Normal Life

My Chilean life now just feels so normal. After my amazing trip to Patagonia I'm back to my "normal life," which is still pretty awesome. I've kept on helping out with the English classes in the girl's school. They are all so incredibly enthusiastic- when I enter the classroom they all start shouting out "CASEY CASEY CASEY!"

Two girls gave me a necklace and a pair of earrings (I tried to not accept them but they didn't give me a choice) and I have a whole new collection of drawings which all consist of saying "I love you" and a picture of me with one of the girls. I only have less than a month of the classes for this year because their school ends in late December and then we have summer break, but when the new school year starts in March I'll continue helping out. 

Next week is my last week of school then I have a 2 and a 1/2 month summer vacation (yeah, be jealous). Its been pretty weird. Back home its snowing and everything is all about the holiday spirit. Here its in the upper 80's and its almost summer break. This Friday there was a big cookout with the majority of people in my class to celebrate the end of the school year. There was a pool so we all got thrown in (without bathing suits)- its a Chilean obsession; if theres a pool somehow you will get thrown in. Saturday I hung out with two friends and made sushi (with avocado and sushi- interesting combination that is actually really good) then went to a party. 

Its been really nice to start having a routine and feeling normal- getting closer with all of my classmates is amazing. Its a lot easier now that my Spanish is a WHOLE lot better and I can keep up with most conversations (although they still constantly make fun of my American accent and language mistakes obviously). I definitely feel a lot more comfortable here. Now I only have a few days left of school then its summer break!