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Before I begin this update I would like to thank everyone for reading these bits and pieces of my adventure and sending my notes and comments. Its comforting to have all of the support. THANKS! Also, if there is ever anything specific you want me to write about, let me know.

Well, I finally moved out of Paula and Antonio's house into my pension. Paula and Antonio have been super helpful and generous to me, but I was ready to get out of their hair and become more independent. I have been in the pension for two nights, and thus far the transition has been fine. I'm sure your all wondering about this "pension" thing, I will try to explain.

What: The word pension basically signifies a place to live for rent that usually includes part or full board. My pension is a "pension completa" so i get all food, laundry once a week, internet, cable, water, electricity and the room for a flat monthly rate. There is a live in maid who prepares all of the meals and does the laundry ect. My pension has about 13 people in it. A few share a room, but most are single. We share 5 bathrooms. It is kind of like the dorms, but in a house.

Why: In short, because we need to hang our hat somewhere! The university does not have dorms as in the US. Students usually live in a pension if they are from out of town. The phenomenon of having a maid is very common, therefore, everyone is accustomed to having someone else do all such activities. For this reason, students usually don't just get apartments. Note, however, I'm generalizing, its not a rule.

Where: They are all over the city. Concepcion is home to a few other Universities, so pensions can be found anywhere. University of Concepcion is the principle U in the town (third best in Chile, approx 20,000 students) so there are several pensions in the university neighborhood. Mine is 3 blocks from the university, in a very beaustiful street at the base of the forrest (pictures to come).

When: I have a key to the front door and I may come and go as I please. Other pensions have stricter rules about hours & ect. It just depends on the owner. Often times a family house also doubles as a pension. For this reason the owners my have stricter rules because they have kids ect. The owners of my pension do not live here, but are here often doing "stuff" that needs to be done.

How: Penisoins are advertised in the classifieds, signs in the street and around the U ect. I set out on foot to mind mine. I called a few adds that I saw, checked out three places before making my decision. I pay at the beginning of each month, and there is no contract.

Now you know what a pension is, there is a quiz next week. ha.

I started school today, and at this point I have only had one class. Intro to sociology. I was not nervous to start, after all, this is my third University (thanks mom and dad! promise I'll be done soon!) However, what happened during this class was one of the most awkward, interesting, funny, strange, exciting, bazaar things I have ever experienced. Remember, this class, Intro to soc. is for freshman. First day or U. I'm taking it just for the heck of it, but there are no other such students. All the rest are freshman majoring in sociology. The system is a bit different in Chile. They don't have general education requirements or anything like that. You pick your degree, and basically your schedule is set, for the next 5 years, so long as you don't switch.

The class began with an introduction by the head of the degree followed by and introduction by the head of the department. During this second introduction began a bunch of noise in the hallway. People were banging on the door, banging on the windows from outside, yelling. The guy kinda just kept talking, not paying too much attention to this interruption. When he was done, the professor proceeded with a general intro to the course which included every student having to say there name and where their from. (40 - 50 students) This was a bit embarrassing, being the gringo and all, but was nothing compared to what was coming. Periodically the racket would occur. The professor would bang on the window in response to their banging. She was laughing. There was something coming, and I had no idea what it was. As it got toward the end of the class, the banging on the door increased, I could here a mob of people trying to get into the classroom. The teacher finally conceded and unlocked the door. What happened next was indescribable, but I will try.

Into the room came a mob of people with scarfs, jackets, or whatever covering there faces as though they were robbers. They did not permit anyone to leave. They then came around and took one shoe from every person and put them in a pile at the front of the room. We are talking 40 - 50 shoes. Then, a girl proceeded to go around and make everyone pay 500 pesos (about 1 USD) to get the shoe back. Then one of the mob leaders grabbed one of the shoes from the pile, and demanded the owner to come down to the front of the room. They then made this guy stand on the table and dance. All the while they were singing and clapping. Then they grabbed a couple more shoes, these people came down and had to dance together on the table. This continued until about 2/3 of the class had to dance up front. This all took some time, so I suppose there was not enough time to have everyone dance, or they got bored, I don't know. I was a part of the 1/3 that did not have to dance... I just picked up my shoe when the pandemonium was over and left.

When I got outside, I witnessed a few other mobs. So I hear, this is initiation for freshman. It goes on all week. Supposedly they do all kinds of stuff including putting paint on faces, clothes, hair and other crazy stuff. However, this class is only one day a week on Monday, so I won't get any of that other treatment. I don't believe my other classes are only for freshman.

Thats it for now...... hope everything is good in gringo land..
paz y amor desde chile