China! (pronounced CHEEH-nah)

One of the first words I heard as I entered my 1st graders' class is "China!" In South America, china is synonymous with Asian. Of course I educate them and tell them that I am not Chinese but that I am Filipino.

One of the first days in kindergarten, I told the students that I do not speak nor do I understand Spanish. Yo hablo poco Español. Then a girl from a kindergarten class said in Spanish, "We have to teach her then!" How adorable is that? The language barrier is a huge challenge for me, but I am slowly but surely learning. I find myself getting better everday now that I am actually working with my students. I am forced to learn Spanish.

I'm still getting used to the affectionate manners of students towards their teachers. The pre-k and kindergarten, most especially, like to come up and give long hugs to their teachers, and I'm no exception. I get caught off guard but it's so heartwarming when they do.

These are some of the second graders ready to go the National Museum of Natural History

Eager young minds! As I waited for the English teacher I work with, these first graders showed this English book to me and started reading what they knew.

I know it's been a while since I've updated so here is a potpourri of more Santiago photos---

At a Santiago Metro stop. Santiago Metro is South America's most extensive metro system. The metro system serves the city of Santiago, Chile. The system carries around 2,400,000 passengers per day. (wikipedia)

Bowling in Chile! As nice as the bowling alley was, their lanes were pretty dried up. It was still fun!

Right after bowling, the three of us roomies decided to go to Pub K.O.K. (pronounced in Spanish Keh-oh-Keh but we like to pronounce it like 'cock' because we are mature like that. Oh the endless kock jokes!)

So desperate for some quick eats, I had this unusual concoction.

Fries, fried TRIPE, eggs, and toast. Yes, I actually did eat it, but did not enjoy it enough to take it home like Ben did.


With the roomies in our awesome oldschool elevator!

the chicas for Nathan's birthday dinner at La Boheme.
(l-r) Brooke, Brea, Me, Melissa

Nathan and his ceviche.

Mmmm my salmon.


At the TeachingChile welcome lunch at Mercado Centrál; the best place to get the freshest and cheapest seafood in Santiago.


Mercado Central is filled with restaurants that will cook any seafood for you.

That's Bruce, the head director of TeachingChile, the person whom we've all entrusted our lives to... double fisting! OH YEAH! A Chilean red in his right and pisco sour in his left.

Ben dances the national Chilean dance, La Cueca.

Gettin' our burrito fixin' at Mi Jugo in Mercado Franklin; the largest persa or flea market in Chile.

Yum-o!


This is mostly the eating area. Mercardo Franklin consists of several blocks of stands selling odds and ends, knick-knacks, and such.

Sunday Aug 9 was Dia del Niño, Day of the Childen. The park was filled with activities for the kids, such as this puppet show at Parque Bustammante.

Melissa and I had our own fun.

There were lots of these mounted Carabineros de Chile at the park.

Skate park at Parque Bustammante. Believe it or not, there are some pretty skilled skaters in Chile. I've seen girls pull tricks at the plaza in front of our apartment.

He landed this too.

Love this tree.

ALMOST like home

Sorry for the lack of updates but I've finally moved out of the hostal and moved into an apartment with two other lovely teachers from the TeachingChile program! Unfortunately, the apartment does not yet have internet connection and therefore it has become difficult for me to update. For now, I shall post pictures of our new flat right on Baquedano, which is central Santiago. All three of us are 100 feet away from the bus stops and metro stations. It's sweeeet.

This is Baquedano, and our building is the first yellow building on the left.

Almost moved in. We're getting settled slowly and surely. I will post more later once I have a connection in the apartment, which will hopefully within the next two days. I will be working more with my classes (pre-kinder to 7th grade) this week and hopefully I will have pictures of the kids. They are so adorable and warm and so curious!


almost like home.
and so I leave you with a Pablo Neruda poem:

I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair.
Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets.
Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day
I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps.

I hunger for your sleek laugh,
your hands the color of a savage harvest,
hunger for the pale stones of your fingernails,
I want to eat your skin like a whole almond.

I want to eat the sunbeam flaring in your lovely body,
the sovereign nose of your arrogant face,
I want to eat the fleeting shade of your lashes,

and I pace around hungry, sniffing the twilight,
hunting for you, for your hot heart,
like a puma in the barrens of Quitratue.