Caminando in Concepción

Wrapping it up

2008-12-15T14:48:00.003-03:00

Soo much has happened in the last few weeks that I haven´t had a chance to blog or post photos! Super brief summary here, and the rest will have to wait for in person/phone re-tellings :) Thanksgiving, both at with the U.S. Embassy and with some Chilean friends, was fantastic. Last weekend I went to a lake 2 hours south of here with Chilean friends and spent the weekend in a cabin. We had a chance to see some ruins from Spanish forts, which are controversial and which many Chileans (particularly Mapuches, the native people who still have a high population) would like to see destroyed. This past weekend was a series of goodbye parties: from various friends, as well as one from some students. As I think most of you know, I fly home next Tuesday!

Since this is my last post, I wanted to go back to the goals I posted before I left to see the "before and after":

Professional Goals-I would like to hone my teaching skills, and be able to present creative, interesting(?) lessons at an appropriate pace to students who don't share my native language, and to learn to incorporate information literacy instruction into a variety of formats and settings (permission granted, of course...but who wouldn't want to learn about information literacy?)

Check. Interesting may be debatable, but I got positive feedback on several lessons, and I managed to include website evaluation and citation skills in all of my courses

-I would like to complete one of several research projects I have prepared
Check. I have gathered data for two studies, with the writing and analysis to be done when I return. I have also learned to navigate the IRB process, so I feel like that is also an accomplishment!

-I would like to improve my Spanish, and gain an understanding/appreciation of Chile
Spanish...ehh. I spoke a lot more English than I expected to. I think it´s still better than it was previously, but that I will always have a lot to learn!

Appreciation of Chile? Absolutely :) Understanding? Not sure that´s completely possible,but again, more so than before.

-I would like to do some kind of work/volunteering within a library and get a better understanding of how their system works (this last one is a high priority)Library internship first semester, re-cataloging and giving instruction on new system for English Department library second semester

Personal Goals-I want to see a llama and a penguin, not necessarily at the same time :-)
Llama: Check.
Penguin: I was in the right area, but the wrong season.

-I would like to be comfortable with public transportation and improve my navigational skills
I did get comfortable with the Santiago metro, the Conce buses and collectivos
I am still inherently directionally confused, but I have gotten a lot better at reading maps and asking for directions

-I want to make friends from around the world
Check: various cities in Chile, Scotland, Switzerland, England, Ireland, Brazil

-I want to visit Punta Arenas--the southernmost city in the world

Check: Staying with one of my closest Chilean friends (but I also learned there are cities further south!)

-I want to be open and accepting of this new culture, and immersed in it--and to be receptive to adventure

Absolutely :)

I´m sure I will still be "processing" this experience in the coming weeks and months...but as of now I am amazed with all that has happened, and stunned by the number of people I now consider close friends. For now, thank you sooo much for sticking with me. I look forward to seeing you all soon :)

Dancing through Life

2008-11-22T14:23:00.005-03:00

I expected to learn new things while abroad and wanted to challenge myself to being very open to whatever new possibilities Chile presented.

That said, I NEVER dreamed that I would be dancing so much this year, or enjoy it as much as I do! Up through September, I was stumbling my way through the national dance (la cueca). Even though I never got particularly good, I always enjoyed my cueca experiences. More recently, my Scottish colleague has been offering Scottish dance workshops over the lunch hour, which have also been super fun. And, since one of my opportunities here is to audit classes, I have been auditing Latin American folk dance this semester. Last night we had, as they say here, un show--in other words, a public performance. It featured our class, the flamenco class taught by the same instructor, and a Chilean folk dance/music group that several students formed.

I think this experience was among the highlights (and wow are there a lot of them!) of my experience here. Even though I am still waaay gringa and always stand out, I was still performing something distinctly Latin American with Chileans--and it didn´t matter in the least that I am foreign. In some of the videos and photos, thanks to the stage lights, the giant skirts, and the obscene amount of hair spray I had to use to get my hair in a tomate (bun), I can´t be distinguished from the other dancers.

Dancing, much less dancing in public, puts me out of my comfort zone in a way that even the daily challenges of living abroad do not. While I don`t know how much dancing I will be doing in the future, I am much more receptive to it than I was previously, and have certainly gained a new love for folk dance. I have loved Latin American music (folk, popular, even the cheesy love songs) for quite some time, but being able to dance to this music allows me to look at it and experience it in an entirely different way. I think I have also learned to be more patient: dancing of any sort is not at all natural for me, but, with time and effort and patience, I can eventually do it--and have a lot of fun in the process.

Spring Talent Show 2008

2008-11-17T09:25:00.003-03:00

Another semester, another Talent Show! This one went much more smoothly, in part because it was so much shorter: the choir class, one singer, one monologue, one poem, and one "special performance" of lip synching by my Scottish colleague and me. Since there were only three acts competing, each of them got a prize, which was fun. Two of the three are my students, so it was fun to watch them show off. I think the students had a good time, and since that´s what this is about, I´m pleased.

Sometimes I really do like teaching

2008-11-12T13:50:00.003-03:00

There is NOO better feeling than teaching a class that goes well :) In one of my classes, I have almost complete freedom to teach what I want how I want to--as long as the students are able to meet the course goals for writing and reading and speaking skills, and that I more or less stay within various units.
So, I'm trying to end the semester on a "fun" note. Last week, I had them read an article about teaching spelling to EFL students and the role of spelling in U.S. culture. Today we had a spelling bee and watched clips from the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I really wasn't sure how this would go. Sometimes they humor me when I do "non-traditional" activities, and other times I just get the death look, whining, and resistance. This WORKED! They got into it, and I think they may have even learned something :) I got the words from their compositions over the semester, so it was a good review of their own mistakes, and a chance to discuss commonly confused words. They laughed a lot and cheered for each other. Great class atmosphere, and honestly, an enormous relief that this went well :)

To finish off the term, we are doing an "exchange" with a class from my undergraduate university. One of my favorite Spanish professors from undergrad teaches a Spanish course of a similar level, and we have teamed up on a wiki. Our students have to write to each other (sometimes in Spanish, sometimes in English) on a variety of topics. Again, I am excited about this. Whether or not they will be is still to be determined, but I think it's a great chance for them to practice language skills with students of their own age and similar interests from another country.

I can't believe how the semester is flying: 1 more week of normal class, 1 week of "midterms," and then onto finals and closing. I am so proud of (most of) my students, and have seen tremendous improvement in some of them. One girl in particular hardly spoke at all at the beginning of term. When she did, she didn't make eye contact, she stumbled, and she spoke so quietly no one could hear her. Now, she volunteers every class period, consistently makes eye contact, speaks clearly and louder (still working on volume), and always has something really insightful to add to the discussion. It has just been so rewarding to see such progress. As frustrating as teaching often is (especially teaching in a foreign country), there are sometimes moments that make me wonder why anyone would ever dream of doing anything else.

Day After

2008-11-05T15:12:00.003-03:00

Thus far today, I have received 15 hugs and congratulations. News coverage last night, even on the public channels, lasted until 3 in the morning.

I think is a pretty accurate reflection of how Chile feels about the election.

Election Update

2008-11-04T11:02:00.003-03:00

I have been surprised at the amount of coverage our election has received here in Chile. On Saturday night, there was an hour long interview with the candidates on the popular program "Sabado Gigante." Last night, there was a 20 minute special on the regional news in which the anchor went to Chicago and interviewed Chileans there about their perspective on the elections. One of the news stations will do a 24 hour coverage today of any and all changes and updates.
All that said, it´s probably good that this is my busiest teaching day because I won´t be able to check updates again until I end at 8:00 tonight and can tune into the news. Chileans, at least as a whole, are very much in favor of Obama--believing he will do more with improving foreign relations. I have met one McCain supporter (well, at least openly McCain supporter) who argues that Obama is too young.
We´ll see what happens, but the excitement and tension is definitely present here too.

Fun Spanish!

2008-10-15T10:55:00.003-03:00

As I have mentioned, I am living with a Chilean lawyer, the sister of a colleague. Inga and I talk for at least an hour nearly every night, and she has jokingly started the "one word a day" lesson plan. This started not out of her desire to teach the resident gringa (I don´t think), but because at least once during our chats I have to ask...what? I have tried to limit myself to just once, choosing the most interesting sounding words/expressions to ask about.

Recent highlights:

-¡No seas pa(v)o! Literally, don´t be a turkey: don´t be silly or absent-minded

-dar una yapa: to give someone a bonus or something they don´t deserve

-tomar un harmonil: literally, to drink a bit of harmony, but the essense of take a chill pill (directed at the dog...not at me, for once :)

-hacer una vaca: make a cow! Or, pitch in and collaborate

More on Isla Mocha

2008-10-09T17:44:00.005-04:00

Little new to report here. I am staying busy teaching, grading, planning, and trying to spend as much time with my Chilean friends as I can. Spring has finally arrived, and it is beautiful!

I mentioned earlier that I worked on the translations for the Isla Mocha webpage. They are now public! See the link if you want more info and photos of this island: http://www.islamocha.cl/eng.html

Fiestas Patrias on Isla Mocha

2008-09-26T08:29:00.004-04:00

For the actual holidays (everything thus far has just been leading up to them!), my flat mate invited me to join her and her family on Isla Mocha--a small island of about 550 people just off the coast of Chile (or "the continent" as they call it), about 3 hours south of us. Her brother owns a luxury hotel and runs tours under the promotion of "adventure and expedition." This trip, though I think the best thing that has happened to me here, ended up a bit more adventure than I anticipated :)
On Wednesday (scheduled departure day), I spent the morning in the hospital with food poisoning. Thankfully, though not something I hope to repeat anytime soon, it was nothing more serious and I was still diagnosed as fit to travel. I was on so many drugs and feeling so lousy that I don't remember much more about the day except the flight.

Although I am afraid of heights and of small, enclosed spaces, I would not (before this trip) have said I am afraid of flying. Other flights I have taken, all in large planes, seem safe, and after the initial take off and landing, I have no problems. It's easy enough to fall asleep or be distracted. You can't feel much, and even from the windows, you can't usually see too much.

Small planes are not like big planes. You can feel every movement (yet do not actually have the space to move yourself!), including the vibrations of the motor, see far more out the windows than I wanted to see--including moments where it was all ocean. Inga's sister, thankfully, was one of the people crammed in the back seat with me, and she couldn't have been kinder, offering reassurance (in perfect English, no less!). There really were no problems with the flight, although it seemed awfully not short to me!

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, however, more than made up for the misery of Wednesday! I had heard a lot about Isla Mocha before I went because Inga spent all her childhood summers there, and her grandmother still lives on this island in a house just in front of the hotel. I am also working on the translations for her brother's webpage. Quick trivia:
Isla Mocha does not, in fact, mean coffee island. It comes from a Lafkenche (the native people of this part of Chile) word meaning Island of Souls. As the name suggests, these people believed that the souls of their loved ones would go to there upon death.
The pirate Sir Francis Drake received a scar on his face from a battle with local islanders here.
Before Moby Dick, there was another (really really long??) story about a whale called Mocha Dick. Supposedly (though I haven't found a source to back this up), Melville was inspired by this story and this island.

Though I love trivia like the above, what most amazed me about the island was just the huge variety of nature: farm, ocean, mountain, and forest all basically touching each other without seeming unnatural. The colors were just so bright! We spent some time just walking around the island, other time on the beach as literally the only people there.
Most of the time was spent in or around the hotel with just the family. I am extremely suspicious about the concept of a "host family" in study abroad situations because it just seems too optimistic. It's possible to live with people, even very kind, generous people, without being included in family gatherings or particularly feeling like you are important or wanted. I think the greatest shock of my stay here is that the Neiras have been my host family in the truest sense of the word. Who wants to adopt a 23 year old??? For whatever reason, they have chosen to do so, and I couldn´t be more thankful. It was a true pleasure to have the chance to talk with Inga and her sister (my colleague at the university) and her mother, play dominos with her nephews (ages 4 and 9), and explore the island with her family.

Festival de Chilenidad (September 14)

2008-09-26T08:22:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, my church and the school it sponsors had a celebration of Chilean identity, or, a pre-celebration for the 18th. This includes a dinner and entertainment, in the form of singing and dancing, for 100 people. There is still technically a church service, but it seemed like almost everyone was busy with some aspect of preparation during that time. Lucky for me, I was put on kitchen duty--which meant I got to learn how to prepare some of the traditional foods for the holidays. I had "my hands in the dough" (a cultural expression kind of like someone who looks like the cat who swallowed the canary, but often used as a pun for anyone working with bread dough) with the sopaipillas (fried bread dough) and the ensalada chilena (tomato, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt). I got to watch the men's society make empanadas (pastry stuffed with meat and vegetables...amazing) and the women's society make cazuela (stew...except they don't chop the big things, so you can expect a giant hunk of squash, corn, and meat in your bowl to save and cut up yourself at the end when the broth is gone). I also got to serve malaya (beef roast stuffed with vegetables), and later to eat: most of the above mentioned things, as well as mote con huesillo (soft wheat kernels soaked in peach juice and served with dried peaches...much better than it sounds!) and pajaritos (almond sweet breads topped with merengue, not as good as they sound). All in all, quite tasty :) According to the evening news, the average Chilean gains 4 kilos (about 10 pounds) during Fiestas Patrias in part because of all of this food...and I am beginning to appreciate why.

After the food comes singing and dancing! The children from the school performed a "cross Chile" dance demonstration, starting with the traditional dances of the North, moving all the way toward the South.

To conclude the event, there was a cueca competition--which I was inadvertently entered in. I say inadvertently because it was in nooooo way my intent. While we were cooking, my friends asked me if I liked to dance cueca. I said, well, yes...but I dance it so badly that you will not recognize it as cueca! (I genuinely believe this to be true). Somehow this was interpreteted as Oh! You'll be in the competition! I didn´t exactly understand what was going on until it was too late to bow out tactfully.

So, what can I say? Part of the adventure of being abroad is doing things you can't/won't do at home. I danced, competitively, in front of about a hundred people. This particular competition started with 4 pairs, and then by audience vote, a pair is eliminated each round. My partner and I ended up as the last dancers standing, if you will, probably because of the hilarity factor!

A Complicated Day for Chile

2008-09-11T14:23:00.002-04:00

As an undergrad, I realized that I was not cut out for journalism in my first class when we had to ask our professor, playing a role, questions that he was clearly not comfortable answering. Good journalists keep pushing to get a story: I cringe at making people uncomfortable and feel embarrassed that I ever brought it up in the first place. From this personality trait, I have never brought up the issue of Chile's recent history, specifically the Pinochet dictatorship from 1973 to 1990, with any Chileans. It's still a really sticky issue for Chile and a period many people would really like to forget ever happened. If a Chilean brings up the topic, however, I am certainly willing to listen.

Inevitably, September 11 did come up since it marks the anniversary of the military coup that put the dictatorship in power. Conce is one of the most historically liberal cities in Chile. We have one of the oldest, most prestigious, and most liberal universities in the country (where my scholarship colleague works). There is a memorial there to the 30 students who died protesting the regime. On the steps of the cathedral downtown, there is graffitied cross that marks the spot where a man lit himself on fire because the military police would not release the whereabouts of his children who were, as so many people were doing this time, among the "desaparecidos,"--the disappeared.

Because of all this history, 9 11 is still, as my Chilean friends put it "a complicated day" for Chile, and Conce is no exception. I usually don't teach on Thursdays, just have office hours for my English IIs and meetings, but today the university is closed, even our offices. Traditionally there are protests that can get very violent, and I was advised to stay home, in my neighborhood, or perhaps the mall--located on the fringes of town about as far away from the universities and downtown as you can get. All of this is precaution, as it is perhaps equally likely that nothing will happen because the police are out in full force. As a gringa, I always have to exercise a bit more caution than most Chileans, but this is the first time when I have been advised to be this careful and just to avoid places where something might possibly happen.

I don't think I had any idea of what to expect when I applied for this grant or received it. I know I didn't expect Chileans to be so overwhelmingly surprised that I knew that their September 11 was also a day to be remembered as tragic and, as they so well put it, a bit "complicated."

The Celebration Begins...

2008-09-11T14:00:00.009-04:00

There are few events that my students have been talking about ever since I arrived: the annual strikes in the fall, the ramadas and fiestas patrias in the spring, and the amazingness of summer vacations. We have now reached milestone two :)

Ramadas are a tradition for national holidays that are coming up next week on the 18th and 19th. The word literally means house of sticks, which traditionally they are: stick houses where you can buy traditional food and listen to (and dance to!) live music. Each university in Conce has one this week. Ours was the first. According to the students (my experts on all things), theirs is the most boring because since we are a Catholic uni, there are"limits." For once, I don't know what they were talking about because I thought it was great.

Their interpretation of ramadas here meant that each department (history, law, medicine, etc.) had a tent with food and drink set up in the parking lot--the biggest open space on campus. There was a stage set up for dancing, and so many people that it was difficult to walk, much less dance! They played some folk music, as well as a lot of rock. Hearing "Man I Feel like a Woman" blasted over loudspeakers was a bit surreal :) Classes were cancelled for the afternoon so that everyone could enjoy. They had ponche (white wine with peaches), empanadas (a meat pie like thing), beer, pajaritos (sweet breads with white frosting), sopaipillas con salsa pebre (fried bread with a cilantro-tomato sauce), and variation upon variation of sausage and hot dogs in buns. My other colleague from the U.S. joked that we should have taken attendance for class because this is the only time we have seen all of our students at once!

Apparently, department tradition is that the visiting English prof, aka Me, dance their national dance with a student. As I think all of you know, I can't dance to save my life. This doesn't stop me from trying, mind you, but it's probably always a funny event. The students got a kick out of it, for sure, and I admit that I had a good time trying too.

This giant party started at 4 (on the hour, no less! None of the usual hora latina and starting between 10 and 30 minutes late. I think this may be the ONLY thing I have thus far witnessed that started dead on the scheduled time), and was still in full swing when I left around 8:30. Because last night was a soccer match 0(Chile v. Colombia...and even the hope that Chile might win!), someone dragged out a giant screen and broadcast the game. I wish I could convey the excitement and energy of being in a crowd of people this intense about their soccer.
Apparently, the ramada was only a "warm up" for the celebrations that start next Wednesday for Chile's national holidays on Thursday and Friday.

Orchestra (2 September)

2008-09-11T13:49:00.004-04:00

I have been part of an orchestra since I was twelve years old, and even my times living abroad have been no exception. Besides offering the joy of playing, this involvement allows me to meet people I wouldn't have otherwise and to really feel connected to the community.

This year orchestra has been a bit different not only because I am in a "totally different country," as one of my friends from home reminds me, but because I have also gotten to play a totally different instrument! I did not bring my violin with me to Chile (a year's supply of teaching clothes, books, etc. seemed more valuable uses of luggage space), and assumed I would be able to find one here. I did...but I found a viola first, thanks to the generosity of another English professor who is lending me hers. Although violin and viola are similar (the viola is bigger, lower, and has a different clef), I had never played viola before. I explained this to the conductor of the university orchestra and auditioned anyway. Much to my great shock, I was named principal viola (leader of the viola section), under the assumption that my violin skills would transfer and that I would learn to read the music and manuever around the instrument. The beginning was a bit rough as my section naturally resented the fact that I was leading them: gringa me who couldn't play a note in tune for a good couple weeks and who had never touched the instrument before audition day! After a few weeks, the technique did come through , I gained the respect of my colleagues, and I have come to actually prefer viola to violin!

But SURPRISE! The concertmaster (leader of the violins) quit two weeks before the concert, so I was moved from leader of violas to leader of the violin, and became the violin soloist on three of the four programmed pieces. The conductor lent me the violin he used as a music education student, and I learned music faster than I think I ever have before, and somehow pulled this off. It baffles me that I can say that I have now soloed with an orchestra in Chile. I hate to put any qualifier on "how it went" because musicians always tend to be overly critical, and I was so focused on each note and idea that I am not actually sure. After the concert, I was interviewed by the local news station (in Spanish, no less), and much to the delight of my students and my horror, appeared briefly on TV.

I think the most rewarding part of this was being able to share with my flatmate. Inga is one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and living with her has been great. She came to the concert to cheer me on, and I know that what we did made her happy. It was refreshing to feel like I could offer something more to this community and the Chileans who mean so much to me.

Winter Vacation

2008-08-07T15:32:00.008-04:00

Laguna Misciati

I had two weeks off between semesters, which meant for a wonderful chance to travel and see more of Chile.

Week 1 was gringa fest :) One of my closest friends from childhood (this year celebrates a whopping decade of being friends) flew all the way from LA to spend a week with me and a graduate school friend who has a grant in Santiago. We went to San Pedro de Atacama, a very touristy town on the fringes of the 3rd largest salt flat in the world. From there, we were able to take day tours to see the salt flat, mountains, volcanoes, sand dunes, geysers, and pre-Inca ruins--both the structures and various artifacts in a museum.

In the Valle de la Muerte (yes, that does in fact mean "The Valley of Death") on a horseback tour

We also got to see llamas and other assorted animals in the llama family and flamingos in the wild, a town with 14 houses and the best empanadas I have yet eaten, and lots of handicrafts/artisan work. We also had some fantastic meals and really lucked out with tour guides who spoke clear Spanish. It was enlightening to see a side of Chile completely different from what I have come to know. At the same time, many of the foods that I have come to love (empanadas, bread in general, manjar, pisco sours, and various chocolate bars) were still widely available. Introducing my friend to these was a treat :) Having her visit, and being with someone from the same graduate school again, made me realize how much of Chilean life now seems "normal" to me--without my realizing it.

Valle de la Luna (You guessed it...Moon Valley!) at sunset

To end the week, we returned to Santiago and went to Isla Negra--Pablo Neruda's burial site and most famous house/museum. Because we went salsa dancing the night before, we did not get much of an early start and made the very last tour of the day. Isla Negra, despite its name, is neither black nor an island. Pablo Neruda was one of the first people/cultural facets that started my interest in Chile, so seeing his house after reading so much about it was quite exciting.

Week 2

My friend "Pinwi" (a shortened form of her nickname little Penguin) and I on the Magellan Strait

For a week of contrasts and extremes, I went to the very south of Chile. Visiting Punta Arenas was one of the things I had hoped to do while here--but I never dreamed it would be to spend the week with a Chilean friend and her family. July is not tourist season (the penguin reserve and many of the other natural parks are closed due to weather), but that did not stop us from having a great time. We saw the city and the university, walked along the Magellan strait, and spent a fair amount of time inside trying to stay warm--watching movies, baking lemon pie, and entertaining/being entertained by her 2 year old nephew. There was even snow, something I haven´t seen since the day I left. Everyone in Conce told me that the "South South" (we are technically in the Southern region, but just barely so) is beautiful, and I would certainly have to agree. In short, this trip gave me an even greater appreciation for the immense variety that makes up Chile.

Looking over the city of Punta Arenas

¡Uruguay!

2008-07-15T21:24:00.007-04:00

Colonia
The ocean (I think it might actually be river) outside the hotel
Riding a horse
Uruguayan Drum Music
Downtown Montevideo
The Chile group: Dinner with Ambassador

I just got back from a conference in Uruguay with all the other people in Latin America on this grant. Sooo much fun. Much of the time was spent in meetings discussing teaching strategies, facets of culture shock, our experiences, etc. It has definitely made me appreciate my placement, as if I didn´t already. I also got some great ideas to implement next term. The response to my talk "It´s all CRAAP: Teaching English through Information Evaluation" was overwhelmingly positive--which was really encouraging.

The non conference part was also great. We went horse riding, had dinner with the ambassador, went to the nearby town of Colonia, had some phenomenal meals, and generally just relished being with other Americans.

Honorary Chilena

2008-06-23T13:49:00.002-04:00

On Saturday night, I took a "field trip" to the nearby town of Penco (the original site of Conce until they moved because of fires and earthquakes) to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the Penco United Methodist Church. It was a great service--so much energy, beautiful music, wonderful people. We had an "once" (tea with tasty things to eat) after--a Chilean tradition I am becoming quite fond of! To get there, we rode in a "fogata," which is kind of like a combination between a school bus and a suburban: same color as a school bus with a giant sign on top that says "school," but in every other respect a suburban. En route, we sang ("practiced" what we planned to sing at the church, supposedly). One that we sing a lot is a call and response song (the leader sings something out, the group, or various subgroups, respond). I was included in various subgroups, no problem--the Spanish isn´t all that complicated. Then CC, one of the leaders, called out to sing in English. I was ok on the first line...and then realized I honestly couldn´t translate it. My friends started chanting (Chileans are big on chanting, but that´s another story) "chilena," and have since started calling me "la chilena" (or, with Chilean inflection, la chilayyyyyyyna).

While I realize on the spot translation is not the most accurate way of judging my acclimation stage, I tell this anecdote because I think it does highlight where I am about now. There are moments when I am thinking in Spanish and honestly can´t remember how to say something in English, when I have to go back and correct my writing or self-correct my speaking because I´ve put a Spanish structure in English or put Spanish words in where they don´t belong. I´m losing my Spanish accent, and starting to speak with the inflections of a Chilean, stretching out words, putting EVERYTHING in the dimuniative form, and ending most sentences with ¿cachai?, po, or "ahhhhhhh ya"--without thinking about it. Sometimes I feel frustrated in that I no longer have mastery over either language (at least in this moment!), but generally it´s exciting to feel like I have actually, somehow, become an "honorary Chilean." Unlike my past study abroad experiences, I still have enough time left to enjoy this time and this feeling of being foreign yet accepted. I´m almost at the halfway point, and continuing to love the experience, looking forward to what´s ahead!

Photos and Quick Catchup

2008-06-18T08:58:00.008-04:00

The students have returned. Hurray!! The photo here is of my last day with my communication/grammar class. I have most of them in my culture class as well, and they have been an absolute joy to teach. Inevitably, I think I´ve learned at least as much from them as they have from me, if not more!

This is the last week of classes, followed by two exams. I have been quite busy with panicked students, staff meetings, teaching, grading, etc. However, there has also been time for fun :) I went to a nearby town, Lota, which is famous for its coal mine. I also watched the national soccer game (Chile v. Bolivia) on TV with some Chilean friends from church, which was a great time. I´ve been involved with what the church calls the "Liga de Jóvenes," which roughly translates as "young person´s organization." The age range is 18-35, all backgrounds, married, single, with kids, without, but they have all been beyond welcoming. Having a group of Chilean friends to hang out with has been such a wonderful thing and really helped in making me feel like I belong here.

I cannot believe my first semester is wrapping up so quickly. I´ve had a phenomenal experience, and look forward to next term and all that it will bring too. ¡Besitos a todos!

Weekend Recap

2008-06-02T10:55:00.002-04:00

This was a big and busy weekend. Photos to come when I can get them from my colleague, who has better ones.

Friday
Meeting with the Ambassador: This was the first time I met all the Fulbrighters in Conce, which was great. Most of them are scientists working on alternative energy projects. It was very surreal and humbling to be in a room with people who talk about about research, and have done research, so often. It was also surreal to meet someone who sees the President and the Secretary of State on a regular basis...and to have him be interested (or at least feign interest) in my work here!

Talent Show:
AAH! Chaos! The secretary DIDN´T book the room (despite our nagging and her assurances), so we couldn´t get in until about 20 minutes before showtime. We didn´t realize we had to book a laptop or sound equipment, and a judge backed out the day before. Once we started, 40 minutes later than planned, it was great. The students did a phenomenal job, our emcee was a total ham and really took on his role well, and we had a turnout of over 200 despite the strike.The students came from across all departments, and two of the 3 in the top three weren´t English students, and one of those didn´t actually speak English at all. "My" choir that I have been coaching did a great job on their Queen, and I´m quite pleased with how everything turned out. I´m also relieved that I don´t have to plan one of these again for a few months!

Saturday: Chillán
RH, one of my colleagues, had a friend visiting from the South of Chile, so we took a daytrip. Chillán is about a 90 minute bus ride away, and they have a massive outdoor market. It was fantastic: soo much beautiful food and arts and crafts. It felt surreally like Christmas shopping though (and maybe was, as I won´t see anyone until then!) because it was sooo cold. Still, a fun trip :)

Sunday: Lenga
Lenga is a suburb of Conce that is only slightly farther away from where I first lived. It is also right on the beach, and known for its seafood. It´s about a 20 minute bus ride away. The beach has black sand (volcanic?), which I had never seen before, and the food was phenomenal. Seafood this fresh is just unbelievable. I will definitely be making more trips here again :)

¡Paraguas, paraguas!

2008-05-26T14:42:00.001-04:00

I decided to take advantage of my "on call day" (my supervisor said he´d call if I could come in) by running errands. Per usual, it´s raining. What I didn´t realize before is that if you head downtown, there are umbrella vendors on EVERY corner (sometimes one on each side of the road). They shout out ¡paraguas, paraguas!, and sometimes ¡baratos! Paraguas, as you may have guessed/known, are umbrellas. This is also my favorite Spanish word of the moment since it´s what it says: for water.
It just sounds neat to hear this all around the main plaza.

Surprise!

2008-05-26T08:50:00.001-04:00

The strike takes on a new element: Students taking over the building! I got to the bridge this morning that separates the bus stop/highway and the university, and the janitors told me to go home because I couldn't enter the building. I'm still trying to get in touch with my supervisor to see what happens, but my understanding is that I am done for the day...and can try again tomorrow.

It´s a Sunny Day!

2008-05-23T10:49:00.002-04:00

After a week in which it has rained all day each day, I cannot begin to express how amazing and wonderful it is to have sunshine!

Strike update

2008-05-16T15:13:00.001-04:00

My students tell me the strike will last one more week, and then they (the fourth and fifth year students) are returning. Whether or not the whole department does is still a mystery...

Reference

2008-05-16T10:14:00.001-04:00

My friend and colleague EE has summarized the strikes and our trip to La Serena so nicely that I refer you to her blog :http://milly-in-chile.blogspot.com/

Strikes

2008-05-12T11:14:00.004-04:00

My students have been on strike since last Thursday at 4:00. Apparently, this is a tradition. Since I am not on strike, it´s been rather interesting. On Friday (when I just hold conversation tutorials), they all came. Today, when I had scheduled an exam, none of them came. 8 of them came in to sing Happy Birthday to me and give me chocolate and cake (with manjar! Boy am I excited to eat that later), but of course admitted they had just come for that--that they couldn´t take an exam because they are on strike. I´m scheduled to give another exam this afternoon: we´ll see how many students show up for that one.

Really, the whole thing is amusing. I have heard that in past years, these can be very violent, but here and now, it seems quite relaxed and laid back. I still have students coming to visit and chat, there are no police, no shouting. The students are all here (and many of them are studying), just refusing to go to class. Now they are blasting protest songs from the 70s. It´s not exactly clear to me, or to all of them, exactly what they are protesting...it sounds like it´s just to honor tradition. More to come as I learn more :)

La Serena

2008-05-12T11:05:00.006-04:00

As perhaps these photos indicate, I had a wonderful trip to La Serena a week and a half ago. Thursday the 1st was Labor Day, which meant Friday was a "sandwich day," and we had a long weekend. La Serena is a 12 hour bus ride north of Conce. I went with most of my British colleagues and JW. We saw sooo much: fruit farms (papaya and chirimoya, two fruits I´ve never seen at home), a distillery for pisco (the national drink), a resovoir, a beach with lighthouse, 3 Gabriela Mistral museums, and an observatory--where we saw Saturn with a telescope. EE, who planned everything, found a tour service and our guide was excellent. Each part of Chile looks very different from another, and it was great to see a glimpse of the "little north" (as opposed to the far north).

Volcano

2008-05-07T19:23:00.002-04:00

A post soon coming about last week´s trip, but I want pictures to go with it. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, for all of those who have seen this article
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/world/americas/07chile.html?ex=1367899200&en=23da26a347b05eb1&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

I wanted to reassure you that I am nowhere near this. Thanks for your concern, though :) Unfortunately, several of my students have family there...so the effects are still being felt here too.

Yankee Doodle Cueca

2008-04-26T17:46:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was the bday of JW (the other local Fulbrighter), so the British students that work with us threw her a party, and it was, to use their word, “smashing.” Absolutely fantastic. The theme was "Yankee Doodle," in honor of the U.S. bday girl, and everyone was instructed to wear some combo of red, white, and blue. There British people, Germans, United Statesians (I'm beginning to avoid the word "American" here), and of course, Chileans. We were switching languages all night, and wow did it go all night. I left around 3, and many people were still dancing and having fun.

Some of you may know/recall that May Term of sophomore year I took a class called "Song and Dance of Latin America." The first dance we learned was Chile's national dance, the cueca. My students decided that the gringas need to learn how to dance the cueca well before Fiestas patrias (the national celebration in September), so we had our first lesson last night. They were so amused that I had taken a class in the U.S. just on cueca (and a few other dances) and most of it came back pretty quickly, but maan....I have a lot of practicing to do before September :) There are a couple photos here, with my dance partner (or huaso as they're called) Oscar.

So...lesson here :) You never know what will be useful that you learn in college! Whoever would have dreamed that three years after I stumbled and tripped through the cueca that I'd be dancing it in Chile with Chileans?

Whoa!

2008-04-18T13:50:00.002-04:00

I gave my "Little 500" presentation today. Students are not required to attend guest lectures, extra credit doesn´t exist (so no bribery on that front), and I have about 35 different students between my two classes.
All that said...
I had an attendance of 80 people, mostly students, at my talk.

Library Day: Part 1

2008-04-18T08:34:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I finally started my work/internship/volunteering at the library. Exciting! I have so much to learn. It looks like the way it will work is that I will be trained in each of the 4 main public service departments and rotate among them. The library director´s goal is that I will be able to give a new perspective on what´s working and what´s not, and be able to offer concrete suggestions on how to improve. If I can think of specific projects I´d like to start, she´s open to that as well.

So, yesterday I started in "Reserva," which translates as Reserves, but seems more of a combination of Reserves and Circulation. I can now check books in and out, still using a form of Sirsi Dynix. This proved much more interesting than I anticipated it would be because if students return books at all late, they get both a fine and a "suspension"--and can´t check anything else out for a period of time. This is strictly enforced and made for some discussion with the students.

The Reserves part was also super interesting. Apparently, any book that is considered expensive (i.e. almost all textbook like materials) are placed on reserve. Students come to the desk and ask for what they want and keep it for two days. Not surprisingly, students rarely remember things like titles or authors, and will ask for things like the big green book with a little frog on it. The librarians I worked for immediately could find anything students wanted. One of them told me the secret was memorizing the organization of the library (which he claims is exactly the same as in the U.S...Dewey? Maybe? Lots of big numbers). In doing so, he started to just rattle off long strings of numbers and their subject area. Just the speed at which these people work, checking in and out and getting books and reshelving, is astonishing.

Photos

2008-04-16T16:05:00.001-04:00

I finally uploaded some photos of my life here...the uni where I teach, the apt, etc. Photos with people in them forthcoming, but for now, here´s what I´ve got:
http://picasaweb.google.com/rslough/Conce

Ha!

2008-04-16T09:33:00.002-04:00

Today, the "front page press release news" of the uni webpage included a brief thing about last week`s visit by the program director of my sponsoring organization (oh no...I am starting to write like my students!). I was mentioned, and for my Spanish speaking readers, here is the text:
Junto a ella (la director nacional) estuvo RMS, becaria estadounidense que está en la UCSC desde el 17 de marzo. La profesional extranjera, Bachellor en Inglés y Español y Magíster en Estudios Americanos y Caribeños, cursa actualmente un Magíster en Bibliotecología. Con la Beca de Profesor Asistente de Inglés para Regiones de Fulbright, está realizando funciones de profesora y encargada de los cursos tutoriales en la carrera de Pedagogía Media en Inglés.

Translation : With the program director was me, US grant recipient who has been at this uni since March 17. The professional foreigner, with a Bachelor´s in English and Spanish and a Masters in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, is currently pursuing a masters in Library Science. With the assistance of the grant, she is carrying out the duties of profesor and giving tutorials to students in the English Teaching program.

This just made me laugh...well intended, and very nice, just a bit, well, inaccurate.

Niños muertos--not what it sounds like

2008-04-11T13:11:00.002-04:00

Part of my M-F routine has been buying the cafeteria lunch. It´s cheap (about $3 for soup, salad, bread, drink, and entree), and tends to be tasty. It´s also been an exercise in reading menus.

Today, for example, my choice was octopus with potatoes (always a good choice), octopus on a salad, or niños muertos--dead children. Apparently, the eaten kinds of dead children are cabbage leaves stuffed with hamburger and rice. But still, a bit disorienting to say, why yes, I would like a dead child, please.

Schmooze Night Round 2, Choir Update

2008-04-11T11:35:00.003-04:00

Last night was the national celebration of the program`s 53rd anniversary, celebrated here in Conce! It was a good time, for sure, and exciting to meet all kinds of scholarship recipients--both to reunite with the other ETAs and to meet those in the other program divisions. I am very humbled to be included in this group and inspired by what other people are doing. It was also nice to see my host contact and to talk about things other than work with him.

Conversation tutorials, when the students want to talk and actually come, may be one of my favorite parts of the job. Today I learned, for example, that this choir I´m part of does an annual musical. Costumes, makeup, public performance, the whole deal. Participation is obligatory. Title TBA. My role in this is still to be determined...and I am rooting for coach rather than active participant :)Can this "class" get more entertaining??

Proposal number 1: Check

2008-04-09T16:08:00.002-04:00

One of my "other duties as assigned" is to do a lecture series/presentation series on "cultural topics pertaining to the U.S.A." In other words, an outside of class activity that teaches something about the U.S. This is left very open, and I think it may be one of my favorite jobs because it´s a form of outreach, and because I have a lot of room for creativity.

Before I can present anything, I have to write a proposal and have it approved by my supervising professor and the department chair. I am delighted to report that my first proposal has been accepted, and we´ll be having a close look at the Little 500! In other words, a short powerpoint and then watching Breaking Away. My students have asked me so many times about where I live and what it´s like to go to college in the U.S., and it will be such a thrill to point out the buildings that I walk past, the library where I work, etc. I know my timing is a little off, but at least it´ll be close to when it´s actually happening.

I don´t know why this makes me so happy, but I guess it´s fun to have an idea, write it down, and then get other people to be supportive.

Finding my place

2008-04-06T12:10:00.002-04:00

I think it´s hard to really feel at home in a place until you find some favorite spot, a restaurant, café, whatever.
I think I may have found at least one such spot in Conce--Café Pablo Neruda. Per the theme, his poems are lacquered onto the table tops. There aren´t too many foreigners there, so you can hear Spanish everywhere. I love it!

More Library Musings

2008-04-06T12:01:00.002-04:00

As I think many of you know, I´m auditing a graduate course in research methods and data analysis. I thought, and am finding, that the topic will be helpful but I´m also really interested in learning how graduate education works here (read: not like at home) and to meet Chileans who are not my students or colleagues.
All of the students in this class are professors of something, either in the same university I am, or in one of the other 9 (yes, 9 universities) in Conce. This class is to prepare them for their thesis, including the defense. To practice for this, yesterday in class we all had to write and present a research proposal, and explain it to the class, who would act as the defense committee.

All of this with one day´s notice (via email no less), all in Spanish. AHH! What an experience! For the sake of practice and because I don´t actually have a thesis topic yet, I´m using the example of library anxiety, since ideally I would love to do research on that here, and because I spent a lot of January and Feburary building a bibliography and research ideas.

Although my classmates were brutal and really critical, they were also very supportive. What I found most interesting, what I am trying to get at here in this post, is that library science does not exist here--which, for some reason, surprises me. I used the word, biblioteconomia, that I got from the dictionary, and they asked what it meant. I tried to explain, but (and maybe it´s my Spanish), I really think there is no translation. The closest they could grasp was that I am studying administration to become a director of a library...ehh, not exactly.

But, despite all this, they related to the topic and thought it was incredible that people actually study and document something that was familiar to them--feelings of uncertainty when first using (or continuing to use) the academic library.

Essays and Libraries

2008-04-03T12:07:00.003-04:00

Today I started grading my first round of essays ( there should be one a week per term, I think). I had them write short (3oo word) stories using at least one of the colloquialisms we discussed in class. They have definitely been entertaining to read, with lots of ninjas and murders. There is one couple who are inseparable, and their stories were almost the same verbatim...so I don´t know how to react. Is it cheating? They changed the names, but the story line was EXACTLY the same.

It still seems surreal to see my name on their papers as Professor (my name). I mean, yes, yes I am...but not really.

Oh, another observation from the last few days
Explaining that I want to be a librarian and need at least one (really two for what I want) masters degrees:
Typical reaction in the United States: Wait, you need a masters degree for that??
Typical reaction in Chile: Wait, you need a COLLEGE degree for that??
To say the least, my students are completely baffled by my career choice and educational history, which is fine.

I was supposed to start library work today, but the director is, unfortunately, at a funeral. So, hopefully I can start next week...I´m going through library withdrawal :)However, I successfully checked out my first book, using faculty priveleges to keep it for the full semester. Hurray!

Not about Chile

2008-04-02T16:38:00.001-04:00

While searching the Internet for help with lessons, I stumbled on this and had to link to it because it´s just too true

http://www.electricpenguin.com/blatherings/archives/004532.html

Cultural Dialogue

2008-04-01T09:07:00.002-04:00

My supervisor/mentor is in New York presenting at an international conference this week and next, so I´m covering some of his classes. Yesterday I taught the ´listening,´section of the grammar class that we share. He has all the lessons prepared, thankfully, so I just need to follow them. Anyway, yesterday´s proved particularly interesting: an essay/radio program on American cultural dominance. It was fascinating to hear their perspectives (and boy did we have the spectrum), and rewarding that they were, eventually, willing to discuss what was initially an awkward topic for them. Who knew teaching could be so fun??

Choir also proved to be quite entertaining last night. They learn completely by ear, which was a new idea for me (who has always had a score!). It´s quite laid back and informal. Last night, besides Queen and Sound of Music, we also added ¨A very merry unbirthday¨to the repetoire. My accompanying role may or may not happen, as (much to their surprise!), I can´t play without a score, or at the very least, some time with the keyboard to figure out the chord patterns.

Strikes and choir

2008-03-28T11:57:00.004-03:00

8 hours of my week are devoted to tutorials, which translates to talking to students in small groups (for my IWU readers: háblames in English). This has been quite enlightening, and thus far I have learned (among other things) that:
1) Students go on strike at least once at the beginning of the fall semester. They´re planning now, and basically just don´t come to class (starting Monday?). My students tell me it´s because, really, they just want a day off, and they will find something to protest. Apparently, the issue now is that the bus fare went up.
2) These same students are super excited that I´m joining choir. Their current repetoire, get ready for it: Medley from the Sound of Music, and Queen. More specifically, We are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody. I start rehearsals Monday, with a director who doesn´t speak any English and yet somehow leads the English only choir. I think this is going to be a riot. But more details to come : )

Good feeling

2008-03-25T10:22:00.003-03:00

I know I´m in a good place when on day two I get 4 emails from my students welcoming me and offering to help in any way they can. It is so refreshing to work with students who seem to genuinely want to learn (though we´ll see if they want to do their work) and who are so responsive.
In other news, I have a meeting with the university librarian today to see about possibilities there. Super excited!

Teach by Fire

2008-03-24T17:50:00.001-03:00

24 marzo

I was told today that I would be observing classes, which suddenly transformed to, well, you can observe and teach! I tend to prep last minute, but this was a case of, here´s some notes 5 minutes before, now go present them. Wow. But I enjoyed it very much. The students are so gung ho and supportive.

Catch up

2008-03-24T13:50:00.002-03:00

20 marzo
Schmooze Night and Enhancement Activity
Anyway, the last few days, Fulbright has been pulling out all the stops. Tuesday night we had a “welcome dinner.” It was held on the 18th floor of a beautiful building, all the walls were windows, and it spun slowly the whole time so that we could see parts of Santiago all lit up at night (I guess there is something like this in Washington D.C?). The food was among the best I’ve eaten—fresh salmon with spinach may be a small slice of heaven. Jamón Serrano, Spanish ham, also made an appearance as the first course (most of you know how I feel about that, but never mind!). I also had my first experience with the trademark Chilean cocktail— pisco sour. Pisco, from what I understand, is something like brandy. It was ok, but waay too strong for my taste. The wine, however, was delicious. Besides all the fanciness of this, which was humbling enough, was the company. The ten of us were there, some of our hosts (Claudio was not, sadly), the Fulbright commission in Chile, and various diplomats from the U.S. embassy. Right. Schmooze night with the U.S. foreign service officials. They were so fascinating and, I guess per their job, fabulous conversationalists. The embassy has also invited us to return to Santiago for Thanksgiving, which is nice. Most of this dinner, I was just pinching myself wondering what I did to get here and if it was really real.
Yesterday was also amazing. They took us on a “recreational cultural enhancement activity,” which translated to a vineyard tour. Again, it started with an excellent meal, but we also got to go into the vineyard, pick a basket of wine grapes, put them through the machines, and see the process of making wine. Our tour guide was very clear, and everything was in English. Maybe it’s my Midwest background, but I cannot get over the mountains and how green everything is here!
If I had any doubts before, I really really got lucky with my placement. My host/sponsor/mentor teacher (Fulbright seems to use the terms interchangeably) is absolutely fantastic. I am very much looking forward to working with him this year.
21 marzo
Groceries and Library Challenge
Today I did a double take in the grocery store when I saw peanut butter and Cheetos in the foreign food section. Soy sauce, however, is not apparently considered a foreign food. Interpret as you will.
OH! For all the librarians/librarians-in-training who read this: I have a challenge for you. The lunch at the vineyard included a fruit that I have posted below (to the left). We couldn’t figure out what it is, and the waiter nor any of the Chileans with us knew what it was either. It’s a flower, and the center can be eaten. It was citrusy, waxy, and had the texture of a cherry. My colleagues have asked if I, as a future librarian, can find out what it is. I’m stumped (and rather limited in resources), but if any of you have some down time on the desk or in general, we would be very intrigued. No pressure either way, though—just putting this out there 
22 marzo
There is life outside my apartment
The big goal of today was to figure out the bus system, or at least enough of it to get me to work on Monday. While walking to the bus stop, I saw two men in a wagon with HUGE cows (oxen??) in the middle of a busy street. I’m not exactly sure what they were doing, but that’s ok. I was still quite amused. Based on the facial expressions of those around me, no one else seemed to find this at all unusual.
OH! I meant to mention this earlier. As I think some of you know, Fulbright sends us on kind of a mid-year retreat/conference thing to keep us motivated, teach us to teach, etc. over the winter break (July). Dates are still uncertain, but regardless, it looks like they’re sending us to Uruguay for a week! How cool is that???

Contract?

2008-03-18T17:24:00.003-03:00

Today I met my host teacher and we hammered out a schedule of ¨rights and responsibilities¨(aka what I am expected to do and the materials he will provide to do so). The breakdown (for this semester) is
Teach American Culture with an American professor
Teaching Advanced Grammar to fourth year students with him (I will teach Speaking and Writing)
Hold 7 hours a week of ¨tutorials¨ working with students in pairs on whatever they need help with (mandatory...they have to see me about something)
Organize and run a student newsletter/creative writing publication
Present a lecture series on American culture with another Fulbrighter at another university in the same town
Coach and perform with the English language choir

Supposedly, this is a 20 hour a week gig, with 4 hours of grading and prep time,and 2 hours that are flexible. In my free time, I´ll be volunteering at the library, running a book club, and auditing some kind of class (this semester looks to be on instructional design, so I´m super excited about that). My host teacher seems amazing and I´m really looking forward to working with him. I´m also curious how much we´ll stick to this ¨contract¨since he said it would be better to be ¨super flexible.¨I´m relieved to have some kind of structure.

Tomorrow we are doing an enhancement activity at a local vineyard, and then Thursday I move to my teaching location. Monday I start teaching! Thinking of you all, hope everything is well (or as they say here...tow o bien)

Estoy aqui!

2008-03-16T13:39:00.002-03:00

Hello to all! Just a quick note to let you know I arrived in Santiago this morning. I learned that Jellybellies set off alarms at customs, but otherwise all is great (and that was fine too). It is warm and sunny, and the other 4 people I have met seem supernice. Orientation starts tomorrow. Thinking of you.

Thanks

2008-03-01T11:06:00.003-03:00

To those in any way involved with the amazing goodbye party last night, many, many thanks. What a great time! It was wonderful to see so many of you (and outside the library, no less! How often does that happen?). I feel so loved by such an outpouring of support.
Let's stay in touch!

What to expect? (When I am expecting)

2008-01-18T15:06:00.001-03:00

Today while reading some of the many materials my program has sent me to "prepare" for my experience, if such a thing is even possible, I found a quote from a program alum that I really liked. She said "Do not try and predict what your experience will be like, in all likelihood it won't be anything close to what you are currently imagining, but it will be great." As of this point, I have no idea what to expect(except that winter will be cold and rainy!), but I do have tentative goals of what I would like to accomplish while there. Just to see what happens, I'll write them here. This feels a bit like a New Year's prediction:

Professional Goals
-I would like to hone my teaching skills, and be able to present creative, interesting(?) lessons at an appropriate pace to students who don't share my native language, and to learn to incorporate information literacy instruction into a variety of formats and settings (permission granted, of course...but who wouldn't want to learn about information literacy?)
-I would like to complete one of several research projects I have prepared
-I would like to improve my Spanish, and gain an understanding/appreciation of Chile
-I would like to do some kind of work/volunteering within a library and get a better understanding of how their system works (this last one is a high priority)

Personal Goals
-I want to see a llama and a penguin, not necessarily at the same time :-)
-I would like to be comfortable with public transportation and improve my navigational skills
-I want to make friends from around the world
-I want to visit Punta Arenas--the southernmost city in the world
-I want to be open and accepting of this new culture, and immersed in it--and to be receptive to adventure

And with this, I guess I also want to add that I especially hope that remain open to whatever happens! Being adventurous is not exactly natural for me, but I look forward to the many opportunities to learn. At this point, I am so curious how I will change and what I'll be thinking a year from now, reflecting on what happened.

Bienvenidos! Welcome!

2007-09-12T23:13:00.002-04:00

Hello and Bienvenidos (Welcome)

If you've made it as far as this blog, you have already provided so much support and encouragement as I embark on this adventure--which I appreciate more than you know. I hope to provide here a better idea of what I experience in my time away as an English Teaching Assistant (interpret that term as you will.I don't yet know what it means. Maybe, hopefully, there will be some teaching involved). My teaching placement will be in Concepción, Chile (if you didn't already guess that from somewhere on this blog) at the Catholic university.Here is a fantastic link that will give you a better idea of where I am geographically, as well as basic information about the country:
achttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifcomplish

The university website (warning, all in Spanish) here, http://www.ucsc.cl/index2.htm,
may also give you an idea of what I will see.

A question I have gotten a lot is "why Chile?" The best (lamest?) answer I can give is lots of reasons.

1) The program I am going through allows me to teach undergraduates (rather than high school or elementary students), which I thought would better prepare me for my career goal of becoming an instruction/information literacy librarian. While my sponsoring organization has other programs in Latin America, Chile was the only place where I could (and will!) teach college students. I have taught students ages 3-college age, and definitely like the college atmosphere/age group best.
2) I wanted to go somewhere where I could continue to improve my Spanish.
3) Latin America has fascinated me since I became serious about Spanish my second year as an undergraduate. While every culture is interesting in its own right, there is something about Chile that has made it stand out for me : their history, their traditions, their authors...so many interesting things!
4) I always appreciate a good challenge and opportunities to learn, and am sure that Chile will provide both :-)

Again, thank you for your support and interest. Please feel free to leave comments, and please stay in touch!

OH. And a really good friend noted that I tend to go crazy with the smiley faces and exclamation points when not writing academic papers. I'm trying to be aware of it, but feel free to remind me to contain my enthusiasm.