Quick Bump in the Road

The build up to my first holiday away from home was difficult for me. It was hard for me to see my family all together via skype and knowing that I am missing out on Thanksgiving. Missing the holiday with my family was difficult and I am sure most holidays away from home will be for me, but I was quickly reminded of how grateful I am. How grateful I am for my family and for my friends and how grateful I truly am for this exchange. I had some moments in school this week where some tears were shown during class and I was reminded how much my classmates are really my other family. All asking if I was ok, hugging me and telling me that they will always be there for me and that they are my family here as well. It meant so much to me. The same goes for my host family. They are incredible and have made me feel so at home.

 Although I didn't have any turkey or pumpkin pie this year I still have so many things to be grateful for. This exchange is an adventure of a lifetime and I am living a dream. I am so lucky to be able to share my exchange with three of my closest friends that are exchange students right now as well. I am so grateful for this opportunity and for the people that are supporting me through my exchange and I can't thank them enough for everything they are doing and have done for me!

Just a quick bump in the road and just one day after the holiday I am back to being myself. Happy and completely content here in Chile. Still loving every minute of every day!

More Updates!

The past week or so have been quite busy! Staying busy is the best though. Last week on Thursday night grades 2 and 3, so in the American world, sophomores and juniors had a Latin American dance performance for gym class. And of course I took part! My class had been rehearsing and practicing for close to a month or so. The origin of our dance was Brazil. It was a lot of dancing, but it turned out to be a lot of fun.  I still can’t dance like these South American kids can. These kids have moves, I do not!  Always a little embarrassing dancing alongside them, but still a lot of fun! We had to wear these extremely short, neon ruffled skirts. They would not be my first choice for anything, but I guess now I have another item I can bring to summer camp or wear for Halloween! It was just one night, and it was a fun night too! All worth it! 

This past weekend I went to Linares, which is about an hour and a half bus ride from Chillan.  I went to visit another exchange student, Korey! It was really nice to be able to meet her family and friends and see where she is living for the year. It is nice to get to know another city. We went into the center to hang out with some friends and that night we went to one of her classmate’s birthday’s where we got to meet more people. It’s fun to talk and to meet new people! It is always fun when the exchange students are together! Linares is a lot different, I think, compared to Chillan where I am living. Linares seemed a lot smaller with fewer people. Still a nice town though.  I am very jealous too. No one speaks English there so she is speaking Spanish 24/7. I love having other exchange students and other students that I am able to communicate with, but it is really hard in school to not go a day without speaking English. Although I may not be speaking as much Spanish as she is I can still see how much I am improving, I just wish it was a faster process sometimes! 

Next weekend I am headed on my first big Rotary trip! I am going to the south of Chile, Patagonia! I am so excited to see the mountains and just be there. From my understanding it is with most of the Rotary students that are currently in Chile right now. I am looking forward to meeting so many new people and of course more pins for the blazer! Always a bonus! It should be really fun; I hope this week goes by fast! I am so excited for the trip! If you have a chance, Google “Torres del Paine”, that is where I am headed for a week! Absolutely breathtaking and gorgeous!

The weather is starting to feel like summer. School is coming to an end as well, only a little over a month or so! I am extremely excited for the hot weather. It is still weird to me that Christmas this year I will be wearing shorts and sweating instead of wearing sweaters and watching the snow fall! Days continue to fly by, and I continue to enjoy myself every single day here.

3 Month Mark

I have hit the 3 month in Chile. It literally feels just like yesterday that I was crying my eyes out saying goodbye to my parents for the year as I got in line for security at the airport. Tears of sadness and excitement. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew I was about to have the experience of a lifetime. Time is going by extremely fast, but I am loving every single minute. I am so happy with where I am. There have been many ups and downs in my exchange. Days where I wish I could just be back in Vermont. Days where I wish I already spoke fluent Spanish. Days where I could be joking around with friends from home. Although there have been downs, there have been so many ups. All I need to do is go look around and just say to myself, "I am 16 years old studying abroad in a foreign country." And I feel pretty good about myself and where I am at. The happiest I've ever been.

In the last 3 months I really have had memories that will last forever. I have taken thousands of pictures of basically every moment. I have made friends that I already know I will never be able to say goodbye too. Friends for a lifetime, I feel like I have known them forever. I don't know what I would do without them. My family continues to support me as I try my best to learn their language and communicate with them. They are extremely patient with me and I feel at home. They continue to put a smile on my face everyday and that is what is most important to me.

My Spanish is coming along. I wish it where better, but I know it takes some time. It's difficult and the language barrier is tough.  It is hard to not be able to say what is on your mind or to express your emotions the way you wish you could. I just tell myself that one day I will be able to say everything I want and that that day is getting closer and closer. I look forward to dreaming in Spanish!

Most importantly, thank you to my parents at home. Not a day goes by that I don't think about them both and miss them. I want to thank them for being able to give me this opportunity of a lifetime. All of their support keeps me going. I hope I am making them proud! I can't wait until they visit and I can show them my life for the past year. That day when they are in Chile will be here before I know it. I also want to thank them for their very generous care packages. I love them all. I love you Mom and Dad, and thank you so much. It means the world to me to be able to be studying abroad. A dream come true thanks to the both of you. I love you both!

Recent Events!

October was quite a busy month! I can't believe that it has already flown by.  Time is continuing to go by extremely fast.  I have almost spent 3 months living in Chile, which I can't believe at all! I am loving every minute of it all though. It has truly been an adventure so far!

The month started with my weekend with Rotary.  It was a perfect weekend seeing all of the other exchange students again. It was also perfect because most of us made plans to visit each other within the month and plans to get together and visit the other towns where people are living for the year. A week or two after my Rotary weekend I met up with three other exchange students and we had a "mini reunion" together here in Chillan at another exchange students house. It was really fun. We cooked Danish lasagna together, it was pretty delicious too. Later that night we made pancakes, but with beer. This is how the two exchange students from Denmark make pancakes. You don't really taste the beer that much, but it gives them a really good flavor. Something new! It was a great weekend, filled with story telling, laughs and overall just a good time. It's really nice to be able to get together with the other exchange students because they are going through the exact same things as you are, the ups and downs and the completely understand how you feel. They are literally my other family here, so I am grateful for such a great group of us!

This month our school had "Teachers Day" or something similar, but we ended up getting an afternoon off from school one day. Most of my class went to another classmates house where we made homemade pizzas because the classmate has a pizza oven in his backyard. It was fun and delicious. I really love being with my classmates. They are all so welcoming and so funny. Like the other exchange students, my classmates are my other family as well. I feel very close and comfortable with all of them so I am very grateful for them as well. It was a great afternoon!

Last week my older host brother took me to Concepcion to visit his mom and his family. It is very different compared to Chillan where I live. We met up with one of my brothers friends that I had met at our country house. Then we went to the naval base where we went onto a boat. I am assuming that it was a replica, I have no idea though! But the little bit of history that I understood was that it was used during a fight/war between Chile and Peru. And Chile won! That's about all I know! But it was cool nevertheless. After that we went back to my brothers house where I saw his sisters, that I had met before as well. It was great to see them! Then the highlight of my day was the mall we went to in Concepcion. It had a Gap, which is a classic store, and one of my favorites. The mall in Chillan is very, very tiny with few stores. So I was very excited to see a Gap. It felt great to do some shopping! I will be going back again sometime soon! But it was a great day spent and it was really nice to do something with my brother because he is leaving soon for the United States!

Last, but not least the "Gala". Basically it is the junior/senior prom in the United States. It was held in the center of town in the plaza! It was so fun, getting all dressed up and wearing fancy dresses etc! We had "cocktails" before, then we had a sit down dinner and then the best part, dancing! It is pretty embarrassing to dance with these Chileans, because they are all basically born to dance and I have no rhythm and no dancing skills whatsoever. My friends get a kick out of my dancing, but it is still lots of fun! That lasted until 3am, so fun though.

Overall a great month, that went by extremely fast! Below are some pictures from the month; Pizza, Rotary reunion, my day in Concepcion with my brother, and the Gala!

Weekend with Rotary

This weekend my district in Chile had a second orientation. We all met up in Chillan, Chile at the bus station where we all took a little Rotary van to Valle Las Trancas, which was about a 45 minute drive.  Of course it was pouring rain on Saturday, basically the first rain that I have had since I arrived in Chile about 2 months ago. The ride was full of laughter and jokes and discussion about our families and new friends and how school was going for each of as well. Most of us are in the same boat when it comes to school, not understanding much, but still having a great time! We have all decided that there will be many more gatherings throughout the year and more fiestas with each other! Plans have been made for weekend visits and trips as well! I am looking forward to it all!

When we arrived at our place that we were staying for the weekend we had a great lunch and did some more catching up.  After that we were back in the van headed to "Gruta Los Pangues", where we hiked up a little path and saw more waterfalls, and it was also snowing! It was freezing to say the least! It was a gorgeous waterfall though. After that we went to a mountain resort where some of the exchange students had been skiing with their families. I still haven't been skiing yet, but I know I will/have to before I leave Chile! It was snowing like crazy now, but it was so exciting at the same time. Snowballs were being thrown and many pictures were being taken! It was great! After we had a long meeting, going over rules, questions etc. Then we took a test! Not just one, but four! All written, answering questions about Chile, school, our families etc. I think I passed! Hopefully! To end the night we had a talent show! I don't really have a talent, so friend Mikke, who is from Denmark, and I danced. If you have ever seen the movie "Hitch" when Albert is showing Hitch he dance move to the song "Yeah" by Usher, that is what we attempted to do! Lots of laughs! It was really funny!

 SNOW! Other Rotary students and I.

The waterfalls! 

Map of the mountain at the ski resort that we visited!
















Today, Sunday, we all met for breakfast and after went for a walk around the town that we were staying in. We then cooked some traditional Chilean food and had lunch then headed back to Chillan! Overall a great weekend filled with lots of laughs. We even made the Chilean newspaper. There was a picture of all of us the day we left. Something I will keep forever!

Chile's Independence Day Festivities

Although it has been a little bit of time since some of these festivities occurred they are worth writing a blog post about! Technically Chile's Independence Day is on the 18th, but it's more than just one day of celebrations, it's more like a week worth! We got the week of from school, which was very nice if I say so myself! From traditional games at school and traditional outfits to some very good homemade empanadas and fresh meat on the grill! 

For me the celebrations began a couple of days before the week off in school.  Hallways and classrooms were covered in Chilean flags, streamers, "Viva Chile", "Feliz 18", and other decorations.  It looked awesome!  On the Friday before our week off it was a day filled with activities. The "seniors", the oldest kids in the school here set up "Ramadas" which are like little shelter type of structures.  There were traditional foods being served and being cooked.  There were tug-of-war, which I took part in! There was also 3-legged races and sack races and other games going on.  The best part was watching students in the traditional outfits dance the official Chilean dance, the "cucea".  I myself learned the very very basic steps to the dance later in the week! People here are very good dancers and I am really not!

My family headed to our country house in Ninhue for the week!  Many friends and family joined us there for the week!  On the 18th my family dressed in the traditional clothing and went to a church ceremony, not sure what was said, but it was good to experience it!  The rest of the gorgeous, sunny afternoon was spent playing tennis and ping pong and making food!  I learned how to make empanadas, although I prefer only empandas de queso (cheese) it was still fun to do! We then enjoyed delicious grilled meat and vegetables-delicious!  Later that night went down the road where Ramadas had been set up in Ninhue.  Parts of it were just lots of people dancing and enjoying themselves!  It was fun to watch and also take part in, but once again..I can't dance, at all! Another part was more traditional games that you could pay to play.  We all played a couple of the games, and once again it was fun! And to end the night everyone danced the cucea.  Overall it was a great day and it was exciting to take part in my first holiday here in Chile!

Preparing homemade emapandas with my host Mom!

Host family in traditional clothing on the 18th!

Extended family on the 18th! 

 Picture perfect day in Ninhue, Chile! 

 Enjoying the Chilean cuisine!

One Month Mark

It feels like it was just yesterday when I was writing a post about how I had been in Chile for a week. Time is really flying by! I really can't believe that I have been here for a whole month! It still doesn't feel real to me that I will be here for another 10 months or so, but I am so grateful for this experience and all of the amazing people I have met along the way so far. I can't wait to see what the next 10 months will bring, I am sure lots of adventures! I want to thank my parents for being able to give me this opportunity and also my host family for letting me become a part of their family!  My family is truly amazing, they are so funny and caring and loving.  I really feel like a part of their family.   

I continue to enjoy myself here.  Everyday is a new adventure.  Everything continues to be good as well; school, family and friends. I have really begun to open up and I am not as shy anymore.  I am much more confident in speaking and just trying. I am much more comfortable in school with my classmates and as well as at home with my family.

School is going great as well.  I still don't understand a lot of what my teachers are talking about in class, but I am trying my best!  It is difficult to have that feeling of not understanding all of the time.  It is frustrating, but I know in time I will be able to communicate a lot better than I can now, it just takes time!  The other day in Physical Education, I learned how to dance the Samba.  It was interesting to say the least!  From my understanding, we are going to learn a choreographed dance and then have to preform it.  That will be quite the experience! It is really fun so I now look forward to gym class.  My classmates are great though, they think I am so funny which is funny to me.  We joke around a lot and it feels like I am with friends from home, they have really made me feel comfortable within the classroom. Overall the social aspect of school is great!

In the past month, I have learned so much about myself, I have tried foods I have never even heard of, and liked most of them too! I have gotten to know a new lifestyle, I have made amazing friends that I know will last a lifetime. And, I have craved Al's French Fries almost every day...plus my Mom's baking. I have never craved Maple Syrup so much in my life either, it's hard being a Vermonter without syrup for a month!