I'm a Big Kid Now

Hola chicos,
Ok so I honestly didn't think I'd be updating my blog already....but I figure in the beginning when everything is so new and exciting, it's good to share what's going on. Plus a lot happened today! "I'm a Big Kid Now," because I felt very proud to go to the store and get my cellphone "pre-pago" (prepaid). I had to ask questions about putting money on it and everything, and it seemed like I got my point across to the sales guy well enough. Prior to this,we had an orientation which laid out the schedule of the next few weeks. We also go introduced to the instructors for ILP(intensive language program), who gave us a list of topics for our "examen oral" tomorrow. We have 15 minutes to discuss a topic they pick with our group, and according to this and our written exam(i took a couple months ago) we are placed into one of three levels. I'm not stressing to much about what level, because I have no doubt that my Spanish skills are gonna take off in the next few months no matter the original level they put me in. My host mom and her friend helped me with some topics,like the cultural and socioeconomic implications of food and drink and advantages/disadvantages of study abroad programs. But we got off topic somehow, and began discussing the history of Chile, and the period of Pinochet's dictatorship. From about 1973-1989, Chile was under a right-wing dictatorship,which was a time period that has left people here with many mixed opinions of protests and politics. Mi mama chilena had a lot to say about violent protests...it was so interesting to hear her perspective! Wow, but I just completely veered off course...
So anyway, after orientation stuff, we met for lunch with our "monitores culturales," who are basically our Chilean buddies from the university,who show us the ropes.It reminds me of being an Activity Lead for ESL at UCI! I hope I can come back with a better understanding of the extension students' struggles with learning a new language.My group leader, Angie, is very nice and she gave everyone in our group a little card with her number and email. We have trips planned, such as a visit to La Moneda(basically the Chilean white house) and a winery. Estoy tan emocionada! Then after lunch is when a couple other EAPers and I went to an area Los Leones to buy our phones. With our name tags,accents and matching paper bags we got at orientation, we definitely stood out!  We got the phones in  a store that looked kind of like a Target...so basically upon entering I felt like I was back in the U.S. for a moment.,with Katy Perry playing over the speakers. And finally, after everything I'm back home putting off preparing for the examen...oh and I have to pack for the retreat that we leave for tomorrow, not this weekend like I thought before! Hasta luego amigos!

And now a parting gift...My host mom has a live-in maid (which is actually very common with middle-class families in South America)who has two dogs that just had puppies! So here's a video of the little "chachorros"(puppies) stampeding my room! So cute!!!