Por Fin...

Hi everybody! Hope you are all doing well.

I get really overwhelmed with bloging and/or journaling if I try to "catch up" on everything I've done. Instead, I'm just going to write about today, and if I don't fall asleep maybe some more!

Today I woke up early to meet my friend Andrew at 7 to catch a bus to a nearby town. (Off topic: there was a street lamp down, and I found it funny and that although the street was blocked off, I was able to walk right on by. There was no one nearby, the wires weren't covered, nothing! Here, the attitude is more like, "If you're dumb enough to touch it..." versus the thought in the U.S., more like, "They could sue me..." I also realize I'm stereotyping, but I thought I would share my thoughts!) Anyways, three hours, a nap in a micro, and an encounter with a driver we couldn't understand later, we made it to La Campana. It is a nearby mountain (but to the locals it's a hill!). We climbed all 1.920 meters above sea level- around 7 k. It took 3 hours, 20 minutes to summit, but about 4 to get back down! The going was harder work on the muscles, but going down was by far more dangerous, and I took a good spill. (update in the morning) The good news is that I'm hardly sore and the knee is good, too!

The video in the last update is from the soccer match- I made national TV! You are all proud, right? I think it is when they asked me who was going to win, to which I said, "Chile, obviously." And in Spanish, obviously!

Last weekend was my host cousin Tito's birthday party, so I got to meet his friends. It was a great time, and I had some conversations beyond the where-are-you-from-how-do-you-like-Chile talks! This Thursday Tito even went out with me and a group of friends from my program and our language-exchange group. (I can dance basic salsa now!)

In my time here, my self-evaluation of my Spanish is a yo-yo. When I can have a conversation- up. When i can't understand someone- down. I suppose in general it's emotional to be here. I miss my loved ones, but I can't think about leaving Chile. I feel as though my Spanish is finally at a level where I can have more meaningful interactions and relationships, so I'm trying to focus on making the most of my time left here. As Tito reminded me, it's never too late! Sometimes I am really frustrated with myself, like when I can't remember a vocab word that I know I've studied. However, when I think of my first weeks here, I know I have learned so much. (As Tia Ana will be happy to tell you, I didn't understand anything!)

Thursday I'm going to Buenos Aires!

Love you all!