Summer break in Chile brings Christmas, more travel

While November was marked by a transition to normality, December couldn’t have been any less so. This month, I got up close and personal with penguins in Patagonia, danced the night away in Argentina, and finished it all with a spectacular summer Christmas.

This month, a bus seat has become as familiar as my bed, a plane cabin as natural as my car. Though studying is the primary purpose of my exchange, what better way to start summer break than by traveling? Remember, as Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere, its academic year goes from March to December.

I’ve been told it feels like August weather never left Florida this year, but here in Chile summer is just arriving. Of course, sunny warmth may never come to Patagonia, where icy winds keep it chilly year-round. At more than 50 degrees south of the Equator, Chilean Patagonia is as close as you can get to Antarctica without crossing the Southern Ocean. Its glaciers, penguins and fierce wind chill might even convince you that you’re actually there.

Some call Patagonia “The End of the World,” but to me it resembled another world entirely. Icebergs float in sapphire lakes and condors swoop above jagged mountains with llamas scampering below. Considering that the nearest gas station is more than two hours away from the national park, and the roads are dirt with abundant cliffs and switchbacks, by far the best way to experience Patagonia is on foot. There’s no Segway tour or monorail, but the view at the end of the trail is beyond worth the effort.

Waking up to the sunrise over the Straits of Magellan could not have been more breathtaking. Ferdinand Magellan’s small fleet certainly accomplished an incredible feat in charting what was the world’s most important waterway until the construction of the Panama Canal only a few centuries later. Now, it is mostly sailed by container and cruise ships, but also the occasional ferry of exchange students on their way to Magdalena Island to waddle among the penguins.

On the Argentine side of the mountain range, Patagonia is equally breathtaking, yet far less serene. While many come to Bariloche for its melt-in-your-mouth artisanal chocolate and panoramic lake views, most come for the nightlife. The mountain town of San Carlos de Bariloche is probably best described as the Daytona Beach at spring break of the Andes Mountains. There, I went on a school trip with my Chilean classmates to experience the debauchery first-hand and certainly experienced the antithesis of my own senior trip to New York.

When I went to New York with my fellow IB seniors, we went to museums, to the Stock Exchange and to Broadway. We went to experience and learn from one of the nation’s biggest cities. However, my Chilean class trip was the opposite. Every night we went to a different disco, one home to giant robot laser dance battles on the dance floor at 1:30 a.m., another built six floors down into the mountain, with dance floors on every level. Themed costume nights and aquatic discos all stay open until the sun comes up, leaving this American asking, “But when do you sleep?” I was hoping to learn a bit more about the real Argentina; I now have all the more reason to go back someday.

In between the sleepless nights and action-packed days, I was glad to have the opportunity to become closer with my classmates. They really have accepted me as one of their own and are quick to include me in all the class happenings.

After returning to reality, I took a lengthy nap and woke up just in time for Christmas. While I missed my Floridian family and friends on my first Christmas away from home, it really wasn’t that different. The weather was warm and sunny, Christmas music played on repeat in the background, and we all laughed and chased each other through the kitchen while the meal preparations were underway.

Chilean families celebrate Christmas at night on Christmas Eve. At midnight, el Viejito Pascuero visits the children and delivers presents. Instead of giving gifts for everyone individually, many families have a secret Santa gift exchange, called “amigo secreto.”

Like at any good holiday, a colorful feast accompanied the Christmas festivities. In between the turkey, ceviche, potatoes and avocado, I heard the laughs, shouts and kind words that are universal to families all across the globe. My host mom even asked me to prepare a typical dish from my home to share, so of course I made fried shrimp, complete with a bottle of datil pepper hot sauce from home. The crispy shrimp tasted unlike anything found in Chilean cuisine, so their novelty was quite a treat, even if the hot sauce was a little too spicy.

My favorite part about Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere? While my classmates back in the U.S. go back to class after New Year’s, I have summer break. Instead of gifting hats, gloves and scarves, I have new T-shirts and sunscreen to enjoy my January and February.

In the end, I did have a truly “feliz Navidad” in Chile, and I can’t wait for the “prospero año” I have ahead.

*Also published in the St. Augustine Record.

School's Out for Summer

Summer vacation!!!!

One of the best parts about going on vacation in the Southern Hemisphere is that summer vacation is included.  Today was my last day of school until March.

I've been really busy so I apologize for not writing sooner.  Here  are some of the things I've been up to:

A few weeks ago, my fellow inbounds and I got together to celebrate Thanksgiving,  While for the North Americans it was a way to keep a tradition alive within our exchange family, for the Europeans it was a way to experience something new.
I cooked my mom's famous sweet potato and squash casseroles, among other things,  One of the favorites was a big pitcher of sweet tea.

This month hasn't been too crazy eventful, but its nice just to be able to relax and have a normal life in my not normal home.  My Spanish is definitely improving, which is an awesome feeling.  I've been reliving my senior year with my college application process, of which the results have thus far been promising.
The Chilean Telethon was also this month, and I had a lot of fun going to raise money with the other students.  The only US television event of comparable size and importance is the Super Bowl, so I was glad I got to be a small part of it.

Last day of schoo1

PJ day to raise money for Teletón

Look at all my pins!

I'm going to have to cut this blog post short because I'm about to leave for Punta Arenas, but I can assure you that I will take LOTS of pictures.
Cuidense,
Max

From Santiago to Easter Island, Chile is a Place of Extremes

Every day, I am greeted by a barrage of Chilean idiosyncrasies to which I just cannot bring myself to adapt, specifically the friendly lack of punctuality. Some days, it’s frustrating, but last week it saved my life.

But let me start from the beginning.

On Friday, a group of exchange students and I went to Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city. There, we took a break from trying to blend in with our native classmates and were tourists for the day. We visited La Moneda, the presidential palace, and watched the changing of the guard. Afterward, we went to Cerro Santa Lucia, a big hill in the middle of the city with a great view. We followed this with a visit to an artisanal market, where I bought an alpaca sweater. (It’s so soft that I may never wear wool again.)

A great day became even greater when I got a literal taste of home at La Costanera, the biggest mall in South America. Though we didn’t have much shopping time before catching the homeward-bound bus, my Taco Bell and Starbucks fix made me so happy it didn’t even matter.

Of course, we forgot that it was Friday rush hour in a city bigger than Los Angeles, so navigating the metro back to the bus station was stressful, to say the least. Running late, we had to sprint across the Alameda, the city’s busiest and widest street, to get to the bus stop on time — not the best mix with Starbucks and Taco Bell.

Our bus was scheduled to leave at 6:20 p.m. We got there at 6:22. Though a near constant lack of punctuality is frustrating, we only made it because Chilean transportation is more relaxed.

When most people think of South America, a bustling metropolis is not always what comes to mind. Santiago, however, is just that. With the tallest buildings on the continent, the Santiago skyline is dwarfed by the Andes mountains that loom in the distance. With the hustle and bustle of downtown, the dirt and grime of Queens, and the vibrant colors of SoHo, Santiago is just like New York, albeit with a little Latin flair. Actually, make that a lot of Latin flair.

Santiago lies in stark contrast to Easter Island, another of my recent experiences. This tiny, remote and barren island in the South Pacific is home to less than 5,000 permanent residents and is administered as a Chilean territory. Best known for its Moai statues, it receives more than 15 times that in tourists every year. Why? Isla de Pascua, or Rapa Nui as it is called by the indigenous residents, has a sort of magic to it, and I had the opportunity to experience that firsthand.

Though it shares a cultural heritage with other Polynesian islands, such as Hawaii, Easter Island is not a tropical paradise. When I was shivering in the icy rain at the upper lip of a volcanic crater, huddled with exchange students from France, Germany and Holland like penguins, the only place I wanted to be was St. Augustine Beach in July.

What it lacks in beaches and sun, however, it makes up for in mystery. The Moai statues are everywhere. There are hundreds of heads strewn across the island, though, unfortunately, many are no longer standing. These that you see in the ground are actually much bigger than they appear, with their bodies buried below.

Home to the driest deserts, the longest coastline, bustling cities and remote islands, Chile is a land of extremes. Of course, I am extremely happy to call it my home.

*Also published in the St. Augustine Record.

Spring has Sprung in the Southern Hemisphere

Finally. Winter is over, and at last my Floridian self can be at home again.  At home, 5000 miles away. 

With the change in the weather have come a series of changes in my daily life as well.  I have moved into the home of my second host family (my new host dad is also my counselor) a bit early, and certainly unexpectedly.  I won't get into the details, but I can say that leaving the Mendez Ferrada house was difficulty, as I had really begun to feel like a part of the family, and they had provided me with so much. 

That being said, I am truly happy in my new home.  There are trees, a yard, a pool, and in general it just feels more like what I’m used to, until you see the mountains and vineyards going in every direction. 

I love my new home in the countryside, or el campo as it’s known in Chile, but I miss living in the middle of everything like at my old house.  Instead of being in walking distance to the mall, movie theater, and grocery store, I’m now a two-and-a-half mile walk to the bus stop.  But, I get my own bathroom.  Priorities. 

On top of all that, I’ve been pretty busy. 

When I was back from Easter Island, I was really sick; sicker than I’ve been in a long, long time.  If I were back home, I would be so stressed about missing school, but here I just caught up on Netflix.  It was nice. 

Last Monday was Día de la Raza, which I think has something to do with Columbus Day, so Jaqui and I took a trip to the beach.  We ate traditional mariscos, a soup-like mix of seafood—but mostly clams.  I even got to ride a horse! 

Friday was also a day off at school, and all the inbounds in the district went to Santiago, the capital.  There, we toured La Moneda, the presidential palace, and watched the changing of the guard. 

Afterwards, we went to Cerro Santa Lucia, a big hill in the middle of the city with a great view.  Then, we went to an artisanal market where I bought an alpaca sweater.  It’s so soft that I may never wear wool again. 

After some convincing, we managed to get the Rotarians to let us go to La Costanera, the biggest mall in South America.  Though we didn’t have much time before catching the bus, my Taco Bell and Starbucks made me so happy it didn’t even matter. 

Of course, we forgot that it was Friday rush hour in a city bigger than LA, so navigating the metro back to the bus station was stressful, to say the least.  We were running late, and had to sprint across the Alameda, the city’s busiest and widest street, to get to the bus stop on time.  Not the best mix with Starbucks and Taco Bell. 

Our bus was scheduled to leave at 6:20.  We got there at 6:22.  Thank God I’m not in Germany, we only made it because Chilean transportation is never on time. 

Fortunately, the fun didn’t stop there. This week was my school’s anniversary celebration, and the festivities lasted the whole week long. 

Our school was divided into alianzas, or alliances: roja, blanca, and azul.  We competed against the other alianzas in sports, art, music, dance, and more.  Tristan, Jules, and I (the exchange students) represented Alianza Azul in a rendition of YMCA.  Everyone was so surprised that I already knew the song’s famous choreography, and just laughed when I tried to convince them that nearly all Americans know it. 

The dance proved to be a crowd favorite.  Who doesn’t like to see blonde foreigners with accents shaking their butts to a classic song?

Though we were a crowd pleaser, there was no way that we could compete with the other dances, almost half of which would never be permitted in an American school.  There were Tarzan swings, tumbling, stunting, and even aerial silks, all without a mat.  Multiple cars were driven onstage, at one point even a hippy van.  Girls competed for the best bikini body , complete with angel wings straight out of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and even guys dancing in nothing but their bright red boxer briefs to prove they had the most hair or best legs. 

All this with parents, teachers, and even the principal in the audience.     

All in all, I’m having a great time.  Moving was hard, but I’m really settled in with my new family.  Every week I feel closer to my classmates, and I’m super excited for summer break in a month. 

Hasta pronto,

Maswal

(That’s just one of the many misspellings of Maxwell.   Gotta love it)

Easter Island

Rapa Nui, Isla de Pascua, and Easter Island are all names for a tiny, remote, and barren island in the South Pacific, home to less than five thousand permanent residents.  However, it receives more than fifteen times that in tourists every year.  Why? The "navel of the world" has a sort of magical mystery to it, and I had the opportunity to experience that firsthand.  

Here are the highlights from my trip. 

Arriving at the airport was definitely the first of many unforgettable experiences.  The island seems to come out of nowhere.  The runway spans the width of the entire island, flanked by volcanoes on both sides.  The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was bigger than the airport itself, which is just two rooms. 

After our arrival, we were greeted with leis , and then boarded the buses that would take us all over the island in the week to come.

Repping Nease Interact Club with the first Moai that we saw.

There are hundreds of horses all over the island, they say more than there are people.  Most of them are pretty friendly, like this one.

First time seeing the Pacific Ocean! Here I am with a bunch of other Americans. 

Easter Island only has one sandy beach.  The "tropical paradise" is really just a rock in the middle of the ocean, which leaves lots of cliffs to explore.

The Moai are literally everywhere.  There are literally hundreds strewn across the island, though unfortunately many are no longer standing.  These that you see in the ground are actually much bigger than they appear, with their bodies buried below.

Talca Squad with the big 15, the longest platform of Moai restored on the Island.

Adjusting to new sights, sounds, surroundings in Chile

In August, my plane touched down on an empty tarmac that scarily sliced through the center of the bustling city of Santiago in my new home country, Chile. After clearing customs I searched eagerly for three smiling faces, glimpsed earlier in photographs: my Chilean Mom, Dad and sister.

I should have known better to expect only three. Waving a big sign, they were surrounded by multitudes of unexpected cousins, aunts and uncles. Chilean families are huge and, happily, they all wanted to come meet the mysterious blonde boy named Max. Even my 86-year-old abuela (grandmother) made the long trip to the airport in Santiago.

My first days were a whirlwind of exciting confusion, but, fortunately, things have calmed down a bit. My small house has become a home, and I enjoy the sense of normality and routine that comes with it. The cold winter weather is now tolerable, and the language barrier gets smaller day by day.

Most days start to the sound of my alarm, just like in the U.S., but instead of opening my eyes to the blue Florida sky and mockingbirds chasing chattering squirrels, most days I awake to the sound of rain pattering on tin roofs, trying — and failing — to wash away the dirt and graffiti that have accumulated for decades. Outside my barred window, if the smog has cleared, I can see the snow-capped Andes mountains towering in the distance. New urban sounds replace the sounds of suburbia, the sputtering of older cars coughing to life, a stray dog barking and chirping pigeons that accompany the Latin rhythms of cumbia and reggaeton still echoing from last night’s fiesta.

Every morning I dress in my school uniform. The red shirt, gray pants and blue sweater help me blend in, but my blonde hair and green eyes scream “gringo.” After a breakfast of yogurt, coffee, bread and fruit, I take the city bus to school, and I fall right in alongside my classmates.

The language barrier is a constant struggle. In religion class one day, I defined Yaweh as God in “drunk” instead of “Hebrew.” At the frozen yogurt shop, I confidently ordered, but instead was given a coffee instead of yogurt. I was incredibly confused until I realized that it was, in fact, what I had ordered. Fortunately situations like this aren’t too frequent, and I largely credit that to the great language education in St. Johns County, especially at Nease High School. (Go Panthers!)

Many people here are quite surprised that an American can speak Spanish as I do. When they hear I’m from Florida, they quickly assume I’m from Spanish-speaking Miami.

It’s safe to say that from the moment I stepped off the plane, I have been fully immersed in the Chilean experience. I shouted some unpublishable expletives at the other team during a soccer game. I danced La Cueca, the Chilean national dance, in front of my whole school on the national holiday. I even felt the ground shake beneath my feet in the most seismically active country in the world.

The Sept. 16 earthquake caused little damage in my city, however, it was still quite strong, and I can surely say that the rumbling earth is not a feeling I would eagerly experience again.

Along with my classmates, friends and family, I walk daily past debris and rubble from prior earthquakes.

Although the buildings have yet to be rebuilt, the Chileans confidently carry on, and now, like them, so do I.

*Also published in The St. Augustine Record

Fiestas Patrias and More

Sorry it's been a while since I last blogged, but I've been really busy.  Last weekend was Fiestas Patrias, which is the Chilean national holiday.  The whole month of September is devoted to celebrating the Republic of Chile, made obvious by the abundant flags, food, and fanfare.

At school, my classmates have been practicing a traditional dance for over a month, which I'm glad I got to be a part of.   Also, Tristan, Jules and I danced La Cueca, the Chilean national dance in front of the whole school.

The celebration at school was followed by a celebration with my HUGE host family.  Evidently I still haven't met them all, but I don't understand how one can be related to this many people.  The best way I can describe the family celebration of Fiestas Patrias is that it is kind of half way between Fourth of July and Thanksgiving.  

 After the celebration ended, I had a very busy week,  On wednesday, the Rotaract club of Talca invited us to their meeting.  I hope to get more involved in their organization.  It seems like they do a lot of great service for the community.

Thursday night I went to my sponsor club's Rotary meeting.  It's very different than Rotary in the US.  There are no women allowed in the club, and we all sit at one huge table.  Laurel and I couldn't help but make Downton Abbey references.  

Saturday I cooked for my host family.  I prepared a huge meal (way too many leftovers) of shrimp and grits, green beans, banana pudding, and of course, sweet tea.  My host parents really liked it and I think they want me to cook more often.

Every day I feel more and more at home here, and I love the independence that comes with it.  I am fully  mostly functional on public transport, and have no problems getting where I need to go.  Of course, that makes it harder to have time at home to work on my college applications.  

This week I am so excited to travel to Easter Island with Rotary, and I plan to post lots of great pictures, so keep your eyes open.  

Nos vemos. 

Max