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Published: August 30th 2008
Universidad
Another group picture at the college. This has been the typical weather here. Hello Again!
I am finally getting into the swing of things here. Classes so far have been pretty good but I am learning just as much talking with my host mom and the Chileans I have met. Everyday I take a "colectivo" to the university. This is kind of a taxi that opperates on a fixed route. It stops for anyone along the route and packs in as many people as can fit. There are several routes but I only know three so far. The crazy thing is there are absolutely no maps here. All the routes are known simply through word of mouth and living here. The same goes for the bus system, which I have not yet learned.
Yesterday a few students and Dr. Greaves and his wife Quena took a trip to a nearby city Lota. This city has an absolutely facinating history and if you have time I would try and read a bit about it. For 150 years the city existed simply because of the nearby coalmines. Everything was domminated by the mine, housing, utilities, education, food, clothing. The mine even paid employees in a non-state currency, keeping all the money in the company and city. The education system did not include highschool and the education was just to become a miner. In 1996 the mine stopped producing and left the city in shambles. There is currently a 30% unemployment rate and the city is desperately looking for options to releave some of the poverty. One industry that has been up and coming is tourism, thanks to the historic value of the mine. We went to the city to volunteer as english tutors at a local tech school.
In the future I have planned a trip to Chillan which has skiing, hotsprings and a Mural by David Alfarro Siqueiros, a Mexican muralist who was one of the big three along with Diego Rivera. We also will be visisting Lota again as tutors and for a tour of the mine. We also are going to the world cup qualifier next week Brazil vs Chile. Should be a riot, litterally haha. Ok time for me to eat some Lunch talk to you all soon. Also sorry about the lack of pictures I am still using a 35mm and havent proccesed them yet. But here is one for now, and a link to a map of Concepcion.
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Ed Law
non-member comment
Thanks
HI Jake, Thanks for including us. We love to hear from you and our other two grandkids who are abroad. Looks like avery narrow state and the mountains are very close. Carol and Ricky were here for my birthday and Ricky has moved to California at Huntington Beach. He will live with a high school friend. We continue to struggle with old age and keep us young with your messages.