Wow, I suppose it has been awhile since I last updated. Things get busier with every passing day here. I love having things to do all the time, but unfortunately, it leaves less free time for blogging. School has actually started to pick up in the last few days as well. I just got my first assignment back for my Grandes Autores class, and I have two group projects due next week. In addition to that, I have two different exams coming up in October, so that should be a lot of fun. I would love it if school would just disappear, so I could continue my life in Chile free of stress. But alas, this is STUDY abroad, so I guess I have to go to school. I learn so much about Spanish and the Chilean culture outside of my classes though that the lectures we get in class are almost kind of useless. Oh well.
Anyway, a lot has happened since my last post. I suppose I should start by saying that I am back to life as normal. I was released from the hospital on the same day as my last post and proceeded to take the most amazing shower of my life and generally enjoy being able to walk around without assistance. That weekend I wasn’t allowed to leave my apartment without supervision, but my friends, Nona and Katie as well as my friend, Gonzalo all came to visit. And Max came over as soon as the barbeque was done on Saturday and kept me company since I couldn’t go out at all. Max and I also took a walk together on Sunday, where we visited the sight where I got hit (to my knowledge, my blood is STILL on the ground) and then walked to Pedro de Valdivia and had some delicious afternoon pizza. Can’t beat good conversation and two-for-one pizza happy hours. It was a nice day, the weather was great, and I enjoyed experiencing a small amount of freedom. I’m not going to lie, I was super glad that my host mom trusted Max enough to let him walk with me, but I think by then he had definitely proven himself.
That Monday I went back to class as normal. Only one class on Monday isn’t bad and helped me ease back into things. One of the weirdest things about going back to class is that none of my professors had any idea what happened, but everyone in my exchange group did. So basically I was getting a million questions from my peers and being relatively ignored by the adults. I mostly smiled a lot and assured everyone I was fine despite the fact that I can’t exercise and am at risk for seizures. However, I liked returning to some sort of a routine. Plus Monday was amazing because Jo came to town, and she, Max, and I went and got gringo food at a restaurant kind of near my house and it was spectacular. Mmmm burgers and nachos. That Tuesday, Jo, Max, another friend of mine, Chloe, and two other girls from Jo’s group went to a bar in Santiago to socialize since Chloe and one of the girls in Jo’s program had family friends in common but had never met. It was fun, even though of course, I was quite sober. They joys of not being allowed to drink on my medication. I did encourage Jo and her friends to get the infamous terremoto though. Pictures to follow. It was a really fun night, and by the end, Jo had convinced Max to come with me to Vina for Fiestas Patrias. One of the other gringas in her building happened to have an open room because her host cousin was spending the weekend in Santiago, so it ended up working out amazingly.
Wednesday was spent watching cueca demonstrations, chatting, and eating choripans and mote con huesillo with my tandem partner, and then followed by an adventure back to the hospital with Max to get my stitches out. Plus some ticket buying and other things that make me smile mixed in there as well. Thursday Max and I were going to go pass a soccer ball around (just passing due to my no exercise restrictions), but we were unexpectedly joined by four other guys. They all ended up wanting to play a pick up soccer game. I got to play on the conditions that no one actually attacked me and that I didn’t move at more than a speed walk. I must say, it was a lot of fun. It was nice to stretch my legs a bit (even if it was just passing and very light jogging), and Max, Felipe, and my team won 3-0. Probably because I was such an intimidating force back on defense. Haha. But seriously, it’s strategically beneficial to have a player on your team that everyone is afraid to go near.
Friday, I also got a chance to catch up with Nona, Brita, and Katie (Tess was out of town traveling with her host family for the week) over delicious Indian food. It was a good time (as always), and the food was a definite bonus. Not sure if having a well-priced Indian restaurant near my house is a gift or a curse. To be announced.
That night, a newly-pololo’d Max and I met up with our fellow groupmates, Zoe and Elliot to go to a fonda in Nunoa. A fonda is basically a county fair with sketchier rides and no animals. There were a lot of choripans, anticuchos, mote con huesillo, chicha (none for me obviously), churros, and chocolate covered fruits for sale as well as carnival games, cueca demonstrations, and shiny fair rides. Max prohibited me from going on any rides due to the possibility of seizures. However, the fonda was still fun. Zoe and I got to watch Max and Elliot almost die on one of the rides (yes, fair rides are even MORE hazardous than they are in the states), and I ate delicious choripan and chocolate fruits. Not being able to open my jaw all the way was annoying (even though I had gotten my stitches out on Wednesday and my bruises are almost all gone, my jaw is still sore where my injuries are), but on the whole, it was a nice ”eight-grade-double-date” as Zoe called it. After the fonda was over, I went out to the bars with the boys, but Max was careful to make sure that no alcohol made it into my system. I pretty much just sat there and looked pretty and envied Pepe’s beautiful Piña Colada and Max drinking my favorite beer. On the whole, it was a great Friday. However, it was only a taste of the weekend to come.
FIESTAS PATRIAS IN VINA!!!! Yep, that happened. Max and I got up bright and early to take a 10:20 am bus from Santiago to Vina del Mar. We arrived in Vina at around 12:30 beyond tired but somehow still ready for the weekend and were greeted at the bus station by our lovely host, Joface. The day that ensued included lunch at a delicious empanada place (cheese for Jo, cheese, chicken and mushroom for me, and cheese and a billion meats for Max), a couple hours lying on the beach and playing in the water (okay, I’m the only one who played in the water but still, I saw a sea lion!), and then finally going home, eating dinner, and getting ready for a fiesta at Jo’s neighbor and Max’s host, Emily’s apartment.
The fiesta was quite entertaining to say the least. Unfortunately, my seizure meds make me look glazed over in all of the pictures, but I liked having the opportunity to hang out with Jo, Emily, and Anna again, and my Chilean friend from Santiago, Gonzalo stopped by as well with his friend, Mariela. Nothing quite like a rowdy night with friends when the host mom is knocked out by her sleeping pill. Haha. I elected to not go out dancing, but apparently the club was pretty dead. Perfect for Jo and the rest of the adventurous people to get their dance on without being hindered.
The next “morning” (it was more like afternoon) we woke up late and ate a leisurely breakfast. After breakfast, we headed over to my friend from high school, Maddie’s house for a barbeque since it was finally Independence Day! The barbeque consisted of us four gringos, Maddie’s host parents and some of their Chilean friends. Upon arrival we were offered chicha while we sat around listening to Cumbia music. I declined for obvious reasons, but Max, Jo, and Maddie all tried it. Maddie really liked it, Jo not at all, and Max was somewhere in between. After that, we were offered black olives, peanuts, crackers and lamb cheese, bread and guacamole, and finally choripans while we socialized with a couple of the guests-- a lawyer and his girlfriend. After so much food, I thought we were done, and I was happily full. However, it turns out that those were just the appetizers. We then sat down to a giant dinner with three different types of meat, three salads, more bread, potatoes and probably more things that I have now forgotten. Needless to say, I almost laughed when they tried to ask me if I wanted more food. I mean, it was delicious but more than any person could possibly eat without feeling like they were going to explode. After dinner and dessert, Maddie’s host dad was good and drunk (we had been at her house for over three hours by this point), so he kept pushing us to dance Cumbia and Cueca with him. I tried to explain that I couldn’t, but he wasn’t having any of it. Thus I felt really awkward as I sat on the sidelines while everyone else danced “Cumbia”. It was pretty entertaining though, and I took lots of pictures. Finally I was coaxed into standing up, and I danced a bit with everyone. Apparently Max is quite talented at Cumbia according to Maddie’s host dad. Hahaha. Anyway, when it was time for us to dance cueca, Jo insisted that we leave because she couldn’t handle it. So we awkwardly peaced out and headed back to Jo’s house to kick back and watch the Emmys. It ended up being a really chill night even though I was up until 5 am. Oops. Don’t tell my doctor.
The next day was Monday, and since Max and I had to leave at four we played it pretty cool though we did take a nice walk to the beach. The weather was beautiful, and I loved every minute of it. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and we said goodbye to Jo and Vina and took the bus back to Santiago.
This week was pretty tame as I have been swamped with work (once again, hooray for two group projects), but Max and I did go on our first date on Wednesday. I find it kind of hilarious because by that point we had already spent three straight days together in the hospital, had been to numerous different restaurants together, AND went on a trip together but whatever. Max brought me lilies, which were super pretty (even though he had no clue what type of flowers they were), and he and I both dressed up (I actually broke out a dress for the first time here). We went to this really cute restaurant near my apartment, where I had octopus salad, Max had chicken, and we split an appetizer. It was an excellent “first date” and afterwards, I changed and then we went out to a club with some friends, who all ooo’d and ahhhh’d at how pretty Max looked. He wore black socks. I think I’ll keep him. Anyway, I couldn’t dance very much (seizures ruin everything), but it was still a fun night, and Max and I enjoyed some serious people watching.
Other than that, I had lunch with the girls again today, and I am headed to another futbol game with friends tomorrow. I am seriously looking forward to all of this school stress being over on Wednesday, so I can get down to some serious trip planning. I think Max and I may go to Patagonia in December and the girls and I are planning a trip to Copiapo in the beginning of November. That along with going to Puerto Montt with my family makes for a busy Caryn. But it’s okay. I love traveling, so I am excited to see where the next few months take me. I hope you all enjoyed this super long update, and I want to reiterate that I am feeling just fine. Happy and healthy as ever. I would say even more so than usual.
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