Finalllyyy, a Blog Update

Hello boys and girls!

I am sorry for being a terrible blogger recently. I could blame it on lack of Wifi during our excursion in Temuco, but really, I just kind of forgot to update for awhile. 

Anyway, we our officially in the Independent Study Project portion of the program. I am super stressed about this because I am not still not exactly sure of my research question, nor exactly how we are supposed to go about carry out our research. I feel like there is a ton to do, but at the same time I can't do very much until my research question is set in stone. So, I went to the beach today. (My work strategy is very different here in Chile than it is in the U.S..)

Jenn gets a surf lesson from our friend Mijahel

Woo-hoo! She's upright!

Jenn, me, and Mijahel. Don't be deceived by the wetsuit-- I did not surf, just wearing it for fun!

One would think I actually went surfing...

...but in fact, I spent most of my time playing with my beach dogs Sonny and Cher.

Who needs extreme sports when there are stray dogs to divert one's self with?

Mijahel, Jenn, me, and Sebastian. (With Sonny and Cher nearby as always.)

Still in Temuco

Learning lots about the Mapuche. 


 As I have already alluded to, the South is way more verdent than the North of Chile. While my dusty, little Arica is beautiful because it is my home here in Chile,it was nice to get a break from all the sand.

 

In addition to be lovely and green, the South is also quite cold. Each of our "cabanas" (suites) had a fireplace that was supposed to keep us warm. Too bad neither I nor any of my dear cabana-mates knew how to start a fire.

Jenn and Maria try AGAIN to build a fire.

Jenn and Maria fail AGAIN at building a fire.

Leo, the assistent director of our program, comes to save us.

Like all of the other girls in our program (and like the boys, too, I think!) I have a litttttle crush on Leo.

 

Arrival in Temuco

Rain and greenery!!!

Straight out of the airport

The only salt lake in Chile, Lago Budi!

Me with my "compañera de cuarto," or roommate, Maria

Traditional Mapuche dwelling

En el Aeropuerto Santiago

In the Santiago Airport

First things first: I just had a granola and yogurt parfait from Starbucks!! After leaving Arica at 5:00am this morning to catch an early flight to Santiago (Remember, I can't sleep on planes. No exceptions.) I can't express the joy I felt upon seeing that towering symbol of American consumerist culture. :)

Right now I am in the Santiago airport with the rest of my group. We have a five hour layover here, and then another short flight to Temuco. I am actually super excited for this excursion to Temuco, but not for the reasons you might think. The purpose of this trip is to learn about Mapuche culture and medicine. That's all well and good, but what I am really excited for is the RAINNNN. It is raining in Temuco right now! After living for about two months now in one of the driest places on earth, I have realized how much I really miss rain. It's so bad that sometimes I wake up in the morning and hear someone watering plants and think that the water hitting the ground is rain. And sometimes, I hear a loud truck in the distance and think that it is thunder. I am actually hallucinating for lack of rainfall! So you see, this excursion is much-needed. If only they also had Kraft macaroni and cheese in Temuco I would be all set....

Cena de Despedida

Goodbye Dinner

Last night was our "goodbye" dinner with the host families. Some of the people in my group will be traveling to other cities for the ISPs, where they will be living in hostels or in apartments. Of course, I will be staying right here in Arica with the family during the ISP period, so  it wasn't actually a "goodbye" dinner for me. Still, it was a nice photo opp...

Abuelo, Abuelita, Cote, Felipe, and me

Los Abuelos, Ivan, Cote, me, and Jessica

Trionfo Sobre la Enfermedad

Triumph Over Illness


I am allowed to go out into the world and be with people! But I have an oral exam today. Blech.  


On an unrelated note, Mary Poppins speaks Spanish. So does Burt:
CLICK HERE for Supercalifragilisticexpialodocious en Español

Estoy Enferma :(

I am sick :(

There is a nasty stomach bug tearing through my group and I think I contracted some kind of mutated verison of it yesterday. My stomach was only bothering me for a short time, but then I was left with a cough/sore throat. And last night, when I had a fever and felt dizzy, my host mom Jessica insisted on taking me to the clinic. Personally, I would've been content to wait it out, but apparently the whole "Mom knows best" thing is not just an American phenomenon. So we went to the clinic and 46 mill pesos later I have amoxicilina, ibuprofeno, and a promise from Dr. Álvarez that I will, indeed, survive. Well that is good news. 

I feel a lot better this morning but still super tired and obviously not in classes today. My host mom is a great nurse and brought me tea and toast in bed this morning, and I also found the WB on t.v. so I've already watched Friends and Two and a Half Men. I might just have to bust out Mary Poppins this afternoon.