Hola Everyone! Well whats up? Not much here. Just sitting in my room listening to Love Song Meets Viva La Vida. Love that song. Listen to it while you read the rest of this here!
So the other day in class I was thinking. Well not thinking about class but still thinking! And I was thinking that I'm about six+ years away from my physical prime but how far away am I from my mental prime?!?! So I went out and scowered the internet looking for some answers and I have yet to find what i'm looking for. But no so I am creating a list of skills I want to acquire in my life time so I can keep that thing between my ears working like a well oiled machine. Here are some of them:
Chess - Master Level
Piano - Debussy Clair de Lune
Guitar - Just want to Jam
Math - Solve most partial differential equations
Spanish - Fluent
Chinese - Fluent
English - Larger Vocabulary
Hindi - General Knowledge
Reading - 500+ wpm with 80% comprehension
Dancing - Traditional world Dances (Waltz, Tango, Salsa, etc...)
Reading - 20 books a year (would love to do 52 a year)
Programming - Oh lord it's gonna be my life one day
Thats all I have right now for skills I want to aquire. I really had a hard time not putting stuff like sailing, and sky diving, and all that kind of stuff I want to do. Ok well I kind of have sugar headache from all the candy my parents sent me for my birthday. I love CANDY! And now I just ate the rest of my birthday torta! Yeah I'm gonna be sick. Ok well till next time have fun.
Love This Song
Stra10
Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Friday Night Update
Hello My Audience of 3! I say 3 only because I have 3 followers. I know more than 3 of you read this or at least I hope more than 3 people do. But lets see what i've done since we last....
And 3 days later.....i start to finish this once again!
I am just forcing my self to sit down and pound these keys! You would think that this would be easy but it isn't. I have all the time in the world right now to do whatever I want but I have the hardest time finding time to do anything. Blame it on my scatter brain.
Since the last we talked I have traveled to the Atacama Desert, battle a serious episode of diarrhea (Peptibismol does not work) and yesterday I turned 24! Woohooo for getting old. Actually I am not old yet and probably never will be.
My Spanish is improving. Imagine that! However the better it gets the more I find I can't say. It's a never ending viscous circle. Talking with the Chileans is what is making it improve the most. Speaking spanish with another gringos I find is more of a "Hey look my Spanish is better than yours talent show!" Not everyone is like that but for the majority I think it holds true. I have just found that the Chileans are more willing to help you say something correctly than just tell you how you said it wrong. But it makes sense, there is more reward for a Chilean if they take their time to teach you something because then they also get to practice their English. But anyway.....
I got one month of classes left and then two weeks in Patagonia. I have a lot of stuff to buy for my backpacking trip. It's ok. It will be worth it. The weather here has been so nice. Like today it was 81 degrees without a cloud in the sky. So when there is such nice weather I go for a run. I have ran 3 days in a row now. And if I ran here in a bit that will be 4 days in a row. And if I run 5 days in a row that will be a record for running consecutively in Chile for me. And I plan on running leadville....psssh!
Alright well I'm gonna get off here and head off for a run. But look out on youtube for a new video within the week and I'll upload my pictures from the Atacama and the soccer game tomorrow night. Until next time.....
Enjoy
Stra10
And 3 days later.....i start to finish this once again!
I am just forcing my self to sit down and pound these keys! You would think that this would be easy but it isn't. I have all the time in the world right now to do whatever I want but I have the hardest time finding time to do anything. Blame it on my scatter brain.
Since the last we talked I have traveled to the Atacama Desert, battle a serious episode of diarrhea (Peptibismol does not work) and yesterday I turned 24! Woohooo for getting old. Actually I am not old yet and probably never will be.
My Spanish is improving. Imagine that! However the better it gets the more I find I can't say. It's a never ending viscous circle. Talking with the Chileans is what is making it improve the most. Speaking spanish with another gringos I find is more of a "Hey look my Spanish is better than yours talent show!" Not everyone is like that but for the majority I think it holds true. I have just found that the Chileans are more willing to help you say something correctly than just tell you how you said it wrong. But it makes sense, there is more reward for a Chilean if they take their time to teach you something because then they also get to practice their English. But anyway.....
I got one month of classes left and then two weeks in Patagonia. I have a lot of stuff to buy for my backpacking trip. It's ok. It will be worth it. The weather here has been so nice. Like today it was 81 degrees without a cloud in the sky. So when there is such nice weather I go for a run. I have ran 3 days in a row now. And if I ran here in a bit that will be 4 days in a row. And if I run 5 days in a row that will be a record for running consecutively in Chile for me. And I plan on running leadville....psssh!
Alright well I'm gonna get off here and head off for a run. But look out on youtube for a new video within the week and I'll upload my pictures from the Atacama and the soccer game tomorrow night. Until next time.....
Enjoy
Stra10
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Internet is Time Consuming
I'm just slightly annoyed with the internet right now. I feel like all I do is a bunch of nothing with it. I didn't update on Friday because i was at a secluded beach called "Laguna Verde las Docas" out in the middle of nowhere Chile! It was amazing.
I have made a lot of plans since the last time I updated. This coming Thursday I am headed to the Atacama desert up north. The Atacama is one of the driest deserts in the world. Google that stuff. I'm headed up there for 6 days. I don't know if I'll have internet so it might be another week without a Friday Night Update! I promise I'll make up for missing them somehow.
On Wednesday I'm going to watch Chile vs. Ecuador. This past Saturday Chile beat Columbia to qualifies for the Soccer World Cup. All of Chile celebrated like it was a new year after they qualified. I have never seen such a site after a sporting event. I really think that how much the people of Chile are into soccer is bad for their health. If they would have lost depression would have fell upon this nation like a dark and pungent cold. It's the first time Chile is making it in the last 8 years. The World Cup is only held every 4 years just like the Olympics. Some statistics say that more people watch the World Cup than the Olympics. I doubt it.
Oh and at the end of my study abroad trip I am head to the Patagonia for two weeks. Going there with 3 other friends we are going to hike on glaciers, capture penguins, and swim with wild Orkas (killer whales). I need to buy a sleeping bag and a backpack for the trip. So anyone that knows a little something about backpacking in the wild should give me suggestions. I need something cheap! I was looking at the Osprey backpacks.
Ok I feel like I am full of just ramble. These are the photos from the beach trip this weekend.
And here are the photos from the Independence of Chile!
Here are the pictures my Chilean mom took of me running in a 10k!
I'd take these stairs!
Stra10
I have made a lot of plans since the last time I updated. This coming Thursday I am headed to the Atacama desert up north. The Atacama is one of the driest deserts in the world. Google that stuff. I'm headed up there for 6 days. I don't know if I'll have internet so it might be another week without a Friday Night Update! I promise I'll make up for missing them somehow.
On Wednesday I'm going to watch Chile vs. Ecuador. This past Saturday Chile beat Columbia to qualifies for the Soccer World Cup. All of Chile celebrated like it was a new year after they qualified. I have never seen such a site after a sporting event. I really think that how much the people of Chile are into soccer is bad for their health. If they would have lost depression would have fell upon this nation like a dark and pungent cold. It's the first time Chile is making it in the last 8 years. The World Cup is only held every 4 years just like the Olympics. Some statistics say that more people watch the World Cup than the Olympics. I doubt it.
Oh and at the end of my study abroad trip I am head to the Patagonia for two weeks. Going there with 3 other friends we are going to hike on glaciers, capture penguins, and swim with wild Orkas (killer whales). I need to buy a sleeping bag and a backpack for the trip. So anyone that knows a little something about backpacking in the wild should give me suggestions. I need something cheap! I was looking at the Osprey backpacks.
Ok I feel like I am full of just ramble. These are the photos from the beach trip this weekend.
And here are the photos from the Independence of Chile!
Here are the pictures my Chilean mom took of me running in a 10k!
I'd take these stairs!
Stra10
Friday, October 2, 2009
Friday Night Update!
Hola Chicos! This is Friday, October 2nd 2009! And well today I spent the day out in the country side visiting vineyards! It was fantastic being where they make some of the greatest wines in the world. Also the weather was perfect. I'd say like mid 70's with lots of sun. The day was just perfect and easy going and laid back and I might have been a tad drunk.... I couldn't have asked for anything better! It was my friends' Tucker 21st and what better way to spend it in a foreign country tastings some of the most expensive wines with four friends!
We went to two vineyards! The first was Emiliana. Emiliana is an all organic vineyard. Now typically I'm pretty skeptical of places and things that say they are all organic. I didn't search every nook and granny but i'm going to go out on a limb and say they are legit. From what I understood they are the only vineyard in Chile that is certified organic. And by organic they mean they use animal manure, no pesticides, and no additives like nitrates and such to give the wine a better taste or color. I really could taste the difference even in the cheap $5 dollar bottle I split with a friend. We probably spent a good three or more hours here. We first went on a tour of their vineyards. I found it very interesting that aisle of grape vines running east to west are the ones for white wine. And the ones running north to south are for red wines. It makes sense after you think about it but I would have never guessed. Guess I could never be a wine-o. We also got to see their fertilizing machines! A herd of alpacas. They look like lamas... I would say they were just lamas but our tour guide insisted they were alpacas. I'm calling them lamas. We saw a herd of lamas! Then we had a lesson on how to be professional wine tasters. Our tour guide and his counter part were amazing. Super friendly and their english was really good but we had them speak Spanish for the most part. And then we had lunch on the patio in the sun in the foot hills of the andes mountains and talked about life, love and everything! Yes there was a girl with us! Buy anyway their website is here! The best wine they have however you can't buy in the US. Which just means you have to come to Chile now! It's worth it I promise.
The second vineyard we casually strolled two under a canopy of blue after a bottle wine and a lunch of pan, queseo, y palta was Veramonte. Veramonte seemed to be a lot bigger vineyard. The wine house was huge and the atmosphere was a tad bit more business like. However, the lady that served us our wine was very sweet. I wanted her to be my friend in real life. The wine here wasn't my favorite but they did have an incredible white wine. We later found out that it is world renowned or so she said but I believe her. We didn't go on a tour of this vinyard but I'm kind of glad because it looked like it could be a long tour. I'm kind of bummed now that we didn't get to see the wine cellars at either place but oh well that just means I have to go back! We got to pick four wines to try for four dollars. God that really is a deal! But at the end of those four glasses of wine I was ready for a nap! We even contemplated it outside underneith in the shade of a tree. But we didn't. The website for Vernamonte is here!
The trip home was a tab bit difficult but fun. We had to stand on the side of the road and hitch hike for a bus! Sound dangerous doesn't it? Doesn't it! Well it was! Actually it wasn't. Not unless you think speeding buses are dangerous. I don't! It took us almost a good hour to flag down a bus that had five open seats for us. Finally we got a ride on a double decker with First Class airliner seates! It was the greatest bus ride of my life. In Chile tour buses (ex. greyhounds) have free wifi on them! Why doesn't the US have that? Come on! If the US did have that they'd charge for it too. Mc Donalds here has free wifi! Whats up with that? Anyway it was a wonderful Friday. And tomorrow I get to go sand boarding! It's like snowboarding but in the sand. And then on Sunday I am running in a 10k. If I can break 33 minutes I'll be in the running for the win. But i'm not gonna lie I am really out of shape. But now it's time to go out on the town. I hope you all have had a wonderful week and have an amazing weekend. I'll try to make a video this weekend of the trip to the vineyard. But here are the photos.
Perfect Video for Tonight!
Stra10
We went to two vineyards! The first was Emiliana. Emiliana is an all organic vineyard. Now typically I'm pretty skeptical of places and things that say they are all organic. I didn't search every nook and granny but i'm going to go out on a limb and say they are legit. From what I understood they are the only vineyard in Chile that is certified organic. And by organic they mean they use animal manure, no pesticides, and no additives like nitrates and such to give the wine a better taste or color. I really could taste the difference even in the cheap $5 dollar bottle I split with a friend. We probably spent a good three or more hours here. We first went on a tour of their vineyards. I found it very interesting that aisle of grape vines running east to west are the ones for white wine. And the ones running north to south are for red wines. It makes sense after you think about it but I would have never guessed. Guess I could never be a wine-o. We also got to see their fertilizing machines! A herd of alpacas. They look like lamas... I would say they were just lamas but our tour guide insisted they were alpacas. I'm calling them lamas. We saw a herd of lamas! Then we had a lesson on how to be professional wine tasters. Our tour guide and his counter part were amazing. Super friendly and their english was really good but we had them speak Spanish for the most part. And then we had lunch on the patio in the sun in the foot hills of the andes mountains and talked about life, love and everything! Yes there was a girl with us! Buy anyway their website is here! The best wine they have however you can't buy in the US. Which just means you have to come to Chile now! It's worth it I promise.
The second vineyard we casually strolled two under a canopy of blue after a bottle wine and a lunch of pan, queseo, y palta was Veramonte. Veramonte seemed to be a lot bigger vineyard. The wine house was huge and the atmosphere was a tad bit more business like. However, the lady that served us our wine was very sweet. I wanted her to be my friend in real life. The wine here wasn't my favorite but they did have an incredible white wine. We later found out that it is world renowned or so she said but I believe her. We didn't go on a tour of this vinyard but I'm kind of glad because it looked like it could be a long tour. I'm kind of bummed now that we didn't get to see the wine cellars at either place but oh well that just means I have to go back! We got to pick four wines to try for four dollars. God that really is a deal! But at the end of those four glasses of wine I was ready for a nap! We even contemplated it outside underneith in the shade of a tree. But we didn't. The website for Vernamonte is here!
The trip home was a tab bit difficult but fun. We had to stand on the side of the road and hitch hike for a bus! Sound dangerous doesn't it? Doesn't it! Well it was! Actually it wasn't. Not unless you think speeding buses are dangerous. I don't! It took us almost a good hour to flag down a bus that had five open seats for us. Finally we got a ride on a double decker with First Class airliner seates! It was the greatest bus ride of my life. In Chile tour buses (ex. greyhounds) have free wifi on them! Why doesn't the US have that? Come on! If the US did have that they'd charge for it too. Mc Donalds here has free wifi! Whats up with that? Anyway it was a wonderful Friday. And tomorrow I get to go sand boarding! It's like snowboarding but in the sand. And then on Sunday I am running in a 10k. If I can break 33 minutes I'll be in the running for the win. But i'm not gonna lie I am really out of shape. But now it's time to go out on the town. I hope you all have had a wonderful week and have an amazing weekend. I'll try to make a video this weekend of the trip to the vineyard. But here are the photos.
Perfect Video for Tonight!
Stra10
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
End Up September....Yey
Alright, so in 10 minutes it will be October and I have to post this before then! LoL Actually I’m going to cheat a little I hope you all don't mind! Time has been flying. My life is flying by but I’m faster! Next month I’ll be 24 years old! That is crazy to think.....Just the other day I remember when I got my driving learns permit in Morgantown, WV because my sister was in a hospital! And that was 9 years ago. :( I have so much more I want to do with my life that I don't think I will get it all in with just one lifetime. But heck I’m going to try.
Chile has been amazing. I really love every moment down here and I'm already sad about having to go home. But maybe I can find some kind of excuse to come back. If I do not get to come back to Chile I at least want to go somewhere else in South America. After that I need to make it across the ocean. I was reading up on the situation in the Philippines and I think in December or January I’m going to try to go over there and volunteer for a month. I've always wanted to go do relief work for a place that was hit by a natural disaster. I know that’s a horrible thing to want to do but then again there is always natural disaster. And right now I’m scared of natural disasters for some reason so I need to confront my fears.
I just noticed I never went back and corrected some of my other blog post. I should get my dad to do that. He's really good at proof reading and stuff like that. I certainly didn't get that skill from him and it's defiantly one that I am not going to work on. With things like spell check and F7 I am set for life. However, you don't ever want to get something from me that was hand written. You wouldn't be able to decipher that jumble of letters I like to call writing. I've decided I’m going to start playing music more/again. I use to play a lot in high school and I wasn't good but I wasn't terrible! (Like the way I worded that) I have some of the best teachers and people to learn from in my life and I really need to take advantage of that. I love music and the always have so now it’s time..... (ahhhh got to post this)
See look cheating! I posted before midnight and now this post is in the month of September! But I did just notice that the time that the post says it was posted is like 3 hours off. That is retarded and makes me sad.
Most things in Chile I find I can accept. I'm in a different country. The culture is different. Their norms are different. People are different. Bluh Bluh Bluh right! But today I had to go to a bank to deposit money into an account that is setup for a road race this coming weekend. After that I then had to go online to register for the race and hope that registration was still open. Talk about being a pain....do they not have paypal? That was fine; I was able to deal with that. What really got me flustered was the bank! Now I’ve walked by a few banks and always noticed that the lines are usually kind of long but never really thought much of it. I just figured a lot of people banking today. No! I would never bank in Chile!
It went like this. I walk in and get stopped by the security officer that was an extreme prick. I think mainly because I was American. Next there were 3 lines and 4 windows! One line was for the general public with one window. One line was for clients of the bank with two windows. And another line was for professional transactions with the last window. At first I was like wow what a good idea. Then 45 minutes later when I was still standing in line I felt like cursing! At Everyone! In the 55 minutes I spent inside only 3 people were helped by the professional transaction window. Around 10 minutes into wait a lady in the general public line thought she should open a bank account. General public window helped her until I left. The first window for clients of the bank window started taking general public people after 35 minutes. Maybe some of you don't see my complaint... Why are they dividing up the incoming clients? The people who had to wait the longest were the ones that were actual clients of the bank. In general most people that don't have an account with them won't actually come to that bank to do a transaction. Why are the people doing professional transactions more important and can just waltz right up to a window that hasn't helped anyone in the last ten minutes. It might be convenient for that client but you are wasting your money with that employee. Stupid! And when can someone open a bank account at a teller window? WTF There was 4 side offices with people in them doing only god knows what. Two of the offices look like they were meeting with customers. One was on the phone a lot and talked loud enough for us to hear him. And the last one stood by his office door talking with the jerk ball security officer.
How I would fix this! First I would have only one line! All teller windows are equal. If you’re opening an account you go to the office that has the moron talking to the security officer. If you need "professional transactions" you go to the person that talked too much on his phone. I am sure he can help you! First in is First out. Maybe I'm wrong but it was extremely annoying. Cuando en Chile! Viva Chile!
One more thing I cannot come to stand is that the Micro buses pull up as close as possible to the Micro bus in front of them to let someone off. But then when they want to get around the bus in front they honk their horn constantly. While not stop five feet from the Micro in front. And then when you want to pull around you don't have to honk your horn like a complete lunatic. Just Saying....Think About It!
Ok that is my end of the month rant! This coming Friday I’m going wine tasting for my friend’s birthday. I'll be drunk! I am going to try to make a video but it might turn out bad. October has a lot of birthdays... If you do a little subtraction we all know what our parents were doing for February! Yeah February! LoL Thanks Dad! Thanks Mom!
I'm off to bed. In the morning I have to go to a volunteer thing for little kids! Yey But before that I want to get a run in. So I'll be talking to you all in two days.
Hope you have a good rest of the week.
Check this Video Out!
She's either cute or a good singer! Maybe both!
Stra10
Chile has been amazing. I really love every moment down here and I'm already sad about having to go home. But maybe I can find some kind of excuse to come back. If I do not get to come back to Chile I at least want to go somewhere else in South America. After that I need to make it across the ocean. I was reading up on the situation in the Philippines and I think in December or January I’m going to try to go over there and volunteer for a month. I've always wanted to go do relief work for a place that was hit by a natural disaster. I know that’s a horrible thing to want to do but then again there is always natural disaster. And right now I’m scared of natural disasters for some reason so I need to confront my fears.
I just noticed I never went back and corrected some of my other blog post. I should get my dad to do that. He's really good at proof reading and stuff like that. I certainly didn't get that skill from him and it's defiantly one that I am not going to work on. With things like spell check and F7 I am set for life. However, you don't ever want to get something from me that was hand written. You wouldn't be able to decipher that jumble of letters I like to call writing. I've decided I’m going to start playing music more/again. I use to play a lot in high school and I wasn't good but I wasn't terrible! (Like the way I worded that) I have some of the best teachers and people to learn from in my life and I really need to take advantage of that. I love music and the always have so now it’s time..... (ahhhh got to post this)
See look cheating! I posted before midnight and now this post is in the month of September! But I did just notice that the time that the post says it was posted is like 3 hours off. That is retarded and makes me sad.
Most things in Chile I find I can accept. I'm in a different country. The culture is different. Their norms are different. People are different. Bluh Bluh Bluh right! But today I had to go to a bank to deposit money into an account that is setup for a road race this coming weekend. After that I then had to go online to register for the race and hope that registration was still open. Talk about being a pain....do they not have paypal? That was fine; I was able to deal with that. What really got me flustered was the bank! Now I’ve walked by a few banks and always noticed that the lines are usually kind of long but never really thought much of it. I just figured a lot of people banking today. No! I would never bank in Chile!
It went like this. I walk in and get stopped by the security officer that was an extreme prick. I think mainly because I was American. Next there were 3 lines and 4 windows! One line was for the general public with one window. One line was for clients of the bank with two windows. And another line was for professional transactions with the last window. At first I was like wow what a good idea. Then 45 minutes later when I was still standing in line I felt like cursing! At Everyone! In the 55 minutes I spent inside only 3 people were helped by the professional transaction window. Around 10 minutes into wait a lady in the general public line thought she should open a bank account. General public window helped her until I left. The first window for clients of the bank window started taking general public people after 35 minutes. Maybe some of you don't see my complaint... Why are they dividing up the incoming clients? The people who had to wait the longest were the ones that were actual clients of the bank. In general most people that don't have an account with them won't actually come to that bank to do a transaction. Why are the people doing professional transactions more important and can just waltz right up to a window that hasn't helped anyone in the last ten minutes. It might be convenient for that client but you are wasting your money with that employee. Stupid! And when can someone open a bank account at a teller window? WTF There was 4 side offices with people in them doing only god knows what. Two of the offices look like they were meeting with customers. One was on the phone a lot and talked loud enough for us to hear him. And the last one stood by his office door talking with the jerk ball security officer.
How I would fix this! First I would have only one line! All teller windows are equal. If you’re opening an account you go to the office that has the moron talking to the security officer. If you need "professional transactions" you go to the person that talked too much on his phone. I am sure he can help you! First in is First out. Maybe I'm wrong but it was extremely annoying. Cuando en Chile! Viva Chile!
One more thing I cannot come to stand is that the Micro buses pull up as close as possible to the Micro bus in front of them to let someone off. But then when they want to get around the bus in front they honk their horn constantly. While not stop five feet from the Micro in front. And then when you want to pull around you don't have to honk your horn like a complete lunatic. Just Saying....Think About It!
Ok that is my end of the month rant! This coming Friday I’m going wine tasting for my friend’s birthday. I'll be drunk! I am going to try to make a video but it might turn out bad. October has a lot of birthdays... If you do a little subtraction we all know what our parents were doing for February! Yeah February! LoL Thanks Dad! Thanks Mom!
I'm off to bed. In the morning I have to go to a volunteer thing for little kids! Yey But before that I want to get a run in. So I'll be talking to you all in two days.
Hope you have a good rest of the week.
Check this Video Out!
She's either cute or a good singer! Maybe both!
Stra10
Saturday, September 26, 2009
60 Second List of Things I Like!
Running
Music
Social Media
Computers
Cell Phones
Taylor Swift
Reading
Guitar
Taking Pictures
Making Videos
Traveling
Cats
Pizza
Spanish
Venice Italy
Little Kids
Nice People
Good Conversation
Pointless Conversation
Michael Hardbarger
Challenges
Sleeping In
Waking Up Early
Fall
Snowboarding
Lasagna
Volunteering
That is all I could come up with in 60 seconds!.... I feel like I should have gotten more! Let me know how many things you can come up with that you like in 60 seconds!
Stra10
Music
Social Media
Computers
Cell Phones
Taylor Swift
Reading
Guitar
Taking Pictures
Making Videos
Traveling
Cats
Pizza
Spanish
Venice Italy
Little Kids
Nice People
Good Conversation
Pointless Conversation
Michael Hardbarger
Challenges
Sleeping In
Waking Up Early
Fall
Snowboarding
Lasagna
Volunteering
That is all I could come up with in 60 seconds!.... I feel like I should have gotten more! Let me know how many things you can come up with that you like in 60 seconds!
Stra10
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday Night Update
This might be super quick! I am waiting on a friend to give me a shout before we head out for some food and a night on the town. I think we are gonna got some Chinese food! LoL I find it funny that the Chinese people here speak Spanish. I always feel like they should speak broken English. But I love the food so I'm not complaining. I've had two productive days of studying! Wooohooo... I mean I should probably be saying i've had two productive months of studying but that just isn't the case.
Right this second I'm drinking this coffee/milk/chocolate thing that my host family loves. And well I absolutely love it but it gives me such a headache it's not funny. I'm not sure if it's because the amount of sugar in it or the chemicals that make it taste so damn good but I think i'm addicted. I'm gonna have to smuggle some of this stuff into the United States. I hope they don't catch me running across the border.
Anyway it looks like the Chinese was scraped and now it's gonna be pizza time! I love that when I chat with people online I imagine that I am actually hearing them talk to me! Is that weird? Let me know!
Stra10
PS: I'll try to make it longer next time! (ha thats what she said)
Right this second I'm drinking this coffee/milk/chocolate thing that my host family loves. And well I absolutely love it but it gives me such a headache it's not funny. I'm not sure if it's because the amount of sugar in it or the chemicals that make it taste so damn good but I think i'm addicted. I'm gonna have to smuggle some of this stuff into the United States. I hope they don't catch me running across the border.
Anyway it looks like the Chinese was scraped and now it's gonna be pizza time! I love that when I chat with people online I imagine that I am actually hearing them talk to me! Is that weird? Let me know!
Stra10
PS: I'll try to make it longer next time! (ha thats what she said)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Two Months Down Under
Well it's been two months since I left the states for Chile and I must say that the time has been flying by. I'm gonna be back home before I know it. :( TEAR! I've started to love this place. The people. The culture. And even the food, sometimes!
Last week I didn't do a Friday Night Update because I was in Rancagua, Chile for the celebration of Fiestas Patrias which roughly means Patriotic Holidays. This is for the celebration of Chile's independence from Spain. I spent four days there with my one Chilean friend Christian and my friend Logan from Wisconsin. Christian took us to his grandmothers pension (spelled wrong) where I think about 14 other people live. The entire weekend/week was a blast. Christian and his friends took us to all kinds of things. We went to the national tennis match between Chile and Austria! Eight hours of tennis in a day is almost a little to much for me. They have these things called Fundas for their Fiestas Patrias which I would compare to a county fair but they have hundreds of them. Last week I went to 6 of them in total. They have food, dancing, rides, games, stores, and drinking! You could buy a triple shoot for 300 pesos. (roughly 60 cents) Talk about being a cheap drunk! Oh and I don't think they close and if they do they close sometime after 6am! In the four days I spent in Rancagua I slept at most 21 hours. The day was spent eating and meeting new people and the night (night = sometime after 1:30am) was spent drinking with them. The food I had over the last four days has been some of the best I've had since I have arrived here. We had steak, pork, chicken, hot dogs, sausage, fish, and other stuff I never got the name of. We also went horse back riding and spent the day in the country. The Andes mountains are amazing! Overall it was amazing and I kind of want to do it again.
I have a lot more I want to write but I have go home and study for a test tomorrow that I will probably fail. Thats me being optimistic too. It's ok though I've not been the most amazing student here. I blame myself! (i was gonna say facebook and the chilean culture....)
This weekend I'll upload photos and try to make some more post.
Chau,
Stra10
Last week I didn't do a Friday Night Update because I was in Rancagua, Chile for the celebration of Fiestas Patrias which roughly means Patriotic Holidays. This is for the celebration of Chile's independence from Spain. I spent four days there with my one Chilean friend Christian and my friend Logan from Wisconsin. Christian took us to his grandmothers pension (spelled wrong) where I think about 14 other people live. The entire weekend/week was a blast. Christian and his friends took us to all kinds of things. We went to the national tennis match between Chile and Austria! Eight hours of tennis in a day is almost a little to much for me. They have these things called Fundas for their Fiestas Patrias which I would compare to a county fair but they have hundreds of them. Last week I went to 6 of them in total. They have food, dancing, rides, games, stores, and drinking! You could buy a triple shoot for 300 pesos. (roughly 60 cents) Talk about being a cheap drunk! Oh and I don't think they close and if they do they close sometime after 6am! In the four days I spent in Rancagua I slept at most 21 hours. The day was spent eating and meeting new people and the night (night = sometime after 1:30am) was spent drinking with them. The food I had over the last four days has been some of the best I've had since I have arrived here. We had steak, pork, chicken, hot dogs, sausage, fish, and other stuff I never got the name of. We also went horse back riding and spent the day in the country. The Andes mountains are amazing! Overall it was amazing and I kind of want to do it again.
I have a lot more I want to write but I have go home and study for a test tomorrow that I will probably fail. Thats me being optimistic too. It's ok though I've not been the most amazing student here. I blame myself! (i was gonna say facebook and the chilean culture....)
This weekend I'll upload photos and try to make some more post.
Chau,
Stra10
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Friday Night Update (on Saturday)
Sorry I didn't do this yesterday! But I'm doing it now. Go ahead and enjoy. It has been a good week. I am 4 of 6 for waking up early this week. I consider that a success. I just hope tomorrow I pull it off one more time. The trick to waking up early is having something to do. Even if it's made up. Like on Wednesday I told myself I had to study for a quiz I was having in class. I don't suggest lying to yourself but I couldn't think of anything right so I had to. I should have a youtube video up of me getting up in the mornings tomorrow. Hopefully it's funny.
Right now i'm at a lose for things to write...
Last Monday I had my first day of English Volunteer teaching. It was different. Extremely different. The kids were outrageously loud but wonderful. It's so hard to have a clear thought when you have 20+ kids you questions all at once. I felt so bad for the teacher because she had no control over her two classes. But I did sit in another class and that teacher did have much more control over his class. I'm gonna blame half of it on that there is a foreigner in the class and all the kids want to do is find out more about me. It was fun and i'm looking forward to more of it. I'll do a whole post on it after a few weeks.
Right now i'm on vacation actually. I have a solid 12 days off. Thank you begin a foreign exchange student & Chile's independence. I didn't even know I had off until Thursday afternoon when the teacher was like ok see you all in two weeks and don't die. Ok well he didn't say don't die but I felt like he should have. Since this is a time of celebration is compelete chaos in Chile!
Today the ISA (International Studies Abroad) group went to Pomaire and Isla Negra to see one of Pablo Neruda's houses. Pablo was the man! And a real ladies man. As far as I understood he had three wives and a handful of mistresses. After seeing his last house I would have been one of his mistresses as well. Just plain amazing. They don't let you take pictures of the inside for some reason so I don't have any but I do have some of the amazing view. Check them out Here!
On September 11th I spent the day watching conspiracy theory videos on it. God I really hope we didn't do that to ourselves. I mean I wouldn't doubt it but i'm just gonna believe whatever and I don't even know what is. I mean in general it's terrible so I'll leave it that. A little food for thought is that more Chileans were killed becasue of the US Junta government in Chile that came into power on 9/11/1973. All things 9/11 are crappy....
Well i'm done I keep get getting distracted by youtube.... check this out!
Right now i'm at a lose for things to write...
Last Monday I had my first day of English Volunteer teaching. It was different. Extremely different. The kids were outrageously loud but wonderful. It's so hard to have a clear thought when you have 20+ kids you questions all at once. I felt so bad for the teacher because she had no control over her two classes. But I did sit in another class and that teacher did have much more control over his class. I'm gonna blame half of it on that there is a foreigner in the class and all the kids want to do is find out more about me. It was fun and i'm looking forward to more of it. I'll do a whole post on it after a few weeks.
Right now i'm on vacation actually. I have a solid 12 days off. Thank you begin a foreign exchange student & Chile's independence. I didn't even know I had off until Thursday afternoon when the teacher was like ok see you all in two weeks and don't die. Ok well he didn't say don't die but I felt like he should have. Since this is a time of celebration is compelete chaos in Chile!
Today the ISA (International Studies Abroad) group went to Pomaire and Isla Negra to see one of Pablo Neruda's houses. Pablo was the man! And a real ladies man. As far as I understood he had three wives and a handful of mistresses. After seeing his last house I would have been one of his mistresses as well. Just plain amazing. They don't let you take pictures of the inside for some reason so I don't have any but I do have some of the amazing view. Check them out Here!
On September 11th I spent the day watching conspiracy theory videos on it. God I really hope we didn't do that to ourselves. I mean I wouldn't doubt it but i'm just gonna believe whatever and I don't even know what is. I mean in general it's terrible so I'll leave it that. A little food for thought is that more Chileans were killed becasue of the US Junta government in Chile that came into power on 9/11/1973. All things 9/11 are crappy....
Well i'm done I keep get getting distracted by youtube.... check this out!
Stra10
Friday, September 4, 2009
Friday Night Update
Hola and welcome to this episode of Friday Night Update and the first post of September. Today is September 9th 2009 around 8pm. This week could be given the tag #FAIL. Probably the only successful thing I have done all week is get unsick. Not really sure if that is even a word but I'm using it. I have successfully become unsick! Other than that I really haven't accomplished anything. Quick Run Down!
1. Get Unsick! CHECK
2. Edit New Youtube Video! FAIL
3. New Blog Layout! FAIL
4. Improved My Spanish! FAIL (anything less than fluent is considered a fail)
5. Wake Up Before Noon! FAIL
6. Run! FAIL
7. Compelted all the Mission on CHECK but FAIL (that is a clear waste of time)
So what have I done all week you might ask! Well lets see I went to all but one of my classes. SUCCESS I also crammed in all my homework at the last minute and only failed at turning in one assignment! SUCCESS I spent all of my time with Gringos other than when i'm out at night! SUCCESS I showered 4 out of the last 7 days! SUCCESS I learned 120 new Spanish words that are absolutely useless in everyday conversation! (ex. eclampsia) SUCCESS I'm writing my second Friday Night Update! SUCCESS So yeah i've been super productive.
I was once told don't believe nothing and question everything. And for the most part I try. Now sometimes I feel like most people when given this advice they become that argumentative person that you avoid like the plague. I try not to be that person unless i'm arguing with my mom and then I know all and I'm correct even when it's obvious i'm wrong=correct. TO THE POINT! So as you might have read in the last two post I'm trying to wake up earlier. In the hope that I have a more productive day. This however has proven a tad bit harder than I imagined. I figured hey I need 8 hours of sleep and I want to wake up at 8am so I should go to sleep at midnight. Well according to popular believe that would be correct.
I found that I failed at waking up 7 times in a row. I figured with that success rate either I lack self-discipline or i'm going about this in the wrong way. There are a few contributing factors to this.
1. I was getting over a cold.
2. Sleep cycle right now is 3am to 12pm.
3. I actually lost my alarm clock for 2 days.
4. I lack a little self-discipline at 8am.
But I had a feeling I was going about this wrong. So I dove into the internet world and found a few things that seem to wrong in my approach. My first discovery is that we actually don't need 8 hours of sleep. Why didn't I know this before. I've been told since kindergarten I need 8 hours of sleep a day to be functional. (see believe nothing and question everything) Second that you shouldn't try to go to sleep when your not tired. This was a little harder to figure out. But it comes down to if your not doing something stimulating and you didn't just drink a cup of coffee and it's taking you longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep it's not time for your body to sleep. So get up out of bed and do something productive like read a book, write a blog, study an algorithm, practice some Spanish and then try to fall asleep again. Finally and this goes a lot with my first discovery is that you don't need a bed time just a wake up time. My original goal was to wake up at 8am. (it has changed to 7am because I now have volunteer work at 8:15 on mondays) This means that everyday I should wake up at 7am but it doesn't mean that I have to go to bed at 11pm every night. Actually I could go to sleep between 11:30pm and 1am and be perfectly functional. Also the ultimate sleeping length is 7.5 hrs and not 8. And yeah thats what I found and I'm still searching and still figuring stuff out and I'm really angry that I know there are things I believe that without even thing about are wrong. So yeah the earth isn't round and the universe isn't expanding and i'm not really in South America.
How Much Time I'll Gain From Not Sleeping In!
Currently I sleep a solid 10.5 hrs a day. (yeah i know)
10.5 - 7.5 = 3hrs <- I will gain that a day we will say on average
3hrs * 7days = 21hrs a week
3hrs * 30.4days = 91.2hrs a week
3hrs * 365days = 1095 hrs a year
1095hrs / 24hrs = 45.6 days I will gain a year
1095hrs / 168hrs = 6.5 weeks I will gain a year
Lets turn that into money because time = money! If I could make 10 dollars an hour in those extra 3hrs that would be $10,950. Yeah thats better than any internet get rich quick scam I have ever seen! Now lets see a life time. I plan on living till i'm 120.
120 - 24 = 96yrs
96yrs * $10,950 = $1,051,200 <-now if that isn't motivation to get out of bed! Hell.
Lets be more realistic! I do plan on retiring and letting my money work for me. Lets say for the next 40yrs those 3hrs earn me $10/hr.
40yrs * $10,950 = $438,000
What if those 3hrs earned me $25/hr for 40yrs
40yrs * ($25 * 1095hrs/yr) = $1,095,000
Ok yeah i'm gonna difently start waking up earlier. If just waking up is going to earn me money then so be it! Anyway I don't know where the whole money thing came from but ok. This is unedited and not proof read so there are probably a ton of mistakes but I told myself I had to do this before I ventured out for the night. Hope you enjoyed and I will catch you all later.
1. Get Unsick! CHECK
2. Edit New Youtube Video! FAIL
3. New Blog Layout! FAIL
4. Improved My Spanish! FAIL (anything less than fluent is considered a fail)
5. Wake Up Before Noon! FAIL
6. Run! FAIL
7. Compelted all the Mission on CHECK but FAIL (that is a clear waste of time)
So what have I done all week you might ask! Well lets see I went to all but one of my classes. SUCCESS I also crammed in all my homework at the last minute and only failed at turning in one assignment! SUCCESS I spent all of my time with Gringos other than when i'm out at night! SUCCESS I showered 4 out of the last 7 days! SUCCESS I learned 120 new Spanish words that are absolutely useless in everyday conversation! (ex. eclampsia) SUCCESS I'm writing my second Friday Night Update! SUCCESS So yeah i've been super productive.
I was once told don't believe nothing and question everything. And for the most part I try. Now sometimes I feel like most people when given this advice they become that argumentative person that you avoid like the plague. I try not to be that person unless i'm arguing with my mom and then I know all and I'm correct even when it's obvious i'm wrong=correct. TO THE POINT! So as you might have read in the last two post I'm trying to wake up earlier. In the hope that I have a more productive day. This however has proven a tad bit harder than I imagined. I figured hey I need 8 hours of sleep and I want to wake up at 8am so I should go to sleep at midnight. Well according to popular believe that would be correct.
I found that I failed at waking up 7 times in a row. I figured with that success rate either I lack self-discipline or i'm going about this in the wrong way. There are a few contributing factors to this.
1. I was getting over a cold.
2. Sleep cycle right now is 3am to 12pm.
3. I actually lost my alarm clock for 2 days.
4. I lack a little self-discipline at 8am.
But I had a feeling I was going about this wrong. So I dove into the internet world and found a few things that seem to wrong in my approach. My first discovery is that we actually don't need 8 hours of sleep. Why didn't I know this before. I've been told since kindergarten I need 8 hours of sleep a day to be functional. (see believe nothing and question everything) Second that you shouldn't try to go to sleep when your not tired. This was a little harder to figure out. But it comes down to if your not doing something stimulating and you didn't just drink a cup of coffee and it's taking you longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep it's not time for your body to sleep. So get up out of bed and do something productive like read a book, write a blog, study an algorithm, practice some Spanish and then try to fall asleep again. Finally and this goes a lot with my first discovery is that you don't need a bed time just a wake up time. My original goal was to wake up at 8am. (it has changed to 7am because I now have volunteer work at 8:15 on mondays) This means that everyday I should wake up at 7am but it doesn't mean that I have to go to bed at 11pm every night. Actually I could go to sleep between 11:30pm and 1am and be perfectly functional. Also the ultimate sleeping length is 7.5 hrs and not 8. And yeah thats what I found and I'm still searching and still figuring stuff out and I'm really angry that I know there are things I believe that without even thing about are wrong. So yeah the earth isn't round and the universe isn't expanding and i'm not really in South America.
How Much Time I'll Gain From Not Sleeping In!
Currently I sleep a solid 10.5 hrs a day. (yeah i know)
10.5 - 7.5 = 3hrs <- I will gain that a day we will say on average
3hrs * 7days = 21hrs a week
3hrs * 30.4days = 91.2hrs a week
3hrs * 365days = 1095 hrs a year
1095hrs / 24hrs = 45.6 days I will gain a year
1095hrs / 168hrs = 6.5 weeks I will gain a year
Lets turn that into money because time = money! If I could make 10 dollars an hour in those extra 3hrs that would be $10,950. Yeah thats better than any internet get rich quick scam I have ever seen! Now lets see a life time. I plan on living till i'm 120.
120 - 24 = 96yrs
96yrs * $10,950 = $1,051,200 <-now if that isn't motivation to get out of bed! Hell.
Lets be more realistic! I do plan on retiring and letting my money work for me. Lets say for the next 40yrs those 3hrs earn me $10/hr.
40yrs * $10,950 = $438,000
What if those 3hrs earned me $25/hr for 40yrs
40yrs * ($25 * 1095hrs/yr) = $1,095,000
Ok yeah i'm gonna difently start waking up earlier. If just waking up is going to earn me money then so be it! Anyway I don't know where the whole money thing came from but ok. This is unedited and not proof read so there are probably a ton of mistakes but I told myself I had to do this before I ventured out for the night. Hope you enjoyed and I will catch you all later.
I Like This Video/Song
Stra10
Monday, August 31, 2009
End of Augusto
I was looking for a reason to blog and I think end of a month is a good reason! Now we have the monthly updates, friday night update, and starting now the end of the month updates! If you have any other ideas for reasons to blog leave it in a comment below. I only have about 50 minutes to be creative and then correct all my spelling and grammar mistakes. Yeah I still somehow make spelling mistakes even with spell checker. PS: I'm listening to Kings of Leon. Love those guys!
Today was the first day I tried to wake up at 8am. I rolled about of bed in time for lunch. It was a good attempt. We will try again tomorrow. Actually, tomorrow I have to be up by 9 no matter what! This time i'm putting one alarm by the door and the other behind the TV. That should at least cause me to get out of bed for a few seconds. This staying up till 3 or 4 in the morning is hard to break. I really like doing it but I have things I really want to do in the morning. Like run! I blame my not being able to get up early on my childhood. Not saying my parents didn't try. It's just I was that kid that would make the most persistent parent give up and accept defeat. Guess I will always be a night owl.
Being sick has really taken a toll on my Spanish. It was not a good day for us two. Class was bit of a spanglish disaster. I'm usually not one to give up but halfway through class I said screw it, I'll figure this out later and started day dreaming. Day dreaming went well though so 2+ points there. The biggest problem with class today was we were learning about Direct and Indirect Pronouns. Now I have an idea of what they are in English but I would say i'm a tad rusty on the subject. Now there is a few problems with this. First I haven't had any kind of grammar since High School. Second it's being explained in a language I command like an infant. Third direct and indirect objects don't work exactly the same in Spanish as they do in English. This made everything a tad bit hairy. After it became apparent I wasn't understanding anything I got reprimanded for not studying. Sorry! I didn't know. I'll be sure to study all parts of spanish grammar before I come to class from now on. After class I opened up a grammar book and revisited 8th grade in Spanish. Grammar/English was never my strongest subject! (you can add Spanish to that list too now.)
Ok well I need to edit this and head off to bed! If you didn't know my pictures of Chile are here! Check em out...
Stra10
Today was the first day I tried to wake up at 8am. I rolled about of bed in time for lunch. It was a good attempt. We will try again tomorrow. Actually, tomorrow I have to be up by 9 no matter what! This time i'm putting one alarm by the door and the other behind the TV. That should at least cause me to get out of bed for a few seconds. This staying up till 3 or 4 in the morning is hard to break. I really like doing it but I have things I really want to do in the morning. Like run! I blame my not being able to get up early on my childhood. Not saying my parents didn't try. It's just I was that kid that would make the most persistent parent give up and accept defeat. Guess I will always be a night owl.
Being sick has really taken a toll on my Spanish. It was not a good day for us two. Class was bit of a spanglish disaster. I'm usually not one to give up but halfway through class I said screw it, I'll figure this out later and started day dreaming. Day dreaming went well though so 2+ points there. The biggest problem with class today was we were learning about Direct and Indirect Pronouns. Now I have an idea of what they are in English but I would say i'm a tad rusty on the subject. Now there is a few problems with this. First I haven't had any kind of grammar since High School. Second it's being explained in a language I command like an infant. Third direct and indirect objects don't work exactly the same in Spanish as they do in English. This made everything a tad bit hairy. After it became apparent I wasn't understanding anything I got reprimanded for not studying. Sorry! I didn't know. I'll be sure to study all parts of spanish grammar before I come to class from now on. After class I opened up a grammar book and revisited 8th grade in Spanish. Grammar/English was never my strongest subject! (you can add Spanish to that list too now.)
Ok well I need to edit this and head off to bed! If you didn't know my pictures of Chile are here! Check em out...
Stra10
Friday, August 28, 2009
Friday Night Update
Hola! I want to start putting up blog post on Friday nights! Right now it's Saturday morning but I have to start sometime. Let's Recap the Week! I've been sick! Yeah pretty much sums it up! Upload a new video to my youtube channel! Started a new design for my blog. And I've come up with some goals! Let us dive in...
Being sick is not fun. What are those people called that actually fake being sick? Hypercondriacs? That would be the worst thing in the world to have to go around all the time trying to be and act sick. I couldn't do it. Well I could but man would I be miserable. I think by Monday I will be back to my normal self. Maybe a small sniffle here and there.
I have another video to upload to youtube but I need to figure out how to reduce the background noise. My camera has a lot of static that I don't think should be there. So if your someone that watches my few videos be looking for it around middle of next week. Yeah I even procrastinate with procrastinating. My youtube channel is here!
Like the way my blog looks? Totally original I know! Actually I signed up for a wordpress and I was really excited and was about to scrap this blog and make that my main blog! But to do simple CSS edits you have to pay like $15 bucks a month. And then you don't have the ability for Ad's but they can put Ad's on your site in which you don't get any reward. There was a few other things I ended up not liking and came back here! Yey. Although I must admit wordpress has functionality I really wish blogger did and their business model is well genius but I still refuse to pay for any service online! But yes so right now I'm creating my own layout. Hopefully it will be up soon.
Right now I don't feel like i'm getting much done. The only thing I have to do is learn Spanish! Even that I feel like i'm failing at. I blame the sickness for that because I just don't have the patients to listen let alone put a sentence together. Tomorrow I have to do some dedicated practice! I'll try to get two hours in.
Really, I have nothing to do. Back home I always something to do next. Example! I would wake up at 6 for practice. Then I'd come home shower and make some breakfast. I would cram whatever homework was due into the little bit of free time I had and head off to class. Then internship. Evening practice! Home to shower and make dinner. Then evening class and well homework/procrastination/friends/library/internet/tv/video games. And then sleep to wake up and do it all again. And that was my life for the last 4 years! In Chile it's wake up around 1, eat lunch, go to 4 to 6 hours of class, come home, eat, internet, and sleep!
I've come up with a list of stuff that is going to occupy my days in Chile. I have to start going to bed by 12. Thats the only way this is going to work! I'll post later on how thats working out. I start volunteer teaching kids in English sometime next month! I'm really looking forward to it.
Also, usually I have a pretty big goal in my life that keeps me rolling forward. So I've decided that the Leadville 100 Mile Run is all mine! I think I can break 20 hrs if I have a good year of running. As time goes on i'll readjust my goal-time depending if I think I can go faster or slower! Maybe i'll even win it....
Sorry that was so long and ramblely but thats whats on my mind right now!
Check Out - thesixyone
Stra10
Being sick is not fun. What are those people called that actually fake being sick? Hypercondriacs? That would be the worst thing in the world to have to go around all the time trying to be and act sick. I couldn't do it. Well I could but man would I be miserable. I think by Monday I will be back to my normal self. Maybe a small sniffle here and there.
I have another video to upload to youtube but I need to figure out how to reduce the background noise. My camera has a lot of static that I don't think should be there. So if your someone that watches my few videos be looking for it around middle of next week. Yeah I even procrastinate with procrastinating. My youtube channel is here!
Like the way my blog looks? Totally original I know! Actually I signed up for a wordpress and I was really excited and was about to scrap this blog and make that my main blog! But to do simple CSS edits you have to pay like $15 bucks a month. And then you don't have the ability for Ad's but they can put Ad's on your site in which you don't get any reward. There was a few other things I ended up not liking and came back here! Yey. Although I must admit wordpress has functionality I really wish blogger did and their business model is well genius but I still refuse to pay for any service online! But yes so right now I'm creating my own layout. Hopefully it will be up soon.
Right now I don't feel like i'm getting much done. The only thing I have to do is learn Spanish! Even that I feel like i'm failing at. I blame the sickness for that because I just don't have the patients to listen let alone put a sentence together. Tomorrow I have to do some dedicated practice! I'll try to get two hours in.
Really, I have nothing to do. Back home I always something to do next. Example! I would wake up at 6 for practice. Then I'd come home shower and make some breakfast. I would cram whatever homework was due into the little bit of free time I had and head off to class. Then internship. Evening practice! Home to shower and make dinner. Then evening class and well homework/procrastination/friends/library/internet/tv/video games. And then sleep to wake up and do it all again. And that was my life for the last 4 years! In Chile it's wake up around 1, eat lunch, go to 4 to 6 hours of class, come home, eat, internet, and sleep!
I've come up with a list of stuff that is going to occupy my days in Chile. I have to start going to bed by 12. Thats the only way this is going to work! I'll post later on how thats working out. I start volunteer teaching kids in English sometime next month! I'm really looking forward to it.
Also, usually I have a pretty big goal in my life that keeps me rolling forward. So I've decided that the Leadville 100 Mile Run is all mine! I think I can break 20 hrs if I have a good year of running. As time goes on i'll readjust my goal-time depending if I think I can go faster or slower! Maybe i'll even win it....
Sorry that was so long and ramblely but thats whats on my mind right now!
Check Out - thesixyone
Stra10
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Sick In Chile
So I could be doing my homework or bettering my Spanish but I'd rather Blog instead. I've actually spent most of the day in bed watching videos on YouTube and reading articles on America's Healthcare Reform. Youtube was fun and the Healthcare was just infuriating. Oh well...
Anyone that knows me, knows i'm not a "Big Ole Cuddly Bear" when i'm sick. Typically i'm pretty miserable and usually cry until someone brings me chicken noddle soup and a box of Kleenex. Speaking of Kleenex I bought some yesterday. I was only trying to buy one box of them but somehow bought 24 mini-packages of the kind you carry in your pocket. It only cost $4 american dollars so I'm not complaining.
I keep getting asked what is it like down there?!?! It's a lot the same and yet still very different. I mean Chile doesn't equal the stone age like a few of you seem to think. Yes they do have electricity and running water. People drive cars and buildings have elevators. Teenagers play video games and watch porn. They have washers and dryers but don't use the dryer much to save on electric. The biggest difference I have found in General is peoples obsession with America (a.k.a. The United Sates for those annoying smart asses that say South America is still America too! ReTARDs). Overall I would call that a bad thing. Example: Sarah Palin continues to be a hot topic down here. Boring!
Oh so I've been here for a tad bit more than a month. My Spanish has improved a lot. But I still can't come close to holding a full conversation even if I was only talking to a piece of cheese. For awhile there I was scared I wasn't going to learn a thing and just waste a couple grand on a really long vacation in South America.
Quick tip on learning new words in another language. You want to translate a word from English to Spanish. So you want to learn that word English to Spanish. Like this!
Knife - El Cuchillo
You also want to do the same for phrases!
How was your day? - ¿Cómo fue tu dÃa?
Since I started studying words and phrases like that I have been able to recall the words a lot easier. Anyway thats my two cents on that....
Overall it's been a good month! I'll try to do these a little bit more often. And I'll try to give some better examples on whats really different about Chile. Also keep an eye out on youtube for some of my new videos that i've made down here! Till Next Time!
Stra10
Anyone that knows me, knows i'm not a "Big Ole Cuddly Bear" when i'm sick. Typically i'm pretty miserable and usually cry until someone brings me chicken noddle soup and a box of Kleenex. Speaking of Kleenex I bought some yesterday. I was only trying to buy one box of them but somehow bought 24 mini-packages of the kind you carry in your pocket. It only cost $4 american dollars so I'm not complaining.
I keep getting asked what is it like down there?!?! It's a lot the same and yet still very different. I mean Chile doesn't equal the stone age like a few of you seem to think. Yes they do have electricity and running water. People drive cars and buildings have elevators. Teenagers play video games and watch porn. They have washers and dryers but don't use the dryer much to save on electric. The biggest difference I have found in General is peoples obsession with America (a.k.a. The United Sates for those annoying smart asses that say South America is still America too! ReTARDs). Overall I would call that a bad thing. Example: Sarah Palin continues to be a hot topic down here. Boring!
Oh so I've been here for a tad bit more than a month. My Spanish has improved a lot. But I still can't come close to holding a full conversation even if I was only talking to a piece of cheese. For awhile there I was scared I wasn't going to learn a thing and just waste a couple grand on a really long vacation in South America.
Quick tip on learning new words in another language. You want to translate a word from English to Spanish. So you want to learn that word English to Spanish. Like this!
Knife - El Cuchillo
You also want to do the same for phrases!
How was your day? - ¿Cómo fue tu dÃa?
Since I started studying words and phrases like that I have been able to recall the words a lot easier. Anyway thats my two cents on that....
Overall it's been a good month! I'll try to do these a little bit more often. And I'll try to give some better examples on whats really different about Chile. Also keep an eye out on youtube for some of my new videos that i've made down here! Till Next Time!
Stra10
Monday, August 17, 2009
Silence
Hola! God i'm tired. I think not being able to talk to people really makes me tired. I haven't had a conversation that was more advance than these: "How are you?" "What did you do?" and "Do you like it?". I am dying for a conversation that involves something than me talking about myself...
I went skiing in the Andes yesterday! It was a good time. Lots of fresh powder to learn how to snowboard through. I had never snowboard in powder and boy do I wish had someone there that could have given me tips on it. One random Chilean told me I had to think I was surfing. Now I was grateful for his insight to how to glide ever so gracefully over the foot of powder that I kept sinking into like quick sand but I've never surfed. So his words fell on a daft intellect or at least onto a set of ears that have never experience hanging ten! Oh and I made it down the hill before him. (It took me a good 30 minutes!) By end of the day I was holding my own in the unforgiving powder. In part because most of it had been plowed over already and also because I was to tired to fall down again.
I've found that knowing I can't communicate has made me very reserved and maybe even a little standoffish. This morning on the Miccro (what they call the buses here) there was a man dressed in a clown outfit providing entertainment. I sat next to a man that clown took to be a "Gringo" but was actually Chilean. Then the clown started talking to be but all I wanted to do was ignore him. Then he started talking in English. So I responded in Spanish. Then he started talking in Spanish. I couldn't understand him. So I told him I didn't understand him in English. Then he made a joke and the whole bus laughed. I did not! Clown then ranted on about the United States. Guy sitting next to me translated. Basically the clown was bitter he wasn't American. He then asked me for money. I told him I didn't have any. He called me Cheap in Spanish. Yeah well I think he is a moron! I don't like anyone that talks on a Miccro! Although a Chilean chica did obviously sit next to me when there obviously were other open seats. She was cute! She didn't speak any english! We only traded smiles!
Ok well i'm tired and tired!
Stra10
I went skiing in the Andes yesterday! It was a good time. Lots of fresh powder to learn how to snowboard through. I had never snowboard in powder and boy do I wish had someone there that could have given me tips on it. One random Chilean told me I had to think I was surfing. Now I was grateful for his insight to how to glide ever so gracefully over the foot of powder that I kept sinking into like quick sand but I've never surfed. So his words fell on a daft intellect or at least onto a set of ears that have never experience hanging ten! Oh and I made it down the hill before him. (It took me a good 30 minutes!) By end of the day I was holding my own in the unforgiving powder. In part because most of it had been plowed over already and also because I was to tired to fall down again.
I've found that knowing I can't communicate has made me very reserved and maybe even a little standoffish. This morning on the Miccro (what they call the buses here) there was a man dressed in a clown outfit providing entertainment. I sat next to a man that clown took to be a "Gringo" but was actually Chilean. Then the clown started talking to be but all I wanted to do was ignore him. Then he started talking in English. So I responded in Spanish. Then he started talking in Spanish. I couldn't understand him. So I told him I didn't understand him in English. Then he made a joke and the whole bus laughed. I did not! Clown then ranted on about the United States. Guy sitting next to me translated. Basically the clown was bitter he wasn't American. He then asked me for money. I told him I didn't have any. He called me Cheap in Spanish. Yeah well I think he is a moron! I don't like anyone that talks on a Miccro! Although a Chilean chica did obviously sit next to me when there obviously were other open seats. She was cute! She didn't speak any english! We only traded smiles!
Ok well i'm tired and tired!
Stra10
Sunday, August 9, 2009
An Interesting End to a Night!
Ok let us take a moment to blog! It’s been two weeks and three days. How is my Spanish? Terrible! Why? Because I speak to too many American students in a day and I’ve only had three days of class. However, my everyday absolutely need to know Spanish is improving. I also understand almost everything that people say to me directly. But it’s about impossible to understand what random people are saying to one another.
Some of you might be wondering about an incident I had mentioned on facebook and twitter about a super bitchy Chilean woman saving my life. (I like to refer to her as Chilean Bitch) Well in Chile it’s more likely that you will get robbed than anything. Anyway here is how the story goes, the clubs where closing and it was time to go home. I live on the north end of Vina del Mar so I have to take a different bus than everyone else. I figured hey it won’t be bad to go alone I haven’t had any trouble since I’ve been here and heck what could possibly happen on a bus. I bet you can guess how this ended. So I get on a bus that is standing room only and in the back of the bus is a group of six Chilean guys just being insane. They were being loud, hitting on girls, and trying to start fights though the window. If I was them I probably would have been doing the same thing. Right before the bus pulled out a street fight broke out. The fight quickly surrounded the whole bus and everyone inside the bus went nuts. The guys in the back of the bus were hanging out the tiny windows swing at anyone they could. One guy outside got pined up against the rear bus door and one guy inside started kicking him in the back through the door while another one was beating him upside the head by hanging out the window. Just pure chaos! I have never seen anything like that. Also girls were out there slugging it out. It was probably a good 45 seconds of pure madness and intensity. In the end it left 3 guys knocked out bleeding on the ground. One of them looked really badly injured. He was bleeding from the ears and didn’t look like he was going to regain consciousness anytime soon. And then the bus pulls out almost running over one of the guys that was knocked out.
So there I was the only “Gringo” on a bus full of Chileans that just witnessed a massacre. The excitement of the fight rolled around the bus for awhile. The guys in the back kept trying to talk to me asking if I was having a good time and if the fight was amazing. I figured it was best if I just ignored them. After a bit the Chilean next to me asked me where I was from and I figured oh what the heck is wrong with a little small talk. So I told him and quickly the guys in the back became fascinated. (Right now the bus is about quarter way to where I want to get off. Also the bus ride is a good 25 to 30 minutes) Between my ability to understand Spanish and their knowledge of English an interesting exchange of fragmented sentences turned into a conversation. They first asked me about Michael Jackson and if I went to his funeral. No! They also told me that Brittany Spears and Sarah Palin are hot and that they all would have sex with them. Then they asked if I liked sex. They love Obama and think George W. Bush is Satan. I couldn’t understand their reasons for saying that but I don’t think it could have been for any intelligent reasons. As this level of kindergarden conversation countined I caught one of the guys slipping his hand into my jacket pocket. Hey responded with “disculpa.” Which in spanish means oh sorry I didn’t mean to do that.
Now I’m kind of on guard and I’m only halfway home. Some people get off the bus and a seat opens up and I figured if I sit down I’m less likely to get pick pocketed. As I’m sitting there the same guy that had his hand in my pocket also kept feeling my jacket and telling everyone how much he liked it and that he wanted it. I’m not scared just really pissed off that there is a huge likely hood I’m going to lose my jacket to these ass holes. Now they start telling me that I have to pay the bus driver again. I think they thought I was retarded. Next they tried asking me for my cell phone number. Which I lied and told them I didn’t have one. Then they wanted to take a picture with me but none of them had a camera and they kept telling me to use mine. Which this time I told them the truth that I didn’t have one. Ijust left out the minor detail at least not on me. Then they wanted to know what time it was. Now thankfully my watch had moved halfway up my forearm sometime during the night, so I easily tricked them into thinking I wasn’t actually wearing one. They seemed disappointed I didn’t have a cell phone, camera, or a watch on me but I was wearing a nice jacket.
With a little over 13 blocks to my stop a large horrid of people from downtown Vina del Mar get on the bus. In this horrid of people was the one of the bitchiest Chilean girls I have seen. She would have been one of the girls slugging it out in the street fight and would have walked away un-scratched. Oh and she was hot! But anyway, she got on in the back so she was a bit of a distraction while the guys figured they could maybe get lucky with her. She quickly put them all in their place slapped one and yelled at another something so intense and loud in Spanish that the whole bus went quite for about 3 seconds. Quickly the attention was back on me and instead of just the guys in the back wanting whatever was mine the whole bus seemed to want whatever was mine. Bitchy Chilean girl quickly took my defense but not without insulting me first in both Spanish and perfect English telling me that I was an idiot for being on there alone not knowing Spanish and finished with the fact that these guys were going to steal my jacket. I told her I knew that much. She told me not to be an ass.
Two quick side notes! First, there was a Chilean old man sitting in front of me and right before I got pushed off the bus by Chilean Bitch he turns around and says to me, “you don’t look scared! But you should be!” I really had the urge to punch him. Second Chilean Bitch had two friends with her. Both of them were really nice and kept trying to talk to me while Chilean Bitch was going on a rampage defending me in a fury of Spanglish that I couldn’t understand. The two friends kept trying to figure out how to make more small talk with me in English among themselves in Spanish so I would just answer them before they ever got around to figuring out how to ask me in English. Confusing! But they were nice…
Ok back to the story. So Chilean Bitch asked me where I was getting off. I really was hesitant to tell her where. So I figured I’d lie and tell her the wrong block in case any of those guys were going to get off too. In my premature level of Spanish I actually told her the truth which I didn’t realize until I was pushed off the bus! So Chilean Bitch stopped the bus for me and told me to run if the guys in the back followed me off the bus. When I stood up a few things happened. First male hands grabbed my ass. This was not to feel me up but to steal my wallet. Thankfully it was in my front pocket and there was nothing in it either. Second the bus roared with ramblings of “Gringo.” Third Chilean Bitch pushed, no wait threw, me off the bus. Fourth while I was being thrown out into the street I somehow inadvertently dodged three swing for my head. One from inside the bus. Another from a guy sitting in front of the door. The last was from the guy who first wanted my jacket. He was hanging out the small window in the back of the bus. Luckily all I felt was a nice breeze from knocks on my hair.
Overall I’m pretty happy at the outcome of this situation. I kept my jacket, watch, phone, and wallet all while avoiding any injury. Well maybe a hair or two suffered a little knocked rash. I have to thank Chilean Bitch for saving my life though. If it wasn't for her I think things might have ended a bit worse. So Chilean Bitch if you ever read this, Thank You! I also learned a few lessons. Don’t wear anything nice. Don’t wear your $10 dollar watch. Always deny having a cell phone. Don’t talk to strangers (oh wait that sound familiar) at night. Always travel with at least one other Gringo.
That turned into a lot longer story than I thought it would! Overall Chile is amazing! The night life is too. But like any place one must be careful. Viva la Chile!
Stra10
Some of you might be wondering about an incident I had mentioned on facebook and twitter about a super bitchy Chilean woman saving my life. (I like to refer to her as Chilean Bitch) Well in Chile it’s more likely that you will get robbed than anything. Anyway here is how the story goes, the clubs where closing and it was time to go home. I live on the north end of Vina del Mar so I have to take a different bus than everyone else. I figured hey it won’t be bad to go alone I haven’t had any trouble since I’ve been here and heck what could possibly happen on a bus. I bet you can guess how this ended. So I get on a bus that is standing room only and in the back of the bus is a group of six Chilean guys just being insane. They were being loud, hitting on girls, and trying to start fights though the window. If I was them I probably would have been doing the same thing. Right before the bus pulled out a street fight broke out. The fight quickly surrounded the whole bus and everyone inside the bus went nuts. The guys in the back of the bus were hanging out the tiny windows swing at anyone they could. One guy outside got pined up against the rear bus door and one guy inside started kicking him in the back through the door while another one was beating him upside the head by hanging out the window. Just pure chaos! I have never seen anything like that. Also girls were out there slugging it out. It was probably a good 45 seconds of pure madness and intensity. In the end it left 3 guys knocked out bleeding on the ground. One of them looked really badly injured. He was bleeding from the ears and didn’t look like he was going to regain consciousness anytime soon. And then the bus pulls out almost running over one of the guys that was knocked out.
So there I was the only “Gringo” on a bus full of Chileans that just witnessed a massacre. The excitement of the fight rolled around the bus for awhile. The guys in the back kept trying to talk to me asking if I was having a good time and if the fight was amazing. I figured it was best if I just ignored them. After a bit the Chilean next to me asked me where I was from and I figured oh what the heck is wrong with a little small talk. So I told him and quickly the guys in the back became fascinated. (Right now the bus is about quarter way to where I want to get off. Also the bus ride is a good 25 to 30 minutes) Between my ability to understand Spanish and their knowledge of English an interesting exchange of fragmented sentences turned into a conversation. They first asked me about Michael Jackson and if I went to his funeral. No! They also told me that Brittany Spears and Sarah Palin are hot and that they all would have sex with them. Then they asked if I liked sex. They love Obama and think George W. Bush is Satan. I couldn’t understand their reasons for saying that but I don’t think it could have been for any intelligent reasons. As this level of kindergarden conversation countined I caught one of the guys slipping his hand into my jacket pocket. Hey responded with “disculpa.” Which in spanish means oh sorry I didn’t mean to do that.
Now I’m kind of on guard and I’m only halfway home. Some people get off the bus and a seat opens up and I figured if I sit down I’m less likely to get pick pocketed. As I’m sitting there the same guy that had his hand in my pocket also kept feeling my jacket and telling everyone how much he liked it and that he wanted it. I’m not scared just really pissed off that there is a huge likely hood I’m going to lose my jacket to these ass holes. Now they start telling me that I have to pay the bus driver again. I think they thought I was retarded. Next they tried asking me for my cell phone number. Which I lied and told them I didn’t have one. Then they wanted to take a picture with me but none of them had a camera and they kept telling me to use mine. Which this time I told them the truth that I didn’t have one. Ijust left out the minor detail at least not on me. Then they wanted to know what time it was. Now thankfully my watch had moved halfway up my forearm sometime during the night, so I easily tricked them into thinking I wasn’t actually wearing one. They seemed disappointed I didn’t have a cell phone, camera, or a watch on me but I was wearing a nice jacket.
With a little over 13 blocks to my stop a large horrid of people from downtown Vina del Mar get on the bus. In this horrid of people was the one of the bitchiest Chilean girls I have seen. She would have been one of the girls slugging it out in the street fight and would have walked away un-scratched. Oh and she was hot! But anyway, she got on in the back so she was a bit of a distraction while the guys figured they could maybe get lucky with her. She quickly put them all in their place slapped one and yelled at another something so intense and loud in Spanish that the whole bus went quite for about 3 seconds. Quickly the attention was back on me and instead of just the guys in the back wanting whatever was mine the whole bus seemed to want whatever was mine. Bitchy Chilean girl quickly took my defense but not without insulting me first in both Spanish and perfect English telling me that I was an idiot for being on there alone not knowing Spanish and finished with the fact that these guys were going to steal my jacket. I told her I knew that much. She told me not to be an ass.
Two quick side notes! First, there was a Chilean old man sitting in front of me and right before I got pushed off the bus by Chilean Bitch he turns around and says to me, “you don’t look scared! But you should be!” I really had the urge to punch him. Second Chilean Bitch had two friends with her. Both of them were really nice and kept trying to talk to me while Chilean Bitch was going on a rampage defending me in a fury of Spanglish that I couldn’t understand. The two friends kept trying to figure out how to make more small talk with me in English among themselves in Spanish so I would just answer them before they ever got around to figuring out how to ask me in English. Confusing! But they were nice…
Ok back to the story. So Chilean Bitch asked me where I was getting off. I really was hesitant to tell her where. So I figured I’d lie and tell her the wrong block in case any of those guys were going to get off too. In my premature level of Spanish I actually told her the truth which I didn’t realize until I was pushed off the bus! So Chilean Bitch stopped the bus for me and told me to run if the guys in the back followed me off the bus. When I stood up a few things happened. First male hands grabbed my ass. This was not to feel me up but to steal my wallet. Thankfully it was in my front pocket and there was nothing in it either. Second the bus roared with ramblings of “Gringo.” Third Chilean Bitch pushed, no wait threw, me off the bus. Fourth while I was being thrown out into the street I somehow inadvertently dodged three swing for my head. One from inside the bus. Another from a guy sitting in front of the door. The last was from the guy who first wanted my jacket. He was hanging out the small window in the back of the bus. Luckily all I felt was a nice breeze from knocks on my hair.
Overall I’m pretty happy at the outcome of this situation. I kept my jacket, watch, phone, and wallet all while avoiding any injury. Well maybe a hair or two suffered a little knocked rash. I have to thank Chilean Bitch for saving my life though. If it wasn't for her I think things might have ended a bit worse. So Chilean Bitch if you ever read this, Thank You! I also learned a few lessons. Don’t wear anything nice. Don’t wear your $10 dollar watch. Always deny having a cell phone. Don’t talk to strangers (oh wait that sound familiar) at night. Always travel with at least one other Gringo.
That turned into a lot longer story than I thought it would! Overall Chile is amazing! The night life is too. But like any place one must be careful. Viva la Chile!
Stra10
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Cuando en Chile! Viva la Chile!
So it has been a week and one day since I have arrived in Chile. The past 7 days have felt like a lifetime. Since I have started my adventure in the land of the Chileans I have come to embrace the term “Cuando en Chile! Viva la Chile!” which simply means “When in chile. Live Chile!”
For example: In Chile they do not have heat in homes, schools, businesses, restaurants, clubs, or public places. (disclaimer I’ve only been to Santiago, Vina del Mar, and Valparaiso) They choose not to have heat. They could have it but they don’t want it. And no one complains about not having it. I on the other hand have been freezing my butt off. The first 3 days we spent in a hotel/condo type thing and they had one heater in there that was placed in a one window pane glass sliding door. So much for insulation. Then when I got to my new home for the next 5 months I quickly came to notice they didn’t have a single heater. That’s ok. Instead I have about 10 blankets on my bed that I refuse to come out from under in the morning. I’ve already started to adjust to the cold and it doesn’t bother me but then again that just might be the 3 sweatshirts I’m wearing keeping me nice and cozy.
So “Cuando en Chile! Viva la Chile!” is my way of accepting everything different about Chile!
The group I came with is freaking awesome. I feel for the most part everyone is here to have a good time, meet new people, experience new things, and well to learn Spanish! Some have already taken care of learn the Spanish part but the majority are on their way. And a few of us are just starting, like me! The west coast is the majority in the group. The mid west has a good showing. But the east coast is defiantly out numbered here. Those of us that are from the east coast could so take all of those from the west and mid west!
But anyway there is so much I want to say so I’m just going to keep it short. Classes start next week so I’ll have a lot more free time to myself and I’ll try to post at least once a week for the time I’m down here.
For example: In Chile they do not have heat in homes, schools, businesses, restaurants, clubs, or public places. (disclaimer I’ve only been to Santiago, Vina del Mar, and Valparaiso) They choose not to have heat. They could have it but they don’t want it. And no one complains about not having it. I on the other hand have been freezing my butt off. The first 3 days we spent in a hotel/condo type thing and they had one heater in there that was placed in a one window pane glass sliding door. So much for insulation. Then when I got to my new home for the next 5 months I quickly came to notice they didn’t have a single heater. That’s ok. Instead I have about 10 blankets on my bed that I refuse to come out from under in the morning. I’ve already started to adjust to the cold and it doesn’t bother me but then again that just might be the 3 sweatshirts I’m wearing keeping me nice and cozy.
So “Cuando en Chile! Viva la Chile!” is my way of accepting everything different about Chile!
The group I came with is freaking awesome. I feel for the most part everyone is here to have a good time, meet new people, experience new things, and well to learn Spanish! Some have already taken care of learn the Spanish part but the majority are on their way. And a few of us are just starting, like me! The west coast is the majority in the group. The mid west has a good showing. But the east coast is defiantly out numbered here. Those of us that are from the east coast could so take all of those from the west and mid west!
But anyway there is so much I want to say so I’m just going to keep it short. Classes start next week so I’ll have a lot more free time to myself and I’ll try to post at least once a week for the time I’m down here.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
7 Days Till Chile
So last night I watched Anthony Bourdain No Reservations on Chile. It was like 2am and I was about to go to bed but while flipping through I saw he was in Chile so I had to watch it. I realized last night that I really don't know much about Chile. All I really know is in the 70's america helped stage a military coo. Then in the early 90's they elected their first president. And ever since then they have been turning in a world power and they have the best wine! Heck i don't even know how much that is true but that is what I think I know about Chile. Lord I need a Chilean History book.
Only 7 Days! I kind of feel like this life is coming to an end and i'm going to be placed in a whole new universe. Oh hell yeah bring on the aliens. The family I'll be living with is really smart. Three of them are engineers and the mother is a insurance adjuster. The best part is that they live less than three blocks from the beach.
I really hope I take advantage of this adventure. I think my fears of being that hermit that doesn't get out and experience will actually make me experience every part of the Chilean culture. The language barrier oddly enough is what I feel is going to be the most frustrating for me. So speaking of which i'm gonna go now and practice an hour of Spanish.
Check Out - stra10.tumblr.com & twitter.com/stra10
Stra10
Only 7 Days! I kind of feel like this life is coming to an end and i'm going to be placed in a whole new universe. Oh hell yeah bring on the aliens. The family I'll be living with is really smart. Three of them are engineers and the mother is a insurance adjuster. The best part is that they live less than three blocks from the beach.
I really hope I take advantage of this adventure. I think my fears of being that hermit that doesn't get out and experience will actually make me experience every part of the Chilean culture. The language barrier oddly enough is what I feel is going to be the most frustrating for me. So speaking of which i'm gonna go now and practice an hour of Spanish.
Check Out - stra10.tumblr.com & twitter.com/stra10
Stra10
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
22 Days Till Chile
Chile is fast and coming! Today I bought my plane ticket and sent my final paper work into the Study Abroad office. I also got my Yellow Fever shot today. Shots make me tired. I slept a good 6 hours since 8am. Maybe it's just me milking the whole getting a shot ordeal. So the only thing I have left is my Visa. God don't even get me started! Those people are irritating. But it's ok. I believe it will all workout. The only good thing that is going to come of me having to get my Visa is my trip to DC. I love DC. I've only been there 3 times but I just think the city is so friggin awesome!
But anyway....
Stra10
But anyway....
Stra10
Thursday, June 25, 2009
27 Days Till Chile!
Wowhooo yeah 27 days! I'm pretty excited today about my adventure. I still have a hand full of things to do.
1st I need to get my visa! Check this out this out! Their website is terrible. You have to submit all papers by email or via stale mail. Hello this is 2009 have someone develop you an online submission application that is secure. I mean really it's not that hard. It still amazes me how many organizations, especially government ones, that are still in the dark when it comes to these kinds of technology.
2nd I need to move out of my apartment. I wish I would have taken a picture of what my landlords did to my bathroom. I'll post some before and after shots of it and if they aren't done today I'll post a halfway done shot of it as well.
3rd I need my plane ticket! I guess that might be the most important of the things I have left to do. Oh yeah that is why I am saving it till last. I have it all under control.
"This Just In! It's raining like cats and dogs outside!"
Stra10
1st I need to get my visa! Check this out this out! Their website is terrible. You have to submit all papers by email or via stale mail. Hello this is 2009 have someone develop you an online submission application that is secure. I mean really it's not that hard. It still amazes me how many organizations, especially government ones, that are still in the dark when it comes to these kinds of technology.
2nd I need to move out of my apartment. I wish I would have taken a picture of what my landlords did to my bathroom. I'll post some before and after shots of it and if they aren't done today I'll post a halfway done shot of it as well.
3rd I need my plane ticket! I guess that might be the most important of the things I have left to do. Oh yeah that is why I am saving it till last. I have it all under control.
"This Just In! It's raining like cats and dogs outside!"
Stra10
Sunday, June 21, 2009
First Day of Summer!
I love the first day of summer! I know yesterday was just about as long as today and tomorrow will only be a second or two shorter. But today was the longest day of the year. A total of 25 hours and 64 seconds. And now we'll have a week of it.
Typically I like to get up at sunrise and try to spend most of the day outside. I did get up at sunrise but took a nap till 9. Then I met up with a good friend and went for 17 mile long run. I however got sun burnt on our two how jog through the hills. That sun was brutal today.
Later after recovering from dehydration and eating blueberry pancakes mom, sis, and I went out to see dad at the multi cultural festival in Parkersburg. There was a band called Maidens IV and they were pretty awesome! We feasted at Rubi's Pizza place.
Anyway that was pretty much my whole day. I'd call it a success!
Stra10
Typically I like to get up at sunrise and try to spend most of the day outside. I did get up at sunrise but took a nap till 9. Then I met up with a good friend and went for 17 mile long run. I however got sun burnt on our two how jog through the hills. That sun was brutal today.
Later after recovering from dehydration and eating blueberry pancakes mom, sis, and I went out to see dad at the multi cultural festival in Parkersburg. There was a band called Maidens IV and they were pretty awesome! We feasted at Rubi's Pizza place.
Anyway that was pretty much my whole day. I'd call it a success!
Stra10
Friday, June 19, 2009
Changing A Tire
Well I was going to type out a long little rant about these ideas running around my head but instead i'm going to go fix a tire. Friend of mine called me to come fix her friends tire. Not actually fix but put the spare on! When I'm a father some day that is one thing I will definitely teach my daughter how to do. I can only think of one girl I know that can do that off the top of my head and she's a hottie. Especially with tire grease all over her. Ok well wish me luck!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Quick Break
It's been a day or two. I'm posting because for some reason Linkin Park puts me in the mood to write. I'm fighting a slight cold. This week has been crazy. I'm a little stressed but I try to just do one thing at a time. Sometimes those things are back to back but hey it's my life and it's my choice for it to be that way.
Practice sucked today! My legs were dead. Days like to day make me think that I can't run anymore. I'm still breaking 16 in 1 week & 2 days.
I have so many things I'm gonna do that I can put them into these categories: Travel. Read. Write. Create. Destroy. Own. Sell. Learn. Teach. Coach. I feel like I don't have enough time in a day. Time is racing to it's end and I'm headed in the wrong direction. Ok I'm gonna finish my English Paper, Study for 2 Exams, Eat and Sleep!
Stra10
Currently Listening To: Linkin Park - Hands Held High
Practice sucked today! My legs were dead. Days like to day make me think that I can't run anymore. I'm still breaking 16 in 1 week & 2 days.
I have so many things I'm gonna do that I can put them into these categories: Travel. Read. Write. Create. Destroy. Own. Sell. Learn. Teach. Coach. I feel like I don't have enough time in a day. Time is racing to it's end and I'm headed in the wrong direction. Ok I'm gonna finish my English Paper, Study for 2 Exams, Eat and Sleep!
Stra10
Currently Listening To: Linkin Park - Hands Held High
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Rock Solid Education
So i missed practice this morning. Something about Tuesdays just doesn't allow me to make it to practice. The worst part is that now I have to run for an hour tonight! Sucks. I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I really hope that I get to go to Argentina so that way I can put off having to know for at least another 8 months. I haven't shaved in over a week and I'm starting to look like a pirate! Where is my Rum and Buried Treasure? Microsoft makes me mad..... oh look at that class is over! See you later.....
Stra10
Currently Listening To: John Butler Trio - Oldman
Stra10
Currently Listening To: John Butler Trio - Oldman
Monday, March 2, 2009
Hi!
You would think that by now they would have updated the fonts on this baby but no! I haven't blogged since high school. I forget how to just write. You can thank RunTheArb for making me have to sign in to post a comment or else I would have never came across this again. I've been working on a website which I will later use for my blogging but at the rate I'm going that could be a few months. Ok well I got 47 eDiscovery questions to finish, 2 Labs, and 5 sections of philosophy to read! So I'll try to say hey tomorrow!
Stra10
Currently Listening To: Linkin Park - Bleed It Out
Stra10
Currently Listening To: Linkin Park - Bleed It Out
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