Hey I've Survived A Week And A Half!

Hola todos!
Como estas? Como fue tu dia? These are the questions we get asked when we arrive home every day and it's a bit of a challenge to think of a new response for every day with our limited vocab but we're managing. If we talk about how cute los chiquitos are we usually do alright.

This weeks been busy. The weekend was long because we had Monday off as well. We tried to find the park on Saturday and failed, although we did find the bridge that leads across the river. Then in the evening Ruth pointed out that we can see the park from our bedroom window... We found it on Sunday and it's nice and big and has lakes and a fish farm. It also had a llama that became very interested in me after I took it's photo. Maybe it was wondering if I'd gotten his best side.

The park lake

Work on Tuesday was good. I was going over vocab with the kids and surprisingly didn't feel nervous at all. You'd think not being able to understand them would make you feel daunted or something but it actually makes me feel kind of free... I don't have to worry about what they're saying so I can just focus on the work. It's hard to explain.

Amina pointed out to me that everyone, even people we just walk past in the street, stare at my eyes because they are 'celeste'. I'd never noticed before but now I do. It's a bit weird but people stare at us anyway so what's a little more? 

We're also trying to figure out when to give cheek kisses to people. Whenever we or someone else gets home you give them a kiss, and when you walk into the staff room you do. Just whenever you meet someone for the first time in a day. The problem arises when a group of teachers are talking or holed up in a corner - do you barge over and give them a kiss? It's tricky stuff. Today we were talking about it and Amina just turned to me and said with a really straight face "I think we should kiss those Maths teachers tomorrow." Then we both realised how strange that would sound back home and burst out laughing.

A house is not a home... (+stray dog)

School/work on Wednesday was mainly alright. Although I was with one class that was quite... tiring. Most of the kids were fine. A few... One boy was walking around the whole lesson hitting people with a broom. You couldn't tell him to stop because he'd just do it more. And they were dragging each other across the floor, attacking each other, by the end of the lesson two boys had a table over their heads! Crazy. I was very happy to go for a walk during lunch so that I could remember what quiet was like. 

I felt so tired by the end of the day. Finally understand that end-of-work tiredness you always assume people exaggerate. Went home and napped. And we had airboxing that evening. Starting to feel the effects of that too. The instructors girlfriend wasn't there that time so there was more boxing and less dancing.

Then today after work we had the English staff meeting. All the English teachers in Lautaro go to chat and organise things. There's going to be an English week in November and all the kids have to plan an show. We've been told that the volunteers are expected to do something on their own - the more embarrassing the better I think was the message we were sent. We just chatted for a while really. People left when all the tea and biscuits were gone.

I'm quite happy because our Chilean is definitely improving. Had a good conversation this evening with our padres and it just went so well. It's so exciting! Just think how good we'll be after a few months =D

We've also noted the attention we get on the street. 

We have our regulars: 

• friendly petrol station workers
• friendly builders close to home
• creepy builders close to school
• sweet old men on the street
• dogs that enjoy following us around (although I think they do that with anything, even rubbish in the wind)
• and the dog that sits near the bench we have lunch on, waiting for scraps

Then there's the people that have never seen us before and don't really know what to make of us. We went exploring during lunch and ended up trolling through a housing estate and people clearly didn't know why on earth we were there. Also the dogs here have found a new habit of chasing passing cars. This leads to lots of terrifying close encounters that nearly result in dead dogs all round. Stupid dogs.

Not feeling homesick really though it's the little things that will probably set me off. The water going the other way down the drain, all the street dogs, only having powdered milk, tea with cinnamon, the whole lemon they squeeze on top of  salad, the cars being on the wrong side of the road (although that's probably more likely to lead to injury than homesickness) and just loads of stupid little things that I can't even remember. Ahh well it's all part of the experience. 

In general feeling pretty good at the moment. Loving work and the cute little kids. Home life is so comfortable and there's always someone that's happy to see us. Can't complain.

Chao's and kisses all round!

xxx

Oh P.S if you want to read more my partners blog address is: http://drurysinorbit.wordpress.com/
It's shared between her and her sister who's in France at the mo. Just look for Amina's posts.