<----- The pool outside my bedroom door.
Well we made it in...tired, hungry and very excited from a 15 hour long journey, which was surprisingly very comfortable. When we arrived we each left with our host families to be taken for a day of mostly just relaxation and conversation with our new hosts. I am staying with a family of 2 boys..well men really (24 and 27) and their parents. Their third boy who´s room i have is in New Zealand for awhile. It seems that people tend to stay with their families longer here, which i think is why the 2 guys are still here with their parents. They are all fantastic and have been so welcoming and kind....as well as patient with my lacking Spanish skills. The language here is very difficult to understand because of their speed and thick accents but it has been a great learning experience, and my Spanish seems to be coming back to me day by day. The mother of the family I am staying with has one of the thicker accents i have heard and she is constantly joking with me that i don´t understand a word she is saying, all in good fun. All the people i have met thus far seem to all have great senses of humor. The father of the family here especially is constantly going on about something, he cracks me up.....i think he gets a kick out of my antics too. I havent laughed and smiled this much in a long time....
During the days we have been doing a lot of touring of the city (Santiago), eating, professinoal tours, walking and conversing. At night we have attended one Rotary meeting where we gave our first presentation, have gone out with our families, spent some time with each other, and yesterday went to a mansion in the mountains to spend the day with our counterparts who are now on their way to North Carolina.
It has been a rich week thus far full of cultural education, great food-wine-drinks, laughs and constant photo opportunities. I am so greatful for this trip and am excited for all that is ahead!!
