s already been to Bolivia and Peru and has some great stories to share. It’s also nice having someone else in the house so I’m not the only non-family member.
Some of us are organizing a St Patty’s day outing to the one Irish Pub in Santiago Sunday night. There’s a Montanismo activity Sunday morning and so we decided not to celebrate on Saturday night since we have to be able to run around. Chileans don’t know about St Patrick’s Day, but I’ll be dressed all in green come Monday!
Monday, well I didn’t have any classes today but I still went to the campus to register for classes and just try to figure stuff out. I ended up being able to take all the classes I wanted and I finally heard back on Wednesday from the professor in charge of approving classes for my Spanish major. Looks like I’ll get all the approval from Richmond I was expecting, I just have to make sure to keep all the syllabi to justify the credit.
On monday I also practiced with the Universidad Catolica girl’s soccer team. It was interesting; it reminded me of high school ball since the level of dedication doesn’t have to be that high. There was also a big difference in the skill level but at least I was on a field and there was some conditioning/exercise.
Tuesday I had my Montanismo (mountaineering) class and it was just a bunch of exercises to help people get in shape before we climb a mountain and have to walk for 5 hours straight or whatever. It was fun and there are a lot of people to meet, and I’ve found it’s always easier to meet people goofing off playing games/relay races so it’s nice.
Wednesday I decided that since I didn’t have classes I would go to register my visa at the Policía Internacional. Once I found the building I had to wait in line, take a number, wait, then the moment I sat down at after being called into the office the whole system shut down. Apparently the internet company lost signal…after waiting and chatting politely with the gentleman helping me we found out that there was no way it would get fixed in the day. I’ll have to go back Monday since that’s my next free day but I have until the 29th to get it done so I’ll be OK.
Wednesday night I met some other girls from the US who’ll be practicing on the soccer team with me when we can. It’s nice cause it’s not that big of a commitment but I still get to play. I also met up with my Aussie friend Jamie who has been to Chile twice before and we went to a club to see some of her friends in a Chilean rock band play. It was a lot of fun although the Chileans love to party a lot later than us Americans, even when I’m having a good time, I feel like I’m always the first to want to sleep, haha.
Thursday all the extranjeros (exchange students) and noventos (freshmen) had a day off of classes for Paseo a la Playa, a beach party about an hour away. It was a lot of fun although it was pretty cloudy and the water wasn’t really warm enough for swimming. It was a great way to hang out and meet other exchange students.
This week there’s another person staying at the house with me. She’s from Australia and waiting for a work visa from Britain and during her break between jobs she’s traveling South America. She’s already been to Bolivia and Peru and has some great stories to share. It’s also nice having someone else in the house so I’m not the only non-family member.
Some of us are organizing a St Patty’s day outing to the one Irish Pub in Santiago Sunday night. There’s a Montanismo activity Sunday morning and so we decided not to celebrate on Saturday night since we have to be able to run around. Chileans don’t know about St Patrick’s Day, but I’ll be dressed all in green come Monday!
Sunday, March 09, 2008
9 de Marzo del 2008
well this was my first weekend as a student here at PUC and it was quite enjoyable. Friday the school held a party for all the foreign exchange students and it was a lot of fun. We all had facepaint of our flags on our cheeks and painted stuff on paper they had set up on tables outside. Unfortunately friday was the one day it rained so they had to move the grills and the festivities under a tent but it was still a lot of fun. we learned Chilean equivalents of the "electric slide" or "Cha-Cha Slide"
Saturday was abuelita's birthday (I'm still not sure what her name is so i call her abuelita) and there was a nice family dinner then I went to some Aussie friends' apt to chill. I spent the night there then this morning we walked up Cerro San Cristobal. It's a much more rewarding experience walking as opposed to riding up the telefericas. Before we left we had a nice brunch in Bellavista, a touristy section of the city. It was one of the few places open since the tourists are really the only people who would go to eat on Sunday since it's a day everyone spends in the house. I had lovely ham avocado and cheese sandwich (eggs, bacon, pancakes, and cereal really aren't big here). Then we walked up saw the view and came down; it was great weekend excercise.
I plan on a nice calm sunday afternoon, maybe some homework, then tomorrow I have my first practice with the UC girls soccer team to see if I want to do that.
I'm still enjoying the lovely weather and unfortunately cannot upload photos here ffrom the intenet cafe, I will try tomorrow @ UC and hopefully be able to share more of my experiences with everyone.
Saturday was abuelita's birthday (I'm still not sure what her name is so i call her abuelita) and there was a nice family dinner then I went to some Aussie friends' apt to chill. I spent the night there then this morning we walked up Cerro San Cristobal. It's a much more rewarding experience walking as opposed to riding up the telefericas. Before we left we had a nice brunch in Bellavista, a touristy section of the city. It was one of the few places open since the tourists are really the only people who would go to eat on Sunday since it's a day everyone spends in the house. I had lovely ham avocado and cheese sandwich (eggs, bacon, pancakes, and cereal really aren't big here). Then we walked up saw the view and came down; it was great weekend excercise.
I plan on a nice calm sunday afternoon, maybe some homework, then tomorrow I have my first practice with the UC girls soccer team to see if I want to do that.
I'm still enjoying the lovely weather and unfortunately cannot upload photos here ffrom the intenet cafe, I will try tomorrow @ UC and hopefully be able to share more of my experiences with everyone.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Dias 8 y 9, 5 y 6 del marzo
March 5, 2008
In trying to describe the City of Santiago over IM:
Well first off it’s obviously a city, but there aren’t that many tall buildings cause of the threat of earthquakes, so most buildings are under 5 stories. There are poor, grungy sections right next to national parks filled with green trees and playgrounds. The mountains are on two sides, the Andes on one and some others whose names escape me on the other. And from March to October there’s kind of a smog over the city which makes is hazy but the sun is still bright. It’s clearer by San Juaquin, away from the central part of the city.
March 6, 2008
Well I had my first two classes today. I’m still waiting on professors at Richmond to tell me whether I’ll get any Spanish credit for any of them but I know UR won’t give me any credit for Montanismo, but when I have this opportunity I wouldn’t want to pass it up!
My schedule will leave Mondays and Wednesdays open. Monday means good for travel, Wednesdays means time to study/read/possibly volunteer. The Chilean Ministry of Education has a program called English Opens Doors where foreign exchange students volunteer part time 4-16 hours a week to help teach English Chilean public schools in low-income areas. The students are taught English from grade 5 on but there aren’t that many qualified English teachers willing to teach there so they ask for volunteers.
Maybe on Wednesdays since I have time, if my schedule doesn’t change I can do that.
Classes started yesterday and it was so nice to meet people, especially other foreign students. Unfortunately the orientation was strictly academic and didn’t have any sort of social aspect to it, other than preliminary talks. Many students were so focused on classes, the atmosphere wasn’t great for anything beyond “hola, me llamo, de donde eres?” etc.
I’ve managed to meet a couple of really cool people and we’re all determined to enjoy our time here, learn, and make lots of friends. WE went out on the town last night an had a good time. It was my first time enjoying the nightlife of Santiago. One of the pluses is that here I’m legally allowed to go into any bar/club I want as the drinking age is 18. It’ll be tough this summer not being able to hang out in DC with K and Rah since I don’t turn 21 until this September.
Tomorrow I plan on bringing my camera to campus so I can post pictures here for everyone, but I might not bring my computer. I’ll probably end up updating this on a school computer or on Saturday, since tomorrow they’re having a fiesta for all the new students and foreign exchangers. I might get a little distracted being oh so popular and meeting people that I forget to update ;)
Send me an email whenever you want at jbizer3@gmail.com and I’ll typically respond the next day.
In trying to describe the City of Santiago over IM:
Well first off it’s obviously a city, but there aren’t that many tall buildings cause of the threat of earthquakes, so most buildings are under 5 stories. There are poor, grungy sections right next to national parks filled with green trees and playgrounds. The mountains are on two sides, the Andes on one and some others whose names escape me on the other. And from March to October there’s kind of a smog over the city which makes is hazy but the sun is still bright. It’s clearer by San Juaquin, away from the central part of the city.
March 6, 2008
Well I had my first two classes today. I’m still waiting on professors at Richmond to tell me whether I’ll get any Spanish credit for any of them but I know UR won’t give me any credit for Montanismo, but when I have this opportunity I wouldn’t want to pass it up!
My schedule will leave Mondays and Wednesdays open. Monday means good for travel, Wednesdays means time to study/read/possibly volunteer. The Chilean Ministry of Education has a program called English Opens Doors where foreign exchange students volunteer part time 4-16 hours a week to help teach English Chilean public schools in low-income areas. The students are taught English from grade 5 on but there aren’t that many qualified English teachers willing to teach there so they ask for volunteers.
Maybe on Wednesdays since I have time, if my schedule doesn’t change I can do that.
Classes started yesterday and it was so nice to meet people, especially other foreign students. Unfortunately the orientation was strictly academic and didn’t have any sort of social aspect to it, other than preliminary talks. Many students were so focused on classes, the atmosphere wasn’t great for anything beyond “hola, me llamo, de donde eres?” etc.
I’ve managed to meet a couple of really cool people and we’re all determined to enjoy our time here, learn, and make lots of friends. WE went out on the town last night an had a good time. It was my first time enjoying the nightlife of Santiago. One of the pluses is that here I’m legally allowed to go into any bar/club I want as the drinking age is 18. It’ll be tough this summer not being able to hang out in DC with K and Rah since I don’t turn 21 until this September.
Tomorrow I plan on bringing my camera to campus so I can post pictures here for everyone, but I might not bring my computer. I’ll probably end up updating this on a school computer or on Saturday, since tomorrow they’re having a fiesta for all the new students and foreign exchangers. I might get a little distracted being oh so popular and meeting people that I forget to update ;)
Send me an email whenever you want at jbizer3@gmail.com and I’ll typically respond the next day.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Dia 7, 4 de Marzo del 2008
Well yesterday and today were so eventful I really didn’t get a chance to post it here. I was able to send e-mails to the family and talk online, Sarah and I tried to talk today and I could hear her but she couldn’t hear me.
Anyway, Monday was my orientation with 1/3 of all the other foreign exchange students. I decided to go into the center of the city early just to explore a little and I wanted to add time in case I had trouble navigating the metro. I went in then went to Cerro San Lucia, a hill in the middle of the city with hidden paths, gardens, and steps cut right into the rock face. At the top is a beautiful view of the City, not quite as spectacular as the view from Cerro San Cristobal but it was still lovely.
After wandering aimlessly for a while (and having to catch my breath once or twice after some excited exploring) I decided to head to the Casa Central, where the orientation was. I was the first person there as it was still about 50 minutes until the orientation began but I couldn’t think of anything else to do where I would be back intime/wouldn’t get lost in the city.
As others arrived we said preliminary “holas” and the first 9 of us were all from different countries, Ireland, Germany, England, Australia, Iceland, Brazil, Sweden, Canada, and I represented the good ol’ USA. After the preliminary “de donde eres” y etc it was quite awkward although there were a couple of nice people I hope to see again, one guy even gave me his old Spanish/English dictionary cause I had left mine. However, on a campus of 18,000 it might be hard to find people. I just really hope to find a group soon because being the only foreigner/student in these 5 blocks is kinda lonely.
Today, since I had nothing else to do I went to the San Juaquin Campus to check out where I’d be studying. I brought my laptop in hopes of accessing the wifi network but unfortunately apparently it takes 24-48 hours after registration for the computer to receive wifi on campus. That means there is hope for tomorrow at least. Additionally, I also had fun trying to figure out the South American keyboard, particularly how to make the @ symbol, something with “alt” and “Q” was what I figured out.
I also went by a mall about 2 metro stops from the campus cause I was told there would be a casa de cambias (where I could exchange $ for pesos) there. Santiago is EXPENSIVE! I had heard that but I didn’t realize that basics such as shampoo, batteries, and clothes would be twice the price as at home. Food, Metro, and Internet seem to be the cheapest things here, which is good cause I need all three =). There were some interesting things to check out but I only bought sunscreen and bodywash cuase that’s what I needed, I’ll look for sales on summer stuff later when its cheap here but I can use it back home. At least that’s the plan.
I hopefully will have a cell phone tomorrow and even though it’s the first day of classes, none of the classes I hope to take meet on Wednesday. I’ll still go in for a tour of the campus and to see if there’s a job as an English tutor I can take up on Wednesdays to maybe make a little dinero for excursions on the weekends since I cant find any appealing class that meets on Mondays…
Anyway, Monday was my orientation with 1/3 of all the other foreign exchange students. I decided to go into the center of the city early just to explore a little and I wanted to add time in case I had trouble navigating the metro. I went in then went to Cerro San Lucia, a hill in the middle of the city with hidden paths, gardens, and steps cut right into the rock face. At the top is a beautiful view of the City, not quite as spectacular as the view from Cerro San Cristobal but it was still lovely.
After wandering aimlessly for a while (and having to catch my breath once or twice after some excited exploring) I decided to head to the Casa Central, where the orientation was. I was the first person there as it was still about 50 minutes until the orientation began but I couldn’t think of anything else to do where I would be back intime/wouldn’t get lost in the city.
As others arrived we said preliminary “holas” and the first 9 of us were all from different countries, Ireland, Germany, England, Australia, Iceland, Brazil, Sweden, Canada, and I represented the good ol’ USA. After the preliminary “de donde eres” y etc it was quite awkward although there were a couple of nice people I hope to see again, one guy even gave me his old Spanish/English dictionary cause I had left mine. However, on a campus of 18,000 it might be hard to find people. I just really hope to find a group soon because being the only foreigner/student in these 5 blocks is kinda lonely.
Today, since I had nothing else to do I went to the San Juaquin Campus to check out where I’d be studying. I brought my laptop in hopes of accessing the wifi network but unfortunately apparently it takes 24-48 hours after registration for the computer to receive wifi on campus. That means there is hope for tomorrow at least. Additionally, I also had fun trying to figure out the South American keyboard, particularly how to make the @ symbol, something with “alt” and “Q” was what I figured out.
I also went by a mall about 2 metro stops from the campus cause I was told there would be a casa de cambias (where I could exchange $ for pesos) there. Santiago is EXPENSIVE! I had heard that but I didn’t realize that basics such as shampoo, batteries, and clothes would be twice the price as at home. Food, Metro, and Internet seem to be the cheapest things here, which is good cause I need all three =). There were some interesting things to check out but I only bought sunscreen and bodywash cuase that’s what I needed, I’ll look for sales on summer stuff later when its cheap here but I can use it back home. At least that’s the plan.
I hopefully will have a cell phone tomorrow and even though it’s the first day of classes, none of the classes I hope to take meet on Wednesday. I’ll still go in for a tour of the campus and to see if there’s a job as an English tutor I can take up on Wednesdays to maybe make a little dinero for excursions on the weekends since I cant find any appealing class that meets on Mondays…
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Dia 4, 1 de Marzo del 2008
Yesterday was a good day, I went to Cerro San Cristobal with Juaquin. Que bonito la ciudad! The Andes loom like well-intentioned guards over the city and at sunset, they sky turns pink behind the mountaintops and it is beautiful. We went up the teleferica to the top of Cerro San Cristobal and enjoyed a Chilean drink similar to iced tea. There were grains similer to barley and corn in at the bottom of the glass then a drink similar to iced tea with two sweetened frozen peaches. Is was quite sweet and although unusual, there was a familiarity in the taste; needless to say it was nice refreshment.
From the top of Cerro San Cristobal you can see all of Santiago and the day was clear and lovely. There is a large statue of the Virgin Mary at the crest and Catholic influence can be seen all throughout the city.
We also took the funicular down to a little marketplace and while an enjoyable ride, it was a little pointless since I’m not planning on spending any more money until I can exchange some more, plus I don’t want to waste anymore after the taxi from the airport and a phone card that didn’t work.
Afterwards I had dinner with Juaquin and his family. I also had lunch with them today as well. They’re extremely nice and generous, introducing me to tasty Chilean dishes. His father is quite funny, insisting that since I was there to learn Spanish he would speak slowly for me and telling Juaquin not to speak English. They said that when my family comes to visit to let them know so they can have us over for dinner or help us plan a trip to Chiloe. It was wonderful to visit with a family although when he invited me to attend Mass with him and his wife it made me a little homesick since there are very few Methodist churches in Chile.
Today we went to their golf club and to the swimming pool, and it was so interesting because it seems that unlike in Northern Virginia, the pools are much more exclusive and really are only in country club type places in Chile, or at least in Santiago. It was so refreshing to swim in the cool water and I enjoyed it immensely although I feel like the palest person in Santiago right now. Even though I tried to be careful my shoulders are a bit burnt but that was cause I had not yet bought sunscreen and the only type of SPF protection I have is dual sunscreen/insect repellant so I tried to use it sparingly.
I’m excited about orientation tomorrow, but I still need to buy a “bip” card for the metro here. Or possibly I’ll take off a bit earlier and walk, the weather is so nice I might as well.
I just can’t wait for the internet to be fixed here cause it would make things a lot less complicated and I could talk to my family with privacy and whenever I wanted as opposed to paying about 85 cents per half-hour
From the top of Cerro San Cristobal you can see all of Santiago and the day was clear and lovely. There is a large statue of the Virgin Mary at the crest and Catholic influence can be seen all throughout the city.
We also took the funicular down to a little marketplace and while an enjoyable ride, it was a little pointless since I’m not planning on spending any more money until I can exchange some more, plus I don’t want to waste anymore after the taxi from the airport and a phone card that didn’t work.
Afterwards I had dinner with Juaquin and his family. I also had lunch with them today as well. They’re extremely nice and generous, introducing me to tasty Chilean dishes. His father is quite funny, insisting that since I was there to learn Spanish he would speak slowly for me and telling Juaquin not to speak English. They said that when my family comes to visit to let them know so they can have us over for dinner or help us plan a trip to Chiloe. It was wonderful to visit with a family although when he invited me to attend Mass with him and his wife it made me a little homesick since there are very few Methodist churches in Chile.
Today we went to their golf club and to the swimming pool, and it was so interesting because it seems that unlike in Northern Virginia, the pools are much more exclusive and really are only in country club type places in Chile, or at least in Santiago. It was so refreshing to swim in the cool water and I enjoyed it immensely although I feel like the palest person in Santiago right now. Even though I tried to be careful my shoulders are a bit burnt but that was cause I had not yet bought sunscreen and the only type of SPF protection I have is dual sunscreen/insect repellant so I tried to use it sparingly.
I’m excited about orientation tomorrow, but I still need to buy a “bip” card for the metro here. Or possibly I’ll take off a bit earlier and walk, the weather is so nice I might as well.
I just can’t wait for the internet to be fixed here cause it would make things a lot less complicated and I could talk to my family with privacy and whenever I wanted as opposed to paying about 85 cents per half-hour
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Dia 3
How to leave me a voicemail FORFREE: if you are in the US dial 1-888-579-0208, then follow the prompts.
Enter my account number: 3101356387…leave your message
I’m so glad that I figured out the phone card situation. Since my family and I worked out talking over the internet, not having the internet was a big problem for me, since I’m very big on the whole talking thing. It’s nice to talk in English and understand completely what people are saying. It was also wonderful to talk to them without having to travel to the internet café then realizing I forgot something in the house but not wanting to leave the laptop anywhere. I’m also wondering if suddenly I’m gonna start having to pay large amounts of money for using the internet there.
Sarah broke another record in the 100 free! Tonight is her last night swimming unless she makes NCAA cuts but regardless she has had such an amazing swimming career and im SOO PROUD of her!
Juaquin and I are going to meet up this afternoon and possibly go to Cerro San Cristobal, where you can see all of Santiago, I’m really excited to go and can’t wait to see the city from up there!
Enter my account number: 3101356387…leave your message
I’m so glad that I figured out the phone card situation. Since my family and I worked out talking over the internet, not having the internet was a big problem for me, since I’m very big on the whole talking thing. It’s nice to talk in English and understand completely what people are saying. It was also wonderful to talk to them without having to travel to the internet café then realizing I forgot something in the house but not wanting to leave the laptop anywhere. I’m also wondering if suddenly I’m gonna start having to pay large amounts of money for using the internet there.
Sarah broke another record in the 100 free! Tonight is her last night swimming unless she makes NCAA cuts but regardless she has had such an amazing swimming career and im SOO PROUD of her!
Juaquin and I are going to meet up this afternoon and possibly go to Cerro San Cristobal, where you can see all of Santiago, I’m really excited to go and can’t wait to see the city from up there!
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