Tuesday
Had orientation at the University of Chile. Really long and really boring. I'm surprised more people didn't fall asleep. But when it was over a dance group performed for us. It was really interesting, and then they had doughnuts. After everyone napped we all met up again at a bar in Provedencia; we had it all to ourselves. We had taken a bus to the area but we still had to walk some blocks and we ended up being accompanied by two stray dogs. I don't know what it is about our group but dogs always feel the need to join our pack. It has happened like 4 times. They cross streets with us and once, when another group of people passed us at a cross walk, the dogs stopped and watched the other people to make sure they kept walking away.
Wednesday
We had a campus tour, so Lee and Ansel and I walked there, but we had trouble finding the place and missed the first few minutes of the tour. There was so much graffiti everywhere, but most of it was really interesting. After the tour some of us went for lunch at a Pizza Hut. Ana and Ansel brought their lunch, so they ate that while Ben and I had pizza. I went over with Ana to her place, which is on the same street, but about 20 minutes away. We watched the last bit of Spanglish, Ana fell asleep and then we took the metro to my place to go swimming. I forgot that the pool wasn't clean so we just sat by the steps with our feet in. Ansel came over and we hung out for another hour or so. Ana taught us some ridiculous yoga poses and then I walked them back to the metro station. Slow night; we had dinner and watched Eastern Promises.
Thursday
This was one of those days where one thing after another just kept going wrong. I woke up late, had to take a cold shower, and I couldn't find the building I needed to be in. I knew the address, but there were multiple buildings when I walked through the entrance gate. I asked someone which building, but when I get up to the 17th floor, the office I needed wasn't there. And the elevator I used only opened at every third floor, but it didn't even open on all the floors it was supposed to work on. So I went back outside to call the office but I didn't have any minutes on my phone. I tried to text Ana, but I hadn't used text yet and it was a lot more complicated to navigate in Spanish. I went to another building and finally found the office, but by that time I was so frustrated with myself...I think it was just a culmination of things. I was also upset because I had had a hard time asking for directions. So I had my meeting and Ana and I began to leave the building. As hard as I tried I couldn't get over this frustration though and I started crying when we got into the elevator. A lot of the people on this trip speak Spanish much better than I do. I just felt that I was behind. Some of them speak it in their house and others grew up around the language, but it was still enough to upset me. I calmed down enough on the metro back, but once I got through the door the tears started pouring. My host mom asked me what was wrong and I talked to her for a little while. We decided that I need to be practicing my Spanish more at home and that she would speak less English to me.
I needed to look at classes for a little while since this coming week I have to start signing up for them. We had planned on meeting up at the plaza around 730, so I left at 7. I hadn't walked there from my house before, only from Ana's, but it was easy and a nice walk at that. Ansel called me when I was about 5 minutes from his place to tell me that we pushed the time back to 830. I needed to put more minutes on my phone and take out some more cash, so I headed to the Lider (grocery) nearby. By the time I got to Ansel's it was 815. I sat down with him and his mom at the kitchen table and they asked me how my day had been. Before I knew it there were tears again, which only upset me more because I was so embarrassed to be crying in front of people I had only known for a week.
Anyway, fast forward. We met Ana in the park and then waited for the others to show up so we could go to the sushi place. The sushi was awesome. We ordered a huge platter and shared it between 8 people. I had never had sashimi before and I loved it. Freaking loved it. We all met up with another friend at his place and headed together to a big party for all the international students. It was crazy. There were multiple djs and probably thousands of people. We danced for hours. Didn't really meet any of the other international students though. We came as such a big group so there were already plenty of people to hang out with.
Friday
Woke up early because I had to go apply for some visa identification card. Waited in line for about an hour. They took my photo, fingerprinted me, etc... Napped when I got home. Apparently everyone else that I talked to did as well. We had our last orientation at Universidad de Diego Portales today (we are able to take classes from 3 universities here in Santiago, that's why we've had so many orientations) so I met up with the group, but half of our people were missing. They all showed up after the orientation started though. There were fabulous snacks afterwards however. Empanadas, cake, juice, coke... I love when they feed us. Then I asked Ana if she wanted to go shopping a little, so we talked to our friend Alex who has visited Chile 4 times now and knows his way around pretty well. Then a few others tagged along and half the group ended up joining our excursion. The shopping area had streets of cheap stores and after an hour we were tired and decided to call it quits. I wasn't home for long when I showered and headed back out again. I called a radiotaxi and picked Ana up on the way to Plaza Nunoa. We picked up some beer and wine and had a little chill, music session at Ansel's. Lots of jazz and r&b, some 90's too. Then we saw the moon set over the mountains. I had been watching it move down the sky all night and we all took in the view until it was only a small glow behind the andes.
There are some really interesting individuals in our group. I have to remind myself that I haven't even been here two weeks because it feels like some of us know each other so well already. Its odd to get to know so many people this well all at one time. First semester of Southwestern is the only thing I can compare it to. But at the same time, we are all also getting to know Santiago and Chilean culture, so I like the web that is forming right now I guess.
I've been mostly just giving quick how-my-day went catch ups. I think its because I've been so busy I don't really get into what I think about this trip. This is going to change. One, because classes are starting and we'll have a little less time on our hands; my days won't be so all over the place. Two, I'm getting tired of just stating the facts; I think you might be too. Three, I haven't done an online journal in years so I had to get a feeling for it again. Ok, so with that said, I have one more day to catch you guys up on and then I'll post some photos of my house.
Saturday
Woke up late this morning, according to our plans. According to Chile, I was on time. We were supposed to meet at a certain metro at 10. I left at 9:50. I threw in my backpack my swimsuit and an extra change of clothes, sunglasses, my camera, and my wallet. I hailed a cab to my metro, which I usually walk to, and hauled butt to meet everyone else, who was already there and waiting. We bought tickets for a bus to Vina del Mar and I bought an empanada for the ride. Today was beach day.
I read a little from Yoga For People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It. I found it in the Dallas at the Half Price Bookstore while looking for a travel memoir about Chile. It wasn't about Chile, but it sounded entertaining. And entertaining it is. It was a gorgeous view, driving down the mountain sides into Vina. I didn't take any photos. I wanted to just experience it first. I figured it wouldn't be the last time we went to the beach there, so I could snap some shots another time.
Walked a ways till we got near the beach and had lunch. A bunch of Americans eating lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Chile. The beach itself was really windy, which was nice because it was so hot, but the water was soooo cold. We set up towels and I believe only about 4 of us (group of 8) got in the water. I only ran in twice. The first time knocked me over, the waves were so strong. I really wasn't anticipating such intense power. Apparently there are better beaches farther north, but we were happy where we ended up. Another time maybe we'll check them out because one must take more public transportation to get to them. It was nice to get away from the city for a day though. And it was a perfect day to do so because it was so hot.
After catching buses home (some of us missed our bus and had to get on the next one 10 minutes later) we all showered and headed to a friend of someones host brother for a BBQ. Ana and I took a taxi to the corner nearest the party and saw some friends on the other side of the street. And I guess another part of our group had just been dropped off as well because they walked right into us from around the street corner. It was the last weekend in town for Diego's (the host brother) before he left for school so they smoked sausages, chicken and steak while everyone danced to Latin music. Meringue, salsa and other dances whose names I keep forgetting. After a day in the sun, stomachs full of food and dancing for hours, I almost fell asleep in the cab back to my house.
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