Caviar, strawberry juice, and plenty of opportunities to take pictures...my first official government reception in Chile.  I was fortunate enough this past week to be able to attend a reception held at the capital for foreign students studying in Chile.  Of course, we were all hoping that Ricardo Lagos would make an appearance, but were satisfied with plenty of food and speeches given by a personable man equivalent to "Director of Foreign Affairs." 

    The universities are anxious to welcome new students as well, and paint-splattered freshman, often with dead fish or chicken feet tied around their necks filled the plazas and metro stations last week.  This traditional hazing (only done at colleges, not high schools) involves mischievous upperclassman waiting outside first year classes to choose a victim, stealing his or her shoes and backpack, and forcing the student to beg for enough money to "buy it back."  However, I suspected that certain students were using this opportunity to make a little extra cash when I noticed the same few wandering the park for more than an hour.  Since the money required is often only $2-3, they may have been profiting from sympathetic commuters  

   Fortunately, "extranjeros" (foreign students) are not often targeted in this hazing, and I was able to participate in some more enjoyable commencement activities throughout last week.  Every night during the first few weeks of classes, one or more of Santiagos 20+ universities holds free concerts outside.  I was able to attend a few concerts, including an amazing jazz performance and a Summerfest-like concert with several politically themed songs.  (Summerfest is Milwaukee´s big summer event/music festival for anyone who isn´t familiar.) 

    Saturday brought horseback riding in the Andes.  Several of the horses were rather "independent" (probably tired of being forced to ride the same trail everyday) and decided to disregard the safety and fragile emotions of their riders as they made their own way up and down cliffs.  The landscape was gorgeous, snow-capped peaks, mountain streams, and clear, smog-free air as we neared 9,000 feet.  However, our lunch break took longer than expected, and riding 40 horses back along a mountain road (with occasional traffic) was an "experience," as the horses were rather nervous around cars.

    This weekend some friends and I are hoping to go south to explore three of Chile´s volcano-filled national parks.  Not the traditional Semana Santa activities, but rewarding nonetheless.  Hopefully we won´t have to ride horses...