Buenas Noticias

Hello everybody!

This is going to be a lot more of a general/personal sort of blog because there’s just been a lot going on in my life over the past two weeks. Here’s an overview…

I went to the international exchange student office and asked to be moved to a new house because it just wasn’t working with the lady that I was living with. I was super depressed, spending way too much time in my room, and not enjoying Chile the slightest bit.

The man in charge of housing for the exchange students went with me, Lisa, and Juanito to look at two houses. Seconds after we left the first house Lisa, Juanito, and I were asking if we really had to go to the second one because we already knew that the first was the house for me.

The next day I said a quick, surprisingly not very awkward goodbye to my mamá chilena and I moved into my new house.

I’ve been spending lots of time with my brothers and sister. They all study hard and are very athletic. Javi (16) is great to watch soccer and The Simpsons with, shares his reggaeton music with me, and does typical little brother things like hiding my toast. Carol (almost 19) and I have spent the most time actually talking and getting to know each other. We also dance a ton together—in the living room, at dance class, we’ve gone out salsa dancing—she’s great! Pipe (it’s pronounced pee-pay, short for Felipe) (20) is the super serious triathlete and I probably see him the least. However, he’s been indirectly teaching me how to use sarcasm in Spanish and he spends a little bit each night teaching me Chilean slang in the kitchen. Andres (22) was the first to really take me in and make me feel like part of the family. He has included me whenever his friends from his ju dit su class get together (that sounds really weird but it’s the truth.) The mom, Viviana, is the best kind of crazy. She laughs all the time and jokes around with us kids. She’s really laid back and has made sure that I’m as comfortable as possible here.

Classes are going pretty well. I passed my first Calc quiz and hopefully I will pass the second one. That’s the only class that I’m a little worried about. I’m not used to having to teach myself the bulk of the material outside of class and I think that’s how the system works here. We shall see.

I will keep you all posted and continue to put pictures up on facebook. I miss you all a ton!