Wednesday, January 25, 2006


CEVA

January 25, 006

Alright so Monday I started this week long Church day camp thing, called CEVA. This year, Maureen - one of my program-mates in Pocuro - is the woman in charge. So since we volunteered (more likely got suckered - just kiding) to be group leaders. We have been going from 7:30 AM to at least 6 PM every day in the blistering heat. This task is draining. I feel almost like I am in SEU Orientation but missing my other half - AARON!!

Anyway. Monday Jamie and I had to explain the Creation Story. Jamie summarized the main points, and while he said everything I got to play God and act everything out. It was a hit and the kids seemed to be very excited.

Then on Tuesday, it was a hot day and we talked about taking care of the world. Basically how we should recycle and the water cycle. We took a field trip in the morning to learn more about these things in the morning. Then in the afternoon we got a visit from the Bomberos. Basically the firefighters came in and hosed us all down.

It was fun at first until, the kids decided to attack the Tios (group leaders) and pick them up and throw them into the huge mud puddle that formed. Yeah, you guessed right, I was one of those Tíos lucky enough to get THROWN right into the mud. It was a lot of fun. When I got home, it took at least 3 shampoos to get MOST of the mud out. I am sure I have at least a kilo of mud hidden somewhere in my hair.

Two days down - five to go!

Misiones
January 10, 2006


So after my few hours sleep, I woke up only to pack for this trip that I was taking on the 2nd. Ryan, Caitlin, Emily and I were all invited to attend the St. George´s College Misiones trip. St. George´s is a Holy Cross high school that rumor has has a lot of pull. It has a beautiful campus, about 2 thousand students, and a lot of Chile´s political leaders have attended this school. Its kinda cool to see the direct impact that the Congregation of Holy Cross has on Chile.

Anyway this trip was about 10 days long. I got to go to Ñancuan with 20 others. My students ranged from 14-18 and are some of the most amazing people. This kids are high schoolers and if I would have past them on the streets I would have thought that because of their maturity, opinions, and talents would have been college students.

A basic day of Misiones included the following:
7:30 morning prayer
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:30 Missioning (going around the community and just talking to the people and praying with them it they wanted)
1:30-3:30 - Lunch and break time
3:30-5:30 - Niños (did activities with children)
5:30-7:00 - Onces (snack time)
7:00-8:00 - Daily Mass
8:00-9:30 - Dinner
10:00-?? - Evening Activities
1:30- people have to been in their rooms TRYING to go to sleep.

The picture is of us one day missioning. Since we had to go walk to people´s houses, it took forever. Mainly cause we were in the campo and no one lives close to each other. So we were walking several kilometers to each house. The other fact is that I swear, there had to be at least 4 cows to every person. So one day while missioning, Drew got the great idea to spread the Good Word to the natives - whom just happened to be cows at that moment. Yall might not find it that funny...but we found it to be hilarious.

After ten days of hanging around these students I have learned a lot of slang. I am getting some of the common Chilean phrases and even saying a few jokes. Its because of these kids, that I have decided "to apply" (which means asked Father Pepé, the Principal of St. George´s, who happened to be one of the leaders for my group) for a job. He couldnt directly give me anything...but somehow the opportunity has fallen in my lap to teach an English class at the high school for 4 hours a week, and I have accepted.

Sunday, January 15, 2006


Michelle Bachelet

January 15 was an exciting day. For those of you who dont know, it was the day of the Chilean Presidential Elections. After a long and huge battle, Chile elected its first female president by a margin of something near the numbers of 53% to 47%.

Rumor had the the president elect was going to be giving a speech in the Centro, so being the curious people we are - but mainly very excited that the candidate that we would have voted for if we had voting rights won - we went out to the Centro. I was able to see her from my place in the mob.

It was awesome. I mean, everyone was very excited that she won and people had Chilean flags flying everywhere. It was a party. I only wish people would be that excited about elections stateside.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Happy 2006!

Sorry this is late...but better late than never right?

Well bringing in the New Year was kinda strange mainly cause I didnt have any family or old friends in the country with me. But as usually I think I got by. Here is a quick update of my New Year.

The Valanzuela Family - a family of the Associates for several years (rumor has they have been friends of the Associates when Jack, our dog, had 4 legs. Yes...that means that our dog has 3 legs.) - invited us to a New Year BBQ. We (Meg, Caitlin, Ryan, Emily, and I) all accepted and made our way to the House around 6 PM.

We got to the house and after a few minutes we started eating. I ate my fair share and almost died cause I ate so much. Then after an hour or so I made my way back outside and talk to Gabe (one of the sons) who was manning the pit and of course ate some more. Then around 10 PM I started to realize that of the 15 people that were in the house several kept on disappearing for at least an hour. So me being curious I went to explore only to find out that people were taking naps on any flat surface.

Midnight came and we all jumped up and down and the hugs started flying. Then we all calmed down and brought in the New Year with a toast. For the next three hours there was some music playing and all of us were just chilling.

Then about 3 AM the party started. The Chileans start everything late. Sra. Valanzuela welcomed all her guests and made sure that her nephew had some music playing so that we could dance. The funny thing is that down here people dance in lines. I dont mean they line dance...they actually dance IN LINES. Its the funniest thing in the world. After what seemed to be an hour, some more people got to the house - but I actually knew these people. It was our friends Dani, Andrea, and Gavo who came to invite us to another party. Meg, Matt (Meg´s friend from the states who is doing research down here in Chile) , and I all accepted.

As we started walking down the street I realized that there were birds singing and the sun was out. Then I looked at my watch and realized that Ryan, Emily and Caitlin had the right idea to go to home and sleep - cause it was 7 AM.

I got home at 10 AM with Matt and Meg and crashed til 4.

What did I learn through this - for the 2007 party - TAKE A NAP!
Name:

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