Home Sweet Home

So I finally decided to post some pictures of the ILAC center...better late than never!!

La Comedor (we eat here)
Las Casitas! ("little houses" ...this is where Dad, Grandma, and Aunt Pauline will be staying in February!!)

The track (I run here)

Track again. Muy bonita!

Courtyard (our rooms are directly center here)

La Biblioteca (Library)

ILAC Lobby

Stairs to my room

View from the hallway outside my room

My room

Lessons Learned

Number One: I have discovered the perfect place to keep my flashlight... in the bathroom. Every time the power goes out (which is at least once a day) I seem to be in the shower. Number Two: I now have no less than eighty-six mosquito bites on various parts of my body. Therefore, bug spray has become my new perfume. and Number Three: Don't wear black clothing while playing baseball in 80 degree weather. Children have laughed at my stupidity. What an education I am getting down here :)

I Feel the Earth Move

A bit of excitement here today...we experienced an earthquake! I have never been in a situation quite like this before (not counting the minor earthquake we had in STL at four in the morning, when I thought my dad was jackhammering in the basement...but that's another story). It was about six p.m. our time, and we had just finished spanish class on top of a busy and exhausting day. It was pretty quiet, and my roommates and I were doing some homework. We all thought we were going crazy when we felt the floor beneath us shaking, and looked out the window and realized that the building was swaying! Needless to say, we were freaked out. We ran downstairs, where everyone else was heading, and had to stand in the library doorframe until it passed. The whole episode lasted no longer than a minute, but it was a little scary because light fixtures were shaking and everything! What an eventful day!! We played with cute children at a soup kitchen called Caritas and learned how to dance in Spanish class. Very fun :) I'd love to write more, but we are going to Santiago tonight to celebrate Peter's birthday. Hasta luego!

So It Begins

Well, we've been here for two days, but it feels like much longer! I'm already in love with this place. We arrived late Saturday night (with the exception of two, who were delayed in Chicago and had to fly to Santo Domingo! They arrived around 4:30 the next morning...) and after unpacking and settling in, we explored the ILAC center. It is absolutely gorgeous!! Lots of open space, a chapel, room for eating, and our rooms are right upstairs.

Let's see, some things that are different from the states...well, we don't have snow, that's for sure! :) It is SO humid here...my hair is SUPER curly, even more so than usual. And very frizzy!!!! The food is also different, but good...pineapple at every meal (YUM!), and usually some kind of meat and rice. Also, we sleep with mosquito nets! It has been weird to get used to, but fun. The night time activity is really loud surrounding the center, with music blasting, dogs barking, cars tearing down the roads and people shouting.

We are actually living in Licey (pronounced lee-say) al Medio, which is outside of Santiago, so yesterday we went to the monument in Santiago and explored some of the shops. I made my first purchase with pesos (strawberry frozen yogurt) and was terrified to speak in Spanish...all I could muster was "Fresca, por favor" and "gracias"! That's something I definitely need to work on :)

That's all for now!

Kate