Otras cosas al azar

I don't know if that title is right... but it is supposed to be "other random things" or more directly translated, "other things at random." Azar also means hazard, and is a masculine word, as is problema. Draw your own conclusions.

Anyway, let's see. Jen started work at DuocUC, a community college-like branch of La Universidad de Católica. So far, the work itself is good, but the lack of organization is truly astounding. Some of the more egregious examples include:

1. All communication is pretty much by rumor. No memos, no emails, no meetings. You better hope that one of the instructors that the coordinator off-handedly mentioned some important fact happens to mention it to you!
2. No calendars for the instructors, so no idea when tests or days off are.
3. No textbooks for instructors. Ha! Who needs textbooks?
4. The tests are created by non-native English speakers. Which means they all have errors on them. And since the instructors don't see the tests until the day of, they have no chance to make corrections.
5. Finally, my favorite... the instructors are paid by check, and told to cash them at a specific branch of a specific bank. And two days after the checks were handed out, there was no money in Duoc's account... There was money when Jen went to get her check cashed today, so obviously it was just a timing thing. But seriously. That's crazy.
   

My life is much simpler. I started swimming at a pool close to our apartment. This will, however, only lead to more problems... My pants are already falling off of me. I imagine this is primarily due to the vastly greater amount of walking we do, but dang, do I hate shopping for clothes.

My Spanish classes continue to go well, I think. I am still very slow when it comes to speaking (I know, I know.... difficult to believe), but have learned a lot. Chileans have a (self-professedly) terrible tendency to mumble, which certainly makes understanding spoken conversation much more difficult, but we soldier on. Carolina (my professora) told me in our last class that we're going to forgo learning new grammar for a little while and focus on getting me more secure in speaking. I'm glad, as I think that is just what I need...

Jason

Chiloé

Jen wrote this, oh, about 2 1/2 weeks ago, but a few hints from friends and family finally got me off my butt to edit and post it...

Jason

The reality of la Isla de Chiloé is not, perhaps, as magical as the guidebooks would have you believe. At least, not at the first glimpse of Ancud, the chilly and damp harbor town where our bus deposited us after our 3-hour trip from Puerto Varas. A half hour hike from bus station to hostel took us away from run down houses and fried food shacks and offered in return colorful houses perched on a hillside overlooking the ocean. Once ensconced in our home for the next two nights, it was difficult to leave its warmth. We went out that night for curanto (a traditional shellfish dish made on the island), but otherwise stayed warm and content in the hostel. Its glassed-in porch was the perfect spot for Debbie and I to enjoy our books and the ocean view over a cup of warm tea. Jason sat and petted the house cat for about 4 hours, which made him (actually, both of them) quite happy. I think he misses Marmalade.

The next day we went on a tour of the countryside and offshore penguin colony. This is when Chiloé's reputation started to make sense. Once away from the town, the island is beautiful. Rolling hills spill down into the ocean, and the sky is an almost unrealistic blue. The high points of the trip were the sculpture "bosque de pesces" (forest of fish) outside of a local school and, of course, the penguins. The penguin colony at Puñihuíl is run by a government sponsored organization charged with the habitat's protection. Before the group took over, penguin tourists and local fishermen were having an extremely negative impact on its heath. Things seem to have found a better balance now, although money for penguin care and research is still tight. The islands off Chiloé are home to two species of penguins: the Humboldt and the Magellanic -- the only place in the world where two species of penguins nest together. They nest here from October until March, then disappear to parts unknown for the rest of the year.

Our final day in Chiloé started at 6am and ended at 9am, as we caught the first bus off the island. Our next stop was Pucón, and the distance (6 hours) and infrequent bus schedule forced an early start.

Jennifer