Third and final Rotary Beavertale...
_______________________________________
298 days, 18 hours, and 40 minutes. From the time I boarded my plane in Canada until I will board my plane here in Chile to head back to my familiar world. But somewhere in those 298 days this country has become so familiar to me now; the places, the people, the language, the food, the streets, my life. When you start out your exchange you never really think of it coming to an end. Being put into a foreign land not knowing anything, to speaking the language and having friends that feel like you’ve had forever, how can this come to an end? My last months here have passed by so fast and have been the best months of my exchange. Its heart wrenching to know that I only have one more month left of this life, but I have so many memories and stories that I will be able to carry on with me for forever.
March started off with my second Rotary trip, this time to the North of Chile. The first couple of days we spent up in La Serena and Valle de Elqui which are only about 7 hours north of Santiago. One night we stayed in the Valley at an accommodation with an observatory. I’ve already seen the amazing stars in Chile but the sky was fully illuminated with no moon, the Milky Way galaxy visible, planet Saturn evident through the telescope, and the mountains of the valley framed the sky as if you were staring straight up into a glorious painting. For the whole trip we travelled by bus and had two nights onboard. After our first night onboard we woke-up to a drastic change of scenery. We stopped in Antofagasta and saw la mano de Dios (hand of God), and then straddled the Tropic of Capricorn while we continued on towards San Pedro de Atacama in the Atacama Desert. When we went on a horseback ride in San Pedro I was amazed to see all the mountains and volcanoes in the distance; I didn’t expect to see so many volcanoes. During our days spent in San Pedro de Atacama we went to the Salar de Atacama (a salt field) with flamingos, Valle de la Muerte, and Valle de la Luna where it literally looked like you could have been on the moon! The next morning we woke-up at 4:30 am to take a long and bumpy bus ride up to the Geysers del Tatio (4,320 meters above sea level). On our way back down we stopped in a few small villages where we sampled llama meat and were attacked by locals with water balloons! We then travelled to our last city, Arica, which is at the very north of Chile boarding Peru. After a day of travelling up 4,500 meters to a volcano we received news of the earthquake that hit Japan and that the coast of Chile was under a tsunami warning – and we were right on the coast! Luckily nothing happened to Chile other than a few big waves although we were ready to evacuate if needed. It’s safe to say we clocked-in quite a few kilometres in those 10 days!
March brought the reality of back to school and all the joys of the Chilean school system. I was a little worried of going back into school as I wasn’t sure how far I had progressed with my Spanish and hadn’t seen many of my school friends over the summer. But the truth is this year has been so much better! I’m able to follow along in class, understand my friends’ conversations and hearing the many “Lyndsay, hablas español!!” at the start really made me feel comfortable again. I feel like I talk the most fluent and most comfortably with my school friends. I think it’s because I’ve known them since my first week here and that I’ve grown to feel as if I’ve always been in that class. The school days are still long but now being in 4° Medio we get to leave a bit earlier as most of my classmates are in Preuniversitario (Pre-university). My poor classmates have to attend school for the regular hours and then go to their Preuniversitarios after for a few hours where they study intensively for the PSU test (Chilean SAT) in November that will determine which university they will attend next year.
I’ve also been filling in some of my free-time now after school by joining a university field hockey team here in Santiago. By chance, and my host-mom asking if I could practice with them for a few minutes, the coach invited me to join the team! I’m training with the field hockey team from the Universidad Diego Portales. I’m not able to play in the actual games since I’m not registered as a student. But it’s been great finally playing a sport again that I love and hanging out with my new group of field hockey friends. I mean, one day for practice we had a kung-fu class – now that was interesting!
In April came another holiday – Pascua/Easter. My family and I left on Good Friday to go to the campo with my host-dad’s family. Out of all the un-rainy days there are in central-Chile it seemed to just pour down as we were driving. We arrived to a lot of mud and cooler than normal temperatures. We spent our days baking calzones rotos (literal translation – torn underwear) which are small fried dough pastries, and three kinds of mouth-watering empanadas! The older cousins and I even went out to a disco one night – I didn’t believe my cousin at first when she said there was one out there! It was such a weird feeling having Easter in autumn. When it warmed-up it felt as if it could be warm Thanksgiving Day instead of a crisp spring Easter day. My season senses have been so mixed-up this year.
Lorana! In May I had the most amazing opportunity to travel to Easter Island/Isla de Pascua/Rapa Nui on my final Rotary trip! I fell in love with the island and everything about it. We flew almost 4,000 kilometres into the middle of the Pacific Ocean and we arrived on the small, humid, and magical island of Rapa Nui. The sky was a brilliant blue, the many green covered volcanoes were so vivid, and the air was as clean as could be. We visited many places to look at the Moais (the famous rock statues on the island), learned about the culture and traditions, and even took a horseback ride up to the highest point on the island. Up there you could see the tiny island below you, and in the distance, for 360°, was pure ocean. No land in sight for miles! It was such a cool experience to know how far away and secluded you are from everything else that you know in the world. We also experienced some of the most bi-polar weather on the island. One minute it would be sunny with barely a cloud in the sky and then it would be pouring rain on you the next. We experienced the change in weather as we were hiking up to a crater. Of course we weren’t expecting the rain, and then suddenly we were poured on. After it had stopped, and we were on our way down again, the rain came harder than before and a river appeared on our path where there wasn’t one before! This was one of the funniest memories: A whole bunch of foreign kids having fun in the rain as we were all slipping and sliding in the mud, soaking wet. The whole feel to the trip was so relaxed – a true island vibe. But the best part of it was being with some of the best people ever, the exchange students!
My exchange has been a constant up and down ride the entire year. I’ve felt so many emotions in such a short period of time and yet I’ve grown so much from it. From having my highest of highs, to my lowest of lows, exchange and Chile have truly shaped me into the person that I have become today. But it’s not only the experiences and life lessons that shape you it’s also the amazing people and friends who have come into your life along the way.
My exchange student family - It’s so strange to look-back on our very first day-trip together where we were all new “doe-eyed” exchange students in this foreign land called Chile. But now we call this country home. We know how to get around it better than some locals, we now speak the language, we know where to go to carretear, we are always there when another exchange student needs help or someone to hangout with, and most importantly we’ve found a place to call home and a new family from all over the world! I’ve made some of the best memories during my time here with my exchange friends. Even though we come from so many countries, different walks of life, and are all our individual persons, we have an unbreakable bond as exchange students. I will never forget the incredible people who I have shared my year with, and the most hilarious and special moments we’ve had together!
Mis amigos chilenos – the people who have gone through my exchange with me from the start to the finish. They’ve seen me at my worst when I arrived not able to say a word, to now at my hilarious attempt to be as Chilean as I can be! From going on our class trip to the south and Argentina to celebrating everyone’s 18th birthdays, I am truly going to miss my Chilean friends and class. Some days I feel like I’ve known them forever, especially my group of close friends that I’ve made. It seems so surreal that in a month I won’t be able to greet them with a kiss every morning, hear about the latest news in their lives, or dance, sing, and laugh like the crazy people that we are! But I know I’ll always be a part of my class as their Gringa, la Lyndsay.
With only four weeks left it’s hard to imagine how fast my exchange has gone by. I’ve learned so much and have grown a lot as a person in just these short 10 months. I’m not sure who I’ll be when I return back home or if a difference will even been seen by my family. But I’ve experienced so many things in just a short period of time. My exchange has been the best, worst, happiest, loneliest, most exciting, most difficult, most interesting, and life building year of my life. I see beauty in this life and country everyday – I wouldn’t trade my exchange for anything!
Thank you to everyone who has made this amazing year happen for me. To my supportive family in Canada, the Rotarians of District 7080, and my Chilean family and friends you have all made a difference in one girl’s life.
Un beso,
Lyndsay
Showing posts with label Beavertale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beavertale. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Beavertale Round 2
Here's my second Beavertale for my district back home. If you actually read my blog then nothing should be new news! Again to check-out the other Outbounds Beavertale's go to...
¿Donde se fue el tiempo? Here I am, already six months through my Exchange and I still cannot fathom how fast the time just seems to fly by. Some days it seems as if I have just arrived, still discovering new things and new words. But yet at other instances, it seems as if I’ve lived here forever, seeing this country as my own and feeling a part of the Chilean culture. These past six months have taught me many things and have opened my eyes up to new ideas, opportunities, and ways of life. Every day is still an adventure and there’s always something new to discover and learn, I’m just taking things day by day and enjoying them while I’m still here!
At the start of December I ended my school year here early to go with Rotary to the “end of the world” otherwise known as Patagonia. I had travelled to a part of Patagonia in Argentina with my class but this was much more different and spectacular! About 50 excited and energy-filled exchange students flew to Punta Arenas (known as the world’s most Southern city), as we started on our “fully-epic” trip! We spent the first day in Punta Arenas, kissed the toe of the Indian statue to bring good luck and to return to Punta Arenas, and then headed to a penguin sanctuary. Seeing these tiny creatures was one of many highlights of the trip. Coming from Canada you never think that you’ll have the chance to see these adorable birds in the wild! We also spent four days in Torres del Paine National Park. All I have to say is – WOW! The well-known granite spires were breathtaking surrounded by blue-green glacial lakes and rocky green mountains covered with Patagonian flowers. From bearing the cold and swimming in a glacial-water river, taking an 8 hour boat ride, seeing glaciers, horseback riding in the open Patagonian terrain, and the many memories and near-sleepless nights, this trip was truly amazing! I can say for sure that I have never seen a more beautiful and breathtaking place in my life! The Chilean Patagonia is truly a magical and inspiring landscape!
Sun, shorts, and the beach... this was my Christmas. In Chile they celebrate Christmas on the 24th. My host-family is a little different as we didn’t get together with family for the holiday although my older host-brother did come home from university in Argentina. On the day of the 24th it was a relaxed day at home and we started to eat our Christmas dinner around 10:30 pm, which was not quite the feast as you would have in Canada. At midnight everyone ripped open their presents as we said our “Feliz Navidad’s”. On the 25th my family and I headed to a small town near the coast where I met one of my uncles. After we had lunch together, we headed to the beach, Viña del Mar. Never would I have ever imagined that I would be putting my bare feet into the Pacific Ocean on Christmas day!
The day after Christmas presented another change; this was a change in host-families! I now live in a new comuna called Recoleta which is right beside Cerro San Cristobal and about an hour on public transit from my first house. Living in this new house and neighbourhood I feel like I really am in Chile. The architecture and buildings of this area are much older but I find them so much more beautiful with more culture, character and history behind them. My Mama and Papa are really nice and kind-hearted people and they made me feel welcomed in the home right away. They even spent one night teaching me the cueca, the national dance of Chile, which my host-Papa and I proudly showed off at our next family gathering! I also now have a host-brother and a grandmother who lives in the house but in her own wing. Even though I am far from my school and school friends I think I will enjoy living with this family until the end of my exchange.
After a few days with my new family it was New Years Eve. I went with my family to a beach called Las Cruces where I met a lot of uncles, aunts, and cousins! After watching the sunset over the Pacific for the last time in the year 2010 we started to get our night started! My host-Papa had cooked up a delicious asado and the whole family sat down for a meal at around 10 pm. After dinner the dancing started – music was blaring, anticipation was building, everyone was dancing, then... cinco, cuatro, tres, dos, uno... FELIZ AÑO NUEVO! At midnight everyone went around to each family member giving them a kiss, hug, and a “feliz año nuevo” as we watched the fireworks go off in the nearby port city of San Antonio. Here in Chile they have some traditions for the New Year. One is to wear yellow underwear to bring good luck, and another is to eat 12 grapes - each grape representing every month of the year. After all of the hugs were done, on we went with the dancing, and we sure danced the night away! On the first day of the new year I headed out with one of my uncles, cousin, and brother to the “secret point.” This was where I swam in the Pacific Ocean for the first time ever along with attempting to surf! The day was total bliss, sitting on a secluded beach, hearing the Pacific waves crash, breathing in fresh ocean air on January 1st in Chile... this is my life!
This “summer” I’ve had a few opportunities to travel a little bit, especially to the coast. In the middle of January I had a great visit from my Canadian big brother! After a couple of days sightseeing in Santiago and getting him accustomed to a new country we headed to Viña del Mar for two nights along with a day trip to Valparaíso. After exploring the central coast we jumped on a bus to go 7 hours north up to another coast city, La Serena. After having a mishap of getting off in the wrong city, walking around while there were no street names on the streets, we managed to get ourselves to the right city! One day we went on a day trip a couple more hours away to a place called Isla Dama. Here we were able to take a boat out to see this pristine white sand island with aqua waters along with seeing penguins, sea lions, and dolphins! The next night we went to an observatory as the north of Chile is well-known for having some of the clearest skies in the world. As soon as we stepped out of our van and looked up I was in shock, there were so many stars and I have never seen them so bright before! I learned a lot from this trip as I had to plan and book everything by myself along with having to do all the translating and talking. It was really nice having my brother come to visit, but it also seemed a little weird. For him it was just a vacation, while for me this was my life. Mixing my Chilean life and someone from my Canadian life was a weird feeling, but it was fun to show off my new country!
As well, I had the opportunity to spend 4 nights in Valparaíso with my exchange friend, her Canadian mom, and her mom’s friend as we had a girls’ trip to the coast. We had fun exploring some back alleys with beautiful graffiti-esque murals, eating delicious seafood and taking in some sun on the beaches nearby. After those days I hopped on a bus and joined my host-family at another beach a few hours away. After having a relaxing summer day with family we then headed to el campo (the country) where my host-Papa is from. There I had an eye-opening view of another different way of life. My host-Papas parents live on the same plot of land as two of my aunts and their families. There were chickens walking around freely, sheep, grape vines, loud children, people talking with such heavy accents I could barely understand, and delicious home cooked meals! We spent the weekend there and attended a wedding on the Saturday. Unfortunately I didn’t have the experience of witnessing the actual wedding ceremony but I sure did enjoy the dancing as the cousins and I danced until 4 am!
If there’s something that would define Chile it would be music and dancing. These two things are in the hearts and souls of every Chilean. There’s always music playing, in my house, on the street, in the public buses and I just don’t know how I will be able to go home and not have the familiar sounds of my now much beloved Spanish music. I find myself dancing all the time or humming along to the beats of my favourite Spanish songs. I’ve truly learned to embrace dancing into my life whether it’s at family get-togethers or a night out at a discotheque with my friends – it’s the new Latina in me!
With every passing month here it’s hard to face the fact that I will have to return back to Canada at some point. Everything here feels so normal now. I’m no longer noticing things that stand out, now I’m embracing the things that make this country so unique and I love it! I no longer feel as if I am the gringa who doesn’t know how to get places, can’t speak the language, use slang words, or is afraid or self-conscience when constantly being stared or whistled at in public. I see myself as more Chilean now, and even get a little frustrated when store vendors assume I don’t know how to speak Spanish or that I’m a tourist – I actually enjoy helping the poor lost-looking tourists here! Even though at times life can still be quite hard and lonely there are always the moments and memories that I think to myself how much I love Chile!
As for now I’m going try and make the most out of my last two weeks of summer vacation and then it’s back into school, which honestly I am looking forward to as I get to see all my Chilean friends again! Thank you Rotary District 7080 and my host-club of Cambridge North for this opportunity to be living this life that I am now!
Besitos desde el otro lado de del ecuador
Lyndsay
- http://rotary7080.org/
- Youth Exchange 7080
- BeaverTales
¿Donde se fue el tiempo? Here I am, already six months through my Exchange and I still cannot fathom how fast the time just seems to fly by. Some days it seems as if I have just arrived, still discovering new things and new words. But yet at other instances, it seems as if I’ve lived here forever, seeing this country as my own and feeling a part of the Chilean culture. These past six months have taught me many things and have opened my eyes up to new ideas, opportunities, and ways of life. Every day is still an adventure and there’s always something new to discover and learn, I’m just taking things day by day and enjoying them while I’m still here!
At the start of December I ended my school year here early to go with Rotary to the “end of the world” otherwise known as Patagonia. I had travelled to a part of Patagonia in Argentina with my class but this was much more different and spectacular! About 50 excited and energy-filled exchange students flew to Punta Arenas (known as the world’s most Southern city), as we started on our “fully-epic” trip! We spent the first day in Punta Arenas, kissed the toe of the Indian statue to bring good luck and to return to Punta Arenas, and then headed to a penguin sanctuary. Seeing these tiny creatures was one of many highlights of the trip. Coming from Canada you never think that you’ll have the chance to see these adorable birds in the wild! We also spent four days in Torres del Paine National Park. All I have to say is – WOW! The well-known granite spires were breathtaking surrounded by blue-green glacial lakes and rocky green mountains covered with Patagonian flowers. From bearing the cold and swimming in a glacial-water river, taking an 8 hour boat ride, seeing glaciers, horseback riding in the open Patagonian terrain, and the many memories and near-sleepless nights, this trip was truly amazing! I can say for sure that I have never seen a more beautiful and breathtaking place in my life! The Chilean Patagonia is truly a magical and inspiring landscape!
Sun, shorts, and the beach... this was my Christmas. In Chile they celebrate Christmas on the 24th. My host-family is a little different as we didn’t get together with family for the holiday although my older host-brother did come home from university in Argentina. On the day of the 24th it was a relaxed day at home and we started to eat our Christmas dinner around 10:30 pm, which was not quite the feast as you would have in Canada. At midnight everyone ripped open their presents as we said our “Feliz Navidad’s”. On the 25th my family and I headed to a small town near the coast where I met one of my uncles. After we had lunch together, we headed to the beach, Viña del Mar. Never would I have ever imagined that I would be putting my bare feet into the Pacific Ocean on Christmas day!
The day after Christmas presented another change; this was a change in host-families! I now live in a new comuna called Recoleta which is right beside Cerro San Cristobal and about an hour on public transit from my first house. Living in this new house and neighbourhood I feel like I really am in Chile. The architecture and buildings of this area are much older but I find them so much more beautiful with more culture, character and history behind them. My Mama and Papa are really nice and kind-hearted people and they made me feel welcomed in the home right away. They even spent one night teaching me the cueca, the national dance of Chile, which my host-Papa and I proudly showed off at our next family gathering! I also now have a host-brother and a grandmother who lives in the house but in her own wing. Even though I am far from my school and school friends I think I will enjoy living with this family until the end of my exchange.
After a few days with my new family it was New Years Eve. I went with my family to a beach called Las Cruces where I met a lot of uncles, aunts, and cousins! After watching the sunset over the Pacific for the last time in the year 2010 we started to get our night started! My host-Papa had cooked up a delicious asado and the whole family sat down for a meal at around 10 pm. After dinner the dancing started – music was blaring, anticipation was building, everyone was dancing, then... cinco, cuatro, tres, dos, uno... FELIZ AÑO NUEVO! At midnight everyone went around to each family member giving them a kiss, hug, and a “feliz año nuevo” as we watched the fireworks go off in the nearby port city of San Antonio. Here in Chile they have some traditions for the New Year. One is to wear yellow underwear to bring good luck, and another is to eat 12 grapes - each grape representing every month of the year. After all of the hugs were done, on we went with the dancing, and we sure danced the night away! On the first day of the new year I headed out with one of my uncles, cousin, and brother to the “secret point.” This was where I swam in the Pacific Ocean for the first time ever along with attempting to surf! The day was total bliss, sitting on a secluded beach, hearing the Pacific waves crash, breathing in fresh ocean air on January 1st in Chile... this is my life!
This “summer” I’ve had a few opportunities to travel a little bit, especially to the coast. In the middle of January I had a great visit from my Canadian big brother! After a couple of days sightseeing in Santiago and getting him accustomed to a new country we headed to Viña del Mar for two nights along with a day trip to Valparaíso. After exploring the central coast we jumped on a bus to go 7 hours north up to another coast city, La Serena. After having a mishap of getting off in the wrong city, walking around while there were no street names on the streets, we managed to get ourselves to the right city! One day we went on a day trip a couple more hours away to a place called Isla Dama. Here we were able to take a boat out to see this pristine white sand island with aqua waters along with seeing penguins, sea lions, and dolphins! The next night we went to an observatory as the north of Chile is well-known for having some of the clearest skies in the world. As soon as we stepped out of our van and looked up I was in shock, there were so many stars and I have never seen them so bright before! I learned a lot from this trip as I had to plan and book everything by myself along with having to do all the translating and talking. It was really nice having my brother come to visit, but it also seemed a little weird. For him it was just a vacation, while for me this was my life. Mixing my Chilean life and someone from my Canadian life was a weird feeling, but it was fun to show off my new country!
As well, I had the opportunity to spend 4 nights in Valparaíso with my exchange friend, her Canadian mom, and her mom’s friend as we had a girls’ trip to the coast. We had fun exploring some back alleys with beautiful graffiti-esque murals, eating delicious seafood and taking in some sun on the beaches nearby. After those days I hopped on a bus and joined my host-family at another beach a few hours away. After having a relaxing summer day with family we then headed to el campo (the country) where my host-Papa is from. There I had an eye-opening view of another different way of life. My host-Papas parents live on the same plot of land as two of my aunts and their families. There were chickens walking around freely, sheep, grape vines, loud children, people talking with such heavy accents I could barely understand, and delicious home cooked meals! We spent the weekend there and attended a wedding on the Saturday. Unfortunately I didn’t have the experience of witnessing the actual wedding ceremony but I sure did enjoy the dancing as the cousins and I danced until 4 am!
If there’s something that would define Chile it would be music and dancing. These two things are in the hearts and souls of every Chilean. There’s always music playing, in my house, on the street, in the public buses and I just don’t know how I will be able to go home and not have the familiar sounds of my now much beloved Spanish music. I find myself dancing all the time or humming along to the beats of my favourite Spanish songs. I’ve truly learned to embrace dancing into my life whether it’s at family get-togethers or a night out at a discotheque with my friends – it’s the new Latina in me!
With every passing month here it’s hard to face the fact that I will have to return back to Canada at some point. Everything here feels so normal now. I’m no longer noticing things that stand out, now I’m embracing the things that make this country so unique and I love it! I no longer feel as if I am the gringa who doesn’t know how to get places, can’t speak the language, use slang words, or is afraid or self-conscience when constantly being stared or whistled at in public. I see myself as more Chilean now, and even get a little frustrated when store vendors assume I don’t know how to speak Spanish or that I’m a tourist – I actually enjoy helping the poor lost-looking tourists here! Even though at times life can still be quite hard and lonely there are always the moments and memories that I think to myself how much I love Chile!
As for now I’m going try and make the most out of my last two weeks of summer vacation and then it’s back into school, which honestly I am looking forward to as I get to see all my Chilean friends again! Thank you Rotary District 7080 and my host-club of Cambridge North for this opportunity to be living this life that I am now!
Besitos desde el otro lado de del ecuador
Lyndsay
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Beavertale Round 1
'Tis the season for a Beavertale! No not the delicious pastry, not the tail of our national animal, but the summary of the first 3rd of every Outbounds' exchange in district 7080.
It's already crazy to see the first three months gone just like that, and having to report on what we've been doing, I mean... I've been here almost 100 days now!
So here we go, my Beavertale for you. I'm not able to have a direct link so I'll post the whole thing here (mind you it's lengthy), but you can check out the rest of the 7080 Beavertales and my lovely picture out at...
>http://rotary7080.org/
>Youth Exchange 7080
>BeaverTales
Chile, my new home. A land rich of diversity, culture, geography, liveliness, and a true sense of unity. My first three months living in this great country have truly been a whirlwind of adventure and a lot of learning. Arriving on a cool mid-August day nearing the end of the Chilean winter, I had little idea of what my life was about to become. So far my time here has been challenging, difficult, frustrating and yet so satisfying and enjoyable at the same time! I have experienced things I would have never thought I would, and have already learned so much about the language, the culture, and myself. The little quirks of Chile make me smile every day, and it’s amazing how you can adopt a country as your own and in return the people adopt you as well. My time here has been short but already I have had many adventures and stories that I will remember for a long time.
It's already crazy to see the first three months gone just like that, and having to report on what we've been doing, I mean... I've been here almost 100 days now!
So here we go, my Beavertale for you. I'm not able to have a direct link so I'll post the whole thing here (mind you it's lengthy), but you can check out the rest of the 7080 Beavertales and my lovely picture out at...
>http://rotary7080.org/
>Youth Exchange 7080
>BeaverTales
Chile, my new home. A land rich of diversity, culture, geography, liveliness, and a true sense of unity. My first three months living in this great country have truly been a whirlwind of adventure and a lot of learning. Arriving on a cool mid-August day nearing the end of the Chilean winter, I had little idea of what my life was about to become. So far my time here has been challenging, difficult, frustrating and yet so satisfying and enjoyable at the same time! I have experienced things I would have never thought I would, and have already learned so much about the language, the culture, and myself. The little quirks of Chile make me smile every day, and it’s amazing how you can adopt a country as your own and in return the people adopt you as well. My time here has been short but already I have had many adventures and stories that I will remember for a long time.
Here in Chile I am living in the capital, Santiago, with a population of almost 6 million people. Coming from a small village in Canada I have slowly started to turn into a city girl! There is a fairly good public transit system here and I am the fondest of the metro that covers the entire underground of the city. It is generally safe and easy to take, even for a gringa like me! The city is so unique with its many different comunas to live in, the different traditions and aspects that set them apart and make them unique. The best part about living in Santiago is that there seems to always be a view of the great Andes Mountain range. They seem to peak-out everywhere and after a rainy night the smog has cleared and the snow-capped wonders are so bright and majestic. I can’t help but constantly admire these wondrous formations; they make you feel so small and yet so grateful to be living amidst them.
After a few days of running around the city to get proper papers in place I started school right away. Going into my new school I was not nervous at all, something that would have been a nightmare to me in Canada. I had already been known to some of my classmates and teachers and had talked to a few of them prior to me joining the class. Here I am in 3° Medio (grade 11) in a very small Adventist school with grades Pre-Kinder to 4° Medio. Right away I was welcomed into the class with besos (kisses, typical Chilean greeting) from everyone and the fun of communicating in Spanglish began! Since my school is a lot smaller than most Chilean schools my class is a very tight-knit group, and I have been able to find my place in the class with a great group of fun-loving and friendly amigos. I am no longer the gringa or exchange student, I am just another student in the class, the same as everyone else! Schools here also have a lot of spirit, especially for the anniversary of the school. During the anniversary the school is split into Alianzias in which you compete against the others in different competitions and games. There was so much liveliness, cheering, laughter, and smiles all around for the two days of my schools Alianzias. School has become the most helpful tool for learning Spanish because I am constantly surrounded by it day in and day out. I also have supportive friends and teachers who pressure me to learn as fast as I can so that I will be able to communicate as if I were Chilena!
My Spanish has slowly but surely been improving. Coming with no knowledge of Spanish at all I am surprised and proud of how far I have progressed. Although they don’t quite speak Spanish here, instead it’s “Chileano.” Chileans have a tendency to speak at rapid speeds with a lot of slang, along with dropping sounds and letters when they talk. But this also gives an extra challenge to my exchange as I try to pick-up the slang so that I can become Chilean and communicate the same as my friends do! I have also started to notice my English slowly getting worse as I am becoming more accustomed to my new language along with my R’s starting to roll off my tongue more naturally. It’s truly incredible at how at the beginning the impossible task of speaking Spanish is starting to become a reality for me now.
The last few months here in Chile the country has accomplished quite a few milestones. Starting in September, Chile celebrated its Bicentennial Anniversary, 200 years of Independence and great traditions! I headed down south with my family on a 12 hour drive to Temuco where we met-up with some old friends and celebrated the Chilean way. Food is of high importance here and there is never a lack of it. My celebration consisted of delicious empanadas, bread, desserts, typical Chilean dishes, and of course the much beloved Chilean barbeque – the asado! My school also had a celebration for the Bicentennial and each class had to perform a traditional Chilean dance. I dressed up along with the rest of my class and danced in front of the entire school and the parents, again one of those things that would terrify me back home but here it seemed so normal and I had so much fun! In October the whole country came together to watch the rescue of the 33 trapped miners. It was truly amazing to see the spirit and unity throughout the entire process, and when the first miner surfaced I don’t know if there was one person who hasn’t happy and excited to see their country pull through and do the unimaginable!
My Rotary district here is quite large with over 40 exchange students in it from all around the world. My first introduction to Rotary down here was when I had to represent District 7080 and Canada along with a fellow Canadian exchange student as District 7080 in Canada had donated an ambulance here in Chile. It was a day of lots of smiles for photos and feeling quite proud of my District back home for being so proactive and charitable. I also had the opportunity to travel to ocean cities such as Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, and San Antonio on a Rotary weekend with the entire district. It’s truly great to have such a diverse group of exchange students and you always know that someone will be willing to go somewhere, explore, or hangout when given the chance!
When given the ability to travel or see a new part of the country I always jump at the opportunity. My opportunity came when my class took their school trip to Bariloche in a part of Patagonia in Argentina. We also visited the south of Chile including places such as Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt. This was such an amazing experience. Not only were the vistas breathtaking, almost unimaginable and the lakes were so blue and clear. We had the most perfect weather. The opportunity to spend six days with my classmates speaking in Spanish and creating memories was a once in a lifetime opportunity! It was so interesting to travel to Argentina, hear the different accent, see the Swiss influence and get another stamp in my passport. The Chilean part of our trip was also incredible in the Los Lagos (lake) region. In Puerto Varas there are two active volcanoes sitting pretty across the lake just waiting for their moment to erupt, my first sight of a volcano ever! The week truly helped me to integrate more into my life here in Chile and has greatly improved my Spanish and my relationships with friends and teachers.
The culture and the people here are so refreshing and different. There is never a dull moment wherever you are. The culture and traditions thrive strongly here as Chileans are proud of their heritage. Although I have only been here for a few months, time has flown by. As another month passes I am constantly looking forward to the “what next” as my adventure continues here in Chile!
There are sometimes no words in either English or Spanish to express how thankful I am to have this opportunity and amazing experience. Thank you Rotary District 7080 and everyone else who has supported me in my desire to have this great opportunity and live 11 great months in a country that I can now consider home!
Disfruta la vida
Lyndsay
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I'm Back!
I have a lot of writing to catch-up on so I'll share my experiences from my trip a bit later. All I have to say for now is "Wow!" it was beautiful and such a great opportunity to spend time with my classmates!
Well I'm off to write my Beavertale for my Rotary District back home... you can check-out old ones at http://rotary7080.org and look under Youth Exchange then Beavertales
Saludes
Well I'm off to write my Beavertale for my Rotary District back home... you can check-out old ones at http://rotary7080.org and look under Youth Exchange then Beavertales
Saludes
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