A Well Deserved Break

So I'm visiting my brother and sister in law in North Carolina as I type this.

The last 2 weeks went by quickly.  I was busy with my usual teaching load of classes for the week, but on top of that I had midyear reports to complete, some students that requested help looking over things outside of class, and an impending move of our office.

Things kept changing as to both when and where we were moving.  Everything was supposed to get moved on Friday after work, but things changed and so they moved up in the middle of the morning when I was in class. 

That normally wouldn't have been a problem, but my computer then wasn't hooked up for me to work on the midyear reports I had to finish for the next 3 hours.

Luckily my boss was understanding and told me to get done what I could and I could take care of the rest when I get back.  

In addition to that, I taught Tuesday and Thursday nights until 10 for a new class and until 8 on Wednesday.  

I didn't get my place as clean as I wanted to before I left, and there were 4 reports I didn't get complete before I leave.  Even though my boss told me it was ok I still feel bad not having finished something before going on vacation.

The trip back to the States was typical: waiting in line to drop off my luggage and go through security, the requisite airport snack before getting on the flight, the sleeping and listening to music to pass the time on the flight, and the luck of having an empty seat next to me from Santiago to Miami.

There are a few things that catch me off guard every time I travel.  The first one is talking with other passengers on the flight.  A woman two seats away from me point to the Chips Ahoy that were included with my meal and asked me "Do you want?"  I responded in English, then in Spanish, and then gave her a confused look.  From her accent I wasn't sure where she was from and what language to speak.  She thanked me for the cookies, and we went back to listening to music.  

Another thing that is throwing me for a loop is hearing everyone around me speaking English.. I've had a 4 hour layover here before getting my flight to Philadelphia, and each time I hear people speaking English my ears perk and then I remember that I'm back in the States.  When trying to get past people in the food court I unconsciously say "Permiso" instead of "Excuse me". 

I've been home for a week now, so I´m halfway through my visit.  What are my feelings and impressions on the trip so far?

• The food from home has been great.  I only get to eat particular foods when I'm home, so having that for two weeks is a nice treat.
• Spending time with family and friends has been great too.  Just sitting around watching TV or playing card games while we catch up a bit is a nice way to relax, and the conversation is always light while we enjoy each other's company.  And of course it's great catching up with friends over a meal too.
• I love movie theater popcorn.  In Chile they only make kettle corn, so having the real stuff was a nice treat.
• Going to the food store is an experience.  I was amazed walking down the aisles of Shoprite and seeing so many varieties of cheese, and even though it's only August they had PUMPKIN PIE.  I got one to take home an enjoy.
• Similarly, going to Target and Walmart is also an experience.  Seeing so much stuff available left me just wandering around the store looking at everything.  
• Things here are organized and they work.  When I went to the bank it was open at 4 PM (they close at 2 PM in Chile), and I received a thank you and a pleasant attitude from the woman who helped me.  I was in and out in three minutes.
• People here are polite.  If anyone comes within 2 feet of your personal space, they will say "Excuse me" as they pass by.  In Chile people will brush up against you or even knock into you without saying anything.

That's all for now.  Hopefully the second half of my visit will be as nice as my first.

A Teaching Conference and Meeting An Idol

The second half of July had one big highlight for me: the IATEFL Chile conference in Santiago.

For those who are not familiar with the acronym, IATEFL stands for the International Conference for the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language.  Every year they have a conference with workshops, speakers, vendors, and teachers from all over Chile and sometimes from other parts of Latin America.  The plenary speakers could come from all over the world, and it's always exciting to meet and hear from experts in English language teaching.

The conference was Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th, and due to my work schedule I had to teach my Friday morning class.  Luckily my boss was able to give me the rest of Friday off.  I missed the opening ceremony and first plenary speaker, but I still got to attend most of Friday.

As with each conference I go to, there was an interesting mix of presentations.  A few were really useful, some were ok, and unfortunately some were not really that great.  Despite that, it was good seeing professional contacts that I hadn't seen since similar events last year.

There were three presentations that really stuck out to me.

The first one was by Gustavo Gonzalez.  He presented about small ways to incorporate technology into the classroom.  He showed some websites and tools we can use that we can prepare and use in class that don´t require an internet connection, and he gave really good examples of what he´s done in a variety of ways.  He was really enthusiastic, and it seemed like it rubbed off on everyone who attended.

Another one was by Paul Seligson.  His big thing is about being sure that we are teaching to the needs of our students (Spanish speakers as opposed to any other language) and to not feel boxed in or restricted by textbooks that dumb down what students are capable of understanding and communicating.  He also encourages teachers to use comparative strategies between English and Spanish to help students think about similarities and differences between the languages and help their learning.  His sociocultural approach really struck a chord with me, as I also like to draw upon what my students know to build a foundation for their learning.

I got to chat with him a bit after his presentation, and he was gracious enough to pose for a picture with me.

The last speaker was Stephen Krashen.  Yes, THE STEPHEN KRASHEN.

For those readers who aren't familiar with him, Stephen Krashen has been (in my opinion) the most influential researcher and contributor to language teaching and second language acquisition from the 20th century until now.  He has written over 450 scholarly articles about effective language learning and has traveled all over the world to speak to and inspire teachers.

I remember learning about his theories of comprehensible input, the affective filter, and the silent period (just to name a few) as an undergraduate at Occidental, and they formed the basis of my learning for effective language teaching.

He captivated me for two hours.  He's a real storyteller and used dramatic pauses, real life stories related to his research and that of others, and anecdotes about his family.  He came across as really down to earth, and after his presentation he made himself available to talk to people, sign autographs, and take pictures.

Seeing that I went to college in Los Angeles and he was an education professor at USC, you'd think that I would have had the chance to meet him.  That didn't happen during my 8 years in California, but it happened here in Santiago.

I was nervous as I approached him.  I shook his hand and thanked him for the presentation and told him about my undergraduate experience learning about languages and how much he has influenced my teaching career.  I then got a picture with him:

Meeting Stephen Krashen was something that was on my professional bucket list, and it was a really amazing experience to have met him.

The conference gave me a lot to think about in regards to my teaching style, how I and my students use Spanish in the classroom, and finding small ways to incorporate technology into my teaching.  I'm glad I went and I'm already looking forward to the next conference (TESOL Chile) in October.

Escaping the City

A few weekends ago I took my annual winter weekend trip to Viña del Mar.

This time I decided to find a place to stay in a different way.  I searched on airbnb.com, and after some searching I contacted a potential host.  She told me that the guest room in her apartment was available, and so I booked it for $30 a night.

The location was really nice.  It was a block from the beach, and the view from the balcony was amazing.  Aysa is from Russia and is living with her Chilean boyfriend, and they have a cat that is a bit on the crazy side.  I got to know them the night I arrived and over breakfast the following two mornings, and it was interesting hearing what they were doing with their lives.  She works as a translator, and he works with software development and translation.

It was cold at night, but the weather warmed up during the day.  I took the chance to walk along the beach, around the city, and eat some delicious food while writing in my blog and reflecting on what has happened in the first half of 2014.

So, what has happened in this first half of the year?

Professionaly, I started my new job teaching at the Chilean IRS.  The students are motivated, my classes almost never cancel, and my boss is great.  I'm developing teaching materials and my methods, and I'm growing professionally.  In order to pay back my student loans and save for the future I still need to teach some private classes in the evenings, but at least I have a steady paycheck.

Socially, I have ventured out and left my comfort zone a bit.  I've made some new friends and have made the effort to spend time with the friends that invite me out.  Sometimes I have gotten lazy and decided just to stay in and be lazy, and I'm finding the balance between social time and time to myself.

Despite the successes, I still struggle with the culture.  I've invited some friends out to do things or over to my apartment, and my invitations have been ignored from time to time.  Sometimes I'm told that they don't know what they are doing on that particular day yet, and it leaves me with the impression that they are waiting to see if something better comes along and that I'm only one of multiple available options to them.  Other times people make plans with me, we confirm them the day before, but they still cancel at the last minute without explanation or even apologizing.

I know that people in Chile think differently, and I also know that I tend to take things personally.  I also know that I'm very much the type that plans things in advance, while things here are more spontaneous.  Despite that, not responding to invitations and flaking at the last minute without explanation is downright rude.

Knowing all of this, the challenge for me is to figure out how much time and energy I invest into a friendship, how much I give people the benefit of the doubt, and at what point I decide to focus my energy elsewhere and not worry about them anymore.

On a more positive note, I have started some new, healthier habits.  Green cleaning is easy, and I much prefer the natural scents than those of harsh chemicals.  I've been cooking at home more, and doing so is helping me to eat healthier and save money to spend in other ways.

I'm still struggling with exercising, but I'm working to stay patient with myself and find ways to get exercise into my daily routine.

Change is also another thing that came up during my visit to Viña.  How so?

One of the things I was looking forward to was eating at Lime Fresh, a Mexican restaurant that I visited my last few times in Viña.  To my dismay, it has gone out of business.

I was disappointed and was left hungry and trying to figure out where to eat.  There was the TGI Friday's that I had eaten at before, but it was something familiar and also quite pricey for my budget.  I decided to check out some of the small restaurants and cafes in the area, and I settled on one a few blocks from where I was staying.  I got a nice meal with lentils, bread, a drink, spaghetti and meatballs, and a dessert for about $8.  

Stepping outside of my comfort zone (and being open to the idea of change) saved me some money and also showed me a new place that I can eat at the next time I'm back in town.

The situation was a nice reminder that change can be good and that I shouldn't fear it and avoid it as much as I have in the past.

To end this blog post, I leave you with some pictures of the weekend:

breakfast of bread, fresh fruit, juice, tea, and an omlette

Maya the crazy cat

Hot chocolate and a cinnamon roll, some nice comfort food

lentils with bread and butter to start the meal

spaghetti with meatballs

The view from the balcony of where I stayed

Another view from the balcony

Adventures in Cooking

In an effort to save money, try new things, and be more self-sufficient, I made ají de gallina at home last weekend!

For those of you that don't know, ají de gallina is a typical Peruvian dish.  It has chicken in a creamy sauce that is a bit spicy and cheesy, and there are usually hard boiled eggs mixed in and rice on the side.

So, was it a success?

Well, I didn't burn down the kitchen.  I also survived eating it.  Based on those two measures, my answer is an enthusiastic yes!

So, how do you make ají de gallina?

Here are the ingredients I started with:

chicken, onions, garlic, condensed milk, parmesan cheese,
carrots, white bread, tumeric, brown rice, and aji de amarillo
(yellow pepper) paste

The first step?  Cut up some onions, garlic, and carrots.  Put them in a pot of water with the chicken and let simmer for half an hour.

I have only once or twice in my life cut onions, and knowing the tears that result does not make it an activity to wet my pants over.  After googling it, I came across the advice of cutting onions in a bowl of water.  (They also suggested wearing swimming goggles while cutting, but I unfortunately didn't have any available).  So here was the result of that effort:

After cutting up the carrots and garlic (not in a bowl of water), I then added them to the pot of water along with the chicken.

I ran into a small problem though.  As you can see from the picture, the pot is practically overflowing.  

The recipe called for a specific amount of water, but I didn't have any pots that were bigger.  So before submerging the last piece of chicken I used a cup to scoop out some of the water.

It took a while for the water to come to a boil.  Whoops, maybe I should have at least heated it up before adding the veggies and chicken.

So while that was heating up I had to cut up more onions and garlic, and the recipe also called for white bread diced into small cubes.  

I had no idea that it would take me so long to peel off the coating of each clove of garlic!  Oh well, at least the water was starting to boil now!

As you can see, I also put some rice into a pot to cook.

After the chicken and veggies had simmered for half an hour, I had to strain out the water (which was now supposed to be chicken stock) and use it to make the sauce.

Well, I strained it out, but to me it looked just as clear and water-like as when I had put it in the pot.

I put the water into a mixer, and added the condensed milk and bread cubes.  After some mixing, I added in the parmesan cheese.  

The next step?  Put the garlic and onions that I had cut up before into a pan and let them cook.  While that was happening I had to shred up the chicken that was supposed to have cooled off by then (but hadn't).

I then mixed the sauce with the chicken:

After that, I added it to the pan with the onions and garlic, and I added in the magical ají amarillo paste and the tumeric.

The end result of almost two and a half hours of cooking?

And how was it?

Well, remember that I said I didn't burn down the kitchen and that I survived eating it.  I'm very proud of both those points.

The flavor was ok.  I was worried about adding too much ají, and after looking around at a few places I gave up on trying to find walnuts (which were another part of the recipe).  I also got lazy with cutting up the onions to put in the pan, so now I had long strands of onion mixed in with the chicken.  (No, it's not supposed to be that way).  Overall, I would give it a 5 out of 10.

What was the good that came out of this  (Besides not burning down the kitchen and surviving my own cooking)?

1. I have more confidence in my cooking abilities.  Growing up in the States (as in many other countries too I'm sure), cultural norms tell us that cooking is women's work and that men aren't good at it unless you are a master chef.  This was probably the most complex recipe I have ever cooked, and I did halfway decent with it.

2. I have developed a deeper appreciation for the effort that goes into cooking.  It can be time consuming, but it is a good way to let your mind decompress, and it lets you think things through when you have things on your mind.

3. I have a much deeper appreciation for the effort that goes into making Peruvian food.  I used to order Peruvian food from a restaurant that delivers to my apartment rather often, and I never really thought about the process that the cooks go through to make what they were delivering to me.  When I told one of my students about this experience (she is Peruvian), she told me that Peruvian food is delicious but also a very detailed type of cuisine to prepare.

Will I make ají de gallina at home again?  I doubt it.

The amount of time I invested to have the dish turn out to be mediocre was a bit disappointing, and I made enough for four days worth of food. 

Next time I think I'll go out to a restaurant to order it since there's a good Peruvian restaurant a few blocks away.  Or if I'm feeling too lazy to eat out there's always Papa John's.

Where there's smoke there's fire

Last Wednesday June 4th was another international first for me: I was evacuated from my job due to a fire.

So what happened?

It was about 1:30 in the afternoon, and I was in one of my student's offices going over his homework.  One of his coworkers came to his door and mentioned that there had been a fire in the building next door.  My student asked if we had to evacuate, and he said that we didn't but if anything changed that he would let us know.

Well, a few minutes later we had to evacuate.

I gathered up my teaching materials and headed outside with my student.  There were lots of small groups of people standing around in the plaza behind La Moneda (the presidential palace), and everyone was looking up at the smoke billowing from the top of the building.  The building was the ministry of foreign affairs, and there is also a bank there.

   

If there's an emergency, my boss has a designated meeting spot.  It was covered in smoke, however, so my student and I waited on the corner of Moneda and Teatinos, which was the corner furthest away from the fire.  He was worried about losing progress, so I continued to talk with him about English grammar for a bit, and then we chatted about the World Cup.  After a bit he told me that he was hungry and was going to get something for lunch, so I wished him a good day.

A few minutes later, my cell phone rang.  My boss told me that she was on the other side of the building with the other teachers, so I headed over there.  We obviously weren't going to get back into the building any time soon, so she suggested that we all go out for coffee to pass the time.  

One of the teachers had her wallet with her, so she paid for us and then our boss paid her back.  After about 45 minutes, She told us that there was no way that we would be getting back into the building to teach classes and that we could go home.  There was only one problem for me, though.

My wallet with my ID card, BIP card (to ride the bus and subway), and bank card were all inside.  
Whenever something like this happens my boss always locks the door, so I wasn't worried about anything getting stolen.  I just didn't know how I would get home or if I'd get my wallet back that day.

My boss told me that she could ask someone to lend me money so that I could get a taxi home or buy a new BIP card.  She took me up to one of the buildings that wasn't evacuated and introduced us to each other and explained my situation.  After he graciously lent me $10.000 pesos (about $20), we got a phone call that they were letting people back into the building to collect their things.  I was relieved, as I wasn't looking forward to the prospect of taking the bus or subway while balancing whiteboards, a bag of markers, and my tablet in my hands during the whole ride.  

We made our way to the front of the building, and there were a ton of people crowded around the entrance.  They were pressing up against it, as they were only allowing people in in small groups.  In a situation like that there were understandable safety and security concerns.  While people were anxious to get inside to retrieve their things and were very close together, there wasn't the pushing and shoving that I have become accustomed to on the buses and subway during rush hour.

As we walked in, we could smell the smoke in the hall.  It didn't make it into the office, but I know other people whose offices and belongings were closer to the fire and consequently smelled of smoke for a day or two afterwards.

Everyone that worked in the evacuated buildings were sent home for the day, and so I was done at 3:00.

The fire was big news in Santiago, mainly because it happened inside one of the ministries and also because it was so close to La Moneda, the presidential palace.  

If you're interested in seeing a video or reading about it in Spanish, click here to see a report from a national TV station.  Even if you don't understand Spanish you can see the video.

I was very grateful that it hadn't been worse.  As far as I know no one was hurt, and all of the safety precautions that they use for emergencies functioned perfectly.  Apart from a fire when I was almost too young to remember I had never been evacuated from anywhere because of a fire.

I've made a resolution to update twice a month, so you can expect to check in more often and see what else is happening.  Happy Sunday everyone!

May Adventures: Catching Up, Green Cleaning, and Time at Home

I'm typing this while curled up in my bed.  Winter is well on its way, and my bed is now equipped with flannel sheets and a down comforter.  I also have my space heater on to help keep me warm.

Early in the month I met up with some former students to catch up.  We got dinner at Golfo di Napoli, the delicious Italian restaurant near my apartment.  There were 8 of us altogether, and it was great seeing what everyone was up to.  Some had traveled to the States, while others had finished their professional studies and were now working in their field.  One is working in the Netherlands now as an international researcher.  Others were getting married and having children, and one is going to the World Cup in a few weeks!

We met when I taught them during the second semester of 2012, and being able to stay in contact with them is a great feeling.  Apart from them I don't have many Chileans that I would consider good friends, and I'm so grateful to have them as friends.

I also got to catch up with some other friends over Mexican food at Taxco and another friend over Peruvian food.  There was good food, good drinks, and good company.  Some of them I hadn't seen since last year, so it was good to catch up and have that social time.

About halfway through the month I came to a few realizations:

1. I have been spending a lot of money eating out and buying prepared food.

2. If I want to pay back my student loans and also travel, something was going to have to change.

This isn't just about eating out with friends.  I had gotten into the habit of ordering Papa John's or Peruvian food each weekend, and I was also eating out for lunch a few days a week.  While it doesn't seem like much, it really adds up.

I also saw a friend's post on Facebook that got me thinking.  It said that cleaning and cooking are forms of meditation, and it really struck me.  I feel like I had been so engrossed in spending time online when I wasn't working that I had let these things fall by the wayside.  

My sister in law that lives in North Carolina had introduced me to green cleaning when I visited her and my brother in January, and I had brought back some supplies to start doing so.  I had used my standard cleaning products sparingly, somehow worrying that green cleaning would be difficult or that I would somehow mess it up.  

One Saturday I decided to give it a try.  I started with mixing some castille soap and baking soda to make a paste to clean the bathtub.  It fizzed and smelled good, and I put the paste on a sponge.  It cleaned easily, and it smelled great afterwards.  So then I decided to try a few other things.  Armed with a mini manual, I made a mixture of water and vinegar in a squirt bottle.  I used it to clean the kitchen and bathroom floor.  

I was so surprised and excited about it that I gave her a call shortly thereafter.  She was really happy for me and gave me some more tips.  Her biggest advice, however, was something that was really nice to hear: Have fun with it.

The other part of this meditation equation was cooking.  I cleaned through my cupboards and took stock of what food I had and what I'd need to buy to do some cooking.  I didn't really have to buy much to make some good, basic meals.  I started out with brown rice and veggies.  Letting the rice soak, steaming the broccoli and veggies, and then adding some meat flavoring made a nice meal that could be a full meal or side dish.  Other dishes have been chicken and veggies, spaghetti with homemade bolognese sauce, and oven baked chicken with mac and cheese.  Next week I'm going to give my own recipe of ají de gallina a try.

Another thing that came out of this new cooking and cleaning routine was the a new look at the physical space I'm living in.  While it isn't dirty, I have gotten into the habit of leaving papers and things lying in random places.  Organizing my physical space is still a work in progress, but with time I know it will get done.

It's so easy to get wrapped up in work and then to just fall into habits of spending time online or watching TV, but spending the time at home doing more productive things makes me feel better about myself and gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Wednesday May 21st was a holiday here, commemorating Chile's participation in a naval battle against Peru.  Even though Chile lost, the 21st was declared a national holiday to remember the lives lost and worthy effort of the Chilean navy.  It was a nice day to put the cleaning and cooking habit to good use.

To remind everyone of the opposite seasons here compared to the Northern Hemisphere, I leave you of a photo of what I looked like before going to work while people in the States were enjoying the nice spring weather on Memorial Day:

I hope all of the teachers reading this are having an enjoyable end of the school year and that everyone is enjoying the start of summer!

April Adventures: An Orchestra Concert, A Surprise Birthday Party, a Despedida, and the New Job

As I sit down to write this, I can hardly believe a month has gone by without updating.  Today is a national holiday, specifically Día del Trabajador (Day of the worker).  Most people are off from work, and I am very fortunate to have received a "sandwich day".  Sometimes holidays fall on a Tuesday or Thursday, and in that case a few things might happen:

1. The government might move the holiday to a Monday or Friday to give people a long weekend.
2. If the holiday isn't moved, workers can ask for the Monday or Friday off to have a long weekend.

I asked my boss about having Friday off, fully assuming that it wouldn't be a possibility.  She surprised me in saying that it would most likely be possible.  She checked my schedule of classes on Fridays and then gave me the day off!

Yesterday I headed to the bus station right after work, and I got a bus to El Quisco.  I know I've written about it before, but it's just so quiet and peaceful.  I also enjoy getting out of Santiago.  I'll be here today and Friday, so it's just enough time to enjoy the peace and quiet but not long enough to get bored.

So, what happened last month?

I went to an orchestra concert in Santiago.  The Santiago Philharmonic was playing Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, which is also known as the Pastorale Symphony.  It's a piece of music that he wrote around Easter, and he wrote it to bring to life the idea of spring's arrival, flowers awaking, and it creates images of peasants holding hands and dancing around in circles in the fields to celebrate the arrival of spring.  At least that's what I remember from music history class, and I totally hear it in the music.

I posted on Facebook asking who would be interested in going to the concert, and Emma responded.  She's from New York, and we know each other from working at Eclass.  Prior to this we hadn't really gotten to know each other, but it was a really nice event. 

Traffic held us up a bit, but we made it to the concert after the first piece had started.  I was able to get us seats in the third row from the front, and it was nice being so close to the front. The building is old and beautiful, with marble pillars and architecture that made me feel like I had stepped back in time.  The performance was really interesting to me too because of a few details.  The conductor didn't stand on a podium.  It made me wonder how all of the musicians could see him.  Additionally, he didn't use a baton.  How do those musicians know exactly where the beat is?  Last but not least, he didn't have use a score to follow along.  I only conducted a few times, and I would probably know the music well enough not to need it, but I would still prefer to have it in front of me just in case!

Listening to the music brought me back in time to when I had performed the same piece of music over 15 years ago.  As a freshman in high school I somehow got in contact with a church that was preparing an Easter concert, and so some classmates and began rehearsing with other people.  We performed the same symphony and a few other pieces of music.

When the concert was over I was able to chat with one of my friends that actually played in the concert.  We don't see each other very often, but it was so nice being at the concert and seeing her perform.  We also snapped some pictures.

The concert was also a very special event for me.  In addition to Beethoven's 6th being a beautiful piece of music, it reminds me of my mom.  She died around Easter 7 years ago, and since I had started playing bass in 6th grade she had only missed about four concerts I had played in.  One was when I was an exchange student in Germany (but she and my dad came to the other one), another was when I was a freshman in college in Los Angeles, and a few when I was living in California after I had graduated and performed with community orchestras.  

She was my biggest music supporter.  She drove me to and from music lessons, around the state for orchestra auditions and rehearsals, and attended my concerts.  She put up with me hauling around an instrument that was bigger than me when I started playing it, took me to recording sessions when I wrote pieces of music, and did everything she could to help me become a better musician.  Having lost her around Easter makes the holiday a bit of a difficult time for me, and I wanted to go to the concert not only to enjoy the music but to celebrate her life and remember her.

Another event from April was a surprise birthday party.  My friend Rodrigo's birthday is in April, and so a few of us organized a the party at Insert Coin Bar, the video game bar near my apartment.  He was surprised, and there was a really interesting mix of people that came.  Not everyone was into the videogames, but there were bar tables where people could sit around and talk over drinks and snacks.  It was a success and great time, and it was actually the first surprise party I had ever been to.

Just as it's important to celebrate birthdays, I also had a despedida (farewell party) for one of my friends.  Leanne came to Chile at the same time as me with TeachingChile, and we actually stayed at the same hostel in Rio de Janiero before we arrived in Santiago.  We weren't that close, but I enjoyed talking with her and having drinks at parties when we got to see each other.  She decided to embark on an adventure doing some volunteering with organic farming in Brazil for a month, and after that she's back to Canada.  She's a really positive person and is always trying new things, and I'm so glad that I met her.  I hope that our paths will cross again at one point or another.

Last but not least, I am finally feeling settled into my new job.  In March I accepted a teaching job at Servicios de Impuestos Internos, which is the equivalent of the Chlean IRS.  It's a small office with 4 other teachers and my boss, and I love the small office atmosphere.  I love having a computer, printer, and copier at my disposal.  I love that I can store my teaching resources there and that I don't have to take them with me wherever I go.  And I love that almost all of my classes are in the same building.  I have 25 hours of classes a week with individuals or small groups.  While that doesn't sound like a lot (I have taught up to 33 hours a week at times), I am teaching 11 different levels.  The amount of planning has been overwhelming at times, but now that I am getting a good feel of the students and the books we are using it is becoming easier.  It's also quite interesting, as the office is located in a building right next to the presidential palace La Moneda.  A few days a week I'll hear fanfares of the arrival of important dignitaries or for the changing of the guards.  I've heard both the Chilean and US National Anthems played while running errands or working in the office.  Sometimes I can look out the window and see a procession going by with horses and a marching band performing.

After having worked for institutes and piecing together work to have a full schedule, it is certainly a nice and welcome change to have steady classes, coworkers to collaborate with, and a steady paycheck.  It's a new challenge with the amount of planning, and I'm using textbooks that I've never used before.  I am so grateful that this opportunity came my way, and I feel like my strong work ethic and perseverance with teaching has paid off.

I would be remiss not to mention the fires in Valparaiso.  Fires broke out on April 12th, destroying close to 3,000 homes and killing 15 people.  The fires are being called one of the worst in the city's history, and there are many people that are in dire need of help.  During the long Easter weekend (Good Friday was a holiday here), many people flocked to Valpo to help in any way possible.  I considered doing the same, but given my meager abilities to build the simplest of pieces of furniture or to barely be able to change a light bulb I decided that it wouldn't be the best way to help.  I instead did some grocery shopping and passed along some bags of groceries to people that I know will be going directly to Valpo to volunteer.  Call me cynical, but seeing so many organizations popping up accepting donations to help victims of the fire leaves me a bit wary.  I'm not sure what organizations I can trust, so I prefer doing what I can to be sure that help gets directly to people without an organizational middleman.  

I unfortunately don't know how you can make donations from outside of Chile.  The country is definitely hurting between the earthquake in Iquique last month (they also experienced lots of aftershocks and rolling blackouts while trying to get back on their feet) and the fire, so please keep the country and people in your thoughts and prayers.