PATAGONIA. EXITO. (Success)

Before leaving on my big backpacking trip to Patagonia I thoroughly fried my stomach at the beach and fell out of the bus. So as you can probably already tell, I was off to a great start. (If you have a sunburn on your belly and no access to aloe lotion, deodorant is a pretty good substitute!)

Anyway, when we arrived at Torres del Paine National Park I couldn’t believe our luck because the weather was perfect. Blue skies, hardly any wind, good temperature. I thought to myself that it was just a fluke and tomorrow we would have winds that blew me over and freeze our butts off. But it wasn’t! We had casi (almost) perfect weather all 6 days! Que suerte! Day one was fairly easy and we had plenty of time to enjoy the weather and hangout by the river near our campsite in the glorious Patagonia sunshine. However since we were so far south the sun didn’t set until 10 o’clock and then it rose at about 5:30 or so. Which made sleeping schedules difficult!


Day 2 we hiked toward Glacier Grey. IT WAS AWESOME! We saw icebergs and avalanches. So cool!!!!! It was a pretty long day of hiking so we rewarded ourselves with a delicious dinner of chili in Chile! (okay I can’t take credit for this it was all Andrew’s idea. Emily and I didn’t want to carry all the cans.) But I’m so glad we did because it was delicious! Que rico!


Day 3 we had to back track a bit so we passed by all the icebergs again and let me tell you it was still totally awesome the second time around! Even though I’d walked that path the day before I was still in awe of how beautiful it all was. Day 3 was kinda long too so we soaked our feet in the freezing river and it was glorious! Except for when I took my shoes off I discovered a few blisters. So I went to the Guardaparques and he bandaged me up! What a swell little man named Mauricio he was. Props to him for touching my nasty feet!



Day 4 was a shorter hike up in the Valle Frances! It was just a day trip without our packs because we stayed in the same campsite as the night before. Everything was still beautiful and amazing and life was good! Instead of our normal pb&j tortillas we splurged and had sopa de zapallo (pumpkin soup) with some noodles. But it accidentally turned into something that tasted like mac n cheese! A happy accident if you ask me.

Day 5 My blisters were at their worst and we had a long haul. But with the encouragement of Emily and Andrew I made it to the base camp of the torres! I am very fortunate to have such patient friends! Not to mention the breathtaking views that would put even the grouchiest person in a better mood. Those helped distract from my feet that were on fire



Day 6. Our last day did not exactly go as planned. I ended up getting sick and feverish. I wasn’t able to do the 45 min climb to the Torres because of this. And we still had about a 4 hour hike back down the mountain to catch the bus back into town. So I very slowly made my blistery feet and fevery body move down the mountain. Once again Emily and Andrew were the best friends to backpack with because they were so incredibly patient and understanding. And even though it took longer than originally thought we made it down in one piece safe and sound!

After six days of backpacking in Patagonia I can say that without a doubt it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. And the perfect ending/last hoorah of my time in Chile. The good, the bad and the ugly included, it was the most incredible journey ever.

Besitos,
Gaby

TWO WEEKS NOTICE

I LEAVE THE PLACE I'VE CALLED HOME FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS IN EXACTLY TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!
Guys this is huge! I will soon be able order my food, ask for directions, talk to everyone in ENGLISH.

But for one of my last weeks in Chile I will be traveling down south to Patagonia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C52vyEKnDeM
^click that to watch a movie trailer about Patagonia

NOTICIAS (And then I climbed a glacier)

Things here are winding down and wrapping up. I only have three short weeks left in the place I’ve come to call home over the past (almost) five months. I’m getting super excited to go home and see my family and friends. But it’s a strange mezcla (mix) of feelings because I’ve grown to love my Chilean family, friends and culture and I feel like there is so much left for me to do and see and learn here. Since my life right now is made up of final papers and final trips I’m going to give a few quick updates!

1. My program took us on a trip to La Serena (a city in the north of Chile) for a weekend. While there we went to the pisco factory because pisco is the drink of choice here in Chile. People love their pisco, which according to Wikipedia is a colorless grape brandy. We also went to an observatory in the desert and looked at the stars and Jupiter! I don’t really remember anything we learned at the observatory because I just kept thinking about the song from the Disney Channel Original Movie Zenon (video below!!!)

2. When we got back I found out that we now have classes in Casa Central, the actual university building instead of in the tiny little empty high school we’d had classes in the whole semester. So with two weeks of classes left we got to experience what it was supposed to be like all semester long. And let me tell you this building is so much bigger and nicer and full of real Chilean students! It’s still school but at least it’s a change for the better.

3. I’ve also been taking advantage of living by the beach! Since I’m in the southern hemisphere its Spring and the weather has been (for the most part) beautiful!

4. The things I miss most about home (after the people of course) are food. Specifically Tex-Mex, Fried chicken/fried food in general, Chinese food, fast food, like Whataburger, Taco Cabana and Chick-fil-a. I’m going to make a list of all the restaurants I must go to when I get home! (sidenote: MOM I hope to come home to some of your Christmas cookies too!)

5. And this past weekend was my last mountain sports class excursion! We went to Andina Juncal, which is in the Andes and only 5 kilometers from Argentina. It was so remote and peaceful there because no other campers were around. We hiked to a glacier and even climbed it a bit (side note: We couldn’t climb all the way up because for that you need ice picks and crampons). So now I can say that I’ve eaten lunch on a glacier! I’d say that’s pretty neat. However, as much fun as the mountains are I have to admit that I’m more of a hot, dry desert type of person at heart. I would rather be in the boiling hot weather than in the snow. But maybe that’s because I’m from Texas…who knows. Either way, mountains or deserts, they have their positives and negatives and both are gorgeous. I appreciate nature so much more after all this camping.

So here’s the break down of my time left here. This week I have all my final papers due. Next week I head south to Patagonia (google image it. it’ll take your breath away). The week after that is my last and I plan to spend it on the beach and exploring the cerros of Valpo. Well I guess that’s all for now. I should probably get back to writing those pesky final papers I’ve been telling you about.

Besitos,
Gaby
PS here's the video!!!! It's about intergalactic love...totally relevant to the observatory. right?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KygD_QLpKeU

Perú

So before going to Peru and hiking the four-day Inca Trail I honestly couldn’t tell you much about the Incas or Machu Picchu. Now hopefully I remember enough to give yall a brief history lesson! (Please keep reading! I promise its all really interesting stuff!)


Machu in Kechua means old and Picchu means mountain or summit. Machu Picchu literally means Old Mountain. Pretty cool, huh? But most of the names of the cities that are now ruins were changed when the Spanish came, so the original names are lost forever.

Near the city of Machu Picchu they found 173 mummies/dead people and of these bodies around 150 or so were women’s, which means that Machu Picchu was probably built for women.

The Incas only made human sacrifices when they were going through incredibly difficult times. Then they would sacrifice the prettiest little boy and the prettiest little girl in the town by feeding them plants (aka drugging them) and then burying them alive or putting them in the river. This sounds awful to us but for them it was an honor to be chosen for sacrifice. Occasionally they would also sacrifice teenage girls in the same way.

Machu Picchu was divided into two parts by a geologic fault line (I know all about these because I took Environmental Geology). The two parts were the agricultural and the actual city where they lived.

The American Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu on accident.

No one knows for sure how long it took the Incas to build Machu Picchu because some of the buildings were found unfinished. Also the whole community worked to build it and they weren’t on a time schedule so that’s why everything was built to last.


Now my experience in Perú was absolutely AMAZING! I hiked the four-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and stayed a day in Cusco. The trail was difficult because its all stone steps or mostly and the altitude is so incredibly high that I got a few headaches from it. The hiking was tough but the archeological sites we saw along the way and the moment when Machu Picchu came into site made it worth it. Seeing Machu Picchu in person is breathtaking. Just thinking about the Incas and the hard work they put into their city and the fact that 80% of it is still the original buildings.
Cusco is a very touristy town, yet I didn’t feel like it gave off a cheesy vibe. It was still very authentic in some places. I went to the San Pedro market where they literally had EVERYTHING. Alpaca sweaters, fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, flowers, cheese, other knick-knacks and more. I could have stayed there all day. I seriously just fell in love with Peru and think if I ever had the opportunity to study abroad again I would go there.
Besitos,
Gaby

Vino (Wine)

Degustación- tasting
Corcho- cork

Chile’s wine valley Casa Blanca is (in my opinion) a hidden treasure. Most things that in the states would be super touristy and expensive with signs screaming in your face to go there are much more subtle and even difficult to find here. Tourism in Chile isn’t exactly a priority, especially if you don’t speak Spanish. I like that about this country it makes me feel like an insider when I do find these hidden treasures that most tourists have never heard of and would get lost going to. Which made my experience at the Casas del Bosque vineyard that much more enjoyable.

Saturday morning I met some friends at the bus terminal in Valparaíso to take the 45 minute bus to Casa Blanca (which is about half way between Viña/Valpo and Santiago).The Casablanca Valley has some of the vineyards that have recently grown in popularity here. Once there we hopped in a colectivo (taxi) to take us to the actual vineyard. It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect! We asked for the next tour when we arrived and even did the tour in Spanish (because we are such proactive and eager students!) However, having zero prior knowledge of wine and how it’s made proved to be a bit of a struggle with the vocabulary.
Then came the actual wine tasting! On the table with our wine glasses were other glasses filled with things like vanilla, pepper, bell peppers and mint to compare the smells of the wine with those basic things. There was one vino tinto (red wine) that definitely smelled like pepper but other than that I couldn’t really pick out the smells in the wines….maybe I just need more practice ☺

Other than the awesome wine tour this weekend things have been fairly calm here. The big news is that the Chilean University (La Catolica, the one I was supposed to be attending here) has reached some kind of agreement and started classes Monday. After being in paro (strike) for 4 months it’s about time they settled things! I also found out that on ESPN VIVO I can watch the World Series! Only downside is that the commentary is all in Spanish, kinda takes away from the All American-ness of baseball. BUT STILL I’m able to watch the games!

I LEAVE FOR MACHU PICCHU (the trip I’ve been looking forward to since before I even got here) ON THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t contain my excitement. It’s gunna be TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!

After I get back from Machu Picchu things will get pretty crazy with final papers and exams right around the corner and my travel plans taking up almost every weekend until I go home in December. It’s crazy to think that I’ve been here for about 3 months. Sometimes I think where did the time go? I still haven’t learned anything or seen or done anything?! And other times I think WOW, I’ve learned and grown and seen so much in such a short time. It’s a very strange mix of emotions, especially when you add in the occasional homesickness or feelings of wishing I were staying a year. (Don’t worry I’m not staying a whole year, y’all will see me back in the states in December). So a strange mix of emotions and about a month and half left here is where I stand right now. I hope that made some sense to those of you haven’t studied abroad before, it’s difficult to explain.

Besitos,
Gaby

Futbol (Soccer is the world's favorite sport)

It’s a well-known fact that soccer is the most popular sport pretty much everywhere except the U.S. So being in a Latin American country I have been able to experience first hand the passion these people have for the sport and their team. When I asked my host family why soccer was so popular they simply said it was part of the culture and that it was cheap so anyone can play. Which is so true you don’t need a ton of equipment to play soccer, just a ball and some friends. It’s also one of the reasons many pro futbolistas come from humble beginnings (like in the movie Goal, even though the protagonist is from Mexico its similar in all of Latin America).

In the past week or so I’ve had the opportunity to watch two futbol games at sports bars with some friends in my program. And let me tell you the people watching (or creeping if you will) just at these bars is awesome! And I hope to be able to go to a game live because that would just be madness! The bars are packed wall to wall with fans wearing red or Chile’s team scarves. At one of the bars some of the fans painted their faces like the Chilean flag (yes its ALMOST identical to the Texas flag) and wore crazy hats/wigs.
Everyone started cheering when the players walked on the field and sang along at the top of their lungs when they played the national anthem. In the Chile v. Peru game Chile scored early on and the whole bar went nuts! Everyone jumped out of their chairs and screamed GGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLL!!! Then they chanted CHI-CHI-CHI LE-LE-LE VIVA CHILE! The excitement was definitely contagious! Chile continued to play really well and won 4-2! It was an awesome game with lots of scoring for a soccer match and the atmosphere really added to the experience.

One observation I have about Latin American futbol teams is that when they get hit they tend to be super dramatic and roll around on the ground a lot waiting for the other team to get penalized or whatever. Its kinda annoying but also really funny to think about making a montage after every game of the players just rolling around on the ground!


Now for a few miscellaneous updates!
1. Second time camping was a total success! The weather was awesome and we hiked to the top of the mountain. From the top on one side you could see the beach and Valparaíso and on the other you could see the Andes and Argentina. Super cool!
2. The strikes are still going on. The police went in and extracted the students that had taken over the school and were living there. But my professors think the kids will just take it over again.
3. My program took us on an historical tour of Santiago and we went to the cemetery where all the presidents are buried and to Villa Grimaldi. Villa Grimaldi was where they tortured people during the Pinochet era. It was comparable to a concentration camp during WWII. As depressing as it was I’m glad we went because I understand a lot more about Chile’s recent history now.
4. Things I miss: my car, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a tall glass of milk, chick-fil-a, and surprisingly the hot Texas weather (side note: its technically spring but we’ve had a cold front and I’m just dying to get to the beach!).

Besitos,
Gaby

Teletón (my internship)

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this on my blog or only in skype conversations but through my program I am interning/volunteering at a nonprofit in Valparaíso. It’s called Teletón and it is a nonprofit for children with disabilities (con discapacidades). Basically, I go there once a week for a few hours and work in the recrear (to entertain) area where I get to play with the kids and their siblings while they wait for therapy and other appointments. If you know me at all you know that I absolutely love kids and this is the perfect place for me to be working! Some of the kids ask me about the U.S. and others just laugh at my accent or my inability to understand them. Also it’s interesting to talk to their parents about Chile and Teletón.

In addition to going to Teletón once a week, I also have an internship class where I read articles and such about disabilities and discrimination and integration of people with disabilities and write essays. And all these readings are in Spanish! Sometimes its very difficult to understand medical journals in Spanish because let’s be real, I wouldn’t completely understand them in English either. But it’s definitely a challenge that I welcome with open arms! I don’t read about one specific type of disability, I’m learning about physical, mental and psychological disabilities and how they affect people in Chile. Which is fascinating to learn about because it is very different from the United States in this area.

Unfortunately I’m not allowed to take pictures inside Teletón but if you speak Spanish (or have a lot of time to google translate everything) you can find them on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/teletonchile) and Twitter @Teleton!

In other news I’m going camping again with my mountain sports class this weekend and have tentative plans to go to Mendoza, Argentina the weekend after! I also just finished midterms, yay!
Besitos,
Gaby