Viva Chile!

HELLOOOOO!!!!

Ok, so I updated my post with my address, but here I'll put it again.
The only thing different is the "Edif Ipanema -B":

Diane Hawke
Calle Viana No 253 - Depto. 42
Edif. Ipanema - B
Viña del Mar
Chile

SO a lot has happened since the last time I posted and before that.

I started my volunteer job two weeks ago and I looooooooove it!  I'm helping out at "El Hogar Teresa Cortez Brown" which is a home for girls who have been taken out of their homes due to family problems, abuse, etc.  It's located super close to my house so I can walk there!  Public transportation here is great, but I take all the chances I can to walk--and it only takes like 10-15 min to get to el hogar!  I go every Monday from 3pm-5pm and help the girls with their homework.  I would go everyday if I could...heck, I would live there with them if I could!  I think I'm going to talk to my supervisor to see if I can come more.  :)  The first day I was there, one of the girls randomly asked me, "Why do you always smile when you talk?" and I was taken so much by surprise that I just smiled even bigger and said, "well, I don't know."...she made my day!  I couldn't stop thinking about that the whole night!  Later when I told my host parents, they mentioned that they probably don't see a lot of happy faces a lot.  For that little girl to even notice something like a smile is so interesting...as many times we can take smiles (plus tons of other things!) for granted.  I don't have any pictures of el hogar yet, but I'm sure I will in the future.

I had my first Chilean test! ahhhhhhh! My bro, William, helped me a ton with studying for it.  (THANKS WILLY!)  It was in my Literature class through the university in which I'm the only gringa.  We had to write three essays in an hour.  I had prepared a lot to the extent of picking out quotes and writing main ideas down and everything...but I still felt so rushed on time.  It's difficult to write three good essays in English in an hour's time...and then in Spanish...even harder!  The professor didn't want the essays to be longer than two pages, so, that's good.  It was hard though, to think of what I wanted to write, then think of how to write it in Spanish, then how to make it sound good, then look up the words I didn't know in my dictionary...etc. All with the pressure of time!  I walked out of the classroom knowing I won't get a 7 (which is the highest grade here...like an 'A'), but okay with what I did.  I did my best, and that's all that matters.  :)

I've also had a cold for about a week now, but I'm getting better quickly!  My host mom was going to make me snort salt water to make me less congested.  I told here that I don't like salt and I asked her if we could do it in the morning (cuz it was night) if I'm not any better.  THEN...the next day when I came out of the bathroom after showering she was standing there hold a cup with the salt water concoction!  I almost ran to my room saying "I'm bettterrrr!"  Hahaha...she noted that I sounded better and she didn't make me do it.  Does that even work?!  I mean, I've heard of gargling salt water for a sore throat but breathing it up your nose when it's stuffy?  The next day I went surfing--in the salt water of course--and it did wonders!!! hahahaha! so maybe it really does work!! huh?!

I went exploring with my friend, Melissa, on these trails that we found the other day.  Here are some pictures:

This was a the other end of a trail....the "forest preserve" that we thought we were end is also used as a short cut!

This past Friday we took a day trip to Rabuco...the countryside!!!!  Which I absolutely LOVED!  Me=not a city girl.

This was taken while on the bus!  I could take pictures ALL DAY driving through el campo (the countryside).

We visited a blueberry plantation!

Look at that bee...hard at work.

We were gifted our very own bit of fresh homemade blueberry jam! SOOO DELICIOUS!!!

Then we went to a house in el campo and feasted!  I was full the entire day!

Look at how beautiful this is!  We played volleyball and soccer with this wonderful view surrounding us!

They showed us La Cueca too! (Which  I now know how to dance!!!! Future IMAGES? eh eh eh?)

Saturday, I went surfing! Yes, I actualllllyyyyy went surfing (YES Eddie and Bekah)!  The water is really cold, hence, the wet suits.  I was sooo much fun, but also difficult.  My ribs are sore from belly flopping on my board getting on it the whole time. hehehe

 It was weird, because we were swimming next to this industrial park type place.  Look at the pretty ocean? was it toxic? I dunnnooo..... it was fun though!!!

There's me trying to catch the coming wave!

I'm the third from the left. :)

 I also was invited to la Bafona by another host mom on Saturday night.  It's a huge showcase of all the traditional dances of Chile.  Here are some pics:

Mapuche game...Palin! (we play this in my gym class!)

La Cueca...of course!

Also, another thing that's happening here in Chile is the up-and-coming FIESTAS PATRIAS!  The 18th of September is their 4th of July!  Flags, lights, decorations are all starting to go up!

Here are my little sobrinos...Sammy and Estefy!  This is a flag that was put up on my apt. building.

Here's a video of my host parents dancing La Cueca in our living room.  Soooooo cute!!!!  My host dad tries his best for my host mom....as my host mom is amazing.  When she was younger she was in a Folklore Dance Group and traveled all over Chile!  She gave me a handkerchief and told me that she'll teach me how to dance La Cueca...which I'm already learning how to do in my dance class through the university. :) Yay!



Well......I hope you all are doing wellllllll!!!!!! Email me if you want! :D

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!