Well, it's been about an eternity since I arrived here in Chile, so I thought it was time for an update! Today and yesterday have been really good days for me, so I think that'll add a nice, positive voice to this post.
A few weeks before I left for Santiago, our program director sent an email to both me and 2 other people, telling us that we'd be on the same flight to Santiago together, and ride to the hostel together.
They're Brock and Erica. Both from Illinois, but Brock had been living in Portland for a few years. We met at O'Hare, waited there together for 4 hours when our flight was delayed, sat on the plane together, waited together for 2 hours in Panama City when we missed our first connection, sat on that plane together, and landed together in Santiago almost 20 hours later. All 3 of us definitely connected right away. The two of them have been friends for 7 years (they're 27 and 28) and met in Costa Rica during a study abroad trip. They are so funny together, because they fight like siblings, and are totally open, honest, and not afraid to be themselves. I totally fed off of people like that, and I got along with them right away. Erica is like me in a lot of ways: she loves yoga and natural supplements (peppermint oils and St. Johns Wart remedies), meeting new people, and speaking Spanish. She asks a lot of questions and listens very well. Brock is a huge diva, but I can tell he loves life and wants to live it to the fullest. He is so genuine, and really knows who he is and what he wants out of every situation. They both inspire me, and make me laugh! I hope we can stay friends for a long time!
We got picked up at the airport in Santiago and shuttled to the hostel, and arrived at about 5 am Santiago time. We immediately crashed and went to bed.
The hostel is HUGE and very cool. The wifi is nothing less than perfect, but the showers are terrible. Last night I heard from Erica where the best shower in the hostel was, and I traded her information for use of my hair straightener yesterday morning... #hostellife So that at least has gotten better!
The day after we arrived we walked around the area of Santiago that we're in (Providencia) and got lost a lot. But, it has to happen! We were so sleepy and hungry and tired. It was a rough combination.
The next couple of days were a blur of being tired, hungry, hot, annoyed, homesick, etc . There were highlights in it all though (always gotta look at the positive!)... The first night, Brock, Erica and I went to dinner and drank a bottle of Chilean wine and talked about life. It was uplifting and encouraging. I feel like I've known them for years and I am so sad, because they were leaving for Concepción, a city 6 hours away by plane for the year to teach.
Which leads me to another note. I seem to have made best friends with all of the people who are leaving for Concepción or Viña del Mar. The group I got closest with consisted of me and 4 other people. Two to Concepcion (Brock and Erica), two to Viña (Kylie and Dana). I'm the only one staying in Santiago and I having been avoiding the thought that they're leaving because it is so sad!
This past Sunday I went to church here in Santiago. For those who don't know, I am a member of a nondenominational church (ICOC) and we have churches all over the world (I've been to one in Chicago, Madrid, Irvine, Iowa, etc). The church here is led by Dan and Mary Allison, they're a couple in their 60s from Florida. They've lived all over the world, pretty much as missionaries, serving the churches and helping build them up. They mentioned living in places like India and the UAE. They fed me after church (they had been eating vegan and gluten free for the few weeks before I arrived, and I hadn't been eating well up to that point) and it was delicious! They let me nap at their apartment as well, which was a huge blessing, because it's so hard to nap at the hostel during the day.
My room in the hostel is very small, and there are 5 of us living in it, with all of our luggage for a year. It's not too bad, but it'll start to get difficult soon. They're all really sweet girls; 2 from Davis, CA, one from England, and one from Northern Ireland. All 5 of us are staying in Santiago to teach, so we've been trying to get to know each other and hang out, have food and drinks. We have about 15 more days left to live in the hostel, so we've all been trying to find somewhere to live.
An update on that: Originally, I was looking to live with a host family. It turns out that the way to do that was much more difficult and somewhat sketchier than had been implied. So I've changed my mind to looking to live with Chileans. I haven't found anything too promising yet and I'm a little nervous, but I still have time!
I spent the rest of the week figuring out how to use the Metro (success, and I love it! It's so easy and cheap and makes me feel like a real chilena) and went out with people one night. It was fun having the whole group out, and we went to a place where we could dance to some Latina music, and it was great.
Yesterday we had our first day of orientation at one of the campuses of Duoc. We are all working for this school, but we are split up in campuses. There are 2 in Valpo/Viña, 1 in Concepcion, and probably about 8 or so in Santiago. The one campus we met at for orientation just so happened to be the one I will be working at. I'd been so nervous and stressed and on edge all the time because I feel like I had NO information. I walked into this building and immediately felt relief. Just to know something tangible, that it was real and I had more information than before, was so so nice.
Yesterday and today we have training at this place. After being there and getting SO much information about our classes, the other people we will be working with, etc. I am really starting to get excited about teaching. They told us more about our students as well. They are people probably the first in their family to go to college. They are studying things that they can finish in 2 years and go directly into the working world: mechanics, construction, cooking, tourism. English not something they would necessarily be studying primarily or be too passionate about, but it is something they will need very much in the working world. The sight coordinators played this video for us and it made me smile SO much. These are Duoc students (from campuses all over Chile, not just mine) and they seem so happy and fun loving and enthusiastic. I think I'm going to like being a teacher.
And finally, today of all the days. It has been wonderful. After our orientation, we all came back to our hostel. It was everyone's last day who are leaving for their cities (tomorrow afternoon). So we all decided to go on a hike that Noah had mentioned to me (he did it while he was here in Santiago almost a year ago), but is also very well known around here. It's a hike up a mini mountain to a statue of La Virgen (the Virgin Mary). It overlooks almost the entire city, and you can see the Andes surrounding everything. We left our hostel with the group of us, Dana, Kylie, Brock, and Erica, plus another friend from out program, who is teaching in a high school here, Mike. We had so much fun, got some good exercise, hung out, and sang a little too, as we hiked. The view from the top was absolutely amazing... At the top, there is a sign that says, "Silencio, lugar de oracion", which means, "quiet, place of prayer." It was very serene and peaceful up there. The view was spectacular and we all took a moment to sit separately and be within our own thoughts and it was beautiful. Here are some photos!
I don't have one of all 5 of us together, but Mike does, so hopefully I can get it from him, or at least get tagged in it on Facebook. I really hope to do this hike many many times, and hopefully before I leave the hostel because it was so easy to get to.
Well y'all, I think that's it for now. I can't think of anything else that I should mention, but really I feel like I'm forgetting a million things. Comment if you have questions and I'll reply!
Tonight we're going out for one final night on the town. I'm so excited, but I feel the onset of sadness coming. I'll put it off till tomorrow. For now, vamos!
Miss and love you all,
besos,
Ally
WHAAAAATTTTT Ally this is so cool! FB message sent.....tengo preguntas.
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