I started Spanish lessons this week. I have only had two days but already feel more comfortable about going places and making a complete idiot of myself! On Monday there were 5 people in my class, but two them were deemed to good for us beginners and moved up, so today there were only three of us, which was quite good because it gives us all the chance to speak and practise a bit. The classes are conducted almost entirely in Spanish, but the teachers are really good at going slowly and demonstrating things to us - it becomes a bit like charades at times, especially with our second teacher who speaks German but little English. We have two 1.5hr classes from 10 - 1.30, with a half hour break, taken by two different teachers. The first teacher seems to focus on practical devices like telling time, numbers, pronounciation, meeting and greeting and wants and needs, while the second teacher focuses on conversation. It is great to have the contrasting styles, and today I found myself at the front of the class describing NZ to the others in Spanish - admittedly probably some form of pidgeon Spanish, but the others seemed to understand. We even ended up talking about the political system and the economics and industry of the country - who would have thought?! I am really enjoying the lessons, not just for the Spanish itself but also as an observation into teaching a foreign language to absolute beginners, which I am going to have to attempt quite soon!

I made friends with the two girls who got promoted on the first day which was good as it means I have other people to tackle ordering meals with at lunchtime. They are both Canadian, and really lovely. The school runs some excursions in the afternoons, and I think tomorrow we are going out for lunch and wine tasting, but I am not sure. If not, then the girls and I are going swimming - yay!! I think on the weekend there might be an excursion out of Santiago walking in the hills somewhere which I might see if I can get on. Sounds like too much fun, and too good an opportunity to pass up practising all my newly learned pidgeon Spanish!

I am staying in an apartment, and while I have a key to the apartment, I dont have one to the building. Luckily there is a doorman, however, as I speak little Spanish and him no English it has been a comedy of errors trying to communicate with him. I think we are improving though, and he definitly recognises me (probably as that crazy foreign girl who started talking about washing (lavar) when she was meant to be explaining about keys (llave)). I have been practising some things on him, and I even got a bravo from him last night, which I think is good. Anyway, each time he sees me he pretty much laughs at me. I am pleased that I bring joy and amusement to his life!

What else? Yesterday I had another job interview, and they also want me to teach a practise class. This Thursday, before Spanish. I was preparing last night, and went to the supermarket to try and find a world map as an teaching aid, but of course I forgot my dictionary. So I am standing in the supermarket (which is like a supermarket and k-mart and warehouse all rolled into one) trying to explain to the lady that I want a map of the world, and although I knew the word for map (plano), didnt know the words for world or wall. She gave me an atlas, so I was then standing in the middle of the supermarket miming the world, and a big map of the world. I got plenty of strange looks. Turned out they didnt have one so I had to draw one. My art skills are improving. Seeing as I am doing weather I just hope that my students know what a snowman looks like, because I couldnt work out how to draw snow, and have no idea how I am going to explain snow to them if they dont know what my snowmen are. I am imagining me somehow miming skiing, and snowball fights and being cold.... argghh it could be very amusing!

Last night when I got on the metro to come home someone said hello to me. After recovering from getting quite a fright it turned out to be the director from the school that I would quite like to work at. Turns out she lives one block from where I am staying, and has three boistrous dogs! She invited me in to meet them, and said I can help take them for walks if I want, which would be awesome. It was just amazing that in a city of 6 million people, I could meet someone on the metro who I know, when I really only know about 6 people in the whole city! And then this morning on the way to class I met one of the Canadian girls in the metro station. She was a bit lost so we went off to class together. Bizarre I tell you. Though I am fairly easy to pick out as I stick out - being nearly the only blonde blue-eyed girl who is a foot taller than all the other girls.

OK, thats about it for today.
Hasta Luego,
K