I Just Want Some Ranch Dressing!!!

Yesterday morning, we had a meeting at Campus Oriente, and were introduced to our program administrators and our Chilean student mentors. I've met a bunch of people in my program now, and I think we have a really good group. Everyone is super friendly and it's fun meeting people from all of the other UC's. Campus Oriente is gorgeous. It was a monastery until the church converted it into a school.

This morning, we had our Spanish oral placement exams. Two of the Spanish teachers gave us a topic, and a group of 4 of us had to have a conversation for 15 minutes while they listened. In the afternoon we left to Cajon del Maipo for our orientation retreat, about an hour outside Santiago. Our "resort" isn't much of a resort except for the fact that it has pools; we're all in cabins and it looks feels like summer camp! We got here around 4, swam for awhile, listened to a talk from our director, and dinner, beef and potatoes AGAIN. I love that meal but really? Every time? On the bright side, we got wine with dinner! Yeahhh, Chile! Free wine! We toasted to not studying in Spain like everyone else. (No offense to anyone who did/is/is going to)

I loooooove Santiago, but there are a few things that could use improvement:
- Water isn't free. It's hot and I'm always thirsty, and I can't afford to buy water all the time.
- Streets are all one-way, and traffic direction changes on certain roads at specific times throughout the day.
- Not too stoked on this food. Tomatoes EVERYWHERE, and no spice.
- Can I PLEASE get a glass of milk from a carton, not a box? And preferably refrigerated?
- No hablo Espanish.
- No screens on doors or windows = bugs.
- No air-conditioning.
- Buses will not stop for you unless you flail your arms like you're drowning.
- Having to constantly protect my stuff against pickpockets.
- How all of the gazillion strays decide to start barking as soon as I try to go to sleep.
- Olive oil and lemon on all salads. Just a hint of Ranch would be nice every once in awhile.
- The Chilean accent. Ay-ay-ay.