Update from Santiago

---

So I wanted to write this entry just to give a quick update on my status. Thanks to everyone who has been reading and supporting my blog. It's been rewarding (and at times a lot of work) investing in it, and I hope you've all enjoyed it thus far. Whenever I'm out and something is going down, I take a video and think "Damn, this is good blog footage!"

My entries should slow down now, and will revolve more around my life in Santiago. However, I still will have many outings to write about. I suddenly realized that my time here will be extremely short, and came to two conclusions: 1) I shall explore Santiago, Chile, and South America as much as possible (while keeping costs to a minimum) and 2) I shall do my best to enjoy every moment.

I do miss all of my friends and family back home. I don't have any friends yet, and it makes me appreciate how many great friends I had back in Ann Arbor. I also miss ballroom dancing, and I'm already excited to begin practicing again when I get back. Good luck at Arnold!

Regular class has not started yet, and I'm getting adjusted to life here in Santiago. I've been commuting to Spanish class at the university which takes about an hour with walking and the subway. Santiago is quite big, and I really feel like I'm getting a taste of the city life. The culture here is very western. Stores, clothing, kids, and pop culture are all similar in a lot of ways to their American counterparts. I don't stand out as much as I thought I would, that is until I speak. My "gringo" accent makes it immediately apparent that I am not native to the country. Things are going well with my Chilean family. I speak nothing but Spanish with them, and my language is improving rapidly.

I have a 4 day interval before classes begin to travel. I am traveling alone this time and am seeking peace, quiet, solitude, and escape on the island of Chiloé (12 hours by bus). Vacation is over for most Chileans so I hope to find the island with little people, charming villages, and opportunities to read, write, and meditate.

VIDEO - House tour

---

Photos

Northern Chile I
I've attached some pictures of from the 40 hour bus ride through Chile back to Santiago for your viewing pleasure.

Northern Chile II
Most of Northern Chile is desert.

Northern Chile III
Santiago has many beautiful coastal cities.

Comments

[Bo]

Study?
Jason, Sounds like this is more of a vacation than school. Shouldn't you be studying??? =P Glad to see you are having a great time. Be safe and have more fun!

[jasonwu]

Studying
Yes my classes start this Wednesday! Though they don´t factor into my GPA, they DO count toward my Spanish minor... it´s a nice break from CHemistry.