Tarapacá... - by Caroline McCurdy, CE Adviser in Chile

Today marks the 2 week countdown until I leave for Chile. Good grief. Every time I start to think about what I should pack, a storm cloud of information overload threatens and my brain goes into self-preservation mode (which typically results in a nap). Rather than focusing on silly things like packing, I’ve chosen to be productive in ways that don’t require me to think too much. For example, I will inevitably need several new playlists on my iPod, and choosing new music is not a task that should be taken lightly. Also, I decided to get my International Driver’s Permit just in case I need to rent a car. After my Russia fiasco, I’ve decided that it’s best to have as many transportation options as possible while traveling.

A View of Iquique... I really want to be placed there!!!

I just got an email from the Chilean Ministry of Education saying that my regional placement in Chile is in the Tarapacá Region. Since I was thinking that it was going to be in the Atacama region, I’ve not bothered to learn about any of the other regions. I just did some frantic Googling and learned a little bit about the region thanks to the always useful Wikipedia. It’s located in the “Big North” of Chile and is divided into 2 provinces. Since I don’t know exactly which town I’ll be in until I go to orientation in Santiago, I can only guess where I’ll end up. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I end up in the town of Iquique. It’s the capital of the region and seems to be pretty awesome. It’s located right on the water and seems to be metropolitan and very well developed. I don’t mind small cities, but I’d much prefer to be in a bigger one; mostly because it would be more likely to have a movie theatre, which is always nice if I’m feeling homesick.

My book on Chilean Spanish... really entertaining

I’ve gotten very lazy with my Spanish practice and I just know that I will regret it once I get off the plane in Santiago. I bought a book of Chilean Spanish called “Chilenismos”. As far as I can tell, Chilean Spanish is going to eat me alive. Although the book is full of super entertaining Chilean slang (especially the section labeled “The Profane and Sexual”… I’m not proud of the amount of giggling I did), the introduction of the book didn’t serve to boost my Spanish confidence. It says that Chilean Spanish is so difficult to understand that most native speakers have trouble understanding it. It even says that oftentimes Chilean movies have standard Spanish subtitles when they are released into other Spanish-speaking countries. Although the Spanish Department at Baylor was more than wonderful, I don’t think it has prepared me for what I’m about to encounter…

So, the next time you will get an update from me will probably be when I get to Santiago since I'm about to go into a panicked preperation mode for Chile while attempting to re-learn high school math for the GRE. Rest assured that these entries will be much more frequent and entertaining once I have interesting things to talk about during my adventures in South America. So, until next time, here’s the philosophical question of the day:

Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

-Caroline
Advisor Abroad in Chile

It's Panda Time - by Chris Schave, CE Adviser in China

Today is my first day at the Panda Center. It is AWESOME! We woke up and had a typical Chinese breakfast, steam bread and rice. After eating, we went to where the pandas stay. We were assigned to the breeding center. My partners in crime this week are Anna and Chen. The pandas are so cute. All but one in the breeding center are girls and most of them are pregnant. Apparently, one of them thinks that she is pregnant, but is actually not.

Our job is to go into the cages and sweep them out and pick up all the uneaten bamboo, clean the poop, mop them out, then put new bamboo in them. The pandas are in the cage next to us and just sit there and watch us. It’s so amazing to be right there next to these animals. After we cleaned and restocked the cages, we fed them some treats. They behave surprisingly well. They have to sit down on their butts, then hold the cage before they are fed the treats. If you tell them to sit, they will. They are pretty much like big cuddly dogs. Watching them eat bamboo is also pretty cool. They peel the outside then eat the inside.

This afternoon I am taking pictures of Chen, who is going to play with the pandas for 5 minutes. She is paying 1000 Yuan for it. Since I am taking pictures for her, I will get to get close up with them also. Jackpot! I will also do it twice tomorrow for Anna, and a girl from Hawaii.

A lot more to come…

Chris- Adviser Abroad China

Cultural Embrace @ www.culturalembrace.com

www.flickr.com/photos/cschave

Flashback - 4/17/10 - Once a mother, always a mother - by Tracy Guthrie, CE Adviser in Africa

I just found out I have some sort of worm. I have no idea what kind of worm, or what medicine they gave me because I didn't go to the docotor, just my poop did. I know it was stupid of me not to get that information, but I can't change that now. I am for sure not telling mom. She will get pissed that I didn't find out all the information for myself. Here is how the conversation will go:

"Mom, we figured out why all the kids are so sick, they have ameobas."

"Oh no! Are they okay? Did you get tested too, Tracy?"

"Yeah the kids have been given medicine which is supposed to take care of it. Yeah, I got tested."

"Well....?"

"Well, I had a different kind of worm."

"What kind of different worm, Tracy?"

"I don't know mother." (I always say 'mother' when I am annoyed or when I kow she is right and I don't want to admit it).

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?!?!? Tracy, let me understand this correctly, you sent your poop with someone else and just took whatever pill they gave you? How do you know it wasn't some sort of illegal drug???"

"I don't know for sure, but if it was an illegal drug I got cheated because I didn't get high."

"Tracy that is not funny. You need to be more responsible. You are 33 years old. Didn't I teach you better than that?"

"Nope you didn't. If I die from some unknown worm it is all your fault. Seriously mom, we both know you taught me many valuable lessons. I just chose not to follow the rules this time. And it all worked out just fine."

GOD CREATED US TO SERVE. ARE YOU?

P.S. I LOVE YOU MOM!

Chengdu Baby! - by Chris Schave, CE Adviser Abroad in China

I woke up this morning in Chengdu. I must say I like this city quite a bit. Besides all the Chinese people, it has a very European feel. It kind of reminds me of parts of Paris. Maybe that is the part of the charm.

I had breakfast with Isabella and had the chance to meet her son, who is adorable. Halfway through breakfast Georgina showed up and joined us. She has been in Chengdu for a week and offered to show me around a bit. We went to an electronics mega center. It was pretty amazing and I think I will buy two new lenses tomorrow. I was going to wait and buy them when I get back, but the deals are really good, and from the research I have done, they are legit. I wouldn’t buy a camera here though. The advice that I got was check the serial number and weigh them to make sure it is the same as advertised. The people that I have talked with say that the place just gets them cheaper than the US. The deals aren’t so good that it is unbelievable though.

After checking that out, we went to a pub and I got my first Guinness in a month and a half. Delicious!

Later we came back to the hostel, which is pretty awesome, and I got some noodles. We waited around for the rest of the group and I ended up meeting an American girl that hung out with us. She has been teaching for a year in South Korea. We all had dinner together and then went out for some drinks. It seems that we have a good group; four English boys, an English girl, a Swedish girl, an Israeli girl, and me. I think there is another girl from China, maybe, and another person that will arrive tomorrow.

This should be a good week hanging out with pandas!

Chris- Adviser Abroad China

Cultural Embrace @ www.culturalembrace.com

www.flickr.com/photos/cschave

Boring 4^th of July though…

Changsha - by Chris Schave, CE Adviser in China

Finally, I made it to the airport! The bus ride was pretty normal, inefficient as always. The thing is, you buy a ticket at the bus station, then along the way, the bus stops to pick people up. It makes for very slow progress. To add to this, I had to pee the whole way.  Right before we entered Changsha, we dropped the guy next to me off on the side of the road under an overpass. While we were stopped, a woman, her daughter, and infant son got off the bus. The little girl hopped right off, dropped her pants, and started peeing. This is one of those, “what the hell is going on?” moments. I just don’t get it, but apparently it is part of their culture.

Another thing that boggles my mind a bit is the gap between rich and poor. I really don’t think this is what Mao had in mind. Even in Changsha, the nice apartments are riddled with crappy messy shops at the base if the buildings. To see this gap between extreme poverty and very wealthy citizens makes me wonder how far behind China really is. We have our poor, homeless, and all around people down on their luck, but it is nothing compared to China.

It is kind of mysterious as you drive around these big cities. Mass amounts of construction is happening everywhere, yet there are many buildings left incomplete. Just shells, then it looks like the construction crews moved to the next lot and started a new building.

I have my doubts that my new roommate, Leona, has time to read my blog, but congrats to her and the rest of the Dutch on their win against Brazil in the World Cup. I just watched the finish at the airport.

In a completely different observation, the kids at the orphanage got their test score results today and I happened to see them. Good in Math and English, horrible in history. Not surprising to see their Math is good.

Now I am sitting in the Airport on the public side of security waiting three hours to check in, then I have another two and a half hour wait. Until my flight leaves.

Chris- Adviser Abroad China

Cultural Embrace @ www.culturalembrace.com

www.flickr.com/photos/cschave

Stalker - by Chris Schave, CE Adviser in China

I now have a Chinese stalker… She is the one that dropped her children here last week. She wants me to speak English to her, but she doesn’t speak one word of it, so she just repeats everything I say.  Well, she tries to, but it’s pretty rough. She then continues to speak to me in Chinese as I shrug my shoulders and say I don’t know. Beyond this, she doesn’t understand the Chinese I do know. I told her that I was going to my room, and she repeated that. Then, I walked away. A few minutes after getting to my room, I turned and saw her very creepily peeking through the whole in the window screen.

Good for her for trying to learn English, but I was playing with the kids and she just wanted me to talk to her. In better news, I taught more kids how to throw the football.

Tonight is my last night here at the orphanage, and though it has been a great experience, I’m ready to head off to my next adventure. Tomorrow, I will leave bright and early and take a three hour bus ride to Changsha, then catch a plane to Chengdu. I found out today that Isabella, the coordinator from Yangshou, will be arriving at the airport the same time as me tomorrow, so it will be good to see her again.

To reflect on my experience here, it has been really pretty amazing. The language barrier was an issue. I could have taught them a lot more stuff as far as games are concerned. All in all though, I had fun and I think I made their week a lot better than it would have been. Well, except the kid that I kept stuffing in basketball. I think he was getting frustrated, but that is what he gets for having a Steve Perry haircut!

Today, I mostly applied to various jobs on the west coast.

Chris- Adviser Abroad China

Cultural Embrace @ www.culturalembrace.com

www.flickr.com/photos/cschave

Peanutsicles - by Chris Schave, CE Adviser in China

I forgot to write yesterday, but nothing of great importance really happened. I did go into the small town here to pick up some random stuff. One of the boys came running after me when he saw me leave the gate. I could hear his little sandals slapping the ground as he chased after me. I took my camera in hope so get some shots. When we got to town, I bought us both popsicles. What I thought was some fruit ended up being peanut flavor. Gross! I ended up stopping at another shop and picking up different flavor. It wasn’t much better. When we got back the little guy had barely finished his first popsicle and I was a little concerned the others would be jealous. To my surprise the director had picked up ice cream for everyone, so they thought he just got his there. As we got to the gate the little guy went inside and I continued walking down the road. It was a gorgeous day and I was excited to see what was down the road from where I am staying. I ended up finding another lake with a few house on it. Some of the pictures turned out really well. The afternoon was pretty low key. One of the children had found an American football, so I pumped it up and taught some of the kids to play catch. They were pretty bad at it, but I think growing up playing gave me a slight advantage. The little girls were adorable. I would toss the ball in the air and when it landed it would jump around like a Mexican jumping bean and they would chase it. They thought it was hilarious. After dinner, I retreated back to my room and watched some podcasts and went to bed.

Chris- Adviser Abroad China

Cultural Embrace @ www.culturalembrace.com

www.flickr.com/photos/cschave