My normal run on my normal route with my over-played playlist came to a screeching halt (literally) when I witnessed a crazy car accident yesterday. I was trotting along when I heard a car zooming up behind me. I barely had time to turn my head when it zipped past, screeching toward the stop sign. Slight detail: the road ends at the stop sign. If you go straight, you go into the slimy, green canal. The truck careened toward the canal only to be blocked by an tiny unsuspecting 2 door car most likely coming home from a long day at work. To use Chilean onomatopoeias, "poom and baahh!" Poor guy.
Worst part: the kid in the trucked reversed and zipped off, the little white car in hot pursuit. The adrenaline made me run a little faster for a few minutes and then I got to thinking about how insurance works here in Chile. I don't much but I can only imagine the headache....
2. weigh your fruits and vegetables...
Before you go to the check out. If not, you are SOL in the worst way. Produce, meat, bread (anything typically on the outside walls of grocery stores) have to be weighed and priced prior to checking out. If you forget? Lucky you! Not only do you get to stand in the weighing line, but also the check out line. Again.
3. Chilean students are surprisingly receptive to "you betcha!" as slang of the day. "Cut the cheese," however, was a complete and utter flop. Some things are just more fun to say :)
(you betcha!)
4. Very few stores/cafés etc are open on Saturdays. And on Sundays? Not a chance. Unless you go to the mall of course. The Mall Plaza, the most "American" aspect of Chilean culture, is always open. Ironic? No way, José.
5. crossword puzzles and podcasts are fantastic ways to pass the time on public transportation.
6. When going on an overnight bus ride, buy "semi-cama" (semi-bed), bring music, get a window seat toward the front, drink a beer- or two- at the bus station, and pray for any movie save "The Chipmunks Movie." If indeed "The Chipmunks Movie" plays, pray it won't repeat on your return trip. por Dios.
**random side note: I played John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane" to help introduce a unit on travel and not only did a few students start singing along but two even took out lighters and started swaying back and forth. I'm thinking "Rocky Mountain High" for next week...
*** last random side note: in the past week, I've started drinking government issued, black market, powdered milk. It comes in a plain yellow bag with happy children and balloons on the front. It's given to newborns and infants in the hospital but my mom swears it'll help keep me healthy throughout the winter. It's on the black market because it has the government label on it. riiiight.
On the other side of the spectrum, we had asparagus soup last week, geriatric style. mmmm....It was powdered of course but this time from a green plastic bag. A gift from my host mom's parents. My host grandparents?
suerte!
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