¡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.