Sand in your pants

Well friends, I've now been in Santiago for a week! It feels pretty much like home already; it seems like we've been here MUCH longer than 1 week. Last night, almost all of the girls went out together which was super awesome because I think we got to bond more. We drank blue daiquiris, exchanged our most embarrassing moments on the steps of the monument, and danced the night away at boca nada.

We went to the beach yesterday; that's right, in JANUARY. haha The water was warm and clear and gorgeous.

"I love when you stuff sand down my pants!"

Thursday our "estudiantes de apoyo" (Dominican students that work for ISA, hang out w/ us, and teach us the ways) taught us to dance the merengue, bachata, and salsa. I didn't realize that really anyone can dance! A couple of us couldn't at first, sure, but we're getting the hang of it ;)

Stephanie from Pittsburgh dancing w/ Randoll, one of the estudiantes de apoyo

 A few fun facts..
--The chocolate milk here is pretty bomb.
--Stuff is cheaper in general.
--Biscocho= butterscotch
--You turn on a switch to use hot water, and wait 15 minutes before showering so the water heats up.
--The pipes are smaller so toilet paper goes in the trash, not the toilet.
--Everyone knows how to dance. Literally everyone.
--Nobody eats wheat bread. It's available but Dominicans tend to just buy white bread from the panaderia.
--It's weird when a woman doesn't hear whistles, cat-calls, or hisses when she walks down the street.   Especially Americans.

So I kinda forgot about the "high and low" I said I'd include each week.. but I guess it has only been a week so let's see.
High (diamond :) ) Getting to know my host family, laughing with them, understanding their accents better, hanging out w/ Isa (neighbor) and her mother, who I call abuelita :) she loves me, sooo cute.
Low (coal) never being able to open the front door b/c the lock is tricky. haha sheesh. or drinking too much last night and being nervous that we wouldn't know where the heck to go after the taxi drops us off.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:21
God humbles me a lot and reminds me to get to know people's stories, and to live as a witness.

School starts Tuesday, woohoo! Good luck this semester to all of you back home; love, learn, grow, and serve the Lord!