Where in the World?

So I've been absent the past few days because my program, CIEE, has been taking us all around Valparaíso to the landmarks and touring our university, etc. Before I dig into the amazing art and houses, etc. I think we should address the question everyone seems to have on their mind: Where exactly am I and why is it in the Eastern time zone? (though blogger sets everything to west coast time...very confusing) Or better yet, how do you pronounce that place you live in?
Well- I'm in CHILE- prounced Chee-lay, not Chilly or Chilli, you eat chilli with a spoon people, you travel to the country of Chile. I go to school in Valparaíso, pronounced Bahl- par-ah-ee-so, not vall-par-eye-zo (like that college in the USA pronounces it...eww). Here is a world map to show you where Chile is:

Way down beneath Maine is the long, skinny country colored brown, to the left of Argentina on the South Pacific. That would be Chile. Notice that no, it is not beneath California because Mexico and Central America are not a straight line. Valparaíso is about halfway down the country, an hour and half or so from the capital, Santiago.
Valpo is important as the home of the National Congress of Chile (as of 1990) as well as Latin America's oldest stock exchange, the continent's first volunteer fire department, Chile's first public library, and the oldest Spanish language newspaper in continuous publication in the world.
Valpo also was/is home to notable residents such as Augusto Pinochet, Pablo Neruda (whose home I visited yesterday- details to come!), Salvador Allende, poet Rubén Diario, and Tom Araya, singer of metal band Slayer (...though I think I'll skip learning more about him...). Its siesta time, so I'll check in later today! Besos-