Life in Takoma Park, Maryland

This semester, until my departure to Santiago, Chile on February 20th, I have been living with my Professor's family in Takoma Parkl, Maryland.  Chris Tudge (Tudgie), my Australian UC Bio professor is extremely nice and volunteered his family and basement room when he heard that I was in a quandary over housing.  I now have a small room-segment of the basement where I store my stuff and sleep, and enjoy the company of Tudgie (as I call him), his wife Karen Mudar, daughters Hannah (5 yrs old), and Laura (7 yrs old), and three cats: Petey, Boris, and Natasha (Tata).  They are all wonderfully kind and I have been having a blast with them!  

Hannah goes to the daycare I still work at through workstudy so the three days that I work Tudgie takes Hannah and I to school in the morning and picks us up in the afternoon (9 am - 4:30 pm, usually).  It's quite convenient.  The two days that I don't work (Wednesdays and Thursdays), I try to get to a Smithsonian.  So far I have been to the American History Museum (FABULOUS!!!!  I loved it! In two days I still haven't seen all of it), the Library of Congress (Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  Loved it, as well and highly suggest everyone go to it), and the Air and Space Museum (only briefly.  I didn't get there until near the end of my day and was too tired to stay very long).  Tomorrow I think I'll try to get to the Spy Museum, maybe, and then might go back to the Air and Space Museum.  We'll see.  I also plan to take another tour of the Capital as I didn't get to see the House of Representatives last time.  

Chile Update: I am eagerly readying for my Study Abroad in Chile which begins on Feb. 20th (only 17 days away!).  I finally learned who my host family will be: a woman named Sylvia who lives with her 39 year old son and 7 year old nephew.  I'm not quite sure where in Santiago they live, but will be able to tell you all soon enough.  

I just finished the fantastic book on Chile that Nigel gave me for Christmas and am now going through everything else I have received, and can find, to help me prepare for my trip.  I am nearly through collecting all of the necessary items for my trip so the next step will be to figure out how to pack them!  Fortunately, Tudgie is the Packing King and said he is willing to help me when the time comes.  

Here are some photos of my life here.  Enjoy!  ~ Kaia (^_^)

Living with Tudgie and Family