Saturday, September 8, 2007
I slept in till noon and woke up to discover my voice was nearly gone. I’m not surprised since I’ve been sick and I stayed up last night laughing and singing HOLD ON TO WHAT WE’VE GOT… at the top of my longs. Olga and ate breakfast(?) and she laughed while I filled her in on everything I did yesterday. After eating I did the little homework I had and caught up on my journal. We had almuerzo around 3 and Olga told me that I’ve been good for her because she’s lost weight! I hadn’t noticed before, but in 2 months, she is actually quite a bit skinnier! She said she feels lighter and healthier and her husband even made a comment! She seemed quite pleased with herself but told me its because I’m here and help her eat healthier. I told her congratulations but that I think I’m the opposite. So she told me she won’t buy anymore desserts and will start buying less bread.
After almuerzo Olga and I took the metro to Quinta Normal, a beautiful park on the west side of town. While we were walking around, Olga told me she used to come here when she was younger because it reminded her of the south where she grew up. It really is like an oasis in the middle of the city full of huge trees, a laguna, flowers, and people everywhere having picnics, playing soccer, riding bikes, flying kites. I loved it and really made me miss Audubon Park in New Orleans. There are a couple museums in the park but they were closing right as we got there. But we did manage to sneak in one museum before it closed. It is a beautiful old building that they’ve converted into an Art center. On the first floor are copies probably 50 of the most famous works of art in the world. They had all my favorite Spanish painters, including Velazquez and Picasso, and even a Georgia Okeefe and a few other US painters. On the second floor was an amazing interactive art education area. It was all the things you learn in art class about color and perspective and light etc. in a great interactive set up. They even had a workshop on the side. I absolutely loved it and I’m going to bring Courtney because she studies art and can tell me all about the paintings I didn’t know about!
When we finished walking around the park I asked Olga if she wanted to go to mass. She was very excited and after discussing where to go, we decided on San Lazaro, the one closest to the apartment. So we took the metro and when we got to the church we saw that there was a wedding. I assumed we would just go to the other mass that is at 7:30, but Olga insisted it was fine! So thinking back to the funeral we had attended about a week again, I again followed Olga into the church, praying that no one would notice that we definitely did not belong! I was just glad I was wearing a black jacket instead of the bright pink sweater like I wore to the funeral! We sat over to the side but right in front with a few other people who were also there just for mass.
Before mass started Olga and I laughed about the fact that of the 7 sacraments of the Catholic Church, I’d now witnessed 4! I’ve seen a wedding (holy matrimony), a funeral (last rites), and holy orders and I’ve gone to communion! All I’m lacking is baptism, confirmation, and confession. Olga teaches a baptism class to parents, so we decided I would go to mass with her when the babies are baptized and she is going to find out when the confirmation mass is at her church. Then she explained to me how to do confession in Chile and assured me that once the priest noticed my accident, (right away, of course) he would help me out! So I’m thinking by the time I leave Chile, I’ll have all 7!
The wedding was quite elegant and the church was packed. There was great live music which I think it was actually Scottish music. They had a flute, a Peter Pan type flute, drums, a bag pipe and singers. I didn’t notice, but Olga said she saw they were wearing kilts! One interesting difference between Chilean weddings and US weddings: instead of having bridesmaids and groomsmen, they have Padrinos or Godparents. So the husband and the wife each choose one godmother and one godfather (can be their parents, cousins, siblings, friends, etc.). The godparents then sit on the side, where the bridesmaids or groomsmen would sit. It reminded me a lot of watching my parents wedding tape: most of the people had no idea what was going on during the mass, the women were crying, and about 15% went to communion.
One big difference was that the bride and groom looked nervous and somewhat uncomfortable the whole time. I kind of felt bad for them.
While Olga and I walked home, she kept saying how she couldn’t believe the odds of us deciding to go to a Saturday evening mass and there being such an elegant wedding. We had a great laugh and she kept telling me how special we are together and how much God is blessing us! We ate once and again recounted how great a day we’d had and I decided to lay low tonight and stay in. I’d had enough excitement in the past few days and I really tired/still trying to kick this cold/flu thing. So I called Jamie and my mom and they filled me in on the car situation back home. Everything is worked out with the insurance and they amazingly bought a car for Jamie today! Its incredible how these things work out! Now it’s almost 1 am on Saturday night and I’m warm in my bed, ready for the sandman to bring me a dream…
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007 How can you not love Chile?
Friday, September 7, 2007
I woke up at Courtney’s around 9:30 and we got dressed and had breakfast. I met her adopted parents and they were surprised that I was a gringa! I guess when Courtney asked if she could have a friend spend the night they were expecting a Chilean! But they were very nice and welcoming. I began the long trek home from her house around 10:15 and after a 20 minute walk and a 30 minute metro ride, I got home. I took a quick shower and at noon I went to the bus stop to meet up with Calli and Courtney (again!) to check out some markets and museums in the northern part of down town. Two Chileans that we had met a few times and we saw last night joined us. They names are Rodrigo and Ignacio. It worked out really well because they knew how to get around plus it forced us to speak in Spanish!
First we walked to a street market where they sell all kinds of clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc. Then we went to the Vega where they sell fruits and vegetables. We bought apples and grapes. The lady that sold us the apples gave us an orange for free! Then Courtney and I each bought a Chilean flag. I’d wanted one to hang in my room and I figured it would be good to have for Fiestas Patrias!
For lunch we all ate at Schopdog, a Chilean chain restaurant. The girls all wanted to eat at one of the little restaurants that sell seafood straight from the market that is there but the Chileans said that they can be unhygienic. I didn’t really mind a little extra protein in my food, but the boys were being sissies, so we at fast food. Calli and I both had a huge, delicious salad. The boys didn’t understand how we could eat just that. We told them it was a lot of food but they insisted that it was only vegetables and that we would be hungry soon. Honestly, that is the Chilean perspective on salads: its not food, its just vegetables!
After lunch the boys headed out and Calli and Courtney and I went to Estacion Mapocho, Santiago’s old Union Station. It is a beautiful, huge building and reminded me a lot of KC, MO’s Union Station. They have what seems to be a really amazing dinosaur exhibit with fossils from Mongolia and I had been wanting to go. So I was really excited about it until we found out it costs about $8. That and we only had about an hour, so we decided against it. So instead we check out two photography exhibits they had (one about Chilean birds and another artsy fartsy naked woman photography). After we’d had enough wild life (note the double meaning), we sat outside on the steps and ate the grapes we’d bought at the market (after washing them of course!).
Around 4 we walked about 30 minutes to Alameda (the main street downtown that runs close to my house). We sat in front of the La Moneda (the Chilean Government Capital) and ate our apples. It will probably go on the list as one of the best apples I’ve ever eaten. It was literally sweeter that honey and about half the size of my face. Unfortunately for Calli, about half way through her apple she set it down and said she didn’t want anymore. She told us her lips were tingling, which is what happens when she eats avocado and certain other fruits (which she is allergic to). About 3 minutes later, she could barely talk and couldn’t take deep breaths. She said she felt like she had something stuck in her through and she sounded like a 80 woman who’d smoked all her life. She assured us she was fine and that it would pass, but we could tell she was scared. Apparently she’s never had an allergic reaction that bad and never with apples. Her theory is that she is allergic to the peal of many fruits and that this particular apple had something that her body didn’t like. Anyway, she ended up being fine and after about an hour was back to normal. I think she is just going to stick to Granny Smiths and Fujis from now on!
At 5 we went to a Cueca class with CIEE (our exchange program). Cueca is the national dance of Chile and huge during September and Fiestas Patrias. Our program coordinators organized the class for us and it was quite a blast. I had seen the cueca a few times before and totally didn’t understand it. It seemed completely random. But in the class we learned the steps and the passes and now I definitely understand! I not claiming to be good at the cueca, but I think if I had to, I could handle my own. We’ll see if I’ll have the opportunity to dance it for real. After the class we had empanadas and hung out. It was good to see kids that I hadn’t really seen since we’ve got here and everyone seems to be doing great.
After the class Calli, Courtney and I ate the chocolate we’d bought at a little fair and then Courtney and I took the metro to meet up with Christian. He picked us up and drove us to his house. Until about 10, Courtney, Christian, Emanuel (Christian’s twin brother) and I sat in their room talking and cracking up. At 10 their mom got home and was thrilled to see me. She sat and talked with us and when she realized it, started griping at the boys for not offering us anything to eat or drink. In true Chilean mother fashion, “These lovely young ladies have been here almost two hours and you haven’t offered them tea or coffee or even a little juice? You boys should know better!” Courtney and I had a great laugh while Christian and Emanuel jumped to their feet and ran to the kitchen.
They had once and I drank some coffee after firmly reassuring their mom that I’d eaten empanadas and was quite full. While we were eating Christian’s older brother Emilio came home with his girlfriend Maria Paz and 3 guy friends. One of the friends I hadn’t met but one was Marcelo, the guy from the beach that was at their house last time I was there and the other was Juan, who we’d also hung out with at the beach but who I hadn’t seen since then. They had all been at a party at the University and Emilio had had more than a few. He walked in and despite his best attempts to play it off, immediately their mom knew. The exchange was quite funny: Emilio trying to convince his mother he was fine and Mom assuring him she knew better because she had carried him in her womb. We died laughing.
After once Christian and I set up their ping pong table and I proceeded to school him. It was actually a really really close game and I was nervous at a few points. But I showed him up in the end and in true Bronder fashion, even managed a little trash talk in Spanish. Juan decided to try next but he had had a little too much to drink and after 11-2 gave up. I think sober he could give me a good game, so hopefully we play again. Then Juan and Marcelo challenged Christian and I to a doubles game and after a fierce battle, Christian and I emerged victorious. Marcelo was actually really good and could probably beat me one on one, but I didn’t give him the chance! After three intense games I was spent and decided to go out on a good note.
Next we decided to try to play Texas Hold’em, but it ended up being too complicated to try to explain and we didn’t have chips, so after about 30 minutes we switched to karaoke (Chilean Gin Rummy). But as soon as the cards were dealt everyone started talking and singing and not paying attention, so that didn’t happen either! Courtney and I spent the rest of the night dieing of laughter while the boys spoke English, sang American songs at the top of their lungs, and asked us which one of them looked most Latin. They even brought out the guitar! I’m convinced Juan knows more American songs, movies, and TV shows than I do. We helped them with their English pronunciation, for example the differences between her and hair, beach and bitch, can’t and CENSORED, and fact and $#*$ed. I honestly had never thought about it, but those words are quite similar. Its amazing what you take for granted in your native tongue! Despite the fact that half of us were sober (Maria Paz, Christian, Courtney and I) we all had a great time. I literally have not laughed that hard in so long.
Around 3 Christian drove Courtney and I home, despite the boys begging us to stay and hang out. By the time I got home, in bed and fell asleep, it was around 4:30!
I woke up at Courtney’s around 9:30 and we got dressed and had breakfast. I met her adopted parents and they were surprised that I was a gringa! I guess when Courtney asked if she could have a friend spend the night they were expecting a Chilean! But they were very nice and welcoming. I began the long trek home from her house around 10:15 and after a 20 minute walk and a 30 minute metro ride, I got home. I took a quick shower and at noon I went to the bus stop to meet up with Calli and Courtney (again!) to check out some markets and museums in the northern part of down town. Two Chileans that we had met a few times and we saw last night joined us. They names are Rodrigo and Ignacio. It worked out really well because they knew how to get around plus it forced us to speak in Spanish!
First we walked to a street market where they sell all kinds of clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc. Then we went to the Vega where they sell fruits and vegetables. We bought apples and grapes. The lady that sold us the apples gave us an orange for free! Then Courtney and I each bought a Chilean flag. I’d wanted one to hang in my room and I figured it would be good to have for Fiestas Patrias!
For lunch we all ate at Schopdog, a Chilean chain restaurant. The girls all wanted to eat at one of the little restaurants that sell seafood straight from the market that is there but the Chileans said that they can be unhygienic. I didn’t really mind a little extra protein in my food, but the boys were being sissies, so we at fast food. Calli and I both had a huge, delicious salad. The boys didn’t understand how we could eat just that. We told them it was a lot of food but they insisted that it was only vegetables and that we would be hungry soon. Honestly, that is the Chilean perspective on salads: its not food, its just vegetables!
After lunch the boys headed out and Calli and Courtney and I went to Estacion Mapocho, Santiago’s old Union Station. It is a beautiful, huge building and reminded me a lot of KC, MO’s Union Station. They have what seems to be a really amazing dinosaur exhibit with fossils from Mongolia and I had been wanting to go. So I was really excited about it until we found out it costs about $8. That and we only had about an hour, so we decided against it. So instead we check out two photography exhibits they had (one about Chilean birds and another artsy fartsy naked woman photography). After we’d had enough wild life (note the double meaning), we sat outside on the steps and ate the grapes we’d bought at the market (after washing them of course!).
Around 4 we walked about 30 minutes to Alameda (the main street downtown that runs close to my house). We sat in front of the La Moneda (the Chilean Government Capital) and ate our apples. It will probably go on the list as one of the best apples I’ve ever eaten. It was literally sweeter that honey and about half the size of my face. Unfortunately for Calli, about half way through her apple she set it down and said she didn’t want anymore. She told us her lips were tingling, which is what happens when she eats avocado and certain other fruits (which she is allergic to). About 3 minutes later, she could barely talk and couldn’t take deep breaths. She said she felt like she had something stuck in her through and she sounded like a 80 woman who’d smoked all her life. She assured us she was fine and that it would pass, but we could tell she was scared. Apparently she’s never had an allergic reaction that bad and never with apples. Her theory is that she is allergic to the peal of many fruits and that this particular apple had something that her body didn’t like. Anyway, she ended up being fine and after about an hour was back to normal. I think she is just going to stick to Granny Smiths and Fujis from now on!
At 5 we went to a Cueca class with CIEE (our exchange program). Cueca is the national dance of Chile and huge during September and Fiestas Patrias. Our program coordinators organized the class for us and it was quite a blast. I had seen the cueca a few times before and totally didn’t understand it. It seemed completely random. But in the class we learned the steps and the passes and now I definitely understand! I not claiming to be good at the cueca, but I think if I had to, I could handle my own. We’ll see if I’ll have the opportunity to dance it for real. After the class we had empanadas and hung out. It was good to see kids that I hadn’t really seen since we’ve got here and everyone seems to be doing great.
After the class Calli, Courtney and I ate the chocolate we’d bought at a little fair and then Courtney and I took the metro to meet up with Christian. He picked us up and drove us to his house. Until about 10, Courtney, Christian, Emanuel (Christian’s twin brother) and I sat in their room talking and cracking up. At 10 their mom got home and was thrilled to see me. She sat and talked with us and when she realized it, started griping at the boys for not offering us anything to eat or drink. In true Chilean mother fashion, “These lovely young ladies have been here almost two hours and you haven’t offered them tea or coffee or even a little juice? You boys should know better!” Courtney and I had a great laugh while Christian and Emanuel jumped to their feet and ran to the kitchen.
They had once and I drank some coffee after firmly reassuring their mom that I’d eaten empanadas and was quite full. While we were eating Christian’s older brother Emilio came home with his girlfriend Maria Paz and 3 guy friends. One of the friends I hadn’t met but one was Marcelo, the guy from the beach that was at their house last time I was there and the other was Juan, who we’d also hung out with at the beach but who I hadn’t seen since then. They had all been at a party at the University and Emilio had had more than a few. He walked in and despite his best attempts to play it off, immediately their mom knew. The exchange was quite funny: Emilio trying to convince his mother he was fine and Mom assuring him she knew better because she had carried him in her womb. We died laughing.
After once Christian and I set up their ping pong table and I proceeded to school him. It was actually a really really close game and I was nervous at a few points. But I showed him up in the end and in true Bronder fashion, even managed a little trash talk in Spanish. Juan decided to try next but he had had a little too much to drink and after 11-2 gave up. I think sober he could give me a good game, so hopefully we play again. Then Juan and Marcelo challenged Christian and I to a doubles game and after a fierce battle, Christian and I emerged victorious. Marcelo was actually really good and could probably beat me one on one, but I didn’t give him the chance! After three intense games I was spent and decided to go out on a good note.
Next we decided to try to play Texas Hold’em, but it ended up being too complicated to try to explain and we didn’t have chips, so after about 30 minutes we switched to karaoke (Chilean Gin Rummy). But as soon as the cards were dealt everyone started talking and singing and not paying attention, so that didn’t happen either! Courtney and I spent the rest of the night dieing of laughter while the boys spoke English, sang American songs at the top of their lungs, and asked us which one of them looked most Latin. They even brought out the guitar! I’m convinced Juan knows more American songs, movies, and TV shows than I do. We helped them with their English pronunciation, for example the differences between her and hair, beach and bitch, can’t and CENSORED, and fact and $#*$ed. I honestly had never thought about it, but those words are quite similar. Its amazing what you take for granted in your native tongue! Despite the fact that half of us were sober (Maria Paz, Christian, Courtney and I) we all had a great time. I literally have not laughed that hard in so long.
Around 3 Christian drove Courtney and I home, despite the boys begging us to stay and hang out. By the time I got home, in bed and fell asleep, it was around 4:30!
Thursday, September 6, 2007 Happy 17th Birthday Jammer!
Thursday, September 6, 2007 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE!!
I woke up at 6:15 AM, wondering why on earth I agreed to volunteer so stinking early in the morning. I left the house at 6:50 and took the metro to the High School where I’ll be helping out with the English class. I met the teacher, Mabel, at 7:30 and as we walked to class, she turned and said, “Welcome to hell”. It is her first year teaching and she is way in over her head. I think she will be ok eventually, but she definitely needs some help.
I spent from 7:30 to 12:00 in three different classes telling kids to sit down, keep working, put their MP3 players away, and trying to help them with their English. Some of them haven’t learned anything beyond, “Hello, my name is…” but they are pretty receptive and respectful to me. I think I will be able to really make an impact and it is great to feel useful. They ask me funny questions, especially about my boyfriend in the United States.
At one point I was helping a group of girls with their King Arthur story and worksheet. The 4 of them had a look of complete desperation and I could tell they were about to give up. I decided to break the English only rule and got down on their level (literally and figuratively. I was on my knees.) and spoke Spanish with them. I told them that I’ve been studying Spanish for 7 years and I still have a lot to learn. I told them that I know how hard it is to learn a foreign language in a classroom and that it seems nearly impossible. But if they want to learn English and if they are willing to study and work, they can. We talked for a while and after the little bit of motivation, they kept working and ended up finishing the entire worksheet! I was very excited and honestly, if that is the best thing I do down here, I’ll be happy.
There are plenty of more funny, interesting, sad, and hopefull stories of my 4.5 hours in San Lawrence Colegio and I’m sure I’ll have thousands more by the end of the semester, so I’ll spare you. But as I was leaving, Mabel thanked me profusely and asked if I wanted to get together and have a beer this weekend. I told her I’d love to and that we can work on lesson plans! She seemed relieved and excited and I left exhausted but happy. Its great to feel useful and needed and its worth waking up at the butt crack of dawn (literally!)
I came home and had almuerzo with Olga, then laid down to take a quick nap. I wanted to finish my homework on Thursday so I wouldn’t have to worry about it all weekend, but I ended up sleeping from 2 to 4:45! So much for getting my work done! At 5:15 I walked to a meeting for the English Opens Doors program (what I’m doing in the High School) about how to help in the classroom. It was very informative and they gave up lots of great worksheets and ideas. The best part was that afterwards they had sushi, pisco sours, and a cueca dance! I passed on the pisco sour, but enjoyed some sushi and cueca.
I walked home and about an hour later headed out to meet some friends in Providencia. We went to a really nice bar, but I had no desire to drink (and I’ve been taking cold medicine) so my friend Hanna and I shared a dessert! Around 10:45 we took a cab to La Católica. They had a huge party called Noche de las Naciones or Night of the Nations. Its basically a big cultural exchange event where Chilean students that have studied abroad in the past or current exchange students can have booths about their country with food, music, activities etc. It kind of reminded me of a Girl Scout event at first, but with college students, music, and alcohol! Around 11:45 there was a Chilean music and dance show with live Cueca, then dancers from Easter Island (it looked like the hula from Hawaii), then a meringue couple, then a Brazilian drumming group. Everyone was dancing and singing; it was a blast! When the show/dance fest ended, they had a DJ that played until about 3 am.
But I was tired, still a little sick, and ready to head out around 2 am. I didn’t want to pay to take a Taxi home by myself and Courtney was going to walk home by herself, so we decided that I would just walk home with Courtney and spend the night at her house! So Courtney and I walked together and had a slumber party! We laid in bed talking and giggling until about 4 in the morning until we finally crashed. Wow, what a great day!
I woke up at 6:15 AM, wondering why on earth I agreed to volunteer so stinking early in the morning. I left the house at 6:50 and took the metro to the High School where I’ll be helping out with the English class. I met the teacher, Mabel, at 7:30 and as we walked to class, she turned and said, “Welcome to hell”. It is her first year teaching and she is way in over her head. I think she will be ok eventually, but she definitely needs some help.
I spent from 7:30 to 12:00 in three different classes telling kids to sit down, keep working, put their MP3 players away, and trying to help them with their English. Some of them haven’t learned anything beyond, “Hello, my name is…” but they are pretty receptive and respectful to me. I think I will be able to really make an impact and it is great to feel useful. They ask me funny questions, especially about my boyfriend in the United States.
At one point I was helping a group of girls with their King Arthur story and worksheet. The 4 of them had a look of complete desperation and I could tell they were about to give up. I decided to break the English only rule and got down on their level (literally and figuratively. I was on my knees.) and spoke Spanish with them. I told them that I’ve been studying Spanish for 7 years and I still have a lot to learn. I told them that I know how hard it is to learn a foreign language in a classroom and that it seems nearly impossible. But if they want to learn English and if they are willing to study and work, they can. We talked for a while and after the little bit of motivation, they kept working and ended up finishing the entire worksheet! I was very excited and honestly, if that is the best thing I do down here, I’ll be happy.
There are plenty of more funny, interesting, sad, and hopefull stories of my 4.5 hours in San Lawrence Colegio and I’m sure I’ll have thousands more by the end of the semester, so I’ll spare you. But as I was leaving, Mabel thanked me profusely and asked if I wanted to get together and have a beer this weekend. I told her I’d love to and that we can work on lesson plans! She seemed relieved and excited and I left exhausted but happy. Its great to feel useful and needed and its worth waking up at the butt crack of dawn (literally!)
I came home and had almuerzo with Olga, then laid down to take a quick nap. I wanted to finish my homework on Thursday so I wouldn’t have to worry about it all weekend, but I ended up sleeping from 2 to 4:45! So much for getting my work done! At 5:15 I walked to a meeting for the English Opens Doors program (what I’m doing in the High School) about how to help in the classroom. It was very informative and they gave up lots of great worksheets and ideas. The best part was that afterwards they had sushi, pisco sours, and a cueca dance! I passed on the pisco sour, but enjoyed some sushi and cueca.
I walked home and about an hour later headed out to meet some friends in Providencia. We went to a really nice bar, but I had no desire to drink (and I’ve been taking cold medicine) so my friend Hanna and I shared a dessert! Around 10:45 we took a cab to La Católica. They had a huge party called Noche de las Naciones or Night of the Nations. Its basically a big cultural exchange event where Chilean students that have studied abroad in the past or current exchange students can have booths about their country with food, music, activities etc. It kind of reminded me of a Girl Scout event at first, but with college students, music, and alcohol! Around 11:45 there was a Chilean music and dance show with live Cueca, then dancers from Easter Island (it looked like the hula from Hawaii), then a meringue couple, then a Brazilian drumming group. Everyone was dancing and singing; it was a blast! When the show/dance fest ended, they had a DJ that played until about 3 am.
But I was tired, still a little sick, and ready to head out around 2 am. I didn’t want to pay to take a Taxi home by myself and Courtney was going to walk home by herself, so we decided that I would just walk home with Courtney and spend the night at her house! So Courtney and I walked together and had a slumber party! We laid in bed talking and giggling until about 4 in the morning until we finally crashed. Wow, what a great day!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Goodbye Hi Ho Silver...
Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Goodbye Hi Ho Silver…
Thank goodness, but I got a good night sleep last night and woke up feeling still a little sick but much better than yesterday. My Doctrina Social class was canceled since we had the test Monday, so I slept in and went to campus around 12:30. I laid outside in the sun (yeah, its getting warm!!!) and read for my Education class, then went to mass at 1. In my Education class the professor said she hasn’t been very happy about the test results so far and then went on to say that 70% of test results depend on the teacher, so I guess that is one benefit of an Education professor! After class I had lunch with Christian then we printed off my essay, which he had corrected. He told me that my writing and grammar is getting much better and that he was quite impressed. I still mess up the gender a lot, which is understandable because there is no gender in English!
(Gender as in el (masculine) versus la (feminine) for every object or idea. Ex: el gato – the cat. Cat is masculine, so it needs el. If you say la gato, it’s incorrect. There is your mini Spanish lesson for today.)
After Biblia class, I took the bus home. On the way I made a stop and re-charged my pay as you go cell phone. Grrr…its getting expensive! I was home for just a bit and I had to convince Olga to only feed me a little bit because I wasn’t that hungry. At 7:45 I met Tom in the metro and we walked to Nuestra Casa for our volunteer Induction. When we got to the house we were greeted by Guillermo, Daniel, and Renaldo, three of the full time volunteers/workers who I’d met on Saturday. I really enjoyed greeting people I knew instead of being introduced. The feeling of familiarity is something I hadn’t noticed, but really missed! We met the other new volunteers: two University freshman who are studying social work and a Chilean woman. The Chilean woman spoke to us in absolutely perfect English with literally no accent. I of course asked her how she spoke English so well and told me that moved to the United States when she was 3 and lived there for 20 years! That explains it! She was gracious enough to talk to me in Spanish and I noticed that she was easier to understand than other Chileans. She told me that she doesn’t have an accent in English but since she spent so much time out of Chile, she now has an accent in Chilean. I told her not to worry because I could understand her much better.
Later 3 high school girls, a nun and a teacher showed up. I had met all the girls on Thursday when I went with them to bring coffee and bread to the homeless people, so again the feeling of familiarity was wonderful! Anyway, the induction was fun and we got to know each other really well. They did a great job of explaining more about the organization and talking about bringing down the social barriers. After lots of laughing and bonding, we headed out. Everyone there is so wonderful and I look forward to every opportunity I have to be there. I don’t feel like I’m volunteering, more like I’m hanging out!
A bunch of us walked back to the metro together and I talked to the Chilean woman who had lived in the States. She told me that her family moved to the States because in 1973, when Pinochet (and the US) killed Allende and took over the Chilean government, her family was exiled because her father was Communist. Her father was a Physics professor and her mother studied Political Science, so they moved to Indiana and they worked and studied at Purdue. She lived in the States until 1993 when she moved back to Chile. I am still amazed to hear these stories and to think how recent and alive the history is in this country.
I got home around 10:30 and called Jamie to wish her an early Happy Birthday. I woke her up but we talked for a while. She seemed to be doing great and I was about to tell her I was going to go to bed (I was exhausted and still felt a little sick and had to wake up super early to go volunteer at the high school) when she told me she needed to tell me something. To make a long, dramatic, painful, yet somewhat funny story short, she was driving my car to school and a friend of hers rear ended her. Really hard. And my car died.
Thank God Jamie and her other friend who was in the car with her were ok (despite being sore and quite shaken up). But they were hit so hard that she hit the truck in front of her. I told Jamie not to worry about it because it was absolutely not her fault, but she still felt really bad. I kind of feel like I lost a friend; I firmly believe that there is a special bond between you and your first car. But everything will be fine and it was only a car. But today will always be remember as the day Hi Ho Silver met its match.
So I tearfully say,
Thank You Silver, it’s been a good ride.
I’ll miss you and all the fun times we’ve had.
You were a kind and faithful friend and I’ll never forget you…
…excuse me while I wipe away a tear…
Goodbye Hi Ho Silver.
May you rest in piece(s).
Thank goodness, but I got a good night sleep last night and woke up feeling still a little sick but much better than yesterday. My Doctrina Social class was canceled since we had the test Monday, so I slept in and went to campus around 12:30. I laid outside in the sun (yeah, its getting warm!!!) and read for my Education class, then went to mass at 1. In my Education class the professor said she hasn’t been very happy about the test results so far and then went on to say that 70% of test results depend on the teacher, so I guess that is one benefit of an Education professor! After class I had lunch with Christian then we printed off my essay, which he had corrected. He told me that my writing and grammar is getting much better and that he was quite impressed. I still mess up the gender a lot, which is understandable because there is no gender in English!
(Gender as in el (masculine) versus la (feminine) for every object or idea. Ex: el gato – the cat. Cat is masculine, so it needs el. If you say la gato, it’s incorrect. There is your mini Spanish lesson for today.)
After Biblia class, I took the bus home. On the way I made a stop and re-charged my pay as you go cell phone. Grrr…its getting expensive! I was home for just a bit and I had to convince Olga to only feed me a little bit because I wasn’t that hungry. At 7:45 I met Tom in the metro and we walked to Nuestra Casa for our volunteer Induction. When we got to the house we were greeted by Guillermo, Daniel, and Renaldo, three of the full time volunteers/workers who I’d met on Saturday. I really enjoyed greeting people I knew instead of being introduced. The feeling of familiarity is something I hadn’t noticed, but really missed! We met the other new volunteers: two University freshman who are studying social work and a Chilean woman. The Chilean woman spoke to us in absolutely perfect English with literally no accent. I of course asked her how she spoke English so well and told me that moved to the United States when she was 3 and lived there for 20 years! That explains it! She was gracious enough to talk to me in Spanish and I noticed that she was easier to understand than other Chileans. She told me that she doesn’t have an accent in English but since she spent so much time out of Chile, she now has an accent in Chilean. I told her not to worry because I could understand her much better.
Later 3 high school girls, a nun and a teacher showed up. I had met all the girls on Thursday when I went with them to bring coffee and bread to the homeless people, so again the feeling of familiarity was wonderful! Anyway, the induction was fun and we got to know each other really well. They did a great job of explaining more about the organization and talking about bringing down the social barriers. After lots of laughing and bonding, we headed out. Everyone there is so wonderful and I look forward to every opportunity I have to be there. I don’t feel like I’m volunteering, more like I’m hanging out!
A bunch of us walked back to the metro together and I talked to the Chilean woman who had lived in the States. She told me that her family moved to the States because in 1973, when Pinochet (and the US) killed Allende and took over the Chilean government, her family was exiled because her father was Communist. Her father was a Physics professor and her mother studied Political Science, so they moved to Indiana and they worked and studied at Purdue. She lived in the States until 1993 when she moved back to Chile. I am still amazed to hear these stories and to think how recent and alive the history is in this country.
I got home around 10:30 and called Jamie to wish her an early Happy Birthday. I woke her up but we talked for a while. She seemed to be doing great and I was about to tell her I was going to go to bed (I was exhausted and still felt a little sick and had to wake up super early to go volunteer at the high school) when she told me she needed to tell me something. To make a long, dramatic, painful, yet somewhat funny story short, she was driving my car to school and a friend of hers rear ended her. Really hard. And my car died.
Thank God Jamie and her other friend who was in the car with her were ok (despite being sore and quite shaken up). But they were hit so hard that she hit the truck in front of her. I told Jamie not to worry about it because it was absolutely not her fault, but she still felt really bad. I kind of feel like I lost a friend; I firmly believe that there is a special bond between you and your first car. But everything will be fine and it was only a car. But today will always be remember as the day Hi Ho Silver met its match.
So I tearfully say,
Thank You Silver, it’s been a good ride.
I’ll miss you and all the fun times we’ve had.
You were a kind and faithful friend and I’ll never forget you…
…excuse me while I wipe away a tear…
Goodbye Hi Ho Silver.
May you rest in piece(s).
Tuesday, September 4, 2007 La enfermita
Tuesday, September 4, 2007 HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANAMARIE!
So unfortunately one good night of excessive sleep did not cure my tiredness. Actually, I guess I wouldn’t know; I didn’t sleep much at all last night. I woke up every few hours sweating and miserable. Finally around 6 am I took 2 Extra Strength Tylenol and slept till about 10:30. So it ends up that I am just sick. I woke up this morning pale, and achy, with a little bit of a headache and a sore throat. If I had classes, I could probably go and if I’d been at Tulane I would have convinced myself that I was fine. But Olga spotted me out and after a quick breakfast she sent me back to bed. She told me I was to stay in bed and recover before I got worse.
It worked out well because I had to write an essay for my Biblia class and I hadn’t done any of the readings. I laid in bed from about 11:00 am till 8:00 pm reading, sleeping, drinking strange teas and Olga bringing me food and checking on me. Rino, Evan, and Miquel came to the apartment to hang out in the afternoon and I felt really bad that I had to be antisocial. I wanted to get out of bed and talk for a while, but Olga would have none of it. Around 8 I finally started writing my essay which I finished around 11:00 pm. So a boring but very necessary day. I felt much better in the evening and appreciated a day to literally do nothing (besides read and write an essay, which really isn’t nothing, but the fact that I stayed in bed all day was strange.)
La enfermita: Little Sick One.
So unfortunately one good night of excessive sleep did not cure my tiredness. Actually, I guess I wouldn’t know; I didn’t sleep much at all last night. I woke up every few hours sweating and miserable. Finally around 6 am I took 2 Extra Strength Tylenol and slept till about 10:30. So it ends up that I am just sick. I woke up this morning pale, and achy, with a little bit of a headache and a sore throat. If I had classes, I could probably go and if I’d been at Tulane I would have convinced myself that I was fine. But Olga spotted me out and after a quick breakfast she sent me back to bed. She told me I was to stay in bed and recover before I got worse.
It worked out well because I had to write an essay for my Biblia class and I hadn’t done any of the readings. I laid in bed from about 11:00 am till 8:00 pm reading, sleeping, drinking strange teas and Olga bringing me food and checking on me. Rino, Evan, and Miquel came to the apartment to hang out in the afternoon and I felt really bad that I had to be antisocial. I wanted to get out of bed and talk for a while, but Olga would have none of it. Around 8 I finally started writing my essay which I finished around 11:00 pm. So a boring but very necessary day. I felt much better in the evening and appreciated a day to literally do nothing (besides read and write an essay, which really isn’t nothing, but the fact that I stayed in bed all day was strange.)
La enfermita: Little Sick One.
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