Week Six...and counting

It is now the beginning of the sixth week without classes. On Monday, the students were still blocking off the entrance to the University. So the police came in and blasted the students with water at 6 a.m. The fact that police took violent action, upset a lot of people. This week we were supposed to start up classes, but the professors are now saying that they want to take the time and resolve all of the issues.

Tomorrow there is a meeting open to everyone, I think I will go that way I can get a better understanding of what exactly is happening. There have been students on hunger strikes and I think the professors will soon strike if things do not get resolved.

I have to admit that this whole experience has been way more interesting and informative than any text book. Although I have had days of confusing, and some may think it is dangerous I have really learned about the culture from this strike. It has definitely given us all something to talk about.

Since I am an exchange student I was not allowed to participate in the Toma (taking). For my safety of course. I will write more about what I find out tomorrow during the meeting. For an update, I am doing well. I have a few weeks left and I know that I will be very sad to leave. Tomorrow I am making a Carrot Cake for my host family!!! I am excited for them to try it!!




My attempt to get a picture of the students´strike. This is what it looked like before the police came in and blasted them with water.

I took the strike for granted and did not get as many pictures as I should have. Who knows maybe they will reconstruct it in the next few days.

Besitos,
Sarah

Resolution?

It has been resolved or at least that is what I am left to believe, because I was told last night that classes will resume Monday, the 16th of June. I guess there goes my grand plan of traveling throughout South America. We will see. I really wanted to get a little more traveling in before I left, but now it looks as though classes will be consuming the rest of my time here. I have to make up five weeks of classes, plus finish up classes with the rest of the students...all in less than five weeks.

This should be interesting, to say the least.

In spite of the strike, I still am enjoying my time in Chile. I have met a lot of interesting people and have definitely improved in my Spanish abilities. I may not have had classes the whole time I was here, but that didn´t stop me speaking Spanish.
In fact, I think that I have learned just as much without classes as I would have with classes... ok maybe not about the textbook stuff, but I have learned so much about the culture and the language. This has been an worthwhile experience! I would recommend studying abroad to anyone and everyone!!! I am not saying that it is easy, but is definitely an eye opening and amazing growing experience!

So I should really talk more about my adventures, but once again I feel like that would be too much rambling. Maybe later today I will bore you all, that is if anyone still reads this..haha.

Besitos,
Sarah

Patience is the greatest provider.

Well, well, well... I have been without classes for about 4 weeks now. With all of this free time you would have thought that I would have written everyday in my blog. I still do not know what to think about the strike. At first, I was interested in the process and thought it was great that the students stand up for their rights. Now I am a little nervous, not knowing if or when classes will start back up again. I leave the 22nd of July and I do not think that classes will be finished by then. So what happens with me? Would´t we all like to know that? All the Michigan students were sent an e-mail asking when we are leaving. I sent an e-mail back asking what happens to my graduation date...still no response.

In one of the e-mails we were told that our professors are going to evaluate us on what we have done so far..hahaha. We had about 7 real weeks of classes, so far. I am not sure if that is enough to give me a grade or if there is something more that I will have to do to get a final grade. I am sure everything will all work out, but it still worries me.

With a surprise 4 week vacation I should have done a lot of traveling, but I did no such thing. I kept thinking that classes were going to start up any time, so I did not want to travel too far. My brother, Matt, came to visit for 2 weeks. I did some traveling with him. We went to Argentina for 5 days. Bariloche and El Bolson, Argentina (if you want to look up the locations of the cities we visited..haha) I guess it was a good thing there was a student strike going on, because Matt and I had time to travel.

I am thinking about doing a bit more traveling in the next week or so, because rumor has it that the strike is going to last for at least one more week if not more. They have been saying that it is "indefinite", so it could last the rest of the time that I am here. Oh, and side note: the teachers have also gone on strike at the university. (Not to mention a number of Universities in Chile are on strike, students and professors alike).

I will update you all soon! I am excited to see what else develops.
Chao chicos!!
Sarah