Year: 2005 - 2006

- November 5th, 2006: Local tour for our students and teacher: Isla Negra (Neruda's Museum), Pomaire, Santo Domingo and San Antonio.

A great sunny day again helped to have a fine tour organized by our AFS Chapter for local exchange students.

They visited Pablo Neruda's museum (one of Chile's Poet awarded with Nobel Prize) located in Isla Negra (75 kms. from Viña del Mar), had lunch in a traditional restaurant in Pomaire (120 kms. from Viña). Coming back also they visited the Santo Domingo beach resort and San Antonio port. (anyway sounds like "deja vu" from 2005)

At Pablo Neruda's Museum: Chantal, Ciahn, Angela, Sarah and Yasu

- July 23rd, 2006: Main Year Picnic - BBQ for all AFS programs.

Again the Club Deportivo Enap Refinerías was the place to have our most crowdy activity for the year (over 180 people). A picnic where we meet along their families: the Chileans returnees, the foreign students, the Chileans going overseas and the new applicants. Also we met the first English teacher from New Zeland for a year program, Mrs. Chantal Roux-Wenn.

preparing the BBQ Chantal Roux-Wenn from New Zealand

- March 26th, 2006: Welcome BBQ for our exchange students 2006-07.

At Concón city and more precise at the Club Deportivo Enap Refinerías we had our Welcome BBQ for the 6 local foreign students. Also host families and local volunteers were present enjoying a nice sunny day.

All the students did their introduction in Spanish and everything got better when they presented their typical dessets and candies.

We thanks to Angela, Anna, Ciahn, Drew, Emily and Yasu for their kindness.

picnic... Students presenting typical desserts and candies.

- March 25th, 2006: Second local orientation for exchange students.

Finally all local foreign students got together for their second orientation. It was the right time for taking the official group's picture.

Also they share time for organizing some future activities. Volunterers Javier and Marlenne helped out that day.

The official picture

- March 12th, 2006: First local orientation for exchange students and their host siblings

A very good time for checking out the first week in Chile was for the 6 local exchange students and their host siblings.

They work in their expectations and overviewing the experience. Also the students got some extra supporting material for helping out with their Chilean spanish learning. Part of the AFS local counselors staff (liason persons) for the students were present too. Only Ciahn and her host siblings were not able to participate.

the group present that day.More pictures.

Most of our 6 students started their school. A whole new experience just after a day of their arrival: new classmates, teachers, a uniform ! ...and everything mostly in Spanish.

We thanks to all the local private hosting schools for their support and full scholarships: Emily attends to Sagrados Corazones of Valparaíso (www.colegiosscc.cl), Anna to the German School (www.dsvalparaiso.cl), Angela to Saint Dominic (www.colegiosaintdominic.cl), Ciahn to "Monjas Francesas" (www.ssccalvarez.cl), Yasu to Panamerican College and Drew to "Compañía de María".

Drew and his host sister going to school.

The wait is over. Our new foreign students arrived in Chile on March 3rd and they passed their first 2 days with the rest of the group (near 70 students) at the orientation camp in San Francisco of Mostazal. Among the 18 lead monitors we have the participation of 2 volunteers of our local committee: Michelle Carpentier and Carolina Durán who traveled this Sunday 5th with the 6 students to Viña del Mar.

At the arriving bus terminal, they were expected by the 6 host families. Emotion and happiness had this special encounter giving tranquility to the nervous students in this new land that welcomed them. More pictures.

The 6 students in the bus at few moments of the encounter with the host families.

We thank the new host families who are receiving our 6 new exchange students from March 5th.

They are, for the first semester: Anna from Austria and Emily from USA. For the year program: Drew from Australia,Yasu from Japan, Angela from USA and Ciahn from New Zealand.

Respectively host families are:Baumann-Sepúlveda, Saona-Urmeneta, García-Visintini, Rojas-Muñoz, Llarena-Espinoza and Cammás-Simonsen.

All students will arrive Chile on March 3rd. and then there will be a Welcome orientation at the AFS National Welcoming Orientation Camp placed at "Picarquín Hacienda" (city: San Francisco de Mostazal) about 70 kms. (44 miles) south from capital city, Santiago.

The students accompanied by a volunteer will arrive at 1 PM on Sunday 5th to Viña del Mar.(120 kms. east of Santiago).

Map of student's placement in Viña del Mar.

At the main hall of Club Viña, as traditional, took place the Goodbye Ceremony for exchange students returning to their countries and for the local students departing to their AFS experience for a semester and year programs in New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Austria and USA.

Emotion, some tears, specially for the foreign students who were starting to say good bye to their host families and friends.

Not only students got diplomas because their participation but also the host families. We thank all the families: the Olea-Canessa, López-Rodríguez, Rojas-Zabalaga, Durán-Jacome, Rojas-Sanhueza, Escribá-Parada, Dufeu-Aguirre, Vergara-Saavedra, Palacios-Vergara, González-Herrera and the Gómez-Martínez. Also we thank the families hosting visitors students for short exchange programs.

a signature to remember ..also we had a cocktail ! More pics.

As part of final activities of 2005, AFS presents recognition certificates to the Principals of local host school of our exchange students for their support, not only giving full scholarships but also giving a nice stay due to warm students and teachers.

The Principals and schools receiving our recognition by the students:

Seminario San Rafael: Mr. Floridor Acevedo, Sagrados Corazones: Father Nelson Rivera, Saint Dominic: Mr. Mario Viveros, San Ignacio: Mr. Victor Gajardo, Champagnat: Mr. Aldo Passalacqua, Franco-Inglés: Mrs. Carmen Luz Stevenson y Albamar: Mrs. Mónica Ruiz-Tagle.

Also we thanks to Compañía de María, Aconcagua and Winterhill schools because of their support.Pictures

Vicenzo from Italy attending Champagnat school and Agnete from Norway attedning Franco-Ingles school were highlighted by their school magazines.

Vicenzo was interviewed, expressing his opinions and impressions about Chile. Agnete wrote about her AFS experience.

Vicenzo y Agnete

This Saturday we had the last orientation for the local exchange students: Fumi, Maris, Agnete, Rhonda, Ilana and Vincenzo. They had 5 more weeks before to departure to their home countries. Also we had a German student coming from a neighbor chapter

Local volunteers Vittoria Gandulfo, Javier Vera, Rodrigo Garín and Rodrigo Ferrada helped out. The meeting ended at a nice icecream place. :)

..more pictures

A great sunny day helped to have a fine tour organized by our AFS Chapter for local exchange students. Also we have 3 guest students from other cities.

They visited Pablo Neruda's museum (one of Chile's Poet awarded with Nobel Prize) located in Isla Negra (75 kms. from Viña del Mar), had lunch in a traditional restaurant in Pomaire (120 kms. from Viña). Coming back also they visited the Santo Domingo beach resort and San Antonio port. Pictures here.

Isla Negra Pomaire Santo Domingo San Antonio

This 8th orientation was different due to the abcenses of Maris and Vicenzo. They traveled out of town. The rest wrote their notes evaluating the experience.Ilana (semester from USA) was very happy because she got her official Chilean ID. Also Agnete shared with us her talent at the piano.

8th orientation. ...good music during the meeting

A new orientation session had our 6 exchange students. Rhonda, who has knee surgery early July, has return to her normal acitivites quite well.

It was a good occasion for programming new acitivities and for taking the official picture for second semester.

orientation time picture time.

Our 2 students from Second semester program, Ilana and Vicenzo, traveled to Santa Cruz, an AFS Chapter 180 kms. south of Santiago and 300 kms from Viña del Mar, where they met again the rest of the students staying in Chile since ending July.

Santa Cruz is an old traditional area keeping our main cultural and folk traditions.

On Friday 26th, Ilana and Vicenzo say good bye to thier host moms departing to Santa Cruz. More pics.

Our 2 students from USA, Rachel and Clare, staying for Winter Program are leaving this Tuesday 16th. Both along with their host families received Diplomas and AFS Certificates for their participation.

Clare and Rachel.

During this weekend all year pogram's students staying in Viña del Mar, Quillota, Llay-Llay, Los Andes, Santiago, San Bernardo and Coquimbo had their second regional camp.

The host chapter was Quillota but students stayed 15 kms west at Maristas Camp in Limache. A good time for sharing, and evaluating their adaptation process.

Also they have the chance to visit the "Escuela de Caballería Blindada de Quillota", one of the main Chile's Army Schools related to the old cavalry now oriented to the tank division but keeping their horse school tradition. Also there is an interesting museum presenting old armaments, suits, carriages, and military vehicles mostly from XVIII and XIX century.

Students at the equestrian field in Quillota. At AFS camp in Limache. More pics.

Our local students returning from semester and year program had their welcome orientation. They review some aspects of their AFS experience but also the new process of returning to their own home, families and school: in other words a new process of adaptation similar to the one they faced when they left Chile.

Students at the meeting.

Ilana and Vicenzo along with their siblings had their first local orientation. They had an excellent first week: Ilana meeting new friends and Vicenzo spending vacations skiing in the south of Chile.

Siblings worked with local volunteers sharing their first impressions of the AFS experience. In general everything is working fine.Thanks to the volunteers Vittoria and Carolina for their help.

Ilana, her new sister Gabriela, Francisca, her new brother Vicenzo, Carolina and Vittoria.

Finally after an excited waiting the 2 new exchange students arrived at the Viña del Mar's Bus Station. They are ILana from USA anda Vicenzo from Italy. Both will stay for the second semester until January 2006.

We thank for the kindness to the host families that were very happy with this special meeting. Ilana is hosted by the Palacios-Vergara from Viña del Mar and Vicenzo is hosted by the Escribá-Parada from Quilpué (8 miles east fro Viña).

Both students were with a chaperon, a local volunteer, Vittoria, for their trip from Santiago to Viña del Mar.

We thank also to the host schools: Seminario San Rafael for Ilana and Champagnat for Vicenzo. More pictures.

Ilana and her host family (Palacios) Vincenzo and his host family (Escribá)

On July 30th our 2 exchange students from first semester will return to their home, Angie to Austria and Noah to USA.

Noah at BBQ Angie gets her Certificate as an AFS Student.

Over 160 people participated in our main BBQ and Cermony for this year. The activity held at "Club Deportivo Enap" in Concon, about 10 miles north from Viña del Mar.

This is the time when most of programs participants get together: Exchange students from our year, semester and winter program plus our local students returning from year and semester programs. Also the local students leaving soon for a year program as well the very new applicants for 2006-07 programs. In other words all the AFS local family.

View of BBQ Local students returning Local students to go. Original pictures from BBQs link (ready to download, open album and open twice a pic for its real size: up to 1600x1200).

All 8 students attended to a new local orientation: Both exchange students from Winter program, Clare and Rachel arrived first. They are already enjoying their new family, school and mates.

Next to arrive were the 2 semester exchange students, Angie and Noah. This was their last orientation since they are coming back to home ending July.

Finally, completing the group, arrived the 4 year-program exchange students: Agnete, Fumi, Rhonda and Maris. Rhonda has being affected on her knee during last weeks. She will have surgery on Wednesday 6th.(Update: She did Ok, now she is recovering at home supported by her host family)

After the normal checking, whole group along with local volunteers took off for a visit to Pablo Neruda's museum, one of the two Chilean Nobel Prize (Poetry). This house-museum named La Sebastiana, was one of 3 main poet's home. You can reach more info about La Sebastiana at: www.lasebastiana-neruda.cl

At orientation meeting. At La Sebastiana's hall. Photos here.

Also we are very excited waiting for our 2 new exchange students for the 2nd semester. They are Ilana from USA and Vicenzo from Italy. They will arrive to Viña del Mar on July 23rd. Welcome !

Clare (California) and Rachel (Pennsylvania) are our 2 new exchange students for the next 7 weeks (USA Summer Home stay Program, but Chile's winter). They arrived today accompanied by our volunteer Mrs. Patricia Townsend. Host families and volunteers welcome them. Our thanks to the Gómez family hosting Clare and to the González family hosting Rachel. Both students will also attend to local schools. Their first AFS orientation will be on Saturday 2nd July.

Gómez family and Clare González family and Rachel. Photos here.

Update #3:

Students arrived well last Thursday 16th. According their testimonies surely this an experience to remember. Despites of the earthquake everyone enjoy a lot their tour.

Update #2:

>>>>Students will remain at Iquique waiting for their return flight to Santiago on Thursday 16th morning. <<<<

Update #1 :

All students are doing well, including whom are staying in the cities (as well as hostfams) : Antofagasta, Calama, Iquique and Arica.

At this time, AFS is evaluating if the Tour should/could continue. The next stop was Arica (where they would stay until next Thursday to return to Santiago).

Although there are no problems with the hotel in Arica, AFS national is awaiting official reports regarding the security in the High ways.

Earthquake in North of Chile.

Surely for the exchange students, having a tour to the North of Chile, was quite an experience to face a quake that affected that area during their visit to Iquique (1150 miles north of Santiago and Viña del Mar).

The students are safe and well. (Angie, Noah, Agnete and Fumi are participating in the tour. Maris and Rhonda stayed in Viña). According their tour's chaperon, the AFS students were shopping near downtown Iquique when the shakes started. Although windows crashed from some stores, no big problems beside a city's black out and phone down affected the city. Short after the students got back to their Hotel.

The main quake occurred yesterday at 6:44 p.m.and last for a little over of a minute. Its epicenter was set at 70 miles North of Iquique with a magnitude of 7.9 grades Richter scale (1-10), but at Iquique city was smaller, it felt close to 6.5 grades in Mercalli scale (1-12) producing mostly panic. Most of bad situation affected old towns inland with adobe construction (11 people died). If you need more info you can contact us at our mail. or to AFS Chile's mail.

All 6 students attended to the 5th local orientation session of the year. Rhonda just back from her 6 days trip to Mexico along with her host family and relatives.

There was time to share but also organizing future next activities such as Short Term exchange for semester students (Noah and Angie), a visit to the National Congress (June 21) and a visit to Pablo Neruda's house museum (July 2nd), one of Chile's Nobel Prize Poets.

Overall there is a good progress in learning Spanish but they have to keep on. Also attended local volunteers: Mrs. Patricia Townsend and Rodrigo Garin.

students and volunteers. Link to more pics.

A new orientation session was carried out this Saturday 30th. Of the 6 foreign students, 4 attended with their respective host siblings, since Fumi was committed with school activities and Rhonda had a cold.

It was a new opportunity to share with the local monitors on like it has been the experience for both groups evaluating aspects of the coexistence with the family, friends and school.

Among the activities carried out by the foreign students stands out that 5 of them are participating in dance classes in the YMCA (Salsa) once or 2 times a week. (Maris, Rhonda, Agnete, Noah and Angelika). This day we also have the presence of Alison Mendoza, a North American that has worked in the area making English classes and that she was interested in knowing our volunteer work. We appreciated to all for their collaboration for that day.

exchange students, host siblings and volunteers Alison, Agnete, Noah, Martin, Maris, María Loreto, Angelika and Cesar. Link to pictures.

Camila Bianchetti graduated from High School in Viña del Mar last December 2004. However she preferred to keep with her school life but in a different way. She left Chile with AFS to Corvallis, California, for a semester program Jan-June 2005.

Although she had an appendix surgery delaying her departure for 2 weeks, Camila took her experience as a time not only for learning English but also for participating in one of her favorite sports, tennis. She is the No. 3 single from the Crescent Valley School Tennis Team standing out not only by her performance but by her sympathy, as the article from the local newspaper, the Gazette-Times, published last April 12th:

Read the article here.

The BBQ took place at the summer home from one of the local host families, the López-Rodríguez, whom offers their kind hospitality to the 24 guests. Placed at Olmué city, 26 kms. east from Viña del Mar, gave a nice space along with the warmest day of the Fall so far.

This activity became the official welcome for the 6 exchange students: Agnete, Angelika, Fumi, Rhonda, Maris and Noah, as well for 3 local students returning from their year program 2004-05: Carlos (Japan), Isabel (New Zealand) and Gustavo (Thailand, not present).

It was a good time for sharing and knowing each other, families and students. A very special time that got better when the 6 exchange students offered a typical dessert from their countries prepared by them (with some help from host moms:). Obviously plenty enjoyed by the 30 people present. More pictures here !

the place the BBQ Students and the dessert

As the local newspaper from Yuba City, the "Appeal-Democrat", published his picture in the front page it seems Carlos really has taken his participation with a high professional sense. When Carlos is back in Chile next July he will apply to the Chilean Navy Officer School.

A good time to share their AFS experience had the 27 exchange students from the V Region, IV Region and Santiago Area during their first Regional Orientation Camp held near to the city of Villa Alemana, 20 kms. east of Viña del Mar. The students staying in the cities of Viña del Mar, Quillota, Llay-Llay, Los Andes, Santiago, San Bernardo and Coquimbo had several activities related to the reviewing their first month in Chile and getting some tools for facing the rest of their stay.

Also they have the chance to use spare time with games, singing with karaoke, and a visit to the city of Valparaiso (a 469 years old port).

We thank also to the local volunteers that supported this activity. Pictures here.

Students at Valparaiso (In front of Arturo Prat's memorial) and some fun time singing

A new session of local orientation was a good opportunity for thinking about different aspects from the AFS experience, and to go on the expectations from now to 2 months. Most of students agreed that learning our language is the main goal for now. In general they are doing fine participating with their host families and school activities.

They also got the information about the first AFS Regional Orientation that will be held at Club Emporchi located in Villa Alemana city, 20 kms east from Viña del Mar, between April 1st and April 3rd. At the camp will be participating 27 exchange students from Santiago's AFS chapters and from our V Region's cities.

Also we received special gifts for our local AFS chapter: the flag from Latvia presented by Maris and the flag from Japan presented by Fumi.

At the meeting Part of our group of AFS volunteers

The second local orientation was held today between 6.00 PM and 8.00 PM. Our 6 exchanges students and their host siblings participated in 2 groups activities. Students met their local Contact Person (or Counselor) and/or the contact person partner.

We kept talking about how is the AFS experience so far and giving some tips about the process of adaptation. Also the students received a copy of the book "How to Survive in the Chilean Jungle", a handy and funny book about our Chilean way of speak Spanish, including the slangs, so student can understand better specially their peers. Meanwhile their host siblings work with some volunteers talking about their process of sharing with a new member in the family and their expectations for the whole experience.

Students with their host siblings.

Fumi from Japan was the first student to attend school (Sagrados Corazones de Valparaíso) on March 1st and Rhonda from New Zealand the last one, attending to school Saint Dominic since Monday 7th. So all students are now facing the new challenges as being accepted by their new classmates, understanding the new school system, subjects and trying to learn Spanish (or "Chilean") as much is possible.

Angelika from Austria is attending to Seminario San Rafael in Viña del Mar, Agnete from Norway to Albamar in Reñaca, Noah from USA to Winterhill School and Maris from Latvia (Letonia) to San Ignacio both in Viña del Mar.

Rhonda to classes ! Fumi with her host sisters

Since Friday 4th to Sunday 6th the Chile's AFS Organization had their annual seminar for Local Representatives and volunteers along with Foundation Directors and National Office's Staff.

68 volunteers were present including the National Director for the Americas, Mr. Jairo Riveros. Most of topics were focus in the near future of our national organization proyecting goals for period 2005-2010. Pictures from the seminar here.

Today between 11. AM and 1.15 PM, we had the first orientation for the 6 new exchange students. Everyone so far is fine :), making their first steps in the adaptation process. They received more instructions and info about Chile and our local cities. Things are going fast since most of them start school classes on March 1 or 3rd. Next meeting will be on March 13th along with host siblings. Also students will get their new ID Chilean card.

Our 6 students arrived to Viña del Mar at 13.00 hrs (1 PM) on Sunday 27th where they met their host families after spending 2 days at the AFS National Welcoming Orientation Camp placed at "Picarquín Hacienda" (city: San Francisco de Mostazal) about 70 kms. (44 miles) south from capital city, Santiago.

Everyone was very excited, families and students, when students where walking down from the bus.

We hope the best for them for this experience.

Check out the pictures of their arrival.

6 students will be hosted in our AFS Chapter. They are from Austria (Angelika), Latvia (Maris), USA (Noah), Noruega (Agnete), Japón (Fumie) and New Zealand (Rhonda). All of them will arrive on Sunday, February 27th. We thank to the new host families: the López-Rodríguez, the Rojas-Sanhueza, the Rojas-Zabalaga, the Olea-Canessa, the Dufeu-Aguirre and the Vergara-Saavedra.

We had our final Ceremony for period 2004-05 at Viña del Mar Club. This time was for saying good-bye to the 5 exchange students: Lia from Italy, Dana from Finland, Pett from Thailand, Carolin from Germany and Mathew from New Zealand. They received their official Diploma certificating them as AFS Student. Also their host families received diplomas for their support to AFS.

Also there was a special time for our first 9 local students whom will leave Chile to their AFS experience during January to March to USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. We still having other 18 local students waiting for their application's results. More pictures here.

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