update and more photos!

The mine we went in near Oumey.

That blue-ish tinge on the ceiling was what they were mining for. (I think?)

Ashton and Seth on la micro!

On the way to the vineyards. This is Casa Blanca valley.

Ashton and Whitney at sunset!!!

It is raining. Again. Not that it has rained that much, but its more then I like. hahaha (and it didn't start until about 10:30pm anyway so I really dont have anything to complain about...)
I like to think I am sooo Chileno, I have changed my facebook to spanish and have downloaded some spanish music (AND am listening to it...) and I eat once instead of dinner with the rest of the family AND throw in some Chilenismos whenever possible. hahahahaha Today i was walking back from class and I walk past this car dealership and the guard for the cars said "hello" (yes in english) and I responded with "hola" hahahahaha. (thats the first person to say hi to me when on the streets, and he didn't say it in an uncomfortable creepy way, it was more like look I can speak some english! and since I walk past him everyday a couple times a day at least its was friendly. jaajajaja). Soon enough I'll be less of a wannabe.
Classes started this week... I am taking a intense schedule really, nothing very fun (ie the music class or the enviornmental class sound more exciting). I've got a class about chilean myths, legends, traditions and folklore, a class about politics, social change and human rights in chile, another class called cultural anthropolgy in chile, and social diversity, development and globalization in latin america in addition to the spanish course. And all those are in spanish... yikes! The politics class is going to be hard, the teacher is kind of intense. it will be interesting but intense because my history knowledge is minimal to none to begin with let alone world history knowledge... The hardest class is going to be cultural anthropolgy because the teacher is a true chileno. (the other teachers are true teachers and may or may not be native chilenos). The first day of this cultural anthro class (tuesday, we have each class twice a week) the teacher didn't show... and hes in a band. A famous band called Congreso. They were super popular in the 70s and were sort of an anti-pinochet band and if you mention Congreso to any native they know who you're talking about so thats sorta neat. But he speaks soooo fast and with such an accent or something that i think I caught maybe 1/4 of what he said in an hour and a half. And when we asked him to slow down he said hed slow down a little but its better to learn the language at its normal pace (which is fine, except we also need to learn the material...) and he doesn't use powerpoint or have any notes and just comes in and talks for an hour and a half and then you're done... the other profs stop to make sure you are following, try to get a little class participation in and some even use powerpoint... so it will be VERY interesting to say the least.
Thats just a quick summary for now, we'll see how everything is going after a few weeks.
Here are a few more pictures:

COMIDA!!!

Here is long awaited food blog... (i understand long awaited is a slight exaggeration).
Food and meals here are different, there is no way around it but at first they seem pretty minute.
For breakfast I have cereal, right now we have a granola and fruit mix and then a bran flake and fruit mix which are actually really good. They have real pieces of dried fruit (strawberries, raspberries [they are huge on raspberries here], raisins) in them so even though they aren't coated in sweet flavor, its still pretty sweet and delicious. I also have some yogurt and/or torta if time permits. Yogurt is mostly the same, just some different flavors. Like fruit and nut with yes, real pieces of nuts and dried fruits in it. And then the pineapple and others dont have fruit in them, so go figure. Since I am still a meal behind I also get the torta option... (torta is like a cake they have for desert/once right now its chocolate for my dad's birthday, before it was yogurt or a coconut). But Ive been eating the tiniest amount of cereal ever so by our break at like 10 I'm starving and then go down to the little market thing near school and get an instant coffee (I have yet to see a starbucks or any true coffee shop [except for the ones in the ritzy part of Valpo where we went on Saturday], they seem to only drink instant coffee).
Lunch is the big meal here, and its a lot later then in the US, during the week about 2ish and during the weekend about 2:30-3ish. And you have a first course (today was tomato soup!) then a main course, and there is salad and bread on the table [by the time i get through the first two plates i dont have room for anything else so now they think i dont like bread or salad...] and then desert of some sort. Fruit salad is a good one that we've had a couple times, and its not as much melon persay, its got apples, bananas, pineapples, sometimes a marichino cherry, and a little orange. Its incredible! I will always make room for that even if they have to roll me away from the table afterwards. hahahaha. One of my brothers and my mom are home for lunch (today was a chicken breast and spaghetti and tomato soup, all freshly made!) sometimes both brothers or Diego and his polola and last Thursday natalia was home too so it changes from day to day (today was me, my mom and dad and Gustavo). And everyone sits around and eats together. But you dont wait for everyone to et their food, you are supposed to eat it when you get served so it doesn't get cold. And when you are done with your plate you put it in the kitchen right away even if everyone else is still eating (which has been the weirdest thing for me, because they take it when Im done, and then i feel bad for them taking my plate and putting it away...).
Dinner is the most different. There is cenar and there is once. Typically once comes at about 6ish and its just pan (bread) and torta and maybe some ham and cheese for your pan and some tea. So kinda like tea time?? hahaha then there is cenar which is usually really late, like 9-11ish (again depending on the family and the day). My family just has once at 8:30. But they are getting me adjusted to eating late and eating smaller portions then, so to do that they have been giving me another serving of lunch. hahahaha. so the rest of the family has ham and cheese sandwiches and I have pasta and chicken for example. hhahaha. And tea. (except for Gustavo, he has instant coffee...hahahaha). Its the same thing every night and everyone has the same quirks, like the kids all like some cold water in their tea or coffee, but dont just let it sit for a few minutes to cool down... And everyone sits down together for their meals (except for breakfast) and then after everyone is done do people start to leave (mostly just my sister and my dad sometimes).
Then there are just some different things and tastes here that surprise me and what not:
they LOOOOOVE mayo. ohhhh man. on everything and its sold in bags! hahahaha but they have these hot dogs called compeltos which are super popular (have i mentioned they say super? super bien or super rico or super frio. i've picked up on it? hahaha) and they have relish, mayo, avacado and tomoatoes on them... For lunch sometimes the salad is a vegetable (ie corn) and then they just put spoonfuls of mayo on it and mix it up. ahhh! hahahaha
Salads are different. they are just vegetables spread out (like lettuce and next to it are some shredded carrots and then next to that is some cut up celery) and they put lemon juice on it for dressing... i was surprised at how good just the lemon juice was on it. hahahaha.
We had some egg, chicken soup yesterday for lunch and they squeeze a bunch of lemon in that as well.
Olives. they like olives too! for my dad's birthday celebration, we sat around the living room area and had or'dourves of olives, artichokes (?) two types of cheese (fresh cheese, its white and doesnt have too much of a taste, its pretty moist, ie when you cut into it some of the water/milk drips out) some meat/cheese rolls (ham and cheese on toothpicks!) and some peanuts. In a typical meat empenada, there is ground beef, onions, olives (whole black olives with the seeds still in them) and egg. They are much better then they sound. hahahahaha
I dont think they really go out for dinner at all and no one makes food for just themselves or anything. There is no peanut butter or easy mac or snacks! NO ONE SNACKS!!!! hahahaha they have all these vendors selling snacks and stuff on the street (ie popcorn, roasted almonds, candied apples/grapes and then legit vendors w/ candy and magazines) but I haven't seen many people buy anything. hahahaha and their grocery stores and gas stations dont really have snacks either. for example a gas station has about 1 aisle of food stuff and then the rest is just other stuff (an aisle of bread i guess... hahaha) and drinks and then stuff for your car or personal hygine etc. its weird.
And the things that we have to refigerate at home (ie eggs!) they dont here. my theory is that its just too dang cold in the house so if there is no room in the fridge, then no big deal... crazy! hahahahaha
Contrary to popular belief there are no chiles in chile. in fact my family hates spicey food. sometimes guacamole can be made too spicey!?! and my family eats a LOT of potatoes and rice. one or the other (or both) for every lunch (and dinner for me...) and there doesn't seem to be the fishy influence I had imagined which is good! ahahaha
anyway Im sure there will be another blog or two on food, but thats just sort of the basics for now. i hope all is well! eat some chipolte for me!!!!!

Chao!

now really, what have I gotten myself into?

aye aye aye
We met up with our host families today. Turns out all the spanish I was thinking I understood in class and high school was all a lie. My family has been talking to me, and I sorta get the general topic and based on their reactions/tone etc I can guess their feelings and try to react appropriately, but thats about all. Its a mess. I am anxious to get really good at spanish so I can carry on a conversation (or at least answer the questions mostly correctly the first time they ask, or say more than one sentence in another tense other than present...) but getting there is going to be long and painful.
They are soo nice though, I was so nervous but really everyone is very nice and fun and understanding. I am a littl confused because there is an old man that lives here they call maestro. and they introduced me and maybe described him as an abuelo (grandfather) but from what I did understand at dinner, he is not related to them at all. And Im not sure if the brothers live here or not... I'm pretty sure one does but I haven't really seen them all day (one went to work, his second day! and the other went to soccer?? no se) so I really dont know.
Class starts at 8:30 tomorrow, and they showed me how to take the micro and everything, but that is far too petrifying and its only like a 20-30 minute walk, so I think I am going to walk, at least until I find out how close the other kids live so we can coordinate something?
This whole eating thing is probably going to be the death of me, either by over eating or starving. or maybe some unique combination of both. Today we had this HUGE lunch, it didn't look like that much food, but about a quarter of the way through I was "satisfecho" and then they ate "once" at 8:30 which (I ate leftover lunch! hahahaha) is cakes and breads and tea/coffee. Not even dinner! And to think that in real life situations they have once at about 6 or 7 and then at 8-10ish (maybe later) they have dinner. Crazy!
I can't wait for spring/summer! No matter how many layers I have on nor what they are made of makes me much warmer. Apparently if you live here, you develope a higher tolerance for cold. Its not colder then winters in CO by any means, I would compare the weather during the day to October or November in CO... but no heat inside... That will get to you bones because its a cold slow chill freeze. hahahaha My host family put a electric blanket on my bed! So have been so accomodating and awesome so far!!
They gave me a cell phone to use, but I have no idea if it is just for now/emergencies or what. I need to ask, but I also need to know what they are saying when they respond. Same with showers.... Mi mama y Naty told me about the calefront (the thing that you have to start to heat the water...) but Im not sure what they were saying. I thought they said they are getting an automatic one this week? or that its better to shower at night because then it doesn't take as long... No idea. So im going to not shower tomorrow morning and worry about it after class. hahahaha
Their house is very simple. No one has anything on the walls. There are some paintings one of the boys did in the family room, thats about all, for example Naty's room doesn't have any posters or pictures or anything up. I am anxious to hear other people's impressions and thoughts.
Its only 10:30 but I am exhausted!! (i couldn't sleep last night because I was so nervous). And Naty's boyfriend just got here... its a school night! que loco!! and she is getting up at 7... or leaving at 7, Im not sure. I just know mi mama said she would get me up then too?? so i set some alarms. I have to get a clock! and a watch! hahahaha (and a normal size toothpaste. hahahaha)
aye aye aye.
Thats all for now, bed calls!!!

ADIOS!!!

(ps wish me luck tomorrow on getting to school and back (twice!- dance class at 2:40. hahahaha))