I'm in Chile!!

What a weekend! I can’t believe I’m here. It feels so surreal and unlike anything I’ve felt.  I feel so lost and helpless in a foreign country where I can barely buy groceries to feed myself.  

PS: I am spending 10 weeks in Santiago Chile through MIT Chile, an all expense paid internship program, where I will be researching educational technology at Pontifica Universidad de Chile.

Pictures to come (I forgot the cord at home, so tomorrow I'll update)

Few things I will bullet point:

1. Meryl and I have a washing machine in our bathroom! So weird, and we will dry our clothes outside, so more to come on that later haha.
2. I am going to be feeding myself 3 meals a day for 10 weeks.  I never really thought about it, but it’s weird being an adult now!  There’s no dining plan, or mom, or stocked pantry.  We bought groceries Saturday and had think about what we were going to eat for dinner.  So far in the fridge we have eggs, yogurt, and cereal.  Last night, Meryl and I cooked spaghetti and spinach, quite the meal I may say.
3. My Spanish is, well, rough haha! I thought I would be better off, but these Chileans speak so fast.  Many I times I just smile and say "si" and "ciao" (goodbye, it's really cute).  Hopefully I'll get the hang of it, ha!
4. I take little things for granted. Paper towels, mom, google maps, iPhones, wi fi
5. Our wifi doesn’t work in our apartment supposedly because of a recent storm, but a technician is coming today to fix it, so hopefully that will be up and running! However, our apartment is super cute and the view is incredible (pictures to come).
6. I’m feeling kind of homesick at times.  I miss my family, my friends, and the sense of comfort.  We did, however, get to walk around Santiago Saturday with some people I will be working with this summer (Daniela and Kristina, SO NICE).  It was so nice of them to pick us up from the airport, take us out to lunch, and run errands with us (getting a cheap phone, buying a “Bip” – a bus/train pass—and taking us out to get a few groceries so we can survive these next few days). Sunday, Meryl and I explored quite a bit, and I feel like I have a better grasp of where I am and what's around us.



My "tarjeta bip" card (bus/train pass), prepaid cell phone, keys to apartment/office

7. I am at the Engineering building at Pontifica Universidad de Chile ready for my first day of work! I took the train all by myself and made it here -- with nothing stolen, yay!-- without any problems.  Not sure what's in store today, but should be a fun 10 weeks.

My office (I have keys and everything like a real person..)

The hallway of my building

Yes I took a selfie... My first day of work!

More to come later (lots of pictures of our apartment, view, etc). Thanks for reading! Can't believe I'm here, such a surreal feeling.

Ciao ;)
Eann