Chilean National Holiday!

So in America, we have one day off for the 4th of July.  It is a great afternoon of wearing red, white and blue...eating hamburgers and hot dogs and watching fireworks.  Could you imagine doing this...everyday...for an entire week straight?

Well here in Chile, the national holiday has been extending it's days of celebration each year.  I am not sure of the exact dates of "holiday" but all I know is that I celebrated for an entire week straight!  My school even has off of school for a week!  I can't complain.  First, the weekend started with going to what we call here a "ramada" or a "fonda" at Santo Tomás a University here in Iquique.  My friend Cat and I went and met up with our Chilean friends that attend the school.  Basically, a ramada is a huge fundraiser for schools and they sell different traditional foods and drinks.  For the university, we stayed there all night long and it even turned into a discoteque later in the night!!!  It was just a bunch of college aged students dancing and singing to traditional Chilean music.  I was even interviewed that night and I had explain (in Spanish) why I was here and all about my experiences in Chile.  It went really well and I am excited to see the footage!

I visited three different ramadas during the week.  One which was  at my colegio where I was able to see my students participate in traditional dances!  Some of my boys were half naked in little clothes...it was hysterical!  I ate a TON of Churipan (Chorizo wrapped in warm, toasted bread with mayo on top) probably one of my favorite snacks here in Chile (also one of the most fattening-great)  I also ate a lot of empanadas...some filled with seafood, others with cheese or meat.  YUM YUM YUM...but for the first time in my life I can say that: I would like a break from meat.  After eating non-stop meat for an entire week, I would love a few days of vegetables and chicken ha-ha.

I also spent a lot of time with my Chilean family over the past few days.  One night I celebrated the birthday of one of my host mom's friends in the house.  It was a girls night with all of her co-workers from the bakery. We had excellent food, great conversations, and danced all night long!  My brothers also had a little "fiesta" one night...I had already been sleeping because I was exhausted from the night before...and I woke up to people outside of my window at around 2AM.  I went downstairs and WALAH! About 20 of our friends were all sitting around in the living room.    Somehow it ended up where both of my brothers went to bed and I was left being in charge of the house...this is starting to become the norm.  The boys invite their friends over...and eventually want to go to bed and leave me to entertain the rest of the night...it's a darn good thing I am social and like their friends!

Other than that...vacations have been very relaxing.  I am finally catching up on my sleep.  Yesterday, my friend Cat came over and we had a cocktail watching the sun go down from my balcony.  (My balcony overlooks the entire city and ocean...it is PERFECT).  Later, some of our friends came over to join us...Flaco (Diego) and Cristhián (my neighbor).  We all hung out for awhile and then decided we all needed a good nights rest.  I ended up playing soccer with Cristhián for another hour and drinking tea afterwards...but overall it was a relaxing-early evening.

Anyway, back to some of the Chilean traditions.  Here is a video of the "Cueca" the Chilean national dance.  Tiki-Tiki-Ti!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h6ubQz9ATk

Also, Cumbia music is very popular here in Chile as well...one of the more popular artists is "Chico Truijllo." A link to one of their songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0zMiRftVY4

Another example of Cumbia music (I really like this song)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrkxJL1AQcU


I think this week of celebrating a different culture made me realize...in the United States...we do not have culture.  We are truly a melting pot of many different cultures.  We could never do "ramadas" in our schools because one religion would be upset with another religion.  Or one nationality would feel that they aren't getting enough attention as the other.  It was so fun to be part of a community and an entire country listening to their "traditional" music, eating their "traditional" food, and dancing their "traditional" dance.  In America, I have traditions with my family and I love every moment of celebration with them.  But as a country, we do not have strong cultural ties as the people of Chile and other countries do.  I love the culture here and I love the traditions.  It was a blast and I can't wait for next September the 18th!

Silly, Silly Sarita

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I sure did.  However, it's monday and I am an UNHAPPY camper! This weekend I somehow lost dinky Chilean cellular on the beach.  I really should have invested in a jacket that had zipper pockets. Womppppp Wompppppp. In ADDITION, I broke my computer screen this morning with my thumb.  I didn't realize how much strength that little guy had.  Although I was borderline tears at about 6:30 this morning, I am in high spirits right now.  I realized, last night, as I was laying on the beach listening to my friend Flaco play the guitar that I am living the life.  As difficult as it sometimes is, I really enjoy teaching English.  Not only do I feel that I am connecting with some of the students, I think that I am learning a lot from them.  Everyday there are new stories to tell and my students definitely keep me laughing.

Last week I managed to give a student a bloody nose.  NOT with my own fist...but I was persuaded into using a Chilenismo that I did not know the meaning of.  One of my favorite students, Aaron, told me to say "Capotera" and a students name. So of course I said "Capotera Lino."  Not realizing, that in Chile, Capotera means....smack someone across the head.  My entire class (of all boys) jumped out of their seats and ran over to poor little Lino and smacked him on the head.  I stood, staring, as his head smashed against his desk and when he lifted it up..BLOOD...EVERYWHERE.  It is a DAMN good thing this kid is hysterical and laughed his way through the pain.  But boy did I feel bad.  Never again will I follow any instructions from my students ha-ha-ha.  

I may be fooled once but I will never be fooled twice.  I am also happy to know that I have not lost my "class clown" capabilities and was able to fight back against my delinquent students.  I am a very relaxed teacher...I allow students to eat in class, if they sit well they can listen to music, but one thing I can not handle is sleeping.  The other day, one of my students, Ramon, fell asleep during class for probably the 30th time since I have been here.  I had the whole class silently file out of the room and we stood outside the door taking photos and laughing at him.  When he finally woke up about 15 minutes later he was completely thrown off as to why no one was in the room with him.  This is a definite "you needed to be there" story but you can imagine the confused reaction.  Quite hysterical, for my class, and for me.

I never got the chance to write about my favorite things in Chile.  So now I am going to take the time to do it. First, however, I wanted to add one more thing to my list of things that I do not like.

*** I MISS BEING ABLE TO PUT MY TOILET PAPER IN THE TOILET***

Okay, so now for some positive things:

Bread:  Although I am trying to cut it out of my diet...Chile has the best bread in the world.  Apparently they also eat, on average, daily they most bread than any other country in the world.

Cheap Wine: You can buy a jumbo bottle of nice Chilean wine for only about 4.50$

Feeling like a Rockstar:  It doesn't matter where you go, or who you are with, blonde hair and blue eyes...you are a hot babe.  CHA-Ching!

Almuerzo:  Having my big meal during the day.  It feels good to be able to burn it off during the afternoon and not going to bed with a full stomach. 

Asados: Getting together with a group of friends at night and having a huge bbq..we've gone to people's houses...camping...and at the beach! 

Listening to the guitar: Everyone plays the guitar here!  I started lessons last week ;)

The MEN!- I never want to look at a white-skinned, blue-eyed man again.  Bring on the morenos, yum yum and yummmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

Laid back lifestyle: I can sleep until 2:30PM on a Saturday, this is normal.  Also...less stress on time and less things to do.  Wonderful break from the US.  This may be one of the biggest reasons as to why I do not plan on returning back to the US anytime soon. 

Having Friday's off: I do not work Friday's!  The pleasures of being a volunteer =)

Public transportation: I love this. I love it, I love it, I love it!  Every morning I take the "micro" the bus to work..I flag it down, numbers 17, 10, or 7...and it is one of the most relaxing parts of my day.  It is still dark out when I get to school and it is really amazing to see the city lit up and it is a very soothing experience.  When I forget my music, I can listen to the faint music of someone else's MP3 blasting

reggeaton and this always reminds me, that I am indeed in, South America. In the afternoons I take a colectivo home.  A colectivo is a very cheap taxi that will pick you up and take you anywhere in the city.  Sometimes it is difficult to get a colectivo from the center of the city to sector sur, (South Side) which si where I live.  But I must say, I have had the most ridiculous colectivo rides...it's almost a joke! The other day I had a colectivo filled with 4 other middle-aged men all singing along to Cher and that song "it's in his kiss...that's where it is!"  The next day, I had a man give me his son's number because he wanted me to meet him.  He lured me in by saying "he speaks English very well and likes to surf."  I didn't call him yet.........I've even gotten KICKED OUT of a colectivo.  For some reason all of the drivers are extremely sensitive about slamming their car doors.  Well, my first week here...I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! And yes, the driver left me off in the middle of the street.

Cueca: Cueca is the Chilean national dance.  I love the outfits and I love the dance.  I'll post a video during my next blog post.

No tips!!!- in Chile, you do not leave tips---if you do, only 10% and that is good.

Greetings- In Chile, you greet everyone with one kiss on right cheek.  If you walk into a party and there are 15 people there...it is considered rude if you do not go up to each person and give them a kiss on the cheek.

Style-Black!  If you look around, everyone is wearing black!  Not only is it slimming...but now it is considered stylish also.

Needless to say, for me, there are many more positives than there are negatives about being here in Chile.  If only my family and friends were closer =(  Sorry that it has taken so long for a blog post but with my broken computer and the national holiday, it was tough to find some time to sit at a cafe or at my parents computer in the house.  I will be writing a post about the national holiday now =)

Love,

Sarita

Hot Springs, Meat & Fun...My Type of Weekend!

 This weekend I had the opportunity to travel to a small town about two hours from Iquique called “Pica.”  It was one of the most entertaining, relaxing and insane weekends of my life.  While planning this trip, I made one of my most embarrassing Spanish mistakes.  Sitting at a bar with friends, I shouted with excitement “No puedo esperar, estoy emocionada a concer Pico!” Directly translated to “I can’t wait, I am so excited to get to know the dick!”  “Pico” is a crude word used to describe the Penis…and “Pica” a town in northern Chile.  Definitely not one of my proudest moments, but nevertheless, it was a joke all weekend long.

After dropping about 20$ on alcohol, food, and gas…we were ready to make our trip.  Five of us squeezed into my friend Pepe’s tiny BMW and were on our way to Pica.  We stopped in a town about an hour away called “Parque de los Niño’s” to eat lunch were we devoured a huge plate of chicken, rice & French fries.  The best part about this meal was that it was only 1 luca…2 USD…my type of meal.  Next, with full bellies and in need of a nap we continued on our quest to Pica…first stopping in Santa Laura…an old salitre mine which as been abandoned for years.  In the middle of the desert, with no one else around…it was a very creepy experience.  Walking around with complete silence and a slight breeze…you would expect to see a ghost.  Luckily, we did not and we left with more energy than before, anxious to reach our final destination.

About an hour later we arrived at our campsite in Pica, yes…my first camping adventure in Chile.  We unpacked our bags, the coolers and we set up camp!  We all had a few beers and decided it was time to head to the host springs/thermal baths.  With only a 10-minute walk, we arrived at the hot springs, paid our entrance fee & jumped right in.  It was my first time swimming in over two months and the water felt amazing.  We swam for about three hours until our hands could not prune anymore.  There were different caves to swim in and out of and the mud was used as a facemask to apparently “heal the skin.”

By the time we got out it was about 7pm and we could feel the desert night quickly approaching.  Now having lived in the desert for almost two months…I have learned that during the day the desert is hot…but by night…it is FREEZING.  So we ran out of the springs and sprinted for camp where we bundled up with all of our clothes.  Others showered (of course I didn’t, part of camping is being dirty…right?) while I used my previous Girl Scout experience to get the fire going.

For the rest of the night, we drank and we ate…and we drank and we ate.  We ate huge portions of steak and chorizo and we did not sleep at all that night…dancing until about 7AM when we finally curled up in our tents for a good “morning’s” rest.  Unfortunately, at about 10:30AM I woke up sweltering hot from the desert sun, dying for a glass of water.  I took my zombie body and walked it down the street and bought three huge cartons of water to help cure the raging hangovers that we were soon to have.

This week I will not go out until Friday.  Last week I went out way too much—so to help my body and my finances…this week “descanso.” Also, we are starting a new part of the semester and my students are starting to read English novels.  My juniors are reading a shortened version of “Pride and Prejudice,” and my seniors are reading “Tess of the d’Urbervilles.”  I doubt that they will read at all, but we will see! I’m working on different ideas to motivate them.

Definitely missed my family this weekend while they were all in Boston! Had a wave of homesickness…or was it just the fact I knew I was missing out on great food?????

PS. I only had one person send me an email and update me on things (Thanks Kim, I love you!)  My email address is sschn23@gmail.com  --- I KNOW MORE OF YOU ARE READING! So send me a line xo

ALSO, I made the news for the Chilean Ministry of Education!!!
 http://www.mineduc.cl/index2.php?id_contenido=15902&id_portal=49&id_seccion=3272

Frustrations

So as I am beginning my third month here in Chile, I have become frustrated with different things related to my job and my life here.  In general, things are outstanding, but there are certain things that need to be noted.

First and foremost, I hate having a “double life.” To my friends, family and coworkers I am an English teacher for the government of Chile.  I am 21 years old, I speak Spanish, and I am single and loving every moment of it.  For my students, I am 27-30 years old, unable to speak Spanish, and I have a serious boyfriend in the South of Chile.  The decision to have these two lives was not mine, and although extremely frustrating, completely necessary.

Although my students here are 16-20 years old, they have the maturity level of 15 year olds.  I would make this same comparison with most of the Chilean youth. In my experiences, I deduct three years from the age of each person and this is the age that they act.  This is definitely due to the cultural differences between the United States and Chile.  In Chile, it is very common for people to live with their parents until they reach about 30 years old.  Sorry Mom and Dad, but I would die. They do not know how to cook, do laundry, and most do not have their first job until 23 or 25.  This is very true, especially in my host family.  My host brothers are so lazy and complain about any small task that they are asked to do.  They expect to receive money from their parents for their “late nights out” and don’t do anything in return.  I am pretty sure that one of my host brothers is constantly stoned, and it gets really old.   The other constantly argues that he pays for everything, including his education.  Which, I may add, is the biggest joke of my life.  The kids are extremely spoiled and with enough arguing receive everything they could ever want.

Enough venting about the host brothers, I would like to touch on more of my experiences teaching in the high school.  First, I would like to explain why it is so essential that I have a double life.  Respect.  If I were to tell some of my 20-year-old students that I was only 21 years old, I would lose every ounce of respect that I have gained. In addition, if I didn’t have my “boyfriend” I would be harassed until the end of time.  Another cultural difference, forwardness.  Chilean men are very forward and are not afraid to express their feelings.  In the beginning, it was flattering. “Miss, we love you.” “Miss, you are beautiful.”  However, when students cross the line and say filthy things about me in Spanish, I become angry and I sometimes feel violated. Constantly, I am with a red face, sometimes out of embarrassment, and other times out of anger.  And still, the students do not know that I understand Spanish.  I do think that this is the best for them, but at times I wish that I could break out in Spanish and surprise them all.  Self control, Sarah. 

My biggest problem is not classroom management.  I can be a bitch if I want to and I will not be offended if someone doesn’t like me.  The hardest part of my job and life and this point is the fact that I see my students, everywhere.  I see them walking down the street, at the discos, in the grocery store…everywhere. Not that it is a problem, but there have been numerous issues of students exaggerating stories.  For example, last weekend I saw a student walking down my street late at night as I was walking with my neighbor Cristhían and his friends.  When Monday came around, everyone was talking about how Diego had seen Miss Sarah walking with a bunch of “watchituros” down his street. (Watchituros=Chilean gangsters).  This caused a huge riot in the class and it was really annoying.  However, this is the way of life here, and I guess I will need to get used to it.

Yesterday, Thursday, was a LONG day for me.  After finishing up with school I met up with my friend Cat and her coworker Israel at a bar in the center of Iquique to have “a” beer.  Well, we all know that when you plan on drinking only “one” beer you end up drinking a lot more.  So, after drinking about 4 beers I headed off to a professor’s house to have dinner, not KNOWING that she was the PASTOR of the school.  There, I was given 2.5 glasses of AMAZING red wine and a huge steak with a mustard sauce.  There was also a couple and their two children from England visiting and it was nice to speak in English for a change.  They work as missionaries for the Methodist Church and had lived in Iquique for 5 years but recently had moved back to England for family purposes. The dinner and conversations were great, however, by the end of it… I got the feeling that the only reason I was invited was so the Pastor could introduce me to his 28-year-old son.  Looking back on it, it was ridiculous!  I was seated next to him at the table, was asked to go purchase coca cola with him, and later (WHAT A COINSIDENCE) he was going to the same BAR as me! Needless to say, by the end of the night I escaped with friends and (sigh) have only received about 4 text messages from the 28-year-old, son of a Pastor.

Tomorrow, I will go to Pica.  The trip was cancelled last weekend since I was sick.  So tonight I am relaxing and plan on going to bed soon so I can wake up early tomorrow morning.  I am so excited for camping!

Some things that I miss about life in the United States:

1)    Of course, my family and friends

2)    Drinking water from the sink  (we really are very fortunate in the US to have water available at all times-here-you are not able to drink the water because of the high levels of minerals.  Also, it is quite common for the water to completely shut off----funny story---I had not known that the water shut off and I went #2 in the bathroom, we all know what this means---special surprise for later—very embarrassing.  Warm water, also, tends to shut off, especially at times that I like to shower.  So just remember, next time you decide to take a super long shower, people here can not even drink the water…so make it fast, and don’t take advantage of what you have!)

3)    Being barefoot.  It is improper to walk barefoot in your house.  You must always walk with slippers or shoes.

4)    Drying machines.  My laundry takes forever.

5)    Bars closing at 2AM-sometimes I just don’t like going out from 12AM-6AM

6)    Spicy Food- chicken, white rice, and tomato.  Hello, Chilean food.

7)    Being able to relax while walking through town- it’s hard to live in Chile’s second most dangerous city.

8)    Having dogs…only as pets- stray dogs… are everywhere. My neighbors have three dogs that they allow to roam the streets-they are constantly barking and sometimes it sounds like they are dying a slow and painful death.  It is also quite common to see “Watona” chillin’ in the corner store.

Next post I will explain what I like more about Chile.  For now, I am off to bed.  Hugs and kisses for everyone. 

Protests, Protests & More Protests!

First off, I hope everyone is doing well!  I know that there are things to be worrying about in the United States such as hurricanes and random earthquakes…you are all in my prayers and I am hoping for health & safety for all.  Last weekend was fantastic here in Iquique.  Like I promised myself, I went every night during the weekend, and met a TON of new friends.  My Spanish is improving and so are my social relationships.  Finally, I can count my friends on three hands, not just one woooooooooo!

This past week has been very interesting here in Chile.  Monday, I had off from school…so that just meant Sunday night turned into another weekend night spent with friends at our favorite pub called “Papa Gallos.”  Monday was a very relaxing day, I took off to the beach with my friends Cat, Felipe, and Cristian and listened to Cat and Cristian play the guitar all afternoon.  It was a great cultural exchange of language and music and it passed with “buena onda” and was an overall a positive experience.  Tuesday was just a normal day at school; however, there was lots of tension due to the fact that Wednesday and Thursday were going to be days of national “paro” or strike.  The school that I am teaching at, Colegio Ingles, is owned by the Methodist Church and therefore does not participate in these types of protests.  However, the problem lies in the fact that half of the teachers at this school belong to the work union and feel as if they should have the opportunity to protest, and in the end of the day our director told us that we would NOT be participating in the “paro” on Wednesday and Thursday.  Deep down, I was slightly bummed because I would have liked to have two more days of fun.  However, due to the fact that I am working for the government, I knew that it would be in my best interest to attend classes as if it were another normal day, so that is what I did…

However, I was not surprised when I got to school and I only had about five students in each of my classes.  Talk about frustrating.  Not to mention the fact that the teachers that are part of the work union were protesting by sitting in the teachers lounge and refusing to teach classes.  They were told that if they did not teach their classes that they would not be paid for the two days of paro.  So that is what they did, they left the school and joined the rest of the protesters outside in the plaza.  I thought this was an extremely bold move by these professors, HOWEVER, I feel that everyone has the right to protest and I am proud that they are working towards what they believe in.  I finished out the day and showed up at the protest later where I met up with friends to show them my support as a friend.  (I still have not developed my own critical perspective on what I think about the protests here in Chile so I will state that I was there to support my friends and not as much the cause). At the end of this I will post two different links that describe the protests here in Chile.  Why they are happening?  Who is participating? Etc.

Unfortunately, after this I became very ill.  I knew that this had been coming for weeks, as I kept feeling a little bit sick but it had never fully developed into a full blown cold. I was up all of Wednesday night with a 103 fever and having troubles breathing (yes, this sickness literally slapped me across the face). When Thursday morning rolled around, even though we had classes, I decided that it would be in my best interest as well as the students that I did not go to work.  I spent all of Thursday and Friday in my bed.  I slept approximately 20 hrs within two days.  It helped a lot but it still didn’t do the trick.  It’s Sunday and I am still feeling lots of pressure built up in my lungs.  I am thinking if it doesn’t go away by Tuesday or Wednesday that I will head to the doctor just to make sure that everything is okay.  It is no fun being this ill when you are in another country, yet alone living in someone else’s house.  But, I must say, that I have been taken care of very well here.  Artemio and Sonia, my host parents, have both been very helpful with my needs and actually told me that I was not allowed to go out last night! It’s nice to know that I have people who are looking out for me here.  Because I know myself, I do not like to miss things…and I would have definitely not taken care of myself if they hadn’t been here.

Just recently I bought my tickets to go to Santiago and to Valparaiso for my birthday weekend.  It will be fun to reunite with friends and family during that long weekend.  Incase some of you didn’t know I studied abroad in Valparaiso two years ago. Besides this trip, I am planning another trip to Bolivia at the end of October.  I will have to go to the clinic here to get a yellow fever vaccination; hopefully it will not be too expensive.  My “Chilean Aunt” works in the hospital as a nurse so I will ask here where it will be best to receive one of these injections.  The reason that I have chosen to travel to Bolivia is because, why not!?  Although it may be a little dangerous, I have met many people now that have traveled throughout Bolivia and they have told me that it is definitely worth the trip.  By this time I will also have my Chilean resident card (carnet), so I will not have to pay the hefty fee that it costs for the Visa if you are an American Passport holder.  Lucky me!

Here is a great link that will help you further understand the protests about education here in Chile: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14487555

This next link is a video about a protest that happened in Santiago, the capital.  I love the idea so I thought that I would share it! Enjoy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14066467

I have been thinking about you all often.  I really would love an update from you.  My email is sschn23@gmail.com  I would love to hear from you even if you only have time to write a quick line.  It would mean a lot! Miss you all and love you tons!

My Weekend in Tacna, Peru

Tacna, Peru

All good and merry here.  Just sitting in my classroom killing time before I have to work with the debate team at 4:30. It’s freezing today and the waves are huge.  There have been search teams out all day because there is a missing surfer out in the water.  I am 100% sure that he is dead but it is very unnerving that they have not been able to find his body in over 48 hours.  I just pray for his family and all of his friends!

This past weekend I took a trip to Tacna, Peru and I’ll just begin by saying…it was very interesting.  I left Friday morning at 7AM and took a taxi to the bus station where I had a five-hour trip up to Arica (the most northern part of Chile). I can sleep through anything, and I mean anything and I have NEVER, in. my. Life. Experienced someone snore as loud as this man did during the entire 5- hour bus ride.  I do not know what pill this man took to sleep but he was OUT cold and he was louudddddddddddddddd! I should have known this was a sign for how the rest of the weekend was going to play out but I tried to stay positive and patient.

After arriving in Arica I felt like a sheep as I was herded into another terminal where I was overwhelmed with a million taxi drivers shoving tickets and papers in my face.  Eventually finding a man that appeared semi-sane, I hoped into his taxi and I began my trip across the border to Peru.  First we had to stop at the Chilean border where we had to show all of our travel documents and have our car checked.  About fifteen minutes later we hit the border control of Peru where we all had to exit the car, once again show our travel documents, and put our bags through security clearance.  Luckily, there were no problems and we were smooth sailing into Tacna. 

I was then dropped off at ANOTHER terminal where I located a local taxi that would take me to my hotel so I could finally put all of my things down.  3 soles later (about 1 dollar) I arrived at “Hotel Premier” which is where I THOUGHT I would be spending my two nights in Peru.  However, after talking with the receptionist it was obvious that there was some type of “miscommunication” and my reservation had not been confirmed!  Well, great!  I am in small town in Peru with nowhere to stay during a holiday weekend!

As a normal person may become extremely concerned during a situation like this, I feel like these problems happen to me quite frequently during my travels. So, I put my panic aside and set off for the street.  After asking what felt like a million people, I found a woman who told me that she had a vacant room.  Following her down the street and up a very sketchy staircase I was pleased to find a very basic, suitable room for the weekend and in total paid 40 soles which is about 15 dollars for two nights. Not too shabby after all.

The rest of Friday I roamed the streets of Tacna looking at all of the different markets and shops.  It was a pleasant afternoon with a lot of sun and warmth and this definitely helped with my misfortune from earlier in the day.  That night I took a nap until about 10PM, woke up, went out, ate cena (dinner) and then hit the town!  There was a bar about ten minutes from where I was staying and there was live music all night!  My friend Cat and I were getting tired of beer, so we decided to spice our night up a little bit by ordering ourselves a mixed drink.  We kept saying “remember that time, in Tacna, when we drank “electric lemonades?”  Yes, I do remember, and I remember how absolutely terrible those drinks were!  The term “mixed drink” does not exist in South America.  Typically, you receive a drink with straight alcohol and MAYBE, just maybe you will get a small coke on the side.  If you’re not the hard liquor type of person it is probably best to stick with beer or wine.

The next morning I woke up with high spirits and was looking forward to the new day.  In my free state of mind I decided that I would go to the hair salon and get my roots fixed!  What started as a great idea, ended quite differently with orange roots and a Peruvian Mullet. Not going to go further into details but you should know…that it was bad, reallllllllly bad.  I will post pictures on facebook later, and you will notice that I am wearing a headband in about 3/4s of all of them.  This is to hide my pathetic, pitiful hair. BUT, when all goes wrong there is nothing better to do than to laugh and carry on.  So, I spent the rest of the day shopping at the market and drinking beer.  Turned out to be a great afternoon/night of practicing Spanish and meeting new people.

My last day in Tacna, I woke up with orange hair and thought “why not get the hell out of here so I can get home to Iquique and fix my hair before I have to teach on Tuesday?” So that is exactly what I did.  I woke up around 10AM, packed my bags, and started my long, confusing journey back to Iquique. Hoping to switch my bus tickets from a 5PM departure to an earlier one in Arica I rushed to find a taxi that would get me back in time.  BUT OF COURSE I arrived back to Arica 10 minutes too late and had to wait an entire 6 hours for my original 5PM bus.  Really, I have no luck.  Fortunately, my bus ride home was uneventful and I was greeted by my host family at the bus terminal. 

That night I spent drinking chelas “beers” with my host brothers and friend Cristihian.  It was a funny night with a lot of laughing and it definitely made up for the disappointing weekend in Peru.

My apologies for not writing as much (cough cough Aunt Carol)!! I have been feeling guilty and I promise to update more frequently! I hope that everyone is doing well back in the United States.  I think about you all quite often.  Like I’ve already mentioned, things here are still going wonderfully.  I am super happy with every aspect of my life.  My hair is fixed and of course all of my students have noticed the slight change.  They all laughed at the fact that I had orange hair- they just don’t understand blondes here!

Miss everyone a lot,

Love,

Sarah

The Working Life

There was no way that I could have made a blog post after last week.  I had my first week of observing in a classroom and let me tell you-it was exhausting.  By the time I got home after class and the debate team I was falling asleep around 9pm every night! 

I will start by describing everything there is to know about the school that I am working at.  First off, the name of the school is Colegio Ingles and I learned that in the past it was exclusively for bilingual individuals. Being semi-private and owned by the Methodist Church the school is one of the best in Iquique.  This is extremely beneficial for me because they are helping pay for my transportation to and from school everyday and I am given breakfast and lunch.  I have my own classroom, room 314, and it overlooks the beach and city (photos will come shortly!).  Like I mentioned in my previous post I am teaching juniors and seniors in high school. Although at times very frustrating, I think that it is best that I am working with the older students.  I have already had some really funny moments and I think that they kids are going to learn a lot from having a gringa teach their classes.

As far as my schedule goes, I teach six, forty-five minute classes Monday through Thursday.  With breaks throughout the day, my earliest class is at 7:45AM and my last is finished at 3:45PM.  Directly after my last class I have to head to another classroom to help with the debate team.  Each year, the Chilean Ministry of Education holds debate competitions in all of the regions of Chile so that the students can work on their English and learn how to speak in a professional way.  Students have to apply and interview to be on the team and only the best are asked to represent their schools.  I am currently working with six students and we have to find information on whether or not the Internet is the opium of the masses.  Being an extremely competitive and confrontational person I thoroughly enjoy being their coach and look forward to the competition at the end of August.

I have to say that I have a new respect for anyone that has taught before.  Teaching is an extremely difficult job and it takes a lot of hard work and patience.  My students thus far have proved to be very intelligent and they hold a decent level of English.  I have to say the most challenging thing about my position as a teacher is the fact that I am teaching classes related to business, electronics, and mining: Three topics that I know absolutely nothing about! AND I FORGOT TO MENTION, the best part about this whole situation is that THE KIDS HAVE NO IDEA THAT I CAN SPEAK/UNDERSTAND SPANISH!!!!!  So the first few days were hysterical hearing what the horny little 17 and 18 year olds had to say about my “exotic” self.  Not to toot my own horn…but the classes also received a lecture because the other teachers found multiple desks that had carvings that read, “I love miss Sarah” on them.  Oh the sweet angels.

This past weekend was just okay.  Friday night, after a long week of observing all I needed was a stiff drink.  I went out with another American, Cat, from New Hampshire and we shared a few beers in the center of the city.  Saturday morning I slept late and then was paraded around by one of my host brothers to 2 different friend’s houses.  I also found out that he was using me to get out of work telling his boss that he had an American staying with him that “doesn’t speak Spanish” and informed her that he needed to accompany me at all points during the day.  What a little shit! Saturday night was spent at my co-teachers house celebrating her eleven-year-old son’s birthday.  It was the most impressive birthday party I have ever been to.  There was a rented trampoline, tons of food, and music videos were being projected onto different walls throughout the house.  I stayed until almost one in the morning celebrating, drinking tea and eating LOTS of cake! Sunday is family day.  I woke up early and took a long walk on the beach.  Following this, I spent the day with my host brothers and their friends just hanging out at a local beach.  It was fun to spend time with them since I don’t have lots of time during the week.  That night my entire Chilean family went to the mall to eat a family dinner- 5 star dining.

My host family is wonderful.  I really have nothing negative to say about my experience with them so far.  Sonia, my host mother works in a bakery and I rarely get to see her.  She typically works in the evenings not coming home until one or two in the morning and I am already sleeping by this point since I have to wake up so early in the morning.  When I do spend time with her, it is really great.  I can tell she really enjoys having me around because there are no other girls in the house.  My host father is the cutest little old man I have ever seen.  He takes the role of the “stay at home mom” doing the laundry and cooking all of the meals.  My host father is one of the most simple and patient men I have ever met. Then we have Marcelo, my oldest brother of 30 years who is currently going through a divorce and has decided to live with us along with his two sons Rodgrigo and Sebastian.  They are here about 4 days out of the week. Next we have Santiago.  My dearest Santiago.  I have gotten along best with him so far since he is closest to me in age and maturity.  I also enjoy spending time with him because, unlike my other brother (I will explain in a second), he likes to speak with me in Spanish.  Artemio, my 20-year-old brother has given me the most difficult time so far. He is probably one of the nicest people that I have ever met but he is also the most jealous/protective.  He has serious issues with me hanging out with Santiago and is often times trying to figure out my business.  In addition to this, he is constantly speaking English.  His English is fantastic and when I get home after teaching all day I would really like to practice my Spanish.  He just doesn’t get it.  THEN, I have my precious Javier (my cousin) who spends a large amount of his time at my house.  He is four and I am in absolute love with him.  I am teaching him English and in return he makes me laugh hysterically.

Overall, like I said before I am adjusting well.  This weekend I am planning to go out with Santiago and his friends so I can start working on my social life here! Maybe find a pololo (boyfriend) so I can practice my Spanish? WHO KNOWS?

Missing everyone tons!  Please feel free to email me at any point to update me on your lives-I would really like that =)

Love,

Sarita 

First Weekend in Iquique....SUCCESS!

This past week has been an absolute whirlwind.  It is great to know that I will not have to work in the camps anymore.  They were extremely fun and rewarding but they were also very long days and a lot of stress.  I also survived my first weekend in Iquique AND my first earthquake! Yes, as I was lying in my bed on Friday I started to notice that things on my side table began to slightly move.  It lasted only about 10 seconds but it was pretty awesome and it was definitely not as bad as I thought it was going to be. 

I had a really wonderful weekend.  After work on Friday I went out with some friends and we grabbed some beers at Papa Gallo (Daddy Rooster?).  Saturday was the last day of camp where the kids performed in a talent show for their parents that they had been preparing throughout the week.  My favorite act was done by a girl named “Bessie” who could swallow water and then regurgitate it through her nostrils.  It was a definite crowd pleaser. 

Saturday night was filled with loud music, free drinks, and a lot of laughing. I went out with my co-workers from the camp to a bar called Democratica.  If you could imagine the most crowded, sweaty, and disgusting bar in the world- you can visualize my Saturday night.  We were introduced to a Chilean drink called “Terremoto” which literally translates to “earthquake” since it is said that you are left with the ground & legs feeling very shaky.  Let me tell you, it is TRUE.  One of these suckers and you’re toasted for the night.

The next morning I woke up “con cana” which essentially means “hung-over as shit.” No need for words,“con cana” can also be communicated by straightening out your hand vertically, and placing it on the front of your nose.  However, my hangover was overcome by a pleasant surprise of a large welcome asado (bbq), which all of my extended Chilean family came over and we spent the afternoon eating and getting to know each other. We ate HUGE portions of steak, salad, a potato dish (I forget the name of it), rice, and lots of desert. It was by far the best meal that I have had thus far in Chile.  The night was spent shopping at Zofri, which is also known as Zona Franco.  This is a large mall in the northern part of Iquique that sells everything from electronics to beauty products and is all tax-free.  Tourists come from all over Latin America to buy their Christmas presents and essentially anything they could need/want at a cheaper price. In my opinion, I would never go back again.  It was the most chaotic, stressful place I have ever been in my life, and if one more person had bumped into me I probably would have gone ape shit crazy.

Today I had my regional orientation with all the most prestigious governmental officials in Iquique. After a great start to the day by getting kicked out my collectivo (story for another day) we got there at 9:30 and of course started at 10:15 (Chilean time). I met the teacher that I will be working with for the next few months and I am not the slightest bit disappointed.  She is absolutely hysterical and I think that we are going to work really well together.  I learned that I will be teaching juniors and seniors in high school and will be tailoring my lessons so that they will be business and technology related.  The only concern that I have is that I will have my first class Monday-Thursday is at 7:45AM (no class Friday wooo).  Meaning, in order for me to get there on time I will need to leave my house at 7:00AM (public transportation is slowwwwwwwwwwwwwww).

Everything here is going super well!  I am finally getting accustomed to the city and my Spanish is improving!  The rest of the week I will be observing the classes that I will be teaching.  Wish me luck!

PS. I made it on CNN Chile news. Search for me in the group picture, I am wearing the green scarf.  These are the students that I have been working with over the past week!

http://www.iquiquetv.cl/2.0/2011/07/21/winter-camps/

First Impressions

First off, I would like to point out, that as I am sitting here writing this I have experienced my first “black out.”  Apparently, it is very common in Iquique for the lights/water/electricity to randomly shut off at any time during the day.  As I stare out my window I do not see lights for miles.  The only light is my computer and there is an eerie silence that is also ringing through the city.  Quite creepy- I can only imagine what my first earthquake will feel like! 

I would like to pick up where I left off in discussing my experience teaching in Alto del Carmen.  As far as the rest of the classes went, they went very well.  I performed with the two other volunteers in the talent show and we sang and danced to “Bohemian Rhapsody.”  There was a lot of head banging and air guitar playing (oh the joy of not giving a shit what the kids think of you and being a rock star regardless since you are a gringo).  In the spirit of acting like children, we reverted back to our high school days and “snuck out” the last night of camp.  Myself, along with two other volunteers and my three bosses decided that we would make the 40- minute trek to the small town of Alto del Carmen for their festival celebrating the life of St. Carmen herself. Needless to say, this was a very interesting night. 

We began by each grabbing some type of “lighting” device that we could use to light the way as we maneuvered through the winding gravel roads in the middle of the Andes Mountains. So as we walked with our cell phones, lighters, and cameras we became very accustomed to screaming “COCHE” and throwing ourselves over the guardrails to avoid being hit by the cars, which zoomed by at uncomfortably fast speeds.  When we finally arrived to Alto del Carmen the people greeted us with open arms and we were herded into the local pub where we continued to drink for the rest of the evening-UNTIL we were invited to the dance hall (gymnasium) where we shared many laughs and danced until our legs were sore.  On our way home we stopped and climbed up the side of a mountain where we finished our cervezas and shared stories from our previous lives.

My time in Alto del Carmen was a week that I will never forget.  The kids and my co-workers were wonderful and it was difficult to say goodbye knowing that it would be a long time before I would meet with them again.  However, I was anxiously awaiting my overnight bus ride knowing that I would soon begin the next part of my journey in Iquique. Unfortunately, to my dismay, what was supposed to be a 13hr bus rides turned into an 18 hr bus ride due to the fact that we received a flat tire! There is no AAA here in Chile.  So we had to drive at extremely slow speeds until we reached the next town that had a maintenance shop. What-a-freaking-pain.

But here I am! In Iquique, sitting through my first blackout and more importantly, my host family is absolutely wonderful.  I have been welcomed into the family as their own daughter and I can tell that I will have an enriching experience living here. I have my own room on the second floor that overlooks the ocean with a lot of space to store my stuff.  The only downfall of the situation is that in order to get to my bathroom I literally need to walk through the room of my host parents.  This phased me for about 2 hours and then I had to poop.  No room for hesitation. 

I have a ton of first impressions and I have a lot of mixed feelings after my first few days in Iquique.  I have spent the past two nights wandering the city with volunteers that have been living here for the past five months.  They have taught me the ins and outs of Iquique and have definitely been a huge help to my assimilation into the city.  However, in addition to their knowledge, they have also shared a lot of, well, negative experiences in which they have had as well.  Just last week a volunteer had their apartment broken into and all of their stuff was stolen including their computer, passport, and a stack of money.  Which brings me to my first concern of Iquique: danger.  Apparently, Iquique is the most criminal city in all of Chile and is home to the most dangerous neighborhood.  I was told by the other volunteers that it is never a good idea to walk alone and they warned me especially not to wear my headphones while walking through the city. GREAT, just great.  Walking through the streets I have already seen some of the negative characteristics such as drug deals and prostitutes.  It will be very important that I am aware of my surroundings at all times.

There was also a lot of frustration coming from the other volunteers in the fact that they have not been teaching for the last two months due to strikes at their schools.  Incase you are unaware; Chile is currently dealing with protests regarding the educational system in all of the country.  It stems from the idea that there are three different types of schools public, subsidized, and private. Obviously, private schools are well off and offer a strong education.  Subsidized schools are the next highest, receiving all types of governmental help.  Leaving the public schools with little to nothing, and the difference in the level education is gigantic.  In Iquique, there are many schools that are currently “en toma” which means the kids have literally taken over the school.  They blockade doors, throw huge parties and often times throw the chairs and desks off of the roof of the school.  My host brother, Santiago, has not had school at the university in over a month.  The protests are a serious problem here and it is said that they will not end until the government does something about it.  It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.  For now, lets keep our fingers crossed that I will have a smooth orientation and will not have to deal with strikes at my school.

Other than that, I am extremely excited to get to know Iquique better.  Although I have heard negative things from the other volunteers, I feel as if they are jaded by their unfortunate circumstances and I am hoping to have a much more of a positive experience.  I am currently looking for different groups to get involved in so that I can start a routine here. Things are good, and I am happy.

Miss everyone tons.

Until next time. 

A Quick Update-Winter Camps-Alto Del Carmen

After having my first two days of teaching English at a winter camp, I can not tell you how I excited I am to start working in the classroom.  As far as the “winter camps” go-they are paid for entirely by the Chilean government so that students who excel in the English language have the chance to be fully immersed into the culture and language. Most of the winter camps are outside of big cities and the students travel to and from the camp every morning and evening.  Two other volunteers and I are the lucky few who get to go to “sleepover” winter camp in Alto del Carmen. There is no exaggeration that I am in the MIDDLE of the desert up in the Andes.  The closest town or even corner store is ½ hour away by bus. 

The whole set up the camp is very interesting as well.  There are about 60 Chilean students ranging from ages 14-18 and they come from a city called Copiapo or small rural towns on the outskirts.  We have split the 60 students into three different groups and there is a volunteer and a monitor that run each group.  Fortunately, I am working with a wonderful Chilean woman named Sandra that is an English teacher in the city of Copiapo.  After working with Sandra it is easy to say that her English is not that strong.  This is the case in a lot of the Chilean public schools throughout the country.  English teachers teach “English” using their Spanish, which is why it is so important that we are here.

The theme of the winter camps this year is the fight against bullying.  Today we introduced the topic and we had to do a lot of different activities to show how bullying is indirectly affecting everyone and to influence the children to come together in the fight against bullying in their specific schools.  It was an extremely difficult topic to teach, however, I was so impressed and touched by the way the children responded to the activities.  We had to do a certain activity where there was one kid in the center of a circle and the other 19 of us screamed and pointed and laughed at them for 15 seconds.  This was so that the kids could feel what it is like to be bullied.  The first few kids that were asked to be the victim laughed and did not take the activity seriously but after a few more times they started to feel the tension, nervousness, and intimidation by the other students. We concluded this with a very heavy conversation about bullying where each of the kids were asked to reflect on an experience where they knew someone or themselves had been bullied.  This was the best English I had heard all day and I think the kids really learned from the activities we completed and I cannot begin to express how excited and motivated I was by this.  I know that there will be bad and frustrating days of teaching-but this satisfaction is why I am here.

Tomorrow we are taking a field trip to a beach about an hour and a half away.  FINALLY, I can get some shampoo and conditioner so I can hopefully take care of the nasty stench that has been following me around. We will have a talent show on Saturday (the last day of camp) and the English volunteers and monitors are singing Karaoke to “La Loba” by Shakira.  We have a lot of practicing to do.  After this I will have another overnight bus trip to Iquique! Finally!

Miss everyone!

PS. Pictures will be posted to facebook soon! 

First Week

So as the first week comes to an end all I can say is that I have made the right choice by coming to Chile through the Ministry of Education.  The program has exceeded my expectations and I am really enjoying myself.  The new experiences, friends, and responsibility are all playing a large role as to why I am the happiest I have been in months!  This week has been extremely long with orientations lasting from 9 to 5 everyday but they have all been very beneficial to our success in the classrooms.  I just learned that I will be taking a 14hr bus ride and spending next week in Copiapo, Chile at my first winter camp.  This is very close to where the miners were trapped just a few months ago.  The following week I will be headed to Iquique, where I will finally be able to move into my host family and stop living out of my suitcase!

This following week can be described through laughing, laughing, and even more laughing.  I have had some of the greatest conversations with all of the other volunteers and it seems as if we are all on the same page as far as why we are here and what our intentions are.  Santiago is beautiful as well.  I went on a run yesterday and seeing the Andes in the distance made this feel so real.  The run felt awesome but my lungs did not take it as well.  Apparently, just by being in Santiago the pollution in the air is equivalent to five cigarettes in one day!  So yes, I have had my fair share of black snot…pretty gross right? 

My Spanish is right back on track as well.  I have been trying very hard to practice speaking with whomever, wherever and whenever.  I have also done a lot of roaming by myself throughout the city.  Which means asking others for directions or where there is a good place to eat an empanada. Since I have been here before I do not need to go to all of the “touristy” spots that the other volunteers were going to.  This has been really nice and has given me the opportunity to get some alone time and discover Santiago by myself.   My favorite part is a small neighborhood about forty minutes walking from our hostel called “Bellevista.”  It is filled with packed bars and hip clothing boutiques. 

Tonight there is a soccer game so I plan on going out to drink some beers with a few of the other volunteers.  I want to wear my jersey but apparently it is thought to be extremely weird for a girl to be a huge sports fan so I am not sure if I am in the mood to draw more attention to myself.  The catcalls have not stopped since I have been here- not sure if it is a confidence booster or flat out annoying. 

So I guess that these are just some basic updates on my life here in Chile.  I should have more time to reflect upon my time in the upcoming weeks and probably a lot more stories coming from winter camps!  I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the summer sun…IT’S FREEZING HERE! (Literally wearing 2 pairs of pants, 4 layers of shirts every time I go to bed)!

Hope everyone is well!

T-Minus...TODAY!!!!

Not only is it the end of (the first month of summer) it is also the beginning to (my first month of winter) in Chile.  Having changed my departure date from May to July, I am excited to finally be on my way to my new life. However, with excitement there also comes  a lot of nerves- and I think they have finally started to interrupt my sleeping habits!  But for anyone who has suffered traveler's anxiety before you know the deal: strap on your running shoes and get seated in the plane-as fast as you can! Because once the plane starts not only is there no turning back but (after a cocktail..or two) your hearing is consumed by the constant humming of the engine and there is nothing else to do than to pass OUT.

Putting aside the nervousness, just a few days ago I received an email from my host family explaining to me that for the next few months I will be living in Iquique, Chile.

Courtesy of my host brother, Artemio- here is a youtube video of photographs taken in the city:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2PtkogYTCs

Okay, I know you're jealous.  That just means you will have to visit! As far as my host family goes: besides my wonderful host parents: Artemio and Sonia- I will have a puppy, Canela and two college aged host brothers: Santiago and Artemio.  I have gotten the pleasure to speak to both Santiago and Artemio through Facebook (one in Spanish the other in "Spanglish") and I have a feeling we are all going to get along really well!  Santiago is a DJ at some of the cities best clubs which means FREE ENTRANCES! Seems like I have hit the jackpot as far as host families are concerned.

Well...I'd love to add more into this blog post but I feel as if until I am Just Chilean in Chile I will just be rambling.  SO bye bye America y helllllllllllllllo CHILE!

****Feel free to call up until 10:00PM**** Kisses & Hugs to all!

T-Minus 10 Days

After numerous requests from friends, family & co-workers, I decided that it was indeed time to start my career as a blogger so I can keep the masses updated on my whereabouts and adventures.  I promise to share with you the dramatic/life altering incidents of my travels (using a man's turban as toilet paper in the middle of the Sahara desert) to the more unlucky (sporting a black eye after getting socked in the face at a Chilean night club) outcomes.  And of course, the everyday la de da of my life in South America.

So as many already know, I will begin my new life as an English teacher through the Programa Ingles Abre Puertas (English Opens Doors) and the Chilean Ministry of Education in just 10 short days.  Just yesterday I learned that I was placed in Region 1 Tarapaca of Chile located in the extreme north by Peru & Bolivia.  After a rather short moment of disappointment that I would be an entire day of bus riding away from my already made Chilean friends through studying abroad two summers ago, I realized that there is nothing more that I want than a fresh start.  Unfortunately, this fresh start has a weight limit of only 44 pounds for total combined checked luggage.  Yes, you heard me-only 44 pounds of checked luggage!  Although the task remains difficult, I keep reminding myself that I was able to live out of a normal sized bag for 6+ weeks while traveling through Europe (even though by the time I reached mom in Italy she gagged from the lingering odor). Oh well.

Anyway, schedule.  I arrive in Santiago, Chile on July 2nd at 7am.  I happen to know a girl, Nikki, that will be getting in just an hour short of me, so I will have someone to shuttle to the hostel with.  I will have a week of training in Santiago with the other volunteers, which (I have heard) is a week long of cheap wine & good conversations! Following this, there will be two weeks of winter camps where all of the 'elite' English students attend camps that focus on practical experiences while using the English language.  I figured these two weeks would be great practice for me considering the fact that I have never taught English before! Besides my 4 month stint of tutoring English in Spain & my Saudi Arabian couple at school, I do not know the first thing about teaching ESL.  But there we go again, it's alllll part of the adventure and I am positive that you will hear some funny stories stemming from the classroom.

Quite surprisingly, I have been extremely calm, cool and collected thus far in the preparation stages.  However, I think I am just now feeling the litttleeee bit of anxiety that comes along with moving to another country, yet alone another continent. I am hoping by next week I will know the exact location of my homestay and the school that I will be teaching at.  I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.

So, in conclusion of my very first blog post ever, I wish you all a great rest of the week and a buenas noches!