HOLA CHICOS! Well, I've finally adapted to living in another country, and the days seem to be going by faster, which really upsets me! I've finally made it out of the not wanting to ask the awkward questions phase. It's been two and a half weeks without a straightener. I bet my hair dresser will love me, HAHA. Just a traveler's tip: if you are the last one on a bus, you probably missed your stop. HAHAHAHAHA. Oh and guess what!? I found Nutella at Lider (aka Walmart), and I couldn't be happier. For those of you who know me know why I am so happy.
On a more serious note, this experience will soon come to an end, which makes me really sad, but I couldn't be more thankful for what it has done for me. I'm always busy catering to others, but this trip was the first time in a long time that I've been able to do something exclusively for me. It's weird, but I found my motivation again (It got lost in high school somewhere). LMAO. So not only have I been able to travel and give back to the students here, I've taken some time away from the stressful, chaotic U.S. life and focused on myself for a bit. Can I get a hallelujah, can I get an amen!? (Yes, I miss country music.. can you tell!?)
Mi Familia
My host family and I have a great relationship. I give my host brother daily love advice, but I am not sure if it is working because he still insists on having 4 girlfriends. I guess this is why God made me the baby of the family; I probably would have tortured a younger sibling, but I won't lie, my host brother, Edu, keeps life pretty interesting. HAHA. My host sister and I LOVE talking about gossip girl (#SheLovesChuckBass).
My Travels
So, I have officially taken public transportation for the first time and didn't die. Can I get a round of applause!? My host sister and I took the bus to downtown Concepcion to do a little shopping. It reminded me so much of New Orleans. There were people singing and dancing in the streets, and it was very lively. On Tuesday, we were able to tour the University of Concepcion. This university is one of many universities here in Chile. It was very similar to our universities back in the United States, except no one lives on campus here.
Wednesday was "the big day". All week I was undecided if I would want to go on the Chiflon del Diablo (meaning Breath of the Devil) mine tour. It is often referred to as the breath of the devil because there's natural ventilation in the mine, which makes it sometimes sound like the wind is whistling. Keep in mind, I had this fear because my teachers told me I'd be army crawling through small spaces. Every thing that could possibly go wrong ran through my head. What if there's an earthquake while we are down there?! What if the mine caves in?! What if I catch a panic attack and can't get out!? Also keep in mind, that this mine is the only mine under the ocean! However, it was such an amazing tour, and I felt so adventurous. Being able to see the miners' living conditions was really sad, especially because our tour guide was a former miner. However, it made me appreciate everything I have in life because this man had to give up so much to be a miner.
Chiflon del Diablo
This is the "elevator" we had to fit 5
people in to get down to the mine.
On Friday, the school took us to Chillan to spend the day in the Andes mountains. The view was gorgeous. During our time in Chillan, we went to the Parque de Agua. Here, we were able to spend some time in thermal pools at the bottom of an active volcano. Yes, it did smell like rotten eggs because of the sulfur, but on the positive side, the sulfur made my skin sooooo soft. The pools were around 100-115 degrees Fahrenheit. After our time in the thermal pools, we went downtown to the markets and did a little shopping. I would say it was something similar to the French Market. For me, it was a little awkward because I absolutely hate bargaining. I'm way too nice for it. HAHAHA. It was such a beautiful and breathtaking day.
In The Classroom
This week has been a very interesting week in and out of the classroom. For the last two weeks, the other LSU students and I have been preparing department presentations for the departments' teachers. I was paired with the math department. During this presentation, we were able to discuss different ways math could be presented to the students and fun things that the teachers could do during their lessons. The teachers really seemed to like the idea we proposed about student-led YouTube videos about each concept the class learns. This is something I even plan to implement into my own classroom. On Tuesday, we were able to sit down with the department and compare and contrast the U.S. and Chilean school systems. We gave them ideas to improve their classroom such as a classroom management system, a system for centers, etc. It was very humbling and nice to be working with people who are experienced because even though I am not as experienced as them, they still took my advice and critiques.
Although we were able to get out of the classroom this week to take a few field trips, my time in the classroom is still my favorite part of my week. It is still what makes me happiest at the end of the week, and I cannot believe my time with my kiddos will be coming to an end so soon.
<3
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