Oh yeah, I'm an exchange STUDENT....

Hola a todos! Been awhile since the last update, I know I know.
The thing is (or rather my excuse is) that things here are becoming more normal to me and so quirky differences are a part of life now and it's hard to think of what I should write, what would stand out if I still had fresh eyes? If there's anything in particular you are curious about don't hesitate to leave me a comment....unless it's about my love life. In that case dream on kids.

The last couple of weeks I've been firmly settled in Vina and going to school. It's about midterm right now so the first set of tests/pruebas/controls/examenes/whatever you call 'ems is upon us.
My first control which is like a small quiz was not so hot. Granted, it's in a business management class (don't ask my why I'm in it I have NO idea) and the TA grades them. She is not the friendliest of people and I have a hunch that she is slightly elitest and maybe a bit anti-exchange student. Who knows. Anyway, after chatting with the professor he told her that we were allowed to do our quizzes in English! Normally I would not take them up on that, I'm in class mostly to learn Spanish, but in the spirit of passing school I busted out the English on the next one. I used the most ridiculously over-worded, crowded, run on sentence-filled, Elizabethan English that you will every read. I also tried to state all of the same in Spanish just to show some effort. Hopefully the snotty TA takes it as pure genius. It remains to be seen as the grades aren't back yet.

My first big test though was in my History of Cinematography class and that went really well. I got about the equivalent of a C on it but I think here the A's a little harder to come by than they are in the States. Here C is actually average. Anyway, my friends in the class gave me a round of applause when I got it so that's a good sign!

The OTHER big test I had this week (I told you they were upon us!) was in my Modern Chilean Literature class. It was an essay test in which I had to describe the birth of the national chilean identity after the independence of the country based on the readings of two novels and various essays. Also I had to explain what I thought two particular authors' goals were in terms of chilean literature in general. These are authors from the 1800's remember. Good Lord. But I actually feel like the test went well, it's the most interesting class as far as I'm concerned so I actually enjoy mulling over questions like how a country forms it's own identity amongst it's people after a revolution. Call me crazy.

So that's school, in a rather large nutshell. There really isn't much other news so since I'm Minnesotan here's a weather update. It was really foggy and cold here last week and that was a huge bummer. Makes it really hard to get motivated in the morning when you can't even see out your window. However today and yesterday everything has brightened up and it's back in the mid 60's-70's again. We had a big thunderstorm last night too which was really fun! I've been warned that there are a lot of earthquakes here and that I will surely feel a few before I leave but that hasn't happened yet.

Also, this last week my friend Dan from Montana came to visit. No, he didn't come all the way from MT, he's actually studying in Concepcion for this year to finish college. We had a good time and discovered that we have more in common that just UM, we're both also avid fans of the ColoColo soccer team! I think secretly he wishes he had gone to school here in Vina del Mar/Valparaiso now that he's seen that they are just about the coolest places in Chile to be a student ;)

Tomorrow I'm off to Cordoba, Argentina to visit Ian Holmen, another gringo from Cook County. He's been there since August so his Spanish should kick my butt and also make him an excellent tour guide. I'll let you know how it goes!

Besos-
Clare