I met with my new roommates at night and talked to them for an hour and half in Spanish. Living with them is really going to improve my Spanish. I need to buy some curtains and things to make my room more homey. However I did see some things by Santa Lucia that I wanted to get for my room...Let's just home I don't go overboard. Tuesday I pay for the month and Friday is move in day. So many people are moving out of the hostel this weekend, its just a few us left...so Kelsey, Piper, Jolene, and I moved into Dan's 6 person room. I like it in the room better, I don't feel like I am in a hostel as much, it's more like my own room.
The TeachingChile crew that was there during the time of the picture
(there are so many more of us, and more to come)
Piper, Karen, Amy, Regina, me, Ashley, Ronna, Dan, Hannah
Regina came again on Friday night, she loves and misses us and Santiago! I'll have to visit Rancagua soon after she gets an apartment. We caught up over dinner and were actually on Chilean time that night for dinner and when we went out. We went to Alto Barcelona, the place that the ladies went to last Wednesday for Miercoles Po. The place is in a parking garage, very bizarre. It was packed and we waited in a long line. By the time we got to the front, they weren't letting more people in since it was so busy. Some bystanders also waited in line were getting a little tooo impatient and they were banging on the gate. They moved the barricade to the entrance and we all got pushed inside and up the stairs to the bar entrance. Then Karen, Regina, and I were just standing in a small room with a closed entryway. We walked back downstairs and into line. We felt so bad for the club workers, Chileans are passionate about a lot of things, not only education, but booze and reggaeton. We finally got in and met up with Ashley, Amy, and the fellows. However, it was good music, good company, good time! Make sure you talk to cabbies before you get in the cab. Three of them tried to charge us 4.000 pesos to get home. we got home for like 850 pesos.
Ignacio, Paolo, Reg, me, Ashley, Mario at Alto Barcelona
Going out in Chile is pretty comparable to the United States, however the lateness of it all is pretty ridiculous.
Saturday, Regina and I wanted to walk up San Cristobal (where the Virgin Mary is and is supposed to have a phenomenal view of the city), or Santa Lucia, however it was too cloudy. Instead we got some empanadas and walked around town. We went to the shops at Santa Lucia and I got a simple ring and a cool owl necklace. Sadly, the owl necklace kinda looks like it could come from Urban Outfitters. I am definitely going to go back there to get some UPPs (unproductive pants, Kelsey has inspired me and coined the name). I will definitely be buying things here for cool Chilean souvenirs and gifts. <3
At night, Hannah, Regina, Piper, I headed to the rich part of Santiago, Las Condes. We went to a "pregame" there, but ended up just hanging out for the night. They even had strobe and disco lights at their house. One of the guys there said, "everyone in Santiago has a car." So false. Maybe everyone in Las Condes has a car, because if you live there, you are pretty rich and well off. We took the metro there, and got a ride back, pretty easy night. Not surprising, since I am so loud, a woman loudly, in English, told us to be silent. She was not thrilled to have us gringas on the metro. Sunday was an unproductive day as well... I really should go adventure into the city more, but its been pretty cold and dreary so its hard to sightsee. There was also supposed to be a protest on Sunday, so I was trying to stay out of the streets. It all seemed pretty calm though.
Regina, Raul, Constanza, me, Piper, Ramundo, Hannah, Ricardo
I also need to be careful about how much money I am spending. I don't get paid until I get my Chilean identification card... and I still haven't sent in that paperwork because I am waiting for the proper people to sign it! Turns out I get 8.000 pesos more a month than I thought originally. Not much, but still sweet. I need to find things to do that are cheaper. Speaking of spending money, I want to go to Buenos Aires to visit Flor and plane tickets are relatively cheap! I also don't have school next Monday, so maybe a weekend trip to Valparaiso? AND I had my first Chinese food in Chile, had no clue what to order (but Dan, when you visit, you will like it). Still need to try Chilean pizza.
There is supposed to be another protest tomorrow starting at 10:30. I wonder how this one will go... Another English article about the Education protests
School today again was really good. I am really glad that I decided to follow my passion and go into teaching. I really love it! I've realized today that I have spent more time teaching alone than following my schedule.
Monday: training, first day
Tuesday-Thursday: At Colegio de Alma Mater
Friday: normal schedule
Monday: normal schedule
Tuesday: Gustavo's classes
Wednesday: Karen's classes
Thursday: normal schedule
Friday: showing the substitute the ropes
Monday (today): Jose Luis' classes
We shall see what tomorrow brings. I am getting used to teaching alone and enjoy running my own class. I think they are starting to respect me more. Students speak up more to other students to quiet them down, so now I have allies doing crowd control with me. Now that the noise levels are pretty under control, I need to find a way to motivate the kids that think English is useless. I like bonding with the kids, building a rapport with them, and am trying to learn all of their names. I think they are starting to get me and my style. Its great that some are really enthusiastic to learn English and to learn English from me. There are SOOO many of them in one class. A large pitfall of teaching solo is that I can't plan great lessons since I don't know I am teaching solo until school starts that day, or the period of. So interesting how teachers can just not show up one day. It was cute, one of the teachers today told me that the kids were wondering why I wasn't in class with them. Sorry kids, I was teaching another class...
A few more things of note:
1. I still cannot get used to the fact that people don't say bless you after they sneeze.
2. I will never get tired of looking at the Andes Mountains.
3. I can't use Pandora, Hulu, or Netflix in Chile. I don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing...
4. My new dog lunch buddy's name is Bruce.
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