Mi Familia Chilena!!!

I'm all moved in with my host family! The whole process of meeting them was super stressful...we were told to meet at Campus Oriente at 12 for an orientation meeting with the other EAP students and all of the host families. Then as soon as we sat down in the church (where our meeting was), they announced that they were going to call our names one by one and send us home with our families. No meeting. And so there I was, still knowing nothing about my program, sitting in the car with my host mom, Santi (la señora) and her neighbors, another older couple who were also taking home an exchange student from my program. 

Mi nueva casa is in the Nuñoa neighborhood of Santiago, in a completely residential area that seems safe and pretty quiet (although Santi's neighbor friend was robbed last week...very comforting). It's 2 stories and very old and run-down by Orange County standards, but it's comfortable. As long as I have Wifi and my own room, I'm happy! I live with Santi, her daughter Pamela, and Pamela's two sons, Matias (4) and Gaspar (15 months). They're both sooo cute. I'm so glad I got a family with kids, it gives me something to do instead of sitting there akwardly trying to think of something to say in Spanish. There's also a guy that lives here, Fernando, and I'm still not really sure who he is...maybe Santi's son. He pretty much just plays computer games all day. Not one person here speaks a word of English, and I'm  exhausted just from trying to speak Spanish all day (emphasis on trying...I wouldn't call my attempt successful) and the frustration of not understanding anything. But I love Pamela!!! She's 23 and really friendly and fun, even though we rarely understand each other. She blasts American music like Rihanna and Bruno Mars, and sings along at the top of her lungs even though she doesn't know any of the words and just says what she thinks it sounds like. I showed her a picture of my family and she yelled "QUE QUAPOOO!!!" when she saw Michael and tells everyone how good-looking he is. She practically fainted when he accepted her Facebook request hahahahaha...Michael, if you're interested in older women, specifically single mothers, DING DING DING!!! I found your girl! 

Bedtimeee, gotta get up in 5 hours to walk to school for our real orientation. 


My amazing dinner at Como Aqua Para Chocolate:

Matias and Gaspar! (Stole these from Pame's Facebook)