Si Vas Para Chile by Julie Parrish

When I went to dinner a couple of months ago, I had no idea that I would end up traveling to the other side of the world. One never knows where one will end up when dining with Kenny Fasching-Varner! As I listened to Kenny talk about how wonderful the Teaching in Chile program is and how he had only one slot left, all I could think about was - I have to go. I bought my plane ticket from Baton Rouge to Concepción the very next day. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made!

Ready for the long plane ride!

Here are few things you should know si vas para Chile (if you go to Chile):

1. You will fall in love with the people. Instantly. I was blessed to be placed with Fabiola Saez and her daughter. She is a teacher at the Huertos (primary school) campus of Colegio Concepción San Pedro. The have opened their home and their lives; I have never felt so welcome!

   

   Fabiola and her daughter Fabi. 

2. You will not go hungry, and everything you eat will be delicious. I now love empanadas, cazuela, milkao, and pisco sours. And as a self-described carb-queen, I love that bread is served with every meal.

   

   Roasted lamb and sopa de mariscos con amigos.

   

   A feast fit for a king!

   

   Eating empanadas in Coliumo.
   

   
   
   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
3. You will need warm clothes in May. It is currently autumn, the low this morning was 37º F, which is very cold for someone coming from southern Louisiana. And it sounds even colder when you hear the temperature reported in Celcius. 
4. You will begin planning your return trip almost immediately. My host family lives in downtown Concepción complete with the hustle and bustle of city life. We are only two blocks away from awesome shopping, and we make a quick run to the stores often. I've seen picturesque towns on the Pacific coast and a view of the Andes in Chillán. But I have only scratched the surface of the beautiful land of Chile. Therefore, I have to come back.   

 These are just a few (VERY few) things to think about if you go to Chile. I'll let El Puma, José Luis Rodriguez tell you all about it!

                                                                   

¡Vamos! by Lindsay North

¡Vamos! (or Let's go!) is a phrase I heard a lot during my second week here in Chile: the land of great adventure and even greater people. As a testament to how much fun has been had this week, time has flown by so fast I haven't been able to process everything I've done since I was always onto the next activity. So, I'll be doing that here on this blog. 

To begin, this was a week of many firsts: first time being in a mine, first time going in a hot spring, and first time looking inside of dead bodies. No worries, that last one isn't what you think... read on to find out what I mean. 

The festivities began Tuesday morning when our group went downtown to visit the Universidad de Concepcion. This consisted of a bell tower, lots of beautiful architecture, and some brilliant pieces of art. The campus was influenced by Berkeley in the U.S. but still felt very different without dorms and with students selling sandwiches, juice, and truffles on the sidewalk. Also, like everywhere in Chile, there were a ton of stray dogs and I doubt that would last at LSU without someone adopting them or sending them to the pound.  

The days after this only get progressively more exciting! For example, on Wednesday we arrived in our athletic gear to take a bus to an inactive mine called Chiflon Del Diablo or "The Breath of the Devil". What I was expecting was to trek down into a cave filled with dirt accompanied by a single light from my hard hat. What I was not expecting was to have an emotional insight brought on by the tour guide, a miner with a lifetime of experience. 
I will try to recreate for you the same picture he painted for us. Imagine you're back in 1910, about 80 feet underground where you couldn't light a candle or a match because the air is flammable and you could set off an explosion. So, you are in pitch black darkness, basically like you are blind, and the only thing you can do is sit and wait for someone to find you. They were warriors, the tour guide said, and even though he was never able to go to professional schooling he's learned a lot about living and being happy where you are with what you have. I believe everything happens for a reason and that I heard this miner's life story to give me the perspective I needed while creating mine. 

The next day, I did some actual learning at a real-life bodies exhibit that recently came in town. At first, the idea of seeing dead bodies that have been plasticized for museum exhibits grossed me out a bit. However, seeing them in person was not so bad and was in fact an eye-opening experience in how complicated, strong, and fragile a body can be all at the same time. In my opinion, this was art. 

When I got back to school, I used my own beautiful and live brain to lead a professional discussion of addressing problem behaviors seen in the classroom. I would say it went pretty well and brought together the many different viewpoints from teachers, counselors, psychologists, and special educators. So, all in all, Thursday was a pretty cool day.

The last but definitely not least activity of the week was the hot springs and markets in Chillan. Being in the hot springs was amazing since they provided me with some much needed relaxation, as well as a beautiful view of nature in the Andes mountains. Also, I got to experience this with my favorite special ed teacher! 

So, for those of you that stayed with me until the end of this bless you and I hope you enjoyed reliving these memories with me :) Before coming here, I did not realize how many different and wonderful things I would be able to do and see. Also, I never thought I'd make such fast bonds with people who speak a different language than me and even with those that do. So far, I've met so many different personalities and to me they are all so special and serve their own purpose which is beautiful. What is also beautiful is this country and I encourage anyone who gets the chance to come here to do so and explore! My school and my host family have been so generous in giving me chances to experience as much as I can while I am here in this program and for that I will be eternally grateful. However, in the end it really isn't as much where you are as it is who you're with and I have been truly blessed to be accompanied by some amazing souls :) 

"Did You Take Noche?" by Erika Baumann

     My title quote is from the adorable Haley Englade in reference to Tapsin, my new favorite thing ever. It's basically a hot toddy + DayQuil/NyQuil in a powder form!! I've been taking Tapsin daily, because I'm slowly dying, as are my host sister Moira and my teacher Cecilia :( Although I'm totally not surprised because I'm literally always sick (thats what chronic illnesses and disabilities do) and I saw it coming from a mile away... It doesn't suck any less! This trip already isn't long enough, and compound that with laying in bed all day + sleeping all the time = I'm super bummed. I need more time! Moira and I have so much on our to-do list that we haven't done yet, I haven't gotten enough time with Cecilia either because she's been out from school with bronchitis, and I feel like I'm just starting to get to know/become friends with the rest of the gringos. The last 2 weeks have flown by so fast that they just feel like a blur. I need this trip to be 6 weeks long instead of 3, and I need to come back every year. I guess that means I just have to move to Chile! 🤷
     Enough with the whining... I love this place. I posted many pictures of the food in my blog post last week, so I'll try not to focus on that too much. But it's hard not to get fixated on the food here because it's all SO GOOD, although it could definitely use more seasoning! Unfortunately I forgot to pick up some Tony Chachere's on my way out of Baton Rouge, but I was able to find Tabasco at Lider (AKA Walmart) to hold me over. However, I've discovered that I LOVE Merkén, which is a dried chili pepper seasoning from the same family of peppers that are used so much in Louisiana like in Tabasco and Tony's. I bought a big container of peanuts con merkén on my first weekend here and devoured it within the first week, and then I found kettle chips seasoned with merkén too! 😍 My host family thinks it's hilarious because it's too spicy for them, but my host mom Liliana bought me a bag of just merkén since she noticed that I love it so much. I've also been eating avocado toast with Liliana's homemade whole grain bread, and an egg on top for breakfast... I don't think I've ever thought to eat avocados with eggs and it looked interesting the first time I saw it but it's absolutely delicious and I've been having it for breakfast almost every day.
     My next favorite thing about Chile is the language. I've been wanting to learn Spanish and move to Latin America for years now, but Chileano is so unique among Spanish dialects that many people say it's much harder to learn or even understand as a Spanish second language speaker. As a result of that, I've been pretty anxious about trying to learn and keep up with the locals. It doesn't feel like Spanish, so I forget a lot of simple words that I already knew and fail to make the connection between my prior knowledge and what people around me are saying. But I LOVE the Chilean slang!! I've always loved colloquial language in general, so Chile's unique dialect actually appeals to me more and motivates me to learn Spanish. Even though I've been working on Duolingo for a while, the words I've learned first have been the colloquialisms. My favorites are "cachai," and "po," as well as the curse words 😂 (oops). But the fact that everyone also curses in English even if they speak 0% English otherwise is hilarious. They code switch A LOT here, even between two Spanish monolinguals, like saying "hello" or "allo" instead of "hola." I also like how they drop S and sometimes E endings off of words, which is weird because I expected it to bother me as a grammar nut! But I find it's actually easier to pick up and follow. Finally, I love the intonation and expressive voices that Chileans speak with. They sound so dramatic and funny all the time, even when they are like fussing at their kids or students I still want to laugh because it almost sounds like they're gossiping or telling a juicy story with how they put heavy emphasis on certain sounds and then drag out certain vowels and combine words together. I love it so much, I'm always smiling and laughing when they talk even if I have no clue what's being said! It's also funny how fast they speak, even when they're speaking in English, but thankfully they slow down when talking to a gringa so it doesn't get annoying.

Our amazing view from the thermal pools! 

The mountains & waterfall behind us <3 

Beer in the thermal pool in the Andes! 

Mining gear @ Lota coal mine.

The exit (AKA our workout of the day)

Universidad de Concepción! 

The street art is everywhere & its amazing. 

Presencia de América Latina in the Pinacoteca @ Universidad de Concepción!   

The Seven Things I'll Miss About Chile

I decided to title this as the seven things I'll miss about Chile because I honestly can't even believe that there is just one week left! This trip has been so much fun and life changing. I have so enjoyed getting to explore South America and see the world through the eyes of the people here. So without further or due, the seven things I will miss about Chile are...

1.) The Palta
Palta is the Chilean word for avocados and yes I will miss it very much. I would have said the food, but in all honesty every food that I have really enjoyed here has had palta stuffed inside, smeared onto, or just used as a side dish. Here everything is made better by adding avocado to it! In the States avocados are kind of expensive, but here you can like five for just two pesos (and the quality is way better). In general, I have noticed that the quality of food, especially produce, is way better here than in the States. I'm not really sure why, but the fruits and vegetables just taste better here. Although I still use Louisiane hot sauce from time to time, I can definitely say that I will miss the food immensely.

 

2.) The People
People in general here are different. This is my favorite thing about traveling to a new country and living with them for a while because you get to see the world through their eyes instead of just your normal vision. Your eyes are opened to so much about the world and people in general whenever you leave your small hometown. You get to see that there are more ways to do something than just your way and that there are many more opinions on subjects than just the one that you learned in your hometown/country. Having only met one rude Chilean, I can say that most of the interactions that I have had with people have been great! I have been trying to talk with as many people as possible just because meeting new people is such a great thing to experience. I look forward to returning one day to be with the Chilean people again, and I also look forward to the many people/cultures I will meet in the future.

3.) The Music
This one is probably the thing that I will miss the most! I have always been a fan of Latin American music and to be here in the middle of it all and to be able to make the music with musicians here has been such an awesome experience. During the trip I have been exposed to a completely new side of music education without notation, without band, and without orchestra. It has been different to say the least than what I am used to, but it has been rewarding to learn how to teach children how to make music from their hearts without having to read it off of a page. The kids here are really talented too! They just gave a concert the other day (we had the chance to play with them also) and they were awesome! Also making music with the little children has been such a rewarding experience too because the kids are so eager to sing and have fun with music, even if they don't know the words. I have also been introduced to Violeta Parra while on this trip. She is a famous Chilean musician from the early 20th century who defied the "roles of women" to travel and make music that she wanted to play. Her songs have such passion and are actually super catchy; like I can't stop singing them in the halls of the school. It has also been a fun experience for me to try to teach children songs in their language. I have been using lots of Mexican children's songs because they are not really familiar with them, but for me it has been fun to try and teach them Spanish songs whenever they are fluent and I am not. Overall this part is probably one of the most eye opening to me and I can't wait to use the things I have learned here in the States or where ever life takes me.

4.) The Weather
Coming from Louisiane where we have two seasons (hot and hotter) this weather has definitely been a shock to me. The seasons are reversed here because of their position on Earth (which in itself is something cool I had never really thought about). So I am in bliss experiencing their Autumn in May/June. In the mornings it is usually in the 30's and everything is covered in ice/frost. By mid-day it's hot enough to just use one jacket instead of two jackets, a scarf, and a hat. And then it gets cold again in the night. I'm honestly loving it though! One thing that also strikes me as very different weather wise, is the large amount of fog they have here. The fog is so thick you can see it sitting in the distance and whenever you are in it you can barely see anything at all. The fog is so thick here that they have road signs warning of heavily fogged areas! Hard to believe I will have to leave the cold mountain bliss in just a week to return to the hot swamp lands.

5.) The Nature
Speaking of the swamp lands, the nature and environment here is so different than anything I've ever seen before, and I have traveled the country a lot! The outdoors are similar to Colorado in a way, but with plants that I've never seen before. This weekend we went to a nature trail in the South to see some waterfalls and a BIG volcano. The trail was awesome and filled with many plants new to me. The whole time we were hiking there was a faint scent of eucalyptus, from the eucalyptus trees that were in the woods. The water coming out of the mountains was deep blue too! It was incredible to see the creeks and the waterfalls, but I think my favorite thing was seeing the pink sunset on the snow covered volcano. You don't get this in Louisiane!

6.) The Spanish
At first I was kind of freaked out whenever I found out that the majority of the people in my host family spoke only Spanish. However I soon realized how great of a learning opportunity this could be for me, so I vowed that I would learn at least a little bit of Spanish on this trip. So for the first days I couldn't really speak to the family or the students all that much in Spanish, but I went home in the evenings and studied Spanish by watching videos on youtube about the language. I was impressing myself but after the first few days I was able to finally communicate with the host mom and some of the other siblings. Now I am in no way saying I am fluent, but I am saying that I can now communicate efficiently in Spanish. I think I picked up easily because I speak Cajun French already and I kind of knew what I needed to learn in order to communicate. I didn't focus heavily on vocabulary (which I think most beginners do and this leads to useless knowledge). The vocabulary would come with time I knew, but instead of focusing on vocabulary I took verbs that I used the most in French and looked up the translations in Spanish (with a few of the conjugations). This way I could pump out some basic Spanish sentences even if I didn't have a large vocabulary base. This approach has worked very well for me, and also keeping a note page on my phone of words I learned that day and words I want to know helped too. I will definitely miss being submerged in Spanish, but I hope to continue studying and practicing with friends so one day I can achieve fluency.

7.) The Host Family

The host family has become like my second family and has treated me as one of their own children. They have helped me out so much and have taught me so many things about the Chilean culture, Spanish language, and just life in general that I am forever grateful. I will miss many things about Chile but the thing I will for sure miss the most is my Chilean family. I can't thank them enough for hosting me and allowing me to be apart of their family for a little while. I have truly been blessed!

So there you have it, the seven things I will miss most about Chile. There are many more things than just seven, but I feel like this sums up pretty much my favorite things so far. Here's to the last week before I head back up to the States.
- Jesse Batema

Time really does fly by when you're having fun by: Emily Rhatigan

As my third week in Chile comes to an end, I do not even know where to begin on the experiences I have made and more importantly the new group of friends I have made.  It is crazy to think how such a trip could bring together a group of people so different with so many different experiences before this one.  I am so grateful Morgan asked me if I wanted to go on this trip and really be pushed out of my comfort zone.  Now that there is just one week left in this trip, I can only confirm that the statement of "time flies when you're having fun" is 100% true! It feels like just yesterday when I was getting on a plane with two practically strangers and Morgan to go to such a foreign place with very minimal knowledge of Spanish. Now, these girls are like my long lost sisters that I feel like I've known forever and we can joke around whenever. As I sit here and write this blog, words can only explain so much of the experiences that had been created!

This week we got the opportunity to do many fun things and see the beauty of Chile. Starting at the beginning of the week with going to the University of Concepcion where we got to see what a University is like in Chile. We saw a spectacular mural painting on the wall of the art building, which has so much hidden symbolism in every bit of the piece of art. We also visited their clock tower and quad like area on campus, which was full of beautiful trees and a grassy area.

On Wednesday, we got the chance to go to Chiflon del Diablo, which is an underground, under the ocean coal mine.  Our tour was lead by a man who used to actually work in the coal mine and live on the property of the mine. Having someone lead the tour who had first hand experience working in the mine made the tour so much better.  He told us that most coal mine families had as many as sixteen children in one family, which is crazy insane.  They worked incredibly long days in really scary, unsafe working conditions. This is the only mine that is under the ocean and the only mine that does tours for the public.

 

On Friday, we spent the whole day in the mountains of Chillan.  After a very long bus ride, we made it to the part on the mountain with the thermal pools.  We got to go swimming in these hot pools which were on an active volcano. The pools smelt like rotten eggs because of all the sulfur from the volcano.  There was very little snow on the mountains, but not a lot yet because it is still more like fall.  At this place on the mountains, people can also ski and snowboard.  After the hot pools, we ate a delicious lunch and then got to shop around for an hour, which was not enough time for how many different places you could look around. When we got back into town, I got to go to to my sisters gymnastics competition and watch her routine.  She is so talented and flexible!

Apart from al the fun, I have been working in the classroom with various ages (1, 2, and 4th graders) teaching English and Math. Although these kids are the loudest, most chaotic group of kids I have ever seen in a classroom, I love them dearly. It warms my heart so much when I am just walking around and a kid runs up to me yelling "Tia, Tia" ( which is what they call their teachers).  Even though, we have not been able to communicate very much because of language barrier, their love is still so strong. Working with these students has been such a blessing and a great way to start my
career off as an elementary education teacher.

Mines, volcanoes, and actual human bodies. Oh my. - by Madeline LeBlanc

Mines, volcanoes, and actual human bodies. Oh my.

My second week in Concepcion just flew by. It was a very eventful week and I can't believe that I have less than a week left. We started the week off at Josefa's dad's apartment where we watched a bunch of bad horror movies (and a few good ones). On Sunday there was a bit of a miscommunication about my wanting to go to mass and we ended up at a church at a random time in the afternoon, but it was still a great experience because the church grounds were humongous and absolutely beautiful. We drove out to see the Pacific Ocean after. I'm so used to seeing the Gulf of Mexico when I'm looking out on a body of water that it was hard to believe that I was looking out into the ocean.

 

Monday I got to go with the middle school science classes to see the Bodies exhibit during it's time here in Concepcion. The exhibit displays actual human bodies in different configurations so you can see the anatomy first hand. I was really freaked out about the fact that they were real human bodies, but also incredibly intrigued. My experience walking around followed that same pattern: freaked out but intrigued. Tuesday we went to tour the University of Concepcion, which I had already been to, but I had not yet been to the art museum that is in the front of the school. In the entrance there is one of the largest murals in the world, beautiful and full of symbolism about Latin America. It represents all Latin American countries, from Mexico to Chile, and even includes a place in the line of flags for Puerto Rico.

Wednesday our group went to Chiflón del Diablo, which translates to Whistle of the Devil. It is a coal mine that was highly important to Concepcion and is the only mine in the world to go below the ocean. The name comes from the whistling sound that sometimes comes from its natural ventilation. We went on our tour down into the mine with a miner who had worked there just like his father and grandfather before him. He explained the rough life of a miner and gave us an incredible, contemplative experience in total darkness down in the mine.

My time in the classroom this week has been minimal, but very rich. Nothing tears at my heart more than an upset child, so I ended up gravitating toward the "problem children" who were frustrated with their progress and crying into their work. The first boy had a diagnosed developmental disorder and was older than the rest of the class. He got overwhelmed by the deadlines for writing down the information and ended up frustratedly crying while trying to write. I tried to help him, but it was really difficult when he would speak to me in Spanish and I couldn't understand anything. I ended up just sitting there rubbing his back and telling him it was okay and hoping I was somehow helping him. Later in the week in the first grade class, there was a kid who was behind everyone else and crying because he didn't know how to catch up. The teachers in the class weren't paying attention to it, so I asked about him and they said he was the "problem child" and just did whatever he wanted and cried when you told him no. I went and sat by him and immediately could tell that he had extreme attention problems. He completely understood the assignment and wanted to get it done, but couldn't get himself to focus on it and felt left behind by the class. The assignment was simple enough that I could help him with my limited Spanish, and I worked to bring him back every time his mind wandered. It took us twice as long as the rest of the class, but he got the work done and was so happy afterwards. I really wish I could communicate with them better to help more. It definitely motivates me to work at my Spanish.

Some of my favorite creations from the first grade art class.

Friday was an incredible day. We packed onto a bus and drove into the Andes mountains to thermal pools on an active volcano. I never wanted to leave. I LOVE thermal pools and the view was so beautiful. The fact that we were on an active volcano was just mind blowing. They sold beer that you could enjoy while in the pools, and the altitude certainly took its effect, as we were all a bit dizzy by the time we left. I told myself that when I'm rich (HA) that I'll come back there to ski and spend a lot more time in the thermal pools. Here's hoping.

I Skipped Phase Two by Daniel Walker

From the first pre-trip meeting, we've been told by Ken and Kenny (seasoned veterans of international travel) that this trip is accompanied by three phases.  The first phase is the initial part of the program where everything is new and exciting and you're thrilled to be experiencing something new.  The third phase happens as the sun sets on our program and we prepare to go our own ways.  Phase three is when everyone is attached to their new family and surroundings and no one wants to leave.  In between those two phases lies phase two.  Phase two carries with it the only negative emotions that could possibly be stirred up by an experience such as this one.  In phase two, home sickness sets in.  One might start to find negatives around them because they are weary and ready to go home.

I can say with great confidence that I have missed my flight for phase two entirely.  At no point in this trip have I been negative or frustrated with my host family or host teachers.  I think I have been set up for success by my professors and colleagues that have done things like this before; all say that I must strive to be flexible and try to take in as much as possible.  Each day is an opportunity for me to learn about a new way of life and a new culture.  Each day is a chance to see how the human experience ensures that people thousands of miles away from home are just like me in one way or another.  Each day is a chance for me to make new friends and family members that I'll share my life with for as long as it continues.  For me, this trip has been about 4-5 days of phase one followed by an immediate catapulting into phase three.  I love getting up for school every day and working hard to show my new friends things about music they didn't know before.  I love the way kids down here light up when you say their English is good.

This week was full of a lot of fun and rewarding moments.  From presenting workshops to going under the ocean to learn about miners' hardships to having a beer in the Andes Mountains, each experience leaves me thinking, "I can't believe I just did that... When can I do this again?"

Snow rests for now and plans its attack for the coming months of winter.  Soon the snow will have a population large enough to unionize and bargain collectively.

Also, I love coming home to my host family after a long day at school.  Goofing off with my sisters (and Tommy, whenever he's awake...) is so much fun and I'm always able to get some quality cuddle time with my girl, Fiona (white ball of fluff with a bit of an attitude).  Now I'm using my power as the creator of this blog post to fire my FBI director without warning and end this blog post a little earlier than usual.  I'll be back in a few days for a BONUS blog post, one that will probably be mostly about art.

Too Close to the Devil

What a week it has been! It has gone by so fast. I cannot believe I will be leaving here in just 8 days. It feels like I just arrived. This last week was filled with many exciting adventures, experiences, and lots of food. Some good and some not so good. However, they have all made my Chilean experience unique and memorable.

Places I visited:

Caleta Lenga

Mall Del Centro

University of Concepcion (2^nd time)

Chiflon Del Diablo

Nevados De Chillán

Caleta Lenga is a small fisherman’s town on the Pacific Coast. It is filled with restaurant after restaurant and many popup shops. We ate at the family’s favorite restaurant, Gracilaria. For lunch, at 5 p.m., (yes, I said 5 p.m.) I had ‘Salmon a lo Pobre’. ‘A lo Pobre’ is a combination of fried eggs, onions and fries. It was pretty tasty but the eggs weren’t for me. We walked on the beach after eating, and the sun was setting. The view was beautiful. It was my first time to ever see the Pacific Ocean. And, I did it about as far away from home as possible. Haha The sand was black. I am used to white sand, so this was my favorite part. We did a little shopping, and Mr. Lohan and Ms. Carolina were sweet enough to surprise me with Cotton Candy! I was the biggest spool of Cotton Candy I have ever seen! And, it was mine!

 Left: Am I hanging or standing?

Right: Iva, me, and Ms. Carolina enjoying the beautiful sunset. 

The Mall Del Centro was a mixture of inside of and outside shops. We went because Iva needed a few things for dance. There were so many people! The layout kind of reminded me of New Orleans. There were musicians, food carts, and random performances. Fun fact: at red lights, performers will walk out into the street in front of traffic and juggle, balance objects, etc. My favorite store that we visited was called “Casa Ideas”. It had everything from laundry baskets to cooking pans. Kind of like Bed, Bath and Beyond but better. Before leaving, we got popsicles. Iva thinks the word ‘popsicle’ is hilarious, like most words!

LSU students toured the University of Concepcion as a group. This was my second time seeing the university, but this tour was completely different. We had a tour guide that told about the history and artifacts of the school. The University of Concepcion holds numerous murals and art pieces. The main art was the

Presencia de América Latina painted by Mexican Artist Jorge González Camarena. It is the biggest mural I have ever seen, 300 square meters. Its meaning is unity and brotherhood of Latin America cultures. Each piece of the painting has a specific meaning or symbols that represent important aspects of the cultures.

Concepcion has tons of graffiti and paintings everywhere you look.
This was on one of the campus walls.

Chiflón Del Diablo is as creepy as it sounds. It is an old coal mine in Lota, Chile that closed in 1997. Approximately 3,000 miners worked there. Its tunnels are located under the Pacific Ocean. It is the only naturally ventilated mine the world. Hence, the name translates to “The Breath of the Devil”. All tours are given by miners who actually worked in the mine when it was operating. Our tour guide was a sweet man who told us all about his life, what working here was like, how his family lived, and how the mine operated. Most of the tunnels were only tall enough for a person who is around 5’4” to stand and walk comfortably. One tunnel was only high enough to crawl or duck walk through. While in one of the tunnels, we were asked to cut off our head lights to help make the experience more real. That was as dark and as close the devil as I ever want to be. There was no difference when my eyes were open or when they were closed. One of my biggest questions is why is there wind under the ocean? You tell me.

Our tour guide.

Nevados De Chillán is a group of active volcanos located in the Andes Mountains. It is a ski resort but since it is not winter yet (winter begins in June), we went for the thermal pools. The pools are 5,248 ft above sea level and are natural volcanic waters. The hot springs were 39°C (103°F) and 44­°C (112°F). Words cannot describe the views, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Thursday, May 25, was a very busy day. I began by teaching a lesson on American Pop Artists Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol to my 5^th grade history class. I created the PowerPoint and activity. I presented the lesson and Professor Mora translated throughout the presentation. For the activity, each student colored a small square with the number 5 on it. The 5 represented 5^th grade and the common paintings of numbers by Jasper Johns. When the pieces were complete, we put them altogether on one poster to represent the repetition of Andy Warhol’s work. The lesson went well and the students loved designing their own art.

That night we attended the school music concert. There were many instruments that we topically do not see in school concerts in the U.S. such as the harp, ukulele, a full drum set, and a violin. The concert lasted nearly 2 hours and included about 12 songs and dancers. Iva participated in the dance portion of the concert. I loved seeing the different styles of dance and the wardrobe changes. The large skirts that flowed and grew while the dancer was spinning were my favorite. Almost each band member and dancer played more than one instrument. It was stunning to see the talent that these students possess. This group of students will be traveling to and performing in Europe for one month in September.

We ate Paruvian food after the concert.

I know my last week here will speed by. My host family has been more than welcoming, and I will be sad to leave them. I hope to see more beautiful sights in my last few days in Chile!

The biggest tree I have ever seen.
It is a Cypress Tree in the park near the University.