August 28, 2002
Hello All!
I promised I’d write, sorry it’s so late. It’s taken me a bit to take everything in...Well, when I arrived on Thurs. (2 weeks ago now!) it was cold but not too bad. I didn’t need a jacket or anything, but now it’s turned completely cold and rainy. Unusually rainy I’m told. It’s true that central heating doesn’t exist...and it’s the damp kind of cold that just goes straight to your bones. Occasionally they’ll turn on two space heaters if they think I’m getting too cold, but those barely cut down on the draftiness of the whole house. Needless to say they could not believe it had bee 95 degrees in OH before I left. Everyone wears multiple layers to keep warm and lots of turtlenecks or scarves-so I’m all set. Yesterday, I wore my winter coat all day. And mom, I know you won’t believe this, but my bed has three wool blankets!(sarcasm brought to you via Chile) But don’t feel too bad, Angelica tried to send Andres to teh US with a sleeping bag too.
Angelica, Manuel, and Andres picked me up at the airport. Actually Pepe was the first person I saw! Big hugs! And I met some guy from rotary...then my family showed up and I said goodbye to Josh-another big hug!...and I was on my own. I think I finally realized what I was actually doing as I walked to the car with my family. Before then it hadn’t really sunk in.
Driving home to Villa Alemana was like driving through California. I could have sworn it was the same trip Meridith and I took from Santa Barbara to Hearst’s castle. Huge, steep green hills with low shrubs and cows grazing. Vineyards, mist everywhere...Of course there weren’t any big CA homes but small ranches and tiny houses with chickens out front. I almost forgot! Flying in we got our first look at the Andes! It was about half an hour before we landed; a little old Chilean woman beckoned me to come sit by her so I could see out the window. The mountains were so tall and dark and they were snowcapped! The woman told me in Spanish that it was very cold outside! Josh and I were enchanted by the mountains and the ocean, which we could see out the other window.
Villa Alemana (my home!) wasn’t quite what I expected...Although I really wasn’t expecting anything in particular. Everyone’s house is gated with either a fence or big thick walls. I think that’s what threw me off. You can’t see people’s homes from the street, only walls. It gives me the feeling of being in a giant maze since I’m never sure where we’re going to turn next.
My house is creamish colored, made of concrete like stuff. It’s about the size of our house in the US but a little bigger I think. We have an unusually big front yard, with a porch. There’s a garage and a brand new swimming pool too. There’s a small patio at the left of the house. The house has huge windows...all to them do. In my bedroom on the first floor there’s a window that almost entirely covers one wall. My room is painted yellow. It’s pretty big and has a really tall bed with a smaller pullout bed underneath, a desk, a tv stand and tv, a bookshelf and a little bedside table. The closet is built into the wall (so is the dresser). That’s really common here. I put all my pictures up on the toop shelves of the bookcase with my KungFu Hamster (which everyone loves! Thanks Pat!).
My family is great! They’re so nice and have fully welcomed me into they’re home. I really feel like I’m a part of the family here too. Manuel (my papa) is good-natured and always joking. He’s big and tall with dark hair and a full beard. Angelica (my mama) is difficult to describe because she’s not how I pictured her to be-but she’s even better! She’s a little shorted than me, totally Latin looking with long black hair. She’s kind and always laughing and happy. Andres is somewhat petite for a boy (his nickname is enano-dwarf), but tall enough. Good-looking with tightly curled black hair. He spoke a little English with me those first few days but he helped the most by always smiling at just the right time to assure me that everything was ok. He left for MN two days after I arrived. Immediately I found myself with a little sister who adores me! Natalia is ten years old, tall, dark hair, big smile. She and I have been knitting together, and she listen to me read in Spanish and corrects all the words I pronounce wrong. And she hugs me to no end! Tomas is my fifteen-year brother. He has downs syndrome, so it’s been especially interesting living with him. He’s loud and difficult but also sweet and funny. He loves Coca Cola, McDonalds, and repeating my name over and over and over on long car rides. We get along well. So that’s my immediate family. They all seem to have a special twinkle in their eyes. I’m so thankful I was placed with them. I’ve meet a bunch of the extended family too, more than I can name...
Let’s see, I guess that’s all for now. I’ll get working on a letter about school, etc. I’m less homesick now that I’ve settled in a bit. Even enjoying myself! Still I miss everybody at home. A bunch of you have called. I can’t tell you how great that was. It actually has made things easier knowing that I can still keep in touch (and that you’re thinking of me!). I’m certainly thinking of all of you even in the midst of all this. Much love to all of you-
Tu amiga,
Heather