An Educational Experience

After finishing my first full week of classes I've been thinking a lot about what it really means to be here, in another country, learning and living a language. Especially because I am now confronted with the idea of making Chilean friends, and not just spending time with my host family or my American friends (not that I would trade either of them for anything). It's a very interesting and unique experience to be one of the few gringos in a class of 30-50 Chileans, mostly because you are always a spectacle to be looked at but not necessarily approached. On Thursday, I was put into a group in my Multicultural Education class with four other Chilean girls to discuss our thoughts on bettering an educational system where there are a lot of immigrants who haven't had the same opportunities as their chilean classmates. Having spent the last two years working with and running a bilingual mentoring/tutoring program I found this topic very pertinent to my life and experiences. However, I was feeling frustrated because I couldn't communicate the thoughts I was having because I simply don't have the vocabulary to do so yet. I sort of smiled and nodded while my classmates said everything I was hoping to say, but couldn't. The girls were actually pretty interested in hearing about my experiences running this bilingual program, since they don't seem to have programs or opportunities like that here. My new academic/personal goal is to be able to vocalize the thoughts I am having, since I think that when I am able to do that it will really mark a new level of fluency.

I try to spend as much time with my host family as possible, making a huge effort to be home for meals and around on Sundays and I think I can attribute a lot of my progress with Spanish to them. They have also been unbelievably accommodating with me and have been absolutely essential in my transition to this new city and lifestyle. I also didn't realize how beneficial it was to just sit and watch the news with them. Not only does this give me an opportunity to practice my listening skills, but it gives me a chance to ask questions about the current events occurring in Chile and get a new perspective on the issues. For example, we've been following the mine collapse where 33 miners were trapped in Northern Chile. This event really hit home with my family because my host dad works in the mines up North by Iquique. Also, the whole country has been up in arms about this tragedy and I believe it's because mining is such a large part of the culture and country here. Chile has a large source of natural minerals and substances, which Allende actually banned from being exported for awhile thus causing economic collapse, so there are a lot of mines and therefore a lot of miners. My host mom explained to me that my host dad works in a mine that is above ground, so it's a lot safer, as opposed to the underground mine where the miners are trapped. I was really disappointed to see that this tragedy barely made the news in the states;

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/world/americas/10briefs-Chile.html?ref=americas

I guess that just goes to show how what is important changes from country to country and culture to culture.

On a non academic note, I've spent a lot more time with my host sister this week and I really like being 'the big sister'. We watch telenovelas (soap operas) together and she tries to explain them to me and I've been teaching her how to make friendship bracelets, I wish I had brought my string. Also, she thinks it's really cool that I dance and choreograph so she asked me to help her choreograph a dance to a hip hop song. It's been really fun and a great way to communicate without speaking, that's what I've always loved about dance; you can tell a story in any language and that is invaluable.

Fotos: Con Con; a beach just north of Valpo/Vina (taken just after Allyson called me!). Pelican! Found out that Max, Dan and I have all separately had thoughts of wanting to be a Pelican; I saw one dive straight into the water, so cool. More pictures of Con Con, looking towards La Campana, the national park close by which we are trying to go camping at.