Chilean Dream: Andes Mountains + Pacific Coast Adventure

Snow in the summer?  Enough for us to feel cold! At 10,000 feet and only 46 km away from Santiago is Valle Nevado, one of Santiago's main ski centers. We weren't skiing or climbing with ice cramps. Just a leisurely hike up and away from the ski center. 

With only 3 days in Santiago, how would I show the best of living here to my friends?  The Andes! But, what about the coast, and surfing in Chile?   

No matter what, I knew we'd have a blast. Nevertheless, I was hoping to plan for an epic experience. Just a little history, when Emily and I lived together, we had a blast sipping coffee and eating scones. She'd tell me to make lists to plan my life, and I'd feed her booze-infused baked goods. She recruited Holly (who I had met once in Denver) for a 2-week SA adventure, starting in Santiago. I'm deeply thankful for their visit, their positive energy and sense of curiosity. Tranquila tequila! 

Back to my dilemma - The Andes are awesome but I also wanted to take them to the Chilean coast, just 2 hours in the other direction. 

see the ski center way below? 

Why not hike in the Andes and take a surf lesson in one day? I'm guessing there aren't too many places in the world where you can be at 9,900 feet hiking (or skiing in winter) and then cruise to the coast for an afternoon of surfing.

Around 8:30AM on a Sunday we headed east to the Cordillera with Pablo at the wheel. As we made our way up the mountain, a bike race was starting; they were biking from Santiago to the ski center. That's a climb from 1700 feet to 9900 feet - a change of 8200 feet! 

One important fact: driving up to the ski centers is on one curvy, windy road that just goes up and up. We saw a gaucho, a few Andean condors and sparkly New Years trees.  

Oh, the fresh, crisp mountain air makes my whole body and soul smile. Our energy was just perfect on the drive up and at the ski center. Pablo says I had a permanent smile on my face all day :) Those rough, ragged mountain peaks are so fierce, jutting into the sky but also a reminder of how flexible and forgiving our earth can be with their curves and waterfalls.  

We hiked up for a while, always towards the big patch of white. After some resting and snacks we followed a cat-walk around a curve and - there it was! It caused sheer joy and lots of jumping. Our giddiness is what you'd expect for someone who is seeing snow for the first time and it was intoxicating. It was just our laughter and the big, blue sky. 

Why did we have so much fun? We all dived into the day ready to laugh, to enjoy being together and to be fully be present. Just add onto that million-dollar views, a hike and.... an afternoon surfing!

How did we do all this in a day? 

After a lovely lunch at the ski hotel, we headed down from the mountains back to Santiago. Because our sexy driver needed a 30-minute nap, we did a gear swap then headed west;  by 5PM we were in our wetsuits. You may have already spotted our surf instructor eyeing over Holly (see photo above) - ah, latino love. 

Our surf class was hilarious. 5 minute warm-up jumping on a trampoline and about 10 minutes learning to stand up on the tabla, set up on one of those wobbly exercise discs. Small detail: I had to translate the class from Spanish to English with words like acostado, medio de la tabla, flexionar los brazos.. 

Since Pablo already knows how to surf, he left us with the strapping surf instructor, Alexi. Ten cuidado! He was flirting with all of us within 5 minutes. Good thing he isn't just a pretty face - we all surfed! He'd push us into the just-right baby wave, support the surfboard and tell us right when to stand. I may have done my victory dance on top of my surfboard. Ask Pablo and he'll tell you all about it.

I'd say we earned our fried empanadas and Chilean beers! 

Thanks SO much for coming to visit, Emily & Holly! Come back for Tranquila Tequila 2!

Saturday in Santiago: TRX in Parque Araucano

Why didn't I figure it out earlier that taking group fitness classes is such an effective method to learn Spanish! You are listening, copying kinesthetic movements and repeating them over and over. Wouldn't it be great to have Spanish and gym class as 1 class in high school? 

I recently joined a gym (finally!) because of its groups classes, small boutique feel and most important, location. It's a 4 minute jog from my place and can be quite entertaining. Something that rarely happens in the States but frequently is part of my sidewalk commute: catcalls; love it or hate it, it happens. There are days when I laugh about it and other days get me fired up, wanting to belittle them for whistling at me. Has anyone ever gone off on a Chilean man for whistling and hollering, or will I be the first?

Anyway, after my first TRX class I had trouble washing my hair for the next 3 days. I love that type of soreness, you can feel the fibers braiding together, creating stronger muscles. When do I get that beautiful tricep line to come back?  Even more important-  How many Spanish-speaking beefy men have led you through a sweat session?  

That's what I thought. The Spinning coach and the TRX trainer are both extremely fit, super nice and consistent at coaching you to get the most out of class. I'm hooked. After a class, the profe told me about a Saturday morning class he does at the park, the park you can see out my window. Outdoor exercise is 100% more motivating and enjoyable than being in a gym, so why not?

Our park is fabulous: there are tennis courts, basketball courts, space for futbolitos, a maze of paths for running and biking and some simple work-out machines. On occasion, I've seen workout groups and wondered how to join in without an awkward approach. Now, I get to be in the group!

My friend Stephanie was up for the challenge too so on a Saturday morning, with the sun shining but not yet too hot, we met the group at the tennis courts. As Fabian, the instructor, set up the TRX ropes to the tennis court fence we chatted about the upcoming 4-day weekend and fun girly stuff. But when it came down to class time, we put on our game faces. 

An hour later I was dead. I could already feel the tear and build deep in my gluteal muscles. PLEASE don't be broken today, elevator! 3 days later Steph told me she was still sore - and so was I!  Squats, 1-leg squats, some squat-jump move, and oh the floating planks and push-ups at the end were killer. The Y-move is so tough when you do it correctly. Fabian and Manuel co-lead the class, constantly commenting on form and position to make it tougher. You will leave sore, and wake up the next day sore.

skull crushers!

This second class we did was hilarious because 2 of the moves required lateral movements. With 6 people packed in close we had to move at the same time to avoid any bumping. But my neighbor either 1) doesn't know how to jump or 2) doesn't know left from right. She was silly.

It's a buena onda class, costa 3.000 pesos ($6US) for a TRX class in the open air. Come! And yes, it is in Spanish! Bring a water bottle and be prepared to leave with a solid new behind! 

Saturday outside Santiago: Rio Clarillo

Sunny with a side of rushing water made for a spectacular day at Río Clarillo. It's a park just south of Santiago, in the suburb of Pirque - where the internationally known winery Concho y Toro was born.

To get there, there are micros and colectivos but we drove Súper Rojo to the park, paid our fee then found parking in the shade. My grand idea was to hike. Get to the top and be able to look into a green, lush valley. Pablo was along for the ride. Poor guy, he's dating a girl that lived in Colorado and lives for adventure when his ideal weekend is: sleep, and sleep a lot. Good thing he's a Boy Scout and with a little coaxing, he's right by my side.  

We went without knowing where to hike and at first, ended up smelling more asados than vegetation. It was great to see so many families enjoying the outdoors: grilling, swimming in the river and playing soccer. Do you think they'd notice if we joined in their party? No Chilean family is smaller than 30 people - they might think we're just another set of cousins! One day, I'll find the chutzpah to introduce myself as Pablo's girlfriend (true), because every Chilean family has at least one Pablo,  and start small talking. Being Chilean, they'll have to offer me a choripan and bebida. Let's just hope their Pablo is a single man under 70 years old!  

After meandering, we eventually found a hanging bridge and a trail map. We followed the well-marked trail and made our way to the lookout point for a clear view of the green valley and in the distance, the peaks of the Andes.  Bridges are fascinating, right? Someone designed and constructed a walkway over rushing water. You've got to have a deep understanding of geometric modeling, weight and movement conditions and the necessary suspension pressure.  If one calculation is off, that bridge could not hold you. Think about that the next time you cross the Mackinaw Bridge or San Francisco's Big Red. 

There's something calming and rejuvenating about being next to a river; it's like a shower for my soul and cleans out what's dusty and dirty, leaving me feeling like I'm shining bright like a diamond.  I feel most myself when I'm out there, me and Mother Earth. It's when I think most clearly, solve problems and project my path in life. Deep, no?  If you're wondering, I'm still searching for the meaning of living abroad and my purpose in life. In the meantime, I'll keep hiking. 

After hiking, we boulder hopped to a shady spot along the river to snack and reflect on life's big questions: Where should we travel next? How bad do you want to eat an empanada right now? 

If you need a day without hearing car horns, with clean(er) air and a place to swim - Rio Clarillo is a fabulous spot! There are plenty of BBQs and picnic tables with plenty of shade, lots of parking spaces and rocks perfect for soaking in the sun.  

What Does the Typical Chilean Eat?

If you know me, you know I appreciate food and the social act of eating. Getting together with family, friends or new colleagues around a shared meal is FUN.  If we are going to eat 3-4 times a day, why not enjoy it?

My seafood sampling at a port restaurant in Valparaiso, Chile 

My palette is quite diverse: seafood, fresh vegetables, varieties of rice, sushi, spicy, Indian, Peruvian. When I came to Chile I made a foodie observation right away: no diversity. Grocery stores are stocked with the same 1 brand of cereal/bread/rice/tea for the whole aisle. Look in people's grocery carts: all the same items but different families.

Cooking in Patagonia with fresh vegetables from our garden

Before I share my WHOA! observation about Chilean socio-economic levels + food, let me start with the USofA. As a teacher in low-income neighborhoods, I taught students who received free breakfast and lunch. Being with them for 7+ hours a day gave me insight into their eating habits: Hot Cheetos, pizza, french fries and other high caloric, high sugar content, low nutritional benefit foods. In comparison to my students from middle/high income homes who ate fruit, sandwiches and somewhat more nutritional foods. When I was a teenager, I ate a mix of school lunches (Fenton's massive chocolate chip cookies and decent salad bar) and healthier, homemade lunches. 

In the US, kids from low-income homes are eating what's federally funded and their options aren't healthy or tasty.

**Full disclosure** I am not judging anyone. I just like to observe, notice trends and make sense of the world around me. 

In Chile, the kids from extremely wealthy families ($15,000/year tuition) and kids from low-income families (less than $50/year in school fees) eat the same food: hot dogs with mayonnaise, rice and chicken, tasteless crackers, cheap dry cookies, french fries with mayonnaise, chicken soup, ham and cheese sandwiches, avocado and turkey on white bread. They all drink the same: Coke. Big bottles of Coke and Fanta are everywhere.  It is not easy to find a Chilean teenager or adult who does not eat these foods. Babies - less than 2 years old - drink Fanta. My jaw wants to drop seeing a baby drink corn syrup!

How do I know this? I work in 5 different low-economic neighborhoods in Santiago, I live in one of the wealthiest, privileged parts of the city. In Round 1 to Chile (2005) I worked in the poorest part of the city and lived in a very wealthy neighborhood. 

How is it that two worlds that never collide eat the same foods? How is it possible that from North to South they eat the same thing.  Who wants to eat bland rice with bland chicken? Or white bread - Wonder bread's Latino cousin - with avocado and tasteless cheese? In a society so fixed on not mixing below their socio-economic status, how do they chew the same bread, prepare the same exact salad in the whole country, and drink the same plain Lipton tea?

Good thing I eat up all the fruits and vegetables, mix them up and totally shock people when I eat the skin of tomatoes/potatoes/cucumbers. (yeah, it's the best part!)

An (uninsured) American in Chile

Obamacare. How many times have you heard that this week? Here in Chile I've heard it mentioned a few times on the radio.

Today marks the opening of the new federal health insurance marketplaces. A place to buy your health insurance plan - to carry out the new law that all Americans must have health insurance. Is all health insurance equal? No. Will all Americans have health insurance plans? No. Will people receive a fine? Yes.

Do you know how to prevent needing health care?  Hmm. 

The issue should not be the law. The question I as is How do I stay healthy so I don't need health care? and Is there a connection between the furious and the unhealthy?

Sure, there are people with cancer. They need health care. But the preventative diseases that millions are suffering from: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pain, respiratory problems from smoking/obesity, etc.

Sit with this one for a bit. Aren't those related to mental health care issues?  There is choice involved in taking care of the 1 body you have and when you make choices that negatively affect your body you better be paying for those choices from your own pocket.

Back to me and my special case. I don't like to break the law (too often) so when the law says I need health care - I wonder, what about me?

I'm a US citizen living and legally working in Santiago, Chile. However, I still work part-time for Teach for America and thus, receive a US salary and have to manage my US taxes. But I also am not a resident of Chile.  Who has the answer?

Feriados in Santiago: Hiking Cerro Manquehue

See that half-mountain to the left of the Marriott? It's actually Cerro Manquehue which is more than just a mountain, it's first life was as a volcano. And I made it to the top on Chile's Independence Day.

With hiking so close to my house, I should go all the time. So why was yesterday my first time? Pablo's been robbed there, and he wasn't alone at night. He was with friends in the daytime out for a nature walk. So you can see why I haven't gone yet.

Hiking with a group of Chilean friends means I definitely stand out in my Lululemon purple leggings and hot pink tank with my small snowboarding backpack with a Nalgene and chocolate granola bar. What do Chileans wear hiking? Sweatpants and t-shirt, a fanny pack and an old Coke bottle filled with water.

But who cares what we wear. The best part of the hike was sticking together, helping each other out of rocky situations where I thought I'd slide down like a drop of water into a ravine. There were fun conversations, times where someone would trek on alone for a bit and necessary group water breaks.

Major difference in hiking here and Colorado? Quality of the hiking trail here is... there is no hiking trail. You are following where hundreds have walked before but there is no official trail. Rocks are loose, steep inclines don't have constructed stairs or rope to support your climb.
What about between Manquehue and Camelback Mountain in Phoenix?  Camelback is a mix of bouldering up a desert mountain, listening for rattlesnakes and standing in line at the DMV, waiting to be the next person to advance. Here at Manquehue, we saw maybe 15 people, the most dangerous thing is being off-balance on the descent and

If you are a casual hiker, this is not the hike for you. You'll grab tree roots to pull you from one boulder to the next patch of loose dirt; the terrain is so slippery with dirt that you'll travel down safer if you use the mountain as a slide rather than a ramp. I was on my booty for more than half the hike down. 3 points of contact? It was 2 cheeks, 2 feet and a hand on a rock.

You gotta do it. With a 280 degree view of Santiago, it's worth the hike. Plus, we had a clear blue sky and could see the ski centers and the national futbol stadium.

Buying a Car in Santiago

My first week of being a Chevrolet car owner has passed.

So, I stalled out on Andres Bello - the busy, main drag in Providencia. Stalled out? Yup. In rush hour traffic no less.  I learned to drive stick in Colorado this July (thanks to Chris) and bought a stick shift car.  Why not add it to the list of "big life changes in the month of July?"

More on the driving part later.

This was the first time I've bought a car and I had to do it in a country that loves, deeply and madly loves, paperwork and signatures. I signed my name 10 times before they handed me the keys. First off, you need the magical RUT number. You have to buy one at the Registro Civil and they may tell you that you can't buy one. But you can. Then the dealership may tell you you can't purchase a car with the RUT that you have - because it doesn't look like a 'normal' Chilean RUT, but you can. When people tell me I can't do something here, I say I've already done it somewhere else - then magically, I can do it. 

The Search.  One chilly, winter Saturday I went searching with Pablo in tow for a decent used car. From 10:30 - 4:00 I looked 1) price: 3,000,000 pesos ($6000) 2) & 2) 120,000 kilometers and 3) age under 10 years. In all that time, I browsed through 100 cars and found 4 that fit my conditions.

Car dealerships here do not negotiate like in the States. Out of 10 dealerships,  only one caved under my negotiating prowess - and then I didn't buy it. If you negotiate a car price down, you must have done something scandalous. I'm a blond, cute girl from the US and they didn't budge ni un peso.

One week later, before buying a bottle of wine I casually walked through the dealership right next to my normal grocery store - 5 minutes from my front door. 30 minutes later and I was signing paperwork!  I got a 2005 Chevy Aveo, 4 doors, double airbag, one owner, alarm and electric windows for a decent price and a 3 month guaranty.  She's a hottie!

Factory Color: Red SUPER

Not standard in Chilean cars: airbags. How is that not a minimum standard? Forgot about dealerships filling up your gas tank, changing the oil or replacing the windshield wipers.

Purchase tip: If you buy through chileautos.cl or vivastreet.cl, you have to do lots of paperwork that will cost about 200.000 pesos and 2 days of lines and waiting. Dealerships do the paperwork and your title gets mailed to your house. And buy from a used dealership that guarantees the car for at least 3 months; most of them will tell you No so keep looking!

Chile has obligatory national car insurance that covers your car if someone hits you. But I got full insurance through Falabella for about $80/month US.

Now, on to driving a stick shift in city traffic with very minimal traffic law enforcement.

Jet-Setting Stateside

Sounds like a beach novel…

Miles are accumulating and I am about ready to forget 1 of my 5 suitcases in a Denver alley. But...All I know is that I am so blessed. My family is so.much.FUN. My friends? Silly, supportive and just freaking fabulous. In the last year, I had 3 friends come visit plus the parents' trip. This year? May have some more takers! Who's coming!?

My cousin Jess and I had serious quality time together. Lunched, walked, read WWII letters between our grandpa and his parents, had a sleepover and reviewed our Before 30 list. 

Laura and Seba got married! Dreamy wedding spot, right?! The love was apparent, visible and filled every square inch of that dance floor. We swam at the creek, I ran the canyons, we sat at the pool and I may have botched tried translating the speech of my friend, and the best man, \from Spanish to English. Not easy with an improv speech. 

Dad, "What are you doing today?" Me, "Well, having breakfast, reading my book, you?"

"Thinking about going for a plane ride. Want to fly and have lunch somewhere?" 

Those headphones felt just right on a FNT>ARB flight; we even surprised my cousin Jess at Zingerman's on her lunch break. 

I've got hottie high school friends, right? And Amanda and I didn't even plan our outfits together!  

 My alarm clocks every morning. And possibly the reason I didn't get out of bed on rainy Michigan days.

These two Tigers hadn't gone to a game in…. 20 years! I didn't even know they were young enough to have that problem. Thank goodness we fixed that with some scalped tickets in Mo-town. It's cute that they match, isn't it?

All these friends, these trip and our hours/days/weeks together were AMAZING. Met friends' newborns, sat on a boat (I'M ON A BOAT!),  ate and laughed on rooftops and patios, got picked up at airports and noticed how smart I must be to enjoy such fabulous friends. 





What did I learn? Nothing beats a Michigan summer, Colorado has a big chunk of my heart and I'm a little bit crazy - but so excited -  for going back to Chile on Monday <3 font="">

Still Here!

I'm here! 100% committed to all you fabulous readers and dreamers. Just catching my breath during my 6 week stay in the beautiful USA. 

I cried and danced the night away under sparking Sedona stars to celebrate my friend Laura's wedding. Love was poured into every drink, twisted around dancing friends and family and glorified through God. 

Then off to Michigan to hang with my family and a few good friends on the lake, playing disc golf and BBQing. Nothing beats a Michigan summer. It should be the next trendiest honeymoon destination. Side trip on Amtrak to Chicago to run with my good friend Sarah and eat at a hot new restaurant (Beatrix) where Amanda is sous chef! Fancy friends, love. 

For my final week of fun I am soaking up the crisp, hot air of the Rockies. I can't believe how much I love being in Denver with my silly, strong and smart Colorado crew. We know how to choose delicious beer. All 5 of us drank Titan IPA last night. We know good beer. No Escudo here! With a mountain wedding this weekend and a planned long layover in Dallas to catch up with Holly, you'd think I was a trust fund kid. 

Ha. Thanks to the generosity of Sarah in Chicago, Lindsey in Denver and Laura and her family in Sedona, I've been able to do what I love - invest in people and my relationships. My family and friendships encourage me to follow my heart, be myself and love. How could I need anything more? 

I absolutely am soaking up each hug, round of laughter and tidbit of your life.

Back to Chile (and a gorgeous bigote) on Monday! 

Back to Michigan, Where the Green Grass Grows

It is GREEN in Michigan. Yup, made my way back North to visit family and here I am in small town, Michigan. Think: There's 1 high school with graduating class of 250 kids per year. We've got more water square footage than students in our high school.

Mom's roses are starting to bloom!

I've been coming home for 10 years and …
still find myself on my bedroom floor, re-reading high school notes, looking at old high school photos taken with a throw-away camera and trying to decide - do I keep my varsity basketball practice jersey just one more year? 

Let's not forget - I've got countless journals reliving basketball games and teammate tales, confessing my secret feelings for a new crush and sadly crushed some guy doesn't like me. Like any American teenager in public schools, I wrote about girl drama, my hopes and fears and my young but yearning faith in God.

My high school friends may not appreciate the photos I'm about to share - but man, I got a kick out of seeing these!

Here'a few finds in my old closet:




TRACK. I'll never forget this one. This was when I was part of the 4x800m and we went to the State meet! Unfortunately, our whole track team didn't qualify to go - just individuals. We set a school record that day and each had a personal best time - it was such an exhilarating day! There were a few others from our team that had qualified and I remember celebrating being there, enjoying time with our families in the stands and feeling so strong, successful and supported. Didn't hurt that my Dad was able to fly us there as a team in his plane - Lucky! What a great experience - and definitely a high school highlight!

Our team was Mary the senior, Steph the junior, Nickelle the sophomore and me, the freshman. 

I can still remember track practices where we'd run to the movie theater, take a bathroom break and head back to school just to run a handful of timed 800 meter runs and close out practice with 200 meter sprints with the sprinters. My favorite was mailbox sprints with the girls; we'd run one of the neighborhoods and do a Choose-Your-Own-Sprint Distance adventure. Just us: will, self-discipline, competitiveness and teamwork.  

HIGH SCHOOL DANCES. Now these pictures - too funny! This was some high school dance. We may have snuck out of this one a bit early? The gym was converted into our own snazzy (ha) dance club. Remember dancing in 2001 to Missy Elliot "Get Your Freak On" and Outkast "Ms Jackson" and don't forget Pink "Get The Party Started." And, I don't remember why were dressed so brightly, but I do know these were my close girlfriends. How awkward for the teachers to roam the perimeter making sure we behaved ourselves. I can't even imagine what we looked like to them; now that I'm the teacher parting the love waves between glued-together teenage couples, I just want to say - I'm sorry if I ever made you feel awkward.

Dancing and singing at a 10th grade dance

And. My best friend Amy Phillips and still one of my closest friends today, 16 years later. We laugh. And laugh. And laugh. There aren't words to describe the joy and love we share. We'd eat raw cookie dough, go jet-skiing all day, dance, play sports, snowboard and swim - we'd do anything together. College put distance between us and luckily, coming home means we get to hang out too because she's smarter than me and stayed in the same zip code. And I want to keep laughing, keep crying and keep taking pictures together for a long, long time. 

Spring Break on a cruise with a handful of other friends (and a few Moms, too)

Whether I'm reading past journals, staring into the moments around an old photo or holding a sports medal, I appreciate the artifacts that represent my little building blocks in life. What I most appreciate in this ritual is reminding myself how many people I love and how much they love me, too. It's an incredible bridge that just keeps lengthening.   I've found countless other treasures while digging through my old closet. Favorite find? My journals! Time in Michigan is precious, flies by and often enjoyed on the lake. It's PureMichigan!

Michigan in 10 Days!

10 days until I will understand 100% of everything around me, without even trying. My head won't hurt at the end of the day.

10 days until I hug my Mom and Dad, snuggle with the most adorable puppies ever and have lots and lots of clothes to choose from. I'll visit Grandma, check out the lake and take a cruise on the boat. I can already smell Lobdell Lake and hear the boats!

In 10 days I'll sit at a round table in a sunny kitchen dining nook, drink real coffee, understand the news on the TV. YUM. I'll be the one with the insane caffeine kick in Target. Ah, Target!

In 10 days I will see grass, my neighbor's yard and hear kids playing in the street. The dogs and I will run around the yard, the kids from down the street will come and play with Ginger and Macy and I'll catch up neighborhood happenings.

I'll be sitting on the back porch, with the dogs and then get to work in my Mom's garden.

I'll drive the bumpy roads, be freaked out to drive at night with a dark sky and enjoy the pace of small town life. French Laundry - how many amazing meals will I eat at your quirky and adorable tables?

Mom and Dad will leave before the sun comes up to go to work, open my bedroom room and the dogs will snuggle in close, making sure I am uncomfortable and they are perfectly snuggled up in a nook. Ginger will start to eat my clothes and Macy will want to sleep all day; eventually, we'll get up and start our day!

Ah, the joys of being at home with Mom & Dad!

Unexpected Turn of Events...

If you're family, hope you aren't driving. Friends, check your hotel points…. 

I am staying in Santiago, Chile for another year. 

WHAT? You get to read more of my serious, life-changing posts while sipping coffee and procrastinating? I know, I know, how could you survive without my entertaining look at life in Santiago and my photos that make you search Kayak for flights to Chile tomorrow? You're welcome :)

I miss my Denver friends every day. I miss the Colorado mountains, Colorado air, Colorado beer, Colorado parks and running the trails at Green Mountain, in Boulder and Breck. I don't like to think about Vail or else I get too emotional.

Why Stay? 

Pretty cool career opportunity with Astoreca Foundation as a Math Coach for elementary math teachers around Santiago, in public schools. WHY? Public education is not exactly great here. If you've got any money, you pay for a private school. It's a proportionally larger gap between rich and poor education here than in the US and economic status is the main factor in educational opportunity here. There are only 3 schools with worse public education in the OECD (Finland is ranked #1 and the US is right below average).

Since all kids deserve a high-quality education and the chance to choose their career, as opposed to their neighborhood defining them, I choose to work with at-risk students & the teachers that are charged with teaching them. 

Doesn't hurt that I've got a lovely Latino as a boyfriend and we'd like to be together in the same country. Can you believe I have a boyfriend? I know.

And…. I'm liking the pace of life, can't leave without skiing in the Andes a few times, want to try surfing a few more times, need to go back to the most beautiful place in the world, learn to make healthy empanadas, do an adventure trail race, learn to drive stick, dream in Spanish and run a marathon in Chile.

And… a few more friends want to visit. Are you one of them? Get here!

It wasn't an easy decision because I LOVE COLORADO SO MUCH. I miss it every day. But I also live living in Santiago. I'm just starting to feel like I "live" here. But, I know I will always be from Michigan…

Michigan-bound: 16 days! Well, 15 but I get there in 16 days! 

Fruit and Veggies in Chile

Today, I smiled blissfully as I calmly robbed the local fruit and vegetable market. With 6 plastic bags full and my shoulder losing feeling, I started the 10 minute walk home. No one ran after me. Wasn't I robbing them? It sure felt like it! 

My cargo: 

• 4 big yellow onions
• 10 avocados
• 2 mangos
• 2 bunches of fresh cilantro
• 10 limes
• 6 yellow/red peppers
• 2 persimmons
• 3 pears
• 3 monstrous apples
• 12 Roma tomatoes
• A bunch of massive purple grapes
• garlic
• 4 goat's horn peppers

Guess how much I spent?    15.000 pesos = $30 US. Now don't you see how I felt like I was committing a crime? 

How much would that cost you at Whole Foods? At King Sooper's? Definitely more than $30!! 

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and after 2 years of living in Phoenix (aka Mexico), it's one of my favorite holidays. Refried beans. Tequila. Fajitas. Mole chicken. Taquitos. Churros. The joys of Mexican food! 

I'm going to try my best to represent Cinco de Mayo energy here in Santiago tomorrow. We are having a Mexican-themed Chilean asado with my USofA friends, French friends and Chileans. 

My contribution: the grill and rooftop space, margaritas and fixin's for fajitas

Clear Up, Santiago!

Check out this view from the apartment. Mountains. Clear, blue skies and the air is clean from the first winter rains yesterday. Lovely.  The rain cleans out the smog (hooray!) and the cigarette smoke (DOUBLE hooray!) to show us the gorgeous mountains with sprinkles of snow.

Sorry to my faithful followers…I've been quite busy lately. Doing what?

• Went to a Colo-Colo soccer match @ their home stadium with 2 Colorado friends (shout out Mike & Travis!) + Pablo. He told me, "Wear your ugliest clothes, don't bring anything. No jewelry."  What a boyfriend! We saw a guy with a bloody face, a horse cop run through a group of fans to break up a fight outside the stadium. Oh, the crazy fans sit in a fenced-in area of the stadium. And bring homemade mini-bombs to set off. Cops in full-on protest protection gear stand ready to stop fights between the two teams' fans. At the end of the game, Colo-Colo fans leave first. They kept the opposing team there for an extra 30 -60 minutes to try to prevent mass fights. WHAT. 

• Teaching English to crazy 9th and 10th grade Santiago HS students. I get the teaching nerves when I plan… we did Mother's Day words & phrases yesterday. They wanted to learn how to say "You're the Mom that everyone wants." They are also little **** because they do things like try sending text messages during class. I took 3 cell phones yesterday. And they sneak gum - but they don't know my superpower is to see & smell gum better than any drug dog can find cocaine. I'm that good. 
• Teaching English to lawyers. One bought me breakfast the other day - he was thinking of me as he walked to the office. These awesome people sell homemade sandwiches at the metro from 6AM to about 10AM. About $1.50US and  you've got homemade breakfast. Plus, his office makes us coffee for our English class. Coffee + sandwich and make some money? Lovely! 
• TFA. I work for Teach for America's online platform for current CMs and alumni. Helping close the achievement gap in 2 countries in one week. 

• Chilean kids' birthday parties. Eat empanadas, hot dog kebabs (yuck) and throw candy to kids. There's one every week…. Great people, awesome conversation and loads of new Spanish words that one day I'll remember…
• Celebrating my own birthday! We had the most amazing dinner EVER in Santiago at a new restaurant in Bellavista called Peumayen - the chef is from Argentina and the theme is Mapuche ingredients and inspiration from North to South of Chile. There is flavor in the food. 

Santiago shuts down for May 1 so we spend the afternoon in Parque Bicentario.
The park has a sailboat pond, flamingos, a dog park, animal grass-sculptures, picnic space, a koi pond and a pretty restaurant. It's like a compilation of parks from American movies from the last 30 years in one place. 

Chile: A Night with the Milky Way

Stunning, isn't it? 

We were in Palena, Chile working with Patagonia Sur Foundation and made friends with a local guy who happens to be the coolest, nicest Patagonian (along with his friend, Fabian) fly fisherman. Ricardo not only took this photo but he invited me along with Sarah and Heather into his truck for a ride out to see the stars. You may be used to dancing until 5AM at a Santiago disco or going to the movies with your significant other in Anytown. This trumps most music festivals and fine dining nights.

We piled into a truck at the Fondation house and took wine and fancy cameras to check out God's brilliance. Poor beyond-pregnant Esmeralda the house cat was left behind with a wood burning stove. Patagonia late summer nights are chilly: I had on 2 pairs of pants, socks, 3 top layers and a hat and on the way out there we laughed and sang, without any idea of how marvelous and stunning of a night sky we were about to see.

Just a few minutes out of town and we were surrounded by clean, pure air and the silhouette of jet black mountains. Staring into one slice of the sky was like having God turn a kaleidoscope for me; more and more stars appeared.

Heather captured the Milky Way on her camera & uploaded it to Instagram

Within minutes shooting stars shot across the curved sky and the Milky Way loomed overhead, the brightest and most incredible rainbow of stars. There is just no way I can describe how amazing this night was - to see so many stars, no lights and be surrounded in all directions by mountains.

Song lyrics streamed through my mind… "You placed the stars in the sky and you know them by name." Indescribable. There isn't anything like seeing such a luminous, unfiltered and curvaceous Milky Way, feeling like it I could walk across its arch or I could reach up and polk a star.

Blue and red, bright and clear. Sarah, Ricardo and Heather each had fancy cameras; I've got an iPhone.  They had a holiday shooting and we had a blast setting some fun photos!

And had an encounter with the local police. Of course. Drinking in public in Chile? Not okay. Shoot! Once the gentlemen found out we were with Ricardo and just taking photos, they left us in peace. Ricardo mentioned that their department has an outstanding balance at his store; so, Ricardo is the boss of the police right now! Good man to have around!

I felt like I was wrapped in a blanket of twinkling stars, protected by the strength of the mountains and that all 4 of us were filled with a magical energy from the far away heat of Blue Supergiants and White Dwarfs. We danced, we strained our necks and we soaked in the millions and millions of white, blue and red stars that danced above us.

Teaching English in a Santiago High School

Yikes. I'm back in the classroom after a 10 month hiatus and it feels good to be around wild and wacky teenagers that bounce a basketball in the classroom and pass notes and try to get away with chewing gum. CHEWING GUM.

42 hormonal and energetic 9th grade students in 1 classroom for an hour and a half. In the US, a lot is 28 students. I'm at an at-risk high school in a barrio called Renca, Santiago. It's about 1 hour 20 minutes from my house, by metro + bus.

Bringing the TFA "we will close the gap or die trying" mentality to this job? Will I be sacrificing personal life to plan, grade and plan some more? No way. But I will be using Teach for America resources (thanks English Language Learner online community!) to plan games, get ideas for ways to facilitate 42 kids talking and listening.

Twice a week for 3 hours: 1.5 with 9th grade and 1.5 with 10th grade. Plus, I can keep my private lessons going. Hooray!

First mistake? Expectation: 100% English. 

Try 60% Spanish and 40% English. But, we'll get there! These kids barely know "What's your name?" and only a few know "What time is it?"

Today was Day #2 and a lot better than Class #1, that's for sure.

Kids wear uniforms, all have dark brown and black hair and brown eyes. They all looked the same. Alonso is really good at English. Yerko is very competitive. Fernanda doesn't want to be wrong; and it usually correct. Catalina is the 'pretty girl.' Sam is the wanna-be tough kid. Andy loves positive reinforcement and is a good teacher's helper. Francisca is funny. Alan is bright.

I'm already falling for this kids. Why do I love Latino kids so much? Or is the vulnerable, at-risk students that I love? One thing is sure - I felt that "teacher tiredness after a day in the classroom" today.

Did I mention I'm teaching kids that don't speak English? Love it.

Teaching English in Chile

Took a gig teaching an English taller for Colegio San Joaquin in Renca, Santiago. Familiar with Santiago? It's FAR. The mountain at the edge of the city that says, "Renca, la lleva" is where I am heading Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 - 5:30PM.

My Commute starts at A and ends at B. 

9th grade has 42 kids in ONE classroom. WHAT? And people in the US say 30 is too many in a class. 42 kids in the same uniform all with dark brown hair. Talk about disrespect. Talking. Bringing out a basketball (where did you have that!?), chewing gum, doing art homework in English class and not looking at the teacher when I talk. Is that what public school is like in the US, too?

First day and we had a heart to heart. Rule #1? If I am talking, you are silent. Silent is not equal to quiet.

First question I asked, "If you like Colo-Colo, stand up." WOW. So, they do understand a bit...

It made me miss DSST: Stapleton. For 90 minutes. 

Next? Off to 28 much calmer 10th grade students. We had FUN: playing Simon Says, interviewing each other in English, asking me questions to learn about me and then I'd give silly commands like, "If you understand me, touch your nose." or "If you understand me, put your head on the desk." They think head is hand. Guess they do sound the same.

Did I mention I already took a cell phone today? Some kid was texting in class.

Is this going to be work the 1 hour 20 minute commute?

But, it is fun because… they are crazy teenagers. 

It's "Chilean Culture"

Imagine you are in the mall, checking out the fall's collection. I haven't shopped in… 6 months. Why?

As soon as you walk into Falabella, Ripley or Paris (Chile's 3 department stores - think JC Penny, 3 times), you are not greeted, you are bombarded. "Te atiendo?" No, quiero mirar. 

These women are all dressed the same: pants, button-down shirt, vest and a keychain around their neck. All the same color, same pattern. Same. It's a uniform to work in a fashion store. That makes no sense. So maybe the store isn't about fashion. It's not about the experience because they are on you like ants. Who thinks ants crawling all over them is a fun experience? I just want to browse, try on some clothes for fall weather and move on.

The instant you touch a piece of clothing, you are theirs. Be aware: if you pick something up and carry it with you, you'll have one of them, let's call them Consumerism Zombies….In a are no bigger than your kitchen there are 3 women. Multiply that and you've got 20 women, all dressed the same with no style and not even wearing the clothes they are selling, all up in my business.

Try something on and like it? They know. They are waiting for you when you leave the dressing room. Mind you, the girl that watches the dressing room is texting her boyfriend, and doesn't care if you take a number. But those Zombies, they don't leave you any breathing room or think time.

What really got me pissed off was I was waiting, patiently and with no reason to be rushed, to pay. This Zombie grabbed my goods and asked me how I am going to pay for them. Not if I liked everything, or if she could take the clothes from my hands. Then she started to walk away. To another register with another line. WHAT?

She basically pushed the women working off the register, while someone was paying for her new clothes AND was going to "jump" the line and get my money, but another woman was waiting - patiently - for her turn.

I told her, "Pase, llegó primera y eres próxima." She smiled, then laughed and told me, "Ugh, Chilean culture." She's Chilean.

Why take my things, walk me to another line, cut off you co-worker and not even attend to the women in line in front of me. Sidenote: half of my memories of Santiago are the inefficiencies of: Queueing. If she earned commission off walking my 3 items 50 meters away, to hand them to her co-worker, I'm mad because the women was not nice or friendly but too damn pushy and rude. Let me be!

Santiago: A Day in the Life

Well, my life isn't boring here. That saying, "The Land of Opportunity" applies to living in Chile!
In the past 2 weeks…

A cornfield in the park? Yes.

• I was offered a English conversation class job at an awesome high school in Santiago. They are breaking social & economic class barriers; students in this at-risk neighborhood are working to earn test scores equal to that of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Santiago. Fight for educational opportunity! 
• New English clients = 3. And they are a 7-year old daughter of Pablo's high school teacher, and two brothers, 13 and 14, that I met through a friend of a friend. 
• Picked fresh corn from the urban public park. There's an agricultural art project across the street. Think: Denver's City Park with 0.5 acre of corn, for anyone to pick. Freshly boiled corn for dinner? Corn in April? It's fall in Santiago these days. 
• May just start translating math problems from an international test from English into Spanish. 
• 2 people asked me if I was German
• Someone thought Sarah & I were going camping on a Saturday afternoon. We were headed to an asado. And we both felt the most clean & cute we'd been in weeks...

Stray Chilean dogs LOVE us. And the Chileans love their dirty white poodles.

As for Daily Life…

Since Sarah and I got back from our epic 7 week trip through Northern Patagonia+, I had to send out emails saying, "Let's start English class again!"And, I'm excited to start! 

7:30AM Alarm to Black Eyed Peas, "Party All the Time" goes off in a pile of clothes too far to reach from bed. 

7:55 AM Starbucks for an Americano (it's less than a block away)

8:20 AM On the metro, for a Metro + Micro (bus) trip, estimated time? 1.5 hours

9:00 AM Arrive to Colegio San Joaquin. Met with 3 of the most positive, energetic and encouraging women I've met in Chile. They are at the forefront of breaking through Chilean public education barriers for at-risk kids.

10:20 AM Ecstatic. You are reading about the next English Conversation teacher! Twice a week, 1.5 hour class each with 9th and 10th grade students from Renca, Santiago, Chile. 

12:30 PM Playing on swings with Sarah in our front yard, the fancy public park 

3:30 PM Teaching 7-year-old E English: reading Dr. Seuss & endless counting & colors

6:00 PM Confirming 3 old-student English classes to restart next week. Phew! 

8: 00 PM Waiting for Sarah… she went climbing with her group of Chilean climbing friends. 

The day we harvested corn from a public urban park.  

Tonight? Party at the apartment for Rafa's birthday. Maybe a night of Pisco Sours at La Jardin, Patio Bellavista or Lastarria is in store?

How Clean are Chile's Buses?

Calling all free-spirits with some cash & sense of adventure. Don't you wish you could throw the windows open, make bracelets and drink Argentine maté while cruising around in a yellow VW van? 

I wonder if I would actually like being cramped in there for a while. The French guy we met in Pucon is driving around, kayaking in Southern Chile. He's typical: dreads and really chill. Not normal? He was sleeping in his van and was attacked & robbed by Chilean fletes. Ended up in the hospital. Poor guy. Lesson: Don't come across as someone who has something to steal. 

Cleanliness of Chilean Buses

The bus from Pucon to Santiago is 10 hours. 10 hours in a bus seat that reclines and is wide enough that I can do a mini crunch to sleep rather comfortably. Our longest ride? 17 hours! Luckily, we had a 3.5 hour cargo ferry ride so we were out in the fresh air and watching the dolphins swim next to the embarco. 

So, is it safe? That really isn't the right question.

Is that blanket clean? (see below)

Second floor, first row view

Maybe I've taken maybe 20 long-trip buses in Chile. I feel safe on every one of them. I've been given free water bottles, been tucked in with a blanket and pillow by the worker guy and given a sugary breakfast.   Bonus for smiling (or maybe it's the gringa card) but when I get off the bus and go get my luggage, 8 times out of 10 I get my luggage before the pushy people, old ladies and people first in the chaotic clumping (no queues in Chile). They grab my big red mochila and hand it to me. Thanks! 

Back to my question. I got a call today from the JAC bus supervisor (remember, in Spanish). He received my Facebook message and my email and actually called me to follow-up. WHAT. I was not expecting that! He assured me that the buses are fumigated once a month or once every two months. They have their own laundry service and wash the blankets in Santiago when the buses get to Santiago. 

My bus was fumigated on March 16 and I was on it on March 23. 

This is about to get personal. 

On Sunday afternoon, I started to itch. A lot. We got in at 7AM Sunday morning and slept for a few more hours before heading out to a friend's BBQ. When I was getting ready to leave, I felt itchy and saw some red welts. I focused on enjoying the steak, pork, chorizo and chicken at the BBQ because I was so itchy. 

It hit me like a bag of bricks. 

Bedbugs. NOOOOOOO. I stripped the bed. Vacuumed the mattress. Threw out the clothes from the bus. There's no way I got them at the last hostel because I slept in my sleeping bag and have slept in my sleeping bag 10 times in 6 weeks. The bites matched up directly with where the blanket hit my skin: arms and parts of my back where my tank top met my leggings. 

What's cool is that JAC buses called me. And the guy was so nice, but he was trying to tell me it was an allergic reaction to their laundry detergent. 

My conclusion? Chilean buses are clean but backpackers who use them, not so clean. 

My Favorite Chilean City: Puerto, Varas

I found a favorite. Puerto Varas is charming, filled with people my age but also rich in history and culture. 

Puerto Varas has a magical feeling to it, like Disney or Las Vegas. But so much better. Beautiful views of the lake and volcano paired with old German-style buildings and incredible roses on every block make you feel like your home. There's a small downtown, a lakefront running path, and fancy shops to prepare for your Patagonia adventures. Get coffee, grab a book and hang out on the beach. 

Sarah and I spent 8 days there! In 7 weeks of travel, more than a week in this tiny German town on Lago Llanquehue with a view of Volcan Osorno. Most adventurous thing we did? Biked more than 20 kilometers from Puerto Varas to Frutillar one day.

No trains, but cows were a hazard!

There's rafting, fishing, hiking and waterfalls to see. We didn't do any of that. But we LOVED this town. I already imagine living there one day. 

Best evening? With my friend Axel & his wife, Flo and their brand new beautiful baby, Nicanor. Axel and I go back to my days studying abroad here. He quickly became a friend after an adventure in Pucon and nights out dancing in Santiago. 8 years later we spent a beautiful evening together! 

Axel's front yard at sunset

Since Sarah and I are food-focused, we really loved our night at Axel's. Grilled octopus, homemade salmon-mango ceviche and meat. Dream dinner? I think so! 

We even got introduced to his good friend, Nick. Nick is Chilean-American, grew up in the states and now is in Puerto Varas running a cheese farm, M Queso. 

Land at M Queso

How do you spend a day at a cheese farm? Good question. Eat cheese empanadas, do a cheese sampling and play with days-old Burmese mountain puppies and their mom. And scare the cows, eat apples and blackberries on the roadside and sit on a log, chatting. Want to go? There's a bus that goes between Puerto Octay and Puerto Varas, but its a weird schedule. 

I already planned a house, a garden and a way of life in Puerto Varas. With a lake, a marathon and endless hills to cycle, I'll be a triathlete, gardener and explorer. 

You know how there are street dogs everywhere in Chile? Puerto Varas has the best dogs! They are clean, beautiful and friendly. Even the street dogs are German blue-eyed blondies in this lovely town.