Lazy Sunday

So much to report! That first week of classes was a TRIP. Early in the week I was getting a little discouraged because I wasn't finding classes that I particularly like, and didn't want to settle for mediocre ones just because they were manageable. I took the day off on Wednesday (not because I was so stressed, just because I didn't have Wednesday class) and went to a new café called Mundo de Papel (World of Paper). It was absolutely precious. One wall is painted a minty neon-green, the rest white, and one whole wall is a book shelf. I can't tell if the books are for sale or for reading or both. I would imagine both. I was kind of hoping someone else would take the lead and take one off to use, but I had my journal and a book so I kept busy. I had some lentil soup and a fresh orange-banana juice. Yum!

Thursday I went to two classes that I hadn't gone to on Tuesday and really liked the second one, called La Prosa de Borges (The Prose of Borges), as in Jorge Luis. If I manage to get spots in all of the classes I want, I will be soooooooooo happy. My soccer class continues to be amazing. It turns out the majority of my classmates have NO experience, but they're all really enthusiastic and it's super fun. Plus, our TA is real easy on the eyes... I'll post my schedule after I sign up for classes tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

We went to Isla Negra with the MI/WI program kids all day yesterday, which is where Pablo Neruda had one of his houses. It was tooooooo cool. He collected EVERYTHING and kept a lot of it at this house. I'm not much of a fan of collections but this stuff was soooooo cool. My favorite was his collection of ship ladies. Is there a word for those? The ones that used to be on the bows of big ships. He had a ton. And his shell collection too. Almost everything was nautical. His bedroom had a 90-degree view of the Pacific Ocean. The whole house was absolutely stunning, and he designed it himself. I want to read more about him after having been there. Equally amazing was the lunch we ate afterwards. I had a "caudillo" which literally means cauldron and is a salty soup with fish, potatoes, and onions. After eating entirely too much we climbed around on some big rocks on the beach. Great day.

Last semester in Madison I got to know a guy named Pedro who lives here in Santiago but studied at UW in the spring. It turns out another kid who is here from WI this semester knew him too, and we hung out with him here for the first time last night! It was sooo great to see him. He took us to his house first (straight out of a magazine) and then to a friend's house party. Dan (other WI dude) and I had a fantastic time. We agreed that we would rather hang with that crowd than any other we've met. I consider myself incredibly lucky. Pedro also works for a foundation that gives classes etc. in a poor area outside of Santiago and he invited Dan and I to get involved. Might do it!

This morning Lily (host mom) and I rolled out of bed around 10 and went to Cerro San Cristobal around 11 30. I absolutely love that park, especially when it's 65 degrees in the sun IN WINTER. The trees have started to flower though, and Lily says that means spring is coming. There are free dance classes on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 30 and we walked by shortly after they had started, so we joined in! The instrustor was INCREDIBLE (picture). The music was all really hip and she had fantastic energy. I was totally mesmerized. I should have taken video. I definitely plan on returning. Eleanor and Lisa, you would have EATEN IT UP. After class we walked the rest of the way up and soaked up some sun. Today is el Dia de los Niños and there were about a thousand adorable little kids around, so I took some sniper shots. (Also, DAD - CHECK OUT THIS RIDICULOUS BIKER IN HIS SUPER COOL JACKET. It was hilarious, I had told Lily that you think biking gear is silly and so when she saw me taking a picture of him she went, "Is that so you can show your Dad??" and I was like "YES!" We had a good laugh about that. She agrees with you, by the way.) Now I'm sitting in the kitchen with Magdita as the sun goes down outside of the windows behind me. Lily made a yummy walnut pie-like desert that I am eyeing.

I AM SO HAPPY HERE!!!!!! Peace.