One thing I’ve learned from traveling so much is to basically never have a plan. This is because if you have a plan, it will without a doubt go wrong somehow and you will have to just go with the flow. Which is exactly what happened when I tried to get home Tuesday night. EVERYTHING went terribly wrong.
My flight was scheduled for 11pm Tuesday and I would get home at 6 am Wednesday to spend the day shopping and hanging out with my mommy (she took the day off work and everything for me!) So I’m just chilling at the airport in Santiago for what I stupidly think is the last time, when they tell us our flight is cancelled! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING! Is what I was thinking to my self/saying out loud. I was so ready to go home and see my family after five months but I couldn’t I had to wait at the airport for them to decide what to do. So even though we knew the flight was cancelled at around 10:35 we had to wait around until 2am. WHAT THE HECK?! Not only did they not let us leave until 2, but American Airlines claimed it wasn’t their fault and wouldn’t pay to put us in hotels or for transportation. Well that was just the cherry on top of the crappiest sundae ever because I had no cash left to pay for anything and was not about to take out more money for one day that I didn't even want to be there for.
Never fear I made friends with some crazy American girl who lives in Santiago and just so happened to have an extra room with a futon in her apartment! What are the chances?! So I, along with a kid from my program and another gringa we picked up at the airport, went with this girl to stay at her place for the night. So it was close to 3am when we finally got there and made ourselves beds…well sort of. The next morning I woke up with the AWESOME realization that I still had some leftover pancake mix, chocolate chips and peanut butter in one of my ridiculously large suitcases! #winning We made a delicious pancake breakfast, stored our giant maletas (suitcases) in her bodega (storage unit) and wandered around Santiago one last time. After an afternoon of eating at a restaurant named California and walking around Santiago (I’m not really sure where all we walked because I recognized nothing), we decided to go back to the airport and check in early just to make sure there was a flight leaving that night.
AND THERE WAS!!!!! Thank goodness, I honestly don’t know what I would have done if I’d been stranded practically homeless in Santiago for another day. I arrived a day late and was picked up at the airport by just my dad instead of my whole family like originally planned. But it didn’t even matter that it wasn’t how we planned it because I made it home!!
So there you have it. The somewhat shortened tale of how I finally made it home to Texas. Too bad it was rainy and gross when I got home; it made me miss the beach more than I had anticipated. I also noticed that Americans are very very loud. I’m still adjusting to some American customs that I lost and getting caught up on pop culture and trends. But I feel at home. (you know, until I leave for Italy on Thursday). I am truly a citizen of the world now! Oh you’ll be happy to know that my first lunch home was a #1 from chickfila complete with a dr. pepper to drink!
Thanks for reading my blog and following my crazy/sometimes boring adventures/daily activities in Latin America!
Besitos,
Gaby
P.S. MERRY CHRISTMAS/FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Ciao (Farewell to mi segundo hogar)
I leave tomorrow to go home to Texas. It’s weird saying that because for the past few weeks I’ve been so anxious to leave and see my family and eat American/Mexican food and have normal Christmas-y weather and now that the time has come I wish I had more time here to enjoy the beach and explore the cerros of Valparaíso. But I guess that means that I like it enough here to come back one day. I don’t think I could ever permanently live in Chile but I would love to come back and visit again, maybe next time my family can come with me so I can show them the place I’ve called home for the past 5 months.
Even though I’ve traveled a lot this semester I feel like there is still so much to see and do not just in Chile but also in Latin America. Which makes my future travel plans a bit more complicated since I still want to travel Europe, Asia, and Africa, Australia basically the world. Every time I go somewhere I think to myself “Next time I come I should do this instead of that and I must eat there again” because I like to think that one-day I will be back. In regards to traveling I also found some great quotes to hopefully better explain how I feel about it:
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living”—Miriam Beard
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people’s cry, laugh, eat, worry and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”—Maya Angelou
So after seeing Machu Picchu, visiting Buenos Aires, backpacking across the end of the world and all the smaller travels in between I feel like even though I have beautiful pictures and memories, I learned and experienced so much more than those pictures could ever show.
Next post will be written in TEXAS! I still can’t believe I’m getting on the plane tomorrow night! Soon enough I will be at chickfila and drinking a dr. pepper. It’s the simple things you miss when you’re gone for so long.
Besitos,
Gaby
Even though I’ve traveled a lot this semester I feel like there is still so much to see and do not just in Chile but also in Latin America. Which makes my future travel plans a bit more complicated since I still want to travel Europe, Asia, and Africa, Australia basically the world. Every time I go somewhere I think to myself “Next time I come I should do this instead of that and I must eat there again” because I like to think that one-day I will be back. In regards to traveling I also found some great quotes to hopefully better explain how I feel about it:
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living”—Miriam Beard
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people’s cry, laugh, eat, worry and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”—Maya Angelou
So after seeing Machu Picchu, visiting Buenos Aires, backpacking across the end of the world and all the smaller travels in between I feel like even though I have beautiful pictures and memories, I learned and experienced so much more than those pictures could ever show.
Next post will be written in TEXAS! I still can’t believe I’m getting on the plane tomorrow night! Soon enough I will be at chickfila and drinking a dr. pepper. It’s the simple things you miss when you’re gone for so long.
Besitos,
Gaby
Thursday, December 8, 2011
PATAGONIA. EXITO. (Success)
Before leaving on my big backpacking trip to Patagonia I thoroughly fried my stomach at the beach and fell out of the bus. So as you can probably already tell, I was off to a great start. (If you have a sunburn on your belly and no access to aloe lotion, deodorant is a pretty good substitute!)
Anyway, when we arrived at Torres del Paine National Park I couldn’t believe our luck because the weather was perfect. Blue skies, hardly any wind, good temperature. I thought to myself that it was just a fluke and tomorrow we would have winds that blew me over and freeze our butts off. But it wasn’t! We had casi (almost) perfect weather all 6 days! Que suerte! Day one was fairly easy and we had plenty of time to enjoy the weather and hangout by the river near our campsite in the glorious Patagonia sunshine. However since we were so far south the sun didn’t set until 10 o’clock and then it rose at about 5:30 or so. Which made sleeping schedules difficult!
Day 2 we hiked toward Glacier Grey. IT WAS AWESOME! We saw icebergs and avalanches. So cool!!!!! It was a pretty long day of hiking so we rewarded ourselves with a delicious dinner of chili in Chile! (okay I can’t take credit for this it was all Andrew’s idea. Emily and I didn’t want to carry all the cans.) But I’m so glad we did because it was delicious! Que rico!
Day 3 we had to back track a bit so we passed by all the icebergs again and let me tell you it was still totally awesome the second time around! Even though I’d walked that path the day before I was still in awe of how beautiful it all was. Day 3 was kinda long too so we soaked our feet in the freezing river and it was glorious! Except for when I took my shoes off I discovered a few blisters. So I went to the Guardaparques and he bandaged me up! What a swell little man named Mauricio he was. Props to him for touching my nasty feet!
Day 4 was a shorter hike up in the Valle Frances! It was just a day trip without our packs because we stayed in the same campsite as the night before. Everything was still beautiful and amazing and life was good! Instead of our normal pb&j tortillas we splurged and had sopa de zapallo (pumpkin soup) with some noodles. But it accidentally turned into something that tasted like mac n cheese! A happy accident if you ask me.
Day 5 My blisters were at their worst and we had a long haul. But with the encouragement of Emily and Andrew I made it to the base camp of the torres! I am very fortunate to have such patient friends! Not to mention the breathtaking views that would put even the grouchiest person in a better mood. Those helped distract from my feet that were on fire
Day 6. Our last day did not exactly go as planned. I ended up getting sick and feverish. I wasn’t able to do the 45 min climb to the Torres because of this. And we still had about a 4 hour hike back down the mountain to catch the bus back into town. So I very slowly made my blistery feet and fevery body move down the mountain. Once again Emily and Andrew were the best friends to backpack with because they were so incredibly patient and understanding. And even though it took longer than originally thought we made it down in one piece safe and sound!
After six days of backpacking in Patagonia I can say that without a doubt it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. And the perfect ending/last hoorah of my time in Chile. The good, the bad and the ugly included, it was the most incredible journey ever.
Besitos,
Gaby
Anyway, when we arrived at Torres del Paine National Park I couldn’t believe our luck because the weather was perfect. Blue skies, hardly any wind, good temperature. I thought to myself that it was just a fluke and tomorrow we would have winds that blew me over and freeze our butts off. But it wasn’t! We had casi (almost) perfect weather all 6 days! Que suerte! Day one was fairly easy and we had plenty of time to enjoy the weather and hangout by the river near our campsite in the glorious Patagonia sunshine. However since we were so far south the sun didn’t set until 10 o’clock and then it rose at about 5:30 or so. Which made sleeping schedules difficult!
Day 2 we hiked toward Glacier Grey. IT WAS AWESOME! We saw icebergs and avalanches. So cool!!!!! It was a pretty long day of hiking so we rewarded ourselves with a delicious dinner of chili in Chile! (okay I can’t take credit for this it was all Andrew’s idea. Emily and I didn’t want to carry all the cans.) But I’m so glad we did because it was delicious! Que rico!
Day 3 we had to back track a bit so we passed by all the icebergs again and let me tell you it was still totally awesome the second time around! Even though I’d walked that path the day before I was still in awe of how beautiful it all was. Day 3 was kinda long too so we soaked our feet in the freezing river and it was glorious! Except for when I took my shoes off I discovered a few blisters. So I went to the Guardaparques and he bandaged me up! What a swell little man named Mauricio he was. Props to him for touching my nasty feet!
Day 4 was a shorter hike up in the Valle Frances! It was just a day trip without our packs because we stayed in the same campsite as the night before. Everything was still beautiful and amazing and life was good! Instead of our normal pb&j tortillas we splurged and had sopa de zapallo (pumpkin soup) with some noodles. But it accidentally turned into something that tasted like mac n cheese! A happy accident if you ask me.
Day 5 My blisters were at their worst and we had a long haul. But with the encouragement of Emily and Andrew I made it to the base camp of the torres! I am very fortunate to have such patient friends! Not to mention the breathtaking views that would put even the grouchiest person in a better mood. Those helped distract from my feet that were on fire
Day 6. Our last day did not exactly go as planned. I ended up getting sick and feverish. I wasn’t able to do the 45 min climb to the Torres because of this. And we still had about a 4 hour hike back down the mountain to catch the bus back into town. So I very slowly made my blistery feet and fevery body move down the mountain. Once again Emily and Andrew were the best friends to backpack with because they were so incredibly patient and understanding. And even though it took longer than originally thought we made it down in one piece safe and sound!
After six days of backpacking in Patagonia I can say that without a doubt it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. And the perfect ending/last hoorah of my time in Chile. The good, the bad and the ugly included, it was the most incredible journey ever.
Besitos,
Gaby
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
TWO WEEKS NOTICE
I LEAVE THE PLACE I'VE CALLED HOME FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS IN EXACTLY TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!
Guys this is huge! I will soon be able order my food, ask for directions, talk to everyone in ENGLISH.
But for one of my last weeks in Chile I will be traveling down south to Patagonia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C52vyEKnDeM
^click that to watch a movie trailer about Patagonia
Guys this is huge! I will soon be able order my food, ask for directions, talk to everyone in ENGLISH.
But for one of my last weeks in Chile I will be traveling down south to Patagonia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C52vyEKnDeM
^click that to watch a movie trailer about Patagonia
Monday, November 21, 2011
NOTICIAS (And then I climbed a glacier)
Things here are winding down and wrapping up. I only have three short weeks left in the place I’ve come to call home over the past (almost) five months. I’m getting super excited to go home and see my family and friends. But it’s a strange mezcla (mix) of feelings because I’ve grown to love my Chilean family, friends and culture and I feel like there is so much left for me to do and see and learn here. Since my life right now is made up of final papers and final trips I’m going to give a few quick updates!
1. My program took us on a trip to La Serena (a city in the north of Chile) for a weekend. While there we went to the pisco factory because pisco is the drink of choice here in Chile. People love their pisco, which according to Wikipedia is a colorless grape brandy. We also went to an observatory in the desert and looked at the stars and Jupiter! I don’t really remember anything we learned at the observatory because I just kept thinking about the song from the Disney Channel Original Movie Zenon (video below!!!)
2. When we got back I found out that we now have classes in Casa Central, the actual university building instead of in the tiny little empty high school we’d had classes in the whole semester. So with two weeks of classes left we got to experience what it was supposed to be like all semester long. And let me tell you this building is so much bigger and nicer and full of real Chilean students! It’s still school but at least it’s a change for the better.
3. I’ve also been taking advantage of living by the beach! Since I’m in the southern hemisphere its Spring and the weather has been (for the most part) beautiful!
4. The things I miss most about home (after the people of course) are food. Specifically Tex-Mex, Fried chicken/fried food in general, Chinese food, fast food, like Whataburger, Taco Cabana and Chick-fil-a. I’m going to make a list of all the restaurants I must go to when I get home! (sidenote: MOM I hope to come home to some of your Christmas cookies too!)
5. And this past weekend was my last mountain sports class excursion! We went to Andina Juncal, which is in the Andes and only 5 kilometers from Argentina. It was so remote and peaceful there because no other campers were around. We hiked to a glacier and even climbed it a bit (side note: We couldn’t climb all the way up because for that you need ice picks and crampons). So now I can say that I’ve eaten lunch on a glacier! I’d say that’s pretty neat. However, as much fun as the mountains are I have to admit that I’m more of a hot, dry desert type of person at heart. I would rather be in the boiling hot weather than in the snow. But maybe that’s because I’m from Texas…who knows. Either way, mountains or deserts, they have their positives and negatives and both are gorgeous. I appreciate nature so much more after all this camping.
So here’s the break down of my time left here. This week I have all my final papers due. Next week I head south to Patagonia (google image it. it’ll take your breath away). The week after that is my last and I plan to spend it on the beach and exploring the cerros of Valpo. Well I guess that’s all for now. I should probably get back to writing those pesky final papers I’ve been telling you about.
Besitos,
Gaby
PS here's the video!!!! It's about intergalactic love...totally relevant to the observatory. right?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KygD_QLpKeU
1. My program took us on a trip to La Serena (a city in the north of Chile) for a weekend. While there we went to the pisco factory because pisco is the drink of choice here in Chile. People love their pisco, which according to Wikipedia is a colorless grape brandy. We also went to an observatory in the desert and looked at the stars and Jupiter! I don’t really remember anything we learned at the observatory because I just kept thinking about the song from the Disney Channel Original Movie Zenon (video below!!!)
2. When we got back I found out that we now have classes in Casa Central, the actual university building instead of in the tiny little empty high school we’d had classes in the whole semester. So with two weeks of classes left we got to experience what it was supposed to be like all semester long. And let me tell you this building is so much bigger and nicer and full of real Chilean students! It’s still school but at least it’s a change for the better.
3. I’ve also been taking advantage of living by the beach! Since I’m in the southern hemisphere its Spring and the weather has been (for the most part) beautiful!
4. The things I miss most about home (after the people of course) are food. Specifically Tex-Mex, Fried chicken/fried food in general, Chinese food, fast food, like Whataburger, Taco Cabana and Chick-fil-a. I’m going to make a list of all the restaurants I must go to when I get home! (sidenote: MOM I hope to come home to some of your Christmas cookies too!)
5. And this past weekend was my last mountain sports class excursion! We went to Andina Juncal, which is in the Andes and only 5 kilometers from Argentina. It was so remote and peaceful there because no other campers were around. We hiked to a glacier and even climbed it a bit (side note: We couldn’t climb all the way up because for that you need ice picks and crampons). So now I can say that I’ve eaten lunch on a glacier! I’d say that’s pretty neat. However, as much fun as the mountains are I have to admit that I’m more of a hot, dry desert type of person at heart. I would rather be in the boiling hot weather than in the snow. But maybe that’s because I’m from Texas…who knows. Either way, mountains or deserts, they have their positives and negatives and both are gorgeous. I appreciate nature so much more after all this camping.
So here’s the break down of my time left here. This week I have all my final papers due. Next week I head south to Patagonia (google image it. it’ll take your breath away). The week after that is my last and I plan to spend it on the beach and exploring the cerros of Valpo. Well I guess that’s all for now. I should probably get back to writing those pesky final papers I’ve been telling you about.
Besitos,
Gaby
PS here's the video!!!! It's about intergalactic love...totally relevant to the observatory. right?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KygD_QLpKeU
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Perú
So before going to Peru and hiking the four-day Inca Trail I honestly couldn’t tell you much about the Incas or Machu Picchu. Now hopefully I remember enough to give yall a brief history lesson! (Please keep reading! I promise its all really interesting stuff!)
Machu in Kechua means old and Picchu means mountain or summit. Machu Picchu literally means Old Mountain. Pretty cool, huh? But most of the names of the cities that are now ruins were changed when the Spanish came, so the original names are lost forever.
Near the city of Machu Picchu they found 173 mummies/dead people and of these bodies around 150 or so were women’s, which means that Machu Picchu was probably built for women.
The Incas only made human sacrifices when they were going through incredibly difficult times. Then they would sacrifice the prettiest little boy and the prettiest little girl in the town by feeding them plants (aka drugging them) and then burying them alive or putting them in the river. This sounds awful to us but for them it was an honor to be chosen for sacrifice. Occasionally they would also sacrifice teenage girls in the same way.
Machu Picchu was divided into two parts by a geologic fault line (I know all about these because I took Environmental Geology). The two parts were the agricultural and the actual city where they lived.
The American Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu on accident.
No one knows for sure how long it took the Incas to build Machu Picchu because some of the buildings were found unfinished. Also the whole community worked to build it and they weren’t on a time schedule so that’s why everything was built to last.
Now my experience in Perú was absolutely AMAZING! I hiked the four-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and stayed a day in Cusco. The trail was difficult because its all stone steps or mostly and the altitude is so incredibly high that I got a few headaches from it. The hiking was tough but the archeological sites we saw along the way and the moment when Machu Picchu came into site made it worth it. Seeing Machu Picchu in person is breathtaking. Just thinking about the Incas and the hard work they put into their city and the fact that 80% of it is still the original buildings.
Cusco is a very touristy town, yet I didn’t feel like it gave off a cheesy vibe. It was still very authentic in some places. I went to the San Pedro market where they literally had EVERYTHING. Alpaca sweaters, fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, flowers, cheese, other knick-knacks and more. I could have stayed there all day. I seriously just fell in love with Peru and think if I ever had the opportunity to study abroad again I would go there.
Besitos,
Gaby
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Vino (Wine)
Degustación- tasting
Corcho- cork
Chile’s wine valley Casa Blanca is (in my opinion) a hidden treasure. Most things that in the states would be super touristy and expensive with signs screaming in your face to go there are much more subtle and even difficult to find here. Tourism in Chile isn’t exactly a priority, especially if you don’t speak Spanish. I like that about this country it makes me feel like an insider when I do find these hidden treasures that most tourists have never heard of and would get lost going to. Which made my experience at the Casas del Bosque vineyard that much more enjoyable.
Saturday morning I met some friends at the bus terminal in Valparaíso to take the 45 minute bus to Casa Blanca (which is about half way between Viña/Valpo and Santiago).The Casablanca Valley has some of the vineyards that have recently grown in popularity here. Once there we hopped in a colectivo (taxi) to take us to the actual vineyard. It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect! We asked for the next tour when we arrived and even did the tour in Spanish (because we are such proactive and eager students!) However, having zero prior knowledge of wine and how it’s made proved to be a bit of a struggle with the vocabulary.
Then came the actual wine tasting! On the table with our wine glasses were other glasses filled with things like vanilla, pepper, bell peppers and mint to compare the smells of the wine with those basic things. There was one vino tinto (red wine) that definitely smelled like pepper but other than that I couldn’t really pick out the smells in the wines….maybe I just need more practice ☺
Other than the awesome wine tour this weekend things have been fairly calm here. The big news is that the Chilean University (La Catolica, the one I was supposed to be attending here) has reached some kind of agreement and started classes Monday. After being in paro (strike) for 4 months it’s about time they settled things! I also found out that on ESPN VIVO I can watch the World Series! Only downside is that the commentary is all in Spanish, kinda takes away from the All American-ness of baseball. BUT STILL I’m able to watch the games!
I LEAVE FOR MACHU PICCHU (the trip I’ve been looking forward to since before I even got here) ON THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t contain my excitement. It’s gunna be TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!
After I get back from Machu Picchu things will get pretty crazy with final papers and exams right around the corner and my travel plans taking up almost every weekend until I go home in December. It’s crazy to think that I’ve been here for about 3 months. Sometimes I think where did the time go? I still haven’t learned anything or seen or done anything?! And other times I think WOW, I’ve learned and grown and seen so much in such a short time. It’s a very strange mix of emotions, especially when you add in the occasional homesickness or feelings of wishing I were staying a year. (Don’t worry I’m not staying a whole year, y’all will see me back in the states in December). So a strange mix of emotions and about a month and half left here is where I stand right now. I hope that made some sense to those of you haven’t studied abroad before, it’s difficult to explain.
Besitos,
Gaby
Corcho- cork
Chile’s wine valley Casa Blanca is (in my opinion) a hidden treasure. Most things that in the states would be super touristy and expensive with signs screaming in your face to go there are much more subtle and even difficult to find here. Tourism in Chile isn’t exactly a priority, especially if you don’t speak Spanish. I like that about this country it makes me feel like an insider when I do find these hidden treasures that most tourists have never heard of and would get lost going to. Which made my experience at the Casas del Bosque vineyard that much more enjoyable.
Saturday morning I met some friends at the bus terminal in Valparaíso to take the 45 minute bus to Casa Blanca (which is about half way between Viña/Valpo and Santiago).The Casablanca Valley has some of the vineyards that have recently grown in popularity here. Once there we hopped in a colectivo (taxi) to take us to the actual vineyard. It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect! We asked for the next tour when we arrived and even did the tour in Spanish (because we are such proactive and eager students!) However, having zero prior knowledge of wine and how it’s made proved to be a bit of a struggle with the vocabulary.
Then came the actual wine tasting! On the table with our wine glasses were other glasses filled with things like vanilla, pepper, bell peppers and mint to compare the smells of the wine with those basic things. There was one vino tinto (red wine) that definitely smelled like pepper but other than that I couldn’t really pick out the smells in the wines….maybe I just need more practice ☺
Other than the awesome wine tour this weekend things have been fairly calm here. The big news is that the Chilean University (La Catolica, the one I was supposed to be attending here) has reached some kind of agreement and started classes Monday. After being in paro (strike) for 4 months it’s about time they settled things! I also found out that on ESPN VIVO I can watch the World Series! Only downside is that the commentary is all in Spanish, kinda takes away from the All American-ness of baseball. BUT STILL I’m able to watch the games!
I LEAVE FOR MACHU PICCHU (the trip I’ve been looking forward to since before I even got here) ON THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t contain my excitement. It’s gunna be TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!
After I get back from Machu Picchu things will get pretty crazy with final papers and exams right around the corner and my travel plans taking up almost every weekend until I go home in December. It’s crazy to think that I’ve been here for about 3 months. Sometimes I think where did the time go? I still haven’t learned anything or seen or done anything?! And other times I think WOW, I’ve learned and grown and seen so much in such a short time. It’s a very strange mix of emotions, especially when you add in the occasional homesickness or feelings of wishing I were staying a year. (Don’t worry I’m not staying a whole year, y’all will see me back in the states in December). So a strange mix of emotions and about a month and half left here is where I stand right now. I hope that made some sense to those of you haven’t studied abroad before, it’s difficult to explain.
Besitos,
Gaby
Friday, October 14, 2011
Futbol (Soccer is the world's favorite sport)
It’s a well-known fact that soccer is the most popular sport pretty much everywhere except the U.S. So being in a Latin American country I have been able to experience first hand the passion these people have for the sport and their team. When I asked my host family why soccer was so popular they simply said it was part of the culture and that it was cheap so anyone can play. Which is so true you don’t need a ton of equipment to play soccer, just a ball and some friends. It’s also one of the reasons many pro futbolistas come from humble beginnings (like in the movie Goal, even though the protagonist is from Mexico its similar in all of Latin America).
In the past week or so I’ve had the opportunity to watch two futbol games at sports bars with some friends in my program. And let me tell you the people watching (or creeping if you will) just at these bars is awesome! And I hope to be able to go to a game live because that would just be madness! The bars are packed wall to wall with fans wearing red or Chile’s team scarves. At one of the bars some of the fans painted their faces like the Chilean flag (yes its ALMOST identical to the Texas flag) and wore crazy hats/wigs.
Everyone started cheering when the players walked on the field and sang along at the top of their lungs when they played the national anthem. In the Chile v. Peru game Chile scored early on and the whole bar went nuts! Everyone jumped out of their chairs and screamed GGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLL!!! Then they chanted CHI-CHI-CHI LE-LE-LE VIVA CHILE! The excitement was definitely contagious! Chile continued to play really well and won 4-2! It was an awesome game with lots of scoring for a soccer match and the atmosphere really added to the experience.
One observation I have about Latin American futbol teams is that when they get hit they tend to be super dramatic and roll around on the ground a lot waiting for the other team to get penalized or whatever. Its kinda annoying but also really funny to think about making a montage after every game of the players just rolling around on the ground!
Now for a few miscellaneous updates!
1. Second time camping was a total success! The weather was awesome and we hiked to the top of the mountain. From the top on one side you could see the beach and Valparaíso and on the other you could see the Andes and Argentina. Super cool!
2. The strikes are still going on. The police went in and extracted the students that had taken over the school and were living there. But my professors think the kids will just take it over again.
3. My program took us on an historical tour of Santiago and we went to the cemetery where all the presidents are buried and to Villa Grimaldi. Villa Grimaldi was where they tortured people during the Pinochet era. It was comparable to a concentration camp during WWII. As depressing as it was I’m glad we went because I understand a lot more about Chile’s recent history now.
4. Things I miss: my car, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a tall glass of milk, chick-fil-a, and surprisingly the hot Texas weather (side note: its technically spring but we’ve had a cold front and I’m just dying to get to the beach!).
Besitos,
Gaby
In the past week or so I’ve had the opportunity to watch two futbol games at sports bars with some friends in my program. And let me tell you the people watching (or creeping if you will) just at these bars is awesome! And I hope to be able to go to a game live because that would just be madness! The bars are packed wall to wall with fans wearing red or Chile’s team scarves. At one of the bars some of the fans painted their faces like the Chilean flag (yes its ALMOST identical to the Texas flag) and wore crazy hats/wigs.
Everyone started cheering when the players walked on the field and sang along at the top of their lungs when they played the national anthem. In the Chile v. Peru game Chile scored early on and the whole bar went nuts! Everyone jumped out of their chairs and screamed GGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLL!!! Then they chanted CHI-CHI-CHI LE-LE-LE VIVA CHILE! The excitement was definitely contagious! Chile continued to play really well and won 4-2! It was an awesome game with lots of scoring for a soccer match and the atmosphere really added to the experience.
One observation I have about Latin American futbol teams is that when they get hit they tend to be super dramatic and roll around on the ground a lot waiting for the other team to get penalized or whatever. Its kinda annoying but also really funny to think about making a montage after every game of the players just rolling around on the ground!
Now for a few miscellaneous updates!
1. Second time camping was a total success! The weather was awesome and we hiked to the top of the mountain. From the top on one side you could see the beach and Valparaíso and on the other you could see the Andes and Argentina. Super cool!
2. The strikes are still going on. The police went in and extracted the students that had taken over the school and were living there. But my professors think the kids will just take it over again.
3. My program took us on an historical tour of Santiago and we went to the cemetery where all the presidents are buried and to Villa Grimaldi. Villa Grimaldi was where they tortured people during the Pinochet era. It was comparable to a concentration camp during WWII. As depressing as it was I’m glad we went because I understand a lot more about Chile’s recent history now.
4. Things I miss: my car, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a tall glass of milk, chick-fil-a, and surprisingly the hot Texas weather (side note: its technically spring but we’ve had a cold front and I’m just dying to get to the beach!).
Besitos,
Gaby
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Teletón (my internship)
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this on my blog or only in skype conversations but through my program I am interning/volunteering at a nonprofit in Valparaíso. It’s called Teletón and it is a nonprofit for children with disabilities (con discapacidades). Basically, I go there once a week for a few hours and work in the recrear (to entertain) area where I get to play with the kids and their siblings while they wait for therapy and other appointments. If you know me at all you know that I absolutely love kids and this is the perfect place for me to be working! Some of the kids ask me about the U.S. and others just laugh at my accent or my inability to understand them. Also it’s interesting to talk to their parents about Chile and Teletón.
In addition to going to Teletón once a week, I also have an internship class where I read articles and such about disabilities and discrimination and integration of people with disabilities and write essays. And all these readings are in Spanish! Sometimes its very difficult to understand medical journals in Spanish because let’s be real, I wouldn’t completely understand them in English either. But it’s definitely a challenge that I welcome with open arms! I don’t read about one specific type of disability, I’m learning about physical, mental and psychological disabilities and how they affect people in Chile. Which is fascinating to learn about because it is very different from the United States in this area.
Unfortunately I’m not allowed to take pictures inside Teletón but if you speak Spanish (or have a lot of time to google translate everything) you can find them on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/teletonchile) and Twitter @Teleton!
In other news I’m going camping again with my mountain sports class this weekend and have tentative plans to go to Mendoza, Argentina the weekend after! I also just finished midterms, yay!
Besitos,
Gaby
In addition to going to Teletón once a week, I also have an internship class where I read articles and such about disabilities and discrimination and integration of people with disabilities and write essays. And all these readings are in Spanish! Sometimes its very difficult to understand medical journals in Spanish because let’s be real, I wouldn’t completely understand them in English either. But it’s definitely a challenge that I welcome with open arms! I don’t read about one specific type of disability, I’m learning about physical, mental and psychological disabilities and how they affect people in Chile. Which is fascinating to learn about because it is very different from the United States in this area.
Unfortunately I’m not allowed to take pictures inside Teletón but if you speak Spanish (or have a lot of time to google translate everything) you can find them on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/teletonchile) and Twitter @Teleton!
In other news I’m going camping again with my mountain sports class this weekend and have tentative plans to go to Mendoza, Argentina the weekend after! I also just finished midterms, yay!
Besitos,
Gaby
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Vacaciones de Primavera (Spring Break)
As promised I have included my pictures from Buenos Aires! But first I want to make a few shout outs to Rory “the anti-chirpse” Davidson for being our wonderful tour guide, to Andrew Crook for being awkward and introducing me to media lunas, Erin Dunk for being fabulous as always and to Andre Boudreaux even though I only got to see him for like a second! Yall made my trip to BA soo unforgettable! Thank you!
A few differences between Chile and Argentina:
1. The people in Argentina are not as friendly. They have this “I’m better than you” air about them that just didn’t appeal to me. I don’t know if it’s specifically a Buenos Aires attitude or all of Argentina.
2. The food in Argentina is more flavorful than in Chile!
3. The people in Buenos Aires are not stuck in the 80s as far as fashion goes. They are more modern.
4. People in Argentina speak slower and clearer than people in Chile. They were so much easier to understand! And now I don’t feel so dumb for struggling to understand Chileans my first few weeks here!
5. I’m really glad I chose to study in a smaller city. Being in Buenos Aires was comparable to New York City. I would have been incredibly overwhelmed if I lived there. Which just goes to show that Viña del Mar was the PERFECT choice for me!
Puente de la Mujer, the bridge made to look like a man and woman dancing tango...its abstract.
Casa Rosada (Pink House) where the president lives!
Obelisco
Trinity friends in Buenos Aires! So magical!
The tomb of Evita in the Recoleta Cementary. It had the most elaborate graves I've ever seen. Not that I spend that much time in cementaries but this one is definitely worth going to.
After my adventure in Buenos Aires I still had a few days of spring break left. So I hopped on a bus to the south of Chile! This is a picture of Volcan Villarrica, the volcano I was supposed to go skiing on! But then it rained and I couldn't. Sad day.
Ojo de Caburgua. It was so incredibly beautiful!
Then I went home to Viña just in time for my 21st birthday!!! This is a picture of my host parents Nancy and Adrián and my good friend Mary Kate (she's another Trinity friend!)
A few differences between Chile and Argentina:
1. The people in Argentina are not as friendly. They have this “I’m better than you” air about them that just didn’t appeal to me. I don’t know if it’s specifically a Buenos Aires attitude or all of Argentina.
2. The food in Argentina is more flavorful than in Chile!
3. The people in Buenos Aires are not stuck in the 80s as far as fashion goes. They are more modern.
4. People in Argentina speak slower and clearer than people in Chile. They were so much easier to understand! And now I don’t feel so dumb for struggling to understand Chileans my first few weeks here!
5. I’m really glad I chose to study in a smaller city. Being in Buenos Aires was comparable to New York City. I would have been incredibly overwhelmed if I lived there. Which just goes to show that Viña del Mar was the PERFECT choice for me!
Puente de la Mujer, the bridge made to look like a man and woman dancing tango...its abstract.
Casa Rosada (Pink House) where the president lives!
Obelisco
Trinity friends in Buenos Aires! So magical!
The tomb of Evita in the Recoleta Cementary. It had the most elaborate graves I've ever seen. Not that I spend that much time in cementaries but this one is definitely worth going to.
After my adventure in Buenos Aires I still had a few days of spring break left. So I hopped on a bus to the south of Chile! This is a picture of Volcan Villarrica, the volcano I was supposed to go skiing on! But then it rained and I couldn't. Sad day.
Ojo de Caburgua. It was so incredibly beautiful!
Then I went home to Viña just in time for my 21st birthday!!! This is a picture of my host parents Nancy and Adrián and my good friend Mary Kate (she's another Trinity friend!)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Comida (FOOD)
Y’all are probably all really curious about I’ve been eating down here in Chile. So just to clarify the food here is NOTHING like Mexican food. If you’ve been envisioning me eating tacos and enchiladas and spicy foods you are mistaken (and weird if you’re imagining what I eat….)
For breakfast every morning I have a small bowl of oatmeal, a piece of toast and usually an orange. Occasionally, I also have some freshly squeezed orange juice too! It’s kind of a plain breakfast but I really like because it’s not that different from what I eat for breakfast at home in Texas.
Lunch is by far the biggest and most formal meal of the day. And believe me when I say that lunch is HUGE! My family had to start giving me smaller portions because I never eat all of my meal. We usually start off with a salad of lettuce, pealed tomatoes (I still haven’t asked why they peal tomatoes, but I still think its weird) and maybe some broccoli. They don’t use salad dressing like we do. They use salt, oil and vinegar or lemon juice as salad dressing. Sometime we have soup too or whole artichokes that we dip in mayonnaise. (side note: I hate mayonnaise and skip this part of the meal).If we don't have soup or artichoke then we will eat empanadas of jamon y queso (ham and cheese). Also they’ll give me just a piece of bread to put pebre (basically salsa) on. Then we have the main course, which varies day to day but almost always has potatoes or rice and chicken many times. Pastel de papa, arroz con pollo, ravioli, portono con riendas (I think that’s what it’s called, it’s a bean and noodle soup). The other dishes have names that I’ve forgotten. But you get the idea. And for dessert we eat fruit! I really like having kiwi but oranges and apples are good too. Sometime Nancy and Adrián will have bananas with honey (platanos con miel) but I’m allergic to bananas so I just stare at them longingly while I eat my kiwi.
Dinner is small and informal and not called dinner. We say tomar té (to have tea) which, I think is just precious and wish more people in the states drank tea! So we’ll have tea with sandwiches of ham and cheese and sometimes after going to the feria (farmers market) we’ll have palta (avocado/guacamole). And if they’ve been to the panaderia we’ll have some kind of pastry for dessert! I especially like this pastry called a berlín, that has a cream filling and powdered sugar on top! Delicious!
Since my meals at home are already prepared/paid for I haven’t eaten out since I got here. I only buy ice cream! And let me tell you, Chileans LOVE their helado (ice cream). Even when I first got here in the dead of winter they were nomming on ice creams cones ALL THE TIME. There’s one ice cream place right on the beach that I have become a regular at! It’s soo yummy and the perfect start or end to a stroll along the beach!
Okay dearest readers I’ve done enough procrastinating in the form of blogging/skyping/cleaning/eating and should probably write my paper that’s due the day after I get back from BUENOS AIRES!! Did I mention that I’m spending my Chilean spring break in BUENOS AIRES!?!?!?! I’m so excited I can hardly stand it! So obviously my new post will be all glorious pictures from my wonderful spring break!
Besitos,
Gaby
For breakfast every morning I have a small bowl of oatmeal, a piece of toast and usually an orange. Occasionally, I also have some freshly squeezed orange juice too! It’s kind of a plain breakfast but I really like because it’s not that different from what I eat for breakfast at home in Texas.
Lunch is by far the biggest and most formal meal of the day. And believe me when I say that lunch is HUGE! My family had to start giving me smaller portions because I never eat all of my meal. We usually start off with a salad of lettuce, pealed tomatoes (I still haven’t asked why they peal tomatoes, but I still think its weird) and maybe some broccoli. They don’t use salad dressing like we do. They use salt, oil and vinegar or lemon juice as salad dressing. Sometime we have soup too or whole artichokes that we dip in mayonnaise. (side note: I hate mayonnaise and skip this part of the meal).If we don't have soup or artichoke then we will eat empanadas of jamon y queso (ham and cheese). Also they’ll give me just a piece of bread to put pebre (basically salsa) on. Then we have the main course, which varies day to day but almost always has potatoes or rice and chicken many times. Pastel de papa, arroz con pollo, ravioli, portono con riendas (I think that’s what it’s called, it’s a bean and noodle soup). The other dishes have names that I’ve forgotten. But you get the idea. And for dessert we eat fruit! I really like having kiwi but oranges and apples are good too. Sometime Nancy and Adrián will have bananas with honey (platanos con miel) but I’m allergic to bananas so I just stare at them longingly while I eat my kiwi.
Dinner is small and informal and not called dinner. We say tomar té (to have tea) which, I think is just precious and wish more people in the states drank tea! So we’ll have tea with sandwiches of ham and cheese and sometimes after going to the feria (farmers market) we’ll have palta (avocado/guacamole). And if they’ve been to the panaderia we’ll have some kind of pastry for dessert! I especially like this pastry called a berlín, that has a cream filling and powdered sugar on top! Delicious!
Since my meals at home are already prepared/paid for I haven’t eaten out since I got here. I only buy ice cream! And let me tell you, Chileans LOVE their helado (ice cream). Even when I first got here in the dead of winter they were nomming on ice creams cones ALL THE TIME. There’s one ice cream place right on the beach that I have become a regular at! It’s soo yummy and the perfect start or end to a stroll along the beach!
Okay dearest readers I’ve done enough procrastinating in the form of blogging/skyping/cleaning/eating and should probably write my paper that’s due the day after I get back from BUENOS AIRES!! Did I mention that I’m spending my Chilean spring break in BUENOS AIRES!?!?!?! I’m so excited I can hardly stand it! So obviously my new post will be all glorious pictures from my wonderful spring break!
Besitos,
Gaby
Thursday, September 1, 2011
CAMPING (yes this is what you think it is)
A Vocabulary Lesson:
Colchoneta- pad you put under your sleeping bag (which I did not have and my professor told me "vas a morir de frío"luckily my tent mates shared theirs)
Saco de dormir- sleeping bag
Carpa-tent
Cocinilla-little mini camping stove top
For those of you who I haven’t talked to in a million years this will be news to you, I am in a Mountain Sports class (deporte de montaña). Yes, I know I’m not the most outdoorsy or athletic person. But trust me, this is the best decision of my life. Our first excursion a few weeks ago was to go rock climbing and rapelling. I’ve been rock climbing before…you know like on a dinky little rock wall at summer camp. This was a real rock on a mountain. I was kinda scared but at the same time I was thinking to myself I just went rock climbing in Chile!!!! Wahooo!!!!!
Anyway, our second excursion this past weekend was a camping trip to Cerro Roble. So in true Gaby fashion I waited till the day before to buy all my supplies with my group at the Lider (Chilean Walmart). I’m so excited because this is the first time I’ve been camping in twenty years! Friday comes around and I’m so excited (I hope you are now singing Rebecca Black’s Friday in your head). We take the metro and a bus ride to get to the bottom of the Cerro. Once we arrive our professors inform us that there is a 90% chance of rain that night…why are we here if it’s going to rain??? I’m still not really sure about the answer to that question. But I’ve learned that I’m never in control here and to just go with the flow.
We start up the mountain and it’s beautiful and I’m having a great time hiking up the cerro. When it starts to get dark I get to use my linterna frontal (basically the forehead flashlight you wear like a miner). It’s so awesome and I look really cool AND I’m putting those hiking boots to good use! We finally reach the campgrounds, which have cow pies all over (I’m not sure why the cows are in the mountains but whatever). After kicking the cow pies out of the way we pitch our tent! After the tent is set up we cook the most delicious soup and PB&J sandwiches I’ve ever had. Seriously. It was amazing. Then it was time to go to bed before the rain started and we got soaked.
I’m at the point where I’m almost asleep when I hear the rain start. Great, now I’ll never fall asleep because I’m too nervous that the rain will soak through the tent. I try to calm down and sleep but then I hear the ferocious winds blowing. Oh dear, our tent is going to blow away! I keep trying to sleep but now I’m freezing and scared our tent is about to get blown off the mountain. And then it happens, I feel freezing cold water on my arm that’s not good. So I readjust and keep trying to sleep and keep failing.
Finally morning comes and our professor is walking from tent to tent giving important instructions. He comes to ours and says (in Spanish of course) “don’t get out of your tent it’s still dark out and there is snow on the ground.” SNOW?!?! No wonder I was so cold!!! I now don’t feel like such a big baby for being cold and unable to sleep all night. But now what? I’m not hiking in the snow to come back and sleep another night in this tent that is covered in snow/rain. Luckily I didn’t have to because our professors informed us that it was too dangerous to go hiking and that we would just go back. Which of course meant hiking down the slippery snow and mud covered cerro.
It was still snowing when we began hiking back down, which made it difficult and we moved at a very slow pace. Good thing because the mud was super inconvenient. But then we get to where the stream is and its like a rainforest on this portion of the mountain! Green leafy trees everywhere and water! And not that much mud. We keep walking and make it back to the bus that takes us to the metro station. Then I finally get home!!!! And it’s a beautiful sunny day in Viña when I arrive. I then spend the rest of the day/night sleeping (only after I showered and ate a real meal).
And that is the story of my very first camping experience! I feel like after this, the next excursion and my trip to Machu Picchu will be a piece of cake! And good news I didn’t get sick! And even though this whole story probably makes it sound like its was awful (and the weather was awful) I still had a wonderful time! We were all tired but happy because otherwise we would have started panicking about the snow and such. Well anyway, I hope yall enjoyed this adventurous story as much as I enjoyed living it!
Till next time
Besitos
Gaby
Colchoneta- pad you put under your sleeping bag (which I did not have and my professor told me "vas a morir de frío"luckily my tent mates shared theirs)
Saco de dormir- sleeping bag
Carpa-tent
Cocinilla-little mini camping stove top
For those of you who I haven’t talked to in a million years this will be news to you, I am in a Mountain Sports class (deporte de montaña). Yes, I know I’m not the most outdoorsy or athletic person. But trust me, this is the best decision of my life. Our first excursion a few weeks ago was to go rock climbing and rapelling. I’ve been rock climbing before…you know like on a dinky little rock wall at summer camp. This was a real rock on a mountain. I was kinda scared but at the same time I was thinking to myself I just went rock climbing in Chile!!!! Wahooo!!!!!
Anyway, our second excursion this past weekend was a camping trip to Cerro Roble. So in true Gaby fashion I waited till the day before to buy all my supplies with my group at the Lider (Chilean Walmart). I’m so excited because this is the first time I’ve been camping in twenty years! Friday comes around and I’m so excited (I hope you are now singing Rebecca Black’s Friday in your head). We take the metro and a bus ride to get to the bottom of the Cerro. Once we arrive our professors inform us that there is a 90% chance of rain that night…why are we here if it’s going to rain??? I’m still not really sure about the answer to that question. But I’ve learned that I’m never in control here and to just go with the flow.
We start up the mountain and it’s beautiful and I’m having a great time hiking up the cerro. When it starts to get dark I get to use my linterna frontal (basically the forehead flashlight you wear like a miner). It’s so awesome and I look really cool AND I’m putting those hiking boots to good use! We finally reach the campgrounds, which have cow pies all over (I’m not sure why the cows are in the mountains but whatever). After kicking the cow pies out of the way we pitch our tent! After the tent is set up we cook the most delicious soup and PB&J sandwiches I’ve ever had. Seriously. It was amazing. Then it was time to go to bed before the rain started and we got soaked.
I’m at the point where I’m almost asleep when I hear the rain start. Great, now I’ll never fall asleep because I’m too nervous that the rain will soak through the tent. I try to calm down and sleep but then I hear the ferocious winds blowing. Oh dear, our tent is going to blow away! I keep trying to sleep but now I’m freezing and scared our tent is about to get blown off the mountain. And then it happens, I feel freezing cold water on my arm that’s not good. So I readjust and keep trying to sleep and keep failing.
Finally morning comes and our professor is walking from tent to tent giving important instructions. He comes to ours and says (in Spanish of course) “don’t get out of your tent it’s still dark out and there is snow on the ground.” SNOW?!?! No wonder I was so cold!!! I now don’t feel like such a big baby for being cold and unable to sleep all night. But now what? I’m not hiking in the snow to come back and sleep another night in this tent that is covered in snow/rain. Luckily I didn’t have to because our professors informed us that it was too dangerous to go hiking and that we would just go back. Which of course meant hiking down the slippery snow and mud covered cerro.
It was still snowing when we began hiking back down, which made it difficult and we moved at a very slow pace. Good thing because the mud was super inconvenient. But then we get to where the stream is and its like a rainforest on this portion of the mountain! Green leafy trees everywhere and water! And not that much mud. We keep walking and make it back to the bus that takes us to the metro station. Then I finally get home!!!! And it’s a beautiful sunny day in Viña when I arrive. I then spend the rest of the day/night sleeping (only after I showered and ate a real meal).
And that is the story of my very first camping experience! I feel like after this, the next excursion and my trip to Machu Picchu will be a piece of cake! And good news I didn’t get sick! And even though this whole story probably makes it sound like its was awful (and the weather was awful) I still had a wonderful time! We were all tired but happy because otherwise we would have started panicking about the snow and such. Well anyway, I hope yall enjoyed this adventurous story as much as I enjoyed living it!
Till next time
Besitos
Gaby
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Business in the front/Party in the back....?
Do you love the 80s???? Like really really love the 80s???
If you said yes then you should most definitely make your way down to Chile, because they are stuck in the 80s as far as fashion goes!!
For men the mullet is the ONLY acceptable haircut here (insert barfing noises). I am not kidding. This is not a joke. Mullets are everywhere I go and I always want to take pictures but I’m too scared they’ll notice and ask me questions, or worse break my camera!!! But anyway, if the regular old mullet is too tame for you I’ve seen a mullet that makes all the other mullets look…well almost normal. I am talking about the infamous dread/mullet combo!!!!!!!!! That’s right business in the front, dreads in the back. It involves super short hair in the front and dreads that don’t quite reach your butt in the back. I almost vommed everywhere when I first saw this ‘do’ so now when I see regular old mullets I am relieved.
Men’s fashion is mostly high top sneakers with your choice of either acid wash jeans OR white jeans. Then on top they have the lovely crew neck sweatshirts or northface looking jackets (side note: If you wear actual northface here it is very VERY obvious that you are a foreigner).
Now for the ladies the hair is not so extreme. Many Chilean women just have very long hair, but unfortunately it’s not 80s voluminous hair with a whole can of hairspray in it. They also wear the crew neck sweatshirts along with scarves that mostly have floral patterns on them. They wear this under their leather jackets! The girls either wear acid wash skinny jeans/jeggings or leggings as pants. But these are not just your regular everyday black leggings (how boring would that be?!) these are patterned leggings. Usually floral patterns once again. For shoes the girls also wear the high top sneaks OR ankle boots that more often than not have heels. Why you would wear boots with heels when you walk on uneven sidewalks all day, I do not know! But they do!
So there you go! A lovely description of Chilean fashion. I REALLY hope that the 80s make a come back in the states so that all my friends born after the 80s can witness this glorious sight!
Besitos,
Gaby
If you said yes then you should most definitely make your way down to Chile, because they are stuck in the 80s as far as fashion goes!!
For men the mullet is the ONLY acceptable haircut here (insert barfing noises). I am not kidding. This is not a joke. Mullets are everywhere I go and I always want to take pictures but I’m too scared they’ll notice and ask me questions, or worse break my camera!!! But anyway, if the regular old mullet is too tame for you I’ve seen a mullet that makes all the other mullets look…well almost normal. I am talking about the infamous dread/mullet combo!!!!!!!!! That’s right business in the front, dreads in the back. It involves super short hair in the front and dreads that don’t quite reach your butt in the back. I almost vommed everywhere when I first saw this ‘do’ so now when I see regular old mullets I am relieved.
Men’s fashion is mostly high top sneakers with your choice of either acid wash jeans OR white jeans. Then on top they have the lovely crew neck sweatshirts or northface looking jackets (side note: If you wear actual northface here it is very VERY obvious that you are a foreigner).
Now for the ladies the hair is not so extreme. Many Chilean women just have very long hair, but unfortunately it’s not 80s voluminous hair with a whole can of hairspray in it. They also wear the crew neck sweatshirts along with scarves that mostly have floral patterns on them. They wear this under their leather jackets! The girls either wear acid wash skinny jeans/jeggings or leggings as pants. But these are not just your regular everyday black leggings (how boring would that be?!) these are patterned leggings. Usually floral patterns once again. For shoes the girls also wear the high top sneaks OR ankle boots that more often than not have heels. Why you would wear boots with heels when you walk on uneven sidewalks all day, I do not know! But they do!
So there you go! A lovely description of Chilean fashion. I REALLY hope that the 80s make a come back in the states so that all my friends born after the 80s can witness this glorious sight!
Besitos,
Gaby
Monday, August 15, 2011
La Vida Diario (daily life)
And now a day in the life....in pictures!!!
First I wake up and open the blinds and see this
After eating breakfast and getting ready for school I go to the bus stop wait around till I see the right one and hop on a micro.
Okay this isn't actually the micro I take, mine is blue and much prettier.
And here is Plaza Miraflores, which is where I get off the micro then walk across a bridge to my school. I'd give more details but I'm becoming Chilean so I will just tell you the bare bones of my walk to school.
This is my school! But remember this building is actually an empty high school, the university is in another location that I'm not allowed to go to because of the protests being violent and all. But good news! They put a microonda (microwave) in the school, so no more weird sandwiches for me!
After a long day of classes (okay I actually only had one class today and it didn't start until 11:45). I retire to my bedroom to do some of my reading for my one class. And this is the view from my desk.
Well I hope you all enjoyed seeing instead of reading about my daily adventures!
Hopefully the next post I can update you on Chilean fashion :)
Abrazos,
Gaby
Saturday, August 6, 2011
La Huelga (Strike)
Before I tell all of you about my first week of school I feel like I should explain why the Chileans students are protesting. That way all of you gringos (whiteys) will understand why my first week of school was so absurd.
The college students all over Chile are protesting the price of education here. Basically what has happened is the education system has become a way for the government to make money, making the price of education very expensive (much like in the U.S. let’s be real, it’s RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE). But unlike in the U.S. they don’t give out scholarships for every little thing to help the families pay. So that being said the low/middle class are unable to pay for college without taking out an obscene amount of loans, which take years and years to pay back. (Hmmm doesn’t all of this sound familiar). Now the biggest difference is that if you do not go to college and instead get a job directly after high school you are pretty much stuck with that low paying job for the rest of your life. There’s really no way to move up the corporate ladder here. Which means that if you have a minimum wage job you can’t pay for your kids education so they have to get low paying jobs and can’t pay for their kids education etc. etc. It’s a vicious cycle.
So when you hear this you think to yourself “wow, no wonder these students are protesting! They want to be able to better themselves and their future children!” Well yes and no. Because then you hear that not only do they want lower prices on education, they want FREE education. And that is a huge problem because there is no possible way to have free colleges. Now not all of the students are this extreme in what they are asking for (only the communist ones, according to my host dad).
Hopefully that cleared up a few things about what is happening down here. (Side note: Before I continue I want everyone to know that I AM SAFE and AM BEING CAREFUL).
Okay so First Week of School, I was signed up for 20 classes (not 20 credits, TWENTY CLASSES) so obviously I skipped out on quite a few. Monday-Wednesday classes went as scheduled mostly in the locations we were told (some were moved last minute, Oh you silly Chileans always keeping us on our toes!) Then Thursday there were huge violent protests at our school (Like tear gas and water cannons violent), so to keep all the extranjeros (foreigners) safe our classes were moved to a completely different location for the time being. It was nice that they wanted us to be safe, but it kinda sucks not knowing what bus to take/how long it will take to get to school. Luckily, I figured it out and Monday I will know where to go (and to bring a sandwich for lunch because this location does NOT have a microwave. I learned that only after Nancy packed me a lunch that needed to be heated up.)
Overall I think my classes shouldn’t be too difficult. Except for the fact that they are college level courses taught only in Spanish and some of my professors speak incredibly fast and have illegible handwriting. AWESOME. NOT. Despite that and the strikes I am hopeful that I will find a way to become friends with real Chileans. Maybe I can get them to do my homework for me since they will be bored to tears what with the whole no classes thing going on.
Besitos,
Gaby
Below are some pictures of my school building Casa Central
The college students all over Chile are protesting the price of education here. Basically what has happened is the education system has become a way for the government to make money, making the price of education very expensive (much like in the U.S. let’s be real, it’s RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE). But unlike in the U.S. they don’t give out scholarships for every little thing to help the families pay. So that being said the low/middle class are unable to pay for college without taking out an obscene amount of loans, which take years and years to pay back. (Hmmm doesn’t all of this sound familiar). Now the biggest difference is that if you do not go to college and instead get a job directly after high school you are pretty much stuck with that low paying job for the rest of your life. There’s really no way to move up the corporate ladder here. Which means that if you have a minimum wage job you can’t pay for your kids education so they have to get low paying jobs and can’t pay for their kids education etc. etc. It’s a vicious cycle.
So when you hear this you think to yourself “wow, no wonder these students are protesting! They want to be able to better themselves and their future children!” Well yes and no. Because then you hear that not only do they want lower prices on education, they want FREE education. And that is a huge problem because there is no possible way to have free colleges. Now not all of the students are this extreme in what they are asking for (only the communist ones, according to my host dad).
Hopefully that cleared up a few things about what is happening down here. (Side note: Before I continue I want everyone to know that I AM SAFE and AM BEING CAREFUL).
Okay so First Week of School, I was signed up for 20 classes (not 20 credits, TWENTY CLASSES) so obviously I skipped out on quite a few. Monday-Wednesday classes went as scheduled mostly in the locations we were told (some were moved last minute, Oh you silly Chileans always keeping us on our toes!) Then Thursday there were huge violent protests at our school (Like tear gas and water cannons violent), so to keep all the extranjeros (foreigners) safe our classes were moved to a completely different location for the time being. It was nice that they wanted us to be safe, but it kinda sucks not knowing what bus to take/how long it will take to get to school. Luckily, I figured it out and Monday I will know where to go (and to bring a sandwich for lunch because this location does NOT have a microwave. I learned that only after Nancy packed me a lunch that needed to be heated up.)
Overall I think my classes shouldn’t be too difficult. Except for the fact that they are college level courses taught only in Spanish and some of my professors speak incredibly fast and have illegible handwriting. AWESOME. NOT. Despite that and the strikes I am hopeful that I will find a way to become friends with real Chileans. Maybe I can get them to do my homework for me since they will be bored to tears what with the whole no classes thing going on.
Besitos,
Gaby
Below are some pictures of my school building Casa Central
Monday, August 1, 2011
OUT OF CONTROL!
After living in Vina del mar for a little over a week, I have a new found appreciation for anyone and everyone that lives/works/studies/whatever in a country that does not speak their primary language. Because these people are either incredibly brave or completely insane! (You decide which category I fall into)
It can be very frustrating at times when I understand what people are asking me but I can only give one or two word answers. Even though I really want to be able to elaborate on my day or my daily routine at home or just ask questions in general, I lack the vocabulary to do this. For this reason I have so many problems trying to conversate with these crazy Chileans! And it makes me think about all the people who move to the good ole US of A not knowing English and how a lot of times we think of it as a handicap (not knowing English). When really they’re probably smarter than us because they figured out how to get a job even though they don’t speak the language. So to these people I say RESPECT.
Now I know y’all are probably wondering by now “Gaby, how the heck do you get around this awesome city without a car??” Oh don’t worry I am about to tell you my tales of public transportation in Chile. You don’t want to miss it!
1. My primary mode of transportation during the day is walking (good thing my hiking boots are all broken in!!) Many places in Vina del mar are within walking distance for me, including the beach (la playa)! Can you say #winning?!?! I can also walk to the mall, many other apartments/houses, and various other places that have escaped my memory at this moment.
2. Unfortunately, I have to take the micro (bus) to get to and from school. Well let me just start with this, remember how Chileans don’t follow any rules when speaking? Yeah, they don’t follow any rules when driving either. Entiendes (Understand)? There are many bus stops scattered throughout the city, however there is no schedule. You never know when a bus just might happen to drive by the stop to pick you up. And if one does you better hope they slow down enough to let you on. (side note: look at the signs on the bus to see where they are going, you don’t want to get lsot!) Okay so now you have flagged down a micro and are on your way to school, congratulations you’re half way there! Now you have to know exactly where you need to get off, otherwise the micro will not stop and you will be stuck on that stinkin bus forever! NOT GOOD. When you see your stop coming up just stand and walk to the front of the bus, then push a little button to let the driver know you need to get off. If you miss your stop never fear, the driver will stop where there is no designated stop, sometimes they’ll even let you off in the middle of traffic!
3. Another mode of transportation is the metro, similar to the subways in New York or DC or other big cities. The metro is more reliable than the micros (but then again its difficult to be less reliable than the micros!) The metros have set schedules and stops and are smoother rides than the micro. However, it is quite a walk from my humble abode to the metro station so I take the more adventurous mode of transportation, the micro!
4. There are also two types of taxis, the colectivos and the radiotaxis. The colectivos you flag down like in New York. The radiotaxis you call a number and they send a car to pick you up. Radiotaxis are safer.
So there you go, a guide to public transport in Chile. If you ever come to visit you should be able to successfully navigate your way around Vina del Mar/Valparaiso. And hopefully you my readers, now have an appreciation for all the extranjeros (foreigners) out there!
Besitos,
Gaby
P.S. My next post will be all about my first week of school! (I know school on August 1 HOLY COW that’s early!)
It can be very frustrating at times when I understand what people are asking me but I can only give one or two word answers. Even though I really want to be able to elaborate on my day or my daily routine at home or just ask questions in general, I lack the vocabulary to do this. For this reason I have so many problems trying to conversate with these crazy Chileans! And it makes me think about all the people who move to the good ole US of A not knowing English and how a lot of times we think of it as a handicap (not knowing English). When really they’re probably smarter than us because they figured out how to get a job even though they don’t speak the language. So to these people I say RESPECT.
Now I know y’all are probably wondering by now “Gaby, how the heck do you get around this awesome city without a car??” Oh don’t worry I am about to tell you my tales of public transportation in Chile. You don’t want to miss it!
1. My primary mode of transportation during the day is walking (good thing my hiking boots are all broken in!!) Many places in Vina del mar are within walking distance for me, including the beach (la playa)! Can you say #winning?!?! I can also walk to the mall, many other apartments/houses, and various other places that have escaped my memory at this moment.
2. Unfortunately, I have to take the micro (bus) to get to and from school. Well let me just start with this, remember how Chileans don’t follow any rules when speaking? Yeah, they don’t follow any rules when driving either. Entiendes (Understand)? There are many bus stops scattered throughout the city, however there is no schedule. You never know when a bus just might happen to drive by the stop to pick you up. And if one does you better hope they slow down enough to let you on. (side note: look at the signs on the bus to see where they are going, you don’t want to get lsot!) Okay so now you have flagged down a micro and are on your way to school, congratulations you’re half way there! Now you have to know exactly where you need to get off, otherwise the micro will not stop and you will be stuck on that stinkin bus forever! NOT GOOD. When you see your stop coming up just stand and walk to the front of the bus, then push a little button to let the driver know you need to get off. If you miss your stop never fear, the driver will stop where there is no designated stop, sometimes they’ll even let you off in the middle of traffic!
3. Another mode of transportation is the metro, similar to the subways in New York or DC or other big cities. The metro is more reliable than the micros (but then again its difficult to be less reliable than the micros!) The metros have set schedules and stops and are smoother rides than the micro. However, it is quite a walk from my humble abode to the metro station so I take the more adventurous mode of transportation, the micro!
4. There are also two types of taxis, the colectivos and the radiotaxis. The colectivos you flag down like in New York. The radiotaxis you call a number and they send a car to pick you up. Radiotaxis are safer.
So there you go, a guide to public transport in Chile. If you ever come to visit you should be able to successfully navigate your way around Vina del Mar/Valparaiso. And hopefully you my readers, now have an appreciation for all the extranjeros (foreigners) out there!
Besitos,
Gaby
P.S. My next post will be all about my first week of school! (I know school on August 1 HOLY COW that’s early!)
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Tranquilo (Calm)
Things I’ve learned so far:
1. Chileans DO NOT speak real Spanish. They shorten almost every word. They use the first person singular when they actually mean the second person singular. And they have slang words I’m trying to learn, just like any other country/language.
2. When people told me that Chilean’s eat big lunches, they did not do these lunches justice! They are huge and one of the main foods is bread. I have never felt so bad about not finishing a meal as I have at pretty much every meal we’ve had here so far. If you don’t know already I don’t really eat all that much. What can I say, I’m little.
3. Most of the people in my program are from either Colorado or Northern states. I’m the only Texan and they were all incredibly disappointed that I didn’t fit all the stereotypes. Sorry…?
4. Polvo, which you learn in school means dust. It also means sex, so be careful of what context you use it in….awkward.
5. Chileans go out later and stay out longer when partying than Americans do (well for the most part I guess). Some of the siblings in people’s host families didn’t return to their homes until 6 in the morning! It’s crazy, no wonder they eat dinner so late!
6. Americans are terrible at soccer (futbol). We played a game during orientation against the male employees of the hotel we stayed at. Basically it was embarrassing. But since I don’t play I just watched and laughed!
So now a little information about my host family! I live in an apartment in Vina del Mar with my Chilean parents. My parents are Nancy (I know NANCY!!! So white) and Adrian and they are the absolute best host family ever! It’s just the three of us because they are grandparents and their only son lives in an apartment with his daughters on the floor above us. Nancy and Adrian are so patient with my mediocre (at best) Spanish. (side note: Chileans don’t call it Espanol they use the word Castellano to mean Spanish.) And luckily Adrian speaks a little English so I can ask him for words I don’t remember or know in Spanish. In their apartment I have my own room and my own bathroom!! It’s totally awesome (or as the Chileans would say “que bacan!”)
Today Nancy took me to buy a cell phone and show me around. We even took the bus (micro) to Valparaiso! I saw the university I’m supposed to go to but couldn’t go in because all the doors are locked and blocked by furniture because of the strikes. There are also signs all over the schools saying things about not paying for an education and taking action. So I’m still not sure if I’ll be able to take classes there. I might only take classes through the international programs.
Nancy and Adrian are so sweet and keep telling me how Vina del Mar is so “tranquilo” or calm and quiet. The city is bigger than I had imagined but so far I think they’re right. It’s a quiet little beach town. They tell me (in Castellano) to not be nervous that Vina del Mar is very tranquilo and they are here for me if I have any problems of questions. In short I’m loving it here already and it hasn’t even been a whole week yet! Hopefully, I still love it when classes start August 1!!
Besitos,
Gaby
1. Chileans DO NOT speak real Spanish. They shorten almost every word. They use the first person singular when they actually mean the second person singular. And they have slang words I’m trying to learn, just like any other country/language.
2. When people told me that Chilean’s eat big lunches, they did not do these lunches justice! They are huge and one of the main foods is bread. I have never felt so bad about not finishing a meal as I have at pretty much every meal we’ve had here so far. If you don’t know already I don’t really eat all that much. What can I say, I’m little.
3. Most of the people in my program are from either Colorado or Northern states. I’m the only Texan and they were all incredibly disappointed that I didn’t fit all the stereotypes. Sorry…?
4. Polvo, which you learn in school means dust. It also means sex, so be careful of what context you use it in….awkward.
5. Chileans go out later and stay out longer when partying than Americans do (well for the most part I guess). Some of the siblings in people’s host families didn’t return to their homes until 6 in the morning! It’s crazy, no wonder they eat dinner so late!
6. Americans are terrible at soccer (futbol). We played a game during orientation against the male employees of the hotel we stayed at. Basically it was embarrassing. But since I don’t play I just watched and laughed!
So now a little information about my host family! I live in an apartment in Vina del Mar with my Chilean parents. My parents are Nancy (I know NANCY!!! So white) and Adrian and they are the absolute best host family ever! It’s just the three of us because they are grandparents and their only son lives in an apartment with his daughters on the floor above us. Nancy and Adrian are so patient with my mediocre (at best) Spanish. (side note: Chileans don’t call it Espanol they use the word Castellano to mean Spanish.) And luckily Adrian speaks a little English so I can ask him for words I don’t remember or know in Spanish. In their apartment I have my own room and my own bathroom!! It’s totally awesome (or as the Chileans would say “que bacan!”)
Today Nancy took me to buy a cell phone and show me around. We even took the bus (micro) to Valparaiso! I saw the university I’m supposed to go to but couldn’t go in because all the doors are locked and blocked by furniture because of the strikes. There are also signs all over the schools saying things about not paying for an education and taking action. So I’m still not sure if I’ll be able to take classes there. I might only take classes through the international programs.
Nancy and Adrian are so sweet and keep telling me how Vina del Mar is so “tranquilo” or calm and quiet. The city is bigger than I had imagined but so far I think they’re right. It’s a quiet little beach town. They tell me (in Castellano) to not be nervous that Vina del Mar is very tranquilo and they are here for me if I have any problems of questions. In short I’m loving it here already and it hasn’t even been a whole week yet! Hopefully, I still love it when classes start August 1!!
Besitos,
Gaby
Friday, July 15, 2011
Antes de la Salida (pre departure)
As most of you, dear readers, know I will be spending this up coming semester in Valparaiso, Chile. What you may not know is that I leave for this grand adventure in four days!!!!! (side note: I use an excessive amount of exclamation points! Get used to it!)
How do you prepare to spend an entire semester in South America? Well I am about to tell you, get excited!
First, you read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Spanish. This was a great idea because I got to re-live my childhood and use some brain cells! So now I know how to say wand and owl and cupboard in Spanish. These words should be incredibly useful when I arrive J In addition I’ve also been listening to lots of Shakira and watching the occasional telenovela!
Second, you wear your awesome new hiking boots everywhere in order to break them in and not get blisters and look silly when you trek across South America. I’m sure my hiking boots becoming my newest fashion statement didn’t embarrass my family one bit!
Third, you must be successful in acquiring your student visa. This means you become besties with the people who work for FBI customer service while they process your background check (side note: I have their number saved in my phone because of this.)
Fourth, you go to Target to buy everything imaginable! I just did this as my first step in the packing process and have that feeling that I must have forgotten something! Hopefully it wasn’t important!
A few more things before I leave,
1. Vive el Idioma (Live the Language) is what I intend to do in Chile. The question I get asked most often when I tell people I’m studying abroad is “What will you be doing?” Living the language, that is what I will be doing.
2. I sign up for classes once I get there, so I have no idea what classes I’ll be taking. And there is a strike in Chile so the classes I take at the Chilean University (not through my program) may not start on time. More play time for me!
3. Shout out to Jessie Burch, Morgan Dudley and Paul Byars, who answered my many questions about Chile and packing and traveling! Y’all are the best!
On a more serious note I am finally realizing that this is not just a short little vacation, I will be in Chile until December. This is so strange to me and I don’t think I’ll fully wrap my head around it until I arrive and get settled. Don’t get me wrong I’m incredibly excited for this new adventure and slightly nervous, which I think is a perfect mixture of emotions at this point in time.
Well that’s all for now! Let me know if you like my blog and I will keep posting. Hopefully once I get there I will have some crazy/awesome/funny stories to entertain my devoted readers!
Besos y Abrazos (hugs and kisses),
Gaby
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