happy halloween!

...or should I say "Feliz Noche de Brujas!?" (Witch's night)Halloween is definitely not as popular or talked about down here. I've seen smatterings of Halloween paraphernalia here and there recently but nothing compared to the glorification of capitalism/candy that we have in the US of A. The big grocery stores have bags of candy and a few guys in the centro laid out sheets and threw down some plastic Scream masks and devil horns.

Due to a lack of costume options, I am going to be Waldo (or Walda?) from Where's Waldo. I have a red and white striped shirt...pretty lame, I know, but I'm going to try and jazz it up a bit.

Pictures to come...

In the meantime, I found these sweet shots today:

I like maps. I like coffee. I like books.

slow saturday

Hello all.

Well, I can finally say I "went out" here in Concepción. Last night, the run club, "WildRunners," went out to Tijuana, a Mexican restaurant and dance club. It was a pretty good time. We had (Chilean-made) Mexican food. I ordered green chile enchiladas that left a lot to be desired...I'm really excited about good Mexican food! And once the music started around 1am, we all hit the dance floor for a while. The music was a funny mix of reggaton, salsa, merengue, and then random American pop like "Hot and Cold" and Shania Twain's, "Man! I feel like a women." You definitely dance differently to a salsa song than to a pop country tune. :)

I find it crazy that it's taken me this long to truly "go out" here. But in the end, it's not too surprising. I'm not really much of a party girl in general and living really far from the center of town gives me a fantastic excuse. Also, all of the good places to go out require a car and more money, neither of which I have. Oh, and Chileans like to party until 5am and the American in me is way to lame to do that. Nonetheless, last night was pretty fun!

This morning came way to soon as I had to get up and teach a 3-hour conversation class at the Norteamericano. Surprisingly, it wasn't too rough-- nothing a few cups of nescafé couldn't fix.

Yesterday marked the 2 month countdown. Honestly, in this moment, with two months to go and 9 months of living in Chile, I'm pretty excited to get back home. Not that I'd want to go tomorrow. It's just that I feel as if two more months is perfect. I have one more big trip planned--- Torres del Paine-- and an end-of-service conference up in Santiago. Other than that, I'm planning on hanging out in Conce, enjoying the good weather, and looking in to possible jobs in Colorado.

Time is a tricky, finicky little fellow and I realize I need to keep and eye on him. He's easy to lose and find weeks later still ticking away like always.

A few things I'm excited about:

-milk (never been much of a milk-drinker but the powdered stuff is getting old)

-Chipotle salad bowl

-Target

-driving

-space, windows, natural light

-coffffeeeee!

-food. food. food.

-Christmas cookies ;)

~Welp, see ya later. Off to onces with random bus drivers that have been hanging out on the couch all day. And Nelson.

i read books. yo leo libros.

I've been lucky enough to have a lot of free time during my time in Chile. Despite the fact I have high-speed internet in my room, I often opt for a piping hot mug of Nescafé and a book. Reading, like running, has helped me escape and pass

some of the more 'tranquilo' moments. (By 'tranquilo' I mean very, very long afternoons, busrides etc.) There's nothing like a good book- in English- that makes you think about a different place, perspective, culture.

My friend Jen, another Duoc teacher, is also a avid reader so I have her to thank for many of these good reads. Also, thanks Mom, for the disgustingly overpriced book at the airport. :) I swear I'll read it twice. Currently, I'm reading The Count of Monte Cristo in an attempt to read a classic, something I often find overwhelming. But...it just so happens that I've also developed a slight addiction to Desperate Housewives ... Count of Monte Cristo vs. Desperate Housewives.

The Count of Monte Cristo-- Page 12. Of 618.

Desperate Housewives-- Episode 8, Season 4.

Who will win, no one knows!!

Anyway, here's a list of the books I've read so far...

This might be my favorite book. It's so well written. It combines two of my favorite things: Spanish and the cello. (I know I played the viola, but I've always loved cello). It's about the life of a little boy destined to play beautiful music. A historical fiction covering the Spanish Civil War and World War II. I highly recommend it!

People of the Book: Awesome book. It's often compared to The DiVinci Code but I think this is better. It's not as sensational and the characters are deeper. It's the story behind a 500 year old Jewish prayer book known as the haggadah. Learned a little about the art of book restoration/preservation too.

This is the first book I read here. It's an edgy coming of age novel about a Dominican-Republic/American boy in NYC. Sad at times- no happy language or literary rainbows, but very raw and real all the same.

"A Free Life" is about a Chinese couple's struggle to realize the American dream. The main character, Nan, is a well-educated poet but soon realizes being a scholar won't pay the bills. He and his wife work endless hours running a Chinese restaurant in Georgia. An interesting novel to read living outside the US.

Hilarious!! Great short stories. A good "getaway" book to get through the rainy winter. I like his dry, witty sense of humor.

I loved this book! It's a historical fiction loosely based on the life of Laura Bush. I never really think about the lives of "first women" but Sittenfeld does a great job of humanizing the smiling female figure constantly accompanying the most powerful man in the world.

I didn't realize this was going to be a movie when I started it. I actually thought it was really slow and confusing for the first 100 pages. Then I got into the story and couldn't put it down. I'd like to see how it ended up in movie form given all the jumps in time.

me gusta.

so chilean it hurts.

good evening amigos.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend--marathon in Los Angeles. (I stole them all from facebook.) Turns out the group is obsessed with capturing every kodak moment, including the 7am wake-up call.

First: the finish line!!! 1 hour 54 minutes.

I forgot to put my hands up.

Super intense look back at the crowd.

Stretching?

St. Olaf soccer represent!!

Alright this photo was taken at approx. 7:08am and it's SO Chilean I had to put it up from two different angles. You see, first you have a huge bag of bread on the table. See all that white bread? Then you have a bag of jelly, an electric tea kettle and a container of Nescafé.

Pre-race meal? A "bread" with blackberry jelly and 2 cups of Nescafé.

Here you have the whole table, everyone enjoying bread...and of course the TV on in the background.

This was a 10 minute walk from our cabaña. Called "Salto de Laja." Pretty sweet waterfall.

Outside the cabaña with Pedro, "Peter." he just oozes "nice guy." :) Oh and he ran the 10k--60 years old!

The cabaña (cabin).

Group photo with the "David Beckham" of Chile. No, really he's just a sports announcer with a pretty face...can you guess which one?

I think I'm confused by all the reggaton music at 10:30 on a Sunday.

The Wildrunner crew post-race hanging out.

big difference.

(I was right behind these guys.)

Just got back from my second half marathon. The first one was in April in Santiago. This one was in Los Angeles (South of Conce) and, well, today. October 18th. I can't believe how much has happened in the 6 months between. Not only did I improve my time, but I felt great throughout the entire half marathon. As I type this hours later, I must admit I feel a bit sore, but overall, it was pretty painless. As for the marathon in Santiago...definitely a different story. I was sore for days and the marathon itself felt longer. I think this change in sentiment and perspective reflects much of the past 6 months in Chi-Chi-Chi Chile..

In terms of my life in Chile, I am leaps and bounds ahead of where I was in April. Back then I was still anxious about traveling sola, my Spanish was (at times) rough and I didn't have any Chilean friends or connections outside of my family. The winter was long, cold, grey and rainy. I spent a lot (a lot) of time in my room trying to save money and lacking "ganas" (inspiration) to go out and explore. A rainy hibernation I guess.

On the other hand, in July, I spent 3 weeks traveling in the north of Chile and Peru. Looking back, it was an incredible experience, albeit very different from living in Chile. I was traveling with a fellow American, we were surrounded by tourists but somehow we felt more connected to the people and culture given the language and experience here. I saw scenery people write poetry about and learned how to "backpack" for the first time.

Back in Conce, a new semester started. Different classes, different students. I have yet to feel as anxious and nervous as I did first semester. I'm definitely more a relaxed and confident teacher. I think this helps both me and my students. I also realize that I'm just their English teacher. A required class they have 3 hours a week. Not too life-changing. (despite what WorldTeach tried to tell us)

I continued working out at the gym, running 5-6x per week, taking my "BodyBalance" class 2x per week. Running has helped me through, um, everything here. Stress, anxiety, boredom, homesickness, cabin fever. I can proudly say I'm addicted at this point. I figure there are worse addictions out there...

I found a new job, however small the income. I work as a substitute in the Northamerican Institute. There I've been able to teach all ages, adults, 5th graders, college students etc. The biggest different is the level of English. They are gooood. Honestly, it's a relief. I'd like to be all nobel and say that I prefer the challenge of my students (lazy, dishonest, indifferent) to that of more advanced students (motivated, engaged) but that would be a lie. It's a breath of fresh air and often more fun. Makes all the difference if the students actually want to be there.

All in all, living here has been up, down, and everywhere in between (I realize this is life but when you are abroad the ups and downs are more pronounced, more intense). I only have 2 months left and I'm finally feeling settled. Time is going fast and as the weather improves, so does my mood and my "ganas" to take advantage of every opportunity.

A few random thoughts:

-Oh, I also drove in a car allllll weekend. Awesome! :) Chile is really, really pretty.

-For the record my time today was: 1:54 (1 hour, 54 minutes); 21k; 13.5 miles. New goal: marathon in less than 4 hours.

-Chileans are REALLY good at living in the moment. more on this later...

-I really struggle to find Chilean humor funny. I just don't get it!!

-I bought Quaker squares cereal. And milk. There are no words. yum.

-I'm developing a slight addiction to Desperate Housewives.

not the normal fried fish sunday

Every month or so my host father comes to Concepción for the weekend. He lives and works in a town about 4 hours away, Puren, and can't make the trip back each weekend. Whenever he comes, we have a HUGE Sunday lunch--usually fried fish, potatoes and salad. It is delicious- deep fried goodness in every bite. I look forward to "fish fry Sundays," as I've come to call them, because Laly's family comes over, we play basketball beforehand, and it's just good "onda" all around.

Today, though, things took a different tone. This weekend, the entire family of Bernardo's girlfriend visited. They arrived yesterday to have a big clam and sausage dinner. (I wasn't home for that part but instead was hanging out with the other gringas in Jen and Amy's apartment.) Today, when I arrived home Laly was busy in the kitchen preparing the fish fry. A bit later, I convinced my brothers to play soccer. Finally!!! We played (size 4 ball, on concrete, 2 vs. 2) for about an hour and I was happy as a clam. I miss playing so much it was good to just run around and play. Everyone was floored by the fact I could complete a pass and play defense. "Nos bailó, la Jenny nos bailó" (She danced us...or danced around us?). Feels good to show a bunch of Chileans that girls can be athletic and play sports. I knew I packed my soccer socks for a reason...

--Fish lunch--

A while later, after most of us were finished eating, and the comments tapered about how delicious and "rico" the meal was, how full we all are, who wants more, etc. etc., and Bernardo, my host brother, had an announcement.

He and Angee, the girlfriend he met in the US on a work exchange program (both are Chilean--they went to the US separately, met there and came back in love.), want to get married soon. It wasn't exactly him proposing to Angee but more a request for the blessing of the families. For the next while, each member of the family (Angee's parents, my host parents, Laly's mom and Dad, Cristóbal) said a few words in approval and blessing for the couple.

The way this all unfolded opened up a different aspect of Chilean culture I hadn't yet seen. It was the most open, honest and real I'd seen my family. Often, I get tired of the same slap stick jokes and the same gossipy stories told at meals. I feel as if the humor is at the expense of others, often offensive and frankly, I don't get it. Yet this afternoon, I realized that the words exchanged across the table were profoundly authentic. No TV blabbing away, no more dessert plates to pick at. In other words, no distractions. Everyone focused on Bernardo and Angee. I really appreciate this gesture of open communication and verbal affirmation of support and love for the couple. I'm not sure that this happens enough. Anywhere. Of course, when it came around to me, I got all nervous and couldn't think of anything else but "me parece muy bien" and "felicidades." (It seems very good to me, congratulations). After I spoke, I had even more respect for the parents and grandparents that were able to form wise thoughtful expressions to bless the relationship of their children.

In other news, holiday tomorrow = no class!! :)

One week until the half marathon.

The sun continues to shine. gracias a dios.

solo

I love this picture. It captures much of my life here. The city streets, bus lanes, rain, waiting, alone.

Thanks to Miss Sidi Crute, I have a picture worth, well, at least a few words.

One thing I think about a lot here is the idea of "growing as a person." During our orientation this phrase was tossed around often and I believe we got too comfortable with it. It was used as a neat response to questions like, "why did you decide to teach abroad?" or "what do you want to accomplish here?" I remember feeling like this was a cliché answer, too vague to pinpoint an individual's true reasons. "Grow as a person" sounds nice, but qué significa?

Last weekend, another volunteer came down to Conce and we were talking about her experiences in Costa Rica. (She lived in there for a year doing World Teach in a very rural pueblito.) After talking about isolation and boredom, she said, "well, you grow from those experiences, you know?" At the time I agreed with the typical "yeah," and we moved on but that phrase has been stuck in my head this week.

Grow as a person.

There is an inherent individuality connected to this use of grow. It seems impossible to talk about what it means without immediately giving individual examples. ...guess what individual it is easiest to talk about? :)

Thinking back to high school, I definitely see a difference in my perspective and outlook on life. Obviously I've changed. There are countless experiences between now and then that have made me think differently (for better or worse) about the world. For example, my trip to Honduras the summer before Olaf made me realize I wanted to major in Spanish and one day live in a Spanish-speaking country. (livin' the dream, I tell ya!) Also, the four additional years of soccer I played at Olaf are some of my favorite memories. I learned how to work hard for something I wanted, how to humbly accept defeat, balance school and sports, work with a group toward a common goal. And my senior year I learned that leadership is constant.

Working at Camp Knutson I learned how unbelievably blessed I am to have my health. To be able to run, be in the sun, be independent. I met physically weak kids with more gumption and emotional strength than many adults. I also learned how to organize and lead under stress and with many different personality types. Kate called me a "calm, steady eagle."

In the past 8 months, I have gained experience. I speak Spanish with more fluidity, I can teach a class of Chileans the difference between "wrote" and "was written," I feel comfortable navigating new cities, I know not to expect great things when it comes to cuisine and I've learned how to deal with cultural differences in my host family.

Do all of those things combined mean "grow as a person?" Like Captain Planet style? Are these experiences my "powers combined"?

All of this rambling has gotten me confused. I guess I'll have to continue mulling this one over. Who knows, maybe this very post has helped me grow as a person.

2 things

1) I saw a Duoc student wearing a St. Olaf College sweatshirt today. I'd love to track its path from Olaf to Concepción, Chile.

2) The following is a passage from a book entitled, "American Wife," by Curtis Suttenfeld. It is the story of a fictional first lady but it is said to be loosely based off the life of Laura Bush. I highly recommend this book. It's a bit risqué at times but I loved the character development and reading about a wife's perspective in male-dominated politics.

The passage is about the Midwest. The main character is from Wisconsin and reflecting on her travels around the US.

"Admittedly, the area possesses a dowdiness I personally have always found comforting, but to think of Wisconsin specifically or the Midwest as a whole as anything other than beautiful is to ignore the extraordinary power of the land. The lushness of the grass and trees in August, the roll of the hills (far less of the Midwest is flat than outsiders seems to imagine), that rich smell of soil, the evening sunlight over a field of wheat, or the crickets chirping at dusk on a residential street: All of it, it has always made me feel at peace. The seasons are extreme but they pass and return, pass and return, and the world seems far steadier than it does from the vantage point of a coastal city.

Certainly picturesque towns can be found in New England or California or the Pacific Northwest, but I can't shake the sense that they're too picturesque. On the East Coast, especially, these places--Princeton, New Jersey, say, or Farmington, Connecticut-- seem to me aggressively quaint, unbecomingly smug, and even xenophobic, downright paranoid in their wariness of those who might somehow infringe upon the local charm. ...The West Coast, I think, has a similar self-regard-- all that talk of proximity to the ocean and the mountains-- and a beauty that I can't help seeing as show-offy. But the Midwest: It is quietly lovely, not preening with the need to have its attributes remarked on. It is the place I am calmest and most myself."

(pg. 33, American Wife)