¡UPDATE!

pues... what have I been up to? many things.... Last Saturday I went to the Isla de Maipo (which is not an island) for the festival of Vendimia- a wine festival, with my 'chilean amassador,' Tania, and our group from the program. It was really fun. Chile is well-known for its excellent wines- and I got to keep my wine glass. I saw grape stomping and Chile's national dance, cueca. We shared a delicious cheese plate and lots of yummy artisenal chocolates. Especially Alfajores- which are these layerered cookies with Manjar, covered in chocolate. Manjar is the chilean thing- its kind of like dulce de leche/caramel. they put it on everything. I don't really like red wine, which is supposed to be better than the white here- but that's ok. I just drank white anyway:)

I also helped bake cookies for this international student event at La Católica yesterday. Every country with exchange students had a table, and cooked food and stuff. We made a lot of stuff with pnut butter. and cookies with m&ms. and Mary from Alabama (a new friend), made sweet tea. We didn't have any cups so everyone just took swigs from the bottles. it was very nice.

I'm going to Cinehoyt this afternoon to see a chilean movie and then to see jazz with people from my program. so that should be fun. Tomorrow, Tania (ambajadora) organized a bbq (called an 'asado'- very popular here) in this park on a hill, for our little group.

On the downside, I have a scary test coming up in Conflicto Armado this Thursday. We had a study session with our Ayudantes yesterday (they are like our class T.A.s). And I have my first paper for my joke class, Imagen de Chile, due April 29. That's right after our trip to Pucón. I can't decide if I'm going to climb the volcano. I want to ride horses instead.

Also, I decided I'm not going to Israel this summer. The program didn't really work out and I think I'd rather be home for a month. Maybe work? money = useful/I will need after this trip.