One week in

After a week in Chile...  I've found a new home. THIS PLACE IS AWESOME. Santiago can be a little sketchy at times. But what large South American city isn't? I've put up some pictures on the blog and on facebook of the past weeks events. I have settled into this cozy little house in Santiago. I have yet to learn how to tune out the chorus of dogs, both stray and pets, that sing me to sleep every night. It doesn't help that EVERY house on my block seems to have a dog that in turn feels compelled to bark at the same time each night.

Anyway, we had a welcome dinner last friday for our program at an awesome restaurant. The fact that I am the only guy on my abroad program was only compounded by the dinner only including the mothers of the Americans. Thus, I was one of two males at a dinner for 25.

This week has been a drag. We started our three weeks of intense classes. The three hour Spanish grammar and skills class begins at 8:30 in the morning.  Then at noon we have the ever exciting Chilean culture class for two hours.  Because Chileans eat lunch at 2 o'clock, most of us have to wait until we get home from class (roughly at 2:45) to eat lunch. Rough. In the end, it's not so terrible.

Here are some pics of the last week:

My house

The gringos

My host mother and the best cook in Chile

Los americanos y sus madres

In Chile, they call their babies "guaguas"

Santiago