Am I lucky, or did I just miss it?

I'd really almost do something else at this moment, but today's been kind of crazy and I wanted to share.

Today is el Día de Juventud Combatiente (yes, it's a cognate) so you can imagine what this day might have entailed! It originally started to commemorate the assassination of two politically active and socialist college students in 1985, during Pinochet's reign. Once democracy was restored, students joined together to memorialize the two brothers with this day, and throughout history it has been a day of violence and protest because of the nature of the assassination. At two, all universities closed, and our classes were canceled. Our director entered our institute, out of breath and sweating, and proceeded to tell us all to go home now or we could be in danger of our safety (lives?). Of course, we were a bit freaked out.

Our little group of naive gringos headed out, laughing nervously about the threat, and what do we see almost as soon as we're out of the building? A small horde of black-clad youth taking over a micro. That's a bus, and it was full of people. I'm pretty sure they would have knocked it over had the cops not shown up. Next thing we know, this group of people is running in our direction, and behind them a huge tank spitting water 300 feet. We could feel the tear gas from where we were. Instincts: take pictures? join them? run for my life? None of the public transportation signs survived their wrath. And they destroyed this telephone booth.

Lauren and I went in search of more riots, following our journalistic noses. We found another American (who was wearing Chacos!! the first person I've seen with Chacos! We're sisters now.) who came with us, also with the desire to be a part of this blood of the nation. Unfortunately, we just found lots of cops.

This is also happening at the same time as a strike by the drivers of all of the micros. The entire transportation system shut down as of 7:00. For these two reasons, everyone was going home by about six. I will take this opportunity to show you guys a little bit of what the metro is like. First, the doors. This is what the train looks like every morning when I try to get on. The edge of the train is somewhat under those two nice ladies you see there, a bit smaller than the group of people inside of it. Check out the BBC page if you want to read about it, or hear lots of stories about how much transport sucks. Every morning, almost caught in the doors. Loco. Second, here is the connection tunnel in Tobalaba today. I exited the train and ran into this, which stretches down the tunnel you can see, around the corner, down the steps, another short tunnel, and then the platform. It was nuts. I have no idea what it looks like out there right now. More riots, no transportation..

There is also a soccer game tonight taking place in the neighborhood which is supposed to experience the most intense riots. South America + fútbol = riot. Cola-Cola (the team) + any excuse = riot. riot + riot + riot = chaos. I'll have to update you later. Let's just say that I'm glad I live in pretty little residential Ñuñoa and am sitting safely five stories above the ground, just in case.

Also, this cool guy that always sells earrings on the street is taking my friend and I out for beers on Tuesday. He said he's going to find us pololos. This guy is such a great example of a Chilean... he's selling earrings on the streets, but talks to anyone who walks by. Pretty much an unofficial guide book that breathes. Today we found out that not only does he know pretty much everything about world history and current politics, but also lived in France and Germany for many years to escape the military government. So here we are: street vendor. super intelligent. interesting and complicated history. super enthusiastic about getting to know and helping people. and he wears old sunglasses and a torn up sweater. People here seem so simple on the outside, like you can put them in a box and no big deal. But once you start talking to them, you realize that even if you sat for a week with them and just listened to their life stories, you would never get to the end of it. Like Shrek says, they're like onions. They've got layers.

This beautiful girl is Kira. This is a beautiful picture. Here there are only beautiful people. When you have too many things to do and so many places to go, but you spend hours sitting in a cafe talking and afterwards feel like you have just received manna from heaven, that those hours have been the most precious out of many hours, that you would sacrifice much to always have those type of hours within reach, you know you have found a place that is too beautiful for a name, or a location, or anything that would tie it down. Like Jump, Little Children said.. "There is a feeling/ That you should just go home /And spend a lifetime /Finding out just where that is." Hey life, what's up? Feel like going on a bear hunt? I'm looking for home.

With that, I will leave you. Time to check on night-clad wanderers.

Tired Days mean Sentimental Entries

Mainly for Andy's sake, I'm sorry this entry is all in one big block. Blogger is being an irrational child and won't let me put spaces in. Gr.

When you're traveling or experiencing something new, do you ever make lists or journal entries to remember all those little things that make up the day but that you would never remember otherwise? I do. And I've started a list of things Chile has taught me. You're lucky, because now I'm going to share it with you!

1. Sometimes, you really just have to be aggressive to get what you want.

2. If you don't understand a conversation, make one up. It's probably more interesting, and when it's not, it's at least very entertaining when you figure out what they're really saying!

3. It's OK to look around while you make out in the metro station.

4. "Style" is all in how you wear it.

5. Dude, keep it simple. Bread, cheese, and butter could very well be the most delicious thing you have ever eaten. (just did, actually)

6. Everything gets easier after a beer. Or a Pisco.

7. Mom was right about catching a cold when the weather changes. Who knew?

8. If you just don't look at the mountains, you won't realize how polluted the air actually is.

9. Language barriers are both so much harder and so much easier to overcome than I thought.

10. I don't like long showers.

11. Fanny packs are cool.

12. People really do enjoy life more when they have something horrible in their past.

13. The days may last long, but the people last longer!

14. The "bump" game is universal. (You know what I'm talking about!)

15. Mullets can be attractive.

16. I can accept the above fact and retain my self-esteem!

17. Toast is better when you make it on the stove.

18. You will never actually be free of technology - cell phones and the internet will follow you to your death.

19. You can dance if you want to, but you can NOT leave your friends behind!

20. Butter never goes bad.

OK, now enough of the boring format, back to rambling. The past few days have been full! On Friday a group of us went with our Chilean buddies to a concert at la Universidad de Chile that featured some of the bigger South American groups. The whole scene was different from campus concerts int he States. First of all, you know that whole idea of pregaming a show? Well, Chileans do it on the streets. Everyone crowds the botelleria and then carries their forties/pisco/ron out onto the curb and starts hanging out with their buddies. It's actually illegal, but the cops weren't making much of a presenc.e Imagine a block party that covered about eight blocks, except very chill. Once inside, it's just packed. And when the music starts, people don't stop moving! The show started at 10 with a line-up of three bands, and when we left at 2, the second band hadn't finished yet. Yelling, dancing, jumping, meeting people all over the place... It was great. Chancho de la Piedra was freaking amazing! South American funk. Yes. Please note the insanity in this picture. Kids from the group, a kid from another SIT group, a Chilean buddy, and a random Chilean that hung out with us all night and we were pretty sure was tripping ecstasy because he was trying to have sex with everyone and was very very happy. He was strange, but entertaining. (No, not the guy with glasses. He's strange, but in the best way possible!)

This picture is dedicated to two things. One, the delicous and perfectly poured Kunstmann I am about to enjoy (thank you, Darren). The second is the man in all the metro announcements saying 'Esto es muy importante!' and informing people not to try and keep the doors open, and please stay behind the yellow line so that you will not be hit by an incoming train ('mind the gap' in four times the words). His expression is priceless. I have almost captured it - it's my new project. Also, the vain side of me thinks that my new hair cut looks stunning in this photo.

The next bazillion pictures are from one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. A small group of us headed out to Cerro La Campana, a national park west and a bit north of Santiago for some good ole naturaleza. As soon as the bus started to clear the city, the houses stretched further and further apart, the trees got taller, the sky got clearer, and I got lighter. Before we even made it to the park I could feel all sorts of tension leaving that I didn't even know had built up. City life! We had an interesting afternoon making it out there, involving lots of last minutes decisions and a lot of good luck, finally making it to camp with enough light to set up tents and get some wood together. A bit of wine, a bit of whisky, and lots of avocado and manjar later, we found ourselves stargazing in the middle of the campground, peering in amazement at more stars than any of us have ever seen. I'm sure most of you know that Chile is home to some of the best telescopes/starviewing labs (sorry, name escapes me right now, planetarium?) in the world, and supposedly the view we had can't even be compared to the views further north. However. You know those nights when you can see the pale smudge of the Milky Way? Here, the Milky Way look a little like dust blown across the sky, with twirls at the edges and pockets of density where you can almost see the universe stretching away, where you can feel yourself getting thrown out into space, can sense the great immensity of this existence without becoming totally overwhelmed. Then we were almost run over by a man riding a horse, who appeared startlingly like the Colombian coffee guy, and wished us all buenos noches as he disappeared into the dark.

Also, Chile is the birthplace of the monkey birds in the Wizard of Oz. I know because they were giving their mating calls all around our tents that night.

Here is a picture of one of the hugest spiders I have ever seen in my life. The first one we saw was near our campsight, and Lauren thought it was a mouse. Hiking back to the town on Sunday, I almost stepped on two of them, and I'm pretty sure they just would have bitten right through my shoe if that had happened. Scary dudes. But slow, thank god.

Sunday started out very foggy, but cool, and the first part of our hike took us through these misty and obscured forests, somewhat desert and somewhat jungle. About a third of the way up, we suddenly emerged from this bank of muteness and could see the mountains around us rising like sirens calling to us to lift our feet and trust in the air, in the encompassing light that surrounded us. The higher we got, the more amazing the view. Mountains hid behind mountains, straightening their shoulders to appear at exactly this step in the trail, or behind this certain corner. Chileans also do not mess around with their trails.. this thing was almost straight up the entire way. Soooo awesome. Greta had never been camping before, or hiking, and she certainly picked a hell of a hike to start on! That girl is a baller, I've got to say. She never gave up! Greta also has picked up an amazing pololo - Jorge is an incredible guy who cares about everyone and everything, is willing to help out, and is very chill but energetic on top of it all. Oh, and he's Chilean. And they're way too cute.

The hike was definitely challenging, and exactly what most of us wanted. We got to the top as everyone else was heading down, so we had the whole place to ourselves. These pictures don't even begin to capture the pervading sense of both infinity and finiteness that waited at the summit. On one side, an unending sea of cloud and light, separated from the jagged and continous peaks of the Andes by a single ridge, over which poured this mist like effervescent pilgrims piously kneeling to that which gave them life, or to that which will take it away. After providing ourselves with the sustenance of palta, bread, and turkywineham, we all went entered our own meditative space, savoring the silence of wind and height, without the interruptions of car alarms or children's screams or smoggy air or elbows in your face or eyes staring at you and telling you that you don't belong here. The hike was the best day hike I have ever taken, in terms of view and in terms of the fulfillment it brought me.

Above is the group of us at the top: Jorge, Greta, Lauren, Kira, Darren and me.

Here is a picture towards the coast. (On a clear day, both the ocean and the Andes are visible.) My favorite part is Darren in the corner, meditating. It's so appropriate that he is so small and so still, because that is how we all felt up there. Surreal.

The trip back was an adventure. Understatement. We got very caught up in the beauty at the top, and didn't really care about coming down in time. For this reason, we ended up trail-running the last half of it (which I loved!) and still ended in the dark. Here's the pressing fact: the last bus for the two-hour trip back to Santiago left at 8:20. We had to catch a bus in Olmué for the 20 minute trip to that station. Olmué had been a ten minute cab ride from the park entrance. We got off the trail at 7:30. No cabs would come get us. Three more huge spiders, some very scary large white dogs, lots of frantic hiking, and an intense discussion with a bus driver later, we found ourselves at the bus stop buying tickets. We were six, the tickets were two. Don't worry, we're all either very attractive or very lucky, because we all were able to get on the bus back home, with completos and Pisco to boot. (Completos are the Chilean hot dog... sausage, tomatoes, guacamole, mayonnais - i have no idea how to spell that - and often ahí sauce and mustard. ooohhh mmyy ggoooddd they are delicious.) All in all, trip = grand success.

The trip was especially great for me because I had the chance to do a lot of thinking about things that have been on my mind, or buried just beneath, but haven't gotten any attention. I realized that I've changed a lot more than I thought I had, and that I really like the changes that I've noticed. There are a lot of internal changes going on, and I think there are many processes in place that I will not be able to see until much after the fact. I also thought a lot about the relationships that I am forming here - how they're different from those at home, and how they're the same. When thinking about this summer, after the program has ended, I've already started to get homesick for this group, for this place, for everything that we have created and discovered for ourselves. We are all in a place in our lives that we will never be able to return to, but which will affect us in every thought and decision and emotion that we will pass in our lives. Who will we be? Where will we go? How will our worlds be when we must exist without each other? While sitting at the top of La Campana, I could feel this line that we are balancing on. I couldn't grasp what fell away or reached away to either side, but I could feel this stark edge, at times that we are maintaining, and at times that we are about to cross. Are we falling into a new existence?

Just another day... where miracles happen.

I have discovered the secret to heaven. Take some nice fresh hallulla bread. Toast it if you're feeling frisky. Smash up an avocado with a little bit of lemon juice and a lot of salt. Add cheese. Eat every single morning for breakfast (and maybe dinner too). It really is like eating someone's soul, it's so fulfilling. However, the deliciously rich pan/palta/fiedo/papas/crema/helado will definitely start to play 'Ring Around Your Belly' if you're not careful...

It is now just past eleven o'clock and I have been doing homework for the past six hours straight, not counting the other six hours that I was in class today. Whoever said studying abroad is easier than studying at home, I'm sorry but you're wrong. INTENSE.

I love it though. Today I got to write a story about my host mom. She's pretty much one of the strongest and most incredible people I have ever met.

(Here's me and my host mom Lorena, doing what neither of us do very often, cook and clean. I mean, well, we do. But yeah.)

Anyways, since it's already kind of late and I'm already quite tired and have not already finished my homework, I'm just going to give you guys some pretty pictures to look at, with a few words to back them up. Knowing me, this will be a long entry. Oh well.

Above are two of my favorite people doing two of our favorite things! (Quick, someone burst into song!) When we're not doing homework, we're generally sleeping. OK, that's a lie. We do a lot of really fun things too, but sometimes it seems like those are our options. Fun things include: going to observe schools on Monday. I got to meet Chilean high school girls! They seem pretty similar to US girls. It was really interesting to talk to people and see what happens in a Chilean school though. Much of the progress they are attempting is very similar to the changes being made in the US, and in the classrooms very little is different (as far as I can tell just yet). It's in talking to the professors and administrators where you start to see just how incredibly varied the two systems are.

Another fun thing we do... is eat Bravissimo ice cream. Good gracious me, is it delicious! Here is Kira demonstrating just how much we crave it all the time.

The next picture is us on St. Patty's Day. Yes, we have accepted that we are from the US. Therefore, we went to Flannery's and threw down like we were foreigners. It was great. The reason everyone looks awkward in the picture is because they're in the middle of dancing. And Darren is a leprechaun.

On Saturday I went with Greta and her host mom Elena to an anti-war/anti-US protest. It was definitely a new experience. At first I was really nervous and afriad of the people in the protest (our director had forbidden us to go because of the high possibility of anti-US violence... meaning us) but by the end of the protest I was much more afraid of the police. The Communist Youth Party was marching right in front of us, and they all seemed like the Chilean versions of people I hang out with in the States. Not hostile at all! When we reached the embassy though, things suddenly took a high energy peak and we peaced out. Being deported is not something I want to experience. There are two more protests this weekend - one for general social justice and specifically for the constitutional amendment which would reinstate representation of the masses (right now protests are the one and only way to have your voice heard in the government. A 75% majority is needed to change anything - laws, representatives, etc - and with a multi-party system that is incredibly hard) and a second protest to represent the women of the country, especially indigenous. I am planning on attending both of them because, even though I am not Chilean, I know enough about and support both of them to make my presence more than justified.

On a somewhat less serious note, my brother finally cut my hair. We were going to go for a serious Chilena look (chunky, 'chocopanda' which means mullet, and really messy) but decided that I didn't really have enough hair for that. Cristóbal also refused to cut too much of my hair because it is 'tan bonita!' and he didn't want to be responsible for the creation of something atrocious. Thanks bro.

I've only got one more week in Santiago. Then it's off to Valparaíso for a weekend! Then Buenos Aires for three weeks! Then Temuco for a week! Then Santiago for a weekend! Then who knows where for a whole freaking month of doing whatever I want to do! And I get to call it studying! Waaahoooo!

Sleep delirium, pardon.

Really though, it's nuts to think about. My trip is a third of the way done. I feel like I haven't really made any roots here, but at the same time like I could come back here any time and feel right at home. I don't want this to be over yet. There is so much more I want to do! So much more living to do here. Our director told us today that we should get ready for the most intensive weeks of the program. (Wait... we haven't already started those?!) The next few weeks are going to be mad packed with observations, interviews, write-ups, all of the elements of research that we've got to learn. Oh, and lots of Spanish. Which is exciting. At the present moment I feel like I have moved past maybe the most difficult stage and am now at a place where I am simply accumulated more information and fine-tuning what I've got. Grammatically, of course. The vocabulary part is never done.

I've been having lots of dreams in Spanish. (Does it matter that I can't always understand them?)

Moral of today's post: Communists rock.

So I'm sitting at the institute working on papers and such, and happen to stumble across the weather back in Chapel Hill.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Woohoo! It never ends

So last night I did something relatively American (or at least from my language). I went to go see Roger Waters (Pink Floyd for those of you who don't know... also a Richard Gere look-alike). It was a crazy show! We had tickets in the cancha, which is the place where everyone's standing up. I have never been so close to people in my life... I felt like a sardine. It's all good though, we met lots of Chileans who apparently just wanted to talk to us because we were a bunch of cute US girls. The whole second half of the show was Dark Side of the Moon, which was my favorite part. One of the stunts for the show was a big inflatable pig painted with graffiti speaking out against certain things (especially Bush) that they let go at a high point in the show. The whole concert was incredibly political, especially against America and regimes like Pinochet, which I guess I should have expected with it being Floyd and all, but it still took me by surprise. The show itself (lights, video, explosions, etc) was worked in incredible well with the music. Pretty perfect actually. I'm really glad I went! It was especially interesting to hear the Chileans sing along to the music (do you think they know what it means?) because they were still not pronouncing all of their consonants. The Chilean accent of English is like a deaf person trying to speak (and I say that as affectionately as possible!)

(Look, it's Greta! ..for those of you who know the marvelous Greta Kaempf)

Sunday evening we went to Parque Forrestal for a bit of a study break. It's a huge festival! Kind of. It happens every week, and basically just brings the subcultures of the punks/circus types and the hippies together. Absolutely incredible. The park is full of people juggling, eating fire, aerial dancing, selling off their old stuff for cheap, selling things they made, drumming wildly, dancing, talking, playing guitar... Amazing. Here are two guys that wanted me to take their picture... I would have stopped and chatted them up but they were pretty excited about banging around! I always wonder how something like that gets started. Of course if you tried to start it on your own, with fliers and invitations and whatnot, it would never happen. I imagine a couple of people out there illegally selling old books and clothes, keeping themselves entertained with a diablo or something... The next week their buddy joins them, the next week a few more, and before you know it it's turned into a renowned destination for all types. I'm going to go there and sell off whatever I don't need before I come back so my load will be a bit lighter. Downside is that it's illegal. When the cops drive by, people scramble to roll up their blankets and peace! Being deported is not necessarily an experience I look forward to.

Today Elizabeth and I went to the Biblioteca Público de Santiago for a presentation we have on Monday, and I ended up falling in love with it. I was disappointed that we only had an hour or so in between classes to spend there, but I definitely plan on going back. You know how our libraries (especially, say, Davis) are all dark and confined and hushed? Santiago's has a whole kids section, with pillow couches and playing tables and a big "story room," so much color personality. All of the rooms are open and easy and full of youngsters hanging out (hanging out?!? in a library?!) and it's not quiet! Library is also apparently synonymous with social center, because the library also hosts exhibitions, language classes, tai chi, etc and is free for students to use as presentation rooms or whatever they need. They have ongoing programs for youth age 1 to 18 and speakers every weekend. A social video series is starting up next week. I wish all libraries could be like that! (They also have an 18+ section with books like the kama sutra, erotic evenings, homosexual love, and feminism. yes, feminism is grouped with all the naked people.)

Tomorrow there's a violent protest planned for Santiago Centro. My madre told

me to hole up somewhere for the afternoon, because if I take the metro or a micro there's a chance I'll get a rock through my window. I think I'm gonna find some rocks of my own to protest this ridiculous system.... just kidding, Mom.

I made my famous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies yesterday. They don't have chocolate chips here. Or oatmeal cookies. And the cookies tasted a bit different because the sugars aren't the same here, but they were still exquisite! (of course) My madre said that at first she thought they were cauliflower or soy meat cakes... But she, mi hermano, and Gloria, the maid, all decided they love them. The entire batch is already gone. Ahhh.... sharing the love of oatmeal cookies... my job here is done!

Also, here is some random graffiti from around the city. It's something that I've really started to notice and analize, because there are so many different types! Simple stencils, designs for beauty, political statements, social statements, bad graffiti from delinquents, incredible masterpieces... I actually had the honor of seeing one being made the other day (I don't have a good picture of it, but take my word that it was indeed a masterpiece requiring much time and dedication and talent.) The graffiti here is actually one of the two topics I am considering for my month-long research project. It would be incredibly interesting to look at where the art stands now in terms of social expression or hobby, how the artists view it in contrast with how the police view it, and how it's changed since Pinochet, where street art was a huge element of social expression. Mi hermano is in a tag group, and René (our director) told me today that he has connections with some of the big-name brigades here. How someone like him has connections with people like that... I don't know, but I LIKE it!

So yeah, if you guys have any input about my project, I'm all ears. The Chiloe one seems like it's a bit over my head theoretically and a bit of a huge bite to chew. But I would also live in southern Chile in a rural setting very different from anything I've known (but it's going to be different from anything I've ever known..) The graffiti one would definitely be fun, hanging out with younger people, in the city (but in the city..) and very interesting historically and artistically. Who knows, maybe I'd even have some work of my own up by the end of it!

Welllll..... I have an incredible amount of homework to do. (Yes, this is not vacation. Two project proposals, a movie review, a life history report, educational ramblings, two readings, and a presentation all due Monday, and all in Spanish. Ai.) Have an awesome end of the week, all! Much love from the southern hemisphere...

Welcome to the place that I call Heaven

Oh, so much to tell you! Things here just keep getting more and more amazing.

Sunday a few of us went to the Univ. Chile vs. Univ. Católica fútbol game with Darren's host brother Nicolas. ¡Que brígido! There was a continuous presence of blue and red anywhere within a mile of the stadium - people decked out in their school's gear, waving flags bigger than they are from the backs of trucks, talking shit to anyone on the other team. After an intense search procedure, we made it into the área abajo, where all the fans gather before the game for rowdy songs and cheers. (Here's a pic of the fans... I made sure to get a guy with a mullet so you could see one, though this one is quite a bit on the tame side.) Guys were cooling themselves off with hoses while a huge drum beat out their fight songs. Imagine a frat basement, but fifteen times larger, completely packed with soaked and screaming guys, jumping up and down, punching, the air, letting their souls out to the concrete! Intense. The game was packed (at least the UnivCh side) and no one sat down or shut up the entire time. Imagine if we had that at UNC basketball games.... I wasn't too impressed with the playing. They were definitely good, but made a lot of simple mistakes. It looked a lot like something you would see in the States. Nicolas shook his head at the end of the game and called his team a bunch of conchetumadres.. that they haven't played well all season. So a bit disappointing, but still an experience that goes well beyond average!

(Here are some random fans from behind us that wanted to take a picture with the 'gringas bonitas,' who also attempted to teach us the fight songs. Sweet!)

Probably the most shocking thing for me wasn't even the game, necessarily. I'm sure that you have all heard about the riots and even deaths that sometimes surround fútbol games in Latin America - I got to see that first hand. Very early in the game, some fans attempted to jump over the fence, and the policía had to come at them with sticks. You can kind of see in this picture the small groups of pacos (cops) in riot gear, patrolling the crowd. Some of them got taken down, the fans were so wild. After the game, we had to exit through a gauntlet of police on horses who not-so-peacefully were pushing people out of the stadium. On the street, huge crowd-control tanks were spraying fans with toxic water (it makes everything itchy and you sick to your stomach - think of the pictures you've seen of hoses from the civil rights movement, and then put those on big tanks). Apparently, it happens after every game, especially when it's a game between two of the three big teams (UnivCh, UnivCa, and Cola Cola) and apparently the police are always dicks. Nicolas and his buddies were making fun of how freaked out the Americans were getting.

Classes started on Monday, but that's boring so I'll just say that they're actually very fun and interesting... Spanish for three hours every morning is in reality exhilarating! Plus we get to learn a lot of fun slang. The toughest part is definitely having to wake up at 6:30 for that 9:00 class. Mason writes that his ride from one city to another for class is 10 minutes.. I'm barely squeezing onto the metro in that amount of time! Geez, lucky little man.

The week has been an interesting one. There have lots of ups and downs, both with my Spanish abilities and with my attitude in general. Wednesday I hit a wall of sorts, after which I wanted to have absolutely nothing to do with Spanish. Lauren and I went to Santiago Centro to get away from our families, complained about Chile for the entire metro ride, she got a burger from McDonalds, and we basically acted as American as possible. It was somewhat refreshing, and afterwards I could forget how awkward it is to live with someone and not be able to talk to them, to always have to pay so much attention in a conversation to not even be able to reply, to always have people staring at you in the metro on the street in the stores in your apartment building. I am learning how to be comfortably uncomfortable.

I've been hanging out with my brother more, and I think we are well on our way to having an awesome relationship. He's not only extremely good-looking, but also very socially aware, caring, talented, and interesting. For a little while I thought that his girlfriend was going to prevent any kind of real relationship, but she turned out to be pretty fabulous as well. I've met a lot of his friends, and they are generally just as interesting as him (they're all a bit on the crazy side) and seem to want to be buddies too, which I like! They're almost always up to no good. Last night we went out for a bit of carrete (and by "bit" I mean we got back to the house at 6:30 this morning) that started with a big family cocktail. There are now three girls in my program in the same family - me, my 'sobrina,' and now my 'prima.' brady's family includes another guy our age too, so he came to hang out. pisco sours, piscolas, mariscos, guacamole, delicious chilean wine, cheetos (but completely different)... it was a good party. Then on to Diego's house, where we didn't arrive until 2. Jesus. Not quite used to this yet. Anyways, Chileans are very nice and complete people, understanding and compelling. (The brosef is featured above.. here is my 'sister,' her husband, and 2 year old Vicente. There's also 9 year old Martin. Adorable!) Brady's house (now my prima) is really high-end for middle class Santiago, with a pool and a yard, so today we went over there for a bit of barbecue (asado) and hanging out. Met some more people, they want us to go dancing with them later. Life is so vibrant here. I think that part of it has to do with the fact that almost everyone has lived through some horrible event or years, and so therefore have learned to suck the best from life and to look at any situation with eyes that search for the silver lining. They don't take their blessings for granted.

Our program organized an event to hook us up with some of the students studying English here, which is a very interesting perspective to see. Trying to help them a bit as we hang out is very refreshing and encouraging to me. It's also kind of strange because a lot of them can speak almost perfectly, but when they try and write something, it's pretty much incoherent. I'm the opposite, I think. Well cool. It's shower time, then more carrete! There are two birthdays this week in the program, so I'm pretty sure there's going to be a lot of celebration tonight. I've gotta store up some energy!

Much love to you all!

ah, sabado...

OK guys, I have to get something off my chest.

Chilean boys are incredibly good-looking. For example, my host brother is muy, muy guapo, and his friends aren't too bad either! This will be fun...

So yes, I have moved in with my new family and they rock out of all comprehension. I've only got my mom and my brother in the apartment with me (mom's about 50, brother's 21 and isn't around much) but my sister and her family live in the building next to us with my friend Lauren, so we all get together as a larger family quite often. Yesterday Martin (11 year old), Lauren and I went and played futbol, and had so much fun! There are certain things that make language barriers not matter so much. It was amazing how many people were playing soccer in this park (which, by the way, is right across the street from my apt). It really is their life! Hopefully I'll get to play with some people my age at some point in the near future. (This picture is the view from my bedroom window. It doesn't do justice the beauty that I see each day! The mountains in the distance are the cordillera, and on a clearer day I can see further, to the mountains that still have snow on them. The sun rises front and center... Good morning sunshine!)

(This is a picture from the side of Cerro Santa Lucia, a hill that looks out over the city. The city actually stretches from horizon to horizon! All you can see is city, with these looming mountains rising out of the current of men. Very beautiful. I also thought that the juxtaposition between city and nature was quite striking and strange... the park has a clearly defined line where city ends and green begins.)


It's so strange the way events and facts have a different effect on you depending on the way they're presented. I've read about Pinochet, I've heard about the atrocities, and somehow it still remains part of history that doesn't really connect when I see people walking around the city. In class yesterday, our director Rene was giving us a synopsis of Chilean history, and talked some about Pinochet's actions. He was almost assassinated. Right before Pinochet left power, he kind of went on a spree to get rid of all of the rest of the people he didn't like, and apparently Rene and his friends were on that list. After having coffee, Rene decided not to aaccompany his buddy down the main street of Santiago, and by the time he got home his friend was already on the way to the mortuary. Hearing this really made me step back and examine the way I view history, because all of a sudden it was so close. Teresa's host mom was tortured. It happened to almost everybody, or to the family and friends. What else are we separating ourselves from?

(Chileans don't take baths, they plant things in them. This was just on the street in the middle of the city...)

I'll move away from the heavy and thought-provoking now... last night was our first real night in Santiago (the weekend), so naturally we all went out for carrete. Carrete is the word for the spool on a fishing rod, and also a slang word for going out at night because the nights never end! (you know, like the way fishing line just keeps coming and coming and...) In reaction to the former curfews that Pinochet enforced, the Chilean people celebrate their nocturnal freedom. Typical evenings out start at 11 or 12 and go until 5, 6, even 7. Lauren and I got a bit lost in Ñuñoa and ended up walking for over an hour, but finally ended up at Club de Jazz, where this very avant garde jazz group at times assaulted and others seduced our ears. We met some people from Stanford (met some others from Cornell a few days ago) and switched up numbers, so maybe we'll have some other American company. After the fabulous show, we went to a brewery near by and chatted for a long time. The people in my group really are splendid folks. We stayed until the place closed, played on the playground, and ended up getting home around 5 or 5:30. Cristobal didn't get home until 7, crazy Chilean. So in conclusion, the nights are hoppin!

(This picture is the view from the top of Santa Lucia. You can kind of see how the city never ends.. and you can't see the mountains that ring the city, but it's still a good picture!)

It feels like I've been here so much longer than a week. Too bad my Spanish doesn't reflect that. There is an incredible difference between older and younger speakers. As a general rule, I can't understand a thing Cristobal and his friends say, though last night I was starting to pick up on a few things, so yay! It's very intimidating. I really want to have a relationship with my 'brother' and be comfortable around him, but when I can't understand what's coming out of his mouth, I pretty much freeze up too.

Monday is the day when most the middle and high schools start back up, and also the day of the Pinguinos. The Pinguinos (so called because of their black and white uniforms) are the students who first marched in protest of the education laws put in place by Pinochet thirty years ago. Even though he's gone, the laws are still there, and are almost impossible to change due to the regulations that were put on congress (also due to Pinochet). These laws have a lot to do with the privatization and decentralization of schools, and constitute much of their structure. They don't work very well, and all of the students hate them. So Monday is the traditional day of protest for students, and our director told us to leave twice the amount of time to get into the city because of all the expected activities. It should be very interesting.



This is how we feel about being in Chile.

As I said, my group rocks. It all does.

I am falling in love with this place.