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Published: February 25th 2009
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La vista de mi habitacion
Yes, this is what I see sitting on the edge of my bed. Every morning i will look up and see this. Be jealous.
It's foggy today so i will have to post more pictures of the view of the rest of the two cities on the coast another day. Hola queridos! I am here. I am happy. I am amazed.
I will fill you in on the events because my host family and I are all just resting after we ate almuerzo (lunch) a hour-ish ago.
I got to Santiago, Chile monday morning. There were three other CIEE Valpo girls on my plane so we got our luggage together, went through customs (which was so uneventful) and found the CIEE program people easily. We got in around 9 chile time but we had to wait at the airport until about 12 for everyone in the program (there are about 35 of us-only 6 of them boys) to arrive. DUring this time we all just talked and they weren't really making us talk in spanish which was a relief because it would have been alot harder to get to know eachother.
After everyone got there we got on a bus and drove about 2 hours (only so long because it was a very rural, hilly, twisty road) to a very little town called Olmue (accent over the e, i don't know how to do accents on this blog which is kind of annoying). Olmue is really little. I mean really really little but they have this small very nice resort where we all stayed. We had a few meetings but also alot free time. I guess Monday and Tuesday were very similar in this. Just meetings and hanging out and getting to know eachother and enjoying the absolutley beautiful sunny weather we had. I've talked to most of the people on my program and am really hopeful and excited that I'm here with all these kids. They're all really interesting and we have alot in common. Both Monday night and last night (tues) we went to the store and bought some wine at night and just hung out and talked. Actually, it really feels like freshman year all over again when you're just very eager to meet new people. Everyone's just kind of testing around for who they might be friends with even though I think we'll all get along really well.
Anyways, we got a picture and description of our host families tuesday afternoon and sharing these details was basically tuesday night en total. Then TODAY!! WE had a short meeting in the morning and at noon our host families came.
I am SO happy with mi familia afitriona. We are just three of us. A mother in her forties and a daughter who is 21. Claudia y Claudi (which makes things pretty easy) They are both lovely. THe mother works restoring paintings, murals any type of art really and she spends alot of time painting. The daughter is in her last year of school for fashion design. So far nothing has been awkward.
El opuesto. We haven't lacked for things to talk about. We came to their apartment. Holy hell I am in love with their apartment almost as much as I like them. It is on the far edge of Vina, so as far from Valpo as you can get when you're in vina but neither city is enormous. The apartment is on a hill a few blocks from the ocean and my room has an absolutley beautiful view of the beach. Tons of windows, always open. Interesting art. A cozy balcony with some chairs and a little painting area. We sat around for a little while, I started unpacking and they made us a little lunch. Spaghetti and a salad. They said they really like to make sushi, we listened to some music and they loved the Muddy Waters CD that I brought them. It seems like, for the most part we have a lot in common.
I am just so relieved. This morning, waiting for our host families to arrive and to meet them, all 30 of us participantes were practically sweating. hearts pounding heads racing stomachs turning. It's just really stressful wondering if you're going to get along with the people whose home you'll be sharing for the next 5 months. The feeling of relief at meeting them is indescribable. I'm so excited to get to know them better.
They speak a fair amount of english but we've all decided to avoid that at all costs. I mean, when i can't think of a word, yes, I will say it in english and most of them so far they have known and have helped me with. Which is nice. But really, speaking in spanish has not been very stressful at all. They said they have been hosting students for CIEE for 8 years so they really know how this works. They are speaking a little slower than usual and anunciating more. But they've both told me that I have very good speaking skills, one of the best of the students they've hosted. Which is so nice to here. Here and there they have been correcting me and telling me better ways to say things which is a huge help.
Sigh. Happiness.
So, I'm not really sure what's in store for me tonight. I know tomorrow Claudia-mama and I are going to take the Micro to the CIEE office where I have a meeting and a spanish comprehension test. Then Claudia will pick me up and she wants to take me to the supermarket so I can show her foods that I like and to the bank because I haven't taken out any pesos yet. My CIEE class starts on Monday I believe and real classes at the Uni start in about a week. That makes me nervous but the way I feel, years and years of CIEE kids have been getting by fine and I'm not the least prepared of them, so, VAMOS!
Well, this is a very long first note but there have been alot of new sights, feelings, sounds and people.
Maybe I will make this blog look nicer, but, maybe not. That's not what you're here to see.
Oh, and mom. Don't worry I will post up some fotos for you guys with the little camera.
En actualidad, I really do miss everyone and when I picture myself and all of you on a globe the thought is almost debilitating. I am so far!
Well, for now, don't worry about me. I am happy and safe.
Loves and misses,
Jenny
ps- please do not be annoyed at bad grammar, lack of punctuations, etc. First, i tend to write things like this exactly how i would say it and i don't intend to change that. Second, its amazing how fast having to talk in spanish all the time changes the way you think. i had to keep deleting words that i accidently wrote in spanish. i left some in cuz, well, you guys should look them up! haha. more to come... besos.
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Daddio
non-member comment
Envious
Jen, Looks great. I'm excited that you are with a nice family. Everything sounds fabolous. Love, Dad