Hope you like Stevia.

We're closing in on Day Nueve here in Chile & I'm not sure where the time has gone.

It has been nine days of such exciting adventure and very awkward miscommunications, but it has all been such a ridiculously fun journey.

First things first, I'm from California, where it is sunny and beautiful and well over 100 degrees right now. Y'all know the weather here? Not 100 degrees. Its like socks and slippers and parkas even in the house, kinda weather. It is COLD. And I was not at all prepared for it. I've already had to journey to the Lider (#walmart) a few times for warmer socks, scarves, everything they told us to bring.

But all the bitterness of the cold melts away with the scenery. It is worth waking up every morning and seeing your own breath in your bedroom, to see too the now-snowcapped Andes Mountains from your doorstep. Its literally like a painting, the most picturesque backdrop to an ordinary, everyday life. I've heard its perfect conditions for skiing and snowboarding, too (although, my hostmom told me that the best way to enjoy the Andes is with some sun and pisco. LOL). Even at the school, you get some ridiculous views...like this one from the futbol field.

Also important to note is the abundance of Stevia, which also caught me entirely off guard. 

Like, fresh off the plane, in a new home, 6am, eating some cocopuffs and NO. ALL YOU CAN TASTE IS STEVIA. I almost cried right then and there. Chile. Get off that Stevia game. All I taste is Stevia. But I guess its cool because its forcing me out of my culinary comfort zone and forcing me to eat only freshly made breakfasts, which are usually grilled cheese y jamon (with gouda, which y'all need to try if you haven't because HOLY COW. Out of this world.) But really. Chile loves their Stevia and their Nescafe which always makes me glad that I don't drink coffee or else I'd be strugglin' hard.

For the most part, the experience has been just plain exciting. I've met some incredible people.
Being one of the younger members of the team here, I've managed to band together with the rest of the youngins' to create some seriously fun memories and even better friendships.

This is our li'l troop. Honestly couldn't ask for better sass or support from these four.

It has been fun, like I've said too many times already, 

but it definitely hasn't been the easiest experience. 

Its much more difficult, than I'd imagined, to come to a foreign land and live with a family who has all their own routines and life and a language entirely different from your own. Its been a very long week of struggling through language, on both ends, and hoping we all end up on the same page. There have been a lot of mornings where I don't actually know what to expect, what to do with myself. A lot of google translate, which is also most often unhelpful. But coming in with a mindset of comradery, that my Spanish is just as awkward if not worse than their English, has been a lifesaver. We're all in this together, un equipo.

I've already apologized on facebook for all of the futbol my family will have to watch when I get home, but really, I'm not that sorry. For some reason, I've never watched futbol. Ok, I watched ONE game on a cell phone in the middle of the Panamanian jungle a few years ago. But I've never watched futbol like I do here. Morning, noon, and night, its futbol (or Cartoon Network). I've watched 9 games in the 9 days I've been here. Games that I don't even care about the result. I am hooked.

We celebrated one of my sweet host-brothers' birthdays this week, the night of the Chile vs. Bolivia game. There were like 15 11-year-old boys at the house, playing soccer for HOURS and then coming inside to watch soccer, and then going out to play soccer and half-time and after it was over. 

As my hermanos say it, "Soccer is good for the life."

And watching the last-minute penalty kick is not actually a possibility when all those boys huddle around the TV as if they're actually a part of the Chilean team. Its literally the cutest thing.

All of the boys who came to the party are in the same class at school. 

Compañeros, they're called (I think, don't quote me on it).

The students here are seriously so accepting. Like, if some foreign teacher showed up in my classroom and was like "Sorry, your teacher is out sick, I'm gonna teach you today." I would've just gotten up and left the room. But they are so excited to know about the people from America, and so interested in American politics, and so excited for you to know them. Its just so different from America, in a really wonderful way. The co-teachers are great and I've been learning SO MUCH about how to be an new-language learner, myself, and how people are helping me adapt and grow here. They use some really really innovative and creative techniques to engage the students in their learning. Its such a rewarding experience, already, and I can't wait for what the next two weeks have in store!

Chile is beautiful.

The people of Chile are some of the kindest people I've met.

The cakes tortas here are BOMB.

Life is good here.

Ciao, for now!