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.
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