A Month in Santiago

Hola todos,

As of Friday, I have been in Chile for a month!! And this weekend was a great celebration. On Friday, I went to another university-hosted party! It was next to the Engineering School, therefore it was about 75% males. I went with Laurel and her Chilean friend Ignacio. I met of lot of Ignacio's friends who are all very nice. There was even a band! Fun night. On Saturday, it was Micaelas's 21st birthday, and she wanted to go to a bar to watch March Madness. We went to an "American" bar because realistically, what Chilean bar is going to have basketball games playing on their televisions? There, we met some other Americans, one of whom has been traveling South America for 10 months! Her cousin is here visiting her for spring break. We met three guys who are here setting up their own company. Very fascinating, they are creating a company that sets students up with internships in foreign countries. Apparently they have offices in London, Buenos Aires, and Madrid. The coolest thing is that the three of them are between 21 and 25! I think that is quite an accomplishment. Overall, the night was a successful birthday celebration for Micaela and she got her fill of American sports. Today, I went for a 2 and a half hour bike ride and explored Santiago. I rode on a bike trail in the city, (yes, they have a bike trail in the city!) which ran parallel with the Andes. A spectacular way to see the city.

Now, being here for a month, I have really been able to discover what I like and don't like about living here. And happily, I can say that there aren't really any dislikes here. The smog in the distance, and the traffic are really the only dislikes I have. (Though, they also put olives in the middle of the empanadas and I detest olives). More importantly, here of some of the things that I really love.
The people: The people here are so nice and helpful (except with directions). They are trusting and a very attractive people as a whole.
The weather: I can honestly say, that I have not seen one droplet of rain. There have maybe been 3 cloudy days. The temperature has ranged between low 80s and 90. Perfect weather if you ask me. But the sun is not scorching. Thankfully, they do not have a NY winter here. A Chilean was telling me, how yes, it has snowed here before.... 10 years ago. I am not worried about a blizzard.
Things to do: It is a great exciting city, full of people my age. I have started doing more things in the city now that I've gotten to know it better, and this week I am going to join some city "clubs" including going to a certain district of the city with a group and learning about that area specifically. The club is actually for Chileans, who want to get to know their own city better. I could say I fit into that mix. Another club I want to join is one that bicycles around the city. I have also picked up several schedules of plays, musicals, concerts and movies at the Performing Centers here. I am really realizing how much there is to do here for a college student!
The nature: Obviously, the Andes in the near distance are absolutely breath-taking, especially at 8PM when the sun is setting, causing shades of red, purple and orange onto the mountains. One of my favorite things is the abundance of trees in the city. The neighborhood I live in (Providencia) is lined with trees. Surprisingly, the center of the city still has quite a few trees. Shockingly, though there is a smog in the distance, the city is quite clean. There are also an abundance of parks here. The main park I consider the "Central Park" here is miles long, but there are also little parks scattered all around the city.
The food: There are so many types of food here and all of it is great. There are many types of fish, meat, vegetables, and fruit here. One of the most common foods here is avocado. I absolutely love avocado! There are also so many restaurants and so many options.
The wine: That goes without saying. Tasteful, aromatic, wonderful wine, and it is so cheap!! (You could buy a bottle of wine here for $4)
The nightlife: As you have all probably gathered from this blog, there is a lot to do on the weekends. Because it is such a young city, there are a lot of bars, and nice ones. There are specific areas that are known for their nightlife, but there are also bars throughout the city that are great too.
The public transportation: As much as some people complain about the public transportation here, I think it is great, there are buses that go everywhere and a good metro system. Very important.

I think my list covers all possible aspects of the city, and there are little things that I appreciate about the city, like the little venders on the street, my walk from my house to the metro station, etc.

I absolutely love it here and am so happy I have another 5 months!