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Published: April 21st 2012
Artistic Stairs
Characteristics of ValpoToday I had the greatest day! It was marvelous. Earlier I went exploring with Amber and Jack. They're really cool. Last week when I went to my grammar class (they're both in there) I decided that we needed to hang out. I always talk to them in class but I was thinking "Why don't we ever hang out?" and that's when I decided it needed to happen. They're a part of ISA as well. I wouldn't say that we're click-ish but I can definitely see that everyone's getting to the point where we hang out with the same people all the time. Humans are funny. We get so ruttish. But we have to break out! When I told them we should hang out sometime they were both really excited so we exchanged numbers and today was the day! It's unbelievable how easy that is here. Usually classmates are cool but only in class. Back at home, even when you talk to someone in class it's like you both know you aren't going to hang out ever because you aren't "real" friends. Or you'll meet to do group work at someone's house but then after the class is over you never see
each other again. But not here in Chile! It's so awesome!
When I was playing
Karioka (a card game) with Isaac this week in the wee hours after dinner, Elisabet came and joined us. She asked me if Isaac had shown me some cool places around Valpo since he's a tour guide. Because I know how he is, I really wasn't trying to go on a tour with him just so I can get bossed around/get angry. Me and Isaac are okay but I figured to keep the peace it'd be best if I don't go anywhere with him outside of the house anymore. I had been wanting to explore the other side of Valparaiso. I live in Cerro Esperanza which is right next to Vina so I haven't had the opportunity to explore past La Católica, which is located more in the center. I had been wanting to visit some
miradores (scenic points in the city), find some cool places, revisit the places we toured with ISA, and get more oriented but I'm always doing something else. After I get out of class is never a good time because that doesn't allow me much time to walk around
and get lost before night falls. Well, Isaac basically told me that I won't get to know any cool places without him showing me so of course that was a personal challenge! I told him I would. And today I did, which is an extra level of triumph! :-)
At first me and Amber wanted to meet up at 1:30 so we could have time to catch random micros, and get lost without worrying about getting back before dark. But then we decided that we wanted to meet up at 3:00 so we could eat lunch at home with our host families for free. I feel like a lot of my activities revolve around when my host family is eating now. I figure, why pay when there's a huge meal at home for free? Me, her, and Jack all met in the Plaza Victoria at 3:15. Chilean time! It felt so freeing, having the day stretch out ahead of me, no rush at all. We walked around and just followed our whims. The plan was to eventually go to Cerro Concepción which has an amazing view of the port and artisan shops. No one knew exactly how to get
Colorful Mural
I think that's a prostitute... there but it didn't matter. It was a nice day outside and we enjoyed walking around. And I got some great photos! After going on our mural walk, Amber told me and Jack about this cool restaurant that has sweet drinks and good coffee so we went. It was really fancy but their prices weren't out of control so we hung out there for a while and chatted and laughed really hard! They told me about this crazy time when they went out with one of their friends here and she got slopped and the next thing they know, as they're waiting for a micro at the bus stop, she comes riding along crammed in the car with some random Chilean family! Haha! Wow... After that we took an
ascensor down to Plaza Sotomayor and then headed to another
ascensor to lift us up to Cerro Concepción. The view was amazing! And there was this random video crew up there trying to film a movie. Haha! We walked in front of the camera many times and they didn't say anything. Amber felt bad but Jack was just like "this is a public place so we have just as much of
Refreshing blue buildings.
Trying to compete with the sky. :p a right to be here" so we hopped on in front and took our pictures like normal! It was hilarious. Watch us come out in a movie on accident. We might be famous!
Eventually the sun started to set so we headed back down because the bottom of Cerro Concepción gets real sketchy at night. Oh who am I kidding? More than sketchy. It gets downright dangerous! Plenty of people have told us that you do NOT walk past Plaza Sotomayor after dark unless you want to get did nasty (robbed, shanked, or anything else highly disagreeable). Every big city has it's dangerous parts and it's good to know where they are so you can get gone! On the way back, Jack kept tripping and I almost fell in a man hole because the wood covering it was rotted and we almost died from laughter. Haha! It was extra funny because we had been joking about that earlier. Jack told us that he saw some Chilean guy wipe out really hard and eat dirt when he was walking in the street and didn't see a curb! Hahaha!.... Oh my goodness...! Good times...good times. As I was walking home today
I passed two Chilean guys on my street and they didn't whistle until I was about 5 feet in front of them. Cowards... Haha!
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