Week 1 in Chile

As my first week in Chile is coming to an end, I realize just how quickly these three weeks are going to fly by.  There is so much to do, and very little time to do it all.  I am experiencing so many new things, and I am loving them.  The hills and mountains in Chile are just beautiful.  Everything around here is so green and vibrant; I could sit outside and look around at the natural beauty of this country forever.

My host family is absolutely amazing! They have gone above and beyond to make me feel welcome and comfortable in their home.  Because I know very little Spanish, it is fortunate that my host sister Carolina is fluent in English.  She helps me to communicate with the rest of the family whenever we hit a wall.  My other host sister Macarena and my host brother are also fairly good English speakers, and my host mom is learning as we go.  They are all also teaching me some Spanish, so I can communicate with everyone in their own language as well.

So far, I have seen the Laguna and the University of Concepción and they are both incredible.  The Laguna is so beautiful.  The view of the trees and the hills over the water is breathtaking.  There is also so much to do there; for instance, there are children driving go carts, riding bikes, and skating, there are families relaxing on the benches and feeding the dogs, there are people working carts selling popcorn, french fries, cotton candy, churros, etc.  Basically, the Laguna is like going to a fair without the roller coasters.  The University of Concepción is very similar to LSU in many ways.  The campus is huge, and there are many many people walking around campus and enjoying the views.  Also, the trees and plants are extraordinary.  Just everything about this country is so beatiful!

Since I am here to do a job, I have been trying to focus on that as well as enjoying all of the new sites and experiences.  My students are fantastic!! I love them.  They are all so eager to welcome me and speak with me.  I think that I am lucky to be in the concentration of English because it allows me to help the students pracitce and improve their speaking skills while also getting to know them and learn about their likes, dislikes, hobbies, culture, etc.  Just holding a conversation with the students is the best way for me to teach them, and I think that makes me very lucky.

I am having a great time in Chile, and I have already learned so much, and experienced so many new things.  I still have two weeks left to explore and learn, and I plan to make the most out of every second.  The next two weeks will be full of more new and excited adventures, and I cannot wait to experience them!

Ciao!