Updates from Week 5

It’s midterm week here, and I can’t believe I’m already five weeks into my program. I can definitely understand why people take two quarters or a year abroad—there is just too much to see and enjoy. Because of all the work I have to do, I’m enjoying a relaxing week at home hanging out with my host family and writing essays on Chilean history and the influence of the telenovela. Hopefully once I get the bulk of my work done I can see a little more of Santiago—after exploring Buenos Aires so intently I feel bad for not knowing more about my own city. Of course, I plan on at least three more trips outside the country and hopefully a few short trips within Chile.

This has also been an exciting week because everyone here in the center (and back at Stanford) found out about RA jobs for next year. The results were posted on Thursday, but on Wednesday morning I got an e-mail from the head of Residential Education that they were unable to match me up with a house (that is, my dorm preferences and the dorm’s preferences of staff members didn’t coincide in my case). He told me that I had one more chance in that FroSoCo (Freshman/Sophomore College, a specialty dorm for first and second year students that features integrated academic and social programming for residents) had an open spot and was willing to interview me. I was absolutely crushed, but figured I should go for the small chance that I could get a job with FroSoCo, even though I know very little about the house and never considered working there. I interviewed on Thursday afternoon (after everyone else found out about their results) and heard on Thursday evening that I had an offer. I couldn’t believe it! It’s hard to picture living in FroSoCo, especially because their staff are actually CAs—college assistants with combined duties of RAs and Academic Advisors—but I am really excited for next year and I already know a couple of my fellow staff members! Even though I am missing out on the rollouts, the in-house draw and the initial training this quarter, I’ve heard really great things from friends who lived there and from the adult staff so I’m looking forward to an amazing senior year. Everyone better come visit me on the edge of WEST CAMPUS, HOLLA!

(Postscript: It has come to my attention that I will be eating most of my meals next year at Ricker, the infamous peanut-free dining hall. Seeing as I can’t survive Santiago without buying out the only peanut butter in the store, I will probably have to keep a peanut-product stash in my room. Away from the allergic kids, of course.)