No entiendo mucho, pero no te preocupes

¡Ay de mí!  The past few days have just been a blur!  We spent a few more days touring around Santiago, and arrived last night to Viña del Mar and Valparaíso.  First, let me try to update you on the rest of our adventures around Santiago!

On Saturday, we visited Viña Cousiño Macul (a local vineyard) to take a tour and do a wine tasting.  Now, as my family knows, I cannot stand the taste of wine, so this proved to be an interesting activity for me!  I’m always game to try new things, but I couldn’t do more than a few tiny sips of the red and white wines, even though I know they are some of the best wines in the country… ¡que lástima!

We also visited another giant hill in the city, this one called Cerro Santa Lucia, the place where Santiago was founded.  Once again, beautiful views of the city, and some beautiful architecture on the hill, too!

Other highlights of our time in Santiago: La Chascona (Pablo Neruda’s house, built for his mistress, who later became his wife), Barrio Bellavista (an artsy neighborhood), Los Dominicos (artesian shops), and other museums, cathedrals, and important government buildings (like the Palacio Presidencial).  Needless to say, our time in Santiago was a blur!

And then, the really crazy stuff – moving to Viña!  After our busy time in Santiago, we arrived in Viña and Valpo last night and met our host families.  I honestly don’t know if I have ever been so nervous in my life!  Mi familia chilena is incredibly kind and sweet, and I am extremely thankful to be living with another student through our program!  In our house, there are the two parents and one of their daughters, who teaches in a local elementary school.  Their other three children (all married) and their grandkids (nine!) live in the same neighborhood as us.  While I haven’t met our extended family yet, I cannot wait to play with the grandchildren!

To say life in Chile is different than life in the States would be the understatement of a lifetime.  I am loving it here, but it is really difficult.  My brain is working overtime trying to think and listen and speak and read and write in Spanish, and while also trying to understand the cultural differences to try to begin to blend in.  I love having conversations, and while I think my roommate and I are doing a great job communicating thus far with our familia, there are SO many long (awkward!) pauses in conversation because I just don’t know what else to say with my limited vocabulary.

The title of this post (“No entiendo mucho, pero no te preocupes”// I don’t understand much, but don’t worry) is becoming the tagline of my life in Chile!  I might only understand half of a conversation, but I’m learning more every day, and can’t wait to be able to understand more and more!

Es todo para hoy, but I will continue to write about some of my other experiences (and adventures!) in Chile. ¡Chao!