Let´s start with Christmas.... Well Chile is mainly Catholic so there isnt a lot of talk of peple who dont celebrate christmas. We all got together (the family and some family friends) on Christmas eve, which is when most people here celebrate Christmas. We all sat down to eat dinner at about 10 PM. The food was so good!!!!!! There was turkey and a million salads!!! the salads in chile are amazing!!!! After opening presents we took pictures (the picture below is of the whole family) and then just hung out together. My favorite part was when all of us siblings: Javier, Esteban, Tany, nath and I piled onto a few twin beds and watched pelotón ( a reality show VERY popular here).
New years was kinda similiar. We ate dinner very late but this time there were a lot of relatives in the house. At twelve we had a champagne toast and went outside to watch the fireworks in the town hill. A few hours later we all piled into a van and went to a new years party!!!!! wooooo! it was a long night, but very fun! (picture with all of us kids below)
Let´s see, what´s next? i guess Nath leaving. My sister Nath, another exchange student from Italy, had to go back to Italy on January 8th. It was really sad , (maybe she is reading this, Te Extrañamos Nath!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Espero q no veamos pronto ya?) But im sure we´ll see each other again :) Below is a picture of me and Nath at a gala.
Next came the AFS volunteer camp. About forty of us volunteers from AFS (3 current exchange students and a bunch of chileans who have been on exchange at some point) got together outside of Casa Blanca, Chile to help build houses. The area, campemento, was a rural area where many poorer families live. The houses are built of wood planks or really whatever they were able to find. I didnt see a single insulated house and most of the walls were full of holes. The floors were very thin or just the earth ground (Chile suffers winters of about 20 degree F).We were split into 5(?) group and each group made a little house for a family. They were very small and at first it was hard ot feel like we were making a difference. The families deserved a lot more than we were able to give them. But we worked hard, and built a two room house! I arrived at the camp with ZERO construction experience and not knowing anyone! But upon leaving I was so sad to leave my new friends and had learned how to axe down a tree, take a stump out of the group, insulate a house, build a ceiling, roof, floor, windows, doors and well... lots more! I had so much fun climbing up onto the roof in 100 degree, direct heat and hammering away (although half of the time my hammer didnt hit the nail :)) I got very sunburnt and IM STILL RECOVERING from the sleeposs but it was so worth it! and i would love to come back next year! although ill be so far away! ;( We spent about 7 hours a day working and then in the nighttime we had various team activities. They fed us good though, home baked bread everyday and a cook who made amazing food. I want to go back! hahahahaa. (below I am helping make the beams for the roof!)
The house that we made was for a small family, a young couple and their baby. They didnt have a hme of their own before. What we came to realize is that, although the house is super small, it is a new start for the baby and the couple. They really appreciated it and, although they didnt have much, we were always brought juice, cookies and, one day, empanadas and cake! as a thankyou.
During the day we also held free children camps for the kids in the area. We made arts and crafts as well as fed them breakfast, lunch and dinner. I only was able to spend one day with them but it was a great experience and they remembered my name the whole week. The best part of the whole week was when a litle girl told me "We used to sleep on the floor and on the couches all squished at my grandma´s house but now we have a new house and we dont have to anymore!!"
I was in the camp for about a weeek and one day we went to the beach! It was beautiful! and a nice break .
I got back from camp on Wednesday and since then I´ve just been around my house. A few little cousins are staying here also so its been quite active here.
I just wanted to write and make sure you all know that im doing very well here and i dont want to leave!!!!!!!!!!!! I have about four months left, passed the half way mark, NOOOOOOO!!!!!! VIVA CHILE!!!!!!!
