UPD8 (update)

Hello all.  I really just want to write my next post, which I have already drafted in my head and which (spoiler alert!!) will be titled "when in Rome."  Intriguing, no? But before I do, I feel that I owe you all a leif (like the first part of my last name) update.

1.  I went to Argentina last week to visit my host family from a Sister Cities exchange I did in high school.  It was great to see them and to indulge in 5 days filled almost entirely with sleeping, movies, drinking yerba mate, and eating.  I left with my heart warmed from reconnecting with the Segura family, my belly bloated from unrestrained gluttony, and a backpack stuffed with dulce de leche and yerba mate. I also carried with me the peculiar feeling that I AM ANCIENT.  Seriously, how is it that four years have gone by since my last visit?  Worse still, how is it that I'm old enough to talk about "time flying by" and "that freak snowstorm back in aught seven"?  What has happened to me?  It perhaps didn't help that I went out dancing with my host sissy Agustina and a passle of her 16-year-old friends.  Luckily, I have a matched set of "Kate posing with meat" photos to illustrate my point, the first taken during my visit in June 2007 and the second taken in June 2011.  Kindly ignore the fact that I look hideous in both and try to see my point.  Nod your head and say "Why yes, Kate.  You are a relic of a bygone era."

Quarter-life crises aside, I had a great visit and I love, love, LOVE Argentina!  Though I have to play down my pro-Argentine sentiments among Chilean company... there's a bit of bad blood between the southern cone neighbors, mostly to do with territorial disputes and man-stealing (which, let's be honest...same thing).  

2.  School's on strike!  Well, technically, the literature and arts campuses are "en toma"...taken over by students, with desks and chairs barricading all the entrances.  Even if professors wanted to conduct classes, they couldn't.  Here are two good articles about the strike: 1 & 2.  So what does this all mean for me?  Well, I'm going on three weeks now without classes.  Rather conveniently, this meant that I didn't miss anything when I went to Argentina.  Since then, I've been taking advantage of the extra time by logging hours at my internship and getting started with final research projects for Middlebury.  My program has arranged some educational forums in Santiago for us next week.  Apart from that, I've been spending time with my Chilean family and taking it easy.  Here are some interesting photos/videos of student activism at my university.