Tj was chosen as a top 8 in all of kindergarten classrooms for his "story". Its pretty cute, being in Spanish and all.

The YMCA is everyone's salvation. For the boys, they get to release their frustrations three times a week. For me, its the place I recollect and try to recharge in the morning to be able to keep my cool with the boys in the evening (although that doesn't always go as planned) . Here was the view on the way to the Y this morning. Lovely. This experience for the boys is more than language and culture, but a chance at city life. However, we miss our wonderful backyard, and I miss my dryer (for clothes).

You win some and you loose some.
Whining first: my office flooded (although I met all the custodial staff who are really nice) and I am late on the deadline for my presentation in Santiago. The latch on my trunk broke (interesting that my car in Texas too has a broken latch; small world). I have NO clue where to get that fixed. Guess that I'll be doing that plus buying earthquake supplies since Fulbright sent us all an email telling us we should, after the earthquake this morning at 1am, get one.
Good news: 99% of my class showed up today! Yea: I am winning them over. And, I found that I can detail a car for 20$. And lastly, Tj is speaking in sentences and answers questions all the time now. Cole got a 7/7 on his "lenguaje" test so the boys are making huge strides this 3nd month in Chile. Phew.

The amazing sunset over the ever growing city of Concepcion; a view from the boys window (iphone camera not doing justice). An added benefit to the city's growth: hours of entertainment watching the cranes and calculating the possible ramifications of an earthquake. I marvel at the cavalier attitude concerning seismic activity!

Despite the coach being 25 minutes late to Tj's first soccer game, at the opposing "British" school, they had a great time. Soccer followed by Basketball. Another morning of being a sport mom just a few miles south of Texas. . . (except this soccer mom must walk (as my father just calculated for me the conversion of pesos to dollars and liters to gallons)= 6.50$ a gallon. Gulp.

Yea! After six weeks, I have made some "connections" with my students. My first teacher-gift in Chile. Mosqueta jam (small red berry that looks like a flower). Yummmm.

My morning commute: very disturbing. "Baby on board" holds nothing on this!!

I may still not have intranet access, and I have no name nor number on my office door (which leads to a lot of productivity I must admit), but I was officially recognized by the Provost yesterday and a surprise interview from the press. Good morning Monday!  http://www.ucsc.cl/noticias/docente-estadounidense-visita-la-ucsc-y-dicta-asignatura-en-educacion/

I guess we all have our doppelganger--but this one makes us miss the member of our family that can't travel to see us. We miss you Liliah!!

Easter Weekend. Besides having to spend 5 hours heading downtown to Lan Chile (airlines--planning a trip to Vina del Mar for Dave's next visit), to find it closed, then out to the mall for the other branch, where they don't take cash, to the grocery store to pay for a coupon with the cash to head back to the airlines to actually get the ticket, we had a good weekend. Nice weather (rain hasn't started yet), catching up on sleep, and a lot of swimming at the Y, bike rides at the University, and Lego playing on the floor. Netflix has given the boys a good break, and we learned how to change the language on some of the films so we can keep up with Spanish at home.

A view from my run this morning at the Universidad de Concepcion. Rumblings, but no striking (yet).

Action packed weekend: jet set to Santiago, tour of winery, intake of very cool Children's Museum (MIM in Santiago), trip to Isla Negra to Neruda's and beach, and a quick return to Concepcion. Phew. Am roll call for school tomorrow will be rough. On a side note, watching all the runners returning home after the Santiago Marathon today made me nostalgic, although watching them walk so gingerly was good tonic. Staying busy certainly helps us all from missing Dave.