This final entry concludes the Chile adventure. Thanks to all those who stuck with it and read throughout my time here! (I finished writing these on the plane, so sift back through to see pictures and videos you may have missed.) It’s fun trying to explain experiences I’ve had, but I would encourage you to come yourself and be introduced to this beautiful country. If you want to see complete albums of pictures, you can check out facebook.
Thanks again!
much love,
anna
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Santiago Pt 2
After seeing our new KY friends off, Karen, Alex and I headed back into the city to find the Case household. Cliff and his wife, Cynthia, were kind enough to let us crash for the evening. In the morning Cliff had coffee (regular) and oaty muffins ready for us when we woke up. We heard some great stories about the differences in Uruguay and Chilean Spanish, one being ‘y’ makes a “shzuh” sound…like the French ‘j’. Another one: instead of saying Esta bien they say ‘ta’ (on the phone). So like we would say, “uh huh, yeah, mmhmm, yep”…they say “ta, ta…ta, ta, ta, ta…” Anyway…
That morning I had a dream which I shared with the group which determined the rest of the day. I dreamt that we were in Santiago and Jose, Karen’s Korean neighbor in Viña, called me on the phone. I couldn’t understand him because he spoke Spanish (but I’m counting that as dreaming in Spanish, which means I really am learning quickly!!). Then I dreamt that it was Alex’s birthday, so we walked around town and found cheese cake to celebrate.
My dream came true on all accounts except for the phone call. Karen took us down to the capitol building and we explored the museum underneath the front park area. There was an exhibit on Violeta Parra, a famous Chilean singer, poet and artist, and an interesting exhibit on Easter Island. After that we used the walking streets looking at vendors and demonstrations. Alex bought a cooking tool, a roller to cut pasta and make empanadas. We drooled over the donut maker (the donuts weren’t for free) and watched kids learn how to draw using this pink mirror thing…not quite sure…
We found lunch at a Chinese restaurant—still so good, no matter what continent you’re on! Then we headed to the central plaza. We watched two one-man-bands dance and perform for tips, checked out the art work—a lot of paintings were of Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. We saw the cathedral and the History of Chile museum before we had to head back toward the car.
Destination Case house was interesting just because of public transportation. We put money on a Bip! card to use on the metro and bus. I think Santiago is the biggest city I’ve ever been in. You know it’s big when you’re waiting at the bus stop with a crowd of people and unable to get on the first bus (which is actually 2 buses in length—there’s an accordion attachment between them) that comes by the stop. And when you actually get on the bus, it’s literally standing room only—you’re touched by people from all sides.
We stayed for a cup of tea, then loaded our things and headed to the air port. With a Ciao Cheesecake (Nutella flavored) to celebrate goodbyes—not birthdays, we had one last moment before my plane took off.
That morning I had a dream which I shared with the group which determined the rest of the day. I dreamt that we were in Santiago and Jose, Karen’s Korean neighbor in Viña, called me on the phone. I couldn’t understand him because he spoke Spanish (but I’m counting that as dreaming in Spanish, which means I really am learning quickly!!). Then I dreamt that it was Alex’s birthday, so we walked around town and found cheese cake to celebrate.
My dream came true on all accounts except for the phone call. Karen took us down to the capitol building and we explored the museum underneath the front park area. There was an exhibit on Violeta Parra, a famous Chilean singer, poet and artist, and an interesting exhibit on Easter Island. After that we used the walking streets looking at vendors and demonstrations. Alex bought a cooking tool, a roller to cut pasta and make empanadas. We drooled over the donut maker (the donuts weren’t for free) and watched kids learn how to draw using this pink mirror thing…not quite sure…
We found lunch at a Chinese restaurant—still so good, no matter what continent you’re on! Then we headed to the central plaza. We watched two one-man-bands dance and perform for tips, checked out the art work—a lot of paintings were of Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. We saw the cathedral and the History of Chile museum before we had to head back toward the car.
Destination Case house was interesting just because of public transportation. We put money on a Bip! card to use on the metro and bus. I think Santiago is the biggest city I’ve ever been in. You know it’s big when you’re waiting at the bus stop with a crowd of people and unable to get on the first bus (which is actually 2 buses in length—there’s an accordion attachment between them) that comes by the stop. And when you actually get on the bus, it’s literally standing room only—you’re touched by people from all sides.
We stayed for a cup of tea, then loaded our things and headed to the air port. With a Ciao Cheesecake (Nutella flavored) to celebrate goodbyes—not birthdays, we had one last moment before my plane took off.
Santiago
Thanks to Delta, I was given one more day to explore a little more of Chile. We left for Santiago with the KY group around 10am on Monday and got to Santiago around noonish. My heart broke a little to leave Viña and say goodbye to the ocean. Will I see it again?
Karen took us through downtown Santiago and gave us the drive by tour of the capitol building, University of Chile, etc. We wound up at the end of the city at an old monastery-turned-artisan shop. We ate a traditional Chilean meal—I had corn pie (Pastel de Choclo) which was baked creamed corn with chicken, beef, onions, a boiled egg, and an olive (of course!) Jerry tried the Chorrillana, or what Alexandra calls “heart attack on a plate.” It’s French fries covered with beef, sausage, onions and a fried egg. VERY tasty!
Alex and I wandered around looking at pottery, scarves, pets for sale and paintings. I found a few goodies then met the group and a missionary from Santiago, Cliff. Cliff and his son Clayton guided us back through Santiago up to the statue of Mary up on the hill. They told Alex and I about Geo cashes they’ve found on this hill and their time serving in Uruguay.
The hike up to Mary wasn’t too rough. Looking out over the city of 7 mil people laid out before the Andes Mountains was quite the site!
Karen took us through downtown Santiago and gave us the drive by tour of the capitol building, University of Chile, etc. We wound up at the end of the city at an old monastery-turned-artisan shop. We ate a traditional Chilean meal—I had corn pie (Pastel de Choclo) which was baked creamed corn with chicken, beef, onions, a boiled egg, and an olive (of course!) Jerry tried the Chorrillana, or what Alexandra calls “heart attack on a plate.” It’s French fries covered with beef, sausage, onions and a fried egg. VERY tasty!
Alex and I wandered around looking at pottery, scarves, pets for sale and paintings. I found a few goodies then met the group and a missionary from Santiago, Cliff. Cliff and his son Clayton guided us back through Santiago up to the statue of Mary up on the hill. They told Alex and I about Geo cashes they’ve found on this hill and their time serving in Uruguay.
The hike up to Mary wasn’t too rough. Looking out over the city of 7 mil people laid out before the Andes Mountains was quite the site!
Jerry enjoying his "heart attack"
Cat and Alex
Santiago & the AndesVery Chilean
I’ve tried to formulate a list of things that I’ve noticed about Chile you might not see in the states. I thought I’d share…
-Store owners put saw dust in the entryway when it rains, it’s supposed to soak up the water so you don’t slip
-All milk is “long life” which means it can stay on the shelf until you open it
-Chileans heat up their milk before they put it in a hot beverage
-Pet dogs wear clothes in the winter, street dogs don’t
-Chileans say hi and bye to everyone in the room, sometimes twice before they leave
-When you order a drink at a restaurant they only fill the class half full
-Chileans peel everything that has a skin: tomatoes, apples, pears, etc. you can eat the peels, but it’s recommended that you soak and wash first
-Chileans think it’s rude to bring the check to you at a restaurant, you must always ask for it when you’re done
-Usually we eat sandwiches with butter as the spread, not mayo
-It’s called blond sugar, not brown sugar
-They’re called sea wolves, not sea lions
-You keep your cloth napkin in you lap, your paper napkin by your plate
-At meal times, please keep both hands on the table
-Jellies, mayo, yogurt, etc. are most often packaged in plastic bags, not tubs
-Some streets are two ways during the day and one way at night
-You can't turn right on red (driving) unless there's a sign that says you can
-Store owners put saw dust in the entryway when it rains, it’s supposed to soak up the water so you don’t slip
-All milk is “long life” which means it can stay on the shelf until you open it
-Chileans heat up their milk before they put it in a hot beverage
-Pet dogs wear clothes in the winter, street dogs don’t
-Chileans say hi and bye to everyone in the room, sometimes twice before they leave
-When you order a drink at a restaurant they only fill the class half full
-Chileans peel everything that has a skin: tomatoes, apples, pears, etc. you can eat the peels, but it’s recommended that you soak and wash first
-Chileans think it’s rude to bring the check to you at a restaurant, you must always ask for it when you’re done
-Usually we eat sandwiches with butter as the spread, not mayo
-It’s called blond sugar, not brown sugar
-They’re called sea wolves, not sea lions
-You keep your cloth napkin in you lap, your paper napkin by your plate
-At meal times, please keep both hands on the table
-Jellies, mayo, yogurt, etc. are most often packaged in plastic bags, not tubs
-Some streets are two ways during the day and one way at night
-You can't turn right on red (driving) unless there's a sign that says you can
Simple Church
Karen’s neighbors (I may have mentioned before) are Korean missionaries—not IMB related. They have started a Simple Church in their home and they meet on Sunday nights. This Sunday we doubled their attendance with the KY team. It was fun to pull chairs from every room in the house and crowd into the living/dining area. The most meaningful part for me was the singing. We tried to select songs that everyone knew. For some there were verses in Spanish, English and Korean. It’s amazing how so many voices can be heard—and heard clearly—by the One who created it all.
Sunday Afternoon
The KY team once again donned their bandanas and set up sound equipment to sing and perform puppet skits, this time in Plaza O’Higgins in Valpariso. (O’Higgins was the first president of Chile.) The sun was out and the plaza was busy with people coming to look at what the antique collectors were offering for sale. While the puppets performed renditions of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, I was striking up a conversation in English with a woman (pictured) named Monica and her family. She works for UPS and her husband, Alexander works for a telephone company. Their daughters, Fernanda (5 años) and Diana (3 años) were getting ready for winter vacation from school. I explained to Monica that Karen was trying to make contacts for a bible study/simple church to start up in the Valpariso area. I’m praying that they will make contact with Karen and get connected with other Christians. They left during the puppets, but came back while the singing portion of the concert was going on. It was so sweet to be singing and see my new friends waving to me from the crowd.
A Happening 4th
One of the events planned for the KY group was to do a folk concert on the plaza in Cerro Placeres, Valpariaso. Since it was the 4th of July, a combination of American hymns and folk songs were appropriate for the occasion. We sang America the Beautiful, classics like Yankee Doodle, and even a Bob Dylan number. Thanks to my cousin Jerry, minister of music at First Baptist London, we were sounding pretty good.
Unfortunately, nothing went how we would have anticipated. The puppets were left at the house, so we stalled…it began to rain…there was a big soccer match on TV so the crowd was very small…there was a fight over a camera being stolen…not exactly what we had pictured. But, we were able to see real life and needs on that hill that day. Perhaps some kind of testimony in sticking it out was seen by those who were present.
On the eve...
Before the group came from KY Karen and I did some gringo grocery shopping to make them more feel more comfortable. She wanted the 4th of July to be special, so we bought some extra things to make merry the day when it came around.
The night of the 3rd, after a long day of touring the coast, Karen and I headed our way to bed. I had just turned my light out when I heard her starting to blow up balloons. “What are you doing?” I asked, laughing. “Well, I don’t want to get up early and blow them up.” She explained. “Well, give some here.” So, on the eve of the 4th, I in my trundle bed and Karen in her queen, laughed and blew up balloons of 3 patriotic colors.
The night of the 3rd, after a long day of touring the coast, Karen and I headed our way to bed. I had just turned my light out when I heard her starting to blow up balloons. “What are you doing?” I asked, laughing. “Well, I don’t want to get up early and blow them up.” She explained. “Well, give some here.” So, on the eve of the 4th, I in my trundle bed and Karen in her queen, laughed and blew up balloons of 3 patriotic colors.
Living in a small city
Alison invited me to go to her youth group that meets on Friday nights. Since the last time I could have gone with her was cancelled because of rain, I made the effort to head down the hill to meet her there. Now, in a city of 400k people, and just being a visitor for 3 weeks, one does not expect to run into someone you know. But it happened. Julio, from the neighbor’s house church, stepped off a bus and called my name. I’ve heard it said that a person’s name is the sweetest sound they’ll hear. I’ll admit that I was so happy the world got a little bit smaller when I heard my name on a busy city street.
Calipso
This short film was taken during our lunch in Con Cón at a seafood restaurant. They KY group shared with the wait staff a bit of their state pride. Karen’s on the piano!
The Dean came…
So, he really wasn’t the president. Dr John (not sure what his last name was), a Dean of New York University, was the man who came to the house. He and Mané came to the house in a whirl wind. I tried to make coffee for a New Yorker who likes it “black and bitter like life,” feed them empanadas and hurry them out the door to his lecture. Best of luck to you sir!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Waiting for the President
At the moment I'm here at Karen's house killing time until the President arrives. The rest of the Kentucky mission team, along with translators and Karen herself are in Cerro Placeres at work getting things ready for a free movie we're showing tonight on the Plaza.
Karen's friend Mane, from NY, called last night with an urgent need for hospitality. She's traveling with the President of some kind of school in NYC who has a meeting in Vina this afternoon. The man needs a shower! So, here I sit, gate keys in hand, waiting for the President to come knocking on our door.
Karen's friend Mane, from NY, called last night with an urgent need for hospitality. She's traveling with the President of some kind of school in NYC who has a meeting in Vina this afternoon. The man needs a shower! So, here I sit, gate keys in hand, waiting for the President to come knocking on our door.
A Pizza Post for Will
Pizza is important no matter where you live, so here's the 411 in Chile:
Vina has Pizza Hut and Dominos pizza. It's pretty traditional American except you can't get pepperoni most of the time, just when they import it. Instead, you get sausage cuts that are kind of spicy.
The other night I went to a Chilean pizza restaurant with the exchange girls, Diego's Pizza. Pizza in Chile doesn't come with red sauce, instead they just put big slices of tomato on the top. Our veggie pizza came with white cheese (maybe gouda?), LOTS of onions and oregano. I thought it was great. The meat pizza had ham--big slices like you'd put on a sandwich, and the sausage all on top of the white cheese. Not too bad.
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