New Year In Valpo

Hey everyone!

Well me and Amina arrived in Valparaiso after a night bus from Temuco. It was alright, although at times the bus seemed to randomly speed up and the lady across from me had a fit which was a bit freaky, but we arrived eventually.
Valparaiso is really lovely. I love the random mixture of houses. They're on top of each other and next to each other and they're such a good mixture of colours.
We've walked around a lot in Valpo and gone up a few of the many, many hills. Local folklore is that you can tell how far up a hill a woman lives on a hill, because the further up they live, the fatter their bums are. We walked through the streets on our first morning here and found saw loads of vegetables all over the street. There was barely enough room to walk.
Valpo is very smelly and dirty. Vina del Mar is much cleaner. We went there today for a while and it's much more touristy.

We're hanging out with some of the other volunteers while we're here. Sammy and Finlay live here so they've been showing us around. New Year here was really fun. Most tourists go to the port but we were told it's better to go up a hill so we went up one and got a great view. We could see all along the coast that had all the fireworks going off. There were so many fireworks of all different types. There were the traditional circles, then there were hearts, smiley faces and loads more. It was great. There were loads of Chileans on the hill that were very friendly and we partied with them a bit. On the walk down the hill we shouted Happy New Year to everyone and the all shouted it back. Got lots of beeps back. It was lots of fun.

In a bit of a rush because we're going out again for another wander. I'll just add some pics and write again when I can.

Evie, Hannah and Me up a hill at a viewpoint

Sorry tilt your head for some chilean street art

Amina and Me in Vina

Christmas And Travels In Chile

Hey guys! Last post before I go off travelling. More on that at the end though.

Christmas

Christmas here was really nice. The real day of celebrations here is Christmas Eve (Noche Buena). As the meat was cooking on the asado (what else?) me and Amina kept Augustin entertained with football. It felt very strange to be outside on Christmas Eve, in the sun, playing football. We had pre-dinner drinks of piscosours and nibbles. Then we had plata (avocado) and lechuga (lettuce) for starter. Main was a huge portion of meat and potatoes. I think I nearly died from all the meat. Eli's parents in law were here for the day so the table was full. Her father in law is German and doesn't speak a word of Spanish. It was really funny when Sergio was talking rapid Spanish to him anyway and one of us had to translate into either English (he spoke a little) or German. After all the food we were somehow expected to stuff down some pan de pasqua.

Christmas table

Us with the parents

We met Santa!

At midnight the presents were brought out for the children although they were all asleep so didn't open them. Ruth and Sergio liked the presents that my family had sent them and they liked the chocolates and flowers that we gave them. As we went to bed we were given a little present by Ruth and Lili. They were towels to take travelling. But they were awesome. Mine has crocodiles on it!

My towel is awesome

Christmas morning I opened my stocking (mum was cute enough to wrap my present in my stocking and send it to me). I was so confused to receive a toy horse and a toy dog from my dad. Crazy man. We just chilled all day really. I got some more holiday planning done and we played football with Augustin again.

~ Enter one day to finish holiday planning (yey!) and get a haircut ~ 

Licon Ray

On Thursday (Happy Birthday Dylan!) we went to Licon Ray which is 30km South of Villarrica and is next to Lago Calafquén. We went with two friends and had a really nice time. We walked on the beach, through the forest, swam/pladdled in the water and just generally chilled. It was also really sunny which was nice. We stayed in a nice little cabaña which we managed to keep much cleaner than the last one. It may have been a bad idea to get the guys water guns for Christmas though. We cooked rice for lunch and I ended up with fish in my hair (because what's a holiday with friends, without a food fight?) The moon was really bright when we went out for a night walk along the beach.

Lago Calafquén

Yesterday we took the bus back to Temuco and had a capoeira lesson in the plaza. Our last before travelling. It was really relaxed and fun. I am so tired now though. 

Travelling

Well we've finished our travel planning. Here's the low down.

We're leaving on the 30th to head up to Valparaiso for New Year. There we'll meet up with the other Chile volunteers. On the 3rd we're heading to La Serena for a couple of days then going to Chañaral. Here we're going to camp in Parque Nacional Pan de Azucar for a few days. Then we're going to San Pedro de Atacama and all the tour wonders there like salt lakes, geysers, hot springs, deserts etc. Our last stop in Chile is Arica, the Northern most city in Chile. From there we move onto La Paz in Bolivia, the highest capital city in the world. Then it's Cochabamba, Sucre and Uyuni. Here we're hoping to go on a tour of the salt flat and hopefully climb a volcano while we're at it. It'll be the rainy season so it's a good thing my rucksack has a rain cover. After that we're crossing into Argentina. Salta and Cordoba for four days each, Buenos Aires for five, Bahia Blanca for three then Bariloche for a relaxing end to our travels. Should be back in Lautaro on the 1st March. 

It's a good thing that me and Amina get on well because it's just going to be the two of us until Bariloche, where we're meeting up with one of the English teachers of Lautaro. I'm really excited. A little anxious that something will go wrong but not too bad. We've done our final clothes wash. I just need to pack now. I hope there's enough room.

I still plan on blogging as often as possible while I'm away. Stay tuned for news about my crazy journey around this amazing country.

Caburgua

Yesterday I went with the campo school Vega Larga on un paseo. Amina had a capoeira event so she didn't go. The bus journey was about three hours long and it was through the Lake District so there was lots of pretty things to look at out the window. Caburgua is a small place 23kn northeast of Pucon. The lake is huge. We set up on playa negra which is really big. The director told the kids that they could go anywhere on that beach and into town. It was really relaxed which was quite nice. The three Kinder kids did have to stick a bit closer to a watching eye though.

Playa Negra

Lago Caburgua

Had some nice conversations with staff and kids. They loved playing in the lake. The water was really nice and warm. It was nice and sunny as well which made a nice change from the non-stop rain we've had all week. Apparently the reason for the rain is because of El Niño. After lunch I went for a walk with a teacher and her son along playa blanca. The sand was white and the water was much clearer. It was really nice. We passed sun-whitened trees crawling with lizards, rocks that used to be lava, and rocks with shapes carved into them.

The breakfast queue 

Lava rock

Playa blanca

Dinosaur head and bird in rock (thought of you Dylan)

More rock carvings

It felt like being in the Caribbean

We took the bus back at around six. Didn't get back to Lautaro until half ten because we had to drop off the kids at their homes in the campo. Returned to see Ruth holding a sleeping Pancha. Ruth's daughter Eli arrived with her family on Thursday. So the house is now full of children. Augustin (7 years old), Fernandito (2 years old) and Pancha (5 months!). I sent of my uni application on Wednesday. 

One Third Down, Two More To Go

Did a mega shop last Friday getting things for the summer. I bought a sleeping bag but then discovered that it was way too thin and would only keep me warm in temperatures around 15 degrees. Not very helpful for night times in the desert! So I took it back yesterday and I now have a much squashier, warmer one. I just have to figure out how to attach it to my backpack. Amina suggested getting some rope.

I'm getting excited for the summer but I think I will be more excited after we've finished planning. Not much more to go. We just have to plan Argentina now. I will put up details when we're done. It's really weird to think that I'm going to be completely responsible for my own safety while I'm away. Lautaro feels very safe, I'm never really that worried here. But going out into a land of strangers and unexplored places... freaky. But exciting!

I was musing about the fact that if I wanted to I could go home. It's just weird to think that I can. Because I just never think of it was an option. And I don't even want to go home. Like, I do a little so that I can see friends and family, but it never even occurred to me that I could give all this up and go home. I don't see why anyone would. You only get really homesick if you wallow in your feelings. You just have to do things and it's fine. And everyday I'm learning something new and experiencing something new. I can't believe that I've been here for four months. I realised I had been when I saw that it was time to fill in the first boxes on the My Experience sheet PT gave me. And then the two months travelling are going to pass so quickly. Then I would have been here for 6 months! That is half my time here gone. How quickly does time fly!

On Monday we had Christmas parties with our classes in Vega Larga. We had sweets, Christmas music and chocolate prizes. Had a great time.

We turned up at school today and there were no kids around. Some were on school trips and some just didn't come in because it was the last week of school. Me, Amina and Danay watched the end of Home Alone because after seeing the first half about seven times last week we really wanted to see the end. Then we went out for lunch with all the English teachers in Lautaro to celebrate Margot retiring. Had a really lovely lunch sipping on piscosours and eating empanaditos.

The weather has been so rubbish recently. I can't even pretend to be enjoying it any more. I want summer! Enough of this wind and rain. I might as well be in Scotland!

Fuimos para un asado en el parque

Amina doing her typical 'I will not smile' pose

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!

Our Crazy Country

Hey everyone.

The rain seems to have passed. At least we get no more spontaneous rain storms and the sun has returned. Huzzah! Do I have to answer the doorbell....? Ah no, someone else is in the house. Usually I run down and Ruth gets there just before me. She's magic I swear. In Chile any house with decent security has a gate that has an electrical lock. You have to ring from outside and wait to be let in. Duh same with any doorbell. One time I opened the gate for Amina but not the house door so she was trapped in the garden. :L

I tried to make chocolate pudding yesterday. Sadly not having scales makes everything slightly more difficult. Also they don't have self-raising flour here. We had to buy flour and yeast and guess how much of each went in. I think I added too much water at the end because it looked like it had been flooded. It ended up as a soggy sponge floating in brown, sugar water. Ruth still seemed to think it was nice but I'm not so sure. She may have thought that because we sprinkled extra sugar on top of hers (we hadn't put in enough sugar). Chileans don't like puddings that aren't sweet.

Not the best thing I've ever cooked

The major bad thing that's happened to me in that my Kindle broke! The screen is dead. Now I have drastically less books. It led me to making a Christmas banner for our room. I don't know what I'm going to do when travelling in the summer. What will I read?

Merry Christmas

I had never thought about how difficult and confusing Britain is as a country. Everyone thinks the Union Flag is the flag of England and I'm like no, it's the flag of the United Kingdom. Then I have to explain how Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland are all part of the UK together. However things get complicated when you factor in that Scotland has it's own first minister. When asked if he was the Prime Minsiter I had to explain how Scotland's Prime Minister is the same as England's because we are joined with them. But then I have to explain what importance the Scottish first minister does have. I ended up saying that he is kind of like the alcalde (mayor) of the country.
Then we get onto the royal family. Trying to explain that people have to have royal blood to take the throne (then explaining what royal blood is) is complicated. Then explaining that now the Duchess of Cambridge's baby will be an heir no matter what sex it is. But then you get asked why the Queen is the Queen if it's only supposed to be males. So difficult. Why does our country have to be so complicated?!

I've just started the re-applying to university process. Hopefully my year head will email me back soon about my personal statement! I've only emailed him about five times about it.

I'm going to go read in the sun now.
Chao!

Sleeping On Buses And Judging Competitions - Chilean Life

We went to Puerto Saavedra again at the weekend with a couple of friends. Sadly the weather wasn't as nice as last time. While we were walking along the beach it started raining. And I mean really raining. We were soaking. We were staying the night in a cabaña and me and Amina hadn't brought a spare pair of trousers. So we were in blankets for the whole weekend. They were actually quite warm. We watched the Teleton event on TV at night. Teleton means like a television-thon because the only thing on all the channels is Teleton.

We got home on Sunday and were in our pj's for most of the day trying to get warm.

Had quite a bad class again with the 4^th graders in the campo school on Monday. They just wouldn't listen. It was so frustrating. But afterwards we were waiting for the school bus home and two Kinder girls managed to improve my mood. However they did this by making me their slave. I had to give them piggy-back rides, catch them when they jumped at me, race them, and pretty much let them climb all over me. It was pretty cute and fun. But they had so much energy! They just never tired out.

Yesterday we were judges in a spelling bee competition. It was in the politechnical high school of Lautaro which we'd never been to before (unless by 'been to' you mean wandered past lost during the first few weeks). The English staff were all really friendly and the school was really nice. We were judges along with a woman called Sara, who was a volunteer here last year with English Opens Doors and now lives here with her boyfriend. Naturally for Lautaro, there was a TV camera there. And I only had to correct them twice on how you spell my last name. The first competition was between the two high schools of Lautaro. The kids were really good. It got really exciting near the end. I hated having to tell the kids when they'd spelt a word wrong. In the end the girl Annie had been teaching won. Afterwards there was cake :D

Alvaro took me, Amina and Sara out for lunch. It was really nice talking to them. Apparently Chileans and Peruvians don't really get along. The exact words used were “I don't hate them, I just want them dead.” It's because years ago Bolivia and Peru invaded Chile. Chile fought back and won the war and took some land from Peru when they did. Now Peru wants the land back even though they invaded first. I don't think they actually have any problems personally with them – it's all just history.

The second competition was for the 8^th grade kids of the primary schools. Five schools from Lautaro took part which wasn't really that many. There are over 30 primary schools in Lautaro. Our two girls did really well coming 2^nd and 4^th. I was so proud of them! There was more cake afterwards.

We had a really nice chat with Ruth last night. I can't really remember what it was about but it was really good. On the TV they were reporting about the fin del mundo. Apparently someone saw a blackness in the sky (no sarcastic comments about whether it was night-time please dad). So they were discussing how on the 21^st December there will be three days of darkness, but the world won't end. And it has been raining a lot recently when usually the weathers really nice which is also making people think the fin del mundo's coming. I haven't mentioned the flooding back home, no reason to make things worse.

I just caught Amina falling asleep while reading her dictionary. I told her it's a sign that she needs a more interesting book. She said she was sorry that she wasn't into the story but the characters just weren't gripping her. She seems to have become addicted to falling asleep. She's always having little afternoon naps. Which reminds me about the buses here. The bus journey from Lautaro to Temuco takes 40 minutes and practically everyone uses this as an excuse for a little sleep. Whether they're sitting, standing or leaning they will be more or less asleep. And I can't blame them because I do it too. The buses are just so comfy and warm.

Today we went to the bank to try and get our cuenta rut (a card so that the municipalidad can pay us). We were seen by the same cheery guy who could speak a bit of English which was nice. Afterwards we had to wait to be seen by someone else. We had to wait about 25 numbers until it was our turn. The guy that saw us barely said anything to us. I don't know if he didn't think we spoke Spanish or if he was just shy. I spoke some Spanish to Amina so that he would know that we could but he still wasn't tempted to say anything. Then the chatty guy from earlier came over and started chatting to us. This made the shy guy smile a lot. We thought he was really cute because he was smiling so much. Then cheery guy gave us some tins of mints. Chileans are so cute!

Amina has lost the heart to throw away the paper gifts the kids give her. I keep mine but to start with she was like BIN! Now she keeps them because me and Viktor accused her of having no heart. I need to figure out what to do with my growing pile. I'm running out of wall space.

Ruth has Christmas-fied the house. There is tinsel and stars on the banisters, snowmen hanging from all the doors, little Santa's all around and a big tree in the dining room (fake because most families in Chile use fake trees. Apparently in parts of Chile it's illegal to have a real tree and in the other parts it's legal but more difficult). The house feels very festive. I'm not sure if it's a Chile thing or a Ruth thing but the whole family didn't decorate the tree, Ruth did it on her own. Seems a bit sad to me but then she did make it look very pretty.

Christmas banisters

a small portion of the giant wood pile waiting to be burnt

Amina getting some milk powder... it's just not the same!

Apples seem to have gone up in price :(