A few more updates

While I procrastinate my non-existent school work that I have at the moment, I thought I'd post another update on my life in Chile as of late...

School: Okay, so classes began a few weeks ago, but I can't say that I am too immersed in school yet. First of all, three of classes only meet once a week. Two of them started last week and the third hasn't yet met. I am however, quite excited for these classes. One is a course called History of the 20th Century through film, another is about economic development, and the third is a community service class. Staring next month, I will begin working with underprivleged youth in Valparaíso by planning cultural activities to do with them. The objective of the class is to better aquaint youth with the city in which they live. My other more serious classes are Globalization and Spanish grammar (foreign exchange student courses) and meteorology, which I haven't gotten to deep into yet, but it should be pretty cool.

Fun around Valpo: Thursday night I had my first experience with the infamous El Huevo discotecque. It is a ridiculous large dance club; 4 stories of dancing with different types of music on each floor. The top has a terrace that overlooks the ocean. El Huevo is a trip, but as Ali said, almost a study abroad experience in itself. Sunday afternoon, Dana, Emma and I explored the ex-carcel (ex-jail) in Valpo. As the name suggests this was a prison that was transformed into a cultural center. It is a freaking sweet place--there murals on the walls and there is space for music, art, sports, theatre--whatever you can imagine.

A full house: First of all, I realized I have yet to mention that we now have two more college students besides Paloma and I living in the house. Natalie and Marudo are family friends from Antufagasta (city in the north from where my family moved two years ago). Natalie a freshman, is studying engineering in Valpo and Marudo is a second year music student in Viña. I don't know Natalie yet very well, but Marudo is very sweet. It's fun to have a house full of young people. This weekend I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet more members of this family. My father Sergio has a son from his first marriage, Felipe who now lives in Santiago. This weekend he came with his wife Paula and children Amanda (4) and Vicente (2). Paula and Felipe are wonderful people and I now have friends in Santiago with whom I can stay any time. The kids are adorable but incredibly wild--especially Amanda, who touches (and often breaks) everything she sees.

I posted more photos of all this excitment...enjoy. I'm not sure I'll write again/post pics until I get back from Patagonia! Wish me luck, I have no idea what I'm getting myself into! ahhhh :) besos, abrazos, ciao!