Teacher Want an Apple?

Wow…first of all: Thank you so much to all teachers. I never knew how much work was included in being a teacher!!! I am now the supplemental English teacher for all grades from 5^th-12^th at Colegio Proyección Siglo XXI in Osorno, Chile. It is a small school that includes all grades from Pre-Kindergarten to Seniors in High School. I’ve been here since March 14^th, and after a week of observing and only talking a little bit with the students, I’ve taken on the responsibility of taking half of the class for an hour and then switching for 25 hours throughout the week. I also have 10 other hours each week of lesson planning and working on extracurricular activities (speech and debate). 

So far, teaching is proving to be a more challenging job than I ever expected it to be. First, this is the first time I’ve ever worked a full time job (I say full time because I am at the school from 8-5:30 every day from Monday-Thursday). Also, this is the first time I’ve had a job that I take home with me. I spend much of my time outside of class preparing activities and ideas for my several levels of students. I can use some of the ideas for most or all of my classes and just revise the language I use and the way I motivate them to learn the material. This is anything but me complaining. For the first time in a long time, I’m feeling challenged to expand my mind and my heart in new ways. I’m connecting with students that I would have never known how to connect with before this. To both their benefit and my own, I’m also able to be empathetic with the struggles of learning a new language and how frustrating it is to want to be able to express your thoughts and feelings but not knowing the words.

Honestly, I can’t think of a more rewarding thing to be doing with my time. Aside from being cold (which I’m adjusting to), I absolutely love everything about the south of Chile. I love that everywhere you look is green. I love that the people are friendly and kind to everyone. I love that the food is delicious and always fresh at my house. I love that my host family goes to a Christian church. I love that the teachers at my school are all so nice and patient with me when I don’t understand Spanish. I love that there are cows outside my window and rolling green pastures in which to walk as my backyard. I love that teaching is stretching me beyond my limits to grow and learn so many new things about myself and others. I love that my host teacher and his family have become my great and very special friends. I love that people invite me to their homes in order to share their incredible culture and food with me and to learn about me. I love that I feel so accepted here even though I so obviously don’t fit in. I love that God uses the rain to force me to stop and rest and think on Him and what He is doing in my life. I love that God uses the sun to help remind me that no matter how much time passes where everything seems dark, He will always light my way and shine on my face. I love that the simplicity of life down here doesn’t make me miss the convenient things of the US but does make me appreciate them for what they are worth.

Every day, at lunch, I walk into the lunch room and sit down at the usually vacant table. I try to monopolize on that time to just breath and relax my mind before I begin eating and head back to class. The inspector at the school (one of the sweetest old men I’ve ever met) usually will sit down and eat with me as well. I’ve had to begin eating during the second lunch hour when the jr. high and high school students eat because if I’m there when the little ones eat, I barely have a moment to stuff food in my mouth before answering their spitfire questions (always in Spanish). The first time this happened, I just about cried because they were all so precious!!

As my first official presentation, I taught my students about In-N-Out back in California. You can bet that by the end of the day, I would have paid anything to have a fresh In-N-Out burger, fries, and shake! The goal of the class was to prepare my students to be able to order food in an English speaking country. I began with fast food because it’s very simple to teach and easy to explain. Later in the semester, I plan on doing a simulated sit down restaurant experience to show them the differences.

Friday March 25, 2011

I spent the majority of this day in my bed looking up ideas for activities in my class and ways to motivate my students to want to learn English while I listened to the rain outside. =D

Saturday March 26, 2011

First plan on my agenda for the day was to figure out the bus system in order to arrive at the institute class of my head teacher. He teaches extra classes on the weekend and had extended me an invitation to meet his students and speak with them so they could practice with a native English speaker. Of course I said yes, but I was a little bit nervous about finding my way there as I’m still quite lost in this city. To my great and happy surprise, my host mom was on her way into town to go to the grocery store and offered to drive me to the institute. Needless to say, I got there early but didn’t have to deal with being lost =D. I really enjoyed having conversations with the 5 students that were there. It is so impressive that they would give up most of their Saturday in order to learn a new language. We talked about several topics, including the changes in education in Chile, the benefits of volunteers coming, the change in teaching, why students don’t take English class seriously, etc. I feel I learned a lot in a short amount of time about the way many Chileans think and feel about English class which gave me several ideas in order to help motivate my students. 

I also had the opportunity to meet Alexis’s boss: Patricio H. Atton Bohn… YES, I SAID BOHN!!!! My jaw dropped when I read the last name on his card. We spoke a little bit about family heritage, and I look forward to hearing what my Grandpa Bohn says about this. Before I left the school, he gave me a great big bear hug and invited me to his home some day for dinner. How’s that for southern hospitality???

After class, I went with Alexis (my head teacher/friend) to his home to enjoy “Pichanga” with his family. This delicious dish is comprised of French fries, hotdog, sausage, hard boiled egg, carrots, pickles, cheese, and the option of a homemade spicy sauce with which I just about drowned my plate. Oh it was so fantastic!!! Upon finishing a large portion of the delicious meal, we made our way to the couches where we sat for hours drinking Mate and talking about life. It felt so nice to talk about topics other than the basics that I discus with everyone I meet. It also feels very nice to have such great friends. They have a 4 year old son also that I’ve adopted as my little nephew/brother. He is absolutely adorable and knows a few cute songs in English that he loves to sing for me. By the time I went to bed that night, I was more than content and so thankful for the people and opportunities that God has placed in my life.

Sunday March 27, 2011

What a fantastic day!! I woke up and had a delicious piece of fruit pie for breakfast that was homemade by my host momma. Then, the whole family was off for church and a celebration of the church’s 148^th birthday. During church, I felt very excited that I was able to understand much of what was said. The pastor spoke out of Acts and told about the command for Christ’s disciples to Go out into the world and spread His name. It has been very interesting for me to sing Spanish worship songs. I feel it has put me in a position to really think about the words (since I’m translating them) and what I’m singing about. After church, we had a snack celebration with lots of goodies and treats that were made by people in the congregation: empanadas, pies, cakes, chips, crackers, dips, etc. It was a nice time of fellowship and meeting people.

Now I'm enjoying some relaxation time of writing my blog, catching up with emails, and hopefully posting some new photos. I'm definitely looking forward to dinner tonight because I happened to catch a sneak peak at Pastel del Choclo in the fridge! I have not yet tried this meal, but since every single Chilean I've met has asked me if I've had this typical traditional Chilean dish, you can imagine I'm very curious to see what the hype is all about! I promise to let everyone know how it is!!! =D

Tengo Que Estar Donde Debo Estar

"I have to be where I am supposed to be" (Translation of Title)

At  the end of a long and emotional day, I definitely feel the need to write and express my feelings. I want to begin by saying that I am so happy to be here in Osorno, Chile and I couldn’t dream of a better opportunity. I love the people that I’m meeting and getting to know as well. On the other hand, today I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. I began the day with my first video chat with one of my best friends, Katie, and my nephew, Sage. He is now almost 7 months and almost 17 pounds! He’s grown so much!! Also, his personality is definitely developing and he’s learning a lot. I loved seeing his smiling face. Not being able to see Katie for about 3 months is awful considering the fact that I basically lived at her house while I was in Simi.

Next, I got to talk to my sister. We get to talk more often than I had expected, but it still feels like forever when we can’t talk for more than a few minutes for a week. Unfortunately, Skype wasn’t working, so the phone had to do, but it was great to catch up and talk a little bit. I really miss hanging out with her and just being together as sisters. She definitely is one person who knows me better than most.

A few hours later, to my very happy surprise, I got to Skype with my cousin, Riley. She was getting ready to go to the mall with our other cousin, Heather, so we caught up a little bit while she did her makeup. Before I left, I had the privilege of spending a lot of time with her and developing a very special friendship. I loved hearing about her plans for high school and how well her last semester of jr. high is going. Just before she left, Heather arrived at her house and popped on the screen to say hello. She’s another one of my cousins that might as well be my little sister. Having the chance to see them and talk to them, even for a very short time, made me miss home more than I could bare and the tears began to flow.

After trying to clean myself up, I went to talk to Nati, knowing that she was possibly leaving to find out what was going to happen. Then, to add to pain of the day, I found out that she only had a few more hours before she had to leave Osorno to go back to Santiago. To some it may seem silly to be so sad about saying goodbye to someone I’ve known for only one week, but I’ve learned that when you’re traveling and you meet incredible people that you click with, you develop special bonds very quickly. So we went for a walk in the countryside and hung out with the cows and talked about leaving and how much it sucks to say goodbye. She was also saying goodbye to her aunt, uncle, and cousin whom she is very close with so she was crying too.

In conclusion, like I said before, I am so beyond thankful for my choice to come to Chile and live abroad, but I am also more thankful than ever before for my amazing relationships with very special people back home in California. I very much look forward to the adventures ahead of me here in Chile and all of the adventures to be lived when I return home. <3

My Personal Little House on the Prairie

What does it mean to be a teacher? I’m learning that it means much more than I ever thought before. Let me back up to arriving in my new home: Osorno, Chile. After another long night on the bus, we arrived in Osorno. As we stepped off, I saw a family with a sign saying “Welcome to Osorno” and a bouquet of flowers. I recognized that they were probably there for someone in the program, but there were four of us so I didn’t think they’d be my new family. Well…they were!!! My dad, Luis looks very German (as he has German roots). My mom, Teresa is originally from Santiago but has definitely adapted to the generosity and beauty of the southern culture. Their daughter, Yennifer (pronounced “Jennifer”) is one of the sweetest young girls I’ve ever met. She’s in 9^th grade and is very patient with me as I struggle through my Spanish. Their niece, Natalia is also living with them. She’s 20 and I am so thankful for her. She’s not fluent, but she has a pretty good grasp of English and loves using what she knows and learning new things. We really clicked immediately and have spent a lot of time getting to know each other. After getting all of my things in the cars (smart of them to bring two seeing as how I had two massive bags and my backpack), we headed toward the house. 

After just a short 10 minute drive, we were out of the city and surrounded by green on all sides. We turned down a dirt road off the high way and wound our way to what will be my home until the end of July. I’m certain that my jaw dropped with grateful surprise as I was reminded of “The Little House on the Prairie”. They led me in and showed me my room (yes, my room!!! I actually got to unpack and put away my suitcases!) After a tour of the beautiful home that reminded me of a nice cabin in Hume Lake, I began to unpack my things. I happened to look out the back door of my bedroom and found myself face to face with a cow with only about 4 feet separating us. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing out loud!!

When my new room was set up, I went for a walk with Yenny (Jenny) and Nati out the back of the house. It was at this point that I really realized how much in the countryside I was. We hiked a mud path up to a large field filled with cows. It was so incredibly beautiful and I felt like I was in a great dream. On the way back we took a detour to see the river that flows nearby. They told me that the water is usually much higher and stronger but it hasn’t rained as much yet. For lunch, my mom made a delicious creamy soup of corn, carrots, lima beans, and lots of other delicious items. After, I took a quick shower and put on lots of clothes in order to stay warm. As I brushed the tangles out of my hair, my mom walked in and informed me that my head teacher was there to meet me and talk about classes! I felt like I would die of embarrassment, knowing that I had no makeup on and my hair was soaked. Also, I was still wearing my slippers and couldn’t find my socks or shoes!!! I was super nervous about meeting him, not only because I was super discheveled, but I also didn’t know anything about him or his level of English. Boy was I surprised and thankful to find out that he’s completely fluent and super nice! Alexis not only has a great grasp of the language, but he truly loves teaching and his students. We spoke a bit about the program and about our lives. He had brought his 4 year old son with him so I asked him a few questions in my elementary Spanish as well. Afterwards, Alexis took me to the school where I would begin teaching and to see a little bit of the city. In our question and answer time, we passed a church and I got really excited. Come to find out that he is Mormon and totally understands the importance of finding a church wherever you are and getting involved. He took me to a Christian church that he knew about and introduced me to some of the people there. Not knowing my schedule, I told them that I would try to come back some Sunday very soon. Alexis then took me to meet his wife and several of his friends as they had just gotten out of a meeting at his church. I was fed empanadas and cake and greeted by more people than I can remember. I was invited to go out with them and come to their homes for dinner. It was just crazy to me because I had done nothing to earn their love or their interest or admiration, yet they gave it freely and without presumption. In the States, I feel it’s often the opposite: prove to me why I should care about you and that you worth my time. 

Sunday was a fantastic day: sleeping in, going to the beach, and church! First, you know that feeling of being so cozy and warm because you are nestled inside of a cocoon of blankets and the cold air outside of this cocoon is anything but inviting? What an incredible way to wake up on a lazy Sunday morning. After finally rolling out of bed, I was served coffee and toast with homemade blackberry, strawberry, and plum jellies!! Talk about heaven on earth! Then my family asked if I’d like to go on a trip to the beach to see their beach home and where they spend most of the summer. Of course, I said yes! So we took a beautiful (windy) drive to the beach where we had lunch at a quaint restaurant with more fish options than my grandpa’s cookbook (ok, not exactly possible, but all they had was fish =D). After lunch, Nati and Itold a nice long walk down the highway to the river to get our blood flowing and warm up. Then we all hopped back in the car and drove back home to get ready for church. Even though I didn’t understand much of the sermon, it felt so good to be back with other believers. I’m not sure yet of their theology, but they use the Spanish version of the NIV bible which is what I have in English so I was able to follow along with that. After the service, we enjoyed a coffee time with several other members and they all had several questions. Thankfully, people ask many of the same questions so I’m really fluent with those answers ;-) 

6:30 am came way too early on Monday, but as soon as I woke up, I began to feel excited for my first day at school. The day was filled with greetings and introductions and trying to remember peoples’ names and trying to stay decently warm (the most difficult thing to do). The students were fantastic and I had a great time telling them a little bit about myself and hearing about them. A few of them asked if I knew any famous people or if I lived near any. They seemed so disappointed when I told them no. 

Tuesday was very similar to Monday, but after school, we had a teacher’s meeting. I was surprised to see lots of snacks and a big cake on the table. I thought to myself “I don’t think teachers have meetings like this back in the US.” Turns out, it was a welcome reception for me!! The principle said a few words (using basic Spanish so I understood) and then I was asked to say a few things…I was bright red in the face, but I stood up and told them all how thankful I was for them having me here and how excited I am to get to know them and work alongside them. I was so very touched when they told me that I was now part of their family. From my experience, it’s true what everyone said about the people in the south of Chile being super kind and generous. 

As the week has gone on, I’ve felt so welcome by the students as well as the other teachers and staff here. They are patient with my lack of Spanish proficiency and have told me several times how happy they are to have me here and how thankful they are that I’m not like the last volunteer who didn’t talk much with anyone and was very antisocial. I really feel like part of the group here and I’m loving it!!! This sort of reminds me of the feeling you have when you’re on a sports team and everyone is really close and everybody hangs out during their free time. After working at restaurants with lots of turnover and large staffs (as fun as it was), it’s very refreshing to be a part of a small staff. A few of them have even invited me over to their homes for dinner to try traditional Chilean dishes (most of which are absolutely delicious). 

Alexis (Mister Alexis as the students call him) has used me as leverage these past few days. He happened to hear me sing under my breath and asked if I like singing…well, of course I said yes. So he has been telling the students that if they act appropriately and finish their assignments with time to spare that I’ll sing a song for them. I have to say that since arriving in Chile, I have sung more in front of people than I have in my entire life combined. The go to song for class has been “Over the Rainbow” because it’s one that they know and Alexis really likes. I’m very excited to teach them new music and lyrics when I have my own class. 

Last night, I had the opportunity to skype with my grandma and my cousin, Taylor, and her friend, Kaitlin. It was so hard to say goodbye because I miss my family more than I can say in words, but I loved seeing them and talking to them. Some of my friends probably hate me for not being better at calling, but hopefully when I have a more solid schedule and I get used to the sleeping hours, I’ll be able to make more of those much needed calls!

I’m having a difficult time adjusting to the cold weather after leaving Santiago’s dry heat. However, these next few days are supposed to be pretty warm (relative to the low 50’s of the past few days). I wonder if we will have snow when we get into the middle of winter.

Now that this blog is written, I need to put up the rest of my pictures from Argentina and my new pictures from Osorno! Sorry it’s taking me so long this time…traveling every few days took away my desire to write or be on the computer. Abrazos y Besos!

How Many Passport Stamps Can I Get In Two Weeks??

I have so much to tell you about from the last two weeks since I wrote! I went to Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Colonia (Uruguay), and back to Santiago and met incredible people along the way. The best place to begin this story is the beginning.

February 22^nd began my adventure to yet another country: Argentina! I hopped on an 8 hour night bus through the Andes on route to Mendoza, Argentina with two of my friends from my program. Of course I didn’t acquire the best night sleep as we wound up the switchbacks in the mountains, but the whole experience was definitely one I won’t forget. We arrived in Mendoza at 5:30 in the morning and had the whole day for exploration. After finding our way to the center, we did quite a bit of walking to see what this beautiful city had to offer for the three of us. Shortly after the city woke up, we booked our much anticipated adventure of taking a horseback riding trip into the mountains. To kill time, we walked around the city and found some hidden treasures. Unfortunately, as we spent our last 30 minutes enjoying coffee and ice cream in McDonald’s (the only place where we could get coffee in cups larger than a shot glass) a hail storm began pelting everyone and everything not hidden inside. We waited it out as long as we could before we had to brave the torrential flooded streets to get back to the meeting place for the horseback ride. However, upon arriving, we were told that it was no longer safe for the horses to go up and received our money back. Well, we no longer had a plan for the afternoon so we decided to buy dulce de leche and bread and sit on a bench and people watch. Not the experience we had hoped for in Mendoza, but not the worst day at all.

The 13 hour night bus to Buenos Aires proved to be much smoother and relaxing. I was a bit nervous coming in because I had not ever met the couple that was picking me up nor did we exchange phone numbers and the bus got in a half hour late. My nerves were alleviated as I turned to see my name printed largely on a piece of paper carried by a kind looking gentleman. What a blessing to have missionaries like Gary and Linda greet me in Buenos Aires. After arriving at Melanie’s apartment, I enjoyed a bit of time to sit and relax before she came home from work. Yet another blessing to have such an incredible young Christian woman willing to share not only her home but also her friends, her life, and her culture with someone she’s never met before. We enjoyed the evening of playing “get to know you” and asking lots of questions. I could instantly tell that she was awesome and we’d get along great for the week I was there!

Friday, I stuck around the house and walked around the little mall next to her house and enjoyed some people watching in the park. That night, she took me to San Telmo which is the Tango capital of Buenos Aires and to Puerto Madero for ice cream. It was definitely interesting to compare this new culture to the one I had been enjoying for the past month and a half in Chile. There were many moments in which I felt like I was back in Europe with the architecture and the physical appearance of the people.

Saturday, I finally took the leap and got a haircut…I loved it!!! The salon we went to had us sitting for a while waiting, but I had the opportunity to read a lot of different Spanish magazine articles/look at the pictures, and they served us tea or coffee if we wanted. It was REAL espresso!!! Magnificent! After getting the haircut, we sauntered through some shops and found a few small treasures. We then moseyed on over to La Boca to see the beautifully colorful buildings and shops. There were several restaurants with dancers out front performing the Tango for the audiences eating and drinking. Mel and I took a seat and enjoyed a great show. Then, I was pulled out of the audience to attempt my own version of the Tango with one of the male dancers…what an experience! This is definitely a dance of passion and romance. It was then time to head home and get ready to go out dancing! In my one pair of heels and my one dress, I felt so excited to actually get dressed up for the first time since leaving the States! I regretted those heels later, but beauty is pain. We went to dinner with a few of Mel’s friends from school, and the opportunity to listen to and speak Spanish was wonderful. The girls were from Peru, so their Spanish was much easier to understand then that of Argentines. After our Columbian extravaganza, we headed to another restaurant with a rooftop dance club where we spent the rest of our evening into the wee hours of the morning dancing the night away!

Sunday morning was very difficult to wake up, but we did and prepared to go to the graduation party of one of Mel’s good friends. I felt like I had found paradise as we laid by the pool and played with their puppy, Mina. Her name means “chick” as in “hey I saw this chick crossing the street”. Playful and teething, I just fell in love with her sweet face. When it came time to eat, I was quickly briefed on the process that was about to begin. There was a constant procession of different slices of meat set on my plate to be enjoyed. Knowing that I had never been to an Argentine asado (barbeque) before, the father (host) made sure I tried a bit of everything and got to experience the glorious options available to me. It is an understatement to say that I was stuffed at the end of that meal. This day was also the day that back home, my family was throwing my Grandpa Bohn a major 80^th birthday party and also my sister’s birthday. When we arrived home, I went through everything I possibly could to attempt calling my family to wish happy birthdays, but unfortunately, I was unable to make it work. It was everything I could do to keep from having an emotional breakdown, but I reminded myself that God was in control of everything, even something small like this and I gave my sadness over to Him.

Monday, Melanie had to go back to work and I ventured on my own into the Capital. My first assignment was to purchase a map so that no matter how lost I got, I could find my way back. Through my explorations, I saw places like the Pink House (Argentine version of the White House), Avenida Florida (best walking street for shopping), the obelisk (mini version of the Washington Monument), Hard Rock Café, beautiful parks, and so much more. I stopped into a few cafés during the day for lunch, dinner, and coffee. Beautiful day, but it was difficult to not have anyone to turn to when I discovered new places to share in the amazement. One of those moments was when I ended up at Plaza Francia’s park and there were several young men performing tricks on homemade tightropes tied to the trees. Instead, I just sat and marveled on a lonely park bench. You’ll be able to see a little bit of this in the pictures I’ll be putting up.

Tuesday was my day to travel to yet another country…Uruguay!! I took a boat over and explored the city of Colonia for the day and had such a wonderful experience. First, I was quietly prompted to remember my passport (thank the Lord, seriously!) After finding a table on the boat, I overheard a few other Gringos talking about Spanish words for something they were looking for. Remembering how frustrating it is when you can’t finding something as simple as sunglasses in the translation dictionary, I turned around and offered my services from what I had learned. After spending the rest of the hour long boat ride getting to know this group of people, they asked if I’d like to walk around with them. After several days of traveling alone, it was a welcome invitation. We found a great little hole in the wall restaurant with the nicest people working. My new Canadian friends surprised me by paying for my part of the meal saying that they remembered being the one with a small supply of cash to support themselves while traveling. At that moment, I resolved that when I have an income, I will definitely be blessing the younger generation as they travel the globe. We spent the rest of the time walking through the quaint town’s cobble stone streets and climbing up the lighthouse. I can officially say that I’ve put my hand in the Atlantic Ocean! The water was purely brown though, so I promptly cleaned it off afterwards.

Wednesday, I enjoyed the ability to relax and sleep in and walk around some little shops near Mel’s apartment. I purchased a Capresse Calzone for dinner, and yes, it was as delicious as it sounds! We then enjoyed our dessert of ice cream and popcorn while watching “Social Network”.

Thursday, I barely made it in time to the travel agency to book my adventure for the day and hop in a van that took me to a Fiesta Goucha out in the campo (countryside). Our tour guide, Marcelo was one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met and I loved hearing about his many adventures as we wound our way out of the city. After about an hour, we found ourselves in Capilla del Señor (the Lord’s Chapel). We were promptly greeted with empanada’s and small glasses of wine. I quickly found my way to the horse stable and enjoyed a short walk around the grounds. I was hoping for a bit more of a galloping adventure, but that wasn’t allowed with the amount of people. Next, I went on a little carriage ride to see the other side of the property. I met a man named Johnny Walker from England. He was about 80 years old and had been in Argentina for several months and had missed speaking fluent English. You really can learn so much from someone who has been around for such a long time and been to so many places. We were then ushered to the asado where I found one food that I just can’t get myself to try: the blood sausage. The rest of the meet was exquisitely prepared and tasted incredible. We were entertained by a man who not only spoke at least 3 languages, but also incredibly sang songs from each region of Argentina and from the several countries represented in the audience. He was accompanied by two dancers who were nothing less than elegant and talented. The next item on the ballet was being wowed by two young gauchos (cowboys) who did tricks on their horses. Back in the van, I had the incredible opportunity to share mate (a typical Argentine tea) with the van driver, Marcelo, and the male dancer. They found it so strange to see a Gringa take part in the mate traditions because most foreigners find it gross to share the metal straw and often don’t like the taste. Once again, I was told that I am not like most people from the US…guess that’s a good thing!

Friday, I spent the morning repacking my luggage and cleaning up the apartment before heading out to meet Mel for lunch. I made it to the bus on time and settled in for the 24 hour ride. I was fortunate to have children around to entertain and play with and even had a mother ask to take a picture of me with her daughter. So precious!

Now, I am back at Hostelling International and enjoying the time spent with those of my group I haven’t seen for a month and also meeting the new people who just arrived. Today was the first day of orientation and we mostly just covered the basics of expectations and what we will be doing as teachers. I know that I will be in Region X: Los Lagos, but I have yet to find out about which city I will be teaching in. As of late, I do have a friend who has good friends that own a resort like hotel down in my region in the city of Puerto Varas, and after seeing pictures of it and the surrounding city, I’m very much hoping that I end up there. The waiting is killing me, but I’ll be finding out on Wednesday afternoon and likely taking off Thursday or Friday to go to my new home for the next 5 months! I’m so excited and I know that wherever I end up will be where I’m needed and exactly where God has prepared for me to be.