Can we hit the brakes? by Lindsay Stewart

On the brink of week three of this experience, I am searching for the brakes to slow down time! Week two has been filled with wonderful adventures with both my LSU community and my fabulous host family.

Delicious sushi wrapped in
avocado, ya poh!

Salud to Friday night!

The second weekend with my host family brought some first time experiences of food and sights. On Friday, I enjoyed my first pisco sour and sushi in Chile with Cecilia and Carlos at Gohan Sushi and Shrimp in San Pedro de la Paz. The food, drinks, and company exceeded every expectations! I was so nervous that the difference in language would be a struggle... Thankfully, I was completely wrong! Every conversation has been filled with laughter and sharing of stories and culture... just awesome!

Fro-yo and toppings filled to the top!

For lunch on Saturday, I enjoyed my first completo with palta (avocado)! After some successful shopping in the mall, Cecilia, Tomas, and I were ready for some frozen yogurt. I was excited for an ice-cream fix, and even more excited when Tomas told me that because it is winter, the price is set and not the usual pay by the weight... total win!

Paella and Pisco Sours!

Sunday, brought my first taste of paella ordered from Fono Paella... yuumm! When the dish was delivered in a large skillet, I knew this was going to be a great experience for my taste buds!  We all needed a brief nap after paella and before our trip to the mouth of the Biobio River!

We ventured to the mouth of the Biobio River, where the river flows into the Pacific Ocean. Arriving just before sunset, allowed for the view to be so picturesque and stunning. This was my first time to seeing the Pacific Ocean! I am not sure how the surfers were out in the freezing water, but I could imagine that this view never gets old. Thankfully, on our brief hike over the hill to get a better view, I only slipped once! Chilean saying... I bought the hill! Bacan!

On Wednesday, the LSU group visited Chiflón del Diablo, a historical significant mine with some heavy history. The mine has been closed since 1997, but our tour guide was a miner for 30 years. He shared some of the tough parts of the mine's history, which gave us a glimpse into the lives of the miners and their families. The sharing of this heritage was presented with great pride of the hard work and dedication of the miners.  

Wonderful guide and heartfelt story teller 

On the way down in the tiny cage elevator....

Saturday (May 27) continued the joyous adventures filled with food and laughs! Traditional breakfast from the US was requested for the morning :) Eggs sunny-side-up with bacon, fried ham, toast and waffles were served with the greatest hits of Frank Sinatra filling the background. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal, and it was great to be able to share my traditions with my host family. Thankfully, I have been practicing my sunny side up flip for a long while! Carlos, Cecilia, Javiera, and Tomas took me into the city of Concepcion!  It was a beautiful day to experience the city and to enjoy a lovely lunch at Alcatorce with all five of us!

Cheers to all five us being together! Salmon on mashed potatoes and beets!
Picturesque dessert! AND A MAGICIAN! 

Knowing that week three will also bring new adventures to experience together is exciting but also present the close of this program. I am certainly looking forward to each day this week!