After an extremely mild winter, spring has slowly started to arrive in Santiago. This past weekend has included brilliant sunshine, mid-70s, and lots of color. Not only are the flowers beginning to bloom, but we saw vibrant colors splashed across both canvases and houses during our excursions on both Friday and Saturday.
Friday, or el dia de los bellas artes, began with a charla discussing the development of Chilean artwork, beginning with that of indigenous groups. Surprisingly, the most interesting content did not address any artwork, but the images of indigenous attire. When explaining the photographs, the professor began discussing anthropologists beliefs regarding the migrations bringing the Mapuche to Chile. They are believed to be an Asian group that journeyed across the Bering Strait to Chile. As he explained his surprise about this theory, the speaker noted that their eyes are not structured like those of most Asians today.
Upon hearing his idea, I initially gasped. How could a well-educated individual discuss such stereotypes using much blunter language than I did in my journal? This behavior is not uncommon in the largely homogenous Chile. Unlike in the United States, race and physical appearance are addressed very candidly. While it has been somewhat jarring, I'm starting to wonder whether their approach chihas merit. If the very politically-correct United States continues to treat the blunt discussion of race as taboo, how can we claim to be a fully integrated society when we try to ignore race in its entirety? Why do people still continue to shy away from using race when describing someone's physical appearance to a friend? Shouldn't skin color, for instance, be treated the same way as hair color?
After the charla, we traveled to el Museo del Arte Colonial. Located in a still-active Fransiscan monestary, it features several rooms of colonial religious artwork. It is an impressive collection, but the drab colors are not exactly my favorite. The white arches on the building, overflowing garden, and ornately decorated cathedral on the premises were much more attractive.
Immediately following the tour, we traveled over to El Museo de los Bellas Artes. The immense building is imposing when outside, but it has surprisingly few exhibits. We managed to view it in its entirety in less than an hour, and, in my opinion, we spent a bit too long in the Irrarzabal Sculpture exhibit. Surprisingly, the best exhibit consisted of a series of photographs taken by children throughout the city and Chile. Each depicted their neighborhoods through the childrens' eyes, which definately provided a different view of Santiago. The project actually seems reminiscent to that depicted in Born into Brothels. This documentary chronicles a project in which children raised in the poorest neighborhoods received cameras to document their lives and the situation in the red light districts. Good movie...it's highly recommended if you have yet to see it.
Recognizing that we were starving after our whirlwind trips through two museums, we soon stopped at an adorable cafe for lunch. IT HAD A SALAD BAR! In Chile, salads are incredibly rare, so this was an incredible gift. And this was just the appetizer. We followed our salads with a salmon and reinata ceviche, although the name probably should somehow include shellfish. We had no idea what was inside and moving the spoon in the dish often meant finding mussels or other such treaures. Great for me since I love seafood, not so good for those who hate shellfish. At least we all enjoyed the dessert...chocolate mouse sprinkled with white chocolate. Once again, the Tufts-in-Chile program comes through big time and serves an incredible lunch!
Afterwards, we finished our afternoon by visiting the archaeology museum to see some pre-Colombian treasures and the Museum of Visual Arts. Cool, but 3 museums is quite a few to visit in one day.
At least the next few hours proved exciting when we finally bought our bus tickets to Argentina. Spring Break Countdown - 10 Days! And enjoyed some Arabic food for dinner.
Tufts-in-Chile reunited once again early Saturday morning for our trip to Valparaiso, a small port city a little less than two hours away from Santiago. Upon arriving, we met our guide near the port and briefly enjoyed some spectacular vistas of the waterfront from sea level. Random fact, it was my first time seeing the Pacific Ocean. Pretty cool or "Bakan" as we say in Chile!
A few minutes later, we returned to the bus for a quick overview of the history of Valparaiso and a trip to visit another stunning ocean viewpoint in the hills surrounding the city. Almost immediately, or so it seemed, we plunged back down the hill for a very early lunch by Chilean standards. The meal itself was not spectacular, but it did provide an interesting cultural lesson when our fried fish still contained bones. While it tasted fine, its not the greatest feeling the bite into the spine of a fish and then notice the tail sticking out. Ew.
After lunch, we visited La Sabastiana, one of Pablo Neruda's many unique houses. As I spent the bus ride to Valparaiso reading his biography for a paper, the house and tour really interested me. Not only was it interesting insight into his life, but I actually heard some information that will help me write my paper. Sweet. And the stunning views of the port and the colorful houses covering the surrounding hill weren't too bad either.
Architecturally, La Sabastiana seems strange to Gringos such as me. It is, however, actually very similar to most of the surrounding houses as we discovered during the followed walking tour through various plazas, neighborhoods, and alleyways. Most are brightly painted and built to allow for excellent ocean views, which isn't too hard considering the hills essentially create a giant amphitheater around the bay. Many also resemble ship heads, which is a nod to the maritime culture of the city. We also took one of the city's fifteen ascensor (funiculars) up Cerro Alegre.
By nightfall, we were already bussing back to Santiago. The trip, thankfully, was the perfect length for a quick power nap before a night of salsa. Once again, I pretty much failed at the dancing but loved every minute of it. I'm thinking some tango in Argentina? Maybe I should try some lessons in Santiago first?
After two days of being a tourist and a (late) night of dancing, Sunday should have been a "day of rest." As often happens at Tufts, unfortunately, it had to be a day of homework instead. At least I had enough time to foolishly go running on Cerro San Cristobal. Brutal. Too much continuous, steep uphill climbs. On the bright side, I found out every single runner in the city seems to go there Sunday mornings. Chilean runners must be really hardcore. And I did follow the run with a long, leisurely family lunch. Not quite as insane as Sunday brunch at Dewick, but a good time nonetheless.
Before returning to the mountains of homework waiting for me, some photographic evidence of my past few adventures in Chile.
Skiing: http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/ALasMontanas#
Las Bellas Artes: http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/LosBellasArtes#
Valparaiso: http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/Valparaiso#
28.8.09
Snowflakes and Soccer
Before coming to Santiago, I hoped to update my blog several times per week. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective), my life in Chile has been insanely busy throughout the past few days and I just haven't had time to waste on the internet.
Anyways, some highlights since my last update over a week ago:
Skiing: Best described as a terrifying, albeit entertaining, experience. Last Friday, Tufts-in-Chile trekked into the snow covered Andes to Fairillones, a small ski resort. After taking a quick lesson, most of us attacked the slopes for the first times amid small snow flurries. Or maybe, in the interest of accuracy, I should describe it as being attacked by the slopes instead. Personally, I spent much of the next few hours sprawled out in the snow laughing at my obvious incompetence. I couldn't even master the ski lift; on my first return trip, the bar slid out from under my legs. Consequently, I had to cling to it for the duration of my ride for fear of plummeting back down the mountain. Given my level of soreness in my arms on Saturday from this ride, I definately need to focus a little more on lifting when I return to the US.
Not only was it enjoyable to slide down the bunny hills, but the trip was also an excellant opportunity to escape the city and trek into the mountains. The ride included some spectacular views, which were, unfortunately, nearly impossible to adequately capture on camera.
Futbol: Fortunately, the snowy weather was confined to the higher altitudes of the Cordillera. Thus, Santiago has enjoyed gradually improving weather; it has even been warm enough to spend a few hours outside watching futbol without wearing every article of clothing that you managed to cram into your suitcase.
Therefore, we went to the Universidad de Chile (no affiliation with the university) versus Everton game at El Estadio Nacional. Insanity. Imagine TUXC on roadtrip x several thousand more insane fans.
At the suggestion of our families, we arrived several hours early to find carabineros in full riot gear strategically locating themselves around the stadium. The facility was relatively empty at the time, so it seemed a bit extreme. As fans began trekking in, the energy level noticeably spiked. By game time, all started singing battle songs and whistling. They did not stop for the duration of play. Most also expressed their spirit in their attire. By that, I mean that most had full Universidad de Chile outfits...not just t-shirts.
After thegame ended in a tie. we left quickly since the carabineros seemed to be preparing for possible problems. Nothing, however, has been mentioned in the news, so I think most must have exited peacefully. As I will definately be attending more games, we'll find out whether most actually do end so calmly or if the carabineros were taking needed precautions.
Cumples Chilenos: In between skiing in the Andes and screaming battle chants at Estadio Nacional, I spent much of my weekend celebrating birthdays. Friday night, Javiera celebrated her 21st birthday. After hours of speaking spanish, watching the Chilean version of Rock Band (more kareoke with lots of 90s hits including BSB) , and otherwise celebrating, I was exhausted by 2.30 AM. Too bad most Chilean parties don't end until several hours later. Rather than allowing me to take a cab home, they insisted on driving me. So nice, but I felt horrible for interrupting their night. Apparently, I'm going to have to either drink way more nescafe before going out or somehow rally in the future.
Saturday, the celebration continued with my Chilean fathers birthday. His party was obviously much calmer than Javiera's and included some excellant food and lots of Spanish practice.
Mi Practica: After attending 2 interviews sin interviewers and discovering that my first internship was definately not the right opportunity for me, I've finally found a practica that excites me. I'll be working with Chile Ambiente on a project investigating the effects of flooded roads in the poorer comuna of Lo Prado (see earlier entry). Essentially, I'll be spending the next few months profiling the district, interviewing residents and officials about the effects of the flooding, what is currently being done to counter it, and researching possible solutions. Slightly overwhelming but in a very good way.
Revolver Magazine: As an avid writer and an even more enthusiastic eater, I'll be writing restaurant and travel reviews for Revista Revolver while in Santiago. I attended my first staff meeting Tuesday night and cannot wait to become more involved with the magazine. However, don't look for any of my articles until October. The online magazine is somewhat backlogged with an numerous articles awaiting publication.
Los Comilones de Chile: After discovering a wealth of restaurant reviews online, several member of Tufts-in-Chile started Los Comilones de Chile (meaning the overeaters of Chile). Each week, members venture across the city to try some new cuisine. While I most likely won't attend every week, there was absolutely no way I could skip "India" night, and I enjoyed my first ethnic restaurant in Santiago. Delicious, although I think I honestly prefer Diva, perhaps because ordering Indian in Spanish is a pretty challenging experience.
Otherwise, I haven't done anything too spectacular throughout the past week. Classes, commuting, running, and random ice cream and sopapillas trips have been consuming most of my time, and most likely will continue to do so until spring break starts in a little over a week!
Well, that's a lie. I should be doing some work, but I think I'll explore some art museums today and journey to Valparaiso tomorrow.
Ciao!
Anyways, some highlights since my last update over a week ago:
Skiing: Best described as a terrifying, albeit entertaining, experience. Last Friday, Tufts-in-Chile trekked into the snow covered Andes to Fairillones, a small ski resort. After taking a quick lesson, most of us attacked the slopes for the first times amid small snow flurries. Or maybe, in the interest of accuracy, I should describe it as being attacked by the slopes instead. Personally, I spent much of the next few hours sprawled out in the snow laughing at my obvious incompetence. I couldn't even master the ski lift; on my first return trip, the bar slid out from under my legs. Consequently, I had to cling to it for the duration of my ride for fear of plummeting back down the mountain. Given my level of soreness in my arms on Saturday from this ride, I definately need to focus a little more on lifting when I return to the US.
Not only was it enjoyable to slide down the bunny hills, but the trip was also an excellant opportunity to escape the city and trek into the mountains. The ride included some spectacular views, which were, unfortunately, nearly impossible to adequately capture on camera.
Futbol: Fortunately, the snowy weather was confined to the higher altitudes of the Cordillera. Thus, Santiago has enjoyed gradually improving weather; it has even been warm enough to spend a few hours outside watching futbol without wearing every article of clothing that you managed to cram into your suitcase.
Therefore, we went to the Universidad de Chile (no affiliation with the university) versus Everton game at El Estadio Nacional. Insanity. Imagine TUXC on roadtrip x several thousand more insane fans.
At the suggestion of our families, we arrived several hours early to find carabineros in full riot gear strategically locating themselves around the stadium. The facility was relatively empty at the time, so it seemed a bit extreme. As fans began trekking in, the energy level noticeably spiked. By game time, all started singing battle songs and whistling. They did not stop for the duration of play. Most also expressed their spirit in their attire. By that, I mean that most had full Universidad de Chile outfits...not just t-shirts.
After thegame ended in a tie. we left quickly since the carabineros seemed to be preparing for possible problems. Nothing, however, has been mentioned in the news, so I think most must have exited peacefully. As I will definately be attending more games, we'll find out whether most actually do end so calmly or if the carabineros were taking needed precautions.
Cumples Chilenos: In between skiing in the Andes and screaming battle chants at Estadio Nacional, I spent much of my weekend celebrating birthdays. Friday night, Javiera celebrated her 21st birthday. After hours of speaking spanish, watching the Chilean version of Rock Band (more kareoke with lots of 90s hits including BSB) , and otherwise celebrating, I was exhausted by 2.30 AM. Too bad most Chilean parties don't end until several hours later. Rather than allowing me to take a cab home, they insisted on driving me. So nice, but I felt horrible for interrupting their night. Apparently, I'm going to have to either drink way more nescafe before going out or somehow rally in the future.
Saturday, the celebration continued with my Chilean fathers birthday. His party was obviously much calmer than Javiera's and included some excellant food and lots of Spanish practice.
Mi Practica: After attending 2 interviews sin interviewers and discovering that my first internship was definately not the right opportunity for me, I've finally found a practica that excites me. I'll be working with Chile Ambiente on a project investigating the effects of flooded roads in the poorer comuna of Lo Prado (see earlier entry). Essentially, I'll be spending the next few months profiling the district, interviewing residents and officials about the effects of the flooding, what is currently being done to counter it, and researching possible solutions. Slightly overwhelming but in a very good way.
Revolver Magazine: As an avid writer and an even more enthusiastic eater, I'll be writing restaurant and travel reviews for Revista Revolver while in Santiago. I attended my first staff meeting Tuesday night and cannot wait to become more involved with the magazine. However, don't look for any of my articles until October. The online magazine is somewhat backlogged with an numerous articles awaiting publication.
Los Comilones de Chile: After discovering a wealth of restaurant reviews online, several member of Tufts-in-Chile started Los Comilones de Chile (meaning the overeaters of Chile). Each week, members venture across the city to try some new cuisine. While I most likely won't attend every week, there was absolutely no way I could skip "India" night, and I enjoyed my first ethnic restaurant in Santiago. Delicious, although I think I honestly prefer Diva, perhaps because ordering Indian in Spanish is a pretty challenging experience.
Otherwise, I haven't done anything too spectacular throughout the past week. Classes, commuting, running, and random ice cream and sopapillas trips have been consuming most of my time, and most likely will continue to do so until spring break starts in a little over a week!
Well, that's a lie. I should be doing some work, but I think I'll explore some art museums today and journey to Valparaiso tomorrow.
Ciao!
18.8.09
Llovió, Llueve, Lloverá
When leaving for Chile last month, I hoped to escape the rainy weather plaguing Massachusetts. For a while, I thought I had somehow done so. Wrong. The past few days have been soaking wet. At least, somehow, most seem to find something to laugh about amid the deluge. Gracias al metro. Obviously, thousands of Santiguinos take the metro to work every morning. And by take, I mean cram as many people as possible into each car and then let ten more try to squeeze on. Given the rain, the metro seemed even more crowded than usual today; once abroad, I could barely find enough floor space to put both my feet on the ground at the same time. So, when it lurched unexpectedly and some poor women somehow toppled over, most of the car stumbled as well (gotta love the domino effect). As I started laughing, I glanced around and realized that most of the previously disgruntled faces in the metro had been transformed into smiles...at least temporarily. A surprisingly nice start to a dreary day.
PS...Class was cancelled. I guess the professor didn't want to brave the metro crowds and pouring rain.
As the afternoon approached, the rain continued unabated and I, unfortunately, had to venture back outside to go to an interview for an internship at a community development organzation. The trek aboard the metro and taxi colectivo wasn't too bad, but the walk at the end was a nightmare. Not only did the rain drench our upper bodies, but most of the roads in the comuna of Renca had been transformed into raging rivers which we had to hurdle. Unfortunately, as anyone who saw my highschool pentathlon debut could tell you, hurdling is not exactly one of the strengths, especially when wearing nice shoes for the interview.
The sight may have been slightly hysterical in retrospect, but it actually further highlights the disparity between the wealthy and poor comunas throughout Santiago. Flooded roads and houses are apparently the norms in poorer areas, while more affluent communities enjoy the benefits of adequate drainage systems. Not surprising. What is surprising, unfortunately, is that the richer neighborhoods have constructed a canal to remove excess water from their streets. The canal then runs through several poorer comunas and often floods these regions. Essentially, as I was told by one of my professors, the affluent just dump their unwanted water on the poor.
Anyways, we eventually forded all the "rivers" and arrived at the NGO. Once there, we waited for the director who was currently meeting with some government officials. And waited. And waited. Ultimately, after more than an hour and a half, another women briefly outlined the programs and asking us to return next week to meet with the director. As my host parents said when I told them the story, "Welcome to Chile." Haha.
The NGO, known as the Kairos Organization, does offer numerous community development programs with which I would like to become more involved. So, it looks like I'm trekking to Renca again next Monday. Hopefully sans rainfall next time.
Looking back at the past week, I realize that I haven't blogged much. I haven't had nearly as much time since classes are starting to become slightly more intense. Spring break is, after all, in less than 3 weeks. Anyways, a quick summary of my life lately:
Thursday - Classes. Impromtu Rock Concerts. The Courtyard. During lunchtime, a band performed in the courtyard while several students danced wildly. We watched with enjoyment. After classes, a couple of my gringo friends and I went to the courtyard for what is quickly becoming one of my favorite Chilean traditions: Thursday Courtyards. Every Thursday after class...okay, we've only had two..a few of my gringo friends and I join most of the Chilean students in the courtyard. Lots of singing, laughter, and me struggling to talk to my Chilean classmates in broken Spanish ensues.
Upon arriving home a little after 8, my host brother invited me to his friends apartment-warming party. We arrived incredibly early by Chilean standards...a little after 11:00. Probably a good thing since the Carabineros (Chilean police) broke it up around 11:30. Suddenly, TUPD's disruption of the Spring Track Semi '08 at 11:00 doesn't seem too crazy after all.
Friday - Spent awhile at an interview with the editor of the Revista Revolver, an English-language magazine in Santiago. Starting this week, I'll be reviewing travel destinations, restaurants, and bars for the online publication, which is another great reason for me to keep exploring various spots around the city. Don't look for my byline until October though; they have a backlog of articles that are already ready to be published.
Later, Katrina's birthday celebration starting with a trip to La Piojera...one of my favorite spots in Santiago. Classic Chilean drinks including one made wiith ice cream and lots of Chileans happy to speak Spanish with a bunch of gringos fill the bustling venue. We then journeyed through the rain to some of our more usual spots near Plaza Nunoa.
Saturday - RAIN. Although it poured all day, we ventured to Persa Bio-Bio to explore a gigantic flea market. It stretched for blocks in very direction and had everything imaginable ranging from antiques to knockoff northface fleece. Unfortunately, our soaked clothing combined with the frigid temperatures made browsing a bit uncomfortable after awhile. We left before exploring the entire market, but it's only a few metro stops away so an encore will definately be occuring.
Sunday- Homework and food and Chilean family. In the break between lunch and onces, my family and I meandered through Pueblito Los Dominicos (a little craft market we visited during orientation). While its insanely expensive, it has quickly become one of my favorite places in Santiago.
I also discovered a great place to run along the Mapocho River. The path is similar to that along the Charles. The only difference is that the nearby river at least appears to be even dirtier in Santiago.
Monday -Until my internship starts, I'm not going to be doing much on Monday and Wednesday. I did, however, realize that my mileage is higher than it has ever been in my life....but only if you count walking. On Monday, I ran a little over 6 miles (my usual distance in Santiago) and walked upwards of 7 miles to the Tufts-in-Chile office, class, and home. 13 miles total: not bad.
And then Tuesday -So much rain as previously discussed.
Bed time. Ciao!
PS...Class was cancelled. I guess the professor didn't want to brave the metro crowds and pouring rain.
As the afternoon approached, the rain continued unabated and I, unfortunately, had to venture back outside to go to an interview for an internship at a community development organzation. The trek aboard the metro and taxi colectivo wasn't too bad, but the walk at the end was a nightmare. Not only did the rain drench our upper bodies, but most of the roads in the comuna of Renca had been transformed into raging rivers which we had to hurdle. Unfortunately, as anyone who saw my highschool pentathlon debut could tell you, hurdling is not exactly one of the strengths, especially when wearing nice shoes for the interview.
The sight may have been slightly hysterical in retrospect, but it actually further highlights the disparity between the wealthy and poor comunas throughout Santiago. Flooded roads and houses are apparently the norms in poorer areas, while more affluent communities enjoy the benefits of adequate drainage systems. Not surprising. What is surprising, unfortunately, is that the richer neighborhoods have constructed a canal to remove excess water from their streets. The canal then runs through several poorer comunas and often floods these regions. Essentially, as I was told by one of my professors, the affluent just dump their unwanted water on the poor.
Anyways, we eventually forded all the "rivers" and arrived at the NGO. Once there, we waited for the director who was currently meeting with some government officials. And waited. And waited. Ultimately, after more than an hour and a half, another women briefly outlined the programs and asking us to return next week to meet with the director. As my host parents said when I told them the story, "Welcome to Chile." Haha.
The NGO, known as the Kairos Organization, does offer numerous community development programs with which I would like to become more involved. So, it looks like I'm trekking to Renca again next Monday. Hopefully sans rainfall next time.
Looking back at the past week, I realize that I haven't blogged much. I haven't had nearly as much time since classes are starting to become slightly more intense. Spring break is, after all, in less than 3 weeks. Anyways, a quick summary of my life lately:
Thursday - Classes. Impromtu Rock Concerts. The Courtyard. During lunchtime, a band performed in the courtyard while several students danced wildly. We watched with enjoyment. After classes, a couple of my gringo friends and I went to the courtyard for what is quickly becoming one of my favorite Chilean traditions: Thursday Courtyards. Every Thursday after class...okay, we've only had two..a few of my gringo friends and I join most of the Chilean students in the courtyard. Lots of singing, laughter, and me struggling to talk to my Chilean classmates in broken Spanish ensues.
Upon arriving home a little after 8, my host brother invited me to his friends apartment-warming party. We arrived incredibly early by Chilean standards...a little after 11:00. Probably a good thing since the Carabineros (Chilean police) broke it up around 11:30. Suddenly, TUPD's disruption of the Spring Track Semi '08 at 11:00 doesn't seem too crazy after all.
Friday - Spent awhile at an interview with the editor of the Revista Revolver, an English-language magazine in Santiago. Starting this week, I'll be reviewing travel destinations, restaurants, and bars for the online publication, which is another great reason for me to keep exploring various spots around the city. Don't look for my byline until October though; they have a backlog of articles that are already ready to be published.
Later, Katrina's birthday celebration starting with a trip to La Piojera...one of my favorite spots in Santiago. Classic Chilean drinks including one made wiith ice cream and lots of Chileans happy to speak Spanish with a bunch of gringos fill the bustling venue. We then journeyed through the rain to some of our more usual spots near Plaza Nunoa.
Saturday - RAIN. Although it poured all day, we ventured to Persa Bio-Bio to explore a gigantic flea market. It stretched for blocks in very direction and had everything imaginable ranging from antiques to knockoff northface fleece. Unfortunately, our soaked clothing combined with the frigid temperatures made browsing a bit uncomfortable after awhile. We left before exploring the entire market, but it's only a few metro stops away so an encore will definately be occuring.
Sunday- Homework and food and Chilean family. In the break between lunch and onces, my family and I meandered through Pueblito Los Dominicos (a little craft market we visited during orientation). While its insanely expensive, it has quickly become one of my favorite places in Santiago.
I also discovered a great place to run along the Mapocho River. The path is similar to that along the Charles. The only difference is that the nearby river at least appears to be even dirtier in Santiago.
Monday -Until my internship starts, I'm not going to be doing much on Monday and Wednesday. I did, however, realize that my mileage is higher than it has ever been in my life....but only if you count walking. On Monday, I ran a little over 6 miles (my usual distance in Santiago) and walked upwards of 7 miles to the Tufts-in-Chile office, class, and home. 13 miles total: not bad.
And then Tuesday -So much rain as previously discussed.
Bed time. Ciao!
12.8.09
Feliz Cumple!
While much of the celebration remains the same year after year, each birthday is different. My first birthday consisted of a family barbeque and two renditions of happy birthday - one for me and one for Matt. Only a few years ago, Katy "lost" her cellphone on my birthday and we stumbled upon several of my friends "hiding" in her basement while searching for it. Last year, we journeyed to the beach only to spend more time sloshing home in a downpour than actually sunbathing. The birthdays had little in common other than the people I spent them with including family and old friends.
This year, however, obviously proved a little different as I am living several thousand miles away from most of these individuals. As I turned twenty, I didn't eexpect much celebration. Thus, I was ecstatic when my Chilean extended family surprised me with an amazing torta (cake doesn't describe the goodness of Chilean torta) and a fleece during onces.
The celebration didn't end Sunday night either. After Spanish 121 on Monday, a huge group of Gringos descended on a coffee shop in Plaza Nunoa and treated me to an amazing latte known as the submarina. The name derives from a chocolate bar melted at the bottom of the glass. So good. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to appreciate Starbucks flavor shots in my drink ever again. It was that good.
After so much celebrating, the return to classes on Tuesday was much more painful. Currently, I only have 1 class on Mondays and Wednesdays, but my Tuesdays and Thursdays are overflowing with three. This works well when planning other activities; it's not so great when I'm starting my fourth hour of classses and still have another half hour of lecture remaining. C'est la vie. I'll appreciate it more when I do more than sleep late and run on Mondays and Wednesdays.
So, after spending much of the day Tuesday realizing that I still barely understand my professors, I returned home to a very dark apartment. We had no electricity until after 10 last night - perfect for a nap, not so great for completing assignments. Grrr. At least I was rested enough to arise relatively early this morning.
Pomaire Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/CeramicasChocolateYCosasComoAsi#
This year, however, obviously proved a little different as I am living several thousand miles away from most of these individuals. As I turned twenty, I didn't eexpect much celebration. Thus, I was ecstatic when my Chilean extended family surprised me with an amazing torta (cake doesn't describe the goodness of Chilean torta) and a fleece during onces.
The celebration didn't end Sunday night either. After Spanish 121 on Monday, a huge group of Gringos descended on a coffee shop in Plaza Nunoa and treated me to an amazing latte known as the submarina. The name derives from a chocolate bar melted at the bottom of the glass. So good. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to appreciate Starbucks flavor shots in my drink ever again. It was that good.
After so much celebrating, the return to classes on Tuesday was much more painful. Currently, I only have 1 class on Mondays and Wednesdays, but my Tuesdays and Thursdays are overflowing with three. This works well when planning other activities; it's not so great when I'm starting my fourth hour of classses and still have another half hour of lecture remaining. C'est la vie. I'll appreciate it more when I do more than sleep late and run on Mondays and Wednesdays.
So, after spending much of the day Tuesday realizing that I still barely understand my professors, I returned home to a very dark apartment. We had no electricity until after 10 last night - perfect for a nap, not so great for completing assignments. Grrr. At least I was rested enough to arise relatively early this morning.
Pomaire Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/CeramicasChocolateYCosasComoAsi#
9.8.09
Clases, Cerámica, y Cosas Como Así
Classes. Routine. Finally.
As classes have finally started, my schedule is rapidly becoming too busy for me to update this too often. Perfect -this is just the way I want it. Rather than boring any readers with an excessively long entry recounting every minute of the past week, I'm just going to skim over some highlights.
Clases -After visiting numerous classes, I've finally decided on a few favorites to take next semester. In addition to the required Spanish grammar course, I'm taking Latin American Politics, The Political Economies of Chile, Argentina, and Mexico, and The Image of Chile in Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral.
Baking in Chile - SO HARD. Not only did we have to decipher a recipe in Spanish in order to make brownies, but we had to learn how to use a gas stove. Don't worry, nothing blew up, although starting the oven did take several tries.
Fiesta a la U Catolica - Spice girls music, salsa music, and bbq. Words cannot explain.
Pomaire - Stunning village known for its pottery. Located about at hour outside Santiago, it is surrounded by hills and farmland. In the village, we had the opportunity to "learn" how to make pots using a wheel and craft some of our own clay sculptures. Let's just say I need A LOT more practice.
Pictures and maybe a more detailed entry coming soon.
As classes have finally started, my schedule is rapidly becoming too busy for me to update this too often. Perfect -this is just the way I want it. Rather than boring any readers with an excessively long entry recounting every minute of the past week, I'm just going to skim over some highlights.
Clases -After visiting numerous classes, I've finally decided on a few favorites to take next semester. In addition to the required Spanish grammar course, I'm taking Latin American Politics, The Political Economies of Chile, Argentina, and Mexico, and The Image of Chile in Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral.
Baking in Chile - SO HARD. Not only did we have to decipher a recipe in Spanish in order to make brownies, but we had to learn how to use a gas stove. Don't worry, nothing blew up, although starting the oven did take several tries.
Fiesta a la U Catolica - Spice girls music, salsa music, and bbq. Words cannot explain.
Pomaire - Stunning village known for its pottery. Located about at hour outside Santiago, it is surrounded by hills and farmland. In the village, we had the opportunity to "learn" how to make pots using a wheel and craft some of our own clay sculptures. Let's just say I need A LOT more practice.
Pictures and maybe a more detailed entry coming soon.
2.8.09
Una Caminata por El Bosque
Saturday - Finally a day without any orientation meetings, lectures, etc. To celebrate, Tilly, Katy, and I journeyed outside the confines of Santiago to hike in Cajon de Maipu, a region in the foothills of the Andes.
Didn't go as planned. After arriving in the largest pueblo and briefly exploring the local market, we asked the tourism office the best place to find a trail. We followed their advice, only to discover that the alleged trail on the outskirts of town didn't exist. We did, however, enjoy some seeing that beautiful mountain views, horse pastures, and soccer fields dotting the way to the alleged path.
So, we decided to ask a local bus driver to drop us off at a local trailhead. Once again, there must have been some kind of miscommunication becuase he drops us off on a barren stretch of road and tells us to follow the old train path. Seemed like a good plan until we realized that the train path went into an old mine. As it was pitch black inside and we didn't have any flashlights, we decided to pass and started trekking back up the road towards San Alfonso.
Along the way, we stumbled upon Vina de los Nietos. Intrigued, we wandered inside only to meet the owner of the vineyard. She was INSANE...in a loveable way. She insisted that we try some wine (ironically, the first "bad"wine that I've consumed in Chile) and refused to let us leave without taking a picture.
A little further down the road, we decided to hail a bus to Santiago. It was getting late and hiking didn't seem very likely. We picked the perfect driver. By the time I had one foot onboard, he had already slammed the pedal to the metal although the door was wide open. He blatantly ignored speed limits; the center line clearly didn't exist for him, and we got some major airtime whenever we hit a bump. Moreover, the bus was crowded with Chileans, so we had to stand for much of the wild ride. It honestly made Thunder Mountain at Disney World seem like a peaceful drive through the countryside. Such a great adventure, although we will still need to go back to the Cajon de Maipu someday in order to go for a hike.
Upon returning to Santiago, we discovered why Santiago seems so quiet on Saturdays...everyone is it the mall. It was insanely crowded. I can't even imagine how crazy it is at Christmas.
By now, the sun had set so we returned home for dinner. My family and I went to a nearby Chinese restaurant. Much to my surprise, the food differed significantly from the Chinese food in the US. Way less greasy. Nice.
In true Chilean style, my night didn't end when dinner concluded around 10:00. I mt some friends from Tufts and we ventured to a popular salsa club to try out our dance moves. Let's just say I need A LOT more practice. Hopefully, the Chileans I danced with thought my salsa struggles were endearing. If your ever in Santiago, definately try salsa. While the other nightlife is certainly a good time, that was one of the most enjoyable nights I have had in the city.
Some pictures -
La Moneda (Way late) - http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/LaMoneda#
Cajon de Maipu - http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/UnaCaminataCajonDeMaipu#
Didn't go as planned. After arriving in the largest pueblo and briefly exploring the local market, we asked the tourism office the best place to find a trail. We followed their advice, only to discover that the alleged trail on the outskirts of town didn't exist. We did, however, enjoy some seeing that beautiful mountain views, horse pastures, and soccer fields dotting the way to the alleged path.
So, we decided to ask a local bus driver to drop us off at a local trailhead. Once again, there must have been some kind of miscommunication becuase he drops us off on a barren stretch of road and tells us to follow the old train path. Seemed like a good plan until we realized that the train path went into an old mine. As it was pitch black inside and we didn't have any flashlights, we decided to pass and started trekking back up the road towards San Alfonso.
Along the way, we stumbled upon Vina de los Nietos. Intrigued, we wandered inside only to meet the owner of the vineyard. She was INSANE...in a loveable way. She insisted that we try some wine (ironically, the first "bad"wine that I've consumed in Chile) and refused to let us leave without taking a picture.
A little further down the road, we decided to hail a bus to Santiago. It was getting late and hiking didn't seem very likely. We picked the perfect driver. By the time I had one foot onboard, he had already slammed the pedal to the metal although the door was wide open. He blatantly ignored speed limits; the center line clearly didn't exist for him, and we got some major airtime whenever we hit a bump. Moreover, the bus was crowded with Chileans, so we had to stand for much of the wild ride. It honestly made Thunder Mountain at Disney World seem like a peaceful drive through the countryside. Such a great adventure, although we will still need to go back to the Cajon de Maipu someday in order to go for a hike.
Upon returning to Santiago, we discovered why Santiago seems so quiet on Saturdays...everyone is it the mall. It was insanely crowded. I can't even imagine how crazy it is at Christmas.
By now, the sun had set so we returned home for dinner. My family and I went to a nearby Chinese restaurant. Much to my surprise, the food differed significantly from the Chinese food in the US. Way less greasy. Nice.
In true Chilean style, my night didn't end when dinner concluded around 10:00. I mt some friends from Tufts and we ventured to a popular salsa club to try out our dance moves. Let's just say I need A LOT more practice. Hopefully, the Chileans I danced with thought my salsa struggles were endearing. If your ever in Santiago, definately try salsa. While the other nightlife is certainly a good time, that was one of the most enjoyable nights I have had in the city.
Some pictures -
La Moneda (Way late) - http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/LaMoneda#
Cajon de Maipu - http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/UnaCaminataCajonDeMaipu#
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