I´ve been staying at my favorite hostel erratic rock waiting for my ferry which leaves Puerto Natales early Tuesday morning (though I board Monday evening) for Puerto Montt. I like this hostel bc it is small and very homey. It has a well set up kitchen, an amazing breakfast included, and just friendly staff and cool travellers. It´s small enough that everyone talks to each other and really gets to know each other. I also love the little couchy thing in the sun by the window with the two cute cats you can snuggle with while reading or watching a movie. And the two awesome girls who manage the place make lots of baked goods! And next door is Base Camp the hostel´s bar which makes good cheap food (like taco night last night) and we get 1 free pisco sour each night. Amazingly, bc the owner of the hostel is from Oregon, they also played the final 4 games on a giant screen for us to watch which was a treat.
I´ve also been trying to think about my grad school decision and talking a lot on skype with my mom to try and figure it out. It was between Duke´s Nicholas School of the Environment (MEM), Yale´s School of Forestry (MESc with Dr. Susan Clark), and University of Florida´s Zoology Dept, (MS Zoology with Dr. Todd Palmer). I was able to rule Duke out just bc Yale is a lot like it but slightly better and I had the ability to do an MESc. So it was between Yale and Florida. Different types of programs and other differences and similarities. A huge difference was the cost 55,000 per year at yale (I got 20,000 in scholarships per year) vs free with an 18,000 per year salary at Florida. That´s pretty huge. I also really, really like the adviser with Florida. Both schools have great programs (yale is #1 in forestry and florida #1 in zoology) and I really had a great feel at both. In the end with everything weighed in and not knowing exactly what kind of job (and how much I would make and where it would be) I would have upon graduating from either school, I decided that Florida would be the best option. So yea, I still haven´t officially said yes or no to both just in case I get a last minute epiphany, but I will shortly, and I think it will be Florida.
Today, Sunday, I attended a unique palm sunday service. The Chileans, like Americans, definitely have a large amount of PACE (palms, ashes, Christmas, Easter) Catholics. We started at the gym of the Catholic school where they handed out branches from a local tree (palms are not imported here) where we waved the branches around a whole lot while singing songs. We then moved in a large procession through town to get to the church. I was remembering where I was a couple of palm sundays ago and it was in the Philippines, one of the most Catholic countries around, and I happened to be in a big city on one of the islands (blanking on the name) so the bishop and every one was there and it was outside in this giant courtyard with the bishop way up above and there were just so many people.
An interesting thing about church here: I´ve been to 4 or 5 masses now in both Chile and Argentina and in none of them have they served wine (or even grapejuice) during communion. Just the bread. I find this interesting considering Chile and Argentina are so famous for their wines and that wine here is often cheaper than water.
Tomorrow, the 2nd of April, I will be boarding the Navimag Ferry in the evening to sail to Puerto Montt. Should be cool. I am hoping for good weather so I can really appreciate the gorgeous Patagonian fjords that we will be sailing through
bon voyage
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