http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Chile , Biobío en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:20:15 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:20:15 +0000 Last I left off it was Thanksgiving. It was a very long day. We had class all day from 9am until 2pm. After class I went to 30 Express a restaurant to get empanadas with Lindsey Lucas Catie and Christina. I got one with cheese and meat and one with cheese and corn. We waited quite awhile but they were delicious as always. After we ate we went to the grocery store to buy our food to make Thanks http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-458049.html The Peru trip had me pretty worn out. Friday I went to bed at midnight... and slept until noon on Saturday. I got up but pretty much stayed in my pajamas the whole day. I ate lunch with my family did homework and went for a run. I did homework and worked on my photobook the rest of the night. Sunday was pretty much the same story. I slept until ten and didnt do anything too exciting. After lunch http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-455879.html My plan for the last day was to go to the zoo with Hayley Lindsay and Jess A. I got up showered and went to eat breakfast. We were running a little behind schedule from when we wanted to leave but that was alright. We were supposed to check out of our rooms before noon so we packed up our things and took them to Profe Trianas room. I went up to the breakfast area to get her key from her to put http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-449304.html Terribly behind on this blog with no real excuse. Due to a nationwide teachers' strike over a historical debt my school hasn't held classes since last Thursday. It seems like a tricky situation and one on which I won't comment except to say that I certainly hope it gets resolved.A few weekends ago I took a day trip to get in touch with my Coffey heritage. I didn't quite make it to Ireland bu http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Lota/blog-448994.html Tues Oct 20We got up pretty early so we had breakfast and jetted to the bus station. I brought my 1 and 12 liter of water figuring that it would be enough. We had about an hour till the bus came so in the meantime we tried hitchhiking. It didn't really work but oh well Half hour bus ride we get to Toconao and it is just deserted. Only a few people were outside but it was just like http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-448121.html The packers lost on Monday night. Sad but atleast in South America I dont have to hear about it all day Tuesday I had class from 10 to 12. Class was nothing out of the ordinary. I still couldnt print my essay since the building was still taken and I couldnt get our printer at the house to work. Before class I went to the library and tried to print but I had to go to the fourth floor and coul http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-443778.html Tues Oct 6Today I had class from 1012. It seems to me that every class I have been to is interesting because I learn something every day since it's in a different language. That is one of the reasons I was always inspired to learn spanish because it challenged me. Afterwards I went to get my Chillean ID and then returned home for lunch. After lunch I talked to my brother on skype for 2 http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-443068.html Friday I slept in since we dont have class on Friday. I ate lunch with Jorge around 1. We had this casserole type thing. It was kind of like what is in empanadas but more in a pie form. Jorge put sugar on his which I thought was a little weird but I tried it and it wasnt bad. After lunch I had to go meet Lizzy at the University so I could get my purse. Lizzy Sonni and Sam were going to the bea http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-442192.html After the Buenos Aires trip there was lots of things to do and catch up on. Tuesday we had class with Professor Triana from 10 to 12. I got a ride to the University with Marcela. We arrived around 9 am. I needed to finish up my autobiography essay and print it so I had my computer with me. The students were still protesting and had taken the Arts and Humanities building so none of us could print o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-442172.html Tues Sept 29 I went to class from 1012. We talked about what we believed was our best experience thus this far. It was interesting what everyone had to say. A lot of people said that either Santiago 11 people went or Buenos Aires 4 people went was their best experience. I told the class that hanging out with my brother and his friends on the 18th was my favorite although Santiago was a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/blog-441091.html The afternoon of the 18th following the desfile madness is major family time. Lots of kite flying and generally strolling around by the beach I took part in the latter and took some much sunnier photos. Also went to the Cueva del Toro which is a hole in the rocks that roars something like a bull due to the waves crashing. Does not look anything like a toro though. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Lebu/blog-440760.html Tues Sept 22Today I went to class from 1012. We worked on writing our autobiographies. After class I returned home for lunch. I hung out for most of the day I didn't do too much in other words I procrastinated in writing in my travel blog so I forgot what happened haha.Wed Sept 23Today I had class from 1012. After We celebrated Jessica and Allison's birthday. We had cake outside http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-440570.html Not last Friday but the one before Chile celebrated its 199th birthday and in much more style than the US celebrates its independence day. The whole week of school is basically dedicated to the festivities. All the classrooms are decked out with branches streamers those paper machelike bells that fold out you name it. Different performances poems songs dances took place during spe http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Lebu/blog-440028.html ...someone I believe to be the brother of my host mom came over with several large and oddly shapen packages which he proceeded to unwrap. I am now in the same room as five to seven large swords made of the sword portion of the swordfish and with studded bronze handles. They come in a variety of shades and appear to range in length from about two and a half to four feet.This did not strike me http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Lebu/blog-439484.html Saturday we stayed in Chillan. Marcelas entire family was at her parents house. Literally I was pretty bored all morning. I blogged and then just watched t.v. and listened to people. There was a lot of food being prepared. They set up a huge long table in the garage area. A barbeque is Chile is called an asado which is the spanish word for roast. There was so much meat My favorite are the lo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-438977.html Eek looks like I'm still a little behind as I keep having more adventures than expected The weekend after Chillan I made my way to the Saltos de Laja waterfalls of...Laja for a weekend trip that managed to involve seven different buses. Friday afternoon I snagged a seat on bus one to get to the major station in Concepcion Collao where I met up with a friend from Arauco another beach tow http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Salto-del-Laja/blog-438582.html Tuesday Sept 15Today I went to a city called Lota with Profesora Luz and the other students. To sum it up we went to a museum walked around a massive park had lunch and went through a mine I wasn't ecstatic about waking up at 7 in the morning but it also meant a long day . The bus ride wasn't bad about an hour and there were things to look at along the way. We got there and met o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-438060.html We left for Chillan Thursday night. Not a real exciting drive. I was kind of tired and I slept a little bit. We saw a rainbow while we were driving so that was kind of cool. Of course when we arrived in Chillan we chatted for a little bit and then we ate a little dinner. After that I watched T.V. and chatted with everyone. An aunt and uncle and their two girls were here as well. I would tell you http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Chillan/blog-437945.html Tuesday was our trip to Lota. We met outside the Humanities building at 830 a.m. I got up at 630 to shower and so I could ride with Marcela to the University at 730. I would be there kind of early but it is easier and cheaper to be a little early than to take the micro or collectivo. Marcela had a class at 810 so I just sat in her office and used her computer while I waited. I went outside to http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Concepcion/blog-437422.html Not last weekend but the weekend before I met up with two friends in Chillan. I had a really nice time but not a lot of specifics to report or photos to show. Chillan isn't as big as Concepcion but from the little I've now seen of Chilean cities Chillan seems the most charming. On the bus ride in I went through Chillan Viejo which is a really pretty area. A lot of it seems residential http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Biobio/Chillan/blog-437203.html