Classes classes classes

Hello a todos! The earliest and longest day of class has ended - every Thursday we'll have class from 8 am - 2 pm. THEN we go home to eat our lunch. Today wasn't as bad - our middle class met downtown en La Feria, the temporary fair with artists and craftsmen from all over Chile and other parts of South America. We have been a few different times, but this time we learned the cultural aspects of it with our professor Miria Luque. She is part Aymara - an indigenous tribe still present in Chile. Saturday she's taking us on a little excursion to El Valle Aymara to learn more about their culture and ways of living. Please await some good pictures :)

Classes are sure moving forward quickly - I have a good 2, 3 hours of homework tonight just due for tomorrow. I know I know, I knew it would be intensive, but we were sure spoiled with that first week of goofing off. Now down to business!!

Coming home from La Feria today we took a bus because we needed to get back for our 3rd class in time. This bus would not be ALLOWED to run in the U.S. Hopefully I will get a chance to take a picture next time I see it - it's called the Micro and it cost 350 pesos - our equivalent of maybe 70 cents. I thought we were going to explode.

All the professors are really great and interesting, it's just long class periods! There are always 1 1/2 - 2 hour blocks because we have such a short amount of time here. Today it was rough - the weather outside is more perfect than usual and I just wanted to walk all day long.

I have been having great food still - no repeats yet! Today's lunch was something very similar to your tuna noodles, Mom, and yesterday we had a delicious brothy soup with rice and a mix of veggies and meat to follow. I have also developed a strong attachment to avacados - "paltas" here. They are fresh and we just eat them like it's a piece of fruit - peel and eat! I had one for breakfast and yesterday another one with my lunch. I can't get enough! I ate a snack at Nolan's last night and his mama Karla had these small yellow fruits - guayava I think - that were DELICIOUS. The cheese here is better too, have I mentioned that?

I drink the coffee here, but I've been spoiled by Elly's and my coffee and school. It is bitter and instant, ALL instant. I drink it and it is just fine, but I can't wait for that first cup of Starbucks in the airport in Atlanta on August 4th!

Tonight we have nothing crazy planned, more classes tomorrow! I think we'll go the El Centro to hang out and walk around - Nolan and I want to try some more foods in restaurants. Love the food at home but curious to see what they serve here.

Time for homework!