I think a Chilean child would make a great souvenier.

It's hard to believe that this is really my life. I am thousands of miles away from home in a country where I barely speak the language. This isn't just any old foreign country, though. I am in Chile, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Just to give you an example, from the window in the shower in my house, I can see all sorts of mountains. I told my sister, Fernanda, that I liked the view from the shower, which she thought was funny. I'm getting ahead of myself, though.

Yesterday was my last day in Santiago. We went to an art museum, walked through the city, and shopped in an open air market (pictured below). The art museum, El Museo de Bellas Artes, was amazing. It contained some of the most incredible Chilean works. I have taken art history classes before, but never have I seen art as poignant as what I saw here. The art strongly depicted the suffering of the people from the turmoil in Chile of the past several decades. It showed pain, confusion, anger, fear, and a longing to be heard.

As we were walking through the city, one thing became extremely clear: Chile is for lovers. Literally. Chileans love to make out in public, cuddle on blankets in the park, and display their love for everyone to see. Everywhere you turn there are couples. Seriously, does everyone here have a significant other? My advice: if you are single, stay far away from Santiago.

Anyway, today is my first day in my new home. To get here, we took a 10 hour bus ride from Santiago to Valdivia. The weather in Valdivia is basically the same as the weather in Cleveland. One minute it's raining and the next it's sunny. You never really know what to expect. In my new house, I have a mom who is a preschool teacher, a dad that I haven't met yet, a nanny, and two sisters (Fernanda and Macarena). I have only been here for a few hours but I already love my family. They are super nice. My nanny has already made me two meals, done my laundry, and made my bed. Fernanda gave me a crash course on everything about her family and Valdivia. I can tell that Fernanda, Maca, and I are going to get along quite well.

Having a supportive, loving family here is helpful because I am totally on my own. Luckily, they are patient with me and my broken Spanish. My sisters speak English pretty well so we are able to have good conversations in Spanglish. What I am quickly learning, though, is that studying abroad is truly a test of your independence. It will teach you to rely completely on yourself. Also, to succeed you cannot be afraid of making mistakes. Making mistakes is the only way to completely learn a new language (with the amount of mistakes I have been making, I should be learning a lot).

Tomorrow will be my first day at the Windsor School. I will be taking Spanish and Chilean history classes. I will also be teaching first grade English. These children are PRECIOUS. Mom and Dad, don't be surprised if I stuff one in my suitcase. I think a Chilean child would make a great souvenier. Now, it's time for me to take a nap since I have barely slept since I arrived in Chile. Wish me luck tomorrow on my first day!