You guys are soooo overdue for a blog post! So here!
It's hard remembering everything I've been doing!
So here it goes. Two Saturdays ago, (the 30th) my brother Felipe had a paseo (like a retreat/end of the year party) for his class. It was held at my family's center of events place in the country. Almost all of his 40-ish classmates and their families came. Each family brought their own drinks, salads, and side dishes. And everyone pitched in money (plata! It's not dinero here.) to buy a bunch of meat to grill. So we had an a barbecue (asado!) The kids swam but I didn't want to since they're all younger... and there were a million of them. So I sat and talked with my mom. It was a pretty long day. We got there at 11:30 or 12 and stayed there until 9:30. We had the meat for lunch along with salads. After lunch I went and played volleyball with some girls. Their classroom is next to mine and so they all know me. haha. I'm famous. But I never had actually had talked with many of them. So I got asked all the 1st day of school questions again. But it was fun. We took a break and ate some completos. And then we had some tea later too. So all in all, it was a good day!
Because of my lack of blogging... I don't remember what I did on Sunday during the day. But I do remember that at night I talked to Michael, Caroline, and the kiddos on Google Hangout. It was a good time. :) hahahhaa. Those kids are hilarious.
Monday and Tuesday were free days off of school! It was because my school is the testing site for the PSU. The PSU is like the ACT or SAT test. But it's more intense. It doesn't just help you get INTO university like the ACT. The score you get, decides what options of professions you have. Woah. So on Monday, we just relaxed around the house. And on Tuesday we finally got a group of people to go see Catching Fire. We planned to meet at 2 at the theaters for the 2:20 show. So I took a colectivo and got there a few minutes before 2. That was a silly idea. :) hahahahhaa. Chileans are barely ever on time. So I walked around the store next door and found an atm machine (máquina!) to take money out. Then I finally went and sat on the steps outside the theater. Finally Rodrigo got there. And we called people to see if they were coming. And at 2:25 ish, they came. Paula, Michelle, and Catalina. And Leo wanted to come too, but was sick. I loved it! No one else really understood it because they hadn't read the books and only a few had seen the first one. It was in Spanish and I felt pretty good that I could understand what they were saying some times! Progress!
And when I got home... I had a surprise for me!!
A package from Dad! This one is actually the first one he sent me. But when they first came to the house to drop it off, we weren't there and they didn't leave a note. But my mom went to the post office (correo!) and found it. Yay! So thanks Dad! He sent me so much good food!
About half of the stuff. I'm sorry. I don't know how to rotate this... So rotate your head!
On Wednesday, we had school... but instead my family all skipped school and we went to Santiago! We went to legalize some papers so I can leave Chile and to buy some gifts to send home. We planned to leave at 8:30 but we ended up leaving at 10. We took a bus and it was nice to just sit. On the bus, I saw a "Trust me I'm a doctor" shirt on a super scraggly guy. I laughed a lot.
Mountains :)
Some freshly made pastries we bought on the bus.
Some delicious thing with coconut and manjar. mmmmm. I do love manjar.
And a little over 2 hours later, we were there! My mom and I went to find a bathroom right away and I payed to use a restroom for the first time. That just seems silly. hahaha. But they were clean and actually had toilet paper and soap.
My mom and I went off right away to go to the office to get my papers legalized. We stood in line for a while and then bingo bango it was done!
And this is "La Moneda" Where President Piñera works but not where he lives.
Some other building...
Then we walked to the Plaza de Armas.
I went here on my first day in Chile, but forgot my camera in the car. We also went back to the Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago. And I took some pictures I should'vetaken on my first day!
Then we went to the post office:
And the post office museum (museo!)
Stamps from all over the world
This picture is bad because there was a window behind me... but this is a machete. Why is it in the post office museum you ask?
The note:
"Los funcionarios muchas veces eran asaltados por maleantes. El machete era en esos casos su única arma de defensa."
So mailmen armed with machetes. How great is that?
My brothers and Dad got bored and went somewhere else and my mom and I were left alone (solas!) in the deserted museum. And there were some creepy mannequins (but let's face it, when aren't mannequins creepy?) to take pictures with.
How rude.. He never even took my letter. He just looks like he's going to beat me up. Seriously, look at those hands.
And then we were rebels and hopped the rail and had a meeting with this bank associate.
Hmmm. Must be broken right??
Right after this picture, I awkwardly got off when another lady walked in.
After that... we went to a history museum.
It had some famous art in it too. Is that Charlie the unicorn??
Cameras weren't allowed but I had to take a picture. I'm just so confused. They had a blender in 2 separate displays.
We walked around for a long time, trying to figure out where to eat.
We were all pretty exhausted but it was only 1:30-ish. We ended up at a pizza place. But the my mom and I went to find a pharmacy (farmacia!) for her headache. The pizza wasn't that great, but it was food!
Then, we were headed to the markets to find presents for the family! Boy was that hard. There was so much stuff but I had sooo many people to buy for. And I basically just bought for direct family! I was still missing a few things, but they were things that I'd get in Curicó.
After the markets, my mom and I went window shopping. We went to a LOT of shoe stores. Which is just depressing for me. Because I am about a size 42. But most women are 36-ish. (I'm realizing I use -ish a lot...) And usually the highest size is 40.
We got some ice cream, drinks, chips, and a sandwich for the bus ride home. We left at 10. I ate my food and then listened to music and slept the whole way. It was a great and exhausting day! I don't have to worry about the papers anymore and I have almost all the things for the package to send my family.
On Thursday my brothers didn't go to school because no one does anything in the classes. Just watching movies and things. But I wanted to go because I love being with my friends. So I took a colectivo by myself. There was only school for the morning. And when we left for the lunch break, we didn't go back. We didn't do much... haha. But it was good! I brought a big pack of Oreos and some Butterfingers that Dad sent and shared them during recreo. They liked them. :)
Rodrigo tried to teach me how to do a Rubic's Cube but my brain just can't do it! hahaha. Maybe someday.
Oooohh. Bad news. We were sitting around talking, and one of my guy friends says Christy! and pointed at his stomach and then at me. I was confused and then asked him "are you calling me fat??!" and he says "it's normal! We're in Chile!" hahahhaha. People here are so open and honest. Sometimes brutally so. Like my grandma is hilariously honest. She was looking at a picture of me with some friends and she points to a girl and she says "ooh mira la gordita!" "oohhh look at the little chubby girl!". I couldn't stop laughing. So.. that day has come. When other people start not only noticing, but telling me I'm gaining weight. aghhh.
When I got into the car after school there was a package from my BEST FRIEND KATIE! I was so excited.
I found it quite impressive that they fit all this into that little box! Lots of candy for the weight loss!
So thank you so much Katie and Diane! I feel so loved! I do, as a result of 3 packages, have a ridiculous amount of candy. Literally. My bottom dresser drawer is filled. Plus there's more in the kitchen.
On Friday I went to school... and I don't really remember what else...
On Saturday, it was Vicente's turn to have his class' paseo. So we did the same thing as we did for Felipe a week prior. After that got over at about 9:30, we went to Mariela and Moncho's house to talk while my dad played fútbol. We stayed there until 12 or so and I was dead tired.
On Sunday we had a first communion party to go to for a friend. We went to Sagrada Familia, which is a small town 40 minutes away. We went there at 11, talked and ate empanadas. And then for lunch we had lamb (cordero!) and chicken, along with salads. After lunch, one of the ladies that was there invited me to go to the cemetery with her. I couldn't exactly say no. haha. So I went. Let me just say, I love the Chilean tradition with loved ones who have died. Most people go to the cemetery with flowers every week. My mom and grandma go for her dad EVERY WEEK. And flowers are cheap and so most people buy a nice bouquet and clean off the gravestone. The lady I went with, went to visit her husband who had died when he was in his early 30's. It was a cool experience just to see the importance of family. I love that mentality. Family is so important here. And that is totally what I was taught in my house growing up. Love. Anyways. We got back at about 4 and talked some more. As we sat there, I saw a bug in one of the salads and a hair in another. But they were too far away to do anything without making a scene. Then we moved inside and snacked on some chips. Just when I thought we'd go, they served the leftovers of the meat and salads. I wasn't hungry anyways, but cringed as they served the salads. So I just asked for a tea. And I had cake too. We sat and talked until 9. When we finally left, and I was saying good bye to everyone there, one guy stopped me. And he starts talking me something about how nice and sweet I am and that he hopes I have a great exchange and a lot of things I didn't understand. I was just sooooo exhausted I couldn't make sense of much and ended up just standing there smiling, thanking him, and laughing hysterically.
And on Monday we had school! But no one in the family woke up until 9. So we didn't go. I was disappointed... but oh well.
That night, I went downtown with my mom to buy some things for people I was missing. I also finally got some running shoes! Whooo! We went to 4 stores and only getting the reply of laughter and a no to the question "do you have size 42?". I also bought skinny jeans!!! My first pairs. :) Yay! I feel weird in them but I like them!
On the street we saw Iron Man! So we took a picture. As I was taking one with him, there was a crowd that stopped and looked at us. hahahha. Imagine that? A gringa AND Iron Man!
After 3 hours of shopping, we went back home to eat. And then to sleep!
Tuesday was my very last day of colegio in trecero medio A. So it's like my Junior year of high school is over. I'll go back in March for cuarto medio! And then back to the U.S. for my Senior year. This is crazy. We went at 9 and played Just Dance and ate completos from Top Dog. We got out at 11:30. The good byes were excited because most are going on the trip to Bariloche.
Bariloche is SIX days away!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! I'm kinda freaking out.
After school, we ate lunch at my grandma's and I played with my cousin Francisca a lot. She used to be scared of me, but now she jabbers away at me. :) And she calls me "Qui Qui" or more often when she's referring to me, "Barbie". hahahaha.
I went home and worked on getting the package (encomienda!) ready (lista!). I wrapped all the presents and wrote out letters. So. Many. Letters. Seriously. Who has actually written a long letter lately? It takes some time! So I spent a lot of time in the summer heat doing that. But I got it done! And so I weighed it and added some more treats.
Yesterday (Wednesday) mom and I went to the post office and sent it out. Finally! So it should get to the family in a few weeks. Hopefully before Christmas. Yeppp.
Yesterday I got another package! (number 4! :) ) From Katie Demers, who went to Chile on her exchange a few years ago, and the rest of Rotex. That was nice! A card, candy, an ornament, and SNOW! My room was a disaster from the crazy package operation and the plastic snow everywhere didn't help. haha. Anyways, thanks Katie!
After dinner, we watched some old home videos. That was fun. So I got to bed super late. But what's new?
And finally on to today! I somehow got up at 9 and went for a run! I hadn't gone in a while. It felt so good! I ran 3 and a half miles and did a lot with the exercise machines too. My Fitbit said I burned 600-something calories. Whooo. It's a start. haha. I ran where I usually run. To where my church is, take a break for a minute on a bench, and then back. Today I was sitting there and there was a lady with pamphlets walking around talking to people. I tried to look busy (ocupada!) and was hoping she wouldn't stop. Buuuuut she did. She told me to take one, but I explained that I had to run home and couldn't run with a paper. She then proceeded to go into a religious rant (only parts of which I understood completely) in a loud voice. I won't go into the details... but I was told that I will not be going to heaven. So that's always a nice thing to hear in the morning. After that, I showered, went to lunch, and then came home again. And now I'm finishing up the blog finally!
Before I end, I've got some plans. Tomorrow Vicente has his birthday party out in the country. He invited a bunch of classmates. Tomorrow early in the morning I'll go with my mom to decorate. And at 3, the party starts. It goes until 7. So I'll be pretty tired tomorrow. Then on Saturday I have a job! A class from another school is renting out the place to have a paseo. And my dad needs someone to be the lifeguard for the pool since there will be a lot of younger kids. Soooo I'll be sitting poolside a long time tomorrow. And hopefully I won't have to save anyone.
On Sunday at 9:30 I'm meeting up with some friends in front of the school, to take a bus to Nico's house! He lives in Sagrada Familia. We'll have lunch there and spend the day together. I think there are like 10 of us going. I'm excited!! We'll come back at 8-ish.
I leave for Bariloche next Wednesday at 8:30 at night. We'll be on the bus all night and get to the border of Chile and Argentina at 7 in the morning. And then have a few more hours until Bariloche! And then the party starts! I have a feeling that it's going to be a nearly sleepless week! I'm so overly pumped. So get ready for a TON of pictures and lots of stories!
By the way. It is December. How in the world did that happen?? I'm almost at my 4 month mark. Sloooooowwww doooowwwwnnn! It's also almost Christmas. I don't know how to feel about that. It doesn't seem like it! There's no snow! It doesn't seem real. haha. But yeahh.
At last, I am caught up! Enjoy!
