Last day.....

So, I've failed at updating this but I doubt that anyone reads this, so it really dosen't matter. Right now I am getting ready to pack my bags, and there are a few things that I will always remember about Chile.
1. The people are so nice and genuine. Many times I have been invited to a house for dinner, or to stay and vacation with a family over the weekend. If you ever get a chance to go to a country here in S. America, choose Chile.
2. Buses can be good and evil. Once you learn how to balance, buses are your friend because they are cheap and fly like bullets.
3. Never drive here. I've been in two accidents(minor) because people here turn a 2 lane road ito a 3 or 4 lane road. Crazies.
4. Scope for the deals. If the shopowner sees you are shopping around, he's more likely to give you a better deal.
5. ABBA(disco) and Regaton occur at the same time, as do ballads(that's what friends are for) and Lady GaGa. Strange, I know, but eclectic.
6. Chileans show their affection through food. LOTS of food, lots of bread. Food here is cheap, so people buy alot of it.

OH KAY. So i have a meeting in an hour and have to pack.
Love you all.
See you on the flip side...of the world.
Ashley

LO SIENTO

So sorry for not updating for the past 4 days....but my life has been a whirlwind. To be fair, i tried to update Friday, but blogspot deleted the post. Here's a quick rundown for what i've been doing these past few days:
1. Santiago day 1... a day trip to santiago to meet some of Barbie's friends and just get to know the city a bit.
2. Friday = day of rest
3. Santaigo day 2...I went with my 4 friends from the U.S. to see the more touristy things of Santiago like the Museo de Bellas Artes, Plaza de Armas, Catedral, and Cerro San Cristobal. The most epic was the unexpected, two hour hike, or pilgrimage, to the giant statue of the Virgin Mary on the top of San Cristobal. I will save the whole story for in person because I couldn't give it justice here.

I just honestly can't believe I climbed that mountian. haha.

ANYWAYS.....today I am cooking an old american favorite for lunch for my family...meatloaf. Because I am on the 4 day countdown until I leave. Really, it's 3 days with one in the airport. :(
More videos and pictures and such to come!
Besitos,
Ashley

OYE

SO, I had written a great post with details and then it was deleted. Here are the yo's and whoa's of my day.
(-) Lost my ATM card
(-) My direct airport transfer isn't going to work out. I bought tickets to Santiago for Marian and I that way I don't have to navigate the bus station and transfer to the airport by-myself.
(-) I was again hackled to join Herbalife after climbing 7 flights of stairs.
(+) Las Camas: Free hot massages that go for 40 minutes. All you have to buy is the $4 t-shirt. Totally worth it, now I need to shower because I used the same massage bed as half of my city. haha.
(+) Homemade gluten free bread and peach marmalade.

Amor y besos,
Ashley

mmmmm.....tecito(tea)

So, I thought I had made peace with mayonase, but if I could get veggies that are warm with no mayo, I would be so happy.

I got to assist a little bit at the Sanatorio today but I mostly bounced from person to person watching mostly because my patients had some lung problems today and I am not authorized to do respiratory therapy. Then, my ususally happy patient in the gym cried to whole time, mostly becuase she has an ear infection and was lying on her stomach(not a favorite position among the kids). So even though I enjoyed work, in retrospect, it was a pretty bad day. The fact that my little Juanita smiled and recognized me made it all worth it.

After work and lunch, I FINALLY made it to the Museo Fonk. It was filled with mummies. I think that these people liked mummies more than the egyptians. There was also an exhibit from easter island which was neat to see one of the stone heads..they are HUGE! On the second floor it was all natural history, animals, spiders, whale bones..etc. Most of the animals said underneith "ALMOST EXTINCT" which made me laugh a bit because I was like, if they are almost gone, why do you have one stuffed in your museum? Still, it was pretty cool, and osme were a little freaky.

Now, I am sitting at home, watching TV, doing my laundry, and waiting for everyone to get home so I can cenar (eat dinner).
Amor y besos,
Ashley

The "LUZ DE DIOS" is very dark...

Yeah, the Light of Christ funeral home had plants dying in the front window and it was all dark on the inside...haha. made me laugh.

ANYWAYS, today was a beautiful day which resulted in a sunburn, but it was all worth it to get out of the apartment and walk araound outside for a few hours! The Herbalife fanatics were still staying with us, so I was committed to the idea of exploring this afternoon.

Today, work was amazing. I got to do half of the treatment on the patients. My half was the right side...haha. Anyways, it feels great to be getting more responsibility. I hope I am not annoying to Daniela but she teaches me more than anybody else, which is awesome. It's kind of sad that I am going to be back in the US and not be able to touch a patient. Oh well..at least I am being reassured that this is what I actually want to do with my life. It's a good feeling.

SO, this afternoon on my way home from work, I saw a new "small business" fair outside of the mall. After lunch, I bus-ed to the mall to the fair and they had the cutest little things. In the same plaza there were TONS of Tarot Card readers and oddly enough, tons of customers. Could tarot cards be more popular than Herbalife? I'm not sure. After the sea of small business stands, I went to the centro just to walk around where I went to my favorite Artisenal Fair to look around, to the bank, the grocery and then home, where I had tea with the Herbalife women.

Now, after saying good-bye to the guests, I am watching Los Simpsons, and relaxing before dinner. Que bueno esta dia!
From a lovely view of the sunset in Vina,
Ashley

Viaje!

SOOOOOOO I'm back from my weekend away! Here's a list of things we did (none of these pictures are mine) 1. We went to La Campana, a large research area for Darwin. It's a huge mountian that's really popular to climb, or trekk. To get to la Campana, we had to drive 1 hour through Olmue and up a mountain. It was like our family trip through Arches National Park in the Jeep...except it was not smelly. We also got lost on the mountian, seeing there are many trails and no road signs. Finally we made it and it was beautiful. The saddest part was driving up the mountians and seeing all of the poverty. People live in shacks on the mountian side and climb up and down it every day to work. Many of them have horses they ride and park outside of work. Very funny but hard to catch on film from a moving car. 2. We went to a typical Chilean resturaunt for lunch. It was an asado..an asado is like a giant grill cooking any type of meat that exists. They cook fresh meat that you pick out and then they bring you enough food to live off of for a week. It was sooo relaxed. When you first arrived at the resturaunt (No me olvides)(don't forget me) I was a little skeptical becuase it looked sketchy from the outside, but in true chilean fashion, we entered, walked through the front room onto a back terrace that was HUGE with an amazing ambiance. I honestly didn't eat for the rest of the day. 3. All of these places were in the city of Olmue, a micro climate where we in the U.S. recieve all of our fruits and vegetables. The people have very little houses built into the ground to resist earthquakes or teremotos. The houses are made of a mixture of adobe and cement and everyone has a horse in their house, for transport. Who needs a car when you can ride your horse to the market and use it's poo to fertilize your feilds? Anyways, Olmue was super cute. We were suppose to find some artisan shops but none were open so we stopped to buy some manjar and marmelada. If you ever get a chance to try manjar, try it. Caution: really really rich!!!! At the end of the day, we went to Marians house which was literally settled in paradise on a nautre reserve where the mountians and sea meet. I met her family and we watched spanish movies. Today we went to the Posada. It was the nature reserve with wild horses where you could kayak to the sea. Sadly, it hasn't rained here in months so there wasn't enough water to kayak but it still was beautiful to walk around. Now, after an epic bus ride home, I am going to scavange for food somewhere. I will leave you with a video from the earth day celebration in Valpo on friday. Besitos! Ashley

cold, so cold.

******************UPDATE************************************
SO, we actually went to Valpo yesterday. It was fun. It has a downtown feel of london with the bohemian hillside of France. I love Vina though. Valpo is too dirty and urban for me. Sadly, my camera was not working. BOO. But I did take some cool video that I am going to post when I have more time. In valpo we watched an "Earth Day" festival, went up an ascensor to different boho neighborhoods, and just awed at the radically different city that is right nextdoor.

Sadly, on the way home with 50 of my best friends crammed in the bus, i got micro-sick. It's like car sick, but I was on a micro. The pathway from the apt. to valpo on bus is like a game of shoots and ladders: Very curvy, bumpy, and no speed limit.
So, I spent the rest of the night sick to my stomach and throwing up. What a great experience. I've been sick in multiple ways this whole week. I don't know what's going on... I think i've been jinxed. Everyone's told me that I've been so lucky since I got here. haha. wrong. When I woke up this morning, the herbalife fanatics that are staying here tried to give me a milkshake. THey said i wouldn't need to eat anything else today and it would give me all the energy I need and not mess up my stomach. I politely refused and I think..no I know..I offended them (you can't refuse things here, it's like giving back a gift). Oh well! I'm escaping for the weekend! Yay! So most likely I won't be here to update but look forward to a HUGE update sunday night, provided I'm not sick. :)

**************************Original Post*****************************************
So, I was originally invited to do two really cool things today but I had already made these AWESOME plans to do stuff with Barbie and Dani. Now, let's notice the time I am posting this (3:37pm). So, it's safe to say that all of my plans fell through and I wish that I was doing one of the other two really cool things right now.

Today started off beautiful and warm (20 degrees C). The first hour and a half at the hospital was great because I was actually learning things and got to help. After that, I went to a presentation that lasted the rest of the time. Every nurse, PT, nutritionist, x-ray tech, dentist, school teacher was there to walk around with this guy. Honestly, I still can't tell you what he does. I think it's something along the lines of complete rehab for patients but I'm still unsure. Anyways, so we walked around with him to 5 different patients and listened to everybody present their case(at the same time), watch him take notes, and then advise a course of action, i think. Honestly, some people were wearing masks, everyone was talking at once, and everyone was talking very fast : a mix that dosen't do very well for my spanish.

After the hospital, I came home and got stuck in traffic which made my commute 45mintues. As soon as I walked in the door I was told to hurry up and eat because Dani and I had to leave early, then Dani came into the room, said she had to leave now but would call me to meet her for Equine Rehab and after we would meet up with Barbie and go to Valpo. So I ate lunch, and waited in my room for Dani to call. Well, I did what any college student would do and fell asleep. Two hours later, Dani still hadn't called and it was about 30 minutes past when we were suppose to be there when Olivia came into the room and said that Dani was coming home because she was having company over. Apparently, Barbie's mom and little brother were coming in for the nation-wide Herbalife conference this weekend (I knew that there was a reason I was going away this weekend..:P ).

So Barbie's mom and little brother are here and have gone to eat lunch. I guess I should go introduce myself but there are 5 people in a 4 person kitchen right now, that makes for an awkward and all-over bad idea. So I have no clue what my plans are for tonight. I know we're going to the grocery at some point. It's just kind of a bummer because the day went from warm to freeeeeeezing and cloudy, all of my plans fell through, and I am bored with nothing to do, since I can't really leave because of the company. I may go see another movie... just to get me out of the house, but i really hate going alone. We'll see what the night brings!

Desperada,
ashley

Lazyyyy dayz

sooooo today has been lazy. I am no longer allergen-owned. :) I woke up and went to work where I actually learned SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much. I finally learned how to streatch a shoulder, hamstring, and mobilize the scapula. I've always observed this, like a million times, but I've never gotten to do anything. Daniela keeps letting me do more and more. I guess people are finally starting to trust me here.

After work I got home and just chilled around the apt. today. I was going to go to a museum, but I'm trying to leave some fun things to do next week. It was a pretty day today, so I opened the windows, sadly it was windy so the sun was wasted on cold wind from the south. I had to do laundry anyways, which is an adventure here since the washer and dryer are on the balcony(The windy balcony). Sorry I've been so boring lately, yesterday was spent sleeping, tomorrow I have a busy schedule and the weekend is going to be packed with fun and adventure.

Chao Chao,
Ashley

It's the Itchy and Scratchy Show!

Interesting twist.

So today I got to help alot at the sanatorio. At the end of the day I was cornered in the locker room by the head pediatrician and the head nurse where they started to question me, as if I was some random sketcho off of the street. Apparently, they had no clue I was going to be here and told me I stuck out like a sore thumb. I originally thought I was going to be kicked out, but then after the hot seat, they ended up just introducing themselves and leaving. Strange.

After work, I went to the bank, came home, ate lunch, and went to see Vicky Christina Barcelona. It was a great movie, but the ending could've been sooo much better. Maybe I'm just a sucker for cliche endings. Interestingly enough, I got home and started to itch all over when I found out, I have the hives all over my body. I guess I am allergic to something here, huh? So basically, I've been knocked out on benedryl all night, and plan on sleeping the next 8 hours away. We'll see if I make it to the sanatorio 2mrw. If I'm still like this, all I can do is sleep or I'm going to itch myself to scars.

me pica mucho!!!
Ashley

Why is it always and ugly day when I want to have fun?

So today I woke up to another world of clouds. Anyother day, I wouldn't mind, but today was the day that I was suppose to go see the beachland....boo.

After work, which was slightly boring, Marian picked me up and we toured Renaca. Apparently, malls are very popular here. So, we went to the mall, to a famous coffee shop and then to the Hollywood of Chile. It was amazing and beautiful, but you couldn't see two feet in front of you. Oh well!

After Renaca, we headed to the seaside to Pablo Neruda Overlook in Con-Con(Everything in this country is named after Neruda) which was SOOOOOO pretty. There were local artisans there making crafty things so of course, it was a great place to buy some regalos. The point was a huge black rock archepelago. The waves crashed against the rocks and it was a sight to see (or is it sea...haha). After that we went for a traditional chilean lunch on the shore. Lots of mariscos, lemon, and lettuce. perfecto. I had my first taste of Pisco Sour (a lady's drink they say). It was alright, and tasted NOTHING like I thought it would.

Even though the day was ugly, I loved touring the shore and seeing what chile was like in a non-commercial neighborhood. Tomorrow I have to go to the bank and get more money...I've been enjoying the shopping recently. I think I have enough to get to work, and then to the central with about $1.00 left.

Cheers and Salud to 14 days!
Ashley

ABBA?

So, fun fact: the Disco group ABBA is very popular here. I usually hear "Super trooper" at least once a day. :) Something else strange: Nobody has seen Mamma Mia. You'd think it would be the most popular film here ever. Anyways, today was pretty average. I woke up early ate breakfast, and just as I was getting to leave, my house mom made me another herbalife milkshake because she dosen't believe that I eat breakfast. haha. go figure. Anyways, it took me 20 minutes to catch a colectivo today. I arrived at work late but I didn't miss anything. I met two new patients today and got to assist. I am really learning alot about PT for severly disabled kids. I could prob. have my own patient by now, but that will not happen. One day! After work, I ate my lentils(after all, it is Monday), and went to the Museo de Fonk, a small chilean history museum about 5 cuadros from the bus stop. Even though there was no reason for the museum to be closed, it was. So, I mean, I had the rest of the afternoon. What is a girl to do but shop. So I went to another artisan fair and bought a few regalitos and decided to try a few of the local chocolates. I had been meaning to check it out on Thursday, so I guess I can just switch the days. NO big deal. I'm always looking for things to do in the afternoon. As I returned to the apt., the sun was beautiful. The bus driver let me off a little more at the top of the hill than the others (about half do this). At hte top of the hill is Pablo Neruda's looking point, a beautiful way to look over the city, sea, and beach. I photo-ed some and then came home and now I am watching Fever Pitch in spanish. haha. go figure. I have been in the country for 13 days (tomorrow will make 1/2 of my trip) and I am going to celebrate the half way point with a guided tour of Renaca and a lunch in a real resturaunt. I'm really excited! I have a full schedule this week and weekend traveling and meeting up with friends and things. :) Chao Chao! Ashley

Baile! Baile!

So today..the day of rest..I was woken up at 9am by the sound of a blender, a knock at my door, and an herbalife milkshake. I would have been happy except for the fact that I needed prob. 1 more hour of sleep. Oh well! I got to skype an old friend instead, which was fun. After a shower and lunch, I put my laundry in the washer and dryer (and it's still not dry?). I think all of my clothes are going to shrink to mini proportions but there is no other way to do it. Despues de the epic laundry adventure, Oly and I went to Renaca beach (which I plan on exploring more tuesday) to watch Dani dance with her group at a really fancy resturaunt for a bunch of gringo tourists. Renaca is MUCH more beautiful than Vina. It is totally on the sea. I can't wait to go back. It was a lovely day today, sunny and not cold at all. Dani danced amazingly of course. I have some video below, but I didn't have a good view. This is the national dance of Chile called Ballet Foclorico. Enjoy! After the dance show, we took a bus back to Vina and I met up with some new friends from the states. Sadly, I dragged them down by being 40 minutes late. What can I say? Everything moves slower in Chile. Anyways, it was a free day for all of the palaces in Vina so we checked out the Palacio Rioja(picture is STILL not mine) and the Palacio Vergara(otra vez). It was great to just hang out with some students that are in the same boat as I am. Anyways, now I am home and getting ready to watch the movie I rented from iTunes last night. haha. Chao y Besos! Ashley

Oh Herbalife....

I swear, if I have to talk about Herbalife one more time, I am going to go absolutly insaine. I just don't think that my lovely house mom gets the cultural differences. No, I don't want to make alot of money. No, I do not want to buy into your company. Yes, your shakes are good. No, I don't know anyone who would want to buy them or buy into the company. Why not? Because there are other kinds of shakes and nutritionists...
Honestly, I could go on and on, but I'll stop.

On a more happy note! I made it to the mall and back ALL by myself today. Big step since the mall is about a 30 minute bus ride. Once we got to the mall, I met Holly and we went to get some helado and charlar(chat). After, we went to see Angels and Deamons. It was amazing. Not only was the movie really good, but it was like an IMAX. There were few people there and again the screen was literally like an IMAX screen.

I was basically on my own today, which was really cool. :P. Now, I am sitting waiting for my movie rental from iTunes to download(7 more hours!). Dani went to an asado(BBQ) with her dance team because she has a performance in another city 2mrw and is spending the night with a friend. Barbi is visiting her parents for her mom's birthday in Santiago. So it's me, Oly, and Chipita. Which wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to talk about herbalife the whole damn time. I mean really? So..if anyone out there wants to get some plata(money), and wants to go into the healthy living, nutrition business, pleaaaaaaaaaaaase let me know. Haha.

Retreating to my pieza until 2mrw,
Ashley

TGIF!

So I've officially been in Chile for 9 days and it's close to 1/3 of my trip. :( Also, I failed at bringing my camera chord for the computer, so no pictures that aren't stolen from the internet. :(

Today I got to assist! It was me and Daniela, and she let me come into the special respiratory room, wear a mask, gloves, smock, and actually help! I got to help practically all day. I'm learning how to put the braces on and re-position the kids. I had a particularly sad case today, honestly though, this kid is amazing and I would take her home in a heartbeat. Good day at the Sanatorio. The profas are actually starting to talk to me..which is great. The girls that I follow around are starting to treat me like one of them, which is great, not so awkward.

Then, I rushed back to the plaza to get more plata(moneyyz) and all of that atms at the banco of chile were broken. So I hopped in the car, ate lunch, and went to equine rehab. with Dani. There were many more volunteers today so I really didn't have a job. The rest of the students are OT majors which have to be here. So, I let them do my job and played with Alana (the owner's handicapped daughter for 2 hours). It was great to play pretend again. I think we went to the "supermercado" and took the "bus" at least 30 times.haha. It was fun and full of smiles and hugs.

After Alana time, we went to a few banks, Pharmacies, and supermarkets and came back home. 2mrw I have no clue what I'm going to do...I want to sleep in, but I don't know if I can stay up late. I need to do laundry. I'm trying to make plans to go to the movies, the feria, and maybe watch Dani do her Foklorico at night. There's another exchange student from Oklahoma (I totally thought about the song before typing that) coming in tomorrow, so I might try to meet up with him and everyone.
Who knows! I guess I'm becoming more Chilean each day!

Besitos!
Ash

I SO should've worn better shoes today....

So today I was determined to not spend the afternoon alone. I would say that I was an over-achiever at this.

Work today was interesting. I got to put on a mask and watch manual respiratory therapy..which I had to stand 1.5 meters away from every child but whatever. It's the experience that counts. Then, we went and borrowed two kids from San Rafael (the more functional unit of the hospital) to do PT in the gym. They were soooooooo funny, sweet, and all around I had a great time. We practiced walking and throwing and going up the steps. :) After that, I listened to Vanessa's case presenatiation..which is got about 95% of it, thanks to anatomy class!

After work I went home to eat lunch and went to meet two american girls working through the International Center like me. One goes to UNC!!!! yay! What a small world, eh? So we walked around the center a bit, down ave. valpo, and spent some time chatting in the plaza. This would've been great had it been 10 degrees warmer. Thanks winter! Then I went to meet Olivia in her business where we went to differnt stores and places for the rest of the afternoon..to night..because it was 9 when we got home.

Overall, today was fun. I've been in Chile over a week now and I still love it just as much as the first day. My spanish has GREATLY improved since day 1 and I can only wait and see what 2mrw holds for me..hopefully some discoteca y horse rehab!

Chao Chao!
Ashley

I really need to find something to do in the afternoons....

So, today is nowhere near over, but I have nothing else to do but wait for Olivia to come home from work in two hours before dinner, so I guess I will write about my day.

I woke up realllllly early and got ready to go. Today, the colectivos weren't as full, and one actually stopped to pick me up. I arrived to work on time, 8am, and there were no PTs there. So I asked if anyone needed my help, the shook their head no and then I was banished to find something to do. All of the kids were getting bathed or still sleeping so there was really no one to entertain, even though the majority are non-responsive and wouldn't respond anyways, it would've atleast given me something to do. So I went down to the gym, no one there. Then I hid in the clothing room for awhile, accidentally scared a nurse so I went to chill in the waiting room and watched the rest of the sun rise over the andes. It was really pretty until some nurses started chewing me out thinking that I was some random visitor creeping on the kids. I explained my situation and went to the "cafeteria" and waited for people to show up. After what seemed like an eternity Daniela, Vanessa, and Natalie showed up and again let me watch.

I actually got to assist today wich was fun. I helped with the joint mobilization for a boy named Alexander. He has a permenantly dislocated hip and rigid quads and hamstrings, along with many other problems. The fact that I got to help though, really cool. Then, the girls have to give a bring presentation next week on their cases so we got to go through all of the x-rays of their patients for the day. I finally got to see how the progression of time has affected these children. Natalie's main case for the day, Pati, has scoliosis, club feet, and a permanent hip dislocation. Here's the sad thing: This all could've been stopped. Her mental state and blindness is another story (not that it could not have been helped with some TLC and constant exposure and interaction) but her physical problems, could have easily been fixed with surgical procedures. If her family had lived in a developed country, with insurance, she would be in a much better place. I got to work with Pati in the gym today, I really have nothing to say. I mean, some of the children learn to walk and climb steps and wash their hands and then there are the children that just lie there, accumulating bed sores, in a dark and lonely world. I want to help them, I just don't know how. There's a reason that I'm working here, I just don't know why yet. I've got to say, I thank God that no one in my family has any severe disabilities.

ANYWAYS, I guess I'm slowly getting use to it. The more I get to actually do things, the more I like it there. So I went home and had lunch where I was told my afternoon plans to meet up with someone had been cancelled and rescheduled for tomorrow. Which is fine, I just have nothing to do. I was suppose to go shopping for warmer socks when Dani and Barbi got home but they are in school, and are doing work...so I guess I'm going to freeze my toes off again. I swear, it has gotton above 7 degrees C today. Basically, I slept most of the afternoon, not that I wasn't tired, I must need the sleep. Everyone is a little sick here and the kids at the hospital are sort of sick so I guess sleep is saving me from sickness (that and the flu shot it took me forever to hunt down). ANYWAYS, if yo have any ideas of what to do in the afternoons, let me know! I think I'm going to check out a museum next week and maybe try to volunteer more at the Horse Rehab place (I volunteer on Fridays with Dani, but if I have nothing to do...might as well, right?).

Chao and besos from a chica aburrida!
Ash

The cloudy day that was sunny...

So, today was my first day of work.
I woke up at 6am...which is unheard of here..and got ready to go. Once I made it down to the bus stop I waited...waited...no one wanted to pick up the gringa girl..then the bus came and it was full, then another bus came that was full. Now, I have waited outside in the 8 degree celcius, windy weather.., for about 20 minutes. I am late. woohoo, great way to start off a first day. FINALLY a colectivo stopped to pick me up and took me to the plaza where I had to pick up, and wait for, ANOTHER colectivo which took me to the sanatorio. So I am 15 minutes late when I go to the nurses station and ask for my supervisor..oh yeah, he dosen't get in until 8:30. So I wait again.
Finally, he comes in and I jump up and chase after him until he remembers that I exist and leaves me with a kinesiology teacher, Luis. Luis basically took me to the bathing room and told me to stay here and help. Well there are about 4 nurses to each child being bathed and they didn't want my help or company, I was like the awkward white girl in the room. Finally, I was asked to dry some kids hair..which wasn't wet, so I was drying his hair and apparently it wasn't good enough so the other nurse took over. So after wandering back to the room of helplessness (aka the bathing room), I finally gave up on trying to help or doing anything productive. They kept asking me if I understanded Spanish and I said yes. And then they would pretend that I was invisible. So, I had to stay here for about 3 more hours so I thought that I'd find something to do.
In one of the rooms, I recognized the coat of one of the girls as being a kinesiology student so I went and introduced myself and asked if I could observe and she said yes. Natalie was really sweet and asked me lots of questions, complemented me on my spanish, and explained all of the medical problems of the children.

I'm not going to lie, at first I was afraid that I was going to hurt these children. They are rigid, non-responsive, and abandoned by their families. They have no one in this world but the doctors and sisters at the Sanatorio, and even they don't pay them the attention that they deserve. I have no clue what the day holds for me tomorrow. Maybe I'll go work with different children, or help with something. Nobody really cares but the gringa in the hospital but I guess I'm going to make my own place. :)

Even though the day was beautiful and you could see the sea from the windows of the hospital, it was if a cloud was always over my head. So I came home, ate lunch, and slept. I spent the afternoon by myself just to do my journal for my grant, and plan other fun activities for myself during the afternoons so I am not so bored. :)
We'll see what the day holds for me tomorrow!
Chao y besos
Ashley

Lucky Lentejas Monday

In Chile, it is custom to eat letil soup. It is suppose to start the week off right. So, here's to a good week, right?
Early this morning I woke up, got dressed in my "big girl" clothes and went on the bus, all by myself, for the first time. Nervous a bit? yes. So I got on the bus, which was full of people, and I couldn't see out the window. First mistake. So I figured, the stop I have to take is the plaza and it is the most popular stop, so I'd just stay on until most of the people got off. Second Mistake. So I got off with the masses of people and found myself about a 20 minute walk from where I needed to be. So, what is a girl to do but start walking.

Once I finally arrived to the International Center, Jaime took me in a collectivo (which is like a taxi but not private) to the Sanatorio Maritimo. They built a new building this past year which is away from the beach and in a poorer part of the city. So I had a quick orientation and got my work schedule and then left. Where I got another collectivo back to the apt., ate some lentils, and took a nap.

Then Barbi and I went to the center and waited for Oly to get me and take me shopping for veggies and more cell phone minutes. After walking to a veggie market, super market, and farmacy, hitting my head on the trunk of the colectivo, I am sitting with the Chipita and Oly waiting for Barbi and Dani to come home from class.

Tomorrow, I will do it all again, bymyself, and hopefully get to help out much more.
Hasta Manana (until 2mrw)
ash

The day I walked among the clouds...

So Sunday is the day of rest in Chile. What have I done today? nothing.
At around 3, which is right after lunch, Dani and I went in search of a supermarket to buy some veggies for dinner. You wouldn't think that this would be impossible? Yeah right. Let's put this into prospective.
1. I live on top of a mountian, not a hill, a mountian. So we walked halfway down the mountian to the veggie shop which was closed. What is there to do next but keep walking down the mountain.
2. Store #2. Cerrado (closed). Okay, by this time we are 2/3 the way down the mountian and there is nowhere to go but to the centro(the main area of vina) so we start to walk...
3. Finaly we find an open supermarket behind a random parking lot and buy our veggies. No one was walking around us, but everyone seemed to be doing the same thing...buying food for dinner. So we buy our veggies and head to catch the bus.

That is about it. It is VERY cloudy here. Usually, it's not like this, but since winter is coming, the clouds come too. Because we are so high up on the mountain, the clouds encase our apartment. If you leave the window open, the clouds roll in though the open space. Walking down the mountain was like walking down mnt. olympus. Except, once reaching the bottom, the clouds weren't much better, a bit, but not much. They say that this is a "Dia triste" or a sad day. I agree, I wish it were better. Tomorrow I start my internship! Wish me luck!
De los nubes (from the clouds),
Ashley

Who knew that Chile would have a big Anime population....

So today was fun. I got a taste of what it would be like to live in the city bymyself. Basically, I slept in...till 10am...still no one was awake. So I kind of spent the morning to myself and watched TV with Dani when she got up. After a shower and huge lunch, Dani kindly escorted me to the Quinter Vergara to meet Marian, who was going to teach me a bit about chilean culture.

First, Marian and I went to the Palacio Vergara(the picture above is NOT mine, it was really cloudy and freezing today, I just wanted yall to see what is was like) which was owned by the Vergara family waayyy back in the day. It is filled with the art of very famous chilean painters, and the art was beautiful, and intricate. The arquitectura was amazing, it was very italian but very moor. This place is such a mix of cultures. Marian told me that the reason that that chileans were so light skinned is because they have brittish, german, and chezch blood. Who would've known? After the palacio, we went to the garden..where apparenlty a giant anime festival took place. I have never seen SO many anime people in all of my life. No joke...these gardens are HUGE and were filled with anime people..apparently here, many people who like anime also play the bagpipes. :)After the gardens and the palacio, we went to the other side of Vina to see the Casino. It was also gorgeous.

Marian dropped me off at the plaza de Vina, a classic park in the middle of the city to wait for Dani to come and find me. She is so sweet. I honestly don't know if I could make it in the city without someone to show me around. So after picking up stuff for dinner (since chileans without cars, like my family, have to take the bus, they can only fit food for lunch and dinner on the microbus..so they have to return to the store everyday), we returned where Olivia and her friend, with her adorable 3 year old daughter who's afraid of me because I am white, are eating dinner. Now, I am waiting for them to finish so I can grab a bite to eat. Dani has to study for a test so we can't go out tonight, but maybe next weekend!

One more day of total freedom before having to go to work! I am getting excited though. :) I can't wait to start! Time here is going to fly by sooo fast. My "family" has already told me that they want me to come back because one month isn't enough time. Honestly, I love it here. I would totally come back.
Chao Chao,
Ash

The day of horses and nutrition

So today I spent the whole day in the city..and by the whole day I mean 2-10 since people in Chile do not wake up until 11.
1. Rehablitacion Equina
Today I went to Equine Rehab with Dani where we worked with different groups of autistic children. It was amazing. The child of the owner was declared a "vegitable" at birth and her mom didn't give up on her. With all of the equine therapy..she is funcionable..talks..walks..stands up straight. The miracles that happen there are just amazing. They actually let me help with the therapy too! The first part is an individual intro. to the horse where they have them pet the horse, and then the kids get to walk the horse around the pen. After that, they get to ride it. While they are riding, two people stand on each side and hold them up. My job is to run around with Dani and Paula (an OT student) and complete activities with them while they are riding like sitting up straight, throwing, turning their center on the saddle. It's so much fun. The kids also learn how to take direction..which is great since they range from competency from 1(vegetable) to 4(functional but developmentaly delayed). They are short-staffed and liked me and asked me to come back each Friday. I'm pumped. It's a TON of work..but the kids make it worth it.
2. Nutricion
After four hours of rehab, a quick trip through the feria(a craft market), and a trip to the supermarket, Dani had to go to her folklore dance practice so I went to work with Olivia. Where I listened to a presentation about the health products that she sells(which are actually super tasty), and a ladder scheme that they want everyone to join. I had a hard time explaining that students in the U.S. usually don't own their own business and don't have time too. She's my house mom, so I can't say no..but I am not going to say "yes" either. Maybe I'll buy some protien shakes and that will satisfy her. She's really sweet, so I don't want to offend her. It's really easy to offend chilenos. When they offer something, you have to take it, or it's super rude. Everyone is REALLY nice here, so they don't understand when their niceness is refused. It is also offensive for a guest to offer to help to the dishes...whoops? And in the U.S. it's polite to offer..oh well! I'm learning.

Tomorrow, I'm going to meet someone who is going to take me around the city a bit more. Then, Dani and Oly and I might go to the National Ballet Folklorico de Chile and watch a dance show. I start my internship on Monday, and on top of Tango lessons(which I SO want to continue), volunteering at the rehab center, and just chilean life in general..I don't think that I will have time to do everything!
Well, now i'm going to watch a movie!
Chao! (As they say in Chile!)
Ashley

The word for "mall" is universal

Yeah, so apparently the vocab I learned in high school, "Centro commercial", is wrong..el mall..is the correct word.
So today we went to the mall. You'd think that it would be like a regular mall...no..it's a SUPER mall. Like..two buildings each building with four floors. yeah. it was super grande...but I found a towel, so that's good. I can stop using someone else's.

Today, we basically spent the WHOLE day at the mall. I ended up buying a chilean sim card for my phone..so I will officially not have the same number that I originally had. Now I can call a taxi or Dani or Oly when I need too. Which is good. I can skype everyone else. We have wifi which is faster than the wifi at kappa so it's great.

After going to the mall, we went home and ate lunch (at 3:30) which is the chilean big meal of the day. This time,I didn't get criticized for eating too little, I think I accidentaly offended them at first, I just was not hungry..especially at 10pm...but I am trying to eat more.

My host family is soooooooooooo nice. I couldn't ask for a better family. Tomorrow I think I am going to valpo with Dani to explore a bit because in Vina college students don't have classes on Fridays. She also does Horse Therapy with the kids from my hospital so I am going wither her to that too. I say "i think" because I only understand 40% of what's going on.

Also, only in Chile would you put mayonase on everything..rice...lettuce..everything. Mayonase and apple vinagre and salt.
haha.
LOVE YOU ALL!
We will end with a foto of Chipita. Well, it's at the beginning. I tried. :)

Important facts about Chile

1. The Chilean people like to eat. alot. Lots of vegetables with apple cider vinagre and salt. So, welcome indegestion!
2. Push everything back 4 hours. Breakfast: 11am Lunch:2pm Dinner:9pm
3. Everything is so relaxed. Don't expect to get anything done without a buffer of an hour to wait for a bus, stop and talk to people, and walk to where you need to go.
4. the buses don't have a stop. So they pull over wherever you want and let you off. Most of the time they pull over to the side of the road wherever THEY want to let you off. I am living at the top of a cliff, with a beautiful view of the sea and the city below, but I have to take a bus everywhere. I guess they're going to teach me how to use it?
5. Nobody speaks english, but they really want to understand you, so they will try to help you out as much as they can. I have learned that hand movements and dances help well.
6. Tango is amazing. enough said.
7. No heat. Which isn't bad 10 months out of the year, but these two months, it's freezing. That's what long underwear is for!
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overall, I love it here. It is as if the busy-ness of Chicago mixed with the older sector of Paris and put it on the sea, and you have my city. I have a great family, and I am sure they will show me the culture and everything. Right now, I just want to sleep away the indegestion and long day, but I think we are going to watch a movie. My "sister" and my "cousin" have to go to school in the morning, because it's stil fall semester. So it will be me and Olivia 2mrw, or me and chipita, the doggie, until Olivia gets home. I will post a video later of chipita. She is halerious. Okay, it's not her fault that she's blind, but she runs into everything and prances like the little poodle that she is.
Love from Chile!

Hola de CHILE

Hello! so after a rough landing in the ATL, a looooooooong, uncomfortable plane ride (with gluten free food), a lost taxi driver, and a new home family...I am in chile. it is beautiful. Just like a south american city should be. I am living in a nice apt. complex with a woman and her 21 year old daughter (who wants to be a physical therapist). Also, they have wifi, and a poodle...who is sweet, blind, does not bark, and loves me. My new house mommy greeted me with a bar of chocolate and my own little room. So, I was expecting 68 degrees to be warm....just kidding! Do not let that food you, it is freezing. And the houses, do not have heat. good thing I brought warm clothes. Well, I will have to wait to get the wifi set up on my computer before I can skype, but I am going to try and skype each night for a bit! Well, I think I should take a shower...it is cold, and i am kind of scared. LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
ps. chilean spanish is MUCH harder to understand than the spanish at home.

Antes de Salir....

Familia y amigos or Family and Friends!
I just wanted to keep you all updated on my travels this summer in Chile. It is about three weeks until I leave, so this is just a test. This is an open blog, so bookmark it and check it! My house will not have internet, so whenever I can get to an internet café, I will let you know all of the cool things and Chilean adventures. Maybe it'll help me keep in touch with you ALL summer as opposed to just part of the summer! If you have skype (it's free and fun!) you can add me!
I will update more close to the departure date! Just a test run!
Love you all!!!
Ashley