I Got Friends in Low -Latitude- Places

Update since my last post: I am no longer sick, I'm doing just fine.  If you were praying for me, thanks, it worked.  But my friend from France is sick so maybe it will work for him too...


When people ask me what its like to be an exchange student, I tell them the truth.  Sometimes, it's really boring.  I understand a lot, but not enough that I can fully participate in every conversation.  And subjects at school that I haven't extensively studied before, namely physics and chemistry, are almost impossible to follow, so sometimes I end up just reading my book.  I finished all the books I brought with me (I highly recommend Slaughterhouse Five), so my parents are sending me more. Also, I haven't yet earned the same freedom I had back at home, and being in a new city where I can't drive and don't know my way around too well, sometimes I'm stuck at home.
Yes, being an exchange student can be boring, but sometimes, that's the farthest thing from the truth.

Last week, school was pretty uneventful until Friday, so here are just the highlights, or just skip to Friday:

Monday I presented to my English class about my life in the USA, in English, so I'm really not sure how much my classmates understood.
Tuesday I began Spanish class with the other inbounds in Talca (as well as a random French couple? Not sure how they ended up in with us... They're chill though.)  I like it because I get to skip math class to hang out with exchange students.  Sometimes I learn stuff, too.

From left to right: Laurel, Canada; Jelka, Germany; Jeanne, France; Henri, Germany, Tristan, Germany; Yours Truly, USA; and Jules, France 

Wednesday I went to have lunch at my friend Aldo's house.  His family has really gone the extra mile to make sure I'm comfortable here, and I can't convey how truly appreciative I am of that.
Thursday my host mom and I went to drink mote con huasillo.  There are no words to describe the taste, but its made with peaches and corn.

Literal corn and peaches,,, in drink form? Idk.

FRIDAY! SKIP TO HERE. After school, I went to the mall with my exchange friends, and we ate lunch at KFC.  Yes, it was just as bad as it is in the States.  Yes, I enjoyed it anyway because it was the first American food I've eaten.  Walking around downtown, a group of seven blondes attracts a lot of attention, especially considering the fact that among us we speak a combination of four different languages.  Sometimes its nice, though.  We were stopped and joined by an Australian exchange student and exchange alumna along the way.

Minus me and Henri

 Saturday I went to Rancagua for my district exchange student conference.  I saw Americans for the first time (except the mirror, of course) since arriving in Talca, and I got to reconnect with my friend Dani who came to Jacksonville on her exchange last year.  My gator blazer pins were a huge hit, and my blazer is newly covered in all sorts of cool pins from all over the world.  Also, to get to Rancagua we took the bus.  The Chilean intercity bus system is really good, and it is a lot more comfortable than I expected.  However, it's harder to walk down the aisle, especially when its dark.  And there are stairs.  Because its a double-decker.  And you nearly fall.  How can I negotiate a boat that's eighteen inches wide without falling yet I get tripped on a bus the size of my house? So it goes.

I got friends in low latitude places

Talca squad

If you're looking for me look for the Stars and Stripes, then up.

Guess what? Saturday's not over yet.  After coming home from Rancagua, I went to the University of Talca with Jeanne, from France, and her host dad.  We went to the sculpture museum and farm, both owned by the university.  At the farm, I got to pet and take pictures with a REAL LIVE VICUÑA! A vicuña is basically a llama, but smaller, and not domesticated.  Exhibit A of how happy this made me:

Exhibit A 

Exhibit B

After the farm, I went home, took a siesta, then went to a get-together with all the guys from my class at my friend Lorenzo's house.  It was a lot of fun.  We mostly just socialized and listened to music, but also I taught them a couple American dances and they taught me some Chilean ones.  They made me show them the cotton-eyed-Joe over and over, but they all know it now and do it randomly at school.  I spent the night at Aldo's house, and the next morning it was-

Sunday! Aldo's super-nice family took them to the mountains with them.  I wasn't quite sure where or why we were going, but I'm an exchange student, so I always say yes. In a nutshell, we went to one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.  I kept kicking myself for not having my camera.  Oh well, I guess its an excuse to go back!  We went fishing, played soccer and basketball, had asado (kind of like Chilean barbecue), and introduced me to his HUGE family.  Some of his cousins go to school with me as well.  When I got home I was so tired and went to bed early.

This is the best picture I got and it still looks amazing.  Some of the mountains are covered in snow.

This week coming up is Fiestas Patrias, the Chilean national holiday.  I will be dancing the Chilean national dance, in costume, in front of the whole school, so stay tuned.  

Chao, 

Max