Eso Es

Yesterday, I remembered why I love Chile. I think that after spending four months in one place and getting into a weekly routine, it becomes difficult to fully appreciate where you are and what you are experiencing. It becomes easy to complain about all the things that bother you about not being in the States and easy to forget to appreciate the country in which you are currently studying abroad -- key words being abroad, aka: the experience of a lifetime. Four months is a long time (five even longer!), and it had become a bit difficult for me to continue to see my time in Chile as an experience, as an adventure every single day, rather than just a normal day-to-day existence. However, yesterday truly slapped those feelings out of me and re-introduced me to the country that has already given me so much and will continue to make every single day a new and amazing experience for the next 5 weeks during which I will be living in it.

I woke up at 6:15 in the morning in order to get up and take the metro to a bar in Vina in order to watch the first game for Chile in the mundial, vs. Honduras. Who would have thought that #1 a bar would be open at 7 in the morning, and #2 that the entire country of Chile (who, let's face it, aren't the earliest risers) would drag their asses out of bed to watch it. Why aren't people in the States that cool? So I dragged myself to this bar in Vina and spent the next two hours clapping, screaming, cheering (Chi! Le! Chi chi chi! Le le le! Viva Chile!), and being on the edge of my seat alongside a bunch of Chileans doing the same as we watched Chile soar to victory. Oh, and did I mention that I ate a delicious breakfast at the bar? Legit. After cheering loudly in the bar for Chile's win, we proceeded to walk to Plaza Vina to see if anything was going on, and boy was there. Despite the fact that it was raining, there was a huge mob of Chileans screaming and cheering, all decked out in Chile gear with flags and banners in tow, along Calle Valpo.

After standing around in a big group and jumping into the back of people's trucks and banging on the sides of colectivos and people's cars as they drove by, the group decided to start parading down Calle Valpo, then along Alvares, then down Avenida Espana (I though they were headed to Valpo, to be honest!), cheering "Viva Chile!" and "Chilenos de Corazon" and calling out to all the people leaning out of shops and apartment windows to celebrate Chile's win (which, mind you, was just one game....imagine if they won the whole thing?!). It was so crazy to see an entire city (and later on the news an entire country) coming together to celebrate so extensively and excitedly a futbol game. Complete strangers marching together, hugging and sharing a beer in the street to celebrate something that happened across the globe...in a sports game....It's a kind of national spirit and pride I often wish I felt for the US, and something I am definitely beginning to feel for Chile. Viva Chile CTM. That's all I have to say.

Moving on, since I absolutely fail at updating this blog as often as I should, let me add a quick update about what I've been up to for the past...month or so...oops. Two weekends ago I went with some friends (amazing girls!) from ISA to Mendoza, Argentina. It was probably one of my favorite things that I have done since coming to Chile, it was absolutely the trip of a lifetime. Probably the best part of the trip was the bus ride there -- about eight hours from the Vina bus station, half of which was through the Andes....absolutely stunning. I probably took 50 pictures of those mountains, as they were some of the most amazing natural views I've ever seen. Awe-inspiring, breathtaking, absolutely, positively, incredibly wondrous and gorgeous. Love.

We took the bus on Thursday night and came back home on Sunday. The perfect amount of time for a weekend getaway to Argentina (though of course I could have used more time in that amazing country). Our hostel was called Oasis and was the cutest place ever. When we arrived on Thursday evening we were greeted by the cutest Argentinian man who was so friendly and helpful the entire time we were there. In fact, all the people we met while in Argentina were extremely friendly and helpful. It was a nice change...oops am I allowed to say that? Also, the Argentinian accent is so much easier to understand than the Chilean one, I could understand everyone we talked to so well, it was such a confidence booster. After four months of adjusting to Chilenismos, unfinished words and slurred sentences, I had almost forgotten how crazy Chileans actually speak and how hard they are to understand. While it was cool to hear a new accent (love the way they pronounce the "y" and "ll" sound, too) and nice to be able to understand so well, I felt pretty excited that I have gotten so used to Chilean Spanish that it seems like normal Spanish to me now. Someone told me before I came to Chile that if you can understand Chilean Spanish, you can understand any Spanish. I am starting to feel like I can really understand Chilean Spanish, which means I'm good to go! I feel so accomplished!

During our time in Mendoza we walked around the city, which definitely felt a lot different from Chile -- much more European (crazy how eight hours can put you in a whole new world). We also went to a dinner and tango show, ate a lot of great meat and amazing Italian food, went on a bike and wine tour of a bunch of vineyards (Mendoza is famous for its wine), and shopped at some really interesting artesanias. Overall, great trip. One more country stamped on my passport.

Well....119 days (17 weeks) in Chile so far, and 37 more days (5 weeks) to go. Better make those last 37 days (wait, how can that be true???) count -- I know the first 119 really have.