still in Chile

Hey guys. Don't worry. I'm still in Chile. But actually, you should worry because I'm never leaving.

The past 5 days:

I showed up at the orientation hotel at 7am the day the program began. Everyone on the group flight wasn't supposed to show up until 11am so I was thinking that I would probably have to sit in the lobby and cry for all four hours until my fellow humans arrived. BUT NOPE. The desk man took me right back to my room where I lied in a BIG, COMFY BED for 4 hours and pooped in a PRIVATE BATHROOM twice without having to pay money to get in. After two weeks of staying in hostels and three nights in a row of sleeping on buses I was soaking up every minute of my new diva life.

And then all of a sudden there was ~40 people my age in the hotel and I was obsessed with all of them. My program directors are also a gift from the God above. Luis is the big man in charge. He wore the same mint button down shirt and black scarf both days of orientation and I love him. Brenda is an actual angel who somehow has every possible detail about all 40 of us memorized. It might be the most impressive part about the country of Chile. And Jorge is just Jorge and that's all you need to know.

I said I would never bumble around Chile with 40 Americans but I absolutely lied. I bumbled on night one. 20 of us went to a club the first night and we were so obnoxious that the bouncers made sure to put us on the private top floor ALONE. I asked the DJ to play my favorite Daddy Yankee song about 12 times and he never did and I'm still offended about that.

My home stay is the best thing that has ever happened to Chilean Jansen. Marjorie, my mom, is a 36-year-old single mom who runs the world. I also have a 9-year-old little brother named Francisco who sometimes talks to me when he's not playing video games. Oh and one time we played basketball. We live in an apartment in Providencia where I have my own room and my OWN BATHROOM. Great water pressure in the shower. Also the biggest worry I had about my home stay before I got here was what the pillows on my bed would be like. As a frequent tummy sleeper, I CAN'T STAND FLUFFY PILLOWS. I really just love a nice, flat surface to lay my head at night. MY PILLOWS COULD NOT BE MORE PERFECT AND FLAT. I really really really love Marjo because she likes to swear a lot and also has never cooked anything that I wasn't obsessed with. She laughs almost as much and as loud as I do and we never stop cracking jokes. She's wild. Just tonight she told me about the time that she accidentally shit her pants in an elevator. My home stay could not be more different from what I pictured but I could not be more pleased. I LOVE THEM BOTH SO MUCH AND I'VE ONLY KNOW THEM FOR 5 DAYS HELP I'M NEVER LEAVING.

My first Friday night in Chile: My social b-fly mom had her friends over for a dinner party. She made ginger pisco sours and pad thai. I didn't understand 95% of the dinner conversation because Chileans talk really fast and give them some alcohol AND THEY TALK FASTER. I salsa danced in my living room with a man with dreads. His name was Esteban. He's a photographer/publicist and has the hook-up for VIP parties and free drinks. Do you think he'll let in a Christian girl that taps out at 2 drinks and can't dance seriously ever? I hope so. I finally retreated to my room at 1:43 AM. The next morning I found out they raged until 5am. My life will never be the same.

Yesterday I explored one part of Santiago with some pals from my program. We found a fruit/veggie market AND I ATE A CLEMENTINE THAT ALMOST REPLACED JESUS IN MY HEART. Literally the fruit here is like nothing I have ever tasted before. IT IS SO DAMN GOOD. Everyone needs to come to Chile and eat the fruit before they die. And in October when we get deep into the fruit season my mom told me fruit is cheaper than anything and that I can buy a box of berries for $1. ONE DOLLAR FOR BERRIES. I'm also drowning in avocados here. It's on everything and so so cheap. Jesus is real.

Also last night I got in the car with a stranger and ended up at a Chilean house party. Remind me to never let my kids study abroad.

But better than the Chilean house party, I went to CHURCH this morning and it was so special and wonderful and wow Jesus is real. LITERALLY HE IS SETTING ME UP HERE. Much more to say about that at a later date. I spent the rest of the day at my Abuela's house in the suburbs of Santiago. She is just as crazy as my mom and she speaks Spanish so fast but I'm starting to get the hang of their extreme speed. Shout out to the human brain for that one. I also spent some time behind the counter of the mini market my mom's cousin owns. It was SO South American. Just this little hole in the wall market where all the neighborhood folk come in to buy fresh bread, 3 liter sodas, and cigarettes. I really had one of those "how did I get here" moments sitting behind the counter. Life is so funny.

ALSO PEOPLE HERE ARE THE NICEST HUMANS. Here's some examples of weird happenings because people are so nice.

1. I took an overnight bus by myself back to Santiago from La Serena. First the man sitting behind me offered me a blanket. I kindly accepted. About twenty minutes later, the bus attendant TAPPED ME AWAKE to offer me two more blankets. I must have looked really cold and helpless or something idk.

2. They love to affirm my Spanish skills even when I only say as much as "buenas dias". Taxi drivers also love to put on Don Omar or Daddy Yankee when I mention that I love them.

3. A couple offered me a beer while I was walking down the street. Might have been more weird than nice.

Other important things:

1. For lunch on day two I had my first completo--a classic Chilean item. It's a hot dog. But like huge. Gigantic actually. Except for it's actually only about 10% hot dog, 20% bun, 10% strange liquidy avocado, and 60% mayonnaise. Still not sure how I feel about them.

2. One day I came home and was greeted with 3 greasy homemade cheese empanadas after not eating anything all day except for 2 clementines, a few french fries, and a beer. I could eat those empanadas for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of my life and never look back.

3. My dread locked salsa partner Esteban and his friend found out my middle name is Rose and they insisted I introduce myself as "Yessica Rosa" from now on. I've tried it out a few times and man it's a hit with the Chileans. ALSO LOOKS LIKE I FOUND MY LATINA POP STAR NAME.

4. Really starting to get the hang of the bus and metro system here. I've navigated myself alone to different places on 3 separate occasions already. And one of those times I only had to ask 4 separate people which bus I had to take to get to my metro stop. I also have a ghetto phone here with a REAL CHILEAN PHONE NUMBER. So like yeah I am that city bitch texting on her cell phone while navigating public transport. Get @ me.

5. I'm also cheating Chile's economy. My first night here I accidentally didn't bring enough money out and only paid 1,000 pesos for a 3,500 peso drink. FOR THE RECORD THE BARTENDER ACCEPTED THAT AMOUNT KNOWINGLY. I also got let onto the bus without paying (twice) because I ran out of money on my Bip! card. I'm so sorry Chile. But you know who's really scraping by is the STREET DOGS. One dog got on and off the bus with us without paying a dime! But lol because nothing's funnier than the fact that I saw a street dog use public transportation.

6. Also taking the metro to church this morning there was a guy very openly singing a Sugar Ray song VERY LOUDLY that was also playing VERY LOUDLY through his headphones. And then I kid you not another guy started singing along to his music. So yeah I was surrounded by two people singing two separate songs--both off key--on public transport. Bless the Sabbath.

7. Also this quote has been rocking my world this week: "I believe that God is making all things new. I believe that Christ overcame death and that pattern is apparent all through life and history: life from death, water from a stone, redemption from failure, connection from alienation. I believe that suffering is part of the narrative, and that nothing really good gets built when everything's easy. I believe that loss and emptiness and confusion often give way to new fullness and wisdom". From a book called Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist. What a woman.


I dedicate this blog post to Claire Shannon and Allie Davis. This post only has about 40% of what I'd like to share but you can thank them for pressuring me to post TONIGHT. Also don't tell my mom and dad about the house party. Gonna go hang out with Jesus now. Bye everyone.