Back to School 2012

Hello everyone! I’m officially ¾ of the way through my study abroad experience. I’ve been here now for 9 months and will be going home in 3… but whose counting anyway?! I’ve now been in school in my new semester for two weeks and its going great so far. I am taking a swimming class, a “Chilean culture” class (to really seal the deal on my Chilean cultural knowledge ;) ) and 3 psychology classes. My Chilean culture class hasn’t started yet but I love my other classes so far. Everyone in my swim class is really cool and it is really nice to be back in the water and having fun while getting some exercise too. I also love my psych classes, before this semester I was dreading a little bit having to finish my psych major cause it just wasn’t interesting to me anymore especially after my really bad psych class last semester, but all that has changed now. My teachers are all really good and the topics are interesting as well as all three classes intertwine in some way. I am really determined to do well in my classes this semester and I think I can do it. I am managing the language barrier a lot better now as compared to last semester. I am able to get through my readings a lot easier and I am able to follow in class. In addition to my classes I have also decided to do an internship helping with English classes in a all girls high school here in Santiago. It is very different classroom dynamics compared to my internship last semester, but I love it. Today I showed the girls a power point about me and then helped them with some class activities. They are all very into it and really sweet. I am really excited for the semester working with them. I also found out today that I’m going to be taking a painting class on Wednesday nights, it is separate from the school with a company that I had heard of last semester. I’ve picked out a picture that I want to paint that reminds me of Chile and I’m just really happy that I’m going to be able to do that. As you may have noticed, I am keeping myself very busy this semester and the schedule is a little different from last semester where I only had class tues-thurs so I could travel on my 5 day weekends every weekend, haha. It sounds a little ridiculous now that I share that with all of you but this semester is going to be different. Like I said, its not different in a bad way its just that now I’ve already been here 9 months and I’ve realized I’m not the “new foreign lost girl” anymore. This is my school, this is where I live and I have to be focused to be successful and prove to myself that I can do this and this trip was worth it. The other small reason I’ve jam packed my schedule is that the homesickness has finally caught up with me. Once summer was over and my dad left I’ve really been missing my family and friends and just my home in general. I love having adventures and learning new things and meeting new people but in the end I am a home-body and I am very excited to go back and just be surrounded by my loving friends and family who I know miss me as much as I miss them. Well I guess that about wraps up the update. I wish I had a picture to post, but I’ve got nothing. Until next time!