Los perritos de la calle, "The Glacier of my Heart," and a blind man that meows...

How-do-ya-do?

I'm fantastic. A little bloated, but fantastic. The people in my program are amazing, I sometimes don't stop laughing for hours it seems. Thanks to everyone who comments on my posts, I love seeing that people are actually reading my blog! I am in a week long orientation program which is so incredibly bo-ring! They are re-teaching the TEFL course I just completed and I can't help but think that I could be using this time to explore the various Santiago neighborhoods and buy miscellaneous crap instead of beng cooped up in a conference room. I keep on nodding off in orientation and even woke up today with an imprint of my jacket's zipper on my face! Ooops! I never did learn well in warm rooms packed full of people.

Fortunately, there is a lunch break and we have these coupons/vouchers for 2500CLP ($5USD) that can buy you a very decent meal. After I had lunch yesterday with my new hilarious friend Angela, we were walking the streets checking things out when a blind man popped up out of nowhere, grabbed my arm, and in the creepiest voice possible said, "Meeeeeooooooowwwww." (Think alley cats in heat). I firmly told him "NO!" and then ran away. I can't say that has ever happened before....and I hope it never does again. Becca, you would have cried/laughed/peed your pantaloons!

One of the things that really kind of bothers me about Santiago/Chile are the 1,000s of street dogs. It is NOT that warm outside and these poor babies have nowhere to get warm and curl up. It absolutely breaks my heart. I have been trying to smuggle them into my hostel with no success. And to make matters worse, these castaway dogs have been driven into madness from years of rejection. They actually play with MOVING CARS. They'll chase cars in traffic, bitting at the tires and mud flaps. Can you believe that? On my way back to the hostel Sunday night, I was followed by an adorable dog baby I named 'Terrance.' He trotted happily along by my side, stopping to chase cars and motorcycles along the way. He was so sweet and only wanted to be loved. Luckily I had my friend Sara run up to our room to grab the leftover steak from lunch I made my friends save so I could feed the dogs. Terrance and his new dog novia (they met outside my hostel it was pretty much love at first sight) had the best meal of their little doggie lives! The bright side about the street dogs is that they are really well fed, Sasha would be pretty envious of some of the meals they get to eat. There are also many doggies fleeces that people buy and put on some of the dogs. So the people of Santiago basically feed and dress the street dogs but they don't take them in.....WTF? I may be bringing Sasha back a doggie brother or sister....It's better than bringing home a baby!

So far, I have had two BRILLIANT ideas. We're talking genius concepts here.

1. I have decided to write an epically romantic movie about finding love in the Patagonian wilderness entitled, "The Glacier of My Heart." I am not completely sold on the title and some other options include "Of Glaciers and Patagonians/Men," and "Gone with the Glaciers." Let me know if you have any ideas and/or suggestions. My friend Angela will be writing the accompanying rap/theme song to the movie and some possible lyrics include: "The Glacier of my heart/it happened from the start.." Any friends and family members wanting to be in the movie have to come visit me or it's NO DICE BABY!

2. My birthday is on the 24th of September and my friend Megan's birthday is September 9th. Since we'll both be in Magallanes, we have decided to do a birthday booze cruise to ANTARTICA. Angela has agreed to reveal/perform the rap song to "The Glacier of My Heart," (I will de doing the accompanying interpretive dance, of course) and we are going to try to find electric snow suits.

Tomorrow I will be meeting up with my dear friend Peter and we will be going out with a couple of Chileans, I can't wait. Apparently there is an on-going party every Wednesday night in this castle, which sounds like a lot of fun! It's now midnight here, so I'm gonna have to wind things down. I have a walking date at 7am so I can work off some more of the meat and potatoes I can't stop eating (I have thrown ice cream into the mix)! I am also looking into buying a gym membership so I can maintain my músculos/throw down if necessary. I don't think I have shown off my 'guns' since I have been here!

I love and miss you all!

¡Besos y abrazos!

Keeley : )