A Recap of Our First Month

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Hi again,
I´m just goint to recount a few things that happened while we were in Santiago. Just a short summary of October. If you managed to see our JourneyFile blog, please go straight to the next entries. It just makes me feel better to have some sort of starting point here.

We arrived in Santiago on October 2nd and started our Spanish classes two days later. For five days a week, four hours a day we struggled and made our heads hurt for the rest of October. But it is paying off now. In between classes and on weekends we did manage to get out of the city a couple times.

In Valparaiso for a weekend, which was like being transported to a small Italian coastal town. Steep, winding street that we didn´t mind getting lost in. Some of the most fun, creative murals and graffiti I´ve seen ever along these streets as well. Taking the ascensors (small trollys pulled up the steep hills by cable) was an easier way to get up and down alot of the hills. If you want to see Valparaiso and other Chilean sights on the big screen, the new film Motorcycle Diaries, is your chance. We also visited the house of Pablo Neruda, Chile´s most well known poet, while we were there. Okay, moving on. I´m trying to keep it pretty brief.

On futbol: Chile vs. Argentina 0-0
Crazyness. I didn´t quite know what to expect since it was my first futbol game. What I came away with was how great it was to see fans of all ages chanting some of the most profane things about the argentinian players mothers (it involves a reference to shellfish).

Trekking in Cajon de Maipo: The school organized this little excursion for us, which was great, we were dying to get up into the mountains that surround Santiago. Met a guide in San Jose de Maipo, and they took the group of us up to a skiing area, Lagunillas, but, since the ski season is over, there was plenty of hiking to do...and amazing views. Spent most of the day trekking through open plains, up and down hills, winding up with incredible views of the Andes. Got a bit cold, and we got a little windburn, and the ride in the back of the truck was like having someone pour a bucket of dirt all over you while simultaneously kicking you in the behind...but the situation improved greatly after a few liters of cerveca (each!) and some empanadas. Great day.

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