el sol y la lluvia

The 30th of april: While walking home from school, it starts sprinkling. Not only did the rain put me in the best mood ever, but I started looking for a rainbow, because, you know, it was sunny too, and sure enough, I heard some kids scream "Arco iris!!" and there it was.  ...We are gonna skip the part of the story where I full-out sprinted to the nearest Moai to take a picture, and The Moment I took out my camera, the rainbow disappeared... That night, I read somewhere that May is the wettest month. I was kinda pumped, because, you know, being from Humboldt, I kinda like my rain.. The 2nd of May: Me: "PLEASE, PLEASE, NO MORE RAIN!!! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS, ALREADY. PLEASE, PUH-LEASE, STOP RAINING" This should be an interesting month.

Hapa'o Tatou

Yesterday was my first day of school... it was... ehm, boring. My classmates are nice, but I'm in second year and they are all barely older than Nora and her friends... and a little, ehm, immature. But whatever. 

So, I was thinking "Okay, vacation-stage over, going back to reality world now where even though you live on an island you have to do normal things like go to school and face it, Grace, every day can't be an adventure.." ...and then my dad was like, "Grace, have you ever ridden a moto before..?"

It was decided that I should not be allowed to ride my own moto, which everybody will agree was definitely for the best. I'd be a terror to the roads, I'm sure. I got on the back of my dad's, and Bruno rode on his own little motercycle. And we were off! The whole time I smiled more and smiled bigger than I did on Easter Day: when I was just so happy to be with people I loved that I was smiling too hard to be able to answer any of Taylor's host dad's questions while Taylor had a laugh-attack at how stupid my face looked. We drove along the coast and the sun was just about to go down and it was oh my goodness soo beautiful, and we went so fast, the wind in your hair, and I couldn't stop smiling; it's a wonder no bugs landed in my teeth. We stopped at these underground caves in a grassy field, and it was really cool because, I'd been in bigger caves before, but not ones where people lived in! And you could still see stone benches/beds and fire pits and everything, and my dad told me that sometime we'd come back with a lantern and explore everything. And then he was like "Now we're going to see the part that tourists don't know about" and, of course I flipped out, because those are always the best. Of course. We walked a little ways toward the ocean, towards the edge of the cliffs. And then we went down this little cliff path that you couldn't even tell was there unless you were on it, and ended up in this cave built in to the edge of the cliff! I might be a dork, but looking out at the cliffs on either side and the ocean below, I couldn't help thinking of the cave from the 7th Harry Potter book... :) ... Anyway, there was a well-used fire pit and my dad explained that locals still come out here at night and have bonfires, and there was a path down to the rocks at the edge of the ocean where the Rapa Nui used to fish, and sometimes locals still did. It was crazy, and beautiful, and don't bother me about photos because I wasn't allowed to bring my camera on the moto, despite my protests. 

Every day IS am adventure here.

...Every day should be an adventure, no matter where you live.

Tonight I'm going to my first Rotary meeting and I'm a little nervous, because it will be my first Chilean Rotary meeting being the only exchangee in mh club, and, also, there are visiting Rotarians from clubs all over Chile (AND some from Argentina) at tge moment, and the first lady (Primera dama) de Chile is also going to be there! ...Bringing my camera, of course! 

And tomorrow my sister is going to introduce me to all her friends and then I'm going to the airport with my mom to greet all of MY friends who are coming for the Rotary Easter Island trip, and I couldn't be more excited.

On that note, I say "Goodbye, dear friends" because I have to go get all dressed up and get my blazer ready, because I have a dinner to attend! 

Chaoo, Gracie 

Rapa Nui

Dear everyone. I'm writing to you all from Easter Island. Yes, Easter-freaking-Island. I still can hardly believe it....

Saturday afternoon, I stepped off the plane and the heat and humidity hit me like... a rock? How do you finish that saying? I dont know. Anyway, I was greeted by my dad, Eduardo, my mom, Jose, my brother, Bruno, and George, the president of my Rotary. They gave me flower leis, which is a tradition, to give leis to everyone who comes to the Island. Then George told me that my friends were outside waiting for me, and I was like "What? I don't have friends [here]..." and I went outside and all the exchangies from the North district, most of whom I met on the North trip were there because they just finished their Easter Island trip and were about to go home. So I got lots of hugs and lots of "Ohmygod you're gonna have an awesome time, I'm so jealous"'s and that was really exciting. Then my sister Tiare and her friends came to meet me and we all piled into the jeep and I was like this:   :O the whole way home because ohmygoodness it's so gorgeous here. And I saw my first Moai from the car and there's also one just down the street from my house, its so crazy. And then I
got home and ate lunch with my family (they were like, "sorry, Grace, there's not a lot of fruits/vegetables here because they are so expensive.." well, there's still more fruits and veggies than there ever were in Chile!) and then I unpacked my bags and watched Puss in Boots with Bruno (In Spanish and I understood the whole thing; always exciting.) and then Tiare and I went to a party together and it was pretty much like all the Chilean parties I've been to except a lot of the boys smoked a lot of tobacco... Also, me and Tiare and a bunch of her friends all walked there and back and it was pitch black outside and all the banana trees moved really
creepily in the wind and I swear there are ghosts on this Island. Then yesterday, we had an asado (barbeque) with another family and I helped Jose set the table and pick flowers and make the salads and the salad dressing and marinade the meat and clean all the dishes and it was nice because I felt like part of the family. Then after the asado I played Karioke (a card game where you want to have the least amount of points) with Bruno and Tau and Pomi and I won 5 to 435 to 450 to 530 and then they got tired of the foreign girl whooping their butts so we played trivial pursuit, in which my butt was whooped because that game is hard enough in English... And then Pomi went home to take care of her horses and Bruno and Tau and I played wii and I died so many times playing Mario Brothers that it wasn't even--no, it was still funny. But I won in Mario Kart, of course. 
Today, I woke up and I went to visit my school with my dad, but apparently there had been an outbreak of Salmonella and so it was too chaotic for me to take a tour and also we had to go home, because Tiare was homesick and we realized that she must have Salmonella too, so I didn't get my tour. But I do know the hospital very well as I have spent all morning here... There's forty kids from my school here with Salmonella, and I am thinking it's a good thing I don't like Mayonaise...

That sums up my last three days. No, I haven't done anything touristy yet, but Saturday all my friends from my Chilean district are coming on their trip, and I'm thinking I'll be able to tag along with them...

Anyway, it's super super incredibly gorgeous here, the people are really friendly and chill, the weather is awesome, I can see the ocean from my house, and basically I'm just really happy. 

Love, Grace.

do, do do, do do dooo catching up---the second installment. da dahhhhh

...Somebody has a little time on her hands on this wonderful Easter Friday night....

That same girl, (hint: it's me!) went to the circus last night and had a marvelous time.

Once upon a time, a traveling circus lived outside my house, right down the street, to be exact, and everynight that begins with a T or an F or an S except Tuesday I would hear circus music and see the lights from my bedroom window, and always wished I was at the circus having fun too, but being silly, I never went. And then the circus packed up and left, and I was sad.

But yesterday I was in the collectivo coming home, and what did I see, but a new circus!! So I called up Taylor immediately, and said "No if's and's or but's, we are going to the circus tonight" and so we went to the circus.

It was called the Mexicans of Guadalajara (actually, el Mexicano de Guadalajara, but you get the point) and I went there with the intention of having a good time, which I did.

It was a little family circus, with maybe a dozen performers, the youngest of which was about two years old and absolutely adorable. The comedy was mostly slapstick, which can be good or bad, but I found hilarious.

The first act was a clown (who kept reappearing throughout the night) he did this act where he wound up a toy lion, but it wouldnt move. Then he got frusturated and threw it away, and switched to a horse, which would walk and then fall over. The whole time, I was like "Look! It's a dog in a stuffed horse costume! Wow, that's an awesome dog" and Taylor was all "that thing is way to good to be a dog, it's a robot" It was a dog. I won. And, it was a very, very, awesome dog. Then, there was a girl who could do some awesome things with hula hoops, and a contortionist (ugghhh, no me gusta) and this old lady who could not only swallow fire but could also breathe fire, and set her mouth on fire. That was hard to watch. During halftime, she sold us french fries, and her voice was so raspy that I thought she was a chain-smoking man. There were these incredible trapeze artists, more funny clowns, Mexican dancing, and this man who ran in a hamster wheel that spun around like, ummm, I don't know. Imagine a hamster wheel attached to the hands of a clock. Craziness. There were girls who spun around on rings from the ceiling and girls who twirled on curtains, and slapstick comedy so terribly hilarious that I could not stop laughing the entire 3 hour long show and I nearly died. There was this guy dressed up as this famous Mexican cartoon character, who had balls stuffed in his cheeks like a chipmunk, and everytime he'd smile and signal to the audience to clap, I'd die with laughter. Ohhh, his face! Plus, he had the most creative ways of falling on his face that I've ever seen. Then there was this man singing this extremely emotional heartfelt love song, and he was singing very very passionately, but the spot light guy would move the spotlight so he'd have to chase after it, and he went all over the tent, up the trapeze ladders, in the audience, everything. There was this really funny part where the light went to the audience and he jumped in this woman's lap and started his whole passionate singing thing, and then it moved to the other side of the audience and he jumped in this man´s lap and then screamed and jumped out, and oh, man. I only wish my words could make you laugh as hard as I laughed watching this. And the whole time, Taylor was smiling (only smiling! nothing more!) and she was like "Gracie, you're like a little kid. And it just makes me happy how happy this circus is making you." She didn't think it was funny. I have a better sense of humor.

Anyway, the point of the story was, I had a very very good time at the circus. Also, I ate circus french fries and circus  churros and they were amazing, and I also ran late and therefore forgot my camera. The end.

Now, I'm going to bed, because it's midnight and I'm getting over a cold. Sorry that I didn't catch you up more...

Good night!!!

OHMYGOSH, GUYS, THIS IS HAPPENING, FOR REAL

WOW.

SO, YOU KNOW THAT THING THAT I POSTED AND THEN DELETED BECAUSE I HAVE TO WORK ON MY SECRET-KEEPING SKILLS?

WELL. ITS FOR REAL NOW, GUYS.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD:

I'M GOING TO GO LIVE ON EASTER ISLAND. 


PROBABLY, ALMOST DEFINITELY. BOOKING MY PLANE TICKET IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, AND IF ALL GOES WELL I SHOULD BE OFF IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. UNTIL JUNE. OR POSSIBLY FOREVER. ITS HARD TO SAY.

I LOVE YOU ALL.
<3 GRACIE

catching up part 1

You may or may not have read the last post I wrote up here before I deleted it--turns out that information was top secret (I stink at keeping secrets, gotta work on that) and I wasn't supposed to tell anybody until it's confirmed. So, if you did see it, yay, don't tell anyone else and please don't tell my rotary counselor that you know, and if you didn't see it, I'll tell you ASAP.

Anyway. This is all the stuff that has happened recently that I haven't told you about because I have no time ever. I'll start from most recently and go back. Okay, Go.

I JUST BOUGHT MY TICKETS TO LOLLAPOLOOZA CHILE AND I'M SO SUPER PUMPED RIGHT NOW. Muchas, muchas gracias to the best parents in the world for the best birthday present ever. I'm gonna see the arctic monkeys (love, love love!!!!!) and mgmt and foo fighters and joan jett and ohmygoodness, I'm so happy in this moment.

Also, this weekend in Talca is this huge motorcross competition, it's like part 2 of the world championships and there's motoring people here from all over the world, and I'm not really interesting in that stuff at all, but I still think it's super cool that all this is HERE in Talca of all places. I really love Talca. Really. I'm gonna miss it.

School is starting to get, well, it's still incredibly boring, but I'm starting to get really close to my classmates and I understand a lot more so it's better. We have a new math teacher who actually expects me to do things, and unexpectedly I'm really appreciative of that. Right now, we are studying inequations, which are super easy for me, and my math teacher teaches them in a really complicated way, which I don't actually understand and I think most of the class doesn't either, but I can solve them all the way I know how, really quickly, and so the class all thinks I'm some sort of mathematical genius. Hahaha, if only. It's funny, actually, I usually get the same answer as my professor, but usually our formulas are completely different. It's strange. Also, now, even when I'm thinking in English, in my head I always say the math terms in Spanish like mas instead of plus, etcetera, because I haven't been using them in English recently but I have in Spanish. Interesting.

Tonight I'm going to this huge faria--fair--with my friends from school and I'm super excited about it. I don't really know what it will be like, but I'll tell you all about it tomorrow or something or at some point at least.

So, the north of Chile, was AHHH-MAZING. Like, incredibly. It was so gorgeous, and so unlike any place I've ever been to before. San Pedro de Atacama was beautiful, and while it was very touristy, I loved it because it looked exactly how I imagined Chile to look before arriving--old, adobe houses, and dusty dirt roads and everybody wearing bright handmade clothes with llamas on them, you know, stereotypical Chile--the exact opposite of Talca. It was so wonderful. Iquique was more modern and a huge city, but it was still unique. Unique Iquique. Haha. It had a gorgeous beach, and the really cool thing about the city, was that it was surrounded on three sides by this humongous dune. I'm not doing any justice by describing it, so here's some pictures that I totally just stole from the web since my camera broke the second day:

IQUIQUE

SAN PEDRO

SAN PEDRO

CRAZY HUGE SAND DUNE

What else? I got to see the Penguins of Humboldt (While in the freaking desert!!!!!!) and also got to see dolphins from like, 10 feet away. It was magical. I got spit on by a llama, and got to see them walk prance into a convenience store, steal a bag of chips, rip it open and eat the chips (american cut, of course) off the floor. 

LLAMA LOVE

I gotta go now. But more on the north trip and other things later.
Love Gracie

So That You Don't Think That I've Forgot About You

(AKA PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME)   :)

I know I have a lot to tell you all about, and you've been waiting for awhile. The north trip, starting school, everything.

But a lot of crazy things have been going on at the moment--issues with my host family, getting into the rhythm and no-more-free-time-ness of the school year, figureing out how/when to take my SATs, making sure everything is set for my senior year and summer school when I return, making plans to see off Mayella who is returing to Holland, getting ready for my birthday in a little more than a week, and finding the money to go to a concert at the end of the month, and really, I MUST be forgetting something else. But, its been busy to say the least.

I'm not prepared to give you an actual post right now. So, I'll leave you with my first day of school pictures (which, yes, I took myself since there was no one else to do it for me) and you can busy yourself laughing at how terrible my uniform is while I un-busy myself.

Ugh. After this year is up, I might die if I ever see a red polo again.

this made me smile.

in the english language, 2 is pronounced 'too' (or 'two' or 'to' whichever makes you feel better). sometimes it is substituted for words. so, "too good to be true" can become "2 good 2 be true" and so forth. (but dont actually write like that, please. please.) are you with me so far? yes?

today i found out that you can do the exact same thing in spanish.  i found this out from my rotary counselor.

in the spanish language (wow. that does not sound natural.) 2 is pronounced 'dos'.


in case you ever needed to know, you can totally write 'saludos' like 'salu2'


this information will one day save your life.  

cinema and kiddy carts

Remember back when I had that school film festival and it took place at this old cinema? Well yesterday Kelly and I went back to that cinema and ended up getting a tour from the owner. It was built in 1947 and still managed to survive the earthquake unscathed meanwhile the newer cinema apparently went 'ploop'. In his words, not mine. Haha. 

Later we went back to see "Bombal" a Chilean movie about a female Chilean writer (María Luisa Bomabal) in the 1930´s. It was, of course, in Spanish. 

I wanted so so badly to love the movie. Because it was Chilean. But I didn't. It was really depressing and slow, and we ended up leaving before the movie was over. It's also hard to get into something when you are concentrating so hard on understanding. As long as you concentrate, you can understand everything that's being said, but if you relax and try to enjoy the movie, your understanding ability goes 'ploop'. 

But the cinema was really beautiful, and I loved the experience. When the movie began, the theatre-man ran down the aisle and up onto the stage to turn off the lights and then ran back to the box. That same man was the ticket seller, the host, and the concession stand worker. It was fantastic. 

After the movie, we hung out on the plaza while we waited for a ride. It was dark out, but there were a ton of families out with kids, which I found ironic, since every Chilean is "OH MY GOD, YOU WERE AT THE PLAZA AT NIGHT?! BUT.. BUT.. THERE'RE GANGSTERS OUT AT NIGHT. YOU CANT DO THAT, GRACE. YOU JUST CANT. OH GOD, I CANT BELIEVE SHE DID THAT... OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD."

We rented one of the kiddy carts, and took turns pushing eachother around in it, as fast as we could, to the amusement of everyone on the plaza. Pretty much every person we passed was all "GO FASTER, COME ON YOU CAN DO IT! PUT SOME MUSCLE IN IT." and then, to eachother, "You, know, I don't think those girls are from around here..."

These carts. But at night. 

Well this will mess with your heads

Este post es solo por la intención de molestarlo ustedes. No es mi culpa. Es la culpa de mi papa maravilloso, entonces gritar a el. Ustedes pueden usar traductor google si tu necesiten. Y si no entienden, es porque mi gramatica es horrible y tambien uso muchas palabras Chilenismo, que no existe en Español normal. Por ejemplo, soy muy bakan y mas fliate que todo la otre weones. Tienen divertido con eso! Jajajajaja. Cuando hablo con gente quien no de Chile pero puede habla en Español siempre uso muchas Chilenismos porque es mas interesante.

Okey, tengo un historia para ustedes. En el tiempo antiguo, el tiempo de reyes y conquistadors, la 'b' y 'v' de Español fue pronunciado distinto. Pero, durante los años, la diferencia fue perdio, y, ahora, 'b' y 'v' son pronunciado lo mismo. Todo de los Chilenos siempre escribe 'v' cuando necesite 'b' y viceversa (si, eso es lo mismo en correcto. Problamente hay un palabra mejor, pero no se lo). Entonces, cuando en el chat con un Chileno, esto sucede siempre (SIEMPRE!):
Amigo: Que lastima que tu tubiste que ir.
Me: AHHHHHH, CSM, que significa 'tubiste'? Debo sabe esto, problamente!! Porque no se po???
Traductor google: En ingles, tubiste significa tubiste.
Me: Que?! Traductor google no sabe tampoco?! Oh no!
Otro amigo: Grace, que quiere decir es 'tuviste'.
Me: Ohhhhh, cacho. Yo se la significa de 'tuviste', po. Jajajaja. Estoy tonta.


I've saved you the trouble of trying to translate it. This is what google translate will give you, and I personally think its funnier than anything I could ever write on my own. Believe me, to a Chilean, what I said actually makes sense. I hope.

This post is only the intention to annoy you. It's not my fault. It's wonderful because of my dad, then yell at him. You can use google translator if you need it. And if you do not understand, is because my grammar is horrible and Chilenismo also use many words, that does not exist in Spanish normal. For example, I am very Bakan and more fliate all the Leaders What 'otherness. Have fun with that! Hahahahaha. When I talk to people who can not speak in Chile but always use many Chilenismos Spanish because it is more interesting.

Okay, I have a story for you. In ancient time, the time of kings and conquistadors, the 'b' and 'v' in Spanish was pronounced differently. But over the years, the difference was lost, and now, 'b' and 'v' are pronounced the same. Too much the same as the Chileans always writes 'v' when needed 'b' and vice versa (yes, that is the same in right. You probably is a better word, but it is not). Then, when chatting with a Chilean, this always happens (SIEMPRE!):
Friend: Too bad you tubiste to go.
Me: AHHHHHH, CSM, which means 'tubiste'? I know this, you probably! Because there is po?? Google translator: In English, tubiste means tubiste.
Me: What! Google translator does not know either?! Oh no!
Another friend: Grace, he means is 'you had'.
Me: Ohhhhh, chub. I know the meaning of 'you had', po. Hahahaha. I'm stupid.