New Semester

Well, my second and last semester at the Universidad de Concepción has begun. I am taking a continuation of my Mapuche testimony and poetry class and Social Development in Latin America and Chile. The latter is a really cool class. I like the sociology grad students, because unlike the history ones, they are around my age and are not commuters. I actually went to a bar called The Beer Place (clever name, huh?) with three of the students from the class the other night. I think that my classes this semester will be fine, just like last semester, but I have the added stress of writing my thesis and applying to grad schools on top of everything else I'm doing. Somehow, though, I still manage to be bored and stay in on a Saturday night catching up on blogging rather than going out and having a life.

I've been a little bummed over the past couple of weeks. I'm pretty homesick at this point, and I get stressed out very easily. I am sure that comes from my additional responsibilities of thesis-writing and grad school applications, but I just don't like it. I want to enjoy the months I have left in Chile, but at the same time, I just really want to go home and see my family and friends. I feel pretty lonely here a lot of the time. I do have friends here, but back in the U.S., there was usually somebody to hang out with any time I was feeling bored or blue. Now, I just watch Sex and the City episodes that I download from iTunes and pretend that Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha are my friends. How pathetic!

I can't help but wonder if this experience would have been different had I lived in Santiago instead of Concepción. I like Concepción, but it isn't exactly very conducive to having new cultural experiences every day. When I was in Santiago, I felt like there was always some new part of town to see, another museum to visit, another pub to check out.... Here, it's pretty dull. I can see why the Chileans who live here prefer it to Santiago: it's more relaxed, has fewer people, etc. I just think, as a foreigner, that Santiago has more to offer for those who which to be culturally stimulated. There is a saying here, ''Santiago is Chile.'' It's kind of like saying that New York is the U.S. I guess by living in Concepción I get to experience life on the periphery, which, in this country, is any place but Santiago.

There are many good things going on here, besides. Diane and I are working on a project to implement a library in the rural school where we both volunteer, and I am still enjoying teaching the little kids. I helped coach the debate team for the high school where I volunteer (the debates are in English), and they won first place at the last competition! I am very proud of them. I think working in the schools has been the most rewarding part of my time in Chile. That is probably what I am going to miss the most when I'm gone. That...and empanadas.