Hola everyone, so sorry that i have kept you in the dark for so long! I´ve just been so busy for the last two and a half weeks! and I´m still super busy, so here is a brief and to the point update: I love my hogar (it´s a beautiful, safe place for the girls), my girls are wonderful (and so are their hugs and kisses), my spanish is horrible (but I have little victories all the time....along with my major disasters), the other volunteers are enthusiastic, full of great ideas and fun to hang out with, I´ve found some great neighborhoods to take in local Chilean culture in, I´ve become vegetarian during the week when I eat at my hogar (who would have thought!), I just taught one of my little girls to write the numbers 2 and 3!!!! I have a host family now that is huge and super welcoming. I get to meet all of them together this Sunday for lunch (Grandparents, 8 adult children and lots of grandchildren!!) The grandma informed me that she is my Chilean mommy now and already calls me her daughter, love and ¨Annita¨ The daughter of hers that I met already can speak a little English and is super patient and encouraging of my broken Spanish, which is super great for me because I´ve already frustrated so many of the adults that I work with now. Not that they hate me or treat me badly, but I definitely feel useless and stupid sometimes. So I guess what I´m trying to say is that its been really tough and I have had a few bad days, but only a few among plenty of great days. I´m super happy to be here and it´s all been worth it already. Miss you all and I send my love. Ciao,

Anna

ps, i am getting my computer soon, so i will actually be able to load up pictures then...so prepare yourself, i´ve got tons!