By William P., Chile study abroad participant studying Spanish and skiing in Santiago

Today was my second day and I was still very frustrated that I was having trouble understanding even the basic words that I know I should remember from high school or that I know on paper.  However, at least I was starting to understand most of what the teacher was saying today as she spoke to us in phrases that an intermediate beginner would know.  I know that learning a language does not occur overnight but because I know I am not very good yet I realized I was getting very nervous in front of people and ultimately too scared to talk.  My nervousness would make me forget simple verbs and phrases that I easily remembered later but was stuck without words at the time.  It also is very difficult to conjugate verbs on the spot and while I may know it on paper, speaking them efficiently will take many hours of practice.  Therefore, I did not have a lot of confidence in my abilities at all today.

However, when classes were over I went on my computer and decided to chat with one of my friends in the United States that speaks Spanish.  He was more than willing to help and in our conversation online I found myself finally being able to put what I have learned to good use.  There was no need for me to be nervous behind a computer.  I also had the comfort of both my verb book and dictionary and with the lag of the Internet and the numerous other reasons for pauses such as chatting with other individuals, I could easily communicate with my friend online and fill in gaps that I needed.  I started to learn a lot better this way.  I also for the first time gained some confidence that I can do this.  Due to the successful conversation I was able to control my anxiety a little better and therefore was more willing to talk in Spanish to others.  I obviously have a very long way to go but today I just might have gotten over the hump of not being afraid to make mistakes.

Therefore I strongly suggest for anyone else in the same situation where you are very nervous and afraid to speak do to worrying about mistakes and being embarrassed, then find a chat room in the language you are studying and start off by writing online.  Better yet, if you know a friend that knows the language, chat with him as friends will generally be more than willing to help you out.  Writing really does lessen the anxiety and it is also a great way to learn.

I will continue to chat with my friends that know Spanish using my very book and dictionary to build further confidence throughout the time I am here.  It was a great idea for me and I think it is a good idea for everyone providing of course you make the effort to speak to other people afterwards.  I don’t want the computer to be too much of a crutch for me  but I think as long as I make the effort to also speak the language here in the City, the computer is a good way to continue to lessen Spanish anxiety!

Read William P.’s blogs

See AmeriSpan’s Santiago Spanish schools

Check out AmeriSpan’s Language and Fun programs

By William P., a guest blogger studying at AmeriSpan's Santiago Spanish school in Chile

Today was my first day in the City and it has been very interesting.  First of all, one difference I was made aware of right away last night was the existence of manual elevators.  The place where I am staying has an elevator but you have to manually shut the door before it will work and then manually open it.  I have never seen this before and had no idea what it was.  I usually take the stairs but when I was carrying my luggage up I used the elevator and the fact that it was manual was very strange to me.

Along the same line things are generally not as modern as what I am used to in the United States.  Doors do not close very well and get stuck easily.  They also don’t lock or open the same way as what I am used to and therefore this takes some adjustment.  Also, while I am used to traffic and lots of cars in Los Angeles and California, it still is different here.  Cars do not seem to be as alert for pedestrians as they are even in the busiest of cities in the United States.  It could be that I am just not used to the city but it appears as though one has to watch more for cars here than in the States.

My experience at the school was very good.  The staff was very welcoming and after taking the written exam I realized I remembered quite a few more words and verbs than I thought.  However, that excitement unfortunately did not last long. It was one thing to remember some words and verbs but quite another to try and speak. I got really frustrated at times because I could not understand the teacher or other staff and have been giving myself the excuse that it is only my first day and therefore I can just fall back into English all the time with those that speak English

This is the best advice I can give to those considering a program: Do your best not to fall back into speaking English even if you don’t know a lot of Spanish. The mother in the family I am staying with at the homestay does not know English and I am learning the most from this experience. I am forced to try and speak it and learn more words to use.I am confident that after a month’s time here I will know quite a bit as long as I keep trying. It is very difficult now and very frustrating when I can’t understand people, but so far I am really enjoying it. In addition one reason I know I will improve and learn Spanish as I am already thinking the Spanish equivalent for several of the words that I am typing and have to remember that I am writing in English. Words such as talk, of, learn, and etc.  I think this is what will definitely lead to lots of Spanguish in the future for conversations and I can understand why it is done often with people that are bilingual.

In regards to the city of Santiago, it is really nice and the Andes mountains in the background are gorgeous.  I am really excited to ski in them this Wednesday.  Furthermore, the school took us on a tour today, which was really nice.  Unfortunately I did not understand the guide which really frustrated me but hopefully I will take another tour in a couple weeks and will understand it at that point.  Overall, I am really glad I chose this program and I one last thing to mention about why Santiago is a good place to study Spanish is the lack of English speaking tourists.  No one knows much English here and the tourists are not generally English speakers. It is great. My only fallback is to the numerous students that speak English with me of course I am at fault in this regard as well.  I will try to work on this in the future.

Read all of William P.'s blogs

Find out more about Chile study abroad

Guest blogger William P. details his experiences in the Spanish and Skiing program in Santiago, Chile

As I am on the plane and on my way to Santiago, I begin to think of all the things to come.  As a graduate of law school who just took the California Bar, and what seems like an endless wait of four months until the results come out in November, I knew I had to find something productive to do with my time during the waiting period.  Living in Southern California, I know that learning Spanish will be a tremendous benefit to me as I enter the job market soon and therefore I thought going to Santiago, Chile would be the perfect learning/vacation opportunity to reward myself for all the hard work in law school and studying for the Bar.

After all the worries of packing and worrying about what bring I am finally on the plane.  I just packed my winter clothes and bought a Spanish dictionary and verb book to look over. While I always worry that I forgot something important, I know I have all the essentials and can just buy something in Chile if I forgot anything else.  The simplest things were the most stressful including what to get as a welcoming gift, which I did not plan for until the day I left, today.  I decided on some candy and thankfully a gift store in the airport was still open so I was able to get some coasters with a picture of Los Angeles on them.

I’m already trying to start getting somewhat involved with the language.  Because I took a Central American Airline, Copa, the primary language is Spanish so I can listen and do my best to speak some Spanish with the comfort that people still speak English.  Of course once I get to Chile I’m hoping to use English as little as possible.   Hopefully everything goes smoothly on the plane and I am able to get to the homestay family at a reasonable time.  Overall, I am very excited and looking forward to the experience.

As an update, I made it to the family and they were very welcoming.  However, what an experience it sure was.  I was surprised that very few people knew English at the airport and even more surprised that the customs agents did not know much English.  However, this really forced me to use the broken Spanish that I do know in order to get through smoothly and find the airport pickup.

I had taken some Spanish in high school and more and more words are coming back to me.  For example, I did not have a pen so I had to ask a customs agent for one and remembered the word in Spanish.  I also realized that I was talking to officials and therefore remembered to use the formal usted form.  The most important phrase that I remembered was donde esta for where is as well as some simple directions for right and left.  I’m far from being able to speak the language but at least I am thinking in the simple phrases without having to translate in my head such as words like for, but, please, thank you, with, etc. 

I look forward to my first day at the school tomorrow and am excited about how much I will learn.  Of course I am more excited about the skiing on Wednesday, which appears to be the planned day for the group from what I am told.

See all of AmeriSpan's Language and Fun programs

Read all of William P.'s blogs

See Learn Spanish in Chile

 

By Jonathon L., guest blogger studying Spanish and skiing in Santiago, Chile

The Time is 7:00, do you know where your children are?  Well if you are my parents, then you should know that I am sitting in the terminal at Miami International Airport, thinking about how excited I am to reunite with my American friends and family, while simultaneously distraught with longing for my Chilian friends, family and cultures!

But this blog is not about me…It is about the people who I have encountered throughout the past for weeks (and subsequently officiated our relationship via Facebook) so that when your/their name pops up on my mini-feed I will have these memorized, etched forever in the analogs of my memory (this blog) and to reference from year to year.

The cast and credits of my experience in Santiago, Chile…in the order that they appeared by category:

MI FAMILIA, In the order that they appeared in my life..
-Mamá (Elijara) opened the door as I was getting out of the Transfer Van from the airport and greeted me warmly with a hug and the Chilean kiss on the cheek, and for the next four weeks never failed to treat me with love and affection.  Cooking the best meals, at times cleaning up my room for me, and always helping me when I had trouble making a phone call, doing my homework or anything I could have ever needed help with!

-Mo(rgan) greeted me with a hug and a kiss and by our second night living in the casa (mas loca) burrowed herself into my heart when she said “buenas noches hermano” and from that point on I knew that we were a family.  Whether she was knitting at the table, reading/watching la guerra y paz, or the numerous conversations we enjoyed as we walked through the cold to school together in the mornings.

-Guagui (Wowwi!) aka Jorge – Mi papa chilena.  And always ready to show his love by making fun of the fact that all I ever wanted to do was eat or sleep, and all he ever needed was a piscola, cervesa or a copa de vino after a long day at work.  Guagui was full of love for his family, always invited me to family events and affairs, and made sure I was in the look as part of the family.

-Max – At 17 years old, the “baby” of the family is about 1 year away from graduating high school, and like any good teenager is a master of navigating his home, his family, anything technologic, and always inviting and introducing his friends into the home. 

-Andreina – Came in with her pulola to watch the World Cup with the family and then continued to visit the house for dinners, afternoons, and whenever she could to bring smiles to the family as the oldest (?) daughter of Mama y Guagui

-Clau(dia) – Mi hermana meyor, mi hermanita, y mi guia chilena en la ciudad!  Siempre lista para mirar una película, ir a un mercado, subir un cerro, y hablar muy lento para que yo podía entender.  Llenó con amor y sonries Clau fue mi mejor amiga de Chile, y se encanta mucho y voy a extreñar hasta que ella visitará California ¡PRONTO!

-Lauren – Hellllloooooooooo, was always mama’s response when Lauren’s name was mentioned, as the Califonian that I just “HAD” to meet!  My first few days in the house, my other gringa roomate was off travelling the world, and our first real time hanging out, my congested self hawked up something disgusting into the street, looked at her disguted face and said “Ya, I am gross” and we have been inseparable ever since!  Finished with her EAP semester, Lauren is enjoying her post-study abroad experience as she stays in town late into September to be apart of Chile’s weeklong 200th birthday party! (Mid Septemberish)

Michelle – After Morgan had left for the United States and Lauren hopped on a plane to Uruguay, our family shifted to bring Michelle, a New Yorkian, into the house.  Very unique in her position, as the only married boarder in the house, she brought love, wisdom, laughter and the ocasional crude remark as she began her month studying Literature in Chile as mine came to an end.

-Rylene – I can’t pronounce, I can’t spell it, but the Brazilera who made her first international travel into our home, in our one week together shared many memorable occasions.  Her first time out of the country.  Her first day of class.  Her first time seeing snow.  Her first time skiing.  Her last time skiing (10 minutes later), Miercoles Po, and the waterfall of tears and endless affection that marked her departure only 6 days after coming into our home.

MY SCHOOL FAMILY!
There are so many amazing people that I have come to know through the school.  I have learned with, taught with, traveled with, ate with, danced with, drank with, skiied/snowboarded with and GROWN with throughout my four weeks as I made my school my home away from home.

I feel the best way to approach the numerous people who I have come into contact with through the school is by reflecting on some pictures that epitomize the experiences we shared together!  So if you are reading this on facebook, you may want to click over to the blog for the fotolicous version.

-Los Brasileros – Andre, Thiago, Gustavo, Mariana, Jacqueline, and more were some of the nicest, most positive, Portuguese-speaking, people that I got to travel with, chat with, practice with and learn to love the city and the school with! And of course the gringos Angelique and Henry helped me rep the US by sharing our stories, flaunting our accents and "hablando-ing" Español!

Andre [Brazil], Rascha [Hawaii],Natalie [Cali!] and I headed for the mountains together, and Natalie, with her California home near Orange County(?) may be finding herself up at Mammoth with me in the future. Rascha’s raging Hawaiian self knew how to go big on the mountain, and in life, and would fit right in on the ski weekends with the UCLA team, but more importantly brought the go big or go home attitude with us as the powder started to dump in El Colorado around lunch time to get us back on the mountain to shred some pow…

-Dhanishta [Trinidad], with her English accent, repped Trinidad and Tabago like no other.  Always up for an adventure, a sushi lunch (which unfortunately was never realized), or just checking in/procastinating work and class for a quick snack

-Amanda [Texas], Steve [Netherlands???] and Alex [Down Under] threw down big 2 wednesdays on the mountains and then in the nights during Miércoles Po!  Whether or not they made it to class the next day…thats a different story all together

-On the right, we have Marin [New York but originally from small town in the south?] and Kira [Gringo, but moved to Chile to work at the school] and Rolando [my first spanish teacher] all had so much love and positivity for the school, and seeing how much they loved the school and the people there paved the path for me to do the same!

Thanks for everything!  These people made the last week of school incredible! Whether a day on the slopes with Danielle [back in the blue scarf], the two new Brazileras, Vivian and Liliana [To my left], MY INCREDIBLE and ultimo Spanish teacher ANDREA and of course Michelle and Rylene (behind me and on the far right respectively) who made the final week at home, and school an adventure!

Find out more about Spanish and Skiing in Santiago

See Spanish school in Santiago

Read all of Jonathon's blogs from Santiago

By Jonathon L., guest blogger studying Spanish and skiing in Santiago, Chile

For those who await my return in the states, I cannot wait to see you and hear about your amazing summers.  For those who I am leaving or will be leaving after a wonderful time in Chile, I love you the most (but not necessarily more than others). I will miss you like woah…and I apologize that this is in English and many of you may not be able to comprehend the words I am typing.

And of course, on a final note I want to take a moment to think about the significance of tomorrow.  Not only will I be departing a home that I have learned to love dearly over the past few weeks, but I will also be celebrating my birthday with them.   And because it is pretty amazing I want to share a quick tidbit of the previous years that have come before…

• 18th Birthday – UCLA Summer Orientation

• 19th Birthday – I think i was at summer school, but I am not sure

• 20th Birthday – Getting belligerated in Australia, after a “throwing some shrimp on the barbie”

• 21st Birthday – Celebrating my Final Day off from an amazing summer at Camp Towanga

• 22nd Birthday – My first week in my house in Redondo Beach only a few days after finishing TFA Summer Institute.

• 23rd Birthday – Tomorrow I will be in Chile, and then in Florida, and then by the 10th I should be in California. 

So despite never trying to make a big deal out of my special day, they have always been memorable, they have always been with people I love, and they always manage to capture some of the most significant aspects of that year of my life…

With love, and with great anticipation of further reflection of my voyages and the people who accompanied me, I cannot wait to go an enjoy the final 30 some hours of this country with some of the most beautiful people I have ever had the opportunity to meet/miss/love/enjoy/combat/disagre/agree/cry/laugh/smile/dance/snowboard/travel/adventure/grow with!

Find out more about Spanish and Skiing in Santiago

See Spanish school in Santiago

Read all of Jonathon's blogs from Santiago

By Jonathon L., guest blogger studying Spanish and skiing in Santiago, Chile

I am going to take the Dani Duran approach to starting this blog and see where that takes me:

This last week, I basically had to restart my Chile family experience because Morgan had returned to the states, Lauren was living it up in Uruguay and Buenos Aires, and for some ungodly reason, Clau (who normally works from home) happened to have one of her busy weeks where her trabajo is actually filming and she needs to be there to do her thing (I don’t think she is the star but she does some of the behind the scenes work…HOWEVER SHE COULD BE IF SHE WANTED TO!!!) 

So having the stilts who had lifted me up throughout my Chilean youth (the first three weeks), I entered into adulthood like a true Gringo…calling my family occasionally, and thinking of them as we separated physically…However I still had my Chilean mama and papa and max and the occassional Clau/extended family members (Pato, Andreina etc.) who came in for dinner and a laugh from time to time, so I turned to a new source of love and affection, and found it at my school.  The staff, fellow students and I had all grown fond of each other and they became like a second family to me.  (Including of course my 3rd family, who now consisted of two new sisters….never a brother…come on boys, you gotta get out more and travel…)  And throughout this week, I entered what all Tawongans know is the window of vulnerability.  That time in your life, where you are anticipating a big change, and you tend to let your emotions get the best of you from time to time. 

Despite my two new sisters bringing completely new personalities to the table, and sweet loving kindness to the family (albeit in their own less-traditional ways) My heart was not ready to open up to them in the way it had for the first three weeks.  While last night, we all curled up into my old king size bed, to look at photos, and google map the places where we grew up!  And while my new family may not be the unified indestructable force my previous one was, they are once again my family and we do make a fairly interesting team, to say the least.??But I think what really sealed the deal for my week was my fourth week of school.  I took an afternoon class, and a morning class but between my 8 hours of class each day of this past week, I went to lunch everyday with amazing people, jammed during recesses, shared our stories, opinions and jokes, and feared the upcoming end of the week where people would leave because, while we are all happy in our everyday life, we are also happy here, and CHANGE IS SCARY, but like in bunjee jumping, snowboarding and (one day) acupuncture, facing my fears has always been one of the most important elements of my personal growth.

So, I am feeling reminiscent of this last week, as it was an entirely different experience from the previous weeks, while the things I did were fairly identical.  Class, lunch with other students, snowboarding, Miércoles Po!, and of course the Almuerzo despedido on friday afternoon.  However, this time I was saying my goodbyes to a staff of teachers, administrators, tutors and students who I had grown to love, and I could tell from their uncomfortable laughter, that I too was a valued member of the family.  Within my four weeks in Chile, I have learned to love 3 very different very wonderful families.  I have learned to cope better with change, however as I am about 30 hours from my final “chau” in this wonderful country, I find myself nervously awaiting the return of one of the original sisters (and Clau being done with work) and for one night and the better part of one day, I will learn to love a new combination of the same people who have made this month incredibly memorable!

Find out more about Spanish and Skiing in Santiago

See Spanish school in Santiago

Read all of Jonathon's blogs from Santiago

AmeriSpan offers a handful of options for students wishing to improve their Spanish in Chile. There are general language courses in Santiago or Pichilemu and college study abroad courses in Vina del Mar to choose from, and each are incredible in their own way!

Find out more about learn Spanish in Chile

By Jonathon L., guest blogger studying Spanish and skiing in Santiago, Chile

As I sit here in bed, my body aches from snowboarding yesterday, my mind aches from the thought of leaving Chile (despite the fact that I am coming home to wonderful people, and exciting things that I get/have to do) and my wallet aches, just a little, after spending $30 for a salmon lunch on the mountain.  But after all, I am coming back from traveling so I have no excuse not to be BROKE:

- Physically
- Emotionally
- Financially

Because, as I have discussed with some of my fellow skiers, those are kind of essential characteristics for someone returning from abroad.

So where did I leave off?

Well, lets start with the fact that exactly a week ago, yesterday, I said goodbye to my first Chilean friend (well half-Chilean) as she got in a car with her family to fly back to Mississippi to continue law school in Indiana (Ya, I remembered!).

But before we let Morgan leave, we had a few adventures together!  We sumitted the top of Cerro San Cristobal, which is only about a 30 minute walk (on the way down) but took us about 2-3 hours on the way up…because we stopped for a picnic lunch…The we made our way to the artisan markets of Santa Lucia and Bella Vista where we windowshopped and real shopped for some touristy/artsy/authentic Chilean gear.

The next day, on Morgan’s final morning, we returned to Santa Lucia, not to shop (well maybe a little), but to climb the small hill that surrounds it to get to the top of a castle like fortress with treacherous (and slippery) stairs to reach the top of a pillar where we had a 360 degree view of the city…and all of its smoggy goodness..

After that (or before..I don’t truly remember the little details), we went to the amazing museum underneath LA MONEDA (the Chilean White House) where we saw heart wrenching photos of some of the children and lifestyles of South America. The pictures were next to each other in a very dramatic fashion. The first one to catch my eye (and my heart) had a 6-7 seven year old playing in the street, with a gun, pointed directly at the camera (audience).  Which then drew my attention to the neighboring photo where 3 kids were sitting and hanging out, while a blanket covered up what could only be the remains of one of their friends, lying in the street a few meters back.

We left the photos for a more inspirational (positive) exhibit…and because we had stared at each one for more time than was necessary to let them sink in, but not long enough to every be comfortable with the sights being depicted…but we meandered our way over to the other exhibits where “REHECHO in CHILE” showed how a group of artists took garbage (computer parts, the tops to soda bottles, SHOPPING BAGS) and turned them into swingsets, shoes, jewelry and more…(Look them up on Facebook!)

And we left the musuem…to do God knows what…because I don’t think we went straight home, I can check the photos later…but the important thing is that we eventually made it home, where Morgan’s parents (who were visiting Chile at the time) were packing up the last of their gifts and we sat down for our final despidida (farewell and also lunch in this case).

With tears in our eyes and love in our hearts, we unofficially planned our reunion in California during Morgan’s spring break, where we would all get together for more good times, song-singing, sock knitting, non-black tea drinking, judgement-free, family-esque fun. 

So my blog that was supposed to cover a full week, to about 40 minutes to capture 2 days of farewell….so what comes next in Part 2?  Well after a bathroom break, a cup of Mate and whatever I can put down on e-paper before running out to enjoy my final full day in this country….

Chao for now!

Find out more about Spanish and Skiing in Santiago 

See Spanish school in Santiago

Read all of Jonathon's blogs from Santiago

By Jonathon L., guest blogger studying Spanish and skiing in Santiago, Chile

Exactly one week after the grand feast with the extended Chilean family, I went and enjoyed a "bluebird" (clear skies, sunny weather) day in Valley Nevado and made my way to and from the mountain in a timely fashion, because the roads work wonders when they aren’t covered in snow and ice.  And when I returned I took part in what Santiagans have dubbed ¡Miércoles Po!  Basically, every Wednesday (Miércoles) all the foreigners (Me!) make their way out to pubs, bars and discos to party the night away like its a thursday at UCLA (or in any other respectable college town).  So after a day of snowboarding, I prepartied (Hacer la Previa) at the student house (CASA LOCA) as we watched Lucky Number Seven (In English, BOO!). 

As that came to a close at around 11:30, we hopped in a cab to meet up with the rest of the language school peeps to dance the night away in Mita Urbano, a clublike bar that had expensive drinks, crowded dance floors, and high energy music (Regatone/Chilean Top 40); basically, I was in heaven.  And with the energy I had left in my body (cuerpo) I did what I do best….dance like nobody’s watching…but people were watching…and one of the kids from Australia, who had studied abroad in the states was stoked to find someone to do what she had titled “CRAZYDANCE” (I consider more to be a hybrid artform of expression mixing the best facets of the fistpump, hyphy movement, jerking, and the limited other dance moves that I feel comfortable enough to try and do in public to show the world how excited I am to be alive).  So basically, I “crazydanced” for a while…and then I tried to order a drink, in Spanish…and succeeded…but it was the worst Gin and Tonic (sprite) with Lime (lemon) that has touched my lips this year…mostly because they make their drinks strong…but i was really just thirsty but not ready to ask the barman for ANOTHER “Ague de llave” (TAP Water). 

I put the drink down and decided it was time to go home to and rest up for class the next day, after all…it was a school night, and I had been awake since 6:40am.  So,  I put down my drink, and left without saying my goodbyes  and I was so proud as I called a cab and was able to give him enough information to get me within two blocks of my home.  (Yay Spanish! Boo one way streets that mean I was going to walk the last two blocks).  But apparently most people took an early night, and headed home around 2ish…except the Brazilians who rocked until the wee hours of 4am..

And yes, the next day I did make it to school, on time, unlike nearly 1/3 of the other students…but it was a nice calm and quiet day as those of us who were alive (barely) and in class worked hard to maintain consciousness and stability in our heads as we dramatically improved upon our Spanish capabilities.

Coming Soon: Yesterday’s hike to the top of Cerro San Cristabal, tonights terremotos in celebration of Morgan’s despiertido (One of my sisters is moving back to the states? to finish law school or something lame like that..) and tomorrow’s smaller hike to see the top of Santa Lucia, and whatever adventures follow in between!

Find out more about Spanish and Skiing in Santiago 

See Spanish school in Santiago

Read all of Jonathon's blogs from Santiago