Chile or Mars????

Viņa del Mar- I took this photo from Pablo Neruda~s house-museum

I've been in Chile for a couple days now. When we first arrived in Chile, the group stayed in a hotel in Santiago for touring and orientation. We saw some really cool places like the presidential palace, Pablo Neruda's house (la chascona, he was such a quirky guy, he collected shoes, hand statues, paintings, wine glasses, etc.) and the biggest cathedral i have ever been in, but it was a drag. At one point when i first arrived i didnt sleep for 34 hours.

But at last, here I am at the Catholic University in Valparaiso. I live in a bordering town called Viņa del Mar, so i have to take the public transportation system everyday and ay caramba! its really confusing even if you speak spanish natively. Everything is so different here its like living on a different planet! The power sockets are different, the key boards are different, the toiletts, the lights, the pay phones... everything! i feel like a child getting confused by the simplest things.

My host family is so nice though. They help me learn how to use all these crazy appliances, feed me amazing food (Carolina, the mama, works from home as a chef) and they teach me new words everyday.

The oldest daughter who is visiting from Argentina for a week and a student from last semester (she just left yesterday)took me to a house party on Tuesday night. It was a going away party for a girl named Heather. All the guys played guitars, drums and maracas, and they all sang together. The music was amazing. They even know some American songs, but they dont really know how to say any of the words or what they mean. After the party we went to the bar at midnight (no one goes to the bars here before 11) and then to a dance club untill 5 am! Everything here is on a much later schedule than in the States, dinner isnt even untill 9 pm. I was soo tired the next day, but at least now i have some Chilean friends. They said they will throw a birthday party for me.

Everywhere you go people are always listening to music. Mostly chilean, but american music is popular here too, but its all songs from the 80s.

The best part is that I'm picking up Spanish so quickly! But sometimes the people speak so fast that they cant even understand eachother. I hope my professors slow down for me.

Ive been so busy lately that i havent hardly had time to breath! but as soon as classes start on monday i think life should slow down, i'll get settled in to a regular schedule, and hopefully ill learn how to take the public transportation system without getting lost like i did last night.

chao!!