Valparaíso!

Hola,

I can't believe it has been a whole week since my last post, I have lots to update everyone on!

This weekend (Friday-Sunday) I went to Valparaíso with the program to observe some schools and explore the city of Valpo and Vina del Mar. We left Santiago early Friday morning and went straight to an all-girls technical high school. There were over 1,000 girls attending this school where during their first 2 years the girls study all subjects and during their last 2 years they prepare specifically to either work in textiles, computer graphics, cooking, or work with kids. Most of the girls that graduate do not go on to college because this school prepares them to graduate and start working right away. There were roughly 150 girls who were either pregnant or already had children. We were given the opportunity to sit and talk to a class of girls for about an hour and it was fascinating to hear how different their lives are. Here is a picture of me with some of the students that I met:

After visiting the school we went to a famous restaurant in Valpo where we ate the most disgusting but DELICOUS meal! See picture below:

This plate consists of really really greasy french fries, grilled onions with melted cheese and then pieces of the tastiest steak ever! It was literally the best thing I have ever eaten!

Friday afternoon we met with the director of a teachers union in Valpo and they talked to us about education and how it has changed over the past thirty years.

On Saturday we headed outside of Valpo to a rural town to visit a small school. The school had about 4 classrooms and was for 56 kids, because it was a Saturday we didn't get to see the school in action but a few kids came in nice and early to help the director show us around. The school had their own gardens that each kid tends too, it was so quaint and wonderful.

Saturday afternoon we were free and the whole group went out to an incredible seafood restaurant right on the water, we stuffed ourselves with delicous food and then by foot explored a little bit of Valparaíso. Later that night we headed to a four floor discotheque to dance the night away!

Here is a picture of the beach:

Last week I had lots of class and finally started visiting a school that I will visit for the next few weeks. I observed a language and composition class and was able to talk with the teacher and the students. The school is a rather large public school where most of the children come from struggling families...and the biggest problem that they have is the disorganization and the problem with discipline. It was very different than how I remember elementary school.

This week is lots more class and more school visiting! Only two more weeks of spanish so I just have to keep plugging, although the work is really starting to pile up!

Muchos besos!