Goodbye Santiago, Here I Come Valparaiso and Vina del Mar

Aside from hanging out a lot with my Chilean family the past couple weeks, I’ve been studying and trying to be as active as possible. Every year Vina del Mar puts on a week long music festival called Festival de Vina. Last Tuesday, myself and 5 other girls went to the festival and saw JUANES perform. It was a blast. We danced and sang (as best we could) and then took the bus home to Santiago. I also went to a winery called Causino Macul. We had 3 tastings and learned how the wine was made and bottled. Jessica and I also hiked Cerro San Cristobal last weekend. At the top of the hill is a huge pool that overlooks the whole city. You can see the view from the top in some of my pics. Language school at ECLA wasn’t what I had hoped it would be, especially for the price. However, we did get placed with a great family. I felt like my Spanish was improving more at home than in school. It might be one of those things that make an impact a few weeks or so after you’ve learned it…vamos a ver (we’ll see). I also spent a lot of time in the parks throughout Santiago. Many of which have study cafes and running paths. The park is where many young Chilean couples go to make out and lay on the grass. Most Chileans live at home until marriage, so they have to find somewhere to “suck face.” It’s actually really funny to see so much PDA going on in one place at one time. After awhile you get used to it. Between the PDA and the stray dogs walking around, my 30 minute jogs have been quite interesting.

The past few days have been bitter sweet. Yesterday, my Chilean Family loaded Jessica and I up in their car and moved us to Vina Del Mar. We spent the day driving from apartment to apartment in search of a place that was safe, clean, and reasonably priced. Once we found an apartment, they helped us read through the contract and sign all the paperwork. We were incredibly lucky to have been placed with such an amazing family. I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through this last month and found an apartment without them. They really did treat me like part of the family. As you will see from my pics, I became very close with my Chilean nieces and nephew; Catalina (6 yrs.), Carolina (7 yrs.), Martina (2 yrs.) and Diego (7 months). Catalina came to Vina with us and when we had to finally say goodbye, both of us were in tears. I wish I could’ve moved their whole family to Vina to live with us. I plan to try to go see them about once a week. The hour or so drive is well worth a home cooked Chilean meal and time with the kids. (You’re probably wondering what my apartment looks like, but for now I’m just going to say it is AMAZING!! My next post will be all about my new home…so you have to stay tuned.

Tomorrow, I start orientation at PUCV. I am really looking forward to getting started with school and all my Rotary stuff. I will be sure to keep the posts coming!

P.S. Congrats to Samie Tiller for making National Honor Society and to my boyfriend, Kevin, for kicking butt at the fire academy!!! I’M SO PROUD!!!