update...

so this past weekend was full of different activities. i had to take a bus to copiapo, which is 2 hours north of vallenar, for a meeting with my coordinators and other volunteers in my region. when we arrived, i met up with the other volunteers and one of my coordinators. i have been mainly in communication with this woman because our head coordinator was sick with the swine flu when we arrived and to top it off he doesnt speak english....awesome! anyway, when i arrived she mentioned that another volunteer had to decided to leave the program this month and there is an open position in that town where other volunteers are living. apparently i was placed in vallenar just two days before the listings were posted for all the volunteers and she was nervous to have me there alone (what a surprise! i might be lonely!) so since she knew of the problems i was having with my school etc (since i had written her about it) she offered me the opportunity to live in el salvador with my friends, in a big house, in a semi-private school. it was like putting a silver platter in front of me and asking if i wanted it. it bothered me even more when during the meeting she kept making excuses and saying false statements about her returning our emails and such. then she even brought up some up my situation with the other volunteers and well as another volunteer´s problem. she discussed with me in front of everyone how it would be a good opportunity for me to move. i decided to tell her right there that it was not my character to accept a position and then turn away from it. i have a commitment here in vallenar and im staying. it is hard to think at times my friends are enjoying each others company, but i know im learning a lot here. i am challenged everyday. it will only make me stronger.

anyway, enough of that, i was finally able to go on a mini-trip out of vallenar. i went with my friend marco 3 hours south to la serena. it is beautiful there. so many churches, stores, restaurants, an actual mall!, and of course the beach! we even rode horses on the beach. marco and i met up with my friend laura during the day and then i was able to see some other volunteers who came up from their city of ovalle. we met some other chileans who were their friends and spent some time at a house just talking and relaxing. it was wonderful to get away and see my friends. i was able to talk with native english speakers finally in person! the chileans were having a hard time understanding us because we were speaking so fast! now they understand how we always feel!

it was hard to come back to vallenar saturday night. i wanted so badly to stay longer in la serena with everyone, but i realize my commitment here. i do have friends here, a new family, and students who do want to learn. sometimes in does get lonely here. i spend a lot of time alone, and more times than not i just want to sit somewhere and talk with someone for hours and not have any issues with miscommunication. But God is constantly here with me, and when things start getting really bad, somehow they always turn around.