La Vida....

Every day i´m loving Chile more and more. It is so gorgeous where i live now! From the morning hours on our balcón where i watch the sun rise about the kiwi grove, cherry trees and grape vines to the late evening when the sun dissapears behinnd the Andes mountain in a cloud of orange, purple and red I realize how lucky i am to be here. (view from my bedroom below)

It´ll be a different Christmas the year, in 100 degree heat and so far away from home. I just want to take this time to thank everyone who got me here. I realize i havent exactly kept up to my promises i gave before leaving of emailing everyone all the time and spenting lots of time writing letters. Ididnt know how impossible that would end up being. I have been so lucky to have the life ive had and although I have bad days here, i think that coming to chile was the best decision i´ve ever made. So thank you everyone and although it may seem like ive forgotten you all, i think about everone one of you constantly, especially in the holiday season.

I have completed four and a half months here in chile. In some ways i feel like ive been here for years but in others i feel like i walked into airport security in Minneapolis yesterday. It´s been a tough ride. I´ve been pushed emotionally more than i thought was possible, wanted to give up so many times but i´ve always gotten through it. So here i am, almost halfway through and so happy it´s not my time to go yet.

The semester exchangers leave in about three weeks and i will be the only remaining AFS student in Curicó. I´m so sad to see them go. We have been through everything together and i really do think of them as a third family. I dont think i could have done this without them. But they are going and the only thing i can think is how happy i am to be staying until june. My spanish isnt ready and im just not ready to leave this country, who knows if i every will be.

Ive finished school for now and it´s summer break!!! (picture of part of my class below. Almost all guys although we are missing about 6 girls. The guys are thrying the be women and we are trying t be men?) I havent quite figured out what im going to do with all the time! today i went running with my friend karina and it was so hot! Everyone here keeps telling me just how hot it will be in summer, im very nervous..... :( It doesnt help that i cant leave the house without 50 sunblock. I burn so fast, I dont remember burning so fast in the US. I guess this prove the global warming throry considering the hole in the ozone layer is very close to me.

Our dog in the house has 5 puppies! they were born a few weeks before i arrived in the house. Of course i fell in love with them right away! But we have to sell them now and two of them are already gone. :((((((

So ill update you all after Christmas. Any questions?
FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!!
PASCUA FELIZ! Para todos! Pascua feliz para todos..........
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Lura