So much information

Class at U. Chile and La Universidad Catolica start in a little over a week, but all this week we have been taking a class called Contemporary Chile. With 8 hours of class every day it has been a lot of information about history, politics, music, art you name it in a short amount of time. I'm learning so much (partly because I really didn't know anything about Chile before I came here). This country is fasinating politically with a dictatorship, marxists, a coup, so many political parties, and a return to democratic rule all within the last 30 years. And when you ask anyone about it, most say "Pinochet? that was so long ago! Why do you want to know about that?"
Chile also has a very unique social stucture regarding the family particularly women. Divorce was legalized two years ago, which make for interesting families. The single mother is incredibly prevalant, but she still has a husband, who she talks to frequently and amicably because familial ties here are increadably strong. (my host mother is very concerned about the fact that I don't live with my parents at such a young age)
On a different note, this week we went on trips to El Museo De Bellas Artes, Pablo Nerudas' house (one of his three), and the Cultural Center of Santiago (which is underneith La Moneda, the Chlean White House). At the Cultural Center there was a Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera exhibition which was AMAZING! There were a bunch of Frida's famous paintings as well as her clothes, but my favorite thing was Rivera's Vendadora de Flores, which was replicated all over Guatemala when Lauren and I went in May, and I saw it in real life today...so cool.
I am getting along great with my family, even the dogs. I actually took the dogs for a walk this evening with my papa and mama. They're really growing on me even though Gala has eaten two pens, taken a bracelet, my pillow, my phone, my socks, and (I can't prove it but I have a sneeking suspicion) my hair brush.

La Primera Semana

I have only been in Chile since Wednesday, but it feels like I've been here much longer. We had three days of orientation in Providencia (a section of Santiago). It consisted mostly of meetings and logistics and food, Chilenos eat like you wouldn't believe. We then moved in with our host families. Mine lives in Las Condes, a lovely section of Santiago. My family consists of my mama, Maria who is so kind and funny, she just keeps feeding me and trying to make me feel so welcome. She doesn't know how to cook and she says everything nice and slow for me. My papa, Marco, Maria's second husband who maybe my favorite member of the family. I had this idea in my head that my host father would be reserved and not terribly involved with my stay, but boy was I wrong. He and I talk a great deal. Here are some facts about Marco, he loves MAD Magazine, he hates cats, and he works with some sort of french cheese export company. There is so much cheese in this house its nuts. I have two sisters Valeria and Natalia. Vale is 27 and engaged to Tomas. I like her a lot, she's very friendly and knows a little English which she practices with me sometimes. Nati is 18 and is starting her senior year of high school next week. She is so funny and tells her mama to calm down while she attemps to feed me into a coma. There is also a son, Sergio but he is in Andora, Spain working as an international Chef. Marco also has 3 kids who I am yet to meet because they live with their mother most of the time. Oh, and the most important members of the family, Dali and Gala, the two begals who run the house. They are crazy, especially Gala who keeps stealing my socks, my note book, my phone, nothing is safe. Overall I really like my family and I feel very comfortable here. Oh I almost forgot, I also have a pool at my house which is very cool.