Summer Vacation

I've officially been on summer vacation for one week and it has been amazing. This is the first summer since I was 5 that I won’t spend every day at the pool because of swim team, working in the concession stand, or lifeguarding. I basically have no official responsibilities or anything or real importance to do this summer except for do as many cool things as possible, which is pretty great.

I’ve started going to Santiago a lot to hang out with the ‘old’ exchangers (the girls from Australia and New Zealand who have been here since January and are leaving in a month). They live in Las Condes which is the nicest area of Santiago, and where I live (San Bernardo) is one of the worst areas. Las Condes is well kept: they clean the streets and sidewalks, there isn’t graffiti everywhere, and it is not of full of stray dogs. Taking public transportation there is quite a hastle and takes well over an 1 and a 1/2 but its worth it. The other day we went shopping in a market that sells ‘traditional’ Chilean stuff and I bought my first pair of Chile pants (which are ridiculously comfortable). We ate a bunch of fast food and then in the night went out in Santiago. 

with my friend Elise from New Zealand

Had an end of the year pool party/cook out with my class which was awesome. We had a bbq complete with hot dogs, chorripan, pebre (like salsa), potato chips, cheetos, chicken, steak, salad, tomatoes, drinks, watermelon, marshmellow, and an incredible cake. In the states we would have just ordered a bunch of cheap pizzas, here they really go all out which is awesome. I've really started to feel like a party of my class and connect with them, which is so bittersweet because I just found out that when I change families I change schools. 

some of my classmates

I am changing families after Christmas and I have the unlucky situation of also having to change schools (might I add I am the ONLY exchange student who has to do so). I live in San Bernardo and have to live with other families in San Bernardo, but my current school is in Buin, a city farther south that is about 20 minutes away. Because its so far I have to change to a school closer to my next host family. I'm pretty upset with Rotary in Chile, its extremely disorganized and does a very poor job of taking care of their exchange students, unlike Rotary in the US which is absolutely amazing. But I'll just have to make the best of the situation. I'll get to see two very distinct ways of Chilean life, go to two extremely different schools, and make twice as many Chilean friends. Its all about the way you look at it.