La Excursión: 1

The title in English:
The Excursion: 1

Hola a todos!

Ok, I'm terribly sorry that I have been so busy lately (especially to mom and dad hehe)! We started school Monday, and I have been busy with homework ever since-except on Tuesday..NO CLASS =) Ok...so I just added some more pictures on facebook, so feel free to look at those to in order to get in idea where the heck I am :D

Ok, so Sunday we had our first excursion :) We had to be at the university at 10! That was kind of early after staying out with the group the night before (have I told you the Chileans stay out until 5-6 am! crazzzy! haha that's too late for us gringos). Ok, so we got on the same bus that we arrived to Arica in (I think it's pictured in one of my other blogs), and we even had the same bus driver...NELSON :) He's an awesome Chilean guy that takes pictures with us on our trips :) He loves us haha. Our professor Jaime Gomez (the husband of Pochy-my Chilean coordinator) took us on the excursion.
Ok, so we all piled into the bus-minus all of the suitcases haha), and drove to el morro! For Rachel (my UNI "sister") and I, this was our second time. It's the big "mountain" that overlooks Arica with a Jesus statue on top that keeps peace between Peru and Chile. We had a tour of all of the statues that are up there, including old canons that they used in the war. There was also a museum there that talked about the war. It was pretty interesting (but it was all in Spanish, of course, so I had a little difficulty understanding. I've been really tired lately, and I even have a cold. Oh well..). It's really pretty on el morro though; it overlooks the whole city and the Pacific Ocean. Picture below! :)
After el morro, we piled back into the bus, and headed to some caves near Arica. Before we went to the caves, our professor told us that we were welcome to stay in the bus, and we had to decide if we wanted to go or not, because if a tsunami came..well...we would all die instantly. Mom and Dad...you didn't read that part :) Ok, so we all went, obviously, because it's not everyday we're in CHILE :D We all took some pictures before we started walking, and Jonna saved my life. She was taking my picture with the ocean behind me, and I was right on the ledge, and I almost fell, but she grabbed me! But I'm still alive to write this message to you :)It was kind of funny, right after I almost fell, we were told that the crosses on the walkway were from people that had fallen off then ledge :D
Ok, so long ago, the indigenous people lived in the caves that we saw. They were huge, and really beautiful! We had to be a little careful when crawling up in them because the ground was more like a sand/dirt. Phil (only guy on the trip) said he was most worried about me haha..probably because I almost fell off the ledge earlier :D There was also this huge WHITE mountain thing that had guano on it (guano is...well there's no pretty way to say this..bird poop haha). So yeah, it was white because there was SO much guano on it! The ocean was incredible where we were! :)
After the caves, we drove to "The Scorpion"-I forgot how to say it in Spanish. This was were we saw surfers!!! Arica is a really popular place to surf. I'd love to learn, but I would be scared to death :)
On our way home, Rachel and I took some pictures of where we live, and also the vegetation that is here! Before I arrived, I was really scared that there would be no vegetation here, but there are some REALLY pretty flowers here, and Las Palmeras!!! Palm trees! I love them :)

Ok, so then Monday we began classes. That's our really long day. We have them from 8-12 am then 4-6 on Monday. No classes Tuesday. And Wednesday, Thursday, Friday we have them from 8-12. It's not that bad :) So we are taking a culture, literature, and writing class. One of the professors are a little bit more difficult to understand, but they are all REALLY nice :) La Universidad de Tarapacá (University of Tarapaca) also has an American Corner! It's like an official thing that is part of the embassy. It's awesome :) They have all kinds of books and magazines in English, and this is the one place we are allowed to speak English :) Many Chileans go there to speak with conversation partners and to learn English :) My friend Jorge works here, and today (Thursday) Rachel and I visited.

Monday night we went to el centro (the downtown) to shop around in the little outside market, and at midnight there were FUEGOS ARTIFICIALES!!! (Fireworks!) They had them because Tuesday was the Day of Arica! It was to celebrate that Arica is a part of Chile and not Peru anymore. We sing "Chi-chi-chi...le-le-le...viva Chile!" (the last part means long live Chile). :) Anywho, it was a grand time and the fireworks were great! They shot them off of el morro, and we were all below. How beautiful! There were also some clowns there who were really funny. Afterwards, we just hung out with some of our primos ("cousins"-coversation partners).

There hasn't been too many more things that have happened! OH but two nights ago I "experienced" my first earthquake! It was a smaller one in Arica, but I "missed" it! haha I was actually showering when it happened, and I felt the house shake a little bit (but honestly, it just sounded like pipes making noise like back home)..but then the dogs started barking, and still I didn't think anything of it! I heard Rachel say my name, but it wasn't that loud, and I thought she was talking to our mom. Wow! How did I not realize that there was an earthquake?! haha. Anywho, Rachel told me afterward that we had one, and they even went outside (that's what we do if there's an earthquake), and I was like WHAT? I missed my first earthquake? haha I'm sure I'll experience another one before I leave haha.

Ok, that's it for now folks. I'm off to the feria de juegos "fair of games". I will try to update more soon! Sorry this isn't as detailed as I would like, but I wanted to write something for all my followers! P.s. Thank you for following me!!! :D I hope you're enjoying the blog!

My house is pictured also :)I'll talk to you all soon! Hope those of you in Iowa and Minnesota aren't dying from the heat!!! :) Take care everyone! I love you all so much!!!!!!!

Adios de Chileeeeeee <3