Happenings

Just a small peak at what I've been up to this month :)

Driving to the beach San Antonio with my host sister Anais

My host grandparents have a small house/cabin close to the beach, we went there every weekend to spend time with the extended family and chill out. This Friday my host parents start their vacations and we'll be spending 3 weeks there. 

my host dad Daniel

an awesome cove right by the beach cabin where we go swimming

boogie boarding with my host cousin Diego and my host mom Eli

At the airport saying goodbye to my good friend Sophie from Australia :(

It was really hard saying goodbye to such a great friend, not knowing when I'll be able to see her again. And it just reminded me that exchange is not infinite and that sooner than I know it will be my itme to go home. 

Climbing Cerro San Cristobal in Santiago with my friend Ulrik (Sweden)

It's a tourist hotspot, it takes about 40 minutes to climb it on foot and you can see most of the city (if the smog isn't too bad)

My good friend Fran invited me to the beach Mirasol for a week where her family rented a beach house. It was an awesome time just hanging out, tanning, eating a ton of food, and hanging out. 

We also managed to get into San Alfonso del Mar- the biggest swimming pool in the world right next to the ocean. Its 1 km in length and people kayak and paddleboat on it. You have to own an apartment there to enter but we managed to sweet talk the security guards into letting us in. 

Hanging out with other exchange students in a park in Santiago.

Making chocolate peanut butter cookies with my friend Sophie (USA/France)

My friend Nico invited me to his house in the countryside which is absolutely gorgeous. We went to a river and found a bunch of wild horses.

We then attempted to go fishing, which needless to say did not work out very well...but it was fun anyway!

My host grandmom making empanadas at the beach

Celebrating my host great grandmother's 85th birthday with all of the family at the beach.

This summer break has been amazing. I absolutely love my new host family- they make me feel so comfortable and like a part of the family. My host parents are really relaxed and give me a lot of freedom to go out with friends. They really want my exchange to be amazing and are always telling me to take every opportunity and do everything I can. I feel so much better with this family and all of my homesickness has basically disappeared. Hopefully my next and last month of summer vacation will be just as great. :)

Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year!

I began my new year's celebration by taking my host sister to the hospital (which took 2 hours) because she had a 102º fever but nothing was wrong with her. Then we went to Santiago for a get together with the extended family from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. It was a little boring because I've only met the extended family a few times so it's not like I really know them and there wasn't much to do, but none the less it was ok. I ate 12 grapes at midnight to bring me good luck for every month of the new year. And there was a really spectacular fireworks show. We got back home at 3:30 a.m. and then I went to a really big party in the countryside with my classmates. It was pretty amazing dancing to reggaeton at sunrise in Chile to celebrate the new year :) I finally got home at 7:30, completely exhausted. 

So far summer has been incredible- since I dont have to work and have no real responsibilites I have all of the time in the world to do whatever I want. Lots of just hanging out with friends, exploring Santiago, and going to parties.

going away party for the Kiwis and Aussie

 I also changed my host family! As part of Rotary Chile, every person has 2 host families to see different ways of life in Chile and just to mix it up. I now have my host mom Eli, host dad Daniel, host brother Dani (21), and a host sister Anais (11). My host parents work in one of the plants of the company Carozzi which makes pastas and cookies and some other stuff. As part of the plant theres a mini-subdivision where some of the people who work there live, which is where my new house is. Its really cute and the best part is it is right behind the factory that makes cookies, so there is always the aroma of fresh baked cookies which is just plain awesome.

my new house

my host family's puppy cuky! cutest puppy I have ever seen

my nice manly room

my host sister Anais!

I'm really really happy here. I'm now the 4th exchange student this family has had so they know the ropes or dealing with exchange students and are extremely welcoming. My host parents and my host brother have to work during the day so unless I'm out with friends I chill with my host sister who is ridiculously nice- she helped me unpack all of my things, gave me her old pink cell phone (I had to leave my other cell phone with my first host family), put all of my contacts in my new phone, and is always game for playing Wii and watching T.V. Today we're going to the beach San Antonio to visit family which should be cool.

Best wishes!
Casey