Sunday, June 15

Today I got up around 10, got ready, and then sat in my room looking into college dorm room supplies until Lilian and Manuel were ready to go. We were going to Donihue today to spend the day with Lilian’s family. It was Fathers’ Day, so I wrote Manuel a nice long letter and gave him some pens from the United States (I feel like I give so many gifts and letters here in Chile that I’m running out of words to say and things to give). We arrived in Donihue around 1, and greeted all the people there.

There were a few of my aunts and my cousins Cristobal, Maca, and Guillermo who had arrived for a 2 week vacation from his university studies in Holland. We ate lunch all together and then we went into the living room to watch the World Cup games and talk. A little later, some new cousins arrived that I’d never met before. Stephanie, Jean Carlos, and Pia (and her adorable dog Mota) were all super sweet and interested in meeting and getting to know me. We had fun watching the game together.

Me, Luciana, and Stephanie

Then Luciana (the little 10 year old cousin who reminds me so much of myself at that age) arrived with her mom. We all talked and watched the World Cup games until dinner. The food in Donihue is always the best.

Tia Mimi baking pan amasado

There is home baked bread, cake, fresh tea, and other yummy treats. After dinner, I was pretty done with making an effort to talk to people and be friendly and happy and grateful for the family and I wanted to go home and Skype with my parents for Fathers’ Day. We got home around 8 and I talked to my mom and dad until 9 over Skype. I honestly think I’ve talked to my dad like 4 times in the past year, so it’s always a big treat to be able to share with him all of my experiences here in Chile (especially since he kind of gets the same thing in Mexico and therefore he understands me a little better).  I can’t wait to go home and be able to tell them everything and show them not only how much my Spanish has improved but how much I have improved as a confident and more adult person. We hung up around 9 and then I watched a movie and went to sleep.