Important Announcement!

Ok everyone. This blog is the inside of my heart and mind and I'm clearing some things up that you might be wondering about. First of all, making the decision to travel abroad was one of the best decisions, I have ever made, and also the best and hardest thing I have ever done in my 2 decades of life. In all honesty I don't really know what I am doing. There have been many options available to me that I have thought about doing. It was very hard for me to decide what to do. I know at first my plan was to study in Valdivia, then go to Santiago for 2 months to help out with the missionaries, then return to Valdivia to study. Then I decided to not return to school until fall so that opened up more time for me to do stuff. Then because I was lazy my opportunity to work with the missionaries passed and I had to figure something else out. I looked into a program in Ecuador where I would work in a hostel. They however never responded so I had to figure out something else to do. I came across a program in Peru to help out in an orphanage, and am for sure doing that. Then I decided to sign up with WWOOFers to help out in organic farms in Argentina. I never meant to seem like a lier with these changes and I apologize or any issues it might have caused anyone reading or in my life. I believe I have a final outline of what I am going to do. Here it is if you are interested; On January 3rd I am leaving Valdivia and going to Argentina to work on an organic farm until the end of January. Then I am going to fly to Peru and work in the orphanage from February to April. Then I am unsure what is going to happen. I am not returning to the states until June. But as I figure out what I am doing you will all know. Once again I'm sorry for the confusion, and thank you for your support in my adventures abroad. hearts.

Christmas in Chile

Yumm

The Table

 Feliz Navidad! Yes today is Christmas, and currently I am listening to "Celtic Christmas" and various other christmas songs on ITunes. As many of you know I had the opportunity to celebrate it in Chile with my host family. I did not have much idea what was going to happen, and at times neither did my host family. But, it ended up being very fun and I want to share with you all what I did these past few days. Yesterday was the 24th and we did not do much during the day. Then in the evening we had a very nice dinner. Then after dinner we opened presents. I got my host family some really neat things, and they got me some pretty earrings and a beautiful artesan necklace. I saw them all the time at markets, but never bought one. So I am please to have one now. It was a very relaxing evening, and we watched Hook together. That was fun and then Cecilia went to sleep, and I watched The Grinch and Rudolph in Spanish. Twas very fun. I also played cribbage against myself and won. Haha I need to find people to play with. My family in the states really knew what would make me happy. Even though I am very far from them, I know they still love me, and the reality is Christmas is about love and celebrating the greatest expression of love. God gave us Jesus so we could live forever. Wow. That's pretty lazer in itself. Tonight I'll be going out probably with some Chilean friends so that should be nice, but I am not forgetting the reason for the season. And the kindness should last all year. Lets do little acts of love each day to help the world. That's the best way to be like Jesus. Love people for who they are and help. Happy Christmas everyone! Feliz Navidad, prospero año y felizidad. hearts.

Cecilia y Gustavo

Table with food

Cecilia y Yo

Chile Blog Numero 8

School is officially finished! And my grades were not that bad actually. I passed all my classes with C+'s to B's. Pretty good for a hardcore semester. Now I get to chill in Valdivia with my friends and host family. Yesterday was really fun when we went to the "campo" Gustavo's dad's mother's home in the country of Valdivia. It was hermosa. A spanish word for gorgeous land that describes the country side best. It was huge and had a beautiful view of a blue/green lake with the mountains, and green trees surrounding the lake. It was peaceful, and I loved just staring at the lake for long periods of time. We had an "asado" a bbq of sorts and I had lamb. It was different but good. I rather enjoyed it. And I listened to a lot of chilean spanish. They thought I was one of them until I told them I was from the states, but they enjoyed asking me about my travels and about Washington. I really miss it and my mountain. Also I'm listening to Dosed by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and it is a really good song look it up. I love going to family events because it makes me feel like I'm home. I miss my family so much. But soon I will see them. We also had the most epic storm ever.  It rained and hailed so hard a little smaller than a penny in size. And there was thunder and lightening. I love storms so this made me excited. Also Strawberry Wine is delicious.

It's funny because it is summer here, so I'm celebrating Christmas in the summer and I just have to say X-mas songs in the summer, weird. haha But it should be an interesting celebration. I've got to do some shopping, but think I'll go look at the street venders and their crafts or something. Thanks again for the support everyone. hearts!

Oh the future.

Well I have been studying in Valdivia, Chile for about 4 months and absolutely love the city and my wonderful host family: Cecilia, Gustavo, Christian y Valentina. I have decided to make a change though and move on to a different aspect of South America. I am officially un-enrolled from Central for 2 quarters. I am going to spend December in Valdivia with my friends and host family here and then after New Years in January, I am going to Argentina to work on an organic farm with an Argentinian family who loves music, dancing and crafts who doesn't know English. Then in March to May I am going to Peru to work in an orphanage. I am especially jazzed for this program because I will get to work! And talk in Spanish and spend time with children. I have decided to do these programs instead of returning to school because I am having a hard time in my classes, and my GPA is diminishing. In addition, the teachers are not the best for my learning style and I am surrounded by English all the time. All I want to do is learn Spanish fluently, so I am heading somewhere to make that a reality. Un-sure when I will return to the US, but as my travels progress I will continually update my blog. Thank you for all the suppport hearts!

Things that don't make sense.

While being abroad I've learned some things that don't make sense and have decided to make this new segment that will continue as I discover more.

1. Hollow chocolate
2. The option of paper towels and air dryer in a bathroom
3. Non-alcoholic beer
4. Diet, cafeine free pepsi
5. Dolls that poop and pee like really babies
6. 12-16 year olds singing about love
7. Pocket dictionaries that don't fit in your pocket
8. Washing your face with an anti-acne wash and waking up with a pimple
9. Sweeping a dirt floor
10. Washing dishes with tap water you aren't supposed to drink ever

Chile Blog Numero 7

Well today is Thanksgiving. My first holiday away from home in 20 years. It was really weird waking up this morning to go to class while wearing a skirt and T-shirt. By this time, I'd wake up in my room, no school, put on a sweater and jeans and get ready for Thanksgiving dunch with my dad in the kitchen making pies and what not with it being freezing outside. I really missed being with my family today. But I'm doing really well in Chile. I had a revelation about the rest of this year, and I am very excited to see how it unravels. Once I have everything figured out, I'll post it for you all to read. :) I did have the blessing of the opportunity to have a  Thanksgiving dinner with some of my gringa friends and chilean friends as well. We had chicken, stuffing, potatoes, gravy and salad. It was absolutely divertido! (fun) We played cards just like I would back home, and enjoyed each other's company. I really love my chilean friends, and I am going to miss them when I leave. School is increasingly harder. It feels all my profs thought hey, lets colaborate and give all the students a ton of homework to do in a week on a weekend they are all leaving! Ya! So they did. I am swamped with homework and tests coming up, and I don't know how I'm going to do it all...coffee and patience I guess. Maybe living on a prayer. Take my hand and we'll make it I swear. :) I can do it. Ready to pwn those tests though and be free. Yay summer! On the plus side, my Spanish is improving greatly even if my profs don't notice it, and that feels really good. Plus I'm understanding more than 50% of what I hear. It is hard studying abroad, but I am so glad I'm here,and I'm going to enjoy the rest of the time I have here and get the most out of it. I love you all back home, and hope your Thanksgivings were great. hearts!

How to annoy your Spanish profs while studying abroad.

1. Use english words in your writings.
2. Answer incorrectly multiple times
3. Cry when you mess up
4. Be honest when asked how you feel about a test... i.e. I'm scared
5. After your tests when asked how you did respond with I think I did bad.
6. Don't show up to class
7. Arrive ridiculously late to class
8. Ask ridiculous questions
9. Don't do your homework
10. Argue your wrong answer until they get too annoyed to continue the debate.
11. Explain your issues in English.