First, a few random thoughts/feelings/observations:
I'm really surprised I haven't had much difficulty adjusting to life here. I'm sure a lot of this has to do with the fact that I have an awesome host family, and I really like everyone in my program. I suppose Santiago is much like the major cities in the US, but in my opinion, it's cleaner, more picturesque, and has WAY cheaper food. You can get a heaping cup of gelato for just 500 pesos, which is about a dollar! You can also buy empanadas and other types of "Chilean fast food" for about the same price. My biggest difficulty here has probably been the smog. Because of the cold weather and the mountains that line the city, the smog basically settles around Santiago and doesn't leave. It's been giving me a cough and I've felt pretty congested for a solid week. I've really only been able to get a clear view of the mountains from the city two times since I've been here.
My Spanish has improved so much in just two weeks. I feel like I've learned more since I got here than I ever learned in one of my language classes. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes to be immersed in the language--I'm so glad I'm living with a host family and that I'm getting a chance to really practice my Spanish.
The World Cup is EVERYWHERE here. This is partly a cultural thing, since soccer is way more popular here than in the US, but it's also because it's been 12 years since Chile has made it to the world cup. Every T.V. commercial is somehow related to the world cup--it's like a perpetual Super Bowl! I feel really lucky to be here while Chile is playing in the Mundial--it is fun to be a part of it.
This past week mostly consisted of going to classes and doing homework. My general schedule consisted of going to public health classes from 9-12:15, and then medical Spanish classes from 2-3:30. Tomorrow, however, I finally get to start the observation portion! I get to wear my lab coat and act all doctor-y!
This weekend I took a 2-day trip to Valparaiso (again) and Viña del Mar with 6 other friends. The 90 minute bus ride to Valpo is super cheap--I think we paid about 10 dollars for a round trip. The first day was really rainy, but despite the rain, we had a wonderful time.
The group plus our doggie friend
The awesome seafood restaurant, El Rincón de Pancho. Service includes: cat sitting under our table, old troubadour men playing from table to table, beautiful view of Valpo, and delicious fried fish.
Pescado frito y papas saltadas
A breathtaking view of Valparaiso
Casino Social J Cruz, a hole in the wall restaurant where we ate lunch and watched the US-England game the second day.
Chorrillana, a dish of french fries, onions, fried egg, and steak (AKA heart attack on a plate)
The next day we went to Vina del Mar, which is the city right next to Valparaiso. From this city, you can see and smell the ocean. We took a hike up to Castillo Wulff. We spent an hour or two there taking pictures and watching the ocean. We were lucky enough to be there during a really pretty sunset, too!
Castillo Wulff at Sunset
The sky doesn't even look real!
I think it's crazy that I've been able to see so much diversity in terms of cities, people, and landscapes, and I haven't even gone farther than 2 hours from Santiago! That's why I love it here in Chile :-)
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