Ok, sorry i havent updated the site in a while...Ive been busy getting situated in Venezuela. I arrived in Caracas on March 8th at 11pm after a bitchin flight from Buenas Aires on Varig. Flying Varig means a obligatory stopover in Sao Paulo, which i did for 3 long hours. The flight was nice, i vividly remember flying over Manaus, Brazil, which is in the middle of the Amazon rain forest. The flight was at night, and from the plane this city was huge and very bright, for the surrounding forest was pitch black. I never thought cities in the middle of the rainforests could be so large. I also could see alot of fires from the plane, most likely a result of farmers clearing the dense jungle for more grazing land. In carracas i was picked up by an Aiesec member named Mauro and had some Arepas and cold cervesas. Next day i caught a bus to Barquisemeto. My first impression of Barquisemeto wasnt very good, as most of the plants are dead or dying and all the trees are painted white and green at the base of the trunk. Additionally, it is offensively hot and dry, as it is currently the dry season. However, the Aiesec chapter here has been very hospitable to me, allowing me to crash at their houses and eat their food. They also helped me find a place to rent for the duration of my job teaching English here. It is a little room in a big house where a crazy old lady lives and 4 other working students/young adults. there is no microwave, no hotwater, during the day during the week the water doesnt work, and the crazy old lady absolutely insists that i lock and close every door, even when myself and the 2 other guys are there. as you can tell, i dont like the house. but rent is cheap, only $65 bucks a month. most likely ill find some new digs after my first month is up.
work is OK, i learned to teach the first week and had my first classes on friday. Teaching isnt that easy and trying to teach fuckin kids aged 10-16 is fuckin impossible. My spanish is improving, but albiet slowely. Work doesnt help, because i always have to talk in english. At work, i met this local girl named Monica. She is very nice and we have been hanging out alot. Im very happy that i met her, because id be really bored otherwise. It is Semana Santa this week, so im on vacation in a town called Merida, in the Venezuelan Andes. Its a cool laid back student town, so that means great night life. In fact im headed to a bar right now for beers that cost less than 50 cents! salud!!!!!