In Spanish class we learned that the way to say goodbye is “Adios!” At least in Chile, though, that’s not how you do it. Everyone says “Chao!” as goodbye, and it’s accompanied by a kiss on the cheek, maybe a hug, cuídate, nos vemos! Despedirse is something you do every time you leave a social …
Tag Archives: Daily Life
School is different here
School is different here. For example, my art class today was a field trip to the south of Chile. We spent about 9 hours in train, and 3 in bus so we could appreciate a mural painted in the small town of Chillán. We weren’t allowed to take photos of the mural we went to …
Sappy October Feels
It’s one of those nights that I can’t stop gazing out the window. I pace back and forth between the terrace, which faces east towards the Andes cordillera and my bedroom, which faces south towards even more mountains that I am seeing for the very first time, thanks to yesterday’s rain. My study break is …
The Castle on the Hill
The International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) is located on what seems to be the tallest hill in Manly, Australia. Driving up to it after a weekend in the outback seemed like a dream. With only about 200 students living on campus at a time, it is a small but incredibly stunning school. Just to …
La Cueca
Is there a national dance in the US? No, claro, los gringos aren’t very good at dancing. This was my excuse this weekend when I was asked that question. But the truth is, Chileans aren’t always good at dancing either. It doesn’t stop them from trying, though. Chile’s national dance, called the cueca, is an …
The First Bout of FOMO
I began dreaming of my college study abroad semester pretty early on in my high school Spanish classes (what else would have motivated me to get through all those “preterite versus imperfect” lectures?). During Hope prospective student visit days, I sat front row at every off-campus study info session, stored away all the pamphlets, and talked to …
2 ears, 1 mouth
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” James 1:19 If you know my personality, you know that I am often a better listener than talker. I’m slow to contribute to conversations, and it seems like when I do speak, …
Smells of the City
My friend Luisa has a very sensitive nose. This is one of the first things I learned about her when we met three weeks ago. She sampled my gnocchi and told me it had hints of sweet potato in it. I had no idea. Luisa’s nose has come in handy various times, like when we …
Mary, not Martha
I’ve learned that I’m a pretty task-oriented person. If you would have asked me before I came here, though, I would have said that I appreciate the journey. However, even thinking in terms of a journey implies that there is a direction and a destination. That’s different than simply being present. In Chile, people are …
Surprise! Congratulations! We’ll miss you!
Last night I walked in on a bridal shower/going away party. Honestly, I had no idea my host mom was hosting one. I just had finished making the long trek up the hill to our house and, worn out from my first day of classes, I was looking forward to relaxing on the couch in …
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