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