It´s Been a While, Sorry.

I MADE IT!!!

That is how I will start off. I believe that I left off just arriving in Chile and having my first meal and everything. Well that is old news. I´m going to skip the part of where we went into Llay Llay (sorry about that last spelling, totally off) It was a pretty normal thing. IDK. I guess I will tell you about a different town outing. Countinuting on.

I wake up sunday morning and this is the morning of my flight to La Serena. I hadn´t taken a shower yet because when a fellow student, Peter, tried, he ended up having only 10 seconds of hot water and the rest was cold. I guess thatscared me off thinking that I could just take one at my new home and figure everything out there. I looked in the mirror and new it was time to take a shower. My hair wasn´t greasy, but full of dust and stuff. Sorry, this is probably boring but I thought it was sorta interesting. Moving on... I finally took one and the whole time it was hot water. Great. I would now look presentalbe to my new family. I was excited but nervous. All the kids in Llay Llay got to meet there families with their friends along side of them. It made me feel a little less confident that I would be at the airport with Olivia and Anna (students) and then just leave and have a new family. It was different then what I was seeing happen around me.

I took my shower and was rushed to eat lunch. Me and the other student had decided to skip breakfast and just sleep untill lunch or do what you please. I hadn´t packed and when they came to get us it was only 11:25! They were early! The latinos! So I rushed to lunch and had to stuff everything in my bags when I ran back to the room. We left EARLY and headed to the airport. We got there just fine and checked our bags. Kelcie was the smart one and checked ahead and new that that weigh requirment was different (lower) and didn´t have to pay a fee (as to what I think), but the rest of us did. It was $46 each but we all didn´t think to much of it. We got that down with and walked around a little bit. I thought I would should you what we found. This (I think) was art in the middle circle of the airport. It was suitcases stacked 4 stories high. It was a pretty cool thing to see. We went through security and were on our own again, but only for about an hour. We left on Día de los Niños, the Day of Children. Like mother or fathers´ day, the kids get gifts and candy. The flight attendents were handing out candy to the kids and Olivia said, "Hey, were kids!" as a joke but in the end, we got a cup of candy to share. It was great. It was about a 40 minute flight and we arrived in La Serena. We exited off the plane by stairs and walked outside to the side door. There was a balcony for people to stand and look for the people there were suppose to meet. Everyone was waving and so we waved back. It was great. I walked into the baggage room and my sister and dad were on the other side of the glass door. All my nervousness went away. They were so excited to see me. They helped me with my bags and everything. It was great! The other girls also got to meet their families.

When we left my dad took us to the University of La Serena. It was all white and lovely. It was also up very high. We went to this over look and I could se all of La Serena. It was beautiful. I also could see the ocean. It was the exact picture that I first put on that I found on google. It felt amazing to finally be there with a family ready to welcome me.

We arrived at my new home and I finally met my mother and my cousin. The house is lovely. They have a dog named Milo and some cats. The first night I got there we had a bit of a slumber party and the bed broke because my sister jumped on. They ended up sleeping on the matress on the floor and me in my room.

My sister is in some kind of classes during the day and I stay with my cousin. My mom is the principal of my school and is there all day except lunch. My cousin is really helpful. She helped me get all of my papers together and took me all over the city. It was lovely.

To tell the truth, after I have gotten my papers done, I have been watching TV a lot and on the computer. Now don´t worry mom, not yet, but I feel like it is because I don´t have friends yet and don´t have anyone at home really to take me places. My cousin has been living with us but I don´t think its normal. I think it is because I wont be alone in the day. I am used to an amazing mom being home cooking amazing food or watching tennis with me. I´m missing it but looking forward to school and seeing what comes of this situation.

I have been trying to finish this blog for a couple of days. I´m getting timing a little mixed up so I thought I would talk about what has happened recently.

As of yesterday. I hung out with Anastatia, the other exchange student in my town from Oregan, and we went to town on the bus. It was the first time for her on the bus. She had only rode in taxis. It was fun. I needed shoes and we check for some. I had already found them but needed money. We went by ourselves and ofcourse, I couldn´t find the store cause it was just a hole in the wall.

We went back home where she asked my mom if the shoes she had were ok cause they were black but had sparkes on them. My mom "ok"ed them and we went on. Earlier tht day I had been informed that we would be going to a "barbaque" type of reunions with some friends of my cousin´s and sister´s. My cousin told me to invite Anastatia so I did and we went later that night. It was very fun. We ate this ---------->

This is called Chorrillana. It consists of hotdogs, Chorizo Sausage, french fried, fried onion, and some fried eggs. It was weird but I live off weird food and the weirder that better (most of the time). This was probably the most delicious thing I had ever tasted. It was the salt of the meat and fries mixed with the egg taste. YUMMMM!!!! You would have to try it to really get the flavor. Everyone at the gathering was super nice. I mostly just sat and listened but at times I would get involved with the convorsation. They are all very interested in Macchu Picchu and ask me about it. It was great.

Today is saturday and I woke up around 10 and then heard my host mom yelling (dezayunooooooooo!!!) breaaaaakfaaaaastttt! It was delicious today. Toast with butter and salami. And for those that really know, know I love love love salami. We also had hand sweezed orange juice and tea.

My sister took the first shower, then it was me. There was no hot water, so my cousin said that I would take a shower at her house. We all went over there for lunch, consisting of a pork chop with rice and potatoes (que rico), and it was with a big part of the family. There were 5 sisters, including my mother, and4 children, including me! One uncle and the grandparents. It was great. We all ate around a big table and talked talked talked! It was a good time. It rained a lot and hard today so we stayed inside and watched some movies.

I came home thinking I would finish my blog right when I got home but my cousin took over my computer till about 12:30. So I shall finish now takng in the fact that it is almost 2:30 and I think I´m going to meet my other grandparents. They live about an hour away on a ranch with a vinyard. I´m excited. :)

Note to self:

-still need shoes for school

-figure out classes and talk to both moms

Singing out.

Love to all.

Serena

P.S. Sorry for the spelling errors. The world knows I´m bad at spelling and the spell check seems to not be working. Maybe not for enlgish? Not exactly sure.

P.S.S. My upostraphy are accent marks, they don´t exist in spanish

Goodnight :)