Only when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

I got sick about four weeks ago. It started when I taught at 7 in the morning and then I went to my Spanish class at ten and had to introduce myself and explain that I was teaching from 7-9, taking class from 10-1:30 and working from 2-8, and everyone in Chile, said "que??" Well I got out of class at 1:30 that day and my head was spinning, I thought I was gaining a migraine and as I walked to the metro for work, I knew I wouldn't make it. I had a few visions of romantic scenes of me fainting on the subway only to wake in a hospital with a lovely new Chilean stranger who carried me up the subway stairs and stayed with me. Then as the walk continued and the fantasy grew, as always, i remembered reality....I actually felt like i was about to faint. I knew that the ground was far away and I could faint in the crossroad and be killed by some crazy driver, I could fall into the metro tracks and that would be the end of me...and as my mind continued and I walked, I wondered, wha...

September Pictures in Santiago! Halloween in Santiago! Frenchy's video about some our life in Santiago (in French, but enjoyable!!) More to come!

So I arrived in Santiago, Chile on September 4, 2009. I was greeted at the airport by a very smiley friendly female, whom we now call Mariah. She was holding a hand drawn sign with "ve-global" on it. We said our greetings, made some small talk and waited for two other volunteers' flights to land, and soon I was greeted by two other Americans, Jessica (Ohio) and Annie (Minnesota). I called my mom from the payphone to say I had made it through the night and was now stationed in my new country (and later found out that this two minute and 43 second call would cost 27.00!). We ventured out into the very early morning to arrive at Hostel Sammy. Jessica, Annie and I had arrived in Santiago three days early. We were shown to our room of 8 bunkbeds and as you walked into the room the odor of smelly, dirty socks hit you in the face. I put my stuff down, expecting to see bugs and rats scurry from under the bed, but all looked well. I had a sudden frightening urge that I would not...