Chile Night Life

Dear Mommy,

I just want you to know that...hmmm...how to say this. This pre-letter is to inform you that I am just fine and safe. I know you and I know you're going to freak out when you read this blog. It's just a pre-warning. Just remember I am here writing this, so that means I am okay.

I love you,
Kelsey Louise :)

Now that is said, I have a couple stories about the night life here in Chile! The other night a couple of girlfriends and I went to un obra de teatro! Se llama "Epitafio para un zapato enterrado vivo". It was about two men wanting to commit suicide. It was a comedy and in the end they talked each other out of it. Basically that's what happened. After wards, it was raining SO hard and we decided to get a drink at "Las Gringas!" I ordered a Daquiri thinking it was going to be this awesome fruit smoothing w/ RUM! Well, it had rum but that was about it. It came in a margarita glass with rum and a dash of lemon juice. It was so strong and I was really feeling it when I was done, I mean even before I was done! It was so strong. I'm still getting used to the difference in drinks here. Anyway, it was a good time and we had a lot of laughs. We all live really close to this place, just over the bridge and a couple blocks away. BUT it was raining cats and dogs outside! We decided to risk it anyway, like crazy americans would do. The other factor was that the WIND was blowing like crazy. I have never experienced wind like this before. It literally would blow us aside, I was constantly fighting its strength! By the time I got home I was DRENCHED, but this has become normal. OMG I forgot the drunk guys!

SO, we were sitting in the cafe minding our own business and all of a sudden these two drunk off their asses guys are outside the window. They were motioning us to come meet them outside and one was even caressing his body (as if that would interest us). They stood there for a few minutes and I motioned them to go away. Eventually they did so no crazy boy stories (yet)!

The NEXT night, we planned to go dancing! It's all the rage down here in Chile. haha So we went to the  Discoteca around 10, but to our surprise it didn't even open until 11! Dumb Americans I suppose. So, we hung out at Strike for a couple of hours before we went dancing. I had a Mai Tai and they are SO much more amazing here than in the US and also like 3 times as strong. That one drink lasted me all night. We ended up singing a little at Strike, I mean who can pass up Journey? Anybody? Didn't think so. So we were all just having a great time, then we decided to go DANCE! The reason we came out.

We got in and it was hopin, like literally. They were playing our music too! Britney Spears...KE$HA! When I walked in I said "Oh that'd be so awesome if they played Ke$ha" and they did. All of us girls were dancing together and slowly one by one was asked to dance by men in the club. I was not asked that often, but when I did I said no. One guy was trying to get my friend to dance with him, she said no to him, then asked me. I responded "No soy la segunda" meaning or at least I wanted it to mean I'm not a second choice. He looked at me like he had never heard that before. It was a good moment for me.

Later everyone had some creepy boy or man all over them. I didn't until around 3ish. Yes, mom I stayed out that late. My partner kept on wanting to look at my face while I was dancing and I am not for that! I just wanted to dance and that's that. haha The men here are a little strange. They also try to go in for kisses anytime they can. It's simple here though, if you don't want that you simply say No. No is all it takes, unless you've already kissed a guy.

One of my friends found out the hard way. She didn't know that the men would try and kiss her, so she was blind sided when one did. He ended up becoming infatuated with her and would NOT leave her alone. It was kind of scary at one point. Most people know me as an aggressive person and I know where the line is. I was trying to help by keeping him away from her. At one point he grabbed her arm and I just told him "NO" and pushed his hand away. He gave me the scariest look then as if he wanted to harm me b/c I was keeping him from her. We then had to walk home and he started following us. We were walking over the bridge and he was screaming "Don't leave me! Don't leave! Please stay!" It was a calm night so it was echoing through the area. He eventually stopped, but it was definitely a freaky night.  Now I know, when in Chile do not lead men on! haha

In the end we both made it home safely to our beds! Where we finally got some sleep. We got home around 4, but my host mom begs to differ. She says it was about 20 til 5. Either way it was VERY late. I also had to be somewhere at 8am that same morning! So I was not a happy camper when I woke up. Another lesson learned, get SLEEP! It's nice.

Since tonight is a weekend night, I am ready to have a good time. and I'm planning just that! There is a band here that covers the Beatles! I can't believe it. So that's where I'll be tonight. My first concert in Chile :D

Kelsey

University, Lunch, Cemetery, Bar! All in One Day.

The night I traveled all the way here, I slept like a baby. It was amazing. I heard the same things from all the others. So,(a tip) If you want a good night sleep travel somewhere far away. When you get there you'll sleep like a baby :)

I had to get up early the next morning to go to Orientation. I met up with all my friends I met on the trip. We met our Director, Raquel, her job is to basically help us with any problems we have. When she started speaking I didn't even realize she was speaking Spanish, because I was understanding EVERYTHING! I interrupted my flow when I thought about this. I got so excited but then went back to listening right away. She was speaking very slowly, but still it was a great moment. Our counselors are all very nice. After we were hit with a ton of information we took a tour of campus where we were hit with MORE information. There's no way anyone can remember it all.

Later they treated us to lunch. Lunch in Chile is the largest meal of the day, so this is how it went. We got there and we were all starving! Before we arrived they asked us what we wanted to eat, there were three choices 1) Carne de res (a beef steak) 2) Pescado (Fish but today specifically it was Trout) 3) Fettutine. I went for the Trout b/c when in Chile you eat Seafood. BUT before we got our meal...They asked us what would you like to drink? They had a few options, I went for the Pisco Sour. Aqui en Chile es muy tipico. So I had to try it. I also was brought water, but water con gas! (carbonated water) I'm not a fan but it was just fine. So then they brought us our drinks and appetizers. They were meat balls that you dipped in a wine sauce and we also had little boat crackers with a fish paste in it. It was delicious. They also brought us bread. Then finally our meal. The vegetables were even to die for. Perhaps it's because I am biased (thinking this place is heaven), but for now they were amazing.

Even more interesting part of my day. The back story...My family's father passed away about 2 years ago. They go to his grave site maybe once a month(This is what I was told). So something I never even thought I would experience here. The cemetery and a funeral. There was a funeral going on and there were SO many people and SO many flowers. I wanted to take pictures so bad, but I made sure it was okay before I did. Some of the graves have 5 or 6 people in one. They said just staked on top of one another. There is also a wall of cement where there are different rectangular shapes to place the caskets in. They are not in the ground but in this wall. I didn't get a good picture of them, but they are in the distance in the pictures I have. I only tell you all of this because it was so different and to me interesting. We were at a very old cemetery and oddly enough I didn't have any weird feelings. I felt completely fine and safe.

Later that night I went out with the entire group! We all have to find our own way to and from these places, which at first is a little nerve racking. I live really close to everything, but I never want to walk alone in the dark(don't worry mom I didn't nor will). Mariana drove me there. It turned out to be a KARAOKE BAR called Strike! It was so much fun. I had a Pina Colada(It's so true that the drinks here are so much stronger than in the US). So I only had one drink. It was so much fun. All I did was speak spanish and laugh the entire time. One downfall is that so many people smoke in Chile. Almost everyone. So there was much smoke in the bar. I still had a good time, and I'm still able to breath. Thankfully. Even the taxi ride home was fun. My friend Maggie's new cousin was with us. They dropped me off first b/c I'm literally 2 min ride away from the bar. I didn't know the address, but I knew the road. It was all good. I got home safely, opened the gate and then door and I was off to bed.

I then slept for about 12 hours. Much needed :) Today is a new day. I'm ready for anything even if it is sitting here with my Chilean family all day waiting for the different meals. I have no obligations what so ever, except to practice Spanish.

Kelsey

El Viaje sin Final

I began my journey early yesterday morning. I was of course not yet packed when my family arrived to pick me up at 6:30am Bellingham time. I had to rush to get ready and get all my things together. We were off around 7:30am. At this point I was looking at a long day of traveling...not excited at all. I was only excited to see the end...if there was an end.

When I arrived at the airport, it still didn't hit me "I'm traveling to the other side of the world". Still now I can't believe I'm here in Chile. El sur del mundo! No puedo creer eso. Anway, I got my ticket, my mom was a little emotional but I was on my way none the less. She couldn't stop me now! I was able to meet up with my friend Maggie whom I traveled with. The trip was so much better to have a friend around. I can't imagine my trip without her now. It would have been scary and boring (well more boring).

I'm getting to the interesting part. We boarded the plane and the first thing I saw as we lifted up in the air was an amazing view of Mt. Rainier. I'll post the picture, it's literally breath taking. I felt it was a good sign. My trip was going to go well and I was happy. On this flight I met a lovely couple traveling home to South Carolina from Alaska. I didn't get the man's name, but the woman's name was Susan. She was delightful to talk to, she had a southern accent which caught   my attention right away. She ended up giving me her information so I  could find her on Facebook. Now I get to share my travels with yet another person. The flight to Dallas was about 4 hours. Too long for me, but we finally made it.

I was in Dallas, somewhere I had never been before. The first thing I saw was a TGI Friday's. I wanted to eat there, but realized it actually isn't my kind of food. So Maggie and I went to a little Cantina where I had Enchiladas de Espinaca! They were delicious. We had our minds on the trip and the long flight ahead. We finished eating and went to the gate. I then had my first panic attack (I was on the verge of crying during this time).

I realized I didn't have my passport!!! I remember being in the bathroom and putting it down on my luggage. I watched it carefully, but at this moment I didn't remember putting it away after that. So I had lost my PASSPORT! The first place I went to was that bathroom...running at this point. I looked around deleriously, it wasn't there. I ran upstairs to the Cantina, also wasn't there. I was really worried at this point and went to wait in line at the front desk hoping someone had turned it into the gate (oh and my boarding pass was with it)! I then went back to check my luggage one more time...just to make sure. It was in my backpack! I got myself worked up for nothing. In those few moments I realized how important this trip is to me. It's so true when people say "You don't know what you got til it's gone". I thought my dream was gone at that point. All turned out okay though, it was just me freaking out! haha

Later we boarded the plane with no problems. All I wanted to do was sleep and I did, for the most part. I woke up about every 2 hours then I would stay awake for at least 1. I read and just sat there in between. The most interesting part was when I woke up around 6-6:30. We were flying over the ocean, Chile and the Andes to our left. I saw the most beautiful view, the sun was rising over the Andes. It was incredible. I woke Maggie up right away, but she wasn't very happy with that. Opps :( I just had to share that view with somebody! It was the perfect way to wake up. I watched the sunrise for about 30 mins before they came out with breakfast. To top it all off I was able to watch my favorite show, The Office as I watched the sunrise. It was an amazing moment for me. No other words besides happiness could describe it.

After the 9 1/2 hour flight we were in Santiago trying to find our way to immigration and then customs. I had another freak out! I was suppose to bring these documents, that I simply left at home. Luckily enough they just let me go through. We then went to get our luggage. I was nervous they lost it, but no it was all there :) One of my favorite parts of the trip...we grabbed our luggage and walked through these sliding doors that you could not see through. So that you cannot prepare yourself for what's behind the doors. As soon as the door open I heard "Taxi? Quieres Taxi? Luego necesitas Taxi?" I had about 10 people trying to get me on their taxi. It just started busting out laughing and said no. No gracias.

Then we had to check in to our domestic flight to Valdivia...Finally we were just 2 hours away. When we finally arrived I was so...not even sure what I felt. Perhaps it was excitement. I'm not sure. haha I was overwhelmed with so many emotions! I still can't believe I'm here speaking Spanish and hearing it every where. I love this town so far.



I just had dinner with my host family. Words cannot describe how wonderful they are. They are willing to cook w/out meat, talk slower for me, they gave me a phone for down here!!...the list just goes on and on! I know someone has been looking out for me. Who ever that is...Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Until next time :)
Kelsey

P.S Sorry for the length...I just found everything so interesting.
Buenas Noches.

This was my first Chilean friend, Nina :)

Day of Take Off

I'm sticking with the theme of Take Off. So I'm at the airport, waiting for my flight to start boarding. It still isn't all that real. I mean...I will be in a Spanish speaking country for the first time in my life. It's a little insane.

I would like to do a shout out to my mother, who is freaking out! I called you twice after i got to the airport! My friend has a phone with her, so I was able to to call...but you DIDN'T ANSWER! I just wanna say I was trying to help relieve some of your sorrow and worry, but you didn't let me. I love you mom! I hope to talk to you soon.

The plane should start boarding in 15 minutes. I can't wait to be there...about a day later. I'll do my best once I'm down there to keep posting, but it may be a couple of days. I'll also make sure to mention any interesting folks I meet on the way. (That's always my favorite part about traveling) I just want to say again thank you so much for all the love and support :)

I love you all,
Kelsey

Day Before Take Off

Hi Everyone!

My name is Kelsey and I'm off to Chile tomorrow afternoon. I'm mainly writing this blog so all my friends and family can see what I'm doing when I'm gone. My mom is very nervous about me leaving, and I hope this will sort of ease her mind and calm her down.

I also want to take the time to thank everyone that has support me so far. I am so blessed to have all of your support. I never imagined such support. The road here has not been an easy one, but you've made it possible. Thank you all so much.

A special thanks to my immediate family. My mom, while I'm gone just know that I'm doing what I have dreamed about. That in itself should make you happy :) Kelly and Amanda, you two always give me such great advice and support me in all my decisions. Alex, my brother, I know you're happy for me(even though you don't show it how others do). I hope to see you doing what you want in the near future as well. A huge thanks to the family I'm living with now(Aunt Adrian, Uncle Michael, Aunt Gail, and Kateri). Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your everyday life this summer. It meant everything to me to be here.

I didn't want to thank individuals, because I knew some people had to be left out, but I hope the ones who are not mentioned know how much they mean to me as well. I have not forgotten you and you are close to my heart as well.

So tomorrow...I'm leaving for the greatest adventure of my life (so far). I'll see you all again in December!

Again, Thank you so much!
Kelsey