It is entirely official. I've got my visa stamped into my passport, I know where I'm living and who I'm living with, and I've got an idea of who I'll be traveling with.
It's essentially me (the barmitzvahed and vaguely practicing Jew) with forty or fifty of America's bible belt university students. This is going to be double-culture shock for me, and I couldn't ask for anything better (I'll get my money's worth, at least). Needless to say I shouldn't have expected anything different attending a Chilean school that translates roughly to "The Pontifical Catholic University of the Valley of Paradise." Get it? Got it? Good.
Besides, one of the most famous Chilean authors is Jewish: Ariel Dorfman. I ain't the first one here.
Some pro's about my home-stay:
1) I am living without another student: This is awesome because I'll have plenty of social stimulation otherwise so to have a space for myself to go back to will be nice.
2) Wi-fi: 'Nuff said.
3) The woman has a dog: I repeat, there will be a puppy.
4) She has two kids in her 20's, and the one closer in age to me likes sports and being active. The other is a fashion designer: Yay peers!!
5) I'm walking distance from a bus stop.
6) My mom apparently loves cooking: I won the home-stay lottery.
And the con's:
1) I'm a 25 minute bus ride/ hour-and-a half walk from my school: Although, it will be nice to live a bit outside of the hustle-and-bustle of the city. Plus, see #5 above.
2) But really, there are no con's. It's going to be summer there, I have a whole semester in a country that speaks my target language, and I'm far from anything familiar.
I am very fortunate--and grateful--that I get to live this adventure.
It's essentially me (the barmitzvahed and vaguely practicing Jew) with forty or fifty of America's bible belt university students. This is going to be double-culture shock for me, and I couldn't ask for anything better (I'll get my money's worth, at least). Needless to say I shouldn't have expected anything different attending a Chilean school that translates roughly to "The Pontifical Catholic University of the Valley of Paradise." Get it? Got it? Good.
Besides, one of the most famous Chilean authors is Jewish: Ariel Dorfman. I ain't the first one here.
Some pro's about my home-stay:
1) I am living without another student: This is awesome because I'll have plenty of social stimulation otherwise so to have a space for myself to go back to will be nice.
2) Wi-fi: 'Nuff said.
3) The woman has a dog: I repeat, there will be a puppy.
4) She has two kids in her 20's, and the one closer in age to me likes sports and being active. The other is a fashion designer: Yay peers!!
5) I'm walking distance from a bus stop.
6) My mom apparently loves cooking: I won the home-stay lottery.
And the con's:
1) I'm a 25 minute bus ride/ hour-and-a half walk from my school: Although, it will be nice to live a bit outside of the hustle-and-bustle of the city. Plus, see #5 above.
2) But really, there are no con's. It's going to be summer there, I have a whole semester in a country that speaks my target language, and I'm far from anything familiar.
I am very fortunate--and grateful--that I get to live this adventure.