My First Earthquake

As usual I have come away from Once with Ruty brimming with info, and feeling that I've learned some valuable fact about life, but not being quite sure what it is.

Today we were discussing school because I was saying how I'd been talking to my mum about university. Kids here have to go to school until they've finished cuarto medio (last year of high school). And even though it is compulsory, some kids in the campo don't get the chance to go to high school. When they finish 8th grade they sometimes have to go and help their parents on the farm/family business. I pretty sure this only happens in the campo. University entry seems to be pretty much the same here as back home - you have to have the grades and write an essay etc. However it isn't free like it is for us Scottish folk (something I'm really starting to appreciate as the reality of what Amina would have to pay sets in. I mean there's a difference between hearing about something on the news and actually knowing someone that is effected by it. The other way Project Trust has shown me stuff like that is being here. There's a difference between knowing that poverty is out there and actually seeing it for yourself.) Lili has been able to attend university quite a few times because Sergio has worked hard to save the money for her to be able to.
Chile is a very caring country. The people are so full of cariño and are really friendly. Well here, the top-5 students with the highest grades in all the schools in Chile, get presents from the government at the beginning or end of the school year. For example: a mobile phone, a laptop with two years of internet, bikes, TV's etc. I would definitely call this an incentive to do well at school. And it's really good for the people en el campo because they would never be able to afford these things themselves. And it's probably quite a useful thing to know is there because there are times when it seems like the kids just don't want to learn. 

On Monday I experienced my first earthquake! I don't know what I imagined it would be like. Tables shaking, people screaming, completely freaking out. None of this happened. I was standing at the whiteboard teaching some octavo kids about Christmas and the class next door started making loads of noise. Then the floor started rumbling. I could feel it beneath my feet. I thought for a minute the kids next door were somehow moving the whole building. Then I thought "this must be an earthquake". And it was over. No time for fear. It was really short. Apparently it was quite strong because we'd actually been able to feel it. Found out at lunch that it was 5.1. We had to keep the classroom doors open after (thank goodness it wasn't winter) in case there was another. We had to do this because it's hard to open a door in an earthquake and it's easier to get out through an open door. So yeh that's another thing I can score off my life list.

We taught Kinders and Prekinders about Christmas today. Teaching a few words then playing pin the carrot on the snowman doesn't really feel like work. I had to lift up a couple of Prekinder girls because they couldn't reach the snowman's face. Later, when two girls had finished their sheet they started climbing all over me. It started off because I was trying to get in with a girl who's always seemed a bit stand-offish. So through copying her actions and general silliness I soon cracked through her hard exterior and found the same adorable loveliness that's in all these kids. Then her friend came over and before long they were climbing all over me and I was giving them huge hugs (a word they cannot pronounce).
P.S Santa is known as Santa here, but his more cariño name is Viejito Pascuero.

Sorry about the lack of pictures in this blog  Scratch that. Dad, thanks to you getting at me I went out and took some pictures of Lautaro in the evening. I hope you enjoy them.

Our house with the Christmas lights on. Yes that is an inflatable Santa. He waves.

The view from the bathroom window. I walk up that street on the way to the centre 

Welcome to our house

Our street from the street

The top of our street

The trees now have leaves (I knew they would but Amina didn't think they would). See how some people randomly build benches in front of their houses.

The bridge to the other side of Lautaro

I thought this plant both felt and looked like a felt brooch

A bird picture dad!