30 agosto 2006

Today....not quite as interesting as yesterday. I did a whole lot of nothing, mostly. I did get a paper back in Language class, the first assignment I did there...a vocabulary worksheet, the same as everyone elses. I got a 5 out of 7, which is pretty good considering I don´t know the language...and most kids in my class got 4.4s! My teacher seemed pretty impressed that I did it on my own(well, with a dictionary and whatnot). So that def. made me feel better about grades this year!!
Freja and I didn´t go to our elective philosophy class, since they were talking about a Pablo Neruda poem we didn´t understand. The teacher said we could go to the computer lab, but it was filled, so we went to a little courtyard and talked instead. It was really nice....we relate on so many things....I´m so glad she´s at my school. And I don´t talk to her all too often, since she´s in the other class. Only during our elective classes, and usually during our breaks, but not always.
Italian class there was a test, and the teacher pretty much made me leave. I checked my mail, and then wandered around aimlessly, which seems to be happening more often lately. I talked to a boy named Benjamin, who´s English is amazing....barely an accent at all. He´s been to the US a whole lot, and he used to go to an International School, hence the good English. And, he´s tall and blonde. He makes me feel not so alone as a gringa, even if he´s Chilean, and not a gringo at all. Then I talked with another boy, Christian, who finished the test early and came outside. He speaks really good English too, which is good since my Spanish isn´t good enough to fully hold a conversation yet. He´s been to the US and Australia, and a handful of other countries. We talked about what we like to do on the weekends and where we want to travel. He´s actually really nice, and we have a lot in common....and I´m hoping he´ll end up being my friend(as corny as I´m sure that sounds). The girls in my class don´t really talk to me, they kind of sit in groups and speak only Spanish. The boys are more understanding and more willing to slow down and repeat things for me. Not to mention, nice to look at, and very entertaining(aka paperball wars). When I came home, I practiced piano a bit. There´s a keyboard here in my closet, and every once in awhile I take it out and play. I´m trying to figure out how I can print of some sheet music, but I have books too. I´m pretty determined not to fall too far behind....and I´m pretty sure I promised Mrs. Henderson I wouldn´t.
My host mom went to Coquimbo to try and fix my visa/Chilean ID fiasco. But....they can´t fix it here....so now we have to send my passport to Santiago, and have people there resolve it. Harumph. So much for not being an illegal immigrant for pretty much forever.
My host family and I talked for a loooong time tonight. I told them about my lack of pretty much all paperwork. They´re going to talk to Rotary about it(my host mom´s on the phone with my counselor right now). I love being screwed over. Yay for no travel permission, packet with rules, or several other quite necessary things. Oh well. As long as I don´t get sent home, I´m fine.
They also told me that I can go out and have friends over and whatnot. I´m sure there are rules in this house....but I can´t seem to uncover them. And my host parents told me tonight, they have questions they were supposed to ask(much like the ones I had to ask them, but didn´t), but figured it would be useless if I didn´t understand. I love the laid backness here...it´s really nice to be away from the stress that´s in the States that I didn´t realize existed until I came here. Deadlines....are flexible. 10 minutes usually means 20, and people are just so....laid back. Relaxed. Understanding. Friendly. Take the whole kissing cheek thing. In the US, you just kind of wave. Or shake their hand if you´re really formal. I like the warmth here. It´s really nice.
anyhoo. I´m off.
Love you all!!
kelsey
Tomorrow....pictures! Hopefully!

1 comentario:

JAKE dijo...

i know what you mean about the stressed out thing. haha we're all so pissed off and angry and late and cold and in traffic and annoyed and new englanders.

portugal better be laid back too...i dont think where i am it is...haha stupid industrial city...