Monday, December 3rd, 2007 Cusco and off to Aguas Calientes
We woke up around 10:30 am, while I was brushing my teeth I overheard Natalie talking to two guys in the room next two us. She asked them where they are from and when they said St. Louis, MO, I came rushing out of the bathroom. They both went to LaDue High School, where Sara is a Young Life leader and where in Peru for three months teaching English. We went to lunch with them and had a great time laughing at their crazy stories.
After lunch we headed out to check out Cusco. It is chalk full of amazing churches, great museums and art galleries. We went to the Cathedral where we got a private, 1 hour long tour from a woman and learned more about it than I thought possible. Next we went to the Jesuit church on the other side of the corner but skipped the tour b/c of time. We snuck up into the bell tower and got some awesome pictures.
Then to an Incan history museum, then a famous convent. Both full of artifacts and beautiful artwork. Then we went to a Popular Art Museum, with comical and disturbing figurines. By now it was time to meet up with our tour guide to get our car to Ollantaytambo, where we were to catch the train to Aguas Calientes. Our guide met us at the hostel with all the tickets we would need for the rest of the trip and sent us on our way with the driver.
The ride to Ollantaytambo was beautiful through the Peruvian countryside with glacier capped mountains in the distance. When we got to Ollantaytambo we ate dinner in a cute café by the railroad station then boarded the train.
We got into Aguas Calientes around 10 pm and headed to our pre-paid hostel. We settled in, bought lunch to bring to Machu Picchu the next day, then our tour guide for Machu Picchu met up with us to give us details for the next morning. Worst part: wake up call at 5 am. With that news we headed to bed, super excited for our big day tomorrow.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007 Day Tour of Sacred Valley and night out in Peru
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007 Day Tour of Sacred Valley and night out in Peru
We got into Cusco at 4 am and our guide brought us to a hostel. We slept for a few hours and woke up at 8 to go on our tour of the Sacred Valley. We had various stops:
First market place, ran into gringo friends from Washington University in St. Louis on same tour with different group, bought dad and Christian their alpaca sweaters
Market place- bought corn on the cob off the street= amazing! Peru shot glass
Pisac- ancient ruins, built in shape of a condor (big white bird, very important in Incan culture)
Ollantaytambo- ancient ruins built in shape of llama
Buffet lunch= yummy
Chinchero- colonial church, nick played soccer with the little kids, Natalie got pwned aka convinced by a group of kids to buy postcards
Fun ride back to Cusco, met up with group from Wash U for dinner
Found a deal for all 10 of us for a 3 course dinner with pisco sours for about $3 a piece
After dinner Nick, Chris, Natalie and I went to the Uptown, a bar advertising a free drink and salsa dancing, met Cliff, 6’3’’ guy from Fulton, MO and friend Jeremy. Chris and Natalie got sick of hearing about Missouri and decided to head back early but Nick and I hung out with our new friends. Had great conversation, danced, and after Nick and Cliff both got offered cocaine and Nick got solicited sex by a prostitute we decided to head back. It ended up being 5 am!
We got into Cusco at 4 am and our guide brought us to a hostel. We slept for a few hours and woke up at 8 to go on our tour of the Sacred Valley. We had various stops:
First market place, ran into gringo friends from Washington University in St. Louis on same tour with different group, bought dad and Christian their alpaca sweaters
Market place- bought corn on the cob off the street= amazing! Peru shot glass
Pisac- ancient ruins, built in shape of a condor (big white bird, very important in Incan culture)
Ollantaytambo- ancient ruins built in shape of llama
Buffet lunch= yummy
Chinchero- colonial church, nick played soccer with the little kids, Natalie got pwned aka convinced by a group of kids to buy postcards
Fun ride back to Cusco, met up with group from Wash U for dinner
Found a deal for all 10 of us for a 3 course dinner with pisco sours for about $3 a piece
After dinner Nick, Chris, Natalie and I went to the Uptown, a bar advertising a free drink and salsa dancing, met Cliff, 6’3’’ guy from Fulton, MO and friend Jeremy. Chris and Natalie got sick of hearing about Missouri and decided to head back early but Nick and I hung out with our new friends. Had great conversation, danced, and after Nick and Cliff both got offered cocaine and Nick got solicited sex by a prostitute we decided to head back. It ended up being 5 am!
Saturday, December 1st, 2007 Day Tour of Lake Titicaca, Peruvian wedding and off to Cusco
Saturday, December 1st, 2007 Day Tour of Lake Titicaca, Peruvian wedding and off to Cusco
We woke up super early to catch the bus to the boat tour. We drove to the port and every piled onto the boat to begin our day long trip on Lake Titicaca. Our first stop was the Islands of the Uros, a series of 39 man made floating islands. They are built out of a reed and mud from the bottom of the lake mixture with layered reeds on top to form the ground. A group of about 3 families live on each island in small houses made out of reeds. The community form about 600 years ago to escape the wars on the land surrounding the lake and survived by fishing and gardening on the island. But now they survive mostly on tourism. It was sad to see how dependent they were, but at the same time it was an incredibly interesting way of life.
Next we had a 2 hour boat ride to another natural island on the Lake, Island . This island has about 500 residents and they survive on agriculture and selling their woven goods. We ate lunch on the island overlooking the lake covered by a white blanket for shade. It seemed just like on Survivor!
After this stop I slept on the 3 hour ride back to Puno. By the time we arrived it was about 6 pm. Everyone else went to get dinner but I wasn’t hungry so I went to the cathedral to go to mass. But when I got there and sat down, a man came out and announced that the Cathedral as being closed to the public because there was going to be an ordination! So I headed out and went to find my friends at dinner but as I was walking out I overheard a Peruvian woman talking to her young son about how they were going to walk to the other church to go to mass. I turned around and asked her if there was another mass and if I could join them. So I walked with them a couple blocks to another church. When we walked in we saw that instead of mass, it was a Peruvian wedding! It was especially the same as the Chilean wedding but with really cheesy music (i.e. My Heart Will Go On from Titanic etc.). In the hopes that there would also be a mass, I decided to stick around but in the end they only had communion for the bride and groom. So I didn’t get to go to mass, but I got to see another South American wedding!!
After the wedding I started walking back to the hostel when I ran into an awesome parade marching through the pedestrian street. It was the closest parade I’ve seen to a Mardi Gras parade minus the huge floats. Back at the hostel, we asked the woman working if she knew about any hostels in Cusco that were good and a few minutes later she came back with a man who started talking to us about our trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Come to find out, he is a tourism agent and after talking to us about our plans, he offered us a deal for the rest of our trip. It included: a day tour of the Sacred Valley, the car/train ride to Aguas Calientes, the bus to Machu Picchu, the $40 entrance fee into Machu Picchu, two nights in a hostel in Aguas Calientes including breakfast both days and the bus ride from Cusco back to Tacna, all for only $136 a person! It was such a good deal and he seemed legitimate, so when he told us that we could pay half up front and that he was going to go with us to Cusco to organize everything, we decided to go with it! So we went to the bus station with our guide and got on the bus at 9 pm to Cusco!
Friday, November 30th, 2007 Speed tour of La Paz and escape to Peru
Friday, November 30th, 2007 Speed tour of La Paz and escape to Peru
We woke up early at 8 pm to aprovechar (to take advantage) of our little time in La Paz
First we walk ½ a block to the main square in La Paz with the Cathedral, Capital building, Supreme Court building. Full of police b/c of potential for protests. Looked like a bunch of ninja turtles hanging out. We were standing out side the capital building when a long line of cars and motorcycles pulled up with the lights flashing. A bunch of men in dark suits with sunglasses were standing outside talking into walkie talkies when 4 men came out of the capital and got into the BMW. Nick asked a random Bolivian man and found out that it was Eva Morales, the controversial Bolivian president. That was probably one of the most exciting, random events, even thought I didn’t even recognize Morales.
Next we walked to the Coca Museum, which is well known as a great museum about the evolution of cocaine. We got there at what we thought was 9:45 and decided to wait till 10 am when it opened. A woman outside the museum was selling jewelry and while waiting we found earrings made out of coca leaves. One side shows the leaf and the other side is colored weaving. We all bought a couple pairs since they were so cheap. By 10:30 the museum still wasn’t open so we walked over to the famous Witches Market, where they sell tons of Incan figurines, herbs, and other religious artifacts and most notably, dead baby llama fetuses. Chris decided to buy a fetus to give to his 13 year old host brother. So for the rest of the trip, we had an extra travel buddy who we lovingly named Eugene Fredrick Cummings, shortened to EF.
We headed back to the museum, which was finally open. We spent almost an hour walking through the small museum reading all the info while we learned about the evolution of the ancient practice of chewing coca leaves to the current day war on drugs focused in South America. I learned a lot and it reinforced a reoccurring theme I’ve noticed throughout of South America: the ancient practices were healthy, effective and appropriate for the culture. Then white man came, stole the practices, abused it and turned it into something harmful and destructive. Then they turn around and blame the indigenous culture for the harmful effects of the previously harmless product. Two highlights of the museum:
1. The statue of the cokehead sniffing coke:
2. The motivational sign to warn against the dangers of drugs:
The successes in life are the sources of constant pleasure that permit us and orient us towards a constructive and pleasant life.
A well adapted individual is capable of feeling pleasure to achieve healthy and fruitful interpersonal relationships, succeed in studies, obtain good work, make a stable and caring family, raise healthy children, maintain enjoyable sexual relationships, obtain social prestige and economic stability. The pleasure is the ? Example that directs el path to a healthy life.
We spent the rest of the day walking around La Paz. Bolivian women have a very typical dress which includes a long, full pleated skirt, a blouse, a brightly colored blanket wrapped around a bundle of whatever they are carrying on their bag, all topped off with a black bowler hat covering their 2 very long, thick black braids.
We walked through a huge market selling all types of food and fruit, then to the famous Church of San Francisco. We first walked to the wrong church which was small and closed but eventually we found the right church. Of course, it was beautiful and full of alters and saints statues. After completing everything we’d wanted to see in La Paz, we headed back to the hotel, ate for lunch what we bought for breakfast the day before while we watched a horrible US movie that happened to be on the TV. We got all our stuff and took a taxi to the bus station to catch our 2 pm bus and waited outside the gate. When 2 pm arrived and no one else was there I walked over to the ticket counter to find out if we were at the right gate. The lady said we were correct and that we would start boarding in 30 minutes. I didn’t understand because we were supposed to leave at 2 and she told me that it was only 1 pm!! So apparently there is a one hour time change between Chile and Bolivia and we didn’t know it! We’d been hanging out this whole time thinking it was an hour later!
Since we had an extra hour we took a walk around the bus station and had a photo shoot with EF, the baby llama. Finally we got on the bus at the correct 2 pm and spent the rest of the day driving to Peru. At the border we got off the bus and exited Bolivia after we were warned that if we had left the next day, we would need a Visitors Visa. Good thing we left when we did!! Then we walked across a bridge and entered Peru. I couldn’t believe how chaotic it was and we could have easily entered Peru without passing through customs. The rest of the evening was a tumultuous bus ride while I attempted to sleep.
We arrived in Puno late in the evening and first arranged to take a boat tour of Lake Titicaca the next morning. Then we went out to check out Puno and decided that we wanted to try the famous Peruvian delicacy Cuy. Aka Guinea Pig. So we found a nice looking restaurant and ordered one for all of us to share. To our surprise, it came out as an entire guinea pig, buck teeth and all. It was disgusting to look at and not too much better to eat. It tasted like chicken but with a lot less meat. After dinner we headed back to the hostel where the 4 of us were sharing a room. We kept trying to go to sleep but with all of us together we couldn’t stop laughing, especially at Chris’s absurd insults and Nick’s obliviousness at the female anatomy.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007 Going to Bolivia!
Thursday, November 29, 2007 Going to Bolivia!
Got into Arica at 3 am, found a taxi to take us into town to find a hostel.
Had no plan, no idea what to do except we knew we wanted to go to La Paz asap (despite warnings not to go from our program director b/c of protests in Sucre over silver mining and the fact that US citizens need a visa to enter Bolivia starting Dec. 1. So are plan was to go the 29th and leave for Peru the 30th before we needed the visa!)
On the way into the city, pass a bus headed for La Paz, taxi driver turns around, waves it down. Nick talks to drive, 3 seats left but 4 of us. We nearly got on a random bus to La Paz at 3:30 in the morning!
Went to hostel, slept for 4 hours. At 9 same taxi driver brought us to bus station, get on bus to La Paz.
Bus to La Paz, 7 hours
Delcious lunch with wine
Meet Chilean rapper traveling with wife and son to La Paz then Lima to do concerts
Chile/Bolivia Border- nearly leave Natalie and Chris
Lots of crappy movies, really load
Make book list
Beautiful scenery, two huge volcanos,
can obviously feel increase in altitiude.
Get to La Paz around 7 pm, incredibly city in a valley shaped like a bowl, nearly overflowing. But this bowl is above (way way above sea level, so no worries about flooding!)
Buy ticket to Puno, Peru for the next day at 2 pm.
Ask taxi driver to take us to a hostel near the center of town. Brings us to hotel, pay 3 dollars each for the night.
Walk to art museum, awesome
p.s. with all the walking, the altitude is very obvious. I felt winded and my toes and fingers tingled like they were asleep. And we were all a little giddy. We decided to skip wine at dinner.
Walk to dinner to restaurant called Bella Vista (Beautiful View) on top of Hotel Presidente, with 360 view of city, recommended as best restaurant in La Paz in Frommers
Ate delicious, huge trout from Lake Titicaca, salad bar, water and dessert for about 10 USD$. Boys had huge steak for same price.
Walked back to hotel (slowly) and went to bed exhausted but happy
Got into Arica at 3 am, found a taxi to take us into town to find a hostel.
Had no plan, no idea what to do except we knew we wanted to go to La Paz asap (despite warnings not to go from our program director b/c of protests in Sucre over silver mining and the fact that US citizens need a visa to enter Bolivia starting Dec. 1. So are plan was to go the 29th and leave for Peru the 30th before we needed the visa!)
On the way into the city, pass a bus headed for La Paz, taxi driver turns around, waves it down. Nick talks to drive, 3 seats left but 4 of us. We nearly got on a random bus to La Paz at 3:30 in the morning!
Went to hostel, slept for 4 hours. At 9 same taxi driver brought us to bus station, get on bus to La Paz.
Bus to La Paz, 7 hours
Delcious lunch with wine
Meet Chilean rapper traveling with wife and son to La Paz then Lima to do concerts
Chile/Bolivia Border- nearly leave Natalie and Chris
Lots of crappy movies, really load
Make book list
Beautiful scenery, two huge volcanos,
can obviously feel increase in altitiude.
Get to La Paz around 7 pm, incredibly city in a valley shaped like a bowl, nearly overflowing. But this bowl is above (way way above sea level, so no worries about flooding!)
Buy ticket to Puno, Peru for the next day at 2 pm.
Ask taxi driver to take us to a hostel near the center of town. Brings us to hotel, pay 3 dollars each for the night.
Walk to art museum, awesome
p.s. with all the walking, the altitude is very obvious. I felt winded and my toes and fingers tingled like they were asleep. And we were all a little giddy. We decided to skip wine at dinner.
Walk to dinner to restaurant called Bella Vista (Beautiful View) on top of Hotel Presidente, with 360 view of city, recommended as best restaurant in La Paz in Frommers
Ate delicious, huge trout from Lake Titicaca, salad bar, water and dessert for about 10 USD$. Boys had huge steak for same price.
Walked back to hotel (slowly) and went to bed exhausted but happy
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 The adventure begins!!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 The adventure begins!!
Getting a cold sore from stress
Finish the paper (sort of), Olga bought me Diet Coke to celebrate!
Interview for senior staff position at Tulane residence life
Almost found a house for Emilio and his friends in NOLA
Talk with Trevor=intense
Hurriedly pack
Meet Natalie, Nick and Chris in metro, take bus to airport
Take altitude pills on the way, looks like drugs
Get through airport without showing a single ID
Waiting for plane, meet couple from San Francisco traveling all of Chile
Randomly sit next to the San Francisco couple, talk with the woman the entire flight about life after college, marriage (they just recently got engaged), changing your goals/dreams, expectations etc.
Had a beer on the plane b/c they encouraged me to!
Getting a cold sore from stress
Finish the paper (sort of), Olga bought me Diet Coke to celebrate!
Interview for senior staff position at Tulane residence life
Almost found a house for Emilio and his friends in NOLA
Talk with Trevor=intense
Hurriedly pack
Meet Natalie, Nick and Chris in metro, take bus to airport
Take altitude pills on the way, looks like drugs
Get through airport without showing a single ID
Waiting for plane, meet couple from San Francisco traveling all of Chile
Randomly sit next to the San Francisco couple, talk with the woman the entire flight about life after college, marriage (they just recently got engaged), changing your goals/dreams, expectations etc.
Had a beer on the plane b/c they encouraged me to!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Almost done!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Almost done!
Again I spent almost all day working on my paper. I went to mass and had to say goodbye to my new friends since they were heading home the next day. I worked until about 8 pm, then met up in the swanky part of Santiago to have a beer and relax with some friends. It started out just being Courtney, Hannah, Matt and I but by 10 pm there are well over 20 of our gringo friends!
When Nick finally showed up he told us his funny story about getting robbed in the park by a man with a 12 inch kitchen knife. Luckily no one got hurt and he only lost $30 bucks, so we all had a good laugh. Everyone else was staying out all night but seeing as I still had to write about 8 pages, I headed in early.
Again I spent almost all day working on my paper. I went to mass and had to say goodbye to my new friends since they were heading home the next day. I worked until about 8 pm, then met up in the swanky part of Santiago to have a beer and relax with some friends. It started out just being Courtney, Hannah, Matt and I but by 10 pm there are well over 20 of our gringo friends!
When Nick finally showed up he told us his funny story about getting robbed in the park by a man with a 12 inch kitchen knife. Luckily no one got hurt and he only lost $30 bucks, so we all had a good laugh. Everyone else was staying out all night but seeing as I still had to write about 8 pages, I headed in early.
Monday, November 26, 2007 Just a little bit more work, you can do it!
Monday, November 26, 2007 Just a little bit more work, you can do it!
Today was a dull but important day. I worked all day frantically working on my Poverty Paper. The only breaks I took were to go to mass at noon, where I saw my two new friends and to eat. Took a little break to meet up with some of my girlfriends to get ice cream and say goodbye to my friend Sara who is going home early. But other than that, it was work work work. I got a lot done but still have a lot to go!
Today was a dull but important day. I worked all day frantically working on my Poverty Paper. The only breaks I took were to go to mass at noon, where I saw my two new friends and to eat. Took a little break to meet up with some of my girlfriends to get ice cream and say goodbye to my friend Sara who is going home early. But other than that, it was work work work. I got a lot done but still have a lot to go!
Sunday, November 25, 2007 I’m supposed to be doing my paper, but I’m having too much fun!
Sunday, November 25, 2007 I’m supposed to be doing my paper, but I’m having too much fun!
I woke up and went on a quick run, then went to the Museum Palacio Cousino a few blocks from my house. I’d heard great things about the museum and knew that since time was running short, if I didn’t go now I’d never go. The Palacio (Palace) is a huge house built by an old Chilean family that owned copper mines and wineries. Inside it absolutely beautiful and filled with all kinds of extravagances: 19 types of Italian marble on the staircase, a 2 ton crystal chandelier, tons of priceless artwork, gold trimmed everything, etc. Now the house is owned by the City Government and they use it to host big parties.
Afterwards I came home and had lunch with Olga then spent the afternoon working on homework. That evening Olga and I went to her church because they were having the confirmations. With this sacrament, I was able to see all 7 sacraments of the Catholic Church in Chile! An amazing and amazingly old Cardinal presided and during the homily made a funny comment about parejas, the Chilean word for an unmarried couple who lives like a married couple. He said, “Parejas? Me carga la palabra pareja!” (Couple? I hate the word “couple”!”) Then he went on to say that only animals live “en parejas” (as an unmarried couple). He basically was denouncing the decline in rates of marriages and commenting on how it is leading to the decay of the family and therefore the society. Ok, so I guess you had to be there, but it really was funny!
After mass Olga and I headed home and about a block away we suddenly hear mariachi singers. We turned around and realized that a man was serenading from the street to a woman (his girlfriend I assume) about 7 stories up. When they finished the song the small crowd that had gathered started cheering and she invited him up, a sign of a successful serenade! When we got home I spent the evening working on my 17 page paper, like I should have been doing all day!
I woke up and went on a quick run, then went to the Museum Palacio Cousino a few blocks from my house. I’d heard great things about the museum and knew that since time was running short, if I didn’t go now I’d never go. The Palacio (Palace) is a huge house built by an old Chilean family that owned copper mines and wineries. Inside it absolutely beautiful and filled with all kinds of extravagances: 19 types of Italian marble on the staircase, a 2 ton crystal chandelier, tons of priceless artwork, gold trimmed everything, etc. Now the house is owned by the City Government and they use it to host big parties.
Afterwards I came home and had lunch with Olga then spent the afternoon working on homework. That evening Olga and I went to her church because they were having the confirmations. With this sacrament, I was able to see all 7 sacraments of the Catholic Church in Chile! An amazing and amazingly old Cardinal presided and during the homily made a funny comment about parejas, the Chilean word for an unmarried couple who lives like a married couple. He said, “Parejas? Me carga la palabra pareja!” (Couple? I hate the word “couple”!”) Then he went on to say that only animals live “en parejas” (as an unmarried couple). He basically was denouncing the decline in rates of marriages and commenting on how it is leading to the decay of the family and therefore the society. Ok, so I guess you had to be there, but it really was funny!
After mass Olga and I headed home and about a block away we suddenly hear mariachi singers. We turned around and realized that a man was serenading from the street to a woman (his girlfriend I assume) about 7 stories up. When they finished the song the small crowd that had gathered started cheering and she invited him up, a sign of a successful serenade! When we got home I spent the evening working on my 17 page paper, like I should have been doing all day!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007 Family and Friends, the best way to spend a Saturday
Saturday, November 24, 2007 Family and Friends, the best way to spend a Saturday
5 am, place closes come outside expecting everyone to be gone, friends sitting outside drinking coronas chatting! Decide to tough it out and wait till the metro opens at 6:30 instead of taking cabs home. Only place open is McDonalds. Everyone gets food, no ice cream, so I just got water.
McDonalds closes at 6 am! Wait half an hour outside the metro
Said goodbye to Nici, she is leaving for San Pedro de Atacama then trip up to Columbia today!
Metro home, Olga laughs and told me she wasn’t worried at all!
Slept for 3 hours, woke up at 10:30 to go to Miguels soccer game
Found out Olga and Mario missed winning the lottery by 1 number out of 6! Instead of 40,000 USD, they get $16!
Soccer game, adorable
Tie 0-0, go to shoot out. Miguel goes first, makes his goal. His team ends up losing
Party afterwards, ice cream
Everyone comes over for almuerzo, talk about how they are all going to drive me to the airport on Dec. 12, which is also Miguel’s birthday. But Miguel has never been to the airport so will be excited to go!
Go to get ice cream with Sara, Courtney, Lorin and Alea in Providencia, sat in park chatting
Came home, slept
Decided to stay in, caught up on blog instead of doing homework!!
5 am, place closes come outside expecting everyone to be gone, friends sitting outside drinking coronas chatting! Decide to tough it out and wait till the metro opens at 6:30 instead of taking cabs home. Only place open is McDonalds. Everyone gets food, no ice cream, so I just got water.
McDonalds closes at 6 am! Wait half an hour outside the metro
Said goodbye to Nici, she is leaving for San Pedro de Atacama then trip up to Columbia today!
Metro home, Olga laughs and told me she wasn’t worried at all!
Slept for 3 hours, woke up at 10:30 to go to Miguels soccer game
Found out Olga and Mario missed winning the lottery by 1 number out of 6! Instead of 40,000 USD, they get $16!
Soccer game, adorable
Tie 0-0, go to shoot out. Miguel goes first, makes his goal. His team ends up losing
Party afterwards, ice cream
Everyone comes over for almuerzo, talk about how they are all going to drive me to the airport on Dec. 12, which is also Miguel’s birthday. But Miguel has never been to the airport so will be excited to go!
Go to get ice cream with Sara, Courtney, Lorin and Alea in Providencia, sat in park chatting
Came home, slept
Decided to stay in, caught up on blog instead of doing homework!!
Friday, November 23, 2007 Fiesta de Despedida- Goodbye Party! Already?
Friday, November 23, 2007 Fiesta de Despedida- Goodbye Party! Already?
Work, Mass
Made friends after mass- 2 brothers, studying Engineering, from the south. Told me I’m a good Catholic (b/c I go to mass) and that my Spanish is really good! Gave them my messenger name.
Almuerzo, to Nuestra Casa to do interviews- really nervous
Went really well. Learned a lot, got good stuff for my investigation. Felt good to know they trusted me, many opened up and told me a lot about their lives. 3 guys have lived on the street all their lives. Incredible.
Rushed home, showered, dressed, Olga convinced me to wear my black flats instead of heels, told Olga not to worry, I might be out late with my gringo friends!
Went to CIEE office for the “Returning Home” workshop
Really helpful to learn about “re-entry” syndrome, reflect about how we’ve changed, what concerns we have about going back, what 3 things we’ve learned
How I’ve Changed:
Concerns I have about going back:
3 things I’ve learned:
1. The importance of language
2. JUST DO IT
3. Importance of my family in my life.
Most important thing I’ve learned while in Chile:
It’s not about what you have
It’s not about what you are doing
It’s not about where you are
It’s all about who you are with
After workshop, to Fiesta de Despedida, Goodbye party
Pisco sours, frutti drinks, wine
Delicious dinner
“graduation” ceremony, gave cards to program coordinators, said goodbye
I got up and asked people, esp the boys, to bring clothes/shoes to CIEE office so I can bring it to Nuestra Casa
Dessert, open bar, pictures, socializing, dancing
Left after midnight, walked to Avaneda Suecia, went to small club, danced the night away!
Nick and I danced with 3 chileans until place closed at 5 am!
Work, Mass
Made friends after mass- 2 brothers, studying Engineering, from the south. Told me I’m a good Catholic (b/c I go to mass) and that my Spanish is really good! Gave them my messenger name.
Almuerzo, to Nuestra Casa to do interviews- really nervous
Went really well. Learned a lot, got good stuff for my investigation. Felt good to know they trusted me, many opened up and told me a lot about their lives. 3 guys have lived on the street all their lives. Incredible.
Rushed home, showered, dressed, Olga convinced me to wear my black flats instead of heels, told Olga not to worry, I might be out late with my gringo friends!
Went to CIEE office for the “Returning Home” workshop
Really helpful to learn about “re-entry” syndrome, reflect about how we’ve changed, what concerns we have about going back, what 3 things we’ve learned
How I’ve Changed:
Concerns I have about going back:
3 things I’ve learned:
1. The importance of language
2. JUST DO IT
3. Importance of my family in my life.
Most important thing I’ve learned while in Chile:
It’s not about what you have
It’s not about what you are doing
It’s not about where you are
It’s all about who you are with
After workshop, to Fiesta de Despedida, Goodbye party
Pisco sours, frutti drinks, wine
Delicious dinner
“graduation” ceremony, gave cards to program coordinators, said goodbye
I got up and asked people, esp the boys, to bring clothes/shoes to CIEE office so I can bring it to Nuestra Casa
Dessert, open bar, pictures, socializing, dancing
Left after midnight, walked to Avaneda Suecia, went to small club, danced the night away!
Nick and I danced with 3 chileans until place closed at 5 am!
Thursday, November 22, 2007 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Chilean Education. Oh yeah, and its Thanksgiving. I forgot.
Thursday, November 22, 2007 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Chilean Education. Oh yeah, and its Thanksgiving. I forgot.
Today began and ended with the two extremes of education.
I started out my day volunteering at the high school.
The teacher Mabel didn’t show up, so I tried to teach them the numbers. Wanted to kill them. Instead ended up talking about Trevor, showed them photo of us.
Left early (i.e. gave up?), went to mass, almuerzo after mass. Had carrot omelet and refused to talk/think about turkey.
After lunch called Trevor, talked to Taylor for a while
Then called the family in California, had a break down. I’m a goose flying alone.
Talked to everyone. Never been so homesick. Wish I was there, know its worth it that I stayed, but can’t help second guessing my decision. Nice to know they are thinking of me and I love the pictures.
In the evening, went to Miguel’s “guitar concert” which ended up being a 3 hour display of every musical group and theater group in the high school. Long, but well worth it. Gave me hope that there is quality education in Chile. Then I realized this type of education is only for those that can afford it. Oh the vicious cycle.
A few interesting points during the concert
1. there choir director is Cuban and at one point he made a side comment that thanks to God here in Chile he is free and can say what he wants. Ironically it wasn’t long ago that Chile wasn’t free. But it was powerful.
2. They sang Amazing Grace, in English. The teacher made a comment that it was ironic that it was in English!
Enjoyed the evening with my Chilean family. I’ve got so much to be thankful for!
Starving by the end of the concert, Evan had cake, ate some on the bus home!!
Olga made me steak, ate at 11 at night! To celebrate Thanksgiving, I ate the rest of my cake with ice cream! A Delicious Chilean Thanksgiving feast!
Today began and ended with the two extremes of education.
I started out my day volunteering at the high school.
The teacher Mabel didn’t show up, so I tried to teach them the numbers. Wanted to kill them. Instead ended up talking about Trevor, showed them photo of us.
Left early (i.e. gave up?), went to mass, almuerzo after mass. Had carrot omelet and refused to talk/think about turkey.
After lunch called Trevor, talked to Taylor for a while
Then called the family in California, had a break down. I’m a goose flying alone.
Talked to everyone. Never been so homesick. Wish I was there, know its worth it that I stayed, but can’t help second guessing my decision. Nice to know they are thinking of me and I love the pictures.
In the evening, went to Miguel’s “guitar concert” which ended up being a 3 hour display of every musical group and theater group in the high school. Long, but well worth it. Gave me hope that there is quality education in Chile. Then I realized this type of education is only for those that can afford it. Oh the vicious cycle.
A few interesting points during the concert
1. there choir director is Cuban and at one point he made a side comment that thanks to God here in Chile he is free and can say what he wants. Ironically it wasn’t long ago that Chile wasn’t free. But it was powerful.
2. They sang Amazing Grace, in English. The teacher made a comment that it was ironic that it was in English!
Enjoyed the evening with my Chilean family. I’ve got so much to be thankful for!
Starving by the end of the concert, Evan had cake, ate some on the bus home!!
Olga made me steak, ate at 11 at night! To celebrate Thanksgiving, I ate the rest of my cake with ice cream! A Delicious Chilean Thanksgiving feast!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
