CHILE

So I think the last time I posted was about two weeks ago when I was getting ready to finally head to Chile. I have been here for a bit now and can honestly say I am having a fantastic time. It was nice to have a few days to collect myself at the hotel before being thrown into family life. From the moment I arrived in the city, I have been impressed with the level of cleanliness and modernity. The people here are unlike any I have met prior, such a mix of cultures, levels of living etc. It is nearly impossible to distinguish a person's rank socially by their clothes in this country, it is in the way they speak. I live in the Cuico part of Santiago, the "Rich" part, in which people refuse to pronounce -sh. For example Sushi here is pronounced Suchi to make sure everybody understands your importance and social level.

My family is amazing. They are so tight knit and make me feel just at home. We pray over our food and they are very religious, which reminds me of my family. I have three siblings who are all married. Jeanette is the oldest and she is married to Mauricio and they have two children Aracelli, 3, and Benjamin, 8 Months. Tonight I will be heading to their house to see the area and visit. Franz is married to Nadia (a Russian Painter...YAY!) and they have Barbara, 3, and Irina, 8 Months. Then Hans just recently (May) was married to Carolina. So I am an only child in the house, but we have family over for lunch/dinner all of the time. Also when my mom went out to the South to work on the reconstruction from the earthquake, my brother Hans and Carolina literally came and babysat me haha. It is a strange feeling being 20 and usually independent with babysitters haha. And then my mom threatened to smack them if they hadn't fed me properly oh goodness I love her. Oh and my parents, duh, my Dad and Mom are both Civil Engineers and my mom is also in Real Estate (I can't escape it...)! Our departamento (apartment) is one of few with central heating. What a blessing I am not always frozen in the house, but it is expensive so we don't always have it on or very high.

The city is so COLD right now I sit and shake. In church I have to wear everything including my gloves just to try and stop my body from shaking violently. I have a newfound appreciation for heating of any sort found in the United States. The upside of it being winter is that the Cordillera (The Andes), which surround one part of the city, are covered from tip to toe in snow. They are a site to behold and honestly help me reflect on life, my purpose etc. I have been so incredibly blessed in my life and I know God is the overseer of my life. There is a definite reason I am here right now, doing the work I am. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be on this journey and to serve those around me. I started helping this morning with piano lessons at church, have gone out with the sister missionaries teaching/visiting, and will soon be helping teach English. I don't think for a minute that this is my time to waste, but rather this is a season in which I am able to grow and bless those around me.

Alex Hildebrandt and I have been exploring the city and we walk absolutely everywhere. It is awesome some days we log more than 6 miles in total. Yesterday we went to Cerro Santa Lucia, a hill in the middle of the city, which is also a municipal park. It was absolutely magnificent the view was impressionable. And after the rain had subsided, there was a huge rainbow stretching across the city. We also ran into our friends from the group, Pavi & Davis. What a nice surprise that in a completely different part of the world, it an area that is comprised of more that 4 million people, I am still able to see a familiar face or two. This is such a beautiful world we live in. I can't wait to see more of the museums and places this country has to offer. I promise to be better about updating and I honestly can't wait for classes and such to start. This is the beginning of something very special.