wow, havent posted anything for a while.....

wow, I've been in school, and doing things on the weekends, and so I've absolutely forgotten to post anything on the blog >>.<< School gets out for summer break next friday, until march (summer break. I've also recently started rugby, with 2 practices a week; although the ball looks a little like the one for football, the games are completely different. I dont have anything special planned this summer, but I've started looking into a few trips I can make relatively cheaply to cities where there are other exchange students, or extended host family that would have me over for a little while. I'm going to a Rotary orientation in 9 days (December 13th) in Villa Alemana (a 45 minute plane ride to Santiago, followed by about an hour in car) where i will take a Spanish proficiency test, and the people who fail the test will be sent back to their host countries. I'm not too worried about the test, a friend i got in touch with back in Febuary when I was picked for Chile by Rotary sent me an example of how the test is going to be, and i scored 100%. You're probably wondering why I havent gotten any pictures up lately, and I was really surprised looking at the last thing I posted that I didnt put anything up when my camera got stolen while I was out on a walk a few blocks from my house, but nothing happened to me so its no cause to worry really. I'll steal a few pictures off of some friend's facebooks and go ahead and stick em up on here. Leave me some comments, I'd be happy to answer any questions about well, whatever you'd wanna ask :P

-Dave

¡TEXTO!

wow, I just realized ive been putting up pictures, but not words, so here goes.
Im doing great.. y have been pretty busy at school here lately, Ive finished my 1st full novel in spanish, and took a test on it. that excited me alot. Ive found out im not able to go to the south in the summer with rotary, but ive got alot of things to do here in La Serena all summer hahaah Im having bilingual dreams, and now thinking exclusivley in spanish, but not dreaming completely in it yet. My grades have been good, but my worst class is language, we cover literary epochs, which ive never had in a class before, sometimes i go to other courses and help the english teacher with her harder classes, which is fun, but a pain at the same time haha XD well, im not too sure what all to write about... haha leave a comment if you have any questions, and ill probably think of more to write...

-Dave

In Santiago 1

in the car santiago trip 2

in the car santiago trip 1

Fotos!

Colegio

Cotton candy for $150 (30 cents)

this man goes around on foot all day and sells cotton candy (gigantic) for 30 cents a pop, wow, i was really surprised when my host brother said $150. this is also just 2 houses from mine on the way home from school today, which was nice. I get the next week off for independance day which is also nice haha.

while turning around on the catamarán, and talking about it haha

Today on a Catamarán and in coquimbo, along with a few other fotos

people dancing in centro (ignore the sound, its horrible)

people dancing in centro La Serena, after dancing they came around with a hat asking for money, my host brother says they probably travel around and do this for a living, well, i was next to the speaker and so the sound is kinda blasting

update

well, i havent updated in a while so here goes.
Ive had my 1st week of school and I absolutely love it, on average (schedule changes every day) im there until 4:30 pm, and take the bus home, so i get home around 5:15 or so. ive made alot of new friends, and went to my first party here last friday. i start rugby next week, now that my host mom is sufficiently pleased with my micro (bus)- taking abilites. I went to the outdoor market today, and it was huge, and filled with alot of really cheap things ( I got a hat for 3 dollars). On Friday i got a chilean flag which is now hanging up in my room (2.1 x 1.4 meters), people are getting ready for independance day (september 18th) and from what everyone tells me the celebration is pretty much the entire month of september in my town. I am doing great, and although i probably should be, i havent been taking a whole ton of pictures. everyone here is so affecctionate, its great XXD. well, ill probably think of more after i post this but thats about all for now. I'll update again probably next weekend, or sooner if something huge happens. Chauuu

@ the Beach in Coquimbo

Chile fotos

updating people since i got here XD

well, sorry for the late update... but ive been busy, not generally in the house these last few days...

I had a few days in rotary orentation and got to my house in Coquimbo without any trouble. yesterday another of the exchange students in La Serena came to visit (her host dad is my counselor, and her parents and mine are family friends) I bought my uniform for school today, and found out that i have basically the largest sizes avaliable because of my height. I start school at the Colegio de Santo Tomas next monday, and registered yesterday. Everything is going great, I have been helping out ( as best I can) at the family`s ferretería (hardware store) and having a great time. my spanish is better than the other student`s almost all of whom spoke NONE but i still only get a little less than half of what is going on in conversations, learning at least 5 new words a day >.<.
I will post pictures on here fairly soon, as i have taken a few of the city and the surrounding area, as well as in santago and villa alemana.

talk to you all later

--David
(PS I love empanadas)

3 Days

Well, I saw the consulate on Friday, and all went well. I have a visaed passport and all other necessary papers and signatures to enter the country. I leave on Wednesday in the morning for Portland, and Fly out at 6:55 on Thursday. I have a 6 hour layover in Santiago, and an approximately 1 hour layover in Lima, Peru before arriving in Santiago, Chile at 6:00 AM Friday morning (3 AM pacific time) and after 2 days of orientation in Santiago, I fly out for La Serena on the 17th at 3:45 Pm, arriving at 4:45 PM.

NEW, and FINAL departure date

well, the date has shifted, for the last time, to August 15th, however because of travel time, i will probably be leaving from Portland on August the 14th

New Departure Date

Well. I have been officially notified that i will be leaving for Chile on August the 8th, which means I will probably be arriving on the 9th haha...

Pre Exchange

Hey everyone, this is just a 1st post, getting people on the blog and setting it up before i got on exchange. This blog will keep everyone posted on what is going on with me while on my exchange in Chile.... and may as well cover my thoughts/feelings on current, world, and political events around the world. Photos will be posted, and Emails will be sent out when new info enters the blog. If you would like to contact me, Email me at : Mitokia@hotmail.com