Pictures from the beach in Mejillones (about 40 minutes north of Antofagasta)

This was a very important person, and I don't know what his position is or why he is important.  Lulú (Veronica's niece) asked him if he would be willing to take a picture with me because I was a foreigner.  Veronica didn't want her to ask  because he was on duty, but it turns out that he was more than happy to take a picture with me... So I have a picture with a high-ranking person in Chile :)  

This is the niece, Lulú, who lives in my house too.  She is a freshman at a different university in Antofagasta.  There are not dorms on the campuses here, and therefore, it seems that most students live with their immediate family or relatives.

Fran was in a bad mood during our excursion to Mejillones because he didn't want to leave the house.  The two pictures I have with him in them reflect his mood.  The only activity he joined us for was lunch at the this restaurant that we are standing in front of (which was where we enjoyed DELICIOUS seafood!)

Seals!

A random Chilean boy that Veronica asked to be in our picture.

Jorge and Veronica

Lulú, Jorge, and Veronica

This is an aquatic bicycle.  I really want one!!! 

I loved this day and GREATLY enjoyed getting to go on a little adventure with my family!

The "Welcome Reception"

First Week of Classes

I made it through the first week of classes!  Classes here are quite an experience.  First of all, the only items in the very tiny and echoey rooms are desks and a chalkboard.  Secondly, the professors usually arrive about 15 minutes late, that is if they arrive at all.  It makes me realize how fortunate I am to have the educational opportunities that I have in the United States.  I am currently attending/ attempting to attend four classes in Spanish and one that is taught in English.  I am hoping that next week I will be able to switch around my schedule a little in order to take a translation class instead of the social science class I went to this week.  Some professors are understanding and speak slower for me, and others seem to speak as fast as possible.  The social science professor is one of these fast speakers, and I don't need the class, so hopefully all goes smoothly with the switch.  I am signed up for a Latin America culture class, but not sure if it actually exists because there was no one there both times that I went to the class.  Unfortunately, the faculty members that I ask have no idea why there is no one there at the time of class... I am trying to become better at just going with the flow :)  Schedules don't exactly exist here in Antofagasta.

Two recent examples of this:

On Thursday there was a welcome reception for the exchange students and their host families.  The invitation email ended with "be on time!"... So 15 minutes before the reception started I went to get Veronica, and she first asked me what time it was and then announced she was going to take a quick shower before we left.  I asked if I should just meet her at the reception, and she said not to worry about arriving on time.  I tried not to worry, but it didn't work.  Anyway, we arrived 20 minutes late to the reception, and we weren't even the last ones to arrive.  Veronica smiled at me and asked me if I understood why I didn't need to worry.

Yesterday was the scheduled day that I had to go pick up my identification card from the office of police investigations, so I rode the bus downtown and when I asked for my card... this will come as a shock... it wasn't ready!  I have to go back next week to pick it up.  To make it better I got on bus 104 (the one that comes back to my university) at the wrong stop.  I assumed that the buses make a loop out of the route ... Very, very wrong!!  I began to panic when the bus starting driving in the wrong direction, but then just figured eventually we would loop back.  We did not loop back, and after one hour of riding this bus, I was the only one left on the bus.  We pulled into the bus lot and the driver told me that I needed to get on the other 104 bus that was parked in the lot.  I had the pleasure of riding the route in reverse for another hour.  When I finally arrived at my destination, I was car sick, hungry, and really needed to use the bathroom, but I made it!!!  I now know which stop to avoid when catching the bus to come home.

I am constantly amazed at how inclusive, kind and generous everyone is here.  Yesterday afternoon and last night I hung out with several new friends who are in the education program as well.  They showed me a little more of Antofagasta and introduced me to so many new people.  It is a very welcoming culture!

Tomorrow my family is taking me to a beach :)  and next Friday several friends are wanting to show me another beach nearby.  How lucky am I?!

Tsunami

Everything is fine here!  Last night we had to evacuate the house in order to take the necessary precautions for the tsunami.  We walked up the street near to where my university campus is and waited for about two and a half hours.  It was a long wait but a large number of my host families' relatives were there too, so it turned out to be a nice social event.  At about 11:30 p.m. nothing happened so we came back to the house.  We all slept in our clothes just in case another emergency siren went off, but thankfully we didn't have to evacuate again.

My first ever tsunami evacuation, and I wouldn't mind if it were my last!!

Classes begin on Monday, so hopefully all goes well.  I am taking four in Spanish and one in English.  I better catch on to this Spanish quickly!!!

Love to everyone!

My university

This is the view from campus

My daily walk along the beach

The orange building is my house... And I am standing on the beach taking this picture :)

No Entiendo!!

Yesterday was orientation at my university.  I allowed myself just enough time to arrive at 8:15 a.m., but when I walked downstairs Veronica poked her head out of her bedroom door and insisted that I have a cup of coffee and some breakfast.  After I finished eating I had about three minutes to make it to the university, but Veronica said not to worry.  I still power-walked/ ran, and upon arrival I slid into the massive group of Chilean students that were standing at the entrance.  We then proceeded to wait 20 minutes for anything to happen (I understand why Veronica said not to rush).  Finally our tour began and it turned out to be a large mass of students aimlessly wandering around the campus... Needless to say, I didn't get a real feel for the campus during this tour.  After 1 1/2 hours of chaos we broke into our areas of study.  I soon realized that I was a bit advanced for my classes, and I should probably find something different to take because my classes were all English language classes (it would be the same as if a Chilean came to UW and was signed up for basic Spanish classes).  I am currently working on my schedule and we'll see what I end up with.  All of this confusion was happening in Spanish, which made it about 99 times more confusing for my because I can understand approximately 1% of what is happening.  All I can say, is thank goodness for the three VERY kind and patient Chilean students that helped me out!

After this tough day I went for a run along the beach... BEAUTIFUL!

Today was extremely challenging!!  All of the exchange students had to register with the police this morning at 7:45.  My Chilean family doesn't get up quite as early as my family at home.  Here, I am the early riser, that's a switch!!  My plan was to eat a quick breakfast and then be all set to go when Veronica woke up.  Instead, she heard me walk downstairs and then she prepared everything for me and ate with me.  This morning I learned that they don't like to let anyone eat alone.  Another big switch for me!  (She told me I was a very independent person).  Again, Veronica didn't think I needed to leave quite so early, but we managed to arrive at about 8:00.  Thankfully she drove me, because I would have gotten extremely lost if I would have attempted to take one of the many buses in this city.  The group of exchange students gathered (3 from Mexico, 1 from Peru, and 2 from the U.S), along with the lady in charge of the international program, and she explained what we needed to do and left.  To keep it brief, it was a day of waiting, waiting, giving an official some papers, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, giving another official some papers, confusion, fingerprints, and more confusion.  I didn't realize that I really don't speak or understand any Spanish at all until I arrived here in Chile!  I had several problems with my official papers throughout the day and the native Spanish speaking exchange students helped me SO much!!! I was the last one done because of the continuous problems the officials were having with my paper work and every single one of the other students waited an extra 30 minutes for me, all but the one from the U.S. :) I have no idea what I would do without the kindness and generosity of all these people who have helped me!  Finally, at 4:00 I made it back home and Veronica prepared a gigantic lunch for me.  I am extremely spoiled here!!

What an adventure this all is!        

Mi familia

Jorge wearing his new apron.