Work: Day 0.5

I haven't been posting much until now; Saturday and Sunday were pretty boring. Rain kept us mostly indoors except to shop for food and stuff. Mostly I spent the time making halting conversation with the other Hostel folk. So far that has been my best way to practice Spanish.

I've been feeling more confident with my speaking skills. I'm still at a three-year old level, but at least now I can reasonably navigate the city. My sentences are sharp, terse, the phrases of a caveman who just got out of the glacier. But it works! I've gotten directions and bought food. Some people, especially the restauranteurs and shop owners, love it when I come in. I think they're impressed that I'm making an earnest effort to learn the language. Yo quiero ser culto etcetera.

Today was supposed to be the first day of work, but apartment hunting took over. On the minus side, I came in very, very late. One of the apartment contractors tried to help me get back, and we ended up 3 km from the nearest metro stop. Fortunately my professors were very understanding and set me up. I have three papers to read as 'homework' for Wednesday, which should occupy me for most of tomorrow morning. I also get my own office. I'm really moving up in the world! I didn't get a chance to talk with many of the people in the lab, but they seem very friendly. Señora Anderson also put me in touch with some of the other students. I'm much more optimistic about befriending people now.

More good news: we have an apartment! It's a four person place for about 220 per person. Compared to what other interns have paid, it's a steal. I'm going to have to add another commissioner to the list of housing contacts. Pictures when we've moved in!

Now the important part: pictures. I finally figured out how to change the camera from "screw up the pictures" to "let me screw up the pictures myself". Combined with me walking about 12 km while hunting for apartments, I had a lot of opportunities to take pictures.

All three of the HQs we checked out were in the Providencia district of Santiago. Like the rest of the city, it's overtly not much different from Detroit or Chicago. Fewer burning buildings, maybe. A lot of the differences, aside from the different language, were a lot more subtle. Different colored buses, superior walk signs, etc. The street signs list the highest and lowest addresses of the buildings on that street, an urban policy so brilliantly simple I'm shocked the US doesn't do the same.

In the distance is the San Cristobar Hill. It's the largest park in the city. They say that on a clear day (ie after it rains) you can see all of Santiago from the peak. It's surprisingly easy to access via metro and I'm planning on spending a Saturday exploring it. Not all of our travelling has to be done outside of the city.

This fountain is a tribute to the famous Chilean sculptor Tótila Albert. Before his death in 1967 he taught at the Universidad de Chile and created multiple famous and influential pieces around the city. I want to track them down. This shot does not contain his tribute statue, mostly because I'm a terrible photographer. Closeup of the water, as well as a building I'm calling "Souther Campus":

That's all I have for now. The next couple of days are gonna be taken up with actual work and moving to the new place. After that I'll finally be able to explore the city for pleasure and not necessity. I'm looking forward to it!