Techos Para Chile

Techos para Chile is an organised volunteer programme for the people of Chile. Although Chile is the most developed country of South america it still has more than half of its populations living in poverty and people living in unbeliveable conditions.

This programme literally translates as Roofs for Chile. Its a charity organisation that gets groups of people together at different times of the year. They come together and build houses for the homeless, they put a roof over their head. It is strictly for university students and all you need to do is be enthusiastic about helping those who really need it. The constuction can be individual homes to shelters, and it takes place all over Chile in different towns.

As it is now summertime in Chile and school is out, I really wanted to volunteer for a project like this, so when I heard about it I was anxious to sign up. I spent 3 days with this volunteer project and it has so far been one of the best experiences of my life. I heard so many stories and seen so many things that I didnt even know was possible. I have never seen so many people express so much gratitude for our help. I stayed in a local "hut" while volunteering, very basic but it gave me a reasonable idea of how some of these people lived. I also got to visit other towns, and some looked like hurrican had hit it, and alot of the houses (if you can even cal them houses) where built illegaly on a plot of land, the sad thing is the government cant do anything about it because the country doesnt have the money to rehouse at least 40% of its population. So these people are using the electricty and water from local sources but not paying, so things can get very complicated.

Therefore Techos Para Chile, in my opinion is the of the best projects for this corrupted environment and the best way to help those who really need it!!

I really learnt alot on this 3day adventure and would def sign up again in the furute. Thanks to team Conce who made it an unforgetable experience!

Driest Desert in the World

JAN TRIP TO THE NORTH

After a broken down car, 4 buses, 1 plane and a train we FINALLY arrived to Calama, where we would spend one night before going to the beautiful San Pedro de Atacama. (Might I add...public transport is about as reliable as northern irelands weather). So Calama....not a very beautiful place at all...populated by limping dogs, old drunk, twitching men and some more twitching dogs...I hope its not somethin in the water!!! (This is when i thought...Damn, why didnt i get that rabies injection). On our way travelling here we passed through some strangely beautiful areas, which to be honest looked like some countries had used for nuclear testing. Pink and grey blurry landscapes dotted with reds and blues.

San Pedro de Atacama is a small dusty town in the Andean Mountain range not to mention the driest desert in the world...and being 4,600 meters above sea level "coco tea" is the local drink for the altitude sickness. Although they didnt tell me that after u drink it u throw up 2hours later, nice touch!!! Not to dwell on my health....the water is 100% NOT drinkable..its full of acid and salt and it kills your stomach!! Atacama is also home to some of the most beautiful surroundings in the world!! The road here was beautiful, sooo different from anything I have ever seen before. Patience valley....a road that I swear looks so short, but goes on for at least 40 mintues!!!

I spent my days here being a real tourist, on the excursions, museums and everything. The hole town of San Pedro seems to be a backpackers magnet...most of which have hanging dreadlocks, scruffy clothes and flipflops, fashion statement i guess?!San Pedro is ridiculousy expensive...its also hot as hell but at night.......i have never felt cold like it, its so dry and so high that it holds absolutely no heat whatsoever.

San Pedro is home to Salt flats, valleys, laguns, oasis and geysers, and SANDBOARDING!!!! Its amazing looking through my photos it looks like 4 seasons in 1 day...the salt is so white that it looks like snow and ice. Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)and Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley)were breath taking...the sunset was the most beautiful I have ever seen, the clearest sky in the world (fact) with the brightest stars!! At the top of the Sand dunes in the desert, water is a MUST...dune jumping was FANTASTIC just as much fun as sandboarding (which nakers you...but great fun) Iv a few cool videos of this so ul have to check them out.

While here I had a hilarious/gross camping experience (in the back of some1s garden, with an outside shower and MINGING toilet with restricted water and an annoying little kid) followed by a more comfortable night in a hostal (Hostal Cabur). Here I met a few people from the US they were great crack but one of the guys kept going on about O'bama and civil rights in latin america. I knew I couldnt stand anymore when he spoke to the non english speaking owner saying how he needed a FAN for his room..."a FAN...F-A-N, its too hot!!!" what he really needed was a SLAP....S-L-A-P!!!...anyway the show must go on.......so the journey continued to the Geysers and the Laguns!!

Easter Island aka Rapa Nui

One of the world's most famous yet least visited archaeological sites and must I add....paradise!!! So glad I took the opportunity to go here, the place is complete paradise and so peaceful. It has the most basic of things, its in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with 1 supermarket on the hole island but you could easily travel the island in 2 days....and check this out, u cant even find it on google map!!

A 5 hour flight from Santiago, 1 flight every 2days and the smallest airport I have ever seen, it was like a little lego builiding. On arriving to Easter Island we were greated with hula necklaces (real flowers) and a freshly squeezed orange juice!! This is one of my best trips so far, the island is completely magical!!! Everything about it, the people, the history, the beaches and language it really is a once in a life time experience. And im sure it isnt anything short of hawaii. I knew I had arrived in a different culture when the cops were wearing hawaiin shirts with their badge attached and hula shorts, (this is one example of hundreds of how relaxed this tiny island is).

We stayed in a apparment which grew bannanas, oranges, coconuts, pineapples, u name it they probably had it, and heres something new, on the island they grow over 15 different types of bannanas, impressive eh?! Nothin in my hole life compares to Anakena Beach, it was just out of this world!! PURE golden sand and crystal clear water, palm trees...I have been to Paradise!!!

As the island is filled with so much history I took a tour of the island soI could learn all about its heritage, culture and people. The pictures say it all, honestly I cant help but smile when I talk about this place. Im sitting here writting and I could go on and on forever trying to explain my time here but words really cant explain it!! We visited caves, Moias (the huge statues), volcanoes and beaches, my tourguide Ian was great he lived in England for 20 years but is originally from the island. What i loved about the island was thta every shop, every tour group, every tourguide where all natives, u could only own a place if you were a native, that way they are keepin their own special culture alive! Every street had a story and with every story their was something magical! The natives are very protective and very proud of their culture and love to tell travellers about it.

Although Easter Island is part of Chile, it is very independent and has its own idividual identity. The people look very different to Chileans, the marjority of them are verrry beautiful (im not saying chileans aren't).

On the island I got to do so many things, climbing caves, exploring volcanoes, horseriding, moutainbiking, surfing, SCUBADIVING and living a non materialized life!! I loved it!! Being there made me really appreciate the simple things in life, such a beautiful place cant be spoilt with such things like Malls, TVs and bascially money. Everything about Rapa Nui was soooo relaxed, life here has no boundaries, no backdoors, life is life!

The fields were like organised jungles with the most beautiful and colourful flowers ever.

Trying to experience the culture I went to many dance shows, known as the Polonesian shows. The instuments they used were unbeliveable, the music and the daners were incredible. Of coures the girls were stunning in all the different outfits and the guys dressed in no more than a loin cloth. I also went to church service and again every1 was dressed in hula shirts with shorts and flipflops, even the dogs came to repent their sins, lieng at the front of the churches, dogs where everywhere!! Although there were hundreds of dogs, horses were the main source of transport here, forget the car, horses ruled this island. It was normal to see a sign on ever street "caution wild horsee, keep watch". it was also normal to see a man on a horse with one hand on the reign and the other hand with a can of Escudo (beer), no laws for drinkin and driving here!!

Another sign which made me laugh "Caution, coconuts and limbs may fall on your head", and for a little pep talk before I went scubadiving the instructor kindly told me that more people die from being hit on the head with a coconut rather than dieing from a shark attack.

This was def the perfect place to spend my last day of 2008 and the first day of 2009. Driving along the coast, around the island, into the sunset was a great way to end 2008 of course followed by a traditional Rapa Nui party. As for scubadiving.........WOW!! I never new so many colourful fish existed....and I got to swim with a turtle which was huge!! I would really consider scubadiving as a career (eh danielle). The peacfulness of swimming down 20m in the pacific ocean was the best experience of my life!

Well that was an extremly short blog on my expericne in Rapa Nui...if u ever have the chance dont hesitiate ...GO!!!!

Christmas in South America

Well Christmas was def a different experience over here!! Honestly cant believe i stuck it out!! I think its important to include the fact that I found it really difficult around christmas time, which I knew I would but I had the best people around me so they made it alot easier! Although im still not missing Belfast I really misss the people in it and the "craic" with all my friends. But this will always be an experience that Im going to have and be able to look back on, not many 18 year old girls from NI can say they spent christmas in South America, eh?!

To be honest sittin on a deckchair, 30 degrees outside and listening to "Im dreaming of a white christmas" being played through the patio speakers, I have never felt less "christmasy" in all my life! Its not such a huge celebration over here, and people reallllly dont care about the presents its all about family time. Spending christmas over here really opended up my eyes, and yeah this is going to sound so cheesy but it really isnt about the presents its the people around you and of course the turkey. People here are so warm and welcomin and you cant help but cherish them all for it, the people def made my christmas here what it was, fabulous!

Chile is full of truley religious Catholics, so you can only imagine all the traditions that they had leading up to and on christmas. One which I really enjoyed was the candle lighting starting from the 4th sunday before christmas. 4 candles of different colours each representing different things, for example peace and forgivness. Each Sunday the families would gather around the candles with all the lights out and read a piece of scripture and short prayers. Another MAJOR part of christmas is the fact that they open their presents on the 24th rather than 25th. The 24th seems to be christmas day. So this day 24th, kicked off with a bit of Mass (experiencin the culutre) at 8pm and there where hundreds and hundreds of people there, it was in a huge field with a stand at the front with different people reading form the bible and singing, it was a nice ceremony and the amount of people that attended was incredible! After the 1 hour long service we went home and had our christmas dinner (minus turkey and stuffing and potatoes), ok ....so it actually wasnt really a christmas dinner at all, meat, rice and salad. ohhhhhhhhh not forgetting my dessert ;) Yes I made banoffee Pie, and if i do say so myself it was delicious!!! Iv turned into quite the wee cook out here!!

After dinner we drank champagne and sat out on the terrace, the humidity could have killed!!when the clock struk 12 it was the long waited present opening time. Mum had sent me a parcel and it had been siting under the tree for 3 weeks so u can imagine how anxious I was!! I also got a lot of cards sent form home and little gifts thank u all so much, it really meant alot! So around 2.30am after evry1 individually opening all their presents I went to Melanies house as her sister was having a bit of a party. For christmas she had me the most beautiful little book ever!!! Photos of us, and everything we have done, lots of little songs and rhymes, I will def keep it forever!!

On top of family dinners and parties I went to a work christmas dinner!!how funny!! For the restuarant I help out in, the infamous "Kikis", I dont even know what it was we had to eat but it was delicious and myth has it, that it you taste this soup then you will stay there forever, so fingers crossed!!

25th, Christmas day I went to melanies house for a bbq with all her family...how strange a bbq!!!!!! We had a bbq, drinks went in the pool had music, it was such a different experience, but I had so much fun!! Melanies family are the best, they have done so much for me and they are such nice people!! That night, was probably somethin close to an episode from the OC!! A bonfire on th ebeach with all friends.....perfect way to end a perfect day!!

Just another great day in the fabulous Chile, eh?!

Merry Christmas everyone!!