Exploring more of Chile by Dylan Castro

My second week in Chile allowed me to experience much more than just the area around the school. My week started with a family reunion over the weekend in Chillan. The reunion consisted of my family along with their multiple cousins, aunts uncles, and everything in between. It was a special moment when I arrived because for most of the cousins it had been years since they had seen each other. We all stayed the weekend in Chillan at a campground owned by the grandfather. The scenery was absolutely stunning all around, and from the campground it was a about a 15 minute drive to the hot springs at the top of the mountain.I would have loved to spend much more of my trip there enjoying the sights.

My family and I in Chillan

 My favorite part of the weekend was climbing up a little on the side of the mountain to reach snow. It was my second time ever seeing snow but was much more thrilling than the first time. This kind of experience was exactly what I was looking for when coming to Chile, and I was more than happy to share this with my host family.

Me and Benjamin up in the mountains

I also was able to get more involved with the school and classes this week. It was definitely unlike anything that I had done before but being more hands on in the classroom was something I really enjoyed. The kids were really excited to learn about PE in the United States. I was able to teach them a little about football, and also some kinesiology knowledge that they surprising loved to hear about. Ultimately one of my favorite times at the school had to be working at Huertos with the younger kids. They were so full of energy and were so much fun to be around. I taught them some tennis rules and how to hold a racket. I was worn out by the end of my first class, but it was easily one of the most rewarding experiences that I have had. I cannot wait to see what my last week in Concepcion has to offer me, and I am excited to learn about more of the culture!

My PE class at Huertos