Thursday, October 22, 2009

Postulación

I don't have the energy to form a cohesive post, so bear with me this time.

I have to start off by saying that the greatest part of my time recently has been dedicated to applying to college. That's called postulación in Spanish, and I am constantly explaining why I need the computer for another five hours --- "tengo que postular a universidades." I then have to explain why I have to do so much for what (for Chileans) is an incredibly easy task. Number one, here they don't apply to twelve colleges. Number two, they don't write 750 word essays for sholarships. And number three, they don't have to fill out incredibly long questionnaires with short essays. In Chile, students are classified based on family income. The poorest go to college for free, thanks to the government. The next levels get help, and once you get to my family (middle class, American standards), there's no help at all. Pedro goes free, mis hermanos don't.

In Etica (ethics) class yesterday we had a discussion about homosexuality. I was completely unique in my views. That is, homosexuality is a trait from birth, it doesn't ruin a child to have homosexual parents, it's existed since the beginning of time but only recently are we allowed to show it, etc.

Today I went at 8:30 to a public school nearby. I was accompanying two Thai professors as a translator. How, you may ask, did I happen to learn Thai? Well...
They're English teachers. I didn't learn Thai, although now I wish I could. They are here with AFS, as they're volunteers in Thailand. They, in a group of six, are visiting various cities in Chile in order to broaden their cultural views... Their English is excellent. At five thirty I've been invited to Onces with them and several other teachers.
In Thailand, things are... different. The school uniform consists of a well-below-the-knee skirt. Skirts like ours (not to mention shorts or even, God forbid, tank tops) are worn only by prostitutes. I might mention that they are both very nicely dressed, obviously conservatively, but fashionably so. Picture Ni if you know who that is. As for bathing suits... Long shorts, long sleeves, etc. (If only they could watch a couple of TV programs here. They might pass out.) They take off their shoes in homes as well as in school, where classes consist of up to 60 students and are taught with a microphone (how they control the students? Respect!)
Their trip to Chile was the first time they had ever kissed the cheek of a man who wasn't their husband. They were very funny, going around kissing all the little kids and giggling. When they greet new people, leave a room, or accept something (a pencil, a gift, anything handed to them), they make a small bow (just the head) with their hands together as if in prayer. Apparently, boyfriends do this too with girlfriends. Hand holding, kissing, and anything in between are strictly forbidden.
The Thai language consists not only of different sounds, but a different pronunciation. It's hard to explain, but some words end as though they are asked as questions and some words end ...down. I can't explain it too well, but it adds up to the language sounding like a song. Which reminds me. Bankok is the capital, but that's only the name given to it by foreigners. In Thai, it's the longest word in the world. Literally. It's so long that they've had to make it into a song to teach it to the kids. Look it up on YouTube... It's a beautiful really-long-word.
Anyhow, I spent all day translating for students and teachers alike. I'm exhausted. What I've learned: I can't speak in English. I don't understand why I'm able to write fluently, because when I speak it is literally like listening to a Chilean but with a really good accent. I get my grammer mixed up, can't stop saying Spanish words, and have to think think think before I can say anything. It's painful...

I'm going to have a Halloween party. With peanut butter brownies, chocolate chip cookies (if I can get chocolate chips...), and candy candy candy. I'm excited. I can't say excited with a straight face... here it means something else. Hahaha.

I've gone for the past two Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7 to a government funded house which hosts free activities like yoga, painting, orchestra, etc. I've been going with a schoolmate to the orchestra rehearsals... It's a unique experience. If people here have a skill, they've pretty much figured it out themselves. Lessons are just too expensive. There are, in the "orchestra," about fifteen people from 12 to 25 and who play everything from violin to flute. The boy who's been taking me plays the viola, and has won numerous national competitions and quite a piece of money in the process. He's going to give me his old viola to practice... I'm scared.

If you go on Google Earth, you can see my school fairly easily. If you search San Fernando Chile, it's very close to the name on the map. The name is over the Plaza, and we're a block away from there.

I'm going on my feildtrip to the South in two weeks! And Saturday I'm going to a famous wine orchard, run by an infamous, filthy rich, and banned-from-the-USA arms dealer. I go for free since I'm with AFS. I get to go because I'm going to help out the Thai teachers...

I am dying of the athsmatic cough given so generously to me by the Primavera (Springtime).

This morning I was waiting for my brother and sister to get into the furgon with me (bus to school). Mamá asked me why I was waiting, and I told her I was delaying since the furgon has to be the least comfortable place in the world to sit. The seats are child sized and my back literally weeps for an hour in the morning and an hour at night. She suggested that I go to school by micro (big bus). I've been thinking about it all day. One one hand, she pays for the furgon and I don't want to seem ungrateful. On the other hand, I REALLY want to ride in the micro. Hrmm.

I took out my cartilage earring, Daddy. It was for an x-ray of my back (when I learned that I'm dying of scoliosis!!) and I forgot to put it back in and now the hole is closed. Smile!

I'm writing an English textbook. I do not understand for the life of me what the writers of Chilean English textbooks have in place of brains. The textbooks are not organized in a way that will ever get anyone anywhere.
I have learned Spanish by having on hand a list of conjugated verbs with their explanations and a dictionary. I don't understand why these kids are learning to put sentences in passive form when they don't even understand how verbs are conjugated.

I went to a movie theatre last weekend in Rancagua. That's about 45 minutes away in train (we went by train, came back by bus). We left in the morning, spent about five hours doing very little (street fair, mall, fast food, arcade, supermarket, card games). We saw Final Destination IV and it sucked.... What a dumb movie. But it was entertaining in that sometimes English jokes (it had Spanish subs) don't translate at all. So I understood all of the stupid things and was pretty much alone when I laughed at a reference to MILFs. It was gorey, action-ey, and horribly acted. But hey, I enjoyed getting out.

I am going to Onces now...
Much love to all
Take care,
Emily

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

San Fernando: A Blog Post for English Electivo

San Fernando is a city located in the VI region of Chile. It has, in addition to its colorful urban center, a calm skirt of outlying countryside. The climate is moderate, perfect for cultivating grapes to create the area's famous wine. San Fernando is situated in the heart of Chile's wine region.

San Fernando has two notable plazas, as well as several historic churches and a great deal of related history. San Fernando is notable for the extraordinary views of the Andes from all areas as well as the lovely adjoining rivers.


San Fernando es una ciudad situado en el IV región de Chile. Tiene, además de su animado centro urbano, una frontera calma del campo de la periferia. La clima es moderada, y perfecta por el cultivo de la uva para crear el famoso vino del región.

San Fernando tiene dos plazas notables, además de varios iglesias historicas y mucha historia relaciónada. San Fernando es distinguido por las vistas extraordinarias de los Andes de todos lugares además de los preciosos ríos colindantes.



This is a photo of the historic city plaza. (Una foto de la plaza historica de la ciudad)

To form this blog, I followed the proceeding steps.
1. I turned on the computer.
2. I opened my web browser, Internet Explorer.
3. I directed the browser to the address www.blogspot.com
4. I clicked "Sign In" on the top right, where I entered my username and password.
5. I clicked "Publish New Post" and wrote my post.
6. I clicked "Publish Post"
Done!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Today in Viña

I was asked to sing some American songs and...

I can't remember the words to:

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
The Pledge of Allegiance
The Star Spangled Banner
(Songs which I KNOW I know)


I can remember the words to:
I Know How Ugly I Are (a song in which grammar and the English language are thrown out the window)

There's some irony here...

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Dios Mío, I Have Internet!

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Between illness and feildtrips, it's amazing the amount of time I've been out of contact with the USA. About two weeks ago was the last time I could really sit down at the computer to write. I then got a stomach bug, went to the doctor, got better, immediately got a bad cold, went to Chillán with AFS, came home, again went to the doctor, went to Santiago for two days, went to the doctor again (noticing a theme here?) and spent the weekend pining for an internet connection in my sadly disconnected house. If you noticed the theme (if not, it's that I am ALWAYS at the doctor!), you may be able to figure out for yourself that Chileans are about the biggest hypochondriacs the world over. Wow, I spelled that right. The word in Spanish for "get sick" literally means "catch cold" and they believe just that; you can actually catch cold by not wearing high socks or not blowdrying your hair after a shower (what do they think people did before blowdryers? I sure don't know). My brother is sick today (as is his girlfriend - that means it's a virus) and mamá says without another thought that it's because he didn't take his jacket to school yesterday. I HAVE LUSTFUL DREAMS ABOUT WEARING SANDALS!!!!!
Pant pant pant

Sorry, this is driving me nuts. I can't wait for summer!
Speaking of summer... I've spent two months here now and the whole time the people around me have been very eager to tell me how hot and miserable their summers are. I'm quick to and counter this with small talk about old ladies dying of heatstroke in Tampa, but they are steadfast in their belief that they live in the hottest city in the world. Well, the other day it was about 30°C (that's about 80°F I think...) and suuuuper pleasant. Mamá was just about dying of the heat and told me that this was just like summer time! I think I kissed the ground with joy. Only 80° in summer???!!! Dios mío!!

So, I got the coolest package the other day. I must say I had no idea how much I missed peanut butter until I slowly peeled off the protective cover... And fell to. I have been eating Skippy All Natural Peanut Butter with every meal. Exaggerate I do not. Also included were PEZ candies (When I zipped one out for my Mamá she was scared to take it and asked if it was a joke... Not sure what the joke would be but she looked pretty nervous) and Goldfish and erasers and a sketchbook and a ton of other little things which just about made me fall out of my seat with explaining to my family what on earth it all meant (sí, ese tía de la Emily verdad debe ser una loca). Can't forget the chapstick THANK YOU
If you didn't figure out who sent me this little piece of heaven (the loca part didn't clue you in?) that would be Aunt Dierdre. I send a kiss and a postcard and a sincere hope to call you soon.

Hmm
I was talking on the phone with Mom and Dad yesterday (they called the house phone! Cool beans! PS if you can call the house phone, you can probably call my cell too... 81501657) and I kind of realized but more like remembered how funny it was to me when I found out the relationship Chileans have with other South Americans. First off, they're thought of in Spain as thieves and liars for God only knows what reason. I've been asked several times what the American stereotype of a Chilean is and I always answer that I have no earthly idea as there are just about zero Chileans in my city. Secondly, if you ever dare compare a Chilean to a Bolivian, Peruvian, or Argentinian, you will be delivering something akin to a deathly insult. They also hate practically every other country that speaks Spanish. I'm not sure how this works, as Chile isn't exactly on its own in the continent...

Another thing I remembered is that Chileans cannot seem to grasp several concepts about the US. One, that it is climatically diverse and quite large. I have been asked on more than one occasion if the whole country has the power knocked out when a hurricane hits (yeesss definitely). Also, no one will accept that there is no national dance in the States. The other weekend I practically fought with my Tío... No, it's not the robot! No, it's not country! Square dancing? Moonwalking?? We don't dance! And no, adults don't dance at parties!!!!

Want to hear about Santiago?
The English Debate team won its way to Santiago to the national competition. The team stayed in a hostel for five days last week and competed, went to museums, and toured the city. I didn't get to stay with them although I would have loved to (it's complicated...) but I went for two afternoons on Wednesday and Thursday. Wed I went with Pippi (my AFS cousin from Italia, if you forget) and Thu I went with some compañeros. I visited la Universidad de Chile and la Universidad Catolica. Both are beautiful, just like the rest of the city... We also walked through a street fair, stopped in shops all over the city, and visited a gorgeous park in the middle of the city which words cannot describe.
This is a fountain in the front with a huge statue of Neptune and lots of cool things which leads up a hill to the rest of the park. Woooo...

We didn't do a whole lot else, but on the first day when we rode back in the bus at 6:00 we rode in a DOUBLE DECKER and we were in the FIRST SEATS IN FRONT AND IT WAS AWESOME

Ho hum
Someone stole my shoes in school a while ago when I changed into my Cueca get up. I don't understand why they would take my shoes out of my packback and leave my camera, but I guess they weren't thinking very hard. I hold onto my stuff better now. Anyhow, I have another pair of shoes but they make my feet look really big when I wear a skirt. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but here I get weird looks... My feet are huge for Chile. They don't sell my shoe size in many stores. Wahhhh

Well, I've been writing for a solid hour. I think I've written mostly everything I can think of... I'm sending out some postcards as soon as I find the post office and I have a piece of advice which is DO NOT EVER USE FEDEX to send me things. PLEASE. I am going through hell trying to get my packages from them. UPS is way way waywayway better.
That is, if you feel like sending me a package. ;D

Emily, Emily, please don't go!
We'll eat you up we love you so!

Chao chao, talk to y'all later!!
Maria Emilia Café Arenas
:D

Sunday, September 20, 2009

THUMP

That's the sound a horse makes when it's hit by a bus going 80 km/hr.
My weekend has been fairly chaotic...

The night of the seventeenth, the night before the national independence day of Chile, I was riding home by myself in a micro (bus) around eight o'clock. The ride home is fairly long, 45 minutes or so, and the micro-drivers tend to go fast on the two-lane country road that takes me to my house. I was sitting in the very first seat in front (the only one-person seat on the micro... Between Pedro and Mamá I have my own security force - I'm always in the safest position everywhere I go), bored, watching the road. The driver flicked off his high beams for about ten seconds to let pass a car going in the other direction. In this interval, we rapidly approached two men on horseback riding in the road (at times it's impossible to ride abreast on the side), two men invisible to the 60-year-old bus driver (although I saw them!). By the time the driver became aware of the approaching danger, not only was it too late to slow down sufficiently, but we were also unable to swerve around them as the car approaching in the other direction was in the immediate line of escape. Entonces, there was a sickening thump, a crash, and a horse lost its life. The man on the horse was thrown onto the ground, where a slow trickle of blood flowed down the slight slope... The headlights of the micro illuminated all as the occupants rushed to the scene, swarming around, asking for a cellphone, testing the cavallero's pulse, etcetera. In a series of chaotic phonecalls, I managed to communicate the idea to my family, who zoomed to the scene in the car and hurried me away to a quiet cup of tea in my kitchen. THAT was quite a night! From what I've learned, the cavallero is in the hospital in Rancagua, possibly in critical condition... My community is so small that everyone seems to know a little bit about what's going on.


Anyhow, other less fascinatingly morbid things have been happening too...

NUMBER ONE: Cueca!!
We finally danced the Cueca for real at school on the seventeenth; this is the event which I've been anxiously anticipating for the past month and a half. The day before, a Wednesday, Pedro and I had a final class with a friend of his (from whom he borrowed his boots, chaps, and spurs). I can honestly say that I didn't grasp the concept until this lesson.
It's worth mentioning that when asked how I feel about my Cueca I usually say, "the only difference between Pedro and me is that I KNOW I can't dance..."
Anyway, we finally got it down and had a BLAST at school the next day. We watched the other dances native to Chile performed (some from Easter Island, others from the North)... This one involved a costume slightly inappropriate for the frigid, rainy weather:
The whole school was gathered in the central patio, where there was a whole music class playing guitar and singing for the dancers and a performance lasted at least two hours. Afterwards we all ate traditional Chilean food with our classes. Empanadas de piño and queso con carne, choripan, brocheta, various sweets, and tons of carne asado. Pedro's family attended to watch the spectacle, along with many other parents and visitors.


The next day was the 18th, national independance day of Chile! Huge celebrations all over the country, food, Cueca, defiles (parades), and lots and lots of wine and pisco. Pedro came to my house, along with practically the whole family (TONS of people), where we flew kites, played ping-pong, ate, ate, and ate. We went to nearby Chimbarongo to watch a defile. It was fairly uneventful until the part where about a hundred horses squeezed through the crowd, closely followed by souped-up ancient Beetles, vrooom vrooom!

Yesterday I went to Pedro's house, where I ate MORE choripan, played with his little sister, and watched on TV the military parade in Viña del Mar.

And today, after all this, I'm relaxing in the house of the Abuelita, surrounded by the great majority of my family. Still eating. And eating.

So that's about it.
Chao,
Emily


Saturday, September 12, 2009

CHI LE Chi Chi Chi Le Le Le Viva Chile!

Woohoo for Saturdays! I fell asleep at 9:00 last night and slept until 8:30... It was a gorgeous morning, with just the right chilliness and lots of sun. I drove into San Fernando central with Papá and Alicia around nine... Alicia had Pre and I wanted to stay at la Abuelita's house so I can go to a fiesta later... I love Saturdays!

First off, a few notes about random things.
1. Pre. Pronounced like Pray but with an almost-rolling R, it's short for Pre-Universitario (I think?)... Anyway, it's a super big deal here for seniors in high school who plan to go to college (side note: If you don't go to college you're eligible for a draft into the military... I know a boy who's on the list this year O.o). The SAT equivalent in Chile is the PSU, which students take immediately after graduation. It's a huge deal... Unlike the SAT, you have to study for it and study hard. It has a history section in addition to the math and language and most seniors have Pre for about 10 hours a week in preparation. (I'm so glad I don't have to take the PSU... So glad...)
2. It's hard for my family to drive into town a lot since we live about 30 minutes out in a "suburb" type deal. This being said, if I want to do anything on weekends I have to seriously pull some strings. I'm not allowed to go alone in collectivos (taxis that work like buses, picking up multiple passengers in each round of the city but will go where you ask them... It's complicated to explain but way cheaper than a private-taxi) or in micros, small buses. So I have to either wake up early and go with Alicia in the car(it's weird saying Alicia because I call her Maka... Macarena is a common second name here and in the house Alicia Macarena is called Maka) or wake up early and go with Poncho in a collectivo.

Anyhow, today at noon I'm going to a Feista de Comida Mexicana! Yet another "fiesta that's not really a fiesta," as Pizarro (it's at his house) is of a religion where you can't celebrate birthdays so I'm not allowed to call this a cumpleaños even though it's on his birthday. If you didn't follow that, don't worry... Haha. I'm invited because I can make tacos... Not to mention the fact that I miss Mexican food A LOT and am really anticipating cramming my mouth with salsa and black beans. Wink.

Cueca!
Thursday of this week there was a celebration of Cueca in the main Plaza of San Fernando called "Mil Pañuelas al Viento," or 1000 Handkerchiefs in the Wind. When you dance Cueca, you have a special handkerchief to swirl if you're the girl or just hold if you're the guy. I went, danced horribly a little bit, got scraped by someone's spurs (the guy's outfits include huge spurs, boots, and chaps), and had a great time. I took some photos with my film camera, which I'll scan when I develop the roll, and there are a few pics on Facebook. As soon as I get my camera adapter I'll be adding more photos, but here's one from a friend: In my dress, holding my pañuelo... With Pedro in his huaso get-up... Minus the spurs and chaps. Note the stray dog... They're absolutely everywhere. This is taken on the edge of the main Plaza, which is huge with a gorgeous fountain.


Anyway, next Thursday is the day before the national independance day here, 18 September. It's a HUGE deal, we have no school, everyone dances Cueca and eats empanadas, and I am very excited. Anyway, since there's no school Friday, the Cueca celebration at school is on the 17th. As an exchange student, I'm automatically dancing... Seriously scared, as my feet don't seem to like the Cueca very much... My head knows what to do, but my feet just don't obey! Yeah, fail.
Anyway, I'm dancing with Pedro, who's going to have enormous, dangerous spurs on his feet, and it's even a little bit scary. I'm excited, though, since my dress is really beautiful and it's super fun to watch the Cueca...
Hay tiempo, hay tiempo.

I finally bought film for daddy's old camera, and I've been enjoying taking photos with it. The film here is fairly cheap -- I bought two rolls for three dollars -- and I'll be developing it soon and scanning the results.

I got your package, Mrs. Hart!! Monday, I think, I'm going to call a few people around five-thirty and you're on the list. Thank you SO much! I was super excited when I heard it had arrived, and to pick up mail here we go to the general store of sorts... We drove in around ten on Thursday. I was freakin' out. :D

Hmm... Not much else to add.
I'm headed off soon, so Chao to everyone!

Thanks for reading :D
Emily

Friday, September 4, 2009

First Phone Call Home (a Big Hi to the BLCers)

Yesterday I called home for the first time! There is a prominent store on the main street where you can make phonecalls and use internet for a set price. The Pipi calls home to Italy from there... I'd known about it but never really considered calling home, as I didn't exactly know how it operated. Yesterday after school I was walking with Pedro (looking for shoes for Cueca) and thought, why not? Turns out it's super super cheap: It was only 750 pesos (the equivalent of a dollar fifty) to talk for a little more than five minutes, which is enough for me. It was really strange to hear such perfect and familiar English! It was hard for me not to speak Spanglish... I kept saying, "como?" or "entonces..." Pedro thought I was going to leave the phonebooth crying (I kept making faces at him as I talked) but on the contrary, it made me really glad that I'm here. The echoing was strange and I was a little dizzy afterward (a strange experience)... But no tears! Haha. It reminded me a lot of Brown Ledge... First phone call home!

Right now I'm in the computer lab at school (this is becoming more and more common). My first two hours of the day on Fridays are Biology, and the teacher isn't here so we don't have class. Apparently everyone knew this but me, so all of my classmates are at home sleeping. I'm lonely! It's too bad, too, because the Biology teacher is one of my favorites. Profe Toledo, I think. He's this really short, super-animated little man who loves talking to me about his lesson plans (which he translates from English plans online) and about AP classes in the States.

Hm... I'm going to be practicing violin after school with other music students on Monday (W00t) and I'm still struggling with Cueca... I have to buy the Cueca attire (a dress and character shoes) and I'm pretty much incapable of purchasing anything without Mamá.

Tuesday I wore a skirt to school for the first time! I was pretty much "that girl who always wears pants" for a while, because I hadn't thought I would need a skirt when I bought my uniform. I was wrong... Everyone wears skirts. Me too, now! It's actually a fairly decent uniform. Right now I'm wearing:
Navy pleated skirt with grey tights,
Black Mary Janes,
White blouse with a grey tie,
Navy V-Neck sweater,
Navy Jacket
Not to mention the various gloves and hats and scarves I've collected here. I bought a fantastic set of gloves and hat at a store called "Casa de Cosas" or House of Things. The gloves are super warm and the hat embarasses my brother to no end... All this awesomeness for under three US dollars.

This week:

Monday: I help out with English classes in the morning when I don't have class; I was helping two students on Monday from a different section of my grade. We were done with the assignments and talking in Spanish while sitting in the patio. When I was asked why I wasn't in class, I responded that I could skip two classes as an exchange student. I chose to skip Quimica and Filosofia, the latter because the teacher is a *zombie imitation.* They both cracked up at my zombie face, which usually has that effect because the teacher is actually a real zombie. But they were laughing a little too hard... After about five minutes of calming down, Jorge whispered in English, "the profe Sandra is his mom..." of the other boy. Yes, I died. This is now the story of the moment, the gringa tonta is a big hit.

Tuesday: I don't have classes all morning Tuesdays, so that was fun. I also had none in the afternoon, as I left at lunchtime to go to the doctor for my back. I have scoliosis! That pretty much explains the horrific death-pain. I love going to Rancagua (the doctor's office is there) because every time we go, without fail, we stop at the best empanada place on the way back. I LOVE EMPANADAS!

Wednesday: I went with the other exchange students to a regional sports competition in the city... The Miss basically told us to walk to another school and we were off... We walked about thirty minutes to the school where the competition was supposedly being held... Then walked all the way across the city again when we were told it wasn't. In a light drizzle, may I add. With my heavy backpack and a crooked spine, may I also add. But it was made up for when we stopped at Rigoletto's for "snacks." That means manjar cake and sodas. There are two kinds of cake here: regular boring cake and cake with manjar. Manjar is the same as Dulce de Leche, and of course it's delicious. The cake is made up of layers of crisp with manjar between. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
After this, I met up with Pedro at one, bought a watch at the Wednesday-street-fair, and walked home with him. I'd already met his mom, but not his dad. Sr. Leiva had been in Chiloe with a tío; when he came back he brought gifts for the family (and for the polola!!)... Pedro brought to school on Monday a traditional Chilean purse (green knitted wool... I like it more with each day I wear it) and a little leather souvenir type box which just fits a few coins and says Chiloe on top. His dad is super sweet. I'd met his mom and sister before, but this time was a lot more interesting. Isadora is two years old and the cutest thing ever. She's very animated, loves my iPod, and dances in front of the television. We had lunch (no lunch at school on Wednesdays) for about two hours. Delicious! someone's mom is a better cook than mine.
After this (yeah, Wednesday was pretty big), I came back to school at five for clases de Cueca and Spanish. Which means looking at Cueca dresses and then walking to Rigoletto's with a few friends and the Pipi for helado and papas fritas (ice cream and french fries).
Thursday (yesterday): Phone call home! Not much else; I fell asleep at nine thirty, which is so nice...

I'm not sure what else. I don't have nightmares about having to go home now that I'm taking pain-meds... W00t for symptoms of drowsiness!
A class just came in to the computer lab, so I gotta forfeit the computer...

Chao! And gracias for reading!
La Emily


PS CHURIPAN = GOD