Santiago, Una Ciudad Perfecta

Sunrise from my bedroom 

When you travel time seems to move at a completely different pace.  It´s like Jerry Seinfeld says when talking about traveling with a boyfriend or girlfriend, he says that traveling is the way to put the relationship in a incubator.  For this reason I feel very much like I have already been here for weeks, not just under three days.


Typically I would say that I am not a huge fan of the ´´city life´´; but Santiago has really changed this for me.  Where I am living is about 4 metro stops from the school where I am studying.  I love being able to hop on the metro and head to school, passing the wonderful smells of bakery shops and the sights of people all heading their own directions to start the day.  Santiago is extremely clean, the people couldn´t be more friendly and helpful, and the architecture is simply impressive.  I happen to live on the same street as the tallest building in South America (or maybe it´s just the tallest mall?).  I haven´t gone yet, but hey, it´s fun to have something famous a block from where I am staying. Yesterday I tried some local brews, where were wonderful and definitely worthy of great write-ups in the brewlong :).  Last night I took a Cuenca dance class, and enjoyed a Chilean asado (like a barbecue, but more amazing) while sharing a bottle of Chilean wine.  Honestly, the wine alone makes me love it here!

I´m guessing that is the tallest building :) 

As far as classes go, I am as happy as can possibly be.  My first class, a grammar class, has been changed 2 times, which is actually perfect, because now I have had the chance to review the phrases like, ´´I like chocolate and have 2 brothers´´to´´If I saw my best friend´s boyfriend cheating I would tell her for sure´´.  No, but in all seriousness, the classes are perfect.  There are 3 of us in my current grammar class (the correct one), and about 6 of us in my conversation class.  My classmates are from all over the world: Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Italy, and one other from the US.  It´s wonderful to have Spanish as our common language and not speak in English at all.  I have really stayed pretty true to this, and even told a guy last night that if he wanted to chat with me he would have to do so in Spanish :).  He kept chatting, frustrated, but hey- I didn´t come here to speak English with American boys.

Life at ´´home´´ is great as well.  My host family is a sweet couple, Gabriel and Carmen.  They have a wonderful place.  Gabriel sells an emergency insurance and Carmen works in translation.  Together they have been hosting students for over 10 years.  He is super social and funny, which I love.  We spent two hours chatting today during lunch.  He also does all of the cooking!  How lucky is Carmen??  :)

My bedroom 

There is a certain feeling that I have here that is difficult to explain.  I feel very much in love with this city- and we know from my first moments here it wasn´t quite love at first sight, but probably the next best thing.  After only two days Santiago has me dreaming of returning, dreaming of finding work (although teaching Spanish wouldn´t go over really well), and in all reality not dreaming very much because I´ve already managed to go out with some new friends!!

Un abrazo desde una ciudad perfecta!