I've been really busy the past two weeks with studying (what?!?!) and some fun stuff too. I went rock climbing again but this time in a gym; went camping in the Maipo River Valley just southeast of Santiago; played soccer with a new league team (I'm still playing with the other one but this one was short players last Friday so I got to fill in!); ran another race with Pablo - this time a 7Km; and celebrated Halloween USA-style by carving pumpkins and roasting the seeds... and dressing up of course. (Pictures below)
Like I said, school got crazy all of a sudden. I had two tests last week, a project turn-in this Tuesday, and a quiz today. They've all gone surprisingly well though! The project was kind of interesting, because it was a group project and we started the semester out with 5 people in our group and three people dropped in the two weeks leading up to the due-date, so Gabriel and I had to do it all by ourselves! And there are debates next week related to the same project, but since we would be 2 versus 5 our profe excused us from the debate and is just going to grade us on the written portion, so it worked out kind of sweet! That also means that I don't have any work left to do for that class unless I have to take the final, and I only have to take the final if I don't have a 5.5 (on a 1-7 scale) at the end of the semester. Wahoo!
Speaking of the 1-7 scale, my soccer profe was talking about my soccer class TA the other day and about how great this guy is, and instead of saying "Nico is a 10" like we would in the States, he said, "Nico is a 7, he is definitely a 7." I thought it was funny. Some cultural differences you just don't see coming, you know?
And speaking of soccer, I was talk to my bro-in-law the other day after going to watch him and another friend play some pick-up fútbol, and we got to talking about why I never see men and women playing together here. He told me it's because the mentality is that girls are dangerous to play with because they kick you all the time... I said yeah the bad ones! He agreed, but said that it would be hard to find a group of men who would pay to rent a field and play with a bunch of women. LAME. So naturally that lit a flame under my butt. While I was at Parque Araucano today I saw several different pickup games going on just in the grass, as in no one has to pay to play there, and next week I'm going to go back with my cleats. Mark my words.
I am crazy making plans for traveling after the semester is over. Initially they were more ambitious, but now I think I just want to hop around in the South of Chile where all the rivers, lakes, and volcanoes are. Everyone says it's gorgeous down there, and it will be easier to do with my small budget. Also I feel like since I am studying abroad in Chile after all, I should get to know all of it at least a little bit, especially since it is so different in the North, Middle, and South. Oh! And Alice is coming to visit me!! So she will be my travel companion. SO PUMPED. She'll be here until December the 6th, and I depart the 15th. Between when she leaves and I leave the plan is to get really tan so that I can brag a lot when I get home, only to have it fade in about a week in that nasty Midwest winter climate (that I love so much but really only for about a month).
Ironically, even though I'm dreading coming back to the cold, I have developed a case of Christmas fever lately and Magda and I are going to watch The Holiday tonight. I think it's because classes are coming to a close (2 more weeks!!) and usually that means Christmas is almost here. Regardless, I'm wishing I had the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack on my computer more and more every day. I would love to listen to it while sunning next to the pool. HA! Chau!
Here's a fun one - a crappy climbing wall set up on campus with The Andes as a back drop.
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