This last month in Chile has been one of the most incredible experiences and one of the hardest of my life. I’ve made close friends, which have helped with not getting home sick, although at times I will miss my family. I have started a journal which has helped so much, I’ve already filled almost 60 pages of writing and drawing.
It’s hard to describe in words what has happened this month. I feel tired almost constantly and sometimes its like I’m an outsider even when I’m surrounded by people just because I’m still learning the language. But my host family and my class mates are all really kind and friendly.
I’ve gone to the Andes with my host dad and some of my friends here and it has some of the most astounding views I’ve seen in my life. The hike to one of the look out points was difficult with about 6 hours of going straight up and down the mountain but it was definitely worth hiking through snow to see it.
The culture is also very different than the United States and food plays a huge part in it. Right now winter has just finished in Chile so not as many fruits and vegetables are available so we have been eating a lot of rice potatoes or bread with different types of meat. Other than breakfast there is meat with almost every meal which I am still not used to. The portion sizes here are also quite large and more often then not I can’t finish all of my food. Even at school the meals are quite large with 45 minutes of time just to eat.
At school we have to ware a uniform, one is quite formal and the other is basically a sweat set which we wear on days we have physical education. Almost every school in Chile is different with the schedule but at the school I go to (Colegio Ingles de Talca) we are at school from 7:30 – 16:00 (4:00pm) except for Fridays when school ends at 14:00 (2:00pm). Clases are long and many are quite confusing with the classrooms switching locations constantly, which leads to a lot of confusion getting lost for me and the other exchange students here.
So far I have gone to one rotary meeting here, although we have had an informal barbecue with some rotary families and helped with selling some meals. The rotary meeting was quite long starting at 19:00 (7:00pm) and ending at 23:00 (11:00pm) but many other left long after my host family and me. This was hard getting home so late as I had school the next day at 7:30, but it was a lot of fun cause there was dancing of the typical dance of chile, the Cueca, as well as trying some typical Chilean foods.
So far my time here has been the experience of a lifetime and I can’t wait for the adventures here that come!
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