Feelin’ like a sardine and a movie star at the same time

So much has happened in the past two weeks. From traveling to the coast to teaching my first class, I am not sure where to begin.

This past week we began our first days of practicum in an English institute in Santiago. I feel more comfortable in front of a class than I expected. I am so happy that we were able to practice our teaching skills before starting our own classes in two weeks.

I cannot believe that in one week we will be moving out of the hostel and moving in with our host families. It seems like we just started training. I have so many great friends here. All the volunteers are so supportive and friendly. We have become a happy little family. It is funny and strange at the same time that we have started calling the hostel home. I never thought that would happen for me. I can’t wait to actually unpack all my things.

As for last weekend, a group of us took a bus to Vina de Mar and spent the night in a hostel there. It was beautiful, but not as warm as we expected for the beach. Since Santiago was having 80 and 90 degree weather, we expected the same temperatures at the beach. Well, we were wrong. It was chilly and overcast, but we still had a great time and some good bonding time as a group. We went out one night and got the chanting “gringolandia” at one time (which we did not start). It was a good time.

At the current moment, a Canadian car commercial is being filmed right outside the hostel’s front door. I can peek out the window and start up a conversation with one of the extras, if I wanted to do so. I keep hearing action and standby. We woke up to the crew setting up the set. They changed the street signs and made a fake café set. There is always something new going on here.

The city is becoming more and more crowed and will continue to do so beginning in March when everyone comes back from summer vacation. I already feel like a roasted sardine in the metro. I don’t want to think when March comes.

For everyone’s information, I cannot see the volcano and I didn’t even know that it erupted until friends and family from home asked me about it. I am fine and so are the people of Santiago. Please don’t worry.

I have found one of my favorite foods here, it is called an alfajor. If you have a chance to try one, please do so since they are like heaven.

I am enjoying my Spanish class. There are 7 of us in the class. Our professor is amazing and so helpful. Every Friday he takes on a “field trip” around the city. It really is a walking tour of different areas of the city, and then we go out for drinks after the class ends. Our professor is a Chilean hippie with a long black beard and balding and so amazingly cool and funny. We love him in our class.

I tried one of the national drinks of Chile, which is called the terremoto, or earthquake (since Chile is known for having lots of earthquakes). The drink name also refers to how you will feel after drinking one. I could not even drink a whole one. My friend Deepak had to help me finish it. It does come with delicious pineapple ice cream on top.

Today, a couple of us went to a museum near the Moneda, which is the house of the President of Chile (much like the White House). We enjoyed the history review. The group was supposed to have a Human Rights Tour today but the tour guide cancelled on us. I am about to head up to the roof top patio and hang out in the shade. My skin still is not adjusted to the Chilean summer. One of the Chilean students that I taught this week asked me if I liked being white and if I ever wanted to have a tan like her. I told her I don’t tan, but she did not agree with me. It was an interesting conversation.

Besos to all and I hope you are doing well.