first impressions...an overview

Amores!
Cort and I have officially been in Santiago for 4 days today...Yay! It has been such an intense jump into South America. First, after several nerve racking but in hindsight hilarious incidents featuring a 30 minute tour of Mexico City with backpacks and carry-ons included with Jenny the wonderful tour guide (despite being extremely pressed for time)...here we are in Mexico City Center..



It was so great to see Jenny if only briefly to have her share her city with us..the plaza and Cathedral we walked around was actually built on top of ancient pyramids from Aztec times and we were able to see parts of the unearthed pyramids..really awesome!


And then another unforeseen challenge in the Santiago airport. After our flight a Santiago we grabbed our bags and we were on our way out and I saw one of those drug dogs (you know the ones who look playful but actually are working on tracking trained drug mules). I stopped to pet him and play with him because he was cute and suddenly I was pounced on to the ground and my backpack was taken from me. My first reaction: sheer panic--had drugas been put in my bag unknowingly? Was I headed for prison Maria Full of Grace Style?! Turns out Chile really doesn't like it when you try to bring in dried mangos via your pack pack. I was interrogated for 30 minutes in spanglish..quite the struggle as you can imagine...it went something like this:

Officer: Lady, why did you try and bring in fruit?
Me: Its dried fruit...its practically chips or candy to be honest. I am being falsely accused!
Officer: You should have claimed this...It is illegal.
Me: Do I look like a farmer to you?

Anyway, they eventually let me go much to my and Cortney's relief and let me say lesson learned-perhaps government situations are best dealt with via passive response: Do as your told people!

We arrived at our flat (super cute/modern in centro Santiago downtown). Our hosts--Nelson and Maury are two old (possible gay?) incredibly nice, sweet and hospitable Chilean men! They welcomed us warmly with some of the other girls who live here. We live on the 4th floor with a girl from Switzerland and a girl from Germany who are both super nice and friendly..they both speak English, German and Spanish!! Very impressive. There are two other American girls who live on the 8th floor with Maury and Nel. Cort and I's rooms are at the end of the hall joined together and we have our own bathroom..It is perfect for us! WE have privacy but also a kitchen and living room and we get to chat with the other girls. The two American girls also participated in the TEFL program here and are now teaching different adult schools throughout Santiago..they warned us that course was very intense and we probably wouldn't have much time to explore and whatnot for these 4 weeks.

Monday was a holiday in Chile as well so Jillian, one of the American girls took us to get our metro cards and to lunch and showed us around the city a bit. We also explored the neighborhood around our apartment. Santiago is a very mixed city---its filled with old and new buildings and structures..it reminds me of Spain, especially Barcelona. After that we went out to dinner with everyone in the Bella Vista area--which is really colorful and beautiful. Cort and I talk Nel how to say OBI for Obviously and are spreading our abbreviating California ways...Nel now says OBI all the time! He's hilarious!

Plaza Des Armas:


Yo:



School started Tuesday and Cortney and I are the only two enrolled in the TEFL program right now which provides some challenges both good and bad. We wanted to meet other teachers (living in Santiago) through our class but in turn this forces us to focus and really concentrate on our work. Jillian introduced us to some other people at the center which is nice. Our teacher is this super nice young lady from Singapore--she speaks Australian english which is very distracting for me because I constantly want to quote Summah Heights High. She is really cool and has lived all over and taught ESL for six years. She laughs at Cort and I alot because we are always providing anecdotes and giggling...but she says we are doing well! haha.

All in all we are very busy studying, learning, and exploring Santiago. Its a really awesome city and being here is both exciting and challenging. We are learning alot and also about life making decisions. Being in charge of our own livelihoods without any real help (food! , job and apartment searching) is challenging because we have both been incredibly lucky to have parents who provide for us. I am so so lucky and happy that Cortney is on this adventure with me. She has been such a great companion in laughing and balancing each others worries with positive encouragement.

My Cort Cort:



Anyway much more to come..Chile is a beautiful place! We are working hard and we start practice teaching on Friday! We have lessons to plan and Chileans to corrupt..haha!
<3 besos a todos

ps. view from the terrace from the 8th floor where we study: