Dia del Profesor

I was on my way back home from School today in a collectivo (a chilean cab) when a woman got in with a filled propane tank. She didn't have room in the backseat so the driver just put it in the trunk. I suppose that it's nothing to worry about having a big pressurized tank of highly flammable gas rolling around unsecured in a trunk behind you. My host family also leaves mayonnaise out unrefrigerated for days and eats it by the spoonful..maybe I'm too sensitive. In any case, I closed my eyes every time I heard the tank slam against the back of that car during reckless stops at red lights, trying to pretend that there actually are worse ways to die than being blown into a million bits of human gore instantaneously in a collectivo in Chile....like being eaten by cannibals.That would probably be much worse. Anyway, this experience made me realize that every moment on this Continent may be my last and that I had better write to the 5 people that read my blog before it's too late:


1) We had Dia Del Profesor last Friday which is Teacher Day. The kids put on a bunch of plays and it was really impressive. Tons of dance routines to American classics like The Men in Black theme song and Billie Jean. I feel like the parents and kids here are actually really grateful for the teachers, it's refreshing. I was called up out of nowhere to accept a mug. It was heartwarming. When I got back to my seat someone handed me a bunch of balloons. Every single one popped within 5 minutes, effectively disrupting the rest of the ceremony each time. There are pictures if you click the link above.


2) I've finally gotten my after program plan together. I'm going to hang out with mom and other assorted family members for two weeks after the program ends in Chile. Then end up in Cuzco, Peru with Mom. There, I'll meeting friends and, finally, I'm going to Machu Picchu.


After, I'm going to be working at a Nature Reserve in Argentina called Aldea Luna.

http://www.aldealuna.com.ar

For all those not in the know, there's an organization called WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) It's basically a loose collection of organic farms all over the world that take in volunteers who work the farm. In exchange, they get room and board. It sounds like a decent way to travel at a low cost and, obviously, it a good cause. I hope it's all its cracked up to be..and that I don't end up in some kind of coal mine.

Getting to Argentina from Peru will be an adventure I think. Because of the terribly high cost of plane tickets I need to bus to Argentina. This means I have to go from Cusco to Arequipa, from Arequipa to Tacna,from Tacna back to Arica, Chile, from Arica to Atacama, Chile and from Atacama to San Salvador de JuJuy in Argentina where the WWOOF thing is located. Sounds un-doable? You're probably right.