The students worked on presentations for weeks, which culminated in two days of festivities before school let out for the holiday. The kids dressed up, performed the national dance, cooked traditional cuisine, sang and played instruments to historical music and presented information about how each region of their country celebrates Chilenidad and Fiestas Patrias.
The best thing about Santiago in the winter is the love everyone shows the street dogs. As soon as it gets colder, puppies around town start sportin’ new sweaters and the trend is, quite frankly, aw-inducingly adorable.
I tried to hold back my laughter as Ingrid leaped into my arms for a hug, amazed that she could actually hug someone who could have hugged Justin Bieber. En serio.
For two years, Chile has been rocked by students demanding a more equal education system among social classes, free access to higher education and an end to profiteering. However, there has been little negotiation between the government and students — and no future progress is in sight. So, it remains that while Chile is home to some of the best schools in the region, the country is also host to very under-funded public institutions. I work with students in the latter.
Apartment conserjes and shopkeepers are diligent about sweeping up (yes, sweeping … like with a broom, not a rake) all the leaves on their turf each day, so it rarely feels like fall. But this Saturday morning — it seemed like the whole city was still asleep.
Welcome to the first day of my fifth and sixth grade English class. There are 23 students aged 10 and 11 who don’t know what “how are you?” means. And there’s me — far outnumbered and far from proficient in their native Spanish tongue.
My friend Nora and I are flying to Bogotá, Colombia, and will then take buses to about 16 other cities on the way back to Santiago. We’ll live out of our backpacks on a bit more than $40 a day as we jump from hostels to Hashes through the Amazon Jungle to Inca ruins, around Lake Titicaca to the world’s largest salt flat and over the Andes to the driest desert on Earth.
