Exchange Student Orientation

Today was the exchange student orientation for my district in Chile- 4340 which is HUGE (it spans from Santiago to Talca which is 3 hours south of Santiago). Had lots of presentations about cultural differences and safety and all of the boring stuff, but for most of the time just we just talked. There were over 50 exchange students from New Zealand, Finland, Holland, Germany, Mexico, France, Brazil, and of course the USA.

It was absolutely amazing to finally be able to meet and talk to other exchange students; to finally be able to talk to people who completely understand %100 of what you're going through because they are going through the exact same things: culture shock, homesickness, language frustrations, host families, making friends, awkward situations, school, ext... It was an amazing feeling knowing there are over 50 people who I can completely relate to. Even though we all come from different countries, cultures, and completely different personalities and interests, there's just this automatic bond between all exchange students that I can't really explain, it's one of the most amazing things in the world. I love youth exchange <3

Un Mes en Chile! & Fiestas Patrias

Ive officially been in Chile for one month and a day, its amazing how fast time goes by.

Last week I didn't have school to celebrate Chile's Independence, so basically spring break (: I was finally able to catch up my sleep. I've been completely exhausted here, every time that I simply want to talk with someone I have to think and trying to understand my classes completely fries my brain. But every day is easier and now I don't have to think for basic conversations, the spanish words and phrases will come before the English ones which is pretty awesome.

The 18th (Chile's Independence Day) means asados asados asados! (barbeques) And they eat so much food here. Before lunch there will be empanadas and choripan (kind of like sausages). Then for lunch there is salad, carne, carne, and more carne. For this special occasion we had cordero asado, which is an entire pig pinned to a cross like the crucifixion then slow cooked for 6 hours. Then after lunch there were the most amazing desserts in the world.

cordero asado

And the fondas! Fondas are kind of like a fair/carnival. Every city/town has their own fonda and they are only open for 3 days (the weekend of the 18th, Chile's Independence Day). There are booths to buy clothes and tchotchkes, restraunts/bars with bands and dance floors, discoteques, and lots and lots of empanadas, anticuchos, and terremotos (drinks with wine and ice cream). And everything here is much later. Parties don't being until around 11 and will end anytime between 3 and 5. We didn't leave one of the fondas until 5 in the morning and that is completely normal. I love it.

¡Colegio!

I’ve officially been in school for one week and one day, woop woop! I’m in Tercero Medio A, which is like Junior Year (so when the new school starts in March I’ll be a Senior) Every grade is split between girls and boys so I’m in III Medio A, however electives and English class are mixed. They take so many classes here! I have Literature, Math, Religion, History of Chile, World History, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Philosophy, English, PE, Elective Chemistry, Elective Biology, and Art. I still cannot understand the majority of what the teachers are saying but every day I can understand more.

mi colegio!

Everything in my new school is different. I’ve gone from having over 1200 people in my graduating class to under 40. I’m used to not knowing half of the people in my grade and here EVERYBODY knows EVERYBODY. You stay in the same class all day and the teachers rotate. The only classes you can choose the electives history or biology, philosophy or chemistry, and art or music. There is absolutely no heating in the classrooms so in the morning when its 32º outside, its 32º inside the school. All of my classmates are incredibly welcoming and are helping me so much. 

September 18th is Chile’s Independence Day, like the 4th of July. This Saturday my colegio had a Dia de la Chilenidad to celebrate Chile and the other countries in Latin America. Every curso (grade) performs a dance together, even the kindergardeners. My class performed a dance from Venezuela complete with huge red skirts. There is a huge dance culture here and everybody knows La Cueca, the national dance of Chile. I think la Cueca is absolutely precious, I can’t wait to learn it. 

with my host brother Tomas

As part of the Dia de la Chilenidad there was traditional Chilean food, which I absolutely LOVE. Empanadas are the best food on earth. Its a baked pastry/bread stuffed with meat and onions or with cheese. Anticuchos are like kebobs. Chilenitos are a cookie sandwich with manjar (similar to carmel) covered in powdered sugar. 

with my host sister, brother, and cousins

I’m loving absolutely everything: my host family, my classmates, my school, the language, the culture, the food. Sometimes it still hasn’t really sunk in that I’m in Chile. Like in the morning when I’m driving to school parallel to the Andes mountains at sunrise, all I can think is “Wow, I’m in Chile!!”  I love my life.