Huddled around the fire.

The meeting went well and I´ve been hired for the job. At 180 squids a month (270 euros), the pay is ridiculously low from a European perspective and it remains to be seen whether the 48-hour-a-week workload is exciting enough to justify dropping down to Chilean standards. At any rate, I´ve decided to go for it. When push comes to shove (probably in a week or two), I can just quit, pack up and continue onward to Argentina as was originally planned.

I´m being taken on a rafting introduction tomorrow, so I can "get acquainted with the company´s products". I´ve been told to partake in as many rafting and volcano expeditions as possible to learn all about them. If anything, I think it´s a good idea to sit out this initial training period before getting myself fired. I´m not the kind of girl to say "no" to free volcano trips and free spanish practice ;)

I needed some quiet time this evening to contemplate the latest events, so despite the arctic temperatures, I wrapped up warm and took my mp3-player and last spliff out to the hostel garden. I simply sat there for an hour listening to Mylo whilst watching the red glow of the lava burst out from the top of the volcano´s cone. After a few tokes, it dawned on me: I was huddled around the Earth´s little furnace, watching its embers light up the Pucon skyline. I don´t think I´ve ever felt more at peace in my life.