Lorenzo en el Rio Negro

Katie Kowalski

hanging out in camp

Every morning, the students emerge from their cozy tents, tucked away in the security of the mossy trees. Our campsite here in Hornopiren is perched atop a grassy knoll that slopes gently downward into  a craggy ravine, directly to a gorgeously turquoise 10-foot waterfall. This waterfall makes up one of three that we have been running on the Rio Negro, whose tantalizing whitewater is so close to our tents that we can hear it in our dreams. We are enjoying the wonderful countryside hospitality of our host, Dona Tato, who has been serving up three delicious meals a day- she is even spoiling us with homemade pastries for breakfast. Nights are rolling away while we congregate around the campfire, singing along to Tino and Matti’s guitar and Andy’s fiddle. Lorenzo’s ghost stories have us all convinced that his family’s home is haunted.

Weather has been delightful- sunny, warm, perfect, and has allowed for our classes to cluster around the funky, hand-made wooden tables in the yard. My AP English students had a fun project this week, where they learned the importance of being familiar with both sides of an arguement before taking a stance on it. I had them prepare to write a persuasive essay on a controversial topic, repeatedly warning them to investigate the opposition’s viewpoint as well. When the day of the in-class essay arrived, the looks of horror on their faces revealed my sneaky plan. That’s right, they had one hour to write an essay that was exactly the opposite of the thesis they had planned. Matt’s photo classes have been utilizing the gorgeous sunsets and surrounding countryside to explore the world of landscape photography. Taylor and Eric made slideshows showcasing Al Capone and the Flapper era for Tino’s history class.

Today we had a race down the Rio Negro, on a small section beginning with a 25-foot waterfall and ending with a bang as the students landed that boof from the top of the 10-footer. What a great way to end our time in Hornopiren. I left the students back at camp, packing up their tents and gear bags, preparing to rise and shine at 5:30 am tomorrow. We will get on an eight hour ferry to Chaiten, where we will be about two hours away from the town of Futaleafu. I’m sure everyone shares my excitement in experiencing this legendary river!

IR Update in Chile from stephen forster on Vimeo.

Petrohue Shuttle

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            Wow, I can’t believe that we are already finishing the first week of school down here in Pucon! Through ironing out the schedule, getting bodies ready for the river and minds ready for class, I have managed to get acquainted with all of my new students!! My name is Callie, and I am the new Literature teacher and Public Relations Coordinator. I will be keeping you updated on the happenings throughout our time in Chile, and am happy to chat with any of you at any time. You can read a more detailed account of my life on the staff web page, but here’s a quick summary: I grew up in Southern California, studied literature and international relations at the University of Salamanca, in Spain, and at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. International travel and playing outside are my passions. I am super excited about joining NRA, and know from the first week that I am going to love this job!
           Also joining us this semester is Lorenzo, our new Spanish teacher and native Chilean. Lorenzo loves all sports, and is a member of the Chilean National Rafting Team, which took him to the World Cup in Bosnia, where his team placed second. He has been involved with whitewater his whole life; his family owns a prominent rafting and eco-tourism company on the Rio Maipo. He also obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in eco-tourism. We are all excited about the kids learning Spanish from a native speaker.
           Four days ago, I went with Dave to collect the kids from the airport, and knew that I would soon fall in love with this program. Even after a long flight, the kids all eagerly introduced themselves and welcomed me. Four days into the quarter, I already feel like we have become friends, and can’t wait to gain their confidence further.
            To some students’ dismay, today is rainy; Andy has lured them out from the cover of the quincho to collect firewood to finish cooking our traditional Chilean lunch, pastel de choclo. The fire is growing and we are all preparing to enjoy a tasty lunch, tucked away in the comfort of the fire-warmed quincho. I’m in love with this place already. In a couple days, we leave for Choshuenco, to run the Rio Fuy, where I will update you again of our explorations here in Chile!

Callie