AHHHHHHHHH

Well, hello again!

It has been a good couple of days! A little strange, but a lot has happened. The strange-ness comes only from seeing the Petroleum plant in this small, dirty town on the coast called Con Con. I went with my brother and mom yesterday and took a few pictures of the plant and the beach (shown-and I tried to rotate it but couldn't. You MAY have to turn your head for the effect). It was so strange to see the coast as basically a garbage dump. So much trash! It was really unbelievable. My first reaction was to clean it, but after a while it was just so overwhelming that there seemed to not really be a solution? But I am still working on that, because that is just really fucked that we do that to our ground. THE GROUND IS NOT TRASH! That's what Landfills are for, right? Putting all of our shit together in one place and burying it so it goes into our water and soil. hmmmmm. Yes, still chewing on this issue. Pardon the bit of the rant.

We were watching the Ellen show the other day and she had a marine biologist come on and talk about the declining ocean ecosystems. She brought out a few sea creatures and mentioned that the reason so many of them are dying is because of our trash. Go humans, go! fuuuuuck. Oh, and the plasatic wasteland in the middle of the Atlantic ocean is getting bigger-and has been for decades. The more we depend on this environmentally toxic material, the more our earth suffers. We buy FOOD covered in plastic? Really? Because it is convenient, or what? I really don't understand what it is in our mentality that says it is ok to keep using bags (and other commodities made of plastic) one time and then throw it away. AWAY- like maybe in our trash can, or maybe not- maybe in our rivers, lakes and oceans. Here you go creatures of the earth- here is OUR shit. Our plastic shit for you to chew on and die because you can't digest it, because your brains aren't developed enough to realize that it is not food, and in fact will kill you. You're welcome.

We have to change our habbits. We must we must we must. No more using, buying, or throwing away plastic. No more. No more. We cannot pretend that we are living without consequences. No more. We cannot continue habbits that we KNOW are bad for the planet- animals and other humans alike. We are all on this mass of rock and water together, and it is time to start acting like we actually care about that.

...... On a lighter note....

I registered for classes yesterday! I am already feeling very inspired to learn and absorb another aspect of this new place of mine. Also, I have 4 day weekends! No class monday or friday, so I can travel and take cool weekend trips! I have a friend, Caroline in Buenos Aires, and am looking forward to being able to visit! The plane tickets round trip are like $150 USD, so its pretty cheap. AND my host mom wants to pay me to teach my little sister English. Por supuesto!

Thanks for hanging in there, and remember to stay healthy and conscious!

Caio!

...And I thought Boulder's campus was pretty...

29/07/09
So, today we toured the buildings of my University (which are actually spread out throughout the two cities- Vina and Valpo) and they are all so cool! All of the architecture is either really modern and chic or VERY old. It is so awesome. The History building is really old and beautiful, with a fountain and garden outside, and walls like i have never seen before on the inside. They are decorated with this beautiful design and compliment the architecture nicely. Then we went to the place where the Philosophy and Education buildings are, and it was totally inspiring. There is a lot of open space to "stimulate minds" and the most beautiful fauna I have seen yet. There is also a lake near by, and it is just so beautiful! I am so very excited to start classes and be able to hang out with other students at these beautiful places.
Also today I walked through the centro of Vina and got to explore a little. It was very fun, and I got to go to the beach (again!) and just... Hang out for a while. I spoke with a blonde girl from Norway for a bit, and it was neat to be able to converse together in neither of our native tongues.
Things with my family are still good, and overall I am just waiting to start classes and doing things with my program in the meantime. That's all for now. :)
Caio!

Nueva Dia,
Today was pretty fun. I spent the morning in Valpo and got to see Amelie! I am so excited to begin (and continue) our/my adventures here. We both got to dance as a part of this demonstration of the native dances of Chile, and it was so fun! I cannot WAIT for classes to start! I register sometime this week, and I am so excited to be in class with other Chileans. I took a class today with my program on the native peoples of Chile, and the history of the indigenous people is pretty interesting. And now, people don't really care/know much about their native people. it is very interesting indeed.
My Spanish is improving daily, and I am starting to pick up on phrases (mostly from my host brother, so it is things like "punk" and "lets fuck"- which translates to "lets make a turkey" hahahaha), so it has been a lot of fun. I cannot believe it has only been one week! Holy shit. wow. Well, more time and times to come!
Caio!

26/07/09

Hello Again! Today was a great day. I went to the beach and got to play in the waves of the Pacific Ocean. So refreshing and wonderful. I also went to Valparaiso and got to ride an ascensor to the top of this huge hill, and look out over the city. All is very different, and neat. I have been spending a lot of time with my host brother Christian, and we have this game where he tells me a letter and I have to tell him as many words as I know that start with that letter. So far, it has been both fun, exhausting, a little frusterating, and good for my Spanish. I am very tired a lot just from all of the thinking and watching I do during the day. Overall, it is great though. Me encanta.

Caio!

25/07/09

Pretty uneventful day. I was unfortunately hung over for most of it, as we went out to the bars for my brother's birthday last night and drank a lot of cervesa and Pisco. I know now what I have known since, um, my first MIP (?) and that is that I am just not a drinker. I do it on the occasion to have a good time and kick back, but, damn. I just cannot drink a lot. It is such poision and I can't believe people do it! I mean, its fun and all, but..... ugh. Spending my first Satuday in Chile laying in bed- its just not worth it, really..... So, I DID go to Valparaiso today for the first time since I have been here. We went to the port and took a boat ride. It is very dirty, and so industrial! It is really a trip to see the HUGE cargo boats carrying stuff from one side of the world to another. And I saw this ugly looking sea lion (or wolf of the sea, as it is here in Chile) and it was just hanging out on top of this bouey. It was so strange, and Christian just said he was up there "because he is resting". No entiendo.

My host mom is quite possibly one of the nicest people on this planet. She makes my bed every day, prepairs food for me, and she even organized my things for me when I first arrived. So I am in very good hands! I haven't had a whole lot of time to just think, but maybe that is good because the past few days I have just been listening and decyphering this language and culture that I have been thrown into. It is fun, and I am having a good time. Good spirits :)

Caio!

24/07/09
Ah, Viernes! So glad it is Friday. What a big week it has been!!!!! I am pretty tired, but about to take a siesta :). Today is the birthday of both my host brother AND mother, and tonight we are going to celebrate with some Pisco and postre (cake). We went out to lunch today and got Chinese food, which was..... ok... The food in Chile is not known to be very sabroso, but so far I have been satisfied. My host mother always has food or hot beverages prepaired, and they are just great. We got ice cream today, and it was more like gelato than anything. So very good, and very rico. I took a class today on the history of Valparaiso and Vina, and wrote two poems! I am pretty satisfied with both of them, and I think the professor was as well. He was this really neat guy and at the end of the class on Valpo, he recited one of his poems for us. It was totally awesome. I am falling slowly and surely in love with the literature, poetry and art of Chile. I think I am going to see Pablo Neruda's house next week! OMYGOD! I cannot wait. His words have such richness to them, and to be able to BE in the place that he himself wrote them.... Ah, que bueno....
Time for a siesta for me. Caio!

Dias locos!

Hello friends and family!

I am safely, happily and wonderfully alive in Chile. It is very beautiful, busy and..... Well, everything, really. It is hard to describe exactly what this past week (has it really only been a few days?) has been like, but I have been keeping a journal in Spanish that I will translate here (with maybe a few omissions....) so you all can take a look inside the days, streets, families and friends I have passed time with so far... Enjoy!

20/07/09

First night in Chile. my flight plans were cancelled, BUT I got another ticket- LA until 2 AM, Panama City, and Santiago. The man who stamped my passport said (finally) "Welsome to Chile". I could have kissed him! Three words I have been waiting so long to hear. Que Bueno :) Now, I am at a Hosteria en Olmue and I met Rachael from Luis and Clark. We walked the streets and found a karaoke bar (with 3 people inside). Tomorrow is more orientation, and I will meet more people! My spirits are good. I am tired, but it is dificult to sleep- but, I am tired. Time to sleep. More tomorrow. Buenas noches!

21/07/09

I am drunk from "Gato" a wine from Chile. Very good! I spent the night with my friends from the program, and had a lot of fun. Very good. Good night. I ate chicken from the restaurant (Betty) and it was very good. I met a guy named Pete and he is lindo. I like him. He is interesting.

22/07/09

Drunk from Pisco (the drink of Chile). What a big day! I met my host family. Cristian is the nicest guy and Catalina- how linda! And Monica (mi mama). I love it. I am in Vina and it is So beautiful! I saw the ocean fro the first time today!2 times! I love the ocean but it is very dirty here. How sad. Monica said that Cristian cleaned beaches last summer. Que bueno. Tonight we went to the Mall and the Disco! It was VERY fun. They are all such good dancers! I have a big day tomorrow, but I love Chile! I cannot believe I am here. It is very good :)

23/07/09

Wow, another big day! My program (CIEE) is pretty rigorous, but I am so glad to be in it. I got very good notes on my exam today! Reading all of the books and poetry I snagged from the IPF this summer really paid off! I am very impressed with how I have handled a lack of sleep, but am still able to use my mind to understand the language. I think it is really starting to absorb into me now. There are times when I cannont remember if I had a conversation in Spanish or English, and I think that is awesome. They speak SO fast though! wowwww. Last night was awesome, though because they are all so nice. What lovely people they are... I have already learned SO much about, the World! Just listening to and seeing and taking in everything. And my family is SO wonderful. I am falling in love- with Chile.

Notas y pensamientos....

It is so different than the US and I really think we have a lot to learn from the Chileans. Things that I have learned so far.....

Stop giving a fuck! About time, money, who's is who's (in respect to space, gender roles and friends). They all share EVERYTHING and it is so nice to walk into a room where you kiss everybody on the cheek. And dancing- NOTE to American boys: You CAN shake your ass and look sexy too! Chicks dig it if you know how to move, and, again- Stop giving a fuck (as previously noted). You will not look "gay" if you know how to shake it. Last night at the discos was so refreshing because everyone danced on everyone. there was no guy-girl and girl-guy. Just everyone getting their grind on. :) Chile is dirty, hipster, everyone smokes, everyone stays out late and parties, and everyone has a good time (as far as I can tell). I was telling Sebastian last night that I didn't want more Pisco because of my big day the following day and he said "here, in Chile, we just enjoy the moment. Tomorrow is tomorrow and it is not right now, you know? Entiendes?" Si, entiendo.