So I'm in my 2nd week of Spanish classes at La Católica, and they're going well except that it's 4 hours a day and I can't focus on ANYTHING for that long, let alone Spanish. I don't feel like my Spanish is getting too much better yet, but I'm hoping that changes once real school starts and I have no choice anymore haha...
Last weekend almost everyone in my program went to the coast, but I stayed in the city with some of my friends. On Friday night, we hung out with our friend's host brother and his friends. It started out super awkward since we were too nervous to speak Spanish and they were too nervous to speak English, but after a few rum and Cokes (ron y coca) it got a little easier, and I practiced a ton of Spanish until they busted out their English. Turns out a few of them were actually pretty good, and the best ones had never taken any English lessons. Who says Friends isn't an educational show?!? One guy learned entirely from watching Friends and Lost, and another one said he learned from watching movies and listening to American music. (Okay Grandma, you win. I should've watched your novelas with you.) Anyway, the Chileans I've met so far are all super friendly, exactly what I was told before I came!
On Saturday, we went to Patronato, which is a whole district of cheap clothes, shoes and jewelry kinda like Santee Alley in downtown LA. My friend Marcella and I bought some M.C. Hammer pants to fit in with the Chileans!!! Can't wait to sport those bad boys, but I don't think they will ever make an appearance outside Chile. If they do, please tell me to change.
On Sunday, we went back to California Cantina for the Superbowl! Sooo fun, but one MAJOR disappointment. No Superbowl commercials!!! What did they think I came for? To watch the game?! Please. Every commercial break was just soccer highlights from the past season...in Spanish. The same ones, every time. And THEN, the power went out right as Usher got onstage during halftime and we missed the whole thing. Either way, the Packers won and we had a great time. California Cantina is gonna be our new hangout whenever we miss home. The owner already knows us and they have special events for every holiday: Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day (okay that's Irish but they don't celebrate it in Chile), Easter, 4th of July...plus reggae nights on Wednesdays and it turns into a club at least once a week. Perfect!
Today after class, we went on a fieldtrip to Palacio La Moneda (the presidential offices) for a tour. We only got to go into the courtyards and a few rooms, but it was really cool to see. Who knew I would be at the Chilean White House before the American one? Apparently the president was there today, but we didn't get to see him. I thought it was interesting that the presidents haven't lived in La Moneda since the bombing in '73; they stay at their own houses and are driven underground to work every time they have to come in.
More updates soon!
La Moneda:
With some of the girls at California Cantina:
No comments:
Post a Comment