A Sleepover and Fútbol!

This week in school was pretty much the same as it has been. On Wednesday my mom had a routine parent-teacher conference that I was pretty nervous about... But the main lady (the one responsible for my class) had only good things to say about me. :) awwww. Like about how I have some really great friends and it isn't just because I'm the blonde exchange student, it's because I have a good personality. awww. And plus I haven't gotten too many grades back.

On Thursdays we usually get out at 6, but this week is special! Friday was Teacher's Day! Which means getting out at 4 on Thursday and no classes on Friday! I'll take it!

Anyways. Now we're on to the good stuff!

With a free night with no school in the morning, some classmates planned for a sleepover at Miryam's house!

At 9:30 my dad dropped me off at her house and the party got started! Well actually, we got out the food. Hahaha. (It's basically the same thing) Pop, ice cream, chips, candy, the works. :) We sat there and ate and talked. And we laughed so much! (tanto!) I love those girls. Miryam, her sister Fernanda, Michelle, Paula, and I. We stayed up late laughing and talking and taking pictures. We took about 100 pictures  but most of them are too embarrassing to put up here. Here's a whole bunch of them!

The group: Miryam, Paula, Michelle, and I.

 Aren't we cute??

 Yep. Eyes closed...

"Don't hit me, I'm just an exchange student! (8)"
(*Fun fact!: when Chileans (and probably other people too...) quote song lyrics, they put a (8) at the end.) If you haven't listened to this song, then you need to! Don't Hit Me, I'm Just an Exchange Student
(Carolin, I'm hearing you and Benjamin sing it in my head!)

 This has got to be the worst picture taken of me, EVER. Does my face look like this a lot?? I hope not.

Heart pillow!

In the morning, we all got up (sort of...) and ate some breakfast. And then went outside to take more pictures while we waited for my dad to come.

Paula!:

Miryam and I discussing some things. :)

 Hmmm... What other poses can we do guys?

OOh I know! A self-timer one in the grass!

 Nap time!

Paula and I   <3 :

Plus Miryam:

My dad came to pick me up, and we headed out to the country. Felipe and his friends had a project to do and needed to film something... So we had lunch out there and relaxed.

MmmmMMmm.

We left there a little later than we should have and it was a crazy, stressed time getting home. We got home, changed, and went to a friends' house to watch the big game! Chile vs. Colombia!!!!

Wait. What's that hanging out our car window?

It's just a massive Chilean flag from our balcony. No big deal. I love the Chilean people so much. So many people on the streets cheered and yelled to us and most of the cars honked.

Chile vs. Colombia!! I watched the whole game and it was actually pretty exciting! (yes Dad. EXCITING.) Chile was in the lead 3-0 for almost the entire game. But in the end Columbia scored a few and it was 3-3. So it ended in a tie. I love watching fútbol with Chileans. They get SO SO SO excited!

Another great day in Chile!

C-H-I chi! L-E le! CHI CHI CHI LE LE LE  VIVA CHILE!

USA vs Chile vs Russia

The other day in chemistry class my friends and I decided to be really productive. So we started a world war complete with paper airplanes, bombs, missiles, and boats. Rodrigo and I were the U.S., Matias was Russia, and Javier was Chile (I think...). The whole hour we pelted each other with paper weapons. :) Oh how I love school in Chile.

  
A picture from my ipod so the quality isn't the best. One of the aircraft of the USA.

Edit: There was no clear winner that day. The war (guerra!) will continue to wage on...

Wait. I Speak English, Right?

In English class on Friday, everyone presented their dissertations. I was put into a group with four of my friends with a topic of the PDI (police of investigation). A couple nights before, they gave me some information that I would talk about. I took their english translation and tried to make sense of it. I made note cards and was all ready to go on Friday. It was finally my group's turn.

I have some pathetic news for you all.

I got a C- (5) in english class on an assignment in which all I had to do was speak--in english! I don't even understand how...

But in all of the other classes, it's great to be an exchange student. Like in biology class on Thursday we had a test. The previous week the teacher had told me that I needed to take all of the tests in her class. But as she passed out the test, I put on my best 'I'm an exchange student and I am so confused with this material' face. It totally worked! She looked at me and asked if I understood anything and I said that I didn't have a clue. Then she gave me a pity full look and said that I didn't have to take it. Hahaha. Works for me!

Let's see...

Oh. I forgot to say that on Wednesday, it was Felipe's birthday. That night my grandma, aunt, and cousin came over and we had a little party for him. I (sort of) sang happy birthday for the first time in Spanish and that was fun!

On Saturday morning I went on a run and then my parents and I went to a market. They had every fruit and vegetable imaginable, along with fish. And it was all fresh and straight from the farms near Curicó.

 With all of the basketball playing and running I've been doing, I have some really bad shin splints or some kind of terrible pain in my legs when I run or walk too much... Ugh.

But anyways. On Sunday, instead of a run, I went on a nice relaxing walk. It was a perfect day! It's turning into summer here! (You better be jealous, all of you that are in the northern hemisphere!)

All of the houses have gates like this. Which is different than what I've ever seen in the U.S.

 A note to any Chilean friends who read this: please don't think I'm strange... The following is something that I had never seen before coming here!

Outdoor gyms! They are these little parks that are everywhere. How fantastic is that!? Out in the beautiful city and free. They have regular gym equipment but all of it is made out of playground material. Such a great idea.

Me enjoying the sun!

Annnd yeah! That's it for the weekend! A nice relaxing weekend with not too much to do.

Oreos!!!

I'm typing another post about lately, but a quick break from that.

I ate my last pack of Oreos today in recreo with Nico, Fernanda, and Pablo. Mmmm. Son muy ricos!

Fernanda and I!

Pencils!

I think I'm all caught up on my blog, and then I blink and I'm behind again!

Today's post is about Wednesday!

For the first time in a while, I was really really sad to miss school. I love my classmates so much! Nevertheless, on Wednesday I was out of school all day to be at an activity with Rotary.

I spent the day with Charlotte, Ernesto (my Rotary counselor), and Arturo (another Rotarian). Charlotte and I spent a LOT (seriously. At least 4 hours in all) of time waiting in the car but I won't write too much about that. Her English is fantastic and so we talked about our exchanges, families, and everything!

Wednesday was the day to hand out pencils to the little kids! (If you don't know what pencils I'm talking about, then you are behind on reading my blog. And thus, you must stop reading now and scroll down to my other post.) We drove to Sagrada Familia which is a suburb (sort of..) of Curicó. For the first school, a bunch of students lined up and the Rotarians talked a bit about Rotary. Then Charlotte and I handed all of these adorable kindergartners - fourth graders colored pencils. They were pretty excited.

The next school we went to was even better! This time, we went to each individual classroom and handed them out. The kids were so cute! When the Rotarian would ask if they wanted the colored pencils they all would shout 'sí!!!!' and have the biggest smiles on their faces.

Art projects outside of a classroom. 

As we walked between classes, hoards of kids would come up to us and look at us and when I would try to say something or wave, they would all run away giggling. Hahaha. After a couple of tries, I finally got them to come closer for a picture.

Oh and it gets better! In one classroom, everyone was especially excited and I gave out autographs.  They also bombarded me with questions like 'do you know Justin Bieber!? (or One Direction.)' and 'tell them I say hi!' It was so cute!

I seriously never wanted to leave. But sadly, we did eventually leave. And as we drove away, the group that was out at recess looked like this:

We went to lunch at a restaurant and I had a big dish of rice and chicken:

Delicious but waaaay too much food. I swear it was at least half of a chicken.

After lunch, we went to one more school and a preschool place. But I forgot my camera in the car...

All in all, it was a great day! :)

FOOD!

While in Chile, I have developed a terrible disease. I have named it PED or Perpetually Eating Disorder. I was talking to Charlotte, an exchange student from German, today and we were discussing it. We talked about how much weight we are gaining on our exchanges and how it seems like we are ALWAYS eating.

This is what a normal school day looks like food-wise:

7:45  Breakfast: hot chocolate and toast/hot milk and cereal

10-ish  2nd Breakfast in school: during one of the recreos we go to the cafeteria and have hot chocolate and/or bread

Somewhere in between 10:30 and 12:30  Snack time in class: a juice box and some sort of snack like cookies, crackers, granola bar, etc.

1:30 Lunch time: My brothers, dad, and I go to my grandma's house for lunch. Always at least 3 courses. A dessert every day

4, 5:15, 6 (whenever school gets over and I go home): a smoothie or yogurt that my mom makes me

8 or 9 Dinner: a dinner of chicken or beef, potatoes or rice, salad, juice, and bread. Or on some days tea and bread with avocados, tomatoes, cheese, and ham

That's like six meals a day. That really can't be healthy! But I love it so much. :)

A Poem!

Here's a little poem (poema!) I wrote in language class today. As everyone knows, the Moore family is pretty amazing at rhyming. The rest of my class was taking a test about a book they just read. I had to do something to keep myself awake. Enjoy!

In the Life of an Exchange Student

By: Christy Moore

Ohh I'm sitting in class with nothing to do

besides to write a poem for you.

I am in Chile

and I think it's quite silly

that all I can do

is be as a child without a clue.

I'm sixteen years old!

I protest

Still sadly I must confess

that I have but an inkling of what I have just been told.

I know it, I know it,

that I am no poet

but what more can I do

than write to you?

All of my friends are trying their best,

to take a nearly impossible test.

The teacher asked me if I too wanted to try

but I soon let out a terrible cry.

Of course I had not read that four hundred paged book!

And so, I simply gave her a look.

Making sure to be prudent,

I said to her

"I'm just a little exchange student!"

She let me be

and so here I am

B.o.R.E.d.

but happy as a clam

I hope you enjoyed

and weren't too annoyed.

Thank you for being so very kind

but now I think I may have lost my mind.

I have no more rhymes

plus it's finally time

to leave this seat

and get something to eat!