one month special

Well, yesterday marked the end of my first month in Chile. Things are really starting to pick up. I have so much to write about from this last week that I don't even know where to start. OK, first, the one month recap/realization part:

• Two positions at Language Institutes have been lined up and I've started classes at one so far, classes at the other start on March 29th (if they don't change their class schedule again). I've figured out that if I work 11 hours per week, I'll be able to cover rent and most of my food. I've got 10 hours/week lined up so far and more to come. Things are looking good.
• I don't mind eating meat anymore, and I'm actually starting to like it (except beef... I still find it kind of gross). That's strange, huh? I've also started eating AT LEAST one avocado per day, and that makes me very happy.
  
• My Spanish has improved a lot over the past month. All of a sudden, I feel comfortable walking into a bus station by myself or starting up a conversation with someone on the street. Ugh, it feels really nice. I was so worried that I would never be able to function on my own, but it looks like that wont be the case.
  
• I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but the value of the dollar seems to be dropping at an alarming rate. Check out this graph of the value of the US dollar to the Chilean Peso over the past year. Even more importantly, check out the dive it took over the last month! The upside to this is that now I am starting to earn Chilean Pesos, so every time the dollar slips closer to uselessness, my salary has a comparatively higher spending power in the U.S. I guess this only matters if I manage to save any money, but it still feels nice.
  

I started classes last week and so far they are going very well. Teaching business English is something that I never thought I would do/have any interest in/enjoy, but I think I am really going to like it. Its interesting to work in the private sector for a change. In this job I get to work with a mechanical engineer and a plastics salesman and a restaurant entrepreneur, all of whom need English for their jobs. I have a great opportunity to learn so much about such a variety of topics. It's fabulous. On March 29th I start a 4 hour Saturday morning class with teenagers. That might not be so fabulous... or maybe it will.

I went to Santiago this past Friday with only friend, then on Saturday I met up with Jenn, one of my former house mates from Vermont and favorite people in the universe. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so there are no pictures until I get my hands on the ones taken when I stole only friend's camera or until Jenn e-mails me some of hers (hint hint).

Only friend and I had a wonderful time eating in fantastic restaurants (who would have thought that Mexican Mediterranean fusion could be so good?), shopping for second hand clothes, delving into the mysteries of Catholicism, and feeling out of place in a metal bar.

Jenn and I walked around the town, caught an incredible glimpse of the city from atop Cerro Santa Lucia, and got to giggle and eat ice cream with her incredible friend Michaela. Jenn was visiting Santiago with Ms. Michaela and her mother, who often travel across the world from New York to Santiago to provide 11 year old Michaela with the best physical therapy they could find for her cerebral palsy. I felt extremely honored to be included in this trip, and humbled while watching Michaela struggle with her whole body in a speech therapy session just to say the word "I." Its clear that she is a very smart and hardworking girl and I wish her the best of luck. Overall, it was a great trip that I'll always remember.

Besos,
Allie