In Case You Missed It

Ok its no secret, I’ve been a little floja (lazy) when it comes to the whole blogging thing lately. Its not that I don’t want you guys to know what’s going on but life here has settled down quite a bit. The things that I would write about al principio (at first) are no longer a big deal. So its hard for me to a) see a point in writing about ordinary life b) find the motivation/time to write and c) muster up the snarkiness required to make anything that I write entertaining. So there you have it, my formal apology for being a study abroad bum.

So lets catch up on some more interesting highlights of my life in the past few weeks.

Santiago:

Ok so I wrote about the ramadas at Fiestas Patrias but I didn’t tell the whole story. I also went to Santiago with my Chilean family so we could visit my host sister Milenka, her husband Marco, and their daughter Maisa. We stayed for 3 days in what I called “Spanish Land” because I only spoke in Spanish for 3 whole days. It was both exhausting and rewarding. I also discovered in “Spanish Land” that my Spanish vastly improves after drinking a terremoto. Who would have thought? 

Anyways, the big story from Santiago? A unique run in with one of the nicest men I have ever met:

So I’m at the rodeo. (where the cowboys don’t use lassos to stop their bull, they instead run the chest of their horse into the bull and run it into a wall. From what I saw the goal is to have the bull off the ground, completely stopped between your horse and the wall of the arena. Lets just say the PETA people would have had a field day at this event)

This poor little guy's face is clearly crying out for help

So I’m at the more violent than necessary rodeo, looking at the stalls where they sell souvenirs.  I finally spot the item I want. It has been a long search but my journey has finally come to an end. “Cuanto cuesta?” (how much does this cost?)  “mil quienientos” (the equivalent to 3 US dollars) “ok” and I start to walk away. “de donde eres?” (where are you from?) “Los Estados Unidos, obvio ” (The United States, obviously, pointing at my blond hair). And so the conversation continues. He aske me about my studies, how long I’m going to be here. I say that I’m super sad to leave so he reaches down and grabs a keychain off of the table and says “un regalito” meaning, a little gift for you. “en serio?” (seriously?!) and he tells me yes, of course, so you can remember your first Chilean rodeo and your time in Santiago. I give him a big time thank you and mentally decide to buy the trinket that isn’t actually worth mil quinientos just because this man is so stinking sweet. But it doesn’t stop there folks. By the end of this interaction I have a glass of chicha from the land of Pablo Neruda, a sombrero which has been slapped on my head, and a mata, a Chilean cowboy poncho on one shoulder. My mom is taking pictures. I am the only gringa in the entire place (as usual). People are beginning to stare.

And this my friends, is the result: 

Yes, I look absolutely ridiculous. But yes, I am enjoying it oh so much

The rest of my time there was pretty standard. A lot of being lost in conversation because all 5 people would be talking in warp speed at the dinner table. A lot of attempting and failing to communicate very basic ideas. And a lot of learning about Chilean conversations work. Overall I would call this day a success. 

And here's some pictures of my host niece because she's just so darn cute: 

 Maisa y mi mama Chilena 

Kayaking: 

Lets start off by saying that this has been on my Chile bucket list since I got here. So getting to do this (and for only $6USD) totally made my trip. I went with 2 other gringos and 7 Chileans and a Peruvian. It was an amazingly fun time even though I forgot a spare change of dry clothes...I was completely freezing my little buns off but like I said, fue vale la pena (it was worth it). I was with 3 guys, Scott, Nelson, and Oscar who have a wrap for doing stupid and crazy things while together... so we or may not have had security called on us. 

The 3 crazies all surf so they were wearing wetsuits which means they spent half of their time in the water, not in their kayaks. They kept tipping each other out, trying to stand up in their kayaks, and splashing the rest of us. And when we got back they felt the need to jump off the pier multiple times (enter security). But the moral of the story is that we got the pictures, the boys got to be crazy, and we all got a good laugh out of it. My friend Deanna and I plan to return when it heats up and jump off the pier too ; )

 Me and my girl Deanna 

 Soaking wet. Thanks guys

The whole gang 

After kayaking:  

A group of us went back to Deanna's house. Deanna is a Chilean Gringa. She has lived in Chile since she was 4 because her parents are missionaries (meaning she is fluent in both english and Chilean spanish). So her family (2 parents and 2 siblings) are one of the greatest discoveries I have made here. Their house just feels like home and I already call her mom my mama. We had great conversation with about 11 of us around a huge table complete with ham and cheese sandwiches, tea, brownies, and a never ending supply of bread. It was great! And what made this night even better is that we taught my friend Oscar the phrase "dang girl!" So he says it all the time now. Its pretty hilarious.