We made it to Valdivia! After a flight that only lasted one hour and 10 minutes, we took a transfer bus to the city. Three of the four of us who are studying here are living with families in the neighborhood Isla Teja, an island in the middle of two rivers that meet here. The ocean is less than 13 km away. My host family gave me a beautiful room, painted blue.

Five other people live in the main house - Gustavo and Nelly, their daughter Carolina, and two of her kids, Fernanda and Maximiliano. The third grandkid (son of Carolina) lives in the cabaña behind the house. After we all ate lunch and I put my things away, Maximiliano taught me how to play Metropolito, the Chilean version of Monopoly. Esteban and his girlfriend (polola) told me about the delay at the university. Classes won't start for another two weeks because the students are protesting the high price of tuition and loans as well as some incorrect use of funding. Gustavo lent me a book on the history  of Valdivia. There are lots of books here, as well as photos and videos from the huge terremoto of 1960, which is the world's largest earthquake ever.  I also learned that dinner is sometimes called "onces," which we ate tonight, where you make little sandwiches and drink coffee. My favorite thing about the house might be the kitten, whose name is Micha. She is sitting on my lap as I write.