Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas!!! I had my very first Chilean/American Christmas!!! First my family and I went over to the orphanage to visit our friend Rosalia, then we headed over to our friends John, Melinda and Amelie's house. The suegros, their exchange partner's in-laws, picked us up at John and Melinda's and we went to mass with them. After mass we went with the family back to their house, where we had a great meal and lots of fun and Christmas cookies. We left their house at 4:30 a.m. and went back to John and Melinda's where we spent the night, getting to bed after 5:00 in the morning, my record. The next day we woke up and stayed around John and Melinda's all morning in our PJs, played with Amelie, and had leftover Christmas cookies for breakfast! Then we opened presents. After a very spicy, but good lunch which Melinda made we all went out to the pool where Dad, Sarah, Amelie and I spent our first Christmas swimming in an outdoor pool. Too bad the others missed out on the fun. Later we hopped in a taxi and went home. When we arrived Sarah and I were sooooo suprised to see all kinds of Christmas presents under the tree. We were just expecting gifts from each other and there were gifts from mom and dad, Auntie Marge and Nana. We opened gifts, dad talked to Grandma and Aunt Linda in Texas, then we went straight to bed, we were sooooo tired!!! Even though we really missed everyone, we ended up having a really fun Christmas!!

Life in Santiago

I've been here since September and it's already December, where does the time go? My dad, Sarah and I have been exploring the city and learning Spanish while my mom is teaching at her school. On the weekends we go on excursions outside of Santiago and hang out with John, Melinda, and Amelie (in the picture). Already we have gone skiing, mountain biking, to the rodeo and gone on three bird-watching trips.

When we first arrived in Chile the party had just begun for Fiestas Patrias, Chilean Independence Day, on September 18th. Right off our balcony you see Parque Ines de Suarez, which happened to be one of the partying hot spots. Our balcony was the perfect lookout over the farm animals, (which luckily didn't have an odor), you could see horses, cows, sheep, ostriches, llamas, chickens, hear roosters (in the morning), pigs, and guinea pigs. There just so happened to also be the kids games there and they seemed to go on 24/7 with one of the most annoying announcers I've ever heard. That Sunday we checked out the funda, or Chilean party-in-the-park. There were booths where they sold all kinds of cool little things. Sarah and I got a tiny cactus plant for our balcony; sadly I think Burt/ George took a little tumble, because Sarah and I haven't been able to find him lately. Back to Fiestas Patrias, there was lots of food, mainly what Chileans like best, meat! There were also dancers and a display of costumes from the different regions of Chile. It was a really happening place. We had a really good time and got to see the Chilean dance, the Cueca.

Our apartment is nice and we have gotten into a routine here. I'm definitely excited about the summer, some traveling and seeing cousins and friends. So ciao for now, as the Chileans say!!