Huelga!

All I need is music to soothe me, man, give me a cup of something warm(like milk tea) and good music, and wow I have instantly relaxed.

Today was pretty stressful. I got up, once again my alarm didn't go off, but this time it was my fault b/c I realized I didn't make it AM. But i KNOW the other times, I put it in AM. But then I changed the profile and now it definitely rings..unless it's in PM. But I got there, so hey!

History was stressful. The professor doesn't seem to care too much if we can't understand him at points, and he doesn't write enough important words on the board. I am afraid I will fail this class. Esp since I will be missing so many and we have a test when we get back from our trip...

I was leaving the building, but then I stopped in my tracks. I saw something terrifying. A man in a red face mask, like what robbers wear. He was holding a big 2 liter container with some strange colored liquid inside that had a metal cylindrical spout. Then an old short man came from my side and said, No salgas. Don't leave. There's an exit that way. I was just paraylzed! I realized that there were masked guys, and that everybody around me had already stopped, but I was way in the front. Everyone was watching them too. Ah of course, I realized, as I was walking away, the delinquent students from the Philosophy and Humanities building who strike and take over the buildings whenever they want. Ugh, I'm sorry but I feel like these kids don't give a crap about their education or what they're going to do in life. They have weird ways of expressing it at least. I hate to use her word, but they aren't Tufts students. Yes it's great that they're political. Yes, people do lament back in the days when American students actually gave a shit, protested the administration, fought for different issues; but these U of Chile kids all stay at home, dye their hair a million ways, are super 'emo rocker' type, and make out in parks with their bfs. And this society is still super conservative and Catholic and prohibits abortion still and divorce until a few years ago? Stop being posers. I know I am probably saying a lot of controversial things. I have high school friends who dye their hair and were 'emo,' including my best friend then. I am all for protesting and stuff. But when you....Oh crap. I realize I didn't even finish my story. So then I walked out the other exit, to take the bus in the same direction of their protest. I then saw huge huge black fumes in the sky. I just said to myself, oh..my..god. I was scared!! So this bus took me right to it, I saw the carabineros(police) with their big shields and the metal fireproof truck. What had caused the smoke were rubber tires lit on fire, in the middle of the road blocking 2 or 3 of more lanes. There were pretty big flames and even bigger pitch black smoke that rose high into the gray sky. Of course nobody was amazed or petrified by this, only me. So my first strike in Chile. Nice... We had been warned about the strikes. For example, our classes started late at this Faculty of Philosophy & Humanities b/c the students had striked for 3 weeks during their 'winter vacation' in July and August. They just take over buildings(tomas) and strike classes. And the administration doesn't dare do anything, they're 'behind' the students, but really, it's an election year and they don't want trouble. But this is only in certain faculties. Apparently the law school would never strike. And this is just University of Chile. The Catholic University(the only other accredited university in Chile) would never strike. So as I was saying..but when you cause destruction, are violent.. sighs...

I was heading to my internship. Boring. Sat there for 3 hours, ate in the 'dark' while everyone went out to lunch but I had my wonderful chicken leg that my host mom made yumm. I was frustrated b/c okay, I can't read THAT much Chinese!!! I don't know how I am going to find all of these Chinese documents that they supposedly want me to use for my report. I think I have a lot of questions for them on Wed when I will go in for many more hours.

Ugh I feel like sometimes my Spanish is better than my Chinese, which is sad. Only b/c English and Spanish are so much more similar. It's much easier to guess what a Spanish word means. The Spanish and English languages are phonetically based while Chinese obviously isn't. And which one can I even speak better? My Chinese is going to die by the end of the semester...what if I never learn good enough Chinese?? I'm not too worried about my Spanish, it can't really die. Maybe I won't ever adopt the Chilean accent, but verb tenses can never escape me, haha, thank god for Senora Rosa's ejercicios. Oh gosh I used to be so good at Spanish, sighs, now I am just stumbling all over the place. And we all feel like we're not improving at all since we just hang out with each other and of cousre talk in English. Of course I have a lot more confidence in speaking and talking. I can understand almost 100%, except for when my host parents tell me things >< I can read for sure. But speaking??? =( I guess if I stayed for a year, it would improve..and of cousre my vocabulary..and using the less common verb tenses in my daily conversation. And Chilean slang!!!

I was late to Spanish class since it's so goddamn far away, it's on the same road I have to take home from the Metro, but even further. I must find a bus or something. It takes me an hour to get EVERYWHERE, no matter where it is. I feel my life slowly melting away on public transportation...

So about this staying here not staying here business. I don't want to give the impression that I never think about yes, staying here. I do! I love being in another country, traveling. For once I feel pretty relaxed(if I can get myself to relax). Every day I marvel at how beautiful the Andes look. And how they look when the sun sets! And easy classes for once I guess is a god send too! The architecture is beautiful, haha, I think Riti got sick of me alwasy talking about the architecture in Boston. There is this one building near the Govt school where only the facade of the building is standing! Not even any walls or anything but simply just the beautiful Roman inspired columns and temples, ahh!! There is a lot of classical architecture everywhere. Even the simplest buildings, above a shop or something, are beautifully sculptured in the ways of the Greeks and Romans. Churches are gorgeous too!! And buildings are so colorful! hehe. The vibrancy of living in a city is there too. Cerro San Cristobal is a delight to look at when crossing the bridge above the ugly depressing Rio Mapocho, but that's ok, b/c the huge cerro/hill is in front of me, with the huge Virgin Mary looking statue at the top(but I think it's of another saint). Oh god, at night, it's lit up, how terrifying, this white virginal statue at the top of a dark hill, ugh(sorry). Lots of beautiful sights that u wouldnt find in a city in America! Yes to have a really easy time and gpa booster, I could stay here the whole year. I would learn lots of Spanish, esp when the other Tufts students are gone. I could travel extensively all through S. America, maybe even alone. AS of now, only 2 people are staying the whole year, there were originally 5, one is def going back, 2 of us are undecided. All girls. Gosh are we just completely different from past years? How come other years so desperately wanted to stay the whole year, one person even canceling their plans to go to Japan, but none of us are staying?? Pretty sure nobody is going to change their minds, we've talked about it, and it's the impression that I get from them. I feel like the only people who stay are ones who find a Chilean bf or gf >< even in the UC program >< and they learn lots of Spanish too. Ok, the new plan: to find a Chilean boy, hahaha jk. Sorry, I don't really like boys with rat tails and mullets(yes...that is the style here...). Wow I feel like I can't think of many convincing reasons to stay either. Grades, relaxing, architecture..hrm..
I know people will think that I didn't enjoy it once they find out I cut it short. Or they'll think that I must have not taken advantage enough of it(I am not always online...). But I definitely do think I am. I go out, I have a really nice group of friends here, each one of which I adore and who don't piss me off too much.., and we are soon going away for 2 weeks, yay! I hope I can update my blog at hostels, oh god. And every weekend I have decided there is no way I am going to stay in Santiago, hehe. I need to find something that's not a backpack. I think I make too many excuses sometimes, I know that. Ohh I'd go to a musuem..if I didn't have this huge backpack in which people could steal from me. haaa...

If anybody has google calendars that they want to share with me.. let me know.

Also if anyone reads... What country do you think of when u hear S. America? I mean I know that I didn't think of Chile immediately. I thought of Brazil or Argentina....both places I want to go to>< And what do you think of when u think of S. America? Do you think it's super poor, Europeanized, what? Let me know...hehe Chao!

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