Now that I’ve bought my ticket home (Dec. 23 in Vancouver, B.C. at 10:30 AM), thoughts of Seattle, my family and friends are constantly sneaking into the peripheries of my mind. Where will I work? Where will I live? What hobbies will I pick up? Will it be an easy transition? Por favor, para (stop)! I’m very much looking forward to heading home but also want to fully enjoy my last four months here.
A quick plug: if you are aware of any job opportunities in Seattle (or elsewhere for that matter), I would be VERY grateful if you passed along that information. My e-mail is breanna_bart@yahoo.com. I have a BA in Communication, emphasis in Public Relations and am especially passionate about international education and communication. I am nervous to head home and pray that I find a job without too much difficulty, as I still hear horror stories of the job market. I will also be contacting many of you to ask for tips, advice, wisdom and suggestions. Thanks in advance for your help!
On a new endeavor…
I’m picking up a new hobby and am oh so excited about it. Our apartment doesn’t have internet or television and I’m running out of books to devour.
So… I’m going to teach myself to play the guitar! This effort won’t be entirely on my own – I have several friends here that play and the music teacher, Javier, at IOM also said he would help. They have an incredible deal at a music store near my apartment – a starter guitar, a case, two packs of strings and picks for $30,000 CP or about $60 US. I realize that the guitar probably won’t be top-quality but considering that I’m just starting and also that I make less than $600 US a month, it will have to do.
I’m going tomorrow to get the guitar. Yippeeee!
On the debates…
We were eliminated today, Tuesday August 18. Hahah, said with such finality. We made it to the second round and although we were quickly cut today (my team read from their notes too much), I am very proud of what they accomplished. Thinking back to myself in high-school and my level of Spanish, I never would have been able to complete a 3 minute spontaneous dialogue about a technical topic.
Here are some pictures of them:
My team and me
Practicing before their turn
Up at the podium
The debate room layout
Being silly at La Moneda after the debates finished
On Pianorquestra…
We went to the most amazing show two Saturdays ago. One piano, ten hands. Pianorquestra is a group from Brazil. Here's a blurb about them, "Created and directed by Claudio Dauelsberg, the group explores ethnic elements and Brazilian roots in a wonderful new way. They move easily from classical to popular, from Brazilian contemporary composers such as Villa-Lobos, Claudio Santoro, and Milton Nascimento, to rhythms such as samba, coco, maracatu, and ciranda. Claudio Dauelsberg, Gisele Sant’Ana, Masako Tanaka, Marina Spoladore, and Maíra Freitas explore the inside and the bottom of the piano box, inserting objects with different weights and densities—pieces of wood, metal, and rubber—on the strings, and using drumsticks to obtain percussive effects. The timbres range according to the density, weight, and texture of the objects, especially built for obtaining the desired sonorities." (Found at http://www.coastaljazz.ca/concert/pianorquestra).
On friends…
Instead of describing my amazing friends here, I’ll show you a few through pictures. The first is Jacqueline and me. Jacqueline went to Prince Edward Island University in East Coast Canada (random coincidence that Gigi also went there). She is going to be one of my guitar teachers and was also who inspired me to pick it up.
Esteban, me and Steph .... two of my best friends here.
All in all, life sigue (continues) in fast forward. It’s hard to believe that August is more than half –way over. Life is good here – full of friends, work, happiness and rainy weather (reminds me of home!). I wish all of you an amazing last bit of summer … soak up that sunshine for me!
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