Updates!

I have only officially spent 2 days in Chile with my host family, but it already feels like I've been here for longer!  I am still adjusting to all my new surroundings, which is still difficult because there really isn't that much here that reminds me of my home.  I also think that is a good thing though.  I have been keeping busy too which is good.

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to meet one of my host families old neighbors that had lived down the street.  She is now 18, but she had spent the last 8 years living in New York.  Aka, she spoke ENGLISH! She helped me translate to the family and explain things to me about school and life here in Chile.  It was really nice to have met her and she said if I ever need anything she will help me out!  It's so nice to have someone that can help me, especially in the beginning when it's very hard to communicate with the family.  I have been saying si (yes) quite a bit!  My host sister Valentina, and my translator, Pia, took me to my new school to show me my classroom and the school in general.  The school is so nice, much bigger and nicer than my school in Vermont.  I probably won't want to go back! In Chile, from what I understand, you stay in the same classroom with the same people and the teachers change classrooms.  That was a sigh of relief, now I won't get lost as much!  I met many of Valentina's friends and they all seem very nice and are excited to have an exchange student, they were all practicing their English with me!  It was pretty funny, but I must sound pretty funny to them too! I think once I start school my Spanish will become much better and I won't miss home as much either because I will be busy with school and making friends and adjusting to that too!  I start next week after Valentina leaves for the United States!  After I saw the school we went into the town, where the mall is and various shops, it's a busy place!  We bought my shoes for school, basic black flat shoes..different! Last night at dinner I also gave my family my gifts for them from Vermont, they loved everything and now I feel much closer to them and I feel more a part of the family.  My host brother, Michael, recognized the Burton t-shirt that I gave him and that was pretty cool.  And that sums up that day!

Today, so far Valentina took me into town to get my uniform for school.  I have never had a uniform before, it's not too bad I guess!  It will be nice to have one here because it is one less thing to worry about!  Then we meet up with my host mom, Nancy, and we were in town and we went to the market where there are many little shops outside where you can buy clothing and basically anything, they said it's like a tourist spot!  I want to go back though to shop!  Valentina is having a party tonight as a going away for her and a welcoming for me.  They said it starts at 10pm and won't end until like 5am tomorrow!  It's going to be lot of fun, I just hope I don't fall asleep! I am still very tired from everything! 

This is what I have been up to so far.  I am really excited, but also very nervous to start school!  I am sure it will be great though!  My host siblings have already told me my Spanish sounds better, which is great to hear!  If anything I wish it were  little warmer, it's so cold and houses here, unless the family is very well off, don't have central heating they just have one small stove in the living room/dinning room area.  I am getting used to it though!  That's it for now, continue reading!

ADIOS!