When September ends...

and October is about to end as well, I finally find my time to write to you again. The truth is that I have totally forgotten about my blog, and when I from time to another think about writing I don't know what to write. Or I simply don't feel like writing. But here I am again, writing to you all, about some of my experiences during the last month. Enjoy, I've already enjoyed it!

¡Felices Fiestas Patrias! ¡Feliz 18 Septiembre!

The whole week was used to celebrate Chile with traditional dance, food and music. And of course we ate a lot of empanadas! I went to a show at the school where mamá works to watch a show of youths dancing cueca, the national dance of Chile. I have started to take classes in cueca with some friends, and yes, I find it entertaining (even though I prefer salsa). But serously, who would have imagened that I ever would be dancing? Well, you can't live in the south of America without dancing. At least I can't - and I love it!
Some cute children wearing the chilean national costume in the parade the 17th of September. Chileans really are patriots, and than especially when it comes to football. Everyone watches the matches, and when Chile won 4-2 against Colombia (which means that Chile is going to play in the world championship in South Africa) Chile got crazy. The streets was like a huge party, with a lot of people, flags and music. ¡Viva Chile!
To be honest, I feel a bit blond... Obviously it isn't that usual to be blond down here, as you probably have noticed, which makes me feel even blonder. And when I (sometimes) need things explained over and over again to understand, I seem to be blonder than blond. However, this is me parading for my school Liceo Galvarino Riveros Cárdenas. Well, it rained... A lot! As it usually does here in Chiloé.


Primera Orientación con AFS, Valdivia, 25. - 27. September

I went to a orientation in Valdivia to meet all the AFS exchange students that lives in the south of Chile. This also was the first time I left the island since I arrived in the beginning of August. It was good to be able to speak with others in the same situation as myself. A funny thing is that we all spoke more or less Spanish, and not in English, as we did when we met in Santiago. All the orientation meetings were in Spanish, but I understood absolutely everything. That's weird!? And most of all promising.
Last time I blogged, I wrote that it was difficult to write in anything but Spanish. Well, that's like more than a month ago. So can you imagen how hard it is now. Qué pasó con inglés y noruego? No entiendo porque es tan dificil... Y todavía el español, o en verdad es chileno, no es perfecto. Entonces hablo como tres idiomas, pero hablo mal en todos. Jajaja.. (If you don't speak Spanish, you may use google translate. Apparently I speak Spanish, so I don't use that kind of things anymore haha! Seriously.)
Sunday the whole gang went on sightseeing in Valdvia, and the weather was brilliant! Sun, sun and more sun. We walked to the river, the marked and a "chocolateria". Anything related to chocolate is awesome, or what? But I miss norwegian chocolate, it's one of a kind. Do you want to send me a couple of kiloes? The inspector at my school wants to taste some.
Zoe (Zwitzerland), Noora (Finland), me (Norway!) and Marta (Italia). That's another really great part about this experience; I get to know fantastic people from all over the world. Having friends in every part can come in handy. By the way was Valdivia a really beautiful city!
And that's the rest of Chile aswell, so beautiful! At least the part of Chile that I know; Chiloé (you can see photos from Chiloé here). This photo is taken on the way back home from the AFS orientation in Valdivia, an 8 hours bus trip. Yeah, I slept most of the way..
Recognizes this photo? The same three teenagers at the same ferry, crossing the see from Puerto Montt to Chiloé. But 2 months after the first photo was taken. Last time we were only speaking English to each other, now it's nothing but Spanish (or actually, it's Chilean). The first to months passed so quickly, but we have learned and experienced so many new things.

La Caminata Jovenil Diocesana 2009, Chonchi - Castro, 3. October

"La caminata" is a pilgrim walk that is arranged once a year for catholic youths in Chiloé, but everyone that want to, may participate. Children, youths, parents and grandparents. There are different routs, but they all end in Castro. My friends and I walked 24 km from Chonchi (that's where I live) to Castro, where all the groups from the different parts of Chiloé, celebrated the mass together.
My sister Viviana and I. Both my sisters, Vivi and Tania, are adorable girls. Not a day goes by without a laugh, we can laugh until we're laying on the floor. In fact, whole my host family is pretty fantastic.
We walked and walked and walked. We sang and we laughed. I got to know great persons and the wonderful nature of Chiloé, it's almost like Norway - no offence norwegian patriots. And what a surprise; it did not rain! At all! Amazing, right? Oh, what a beautiful day.
When we finally reached La Plaza in Castro, after more or less 7 hours (apearently we walked REALLY slowly, having in mind that we drive the same distance every day, using about 20 minutes), my feet were quite dead. I'm not sure if I'll ever do it again, at least not voluntarily. But it was SO worth it, a great experience with both old and new friends.

All in all, things are still going just fine down here at the end of the world; Chiloé. I'm exploring. I'm dreaming. I'm discovering.