Don´t Worry! I Found It!!

I know you were all desperately worried.
Something has been missing from our lives for the past 20 years.
Sure, you catch glimpes of it here an there¨- a flash of neon, an awkward haircut - but overall, the beast has been aloof.

But don´t worry.

I found it.

I found the ´80s.

Yep! All of it! Including (drum roll please. . .) MULLETS. I know I mentioned that earlier, but I just can´t get over it. Probably 1/3 of the boys are sporting the mullet. And seriously. Not like when Logan Smith did it as a joke.

But if ever you´re feeling nostalgic for the 80s, just jump on a plane to Santiago and you will be transported to a time when mullets and leg warmer were cool and no one knew smoking was bad for you.

But don´t look for neon colors. Everything is black.

Now, to help you on your trip, I have:

RULES FOR RIDING THE METRO
1. Keep your bag where you can see it
2. Hold on to it
3. Look tired like you just ran a marathon
4. Under no conditions should you raise you gaze about elbow height, or shoulder height if you´re feeling daring
5. Unless you´re staring at the foreigner, in which case, anything goes
6. Don´t litter
7. Don´t talk, or if you must (and only to people you already have a pre-established relationship with) talk quietly
8. Don´t lose your Bip! card

Yep, that´s it.

You´re good to go.

I Freakin´ Love Chile

(Here are some pictures from the trip to the North, which, I realized, I never talked about. Sorry about that. Summary: it was awesome.)

The only part of Chile I´m NOT loving are the sucky keyboards. But besides that, it´s AMAZING.

Here are some things you should know about Chile:
-People are friendly once you`re introduced, but before that. . . they`re not. It`s not that they are NOT friendly, they just won`t smile if you smile or say hello if you say hello
-Everyone smokes. Everyone.
-You greet people with a kiss on the cheek.
-Bread.

I had a lot more that I wanted to write, but I´m forgetting it know. Know that I´m having fun and I´ve made lots of new friends and I love the people here and I`m so incredibly happy.

But I hate these key boards.

I`ll put an address up soon! Bye! XOXOXO

CHILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the longest day ever - in a good way

(tried to post this last night. . . take 2)

¡Hola familia! ¡Estoy en Chile! ¡Y me encanto!

Just kidding. Well, all of that is true, but I wouldn´t do that to you. Write in spanish, I mean. Maybe later, when I know more. But not now.

I'm semi-regretting not bringing my lab top. All the keys are different here. It's weird. . .

ANYWAYS, I want to tell you about my never ending day. How is it still going? I feel like I've been here for weeks already. Did I really wake up in my bed yesterday? Is that even possible?

It started yesterday. I left yesterday morning and was dropped off on my parent's way to move Kerry into his new appartment. Then I went to the airport, got some food that was way too expensive, and got on the plane. Then I got off the plane because there was a major storm in Miami where I was headed for my layover. After waiting for an hour (and talking to Stuart!), I got back on the plane and I sat in the very back row. Well, second to back. There weren't even any windows back there, which is a shame because I wanted to see the blob. But I can see it on my way home. Anyways, I was in the back of the plane (Despite asking one of the people in first class if he wanted to switch. How could he have passed up an offer like that?) sitting next to a very nice man who had a friend playing in the world open. . . that's basketball, right? So we got into florida eventually, then had a very pleasant conversation with the one and only David Melendy (congrats on graduating!) got on the next plane to SANTIAGO. The plane left a little after midnight. My plan was to sleep the whole time. That didn't work. Woops. I slept in couple hour chunks. I woke up in time to see the sun rise looking over outside of the other side of the plane. We flew over snow covered mountains. It was beautiful.

As we were landing, that's when it finally hit that I was going to Chile. Ha. A little late, huh? It was so. . . beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it before. I remember one time when we were in Yosemitie, my uncle Greg said, "There may be different kinds of pretty, but I don't think it gets much more beautiful than this." I completely agree. Think of the most beautiful landscape you've ever seen. Maybe it's Yosemitie, maybe it's the Sahara at sunrise, whatever it is, translate it onto a beautiful mountain landscape and that's what you can picture when I landed. And when my family was driving me around, but more about that later.

A bus picked us up from the airport, and I met some of the other USAC kids. They all seem pretty awesome. I think I'm the youngest. And the most inexperienced at Spanish. But I'll learn.

We went to the school to meet our family. Oh. My. Gosh. The school is beautiful!!!! Amazing. I absolutely love it. I am so excited to spend time here. . . I don't know if I'll want to come back. Don't worry, I'm just kidding. . . kind of.

So I met my mama & papa at the beautiful school and then we drove to the supermarket. They're so cute! They call each other "mi amor." I love it. My mama wanted to make sure that I was all set up, so she helped me buy toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, and other essentials. She's a little spit fire of a woman. She knows someone wherever we go and she's all about finding the best deal. She's so sweet. And Papa is such a sweetheart. He's jolly. He doesn't speak a word of english (mama does), but we get along.

We got home and had breakfast (it was almost noon) with the rest of the family. Maitas, Connie, and Sebastian. They're really great. And they're tolerant of my lack of spanish. Right after breakfast, the mom said, "Now, we cook lunch." Haha. Seriously!

But us kids played Uno. And then poker. They didn't really know how the rules and looked to me to explain them. And - somehow! - I did it! Granted, they did know the basics, so that helped. It was really fun.

Then it was lunch.

Every meal is an event. The table is set, the table cloth is laid out, the whole family is there. It's pretty cool! After lunch, mama and I took the dog for a walk. Then she reprimanded (jokingly) me about my weather inappropriate clothes. They all think it's freezing here, but it's not. It's similar to a santa cruz morning, but they're bundled up in a million layers and scarfs and hats and boots. But I did need a couple things, so I let her take me shopping and show me where to get the best deals (I paid).

Then we got home and. . . DINNER.

Dinner was exactly the same as breakfast: bread with your choice of at least 3 of the following: cheese, ham, differnt ham, butter, jam, differnt jam, weird maynoise stuff. It's good!

So that's it so far. My family is great. Santiago is absolutely beautiful. The food is good. I'm freakin' exhausted. And I am starting to get the hang of this computer.

I think I'm going to go to sleep soon. Haha. I'm adjusting to the time change quickly.

I love you all! I'll be away from a computer for awhile, but know that I'm doing AWESOME and I love you all so much. I'd love to hear from you.

lilac2(at)berkeley.edu this computer is weird and I can't do at signs.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

haha. My family just asked me if I was writing to my boyfriend. I guess that's the sign for me to get off. Bye!!

Free Stuff

Do you know what's cool?
Free stuff.
Do you know what's better?
Free stuff that doesn't suck.
Do you know what's best?
Free stuff that's AWESOME!


That's why I'm entering to win something from www.yellowsongbird.blogspot.com
Their stuff is really cute. If you're a girl, I suggest you check it out. And maybe even enter yourself!!

Happy shopping.






i hope i win a sweet rosette headband from the @ohsweetjoy giveaway at www.yellowsongbird.blogspot.com!