So school has finally started (about a month ago) and has been the very thing preventing me from writing in my blog! So I am going to write about classes for this post, and post another one soon about everthing else. Monday and Wednesday I am taking: 20th Century Latin American History, Economic Geography (possibly a mistake?), and Human Rights. I love this history class, and economic geography SEEMS like it's really interesting. I can understand it a lot better than I could at the beginning of the semester though. The professor is also very nice and funny, which helps a little. We have a test next week and I hardly know what it's on! One of the girls in the class let me copy her notes though since I have trouble writing and listening at the same time. We have to write a research paper, so I asked her what a good length was. She answered, welll, it depends on the research. So I asked .....like 20 pages??? Noooo....more than 20.. probably more like 100. Which seems OUTRAGEOUS to me! I am going to ask the professor, and if I need to write more than 20..if so I might drop the class so I can actually have a social life here in Chile.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have "Espanol para extranjeros" (Spanish for foreigners) which has been very helpful!
I have a big essay due Monday and CIEE (my program) is taking us to Valparaiso this weekend. So I will post either next Monday or Tuesday! :) Sorry for the lack of posts
Today Chile experienced an "aftershock" a whopping magnitude of 7.2. Here in Santiago, we only experienced about a 5.2?? I was in the study abroad office which is located on the 17th floor of the UChile office building. Now, the higher you are, the more you feel it because the buildings here sway during earthquakes, almost like you'd picture a flower in a small breeze. The buildings are are constructed to bend and sway during tremors rather than break.
I was a little more at ease because I was with Patricio and Elsa, our study abroad staff, but the replicas don't scare me too much anyway. I always assume they will not be big, although this one was different. There were three replicas in a row. One strong one. Then a follow up which was very light. Then about a minute and a half later, the 7.2 or as I experienced 5.2, although for me it was a little more intense because of the location.
After the third replica we all had to evacuate the building.
These are a lot of the employees standing outside waiting to make sure it was safe. Everyone was either calling friends/family, listening to the radio, or checking their lap tops for the news. We were all so surprised when we found it was a 7.2!
The building I was in. So tall!
Afterward I hailed a taxi and went home. It's funny looking at all the people walking around like nothing happened. The city just returns to normal, and everyone's going about their own business. But we all have in common that we just experienced this slightly large aftershock. You look at everyone and wonder if they're scared, how they reacted, and how their day has been affected. Most probably received a phone call from a family member asking if they were okay. Although, calling someone after an intense aftershock is just about as impossible as calling someone at midnight on new years eve.
The kids getting picked up after the Replica
Construction workers dealing with aftermath and Chileans recovered and once again going about their day.
And during all of this madness, Chile's government was shifting from socialist to capitalist as President Sebastián Piñera was being inaugurated into office. Unfortunately, his inauguration had to be cut short and everyone was evacuated. Sorry Piñera .....
(courtesy of NYTimes. ) Presidents Evo Morales of Bolivia, Fernando Lugo of Paraguay and Rafael Correa of Ecuador during the inaugeration of Piñera . Apparently the ceiling was very shaky....
But for meee, unfortunately all activities were canceled for the rest of the day including my spanish class for extranjeros and our ambassador meeting.
So of course: Out of all the countries I've decided to study in (though Chile is very earthquake prone..) and the year I study there, the 5th largest earthquake ever recorded occurs (So i hear..).
It was not as terrifying as it might sound, but I was also very far from the epicenter. The magnitude here in Santiago was about 7.5 I believe? Santiago is more or less in good condition. Unfortunately, Southern Chile has faced tragedy and thousands if not millions are homeless.
My experience: I woke up to the sound of my building rattling. I stayed laying in bed thinking of what it could be: a truck is driving by?? A train? Meanwhile the rattling is getting louder and louder. So I shoot out of bed look out my window. The word earthquake crosses my mind, but I think, no it couldn't be. A plane?? A truck?? The rattling gets louder and all of a sudden the ground begins shaking beneath me. At this point, I could no longer deny that this was an earthquake.
So I hear my host-mom in the hallway calling my name. Meanwhile, the shaking is getting stronger and stronger. I meet my host-mom in the hallway and we link arms feeling and attempt to feel our way towards the door. Meanwhile the shaking continues to get even stronger.
Finally, it is somewhat of a struggle to stand up. We got to the door and I was frantically trying to unlock it. We have to turn the key about five times. I've never been so frantic in my life! Finally I manage to unlock the door, and I open it to the sound of screams coming from the above floors. One lady was going crazy. I thought that chileans would maybe be familiar with earthquakes, so the screams really scared me. The buidling was rattling so loudly I thought it was going to collapse, so I tried running down the stairs to evacuate the buildling but my host-mom told me to stay in the doorway of our apartment, so I did. We stood there hugging as the ground was shaking and the building rattling, amongst all the screams. I've never felt so helpless!
However, the shaking eventually began to get lighter and finally stopped. Biggest relief of my life! And then we turned around to a very messy apartment. One of the ceiling lamps shattered all over the table, my shower is broken, and we have cracks in our walls (only the outer layer, which is very thin). The walls are still very sturdy.
On a lighter note, school begins soon. I will try and post more often and add more pics!
So, mom has been constantly asking me to start a blog, so here it is!
The fact that I would be studying in Chile seemed like such a distant thought. It's hard to believe it's actually happening. As you probably know, Santiago is located next to the Andes mountains, so I get to live in the city, but also enjoy the amazing landscapes.
So far Chile has been no work and all play. The toughest thing so far has been speaking in Spanish (and tough is an understatement). I was just video chatting with Alix (for those of you who don't know, she is a friend from Clark) and she asked me what the best thing has been so far: the people. Not only am I having such a great time with all the Americans from my program but I have met a decent amount of chilenos for only having been here four days. The she asked me what the worst part has been so far: I sat there for 10 seconds trying to think of something, but I couldn't. Although, yes, the Spanish is very difficult for me.
All of you in Massachusetts will be excited to hear that's it's been in the mid-80's every day. We got to have a picnic in the park, barbecue, and go swimming.
Amy and I at the park on our picnic
Kayla and I at the Park
I have gone out almost every night (with the exception of Thursday) The first night here, two students from last semester brought us to a bar/dancing place (??). Friday night, we all met in Bellavista and went to some club called alien which I guess is not the most happening place, and the part of town isn't so nice (but how are we supposed to know these things??), so the host-brothers and sisters of my friends along with their friends all brought us to a really nice club. I felt like I was 21 (though I'm not) it was a lot of fun. It is very weird that I can buy drinks now. Unfortunately I did not take pictures during these nights.
Heather and I at dinner. CIEE (the study abroad program) took us to a very nice resturaunt.
Last night we went over Nate's house (a boy from the program). His host-brother had his friends over which was nice because I got the chance to meet more chilenos. The next day we ended up going back for a barbecue and swimming with the same people. I'm very happy I've had the opportunity meet people outside the program! I feel like I have socialized so much with the Chileans but when I look back there was not too much conversation (because of the lack of my spanish). Mostly gestures and me repeating all the phrases that I am learning. Like "Vacan!" (not sure of the spelling), but it means cool. Many of them were also trying to learn English so to practice they would speak in English to me, and I would speak in Spanish.
My friend Marianne and I, friends of Nate's family.
Basically I feel like I am on spring break and vacation. Hopefully it will only get better once school starts (although I fear the schoolwork will be stressful!)
Next weekend we all plan to go stay at a hostel at vino del mar (the beach). There is a big music festival going on there.
