After getting all settled in with our host families and figuring out our class schedules, it was time to do a little exploring. All of the international students at our university get assigned tutors to help them through the process, and honestly, I don’t know what we would have done without ours. On Thursday, the 18th, they helped us get our schedules sorted out, and afterwards, gave us a tour of the university so that we would know where our classes were. This took up most of our morning, and since nothing was planned for the afternoon, our tutors wanted to take us through the “Centro” of Chillán which is essentially the most “hustle-and-bustle” that you can find in this small town.
We walked about a mile from the university and chatted with the tutors, getting to know them a little better on the way. Their names are Juan Pablo, Edward, and Gillian, who all are studying English at the University. It’s really been a win-win situation because they have been helping us with our Spanish and we have been helping them with their English.
Before we got to the Centro, we had to stop to get some food. Juan Pablo urged me to try a “completo,” which is essentially a Chilean hot dog with your choice of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and avocado. This was easily the biggest hot dog I have ever eaten, and probably one of the messiest too, but every bite was worth it. We finished eating pretty quickly since we all were hungry, but we stayed at our table and chatted for at least an hour afterwards. The thing about Chile is that no one really seems to have set plans. They take every day as it comes and they aren’t stressed about how long anything will take or worrying about what else they have to be doing. The people here genuinely enjoy connecting with each other, even if that means staying out much longer than what might be considered “normal” for people in the U.S.
We arrived at the Centro after we were done, and the street was lined with stands where vendors were selling jewelry, pastries and other handmade knick-knacks. Past this market was the plaza where you can find a famous Catholic church in Chillán, called Charles Borromeo Cathedral, as well as a statue of Bernardo O’Higgins, who freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence.
The next day, we went downtown again with the tutors to get a few things sorted out with our visa documents. Once we were finished there, they took us to get our first, “mote con huesillo,” which is a special Chilean dessert/drink made with wheat and peaches. We also enjoyed candy that can only be found in Chile, which was fun to try.
That wasn’t all of the activity that the first week held in store. Isabel and I are lucky enough to have host families that are actually also family. My host mom, Ana María, is the sister of Isabel’s host dad, Ricardo. Due to this, our families do a lot of stuff together. One of the main things is the family vacation house in San Fabián, about an hour-and-a-half drive east of Chillán, in the Andes Mountains. Each of our families has a house side-by-side, with a cabin-like feel and incredible view of two mountain peaks.
After staying a night in the cabin, our main activity in San Fabián was driving through the Andes Mountain trails to get to one of Ricardo’s favorite spots to eat lunch and chat. We stopped a few times along the way to take pictures of the beautiful views. After we ate, we played dominoes and card games on a picnic blanket before heading home to Chillán.
To think that it has only been a week since we got to Chillán makes me so excited for all that is in store for Isabel and I on this incredible journey. The dialect is already becoming more familiar, and it’s beginning to sink in for us that we will truly be living a Chilean life filled with spontaneity, fun and family time for these next four months.
Nos vemos,
Jordan
