The swing of things

hello all my beautiful people!
it's been a couple weeks since my last post, partially because nothing all that exciting has happened but also because I've been busy as ever!!

 I guess the MOST exciting part was turning 20 (YAAYYY no longer a teen). It was a very strange day I'll say just because it was quite odd being away from home and everyone for my birthday! Although I am residing on an entire different hemisphere than all of you, don't be mistaken; I felt the love!! It was amazing hearing from everybody and knowing that everyone hadn't forgotten about me quite yet (; I got to spend my birthday with a bunch of people from my program and even went salsa dancing!! All in all, I'll always remember my 20th birthday in Santiago.

So my schedule has also gone from zero to sixty in no time at all... the first 2 weeks of school I just had my classes which are on Tuesday and Thursday, but since then I've started to swim for the team at Universidad de Chile. This means that when I don't have class at 8:30 on Tuesday and Thursday, I'm getting up to go to practice at 8 every other weekday! The team is very relaxed though and I am enjoying getting back into shape and I actually have my first swim meet on Saturday!

In addition to my increased exercise hours, I have started my internship at Fundación Hogar Esperanza, a children's home. I go from 2-6:30 on Monday's and Wednesday's plus with the hour public transportation commute each way it makes my days quite long. Despite the hours I am really enjoying it, most of the time I sit with babies for a few hours and the worst part is just when one of them yaks on themselves haha. Also with this, I'm gaining a whole new set of vocabulary like telling the 4 year old boys not to hit each other and a lot of language you never really think about needing with kids!! I've been going for 3 weeks and really enjoy it even if I do get home at 8 PM dreading having to cook for myself.

School has been a very interesting process as some days I go and think, "Oh wow, I finally get this stuff and can understand the professor!" and others I sit there and think, "... well maybe next time". Although I am starting to get used to the way my teachers talk it really just depends on the day. I was supposed to have a test today, but by the grace of god the university scheduled an interruption to the electrical system and therefor all class was cancelled! What a bummer I know, I was really looking forward to it. haha

Right now lots of plans to travel are beginning to form, for fiestas patrias my university has the entire week off. So I'll be heading down south in Chile for the first half and then going up north to the beach with another group of friends. Although I love Santiago, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't dying to get out for a couple days. Sometime the smog can really put a damper on any sort of activity here so getting out of the city will be good for the spirit (and my respiratory system). Also starting to think about plans after I finish class at about thanksgiving I'll be heading to Bolivia/ Peru, and it's very exciting to think about going to more countries!! The other day my mom booked my flight for the 18th of December so now I'm feeling a lot of pressure to make the most out of the next less than 4 months!(2 month mark was completed on Sunday)

Hope you lovely people miss me as much as I so dearly miss you and please please please set up facetime dates with me because I'm not always that good at remembering!
Much Love- Faith