Fishermans Market

Hoy, we went to the fishemans market.  We walked around and talked to the fisherman.  Saw some sea lions up close and personal, I was so bummed I didn´t have my camera.  We talked to a nice old fisherman who voiced his frustration with the Ley Pescado.  Ryan fed a fish to the sea lions.

I want to go get an empanada and then we will watch a movie with Carlos.

Mc.Donalds is the universal drunk food, in every country. 

Chivelry- Carlos helped an older lady up the stairs with her bag

Spanis:
No me gusta- A me tampoco  (neither)
bajon- drunk food
la raja- bad word- like the shi**

Elementary school y dinner con burns

Vocab:
Q hielado- how icy aka freezing

Today we went to a jesuit school called Centro San Ignacio de Loyola Valparaiso.  Originally this school was created to educate the lower class and is part of the web of Fe y Alegria (faith and happiness).  This school was very interesting because they are working to provide education of the same quality for everyone.  They are also part of the REI (la red educacional Ignacia) to help vulnerable families obtain better education.   Their goal is to make the education in their school more equal with more solidarity in hopes that this will carry on and create a better society in the future.

I forgot my camera so I borrowed on of the school from google

Stats:
746 students (kinder-8th grade)
60% socially vulnerable

Impressions:
they loved their principal
2 grade one main teacher one helper for 40 students
8 grade wilder and flocked us as we came around
Happy environment with very hospitable people (they gave us tea, cookies and bread as we discussed our impressions) everyone was so nice and willing to answer questiosn

Upper grades had less women due to old traditions of separating the genders and it used to be a only boys school

Grading System:
2 reds (which is less than a 3 on a 1-7 scale) then they have to repeat the year
Students with special needs stay in the same classroom but have special exams (assessment) and workshops
Summer is 2 months around January
Each class has a book with a picture of each student where they take good or bad notes about their behavior, they use these books to determine how to punish

Price:
20,000 Chilean Pesos per month- food provided by government  ($40,000 per month)
Low income students don't have to pay- there is a limit of 7 students per class with financial assistanships
There is a weightlist to get accepted and the headmaster interviews the families

Education Structure:
1a and 1b were when classes came in at different times in the day one in the morning/afternoon
Offered electives outside of the required classes, some of these electives they worked out a partnership with other schools to use their resources (for swimming went to a neighbor school for their pool)
1 day per week the older kids stay till 5
Offer a preuniversity class that is not necessary but prepares them for the PSU (ACT)

Interesting fact was that they allow their students to have a voice in the Centro de Alumnos and this teaches early on accountability and democracy because the students hold their elected president accountable.


Dinner at The O'Higgins Restaurante en Valpo

Google image, we were there at night, it was just a couple blocks away from our university

O'higgins liberated Chile from Spanish rule.  It was a really nice restaurant with a giant fireplace.    I think it was the first time that I took of my jacket when I ate in a restaurant. It was so nice and toasty.  The food was also amazing I got a fish (Reineta) covered in onions tomato and ham.  Then on the side it came with sauteed veggies.  I do wish it came with a heavier starch because I ended up eating a lot of Retmals fries.  Burns gave me a look like I see what you're doing.  He also teased Retmal because his meal looked like a fancy chicken friend steak.  We mostly discussed what we liked and didn't like about the program and Chile. Lindsey had the most to say because she had been here the longest.  Mr./Mrs. Hargis gave us some none stick pistol pete stickers for our phones and paid for dinner.  For desert we got tres leches cake which was amazing.  The director of International programs at PUCV was also very interesting he picked out all the wines and the restaurant and told us what he recommended. He also told me that Once, used to stand for a drink with 11 letters, so it was code word for Chileans to go get an afternoon drink.  He said Chileans know how to drink and enjoy wine.

http://www.restaurantohiggins.cl/valparaiso/

Orientation

Nuestras Universidad (google image)

Today my host mom took me to the University in Valparaiso.  It is in a very old building.   We got there early and she checked her watch then excitingly said, oh we have time, and gave me a tour.  We went to the gym and the church.  When we entered the church she said this is where the students come before an exam to pray.  I thought that was funny.  My house mom is so cute and little and eclectic. I love it.  Then we had our orientation and Spanish placement exams. It was long, I don't think I did as well on it as I should have.  The orientation was very well organized. There was cookies and sandwiches, then we went on a tour of the main building.  The international students have their own little wing. I was bummed that we weren't going to have classes with Chileans but its ok.



Then our professor took us to get our phone at the mall. But on the way he/we were hungry so we stopped at this restaurant right on the beach.  It was beautiful, there were seals playing in the waves. I got Chilean sea bass, it was yummy, the place was pretty fancy.  He also unexpectedly payed for lunch.  He is a very interesting man, he has worked for the UN and fled Chile right before/during the military coup, it's weird to thing that that all happened just 23 years ago.  He has lived all over the place and has a ton of interesting stories.  Now he studies education and teaches about it.  Tomorrow I have the lecture version of his course.  Then Thursday the lab session where we are going to go experience the Chilean education system first hand.

Enjoy Resturante en Vina (google image)

We also went to the mall and bought our cell phones.  It was a huge ordeal.  I am so glad I have my host family because my host mom is so sweet and reliable.  Both are qualities I greatly value.  And she turns on the heater when I go upstairs.  That's also something I love about my host family.  I do wish I was around more to hang out with Alesia, I hope maybe this weekend her and I can hang out.  It's funny her name sounds so much like mine, I get confused quite frequently.

Looking forward to more and more days like this one :)

pitos- avocados
gallo- guy
pololo/pololar- boyfriend/ to date

Just putting mint leaves in water for tea, looked and smelled good.

I am not looking forward to taking the bus alone tomorrow but I should manage. I will just turn tomato red then sit down and relax till my stop, then I will get flustered and get off.