Day Trip

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I walked to school the couple blocks with Maria Gloria. Upon entering, I began introductions with every faculty in sight. Maria Gloria proceeded to clock in the old fashion way: with a punch card and clock. Beyond that was the office where I spent much of the morning waiting for Sayuri and Narciso to make the trip to Talca. It was a pleasure speaking with Janet, the secretary though. She served me tea and cookies while I waited. Seems like she and everyone else are concerned about obesity here in Chile. She didn't seem to think much of American obesity though which surprised me. Narciso also took some time to show me around the school and while doing so, he explained the earthquake evacuation drill. We practiced it somewhat too. "Walk! Speed! Walk... speed!" he said as we hastily walked through the halls while students watched.
When everyone was finally ready, we left for Talca in Narciso's vehicle. Winding roads through the mountains until we arrived in Talca for first, a nice lunch, and then more orientation. At lunch, I had the best raspberry juice of my life - bright red with little seeds in it, served in a malt glass. Yummm! Sayuri ordered me some beef since I don't get any with Maria Gloria and Francisca. Narciso looked at the time and decided we had time for coffee. Afterall it was only 2:30 and we needed to be at the meeting at 2:00.
Francisca, the regional director did not seem to be all too happy about our tardiness... "these are the people from Constitucion..." as we walked in. She apparently does not fit the Chilean time stereotype. "We're not all like that" she says. The meeting was just some info about how to team teach and then some time for us to plan together. We set a schedule which we may decide to change. As of the moment, I don't have to teach at all on Mondays. Not bad! I have a feeling that will change though in an effort to facilitate more students with classtime with me.
On the way home, we stopped at a little icecream shop, San Francisco, that seemed to be in the middle of no where. It was in the middle of a field and it looked like a little colonial house. I had some berry-like flavor on a cone that was delicious! The three of us sat outside on the patio in the setting sunlight enjoying our icecream and the flies. Unfortunately, the flies got to enjoy us too. We returned to the car to find about 50 flies inside. Repulsive. I was squirming and crying out about them while Narciso just laughed hysterically. Driving with the windows open with Juanes and "Freak out!" blasting seemed to get most of them out, but not all. I don't know how much Juanes helped either.

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