One Week Down, Two More To Go! By: Allison Bohn

I can’t believe I have already been in Chile for a week! So far it has been an amazing experience and I can only imagine how much better it is going to get.

I arrived at the airport on Sunday and was greeted by Lohen, Pablo, and Ivania. We went to their house where a big lunch was being prepared. At the house were Ian (21 year old host brother), Katty (my host mom), and several other family members. The family was very nice right from the start and tried their best to make me feel comfortable. We had a huge lunch that consisted of pork, sausage and another type of meat. It was all very delicious. It is common in Chile to have a big lunch, which is about the size of our dinners, and then at night have Once (own-say), which is typically bread with some ham.

Part of my family! Ivania (11), Pablo (16), and Lohen

         Lohen and Ian both speak very good English, which I am so thankful for. I am also finding out that Ivania speaks more English then she first led me to believe. At night I share a room with Ivania and I am grateful that she has let me, a stranger, take over her room for three weeks.  She reminds me of myself because she is not a morning person! I was excited to find out that this family loves to sleep in in the mornings. I am a very picky eater even in the U.S. so I was worried about how I would adjust here in Chile but so far the food has been delicious. Lohen is also very accommodating and makes sure I like what is being served and offers to cook me chicken if I don’t like it. This family is so nice and is doing a great job of making me feel comfortable.

        

Elementary students at recess. 

         I have enjoyed going to the school and seeing the similarities and differences between Chilean school and schools in the U.S.  The students have a lot more freedom here and they use their cellphones all day. However, one teacher did ask how we control cellphone use so it is apparently a problem that some teachers want to fix. After being in a classroom with tenth graders I realized that teenagers are the same everywhere. The teachers at the school are so friendly and want us to feel welcome and a part of the class. 

My translator Jasna. 

When we got to the school we found out we were getting translators. Our translators are education students from the local university. My translator, Jasna, constantly keeps me laughing she is too funny. On Thursday some of us got to leave school early and go to the University with our translators. Our translators showed us downtown Concepcion and some of the campus. We then had to meet with professors from the university to discuss how are education program works and it was interesting to hear their side of things. The campus was really pretty especially with the mountains in the background.

The University of Concepcion 

Chile is so pretty and I cannot wait to see more of it. I love seeing the mountains as I look down the street. Being from the south that is not something I see often. I can’t wait to see what the next two weeks have in store for me.