There's a gringo in the house tonight . . .

Zachary's experience in Chile, I think, has been as rich as mine and Erica's.  He's attending St. Paul's School, a Chilean school with a British connection, an English-Spanish emphasis, and an ecumenical orientation. This is a pretty common combination of attributes for the private schools in this area (and perhaps for Chile in general).  Yes, private.

We were told by almost everyone that we needed to send Zachary to a private school because the public school system is underfunded and lacks "an environment conducive to learning." We took the advice and now we have a son who says he wishes he could transplant his Chilean school back home (Yes, we feel a bit guilty about the decision, and I've met one other Fulbrighter who decided to send his kids to public school.  We erred on the side of caution, thinking that for Zachary the adjustments he was going to face didn't necessarily need the variable of a challenging school environment.  Still . . . ).  

Before Erica and Zachary arrived, I toured St. Paul's and Mackay, a school in Reñaca, the town up the coast a bit but the opposite direction from Valparaíso.  Mackay is prestigious and very British.  The three pillars of the institution are academics, English, and Rugby . . . ok, ok, the website says "deporte" (sport), but adds "especially Rugby.

On the wall at Mackay: the scrummag

Old Mackay in the foreground.  The Cranbrook of Chile?

St. Paul's is on the southern side of the Marca Marca--away from the more tourist/beach section we live in, but an easy commute in the morning.

Colegio St. Paul's, Merced Oriente near Aqua Santa.  Vina del Mar

For a lot of reasons, including the fact that Mackay's is all boys, we chose St. Paul's.  And I think that the fact that St. Paul's is co-ed has been an important part of Zachary's experience because Zachary is very, very popular with las chicas.

Erica tells the tale of them visiting St. Paul's soon after their arrival.

They were sitting on the steps by the covered basketball/soccer/handball/cueca court.  A bell rang and kids swarmed out.  Zachary was instantly surrounded by Chilean school girls asking him a range of questions--"Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "Are you going to attend this school?"  "What grade are you in?"  "Do you know One Direction?" Zachary:  deer in headlights.

So, last night was a fundraiser party.  A dance.  From 8pm-midnight for 6th-12th graders at the school.  Zachary was nervous (in his own "it's cool.  I'm not nervous" way).  He wanted to know how he looked.  He wanted to know exactly what Erica had heard about what kids could and couldn't wear.  He wanted me to smell his face . . . .

Z in his new, self-selected shirt

 When we got to St. Paul's, he chattered away and we heard Iyaz's "Replay." I told him that Erica and I had decided to go to the party too and that we were going to dance in the middle of the room.  He said that wasn't even funny.  Nor was my question of whether he wanted me to sing "Replay."  We started up the stairs with him, but he was greeted by a bouncing young lady who said his name and who was soon joined by other young ladies.  Zachary was enveloped in a ring of lovely Chilean girls and led into the festivities.  He did not look back.  He did not say good-bye.  He was gone.  A picture posted on Instragram shows him as the social animal that he is.

He wanted to have us on-call in case he wanted to bail during the night, but we didn't hear anything.  We headed back up Aqua Santa in time to pick him up at midnight.  When we met him coming down the stairs, he didn't have anything to say.  He was a bit flushed.  He was also wiped out from a long day.  A long, very good day of growing into his own skin.  Of having a life apart from us and somewhat unknown to us, though an innocent enough life given the nature of the school.  He's a kid whom other kids, not just girls but also boys, like and respect.  He's a cool kid.  And I think this experience in Chile will prepare him to face new and unfamiliar situations with a confidence in who he is and how to communicate with others.  That's worth the stay down here all by itself.