Month six

Cole, cole, y más cole

   I started school a few weeks back, and the excitement has defiently worn off. Actually, it usually does after the first day or so. This year, my teachers are a little harder on me because they know I understand what they're teaching. And because they often tell me I talk to much during class, they are now aware that I speak and understand... I can't give the "No... entender.. nada.. yo" excuse anymore. Which, by the way, can come in handy. I'm sort of afraid to have to go back and start college-- I'll actually have to work. It won't be a pretty transition, I'll tell you that much. Another thing that may be funny for other people to watch me go through is transitioning back into English. I speak Spanglish without even trying, and I've forgotten many words in English. Last week I had to write a few essays for a scholarship, and had to use my google translater for the words I wanted to use in English. Yes, it's that bad. Lately, I almost feel awkward when I speak my native language with people. For one, I hardly ever see other white people, and that's the way I like it. I feel uncomfortable when there are too many people around speaking English, is that weird?
   I set my date for coming home, and I will be on my way to the Rhinelander airport three months from tomorrow.  The last six months have just flown on by, I'll blink and all of the sudden my year abroad will be over.  I don't really want to think about that right now. I do know that time is moving exactly how it should right now. It's not too slow, and it's not too fast. I, Katie Lynn Demers, am satisfied.

I was also plesantly surprised to find this video on my facebook wall that a friend sent me. He told me it reminded him of me, so I'm taking the liberity on re-posting it. ¡Con mucho amor desde Chile!

Febuary, The Month of Love

Well, I guess it's been a while since I've written. Okay, about two months... so I apologize to the few people that actually keep up with me. After saying that, I will begin.
  I'll start with a quick update first; I have now switched families for the first time, and I am loving it. I have officially been here for three weeks, but was on vacation with my first family for a week of it. So I'm still just starting to make myself a home here. I fell into their routines right away, and found it suprisingly easy to fit right in and feel like I'm at home. I loved my last family, and I am so thankful they were my first, but to be honest, I feel more at home in the house. I felt completly at ease as soon as I walked in the door, and the feeling has stayed with me since. I feel like I can breathe here, and I love it.
  I didn't end up going to Easter Island as I had origanally hoped, but I'm dealing with it. I have two friends there now and I'm trying to contain my jealousy. I went on two occasions to the South of Chile-- first to a small town called Linares, and second to Tomé. Since none of you probably know where those are, I'll take the liberty of filling you in. Linares is about 4 hours south of Santiago, and towards the Eastern side of the country. I wasn't exactly in Linares, but about 45 minutes more into the middle of nowhere where I spent a week with my host family and another exchange student. It was beautiful country, and the stars at night were breath-taking. There, I certainly had my fill of chickens, flies, and and pan amasado. And to be clear, I wasn't actually eating the chickens or the flies.  A few weeks after my return, I headed down about 6 hours south Santiago to Tomé--a city very close to Concepción. As most of you know, Concepción is where the Earthquake hit last February. Tomé, was also affected. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the images I´ve seen won´t be easily erased from my memory. I also went to the beach that had been overtaken by the tsunami soon after the earthquake.
  Though I've been enjoying a long vacation, but I'm excited to start school again in about three weeks to get back into the swing of things. I've missed my friends a lot and I'll be happy to see them everyday now. I think the hardest thing will be going to bed on time, and getting up early. Since I've been out of school, I tend to go to be during the wee hours of the morning, and wake up sometime early afternoon. I know that won't go over well with my body. I know that this title doesn't make much sense, since I am just now publishing this at the end of March, but I really did write this more than a month ago.