Correction: "La Raja"

Correction: "La Raja" is actually better translated as "The Shit." So you probably shouldn't use this phrase around older people or people of importance.

"La Raja"

I would like to write a little about my life here: what its like, where I live…

I live with Eliana in an apartment that is about a twenty minute walk to the center of Providencia. We have a view of the Andes from our living room, which is so amazing to see every day all day. We live right next to the park, Parque Ines de Suarez, which is a pretty big park. Each day I walk down my street fro about twenty minutes and then I end up at the Metro. Once at the metro I meet up with two of my USC friends (metro stop Manuel Montt) and then we continue on together to metro stop La Moneda, which is in downtown Santiago. Its actually pretty easy to do now that I have the hang of it. I have a “trajeta BIP!” which I use to pay for everything. You put money on it and then you just slide it through and enter!

I get to “school” (our “Chile Contemporanea” class with CIEE) around ten. We usually have one or two lectures and then a discussion. Then we watch a Chilean movie and we finish around 6:00. So far we have learned a lot about Allende, Pinochet, Chilean politics, and the Chilean culture.

Eliana makes me a lunch everyday to take to school: usually a sandwich, a juice box, a piece of fruit, and some yogurt. When I return home at night (around 6:00pm) Eliana makes me an “once” or a dinner. “Once” is the same food as breakfast (bread and coffee mainly or sandwhiches) and you can choose to have one or the other or both. Both is always too much for me so I usually choose. And that my friends is my typical day!

PS: “La Raja” is a Chilean word for “very good”

El Lago Colbun

After Eliana picked me up, her son (Roberto) invited me to go camping and kayaking! I thought how could I not take advantage of this opportunity, so an hour after I arrived at her apartment I decided to head out to Lago Colbun. I had no idea what the trip consisted of or where we were going. Lago Colbun is about four and a half hours from Santiago. We left Friday night and we returned on Sunday afternoon/night. At the Lago we met up with Roberto’s cousin and his fiancé (who is American!). I was given my own little tent (the silver one that looks like a cocoon), and we kayaked all day Saturday and all Sunday morning. Lago Colbun is a man made lake that is really beautiful but in recent years it has lost A LOT of water. We stayed on a campground that had scorpions and was very dusty but was super fun. AS we explored the lake in our kayaks I noticed that even though we were far away from any towns and we were in a farming area the lake was lined with mansions. Beautiful, huge houses with fancy gardens outside. The nice part about Lago Colbun is that it wasn’t too crowded so it was very easy to enjoy the lake.

On the way back to Santiago from the lake I was able to see all the towns we passed through. Right next to the lake at we left, there was a house that sold honey. Roberto decided to stop and buy some because in the “campo” (outside the city) it is much fresher and more natural. Dad I think you would really like this because they also sell fresh eggs, bread, vegetable, and lots of other freshly made and grown food. Some interesting little towns we passed by include: San Clemente (which is closest to Colbun and has only one main street), many vineyards, and Talca (which is a bigger city). In San Clemente everyone was out and about, walking around and socializing. Roberto told me that because it is such a small town the people all know each other and on the weekends they all gather in the good weather and chat. It looked like an amazing town.

Once we returned to Santiago, Roberto gave me a tour of all the neighborhoods in Santiago. They treat me so well here!

HE LLEGADO

He llegado. I am here in Santiago. After an awfully long night on the plane, I was super relieved to find the CIEE staff waiting for us as we left the baggage claim. They bused us to these really nice hotel apartments in the Providencia area. This is one of the nicest areas in Santiago. The orientation schedule is very relaxed and we have even been able to explore the area a little. So far we’ve learned about safety and money and such things. The hotel even has free wi-fi, so I’m trying to take advantage of it before I get to my host family’s apartment (because they probably wont have wi-fi).

Last night our CIEE advisors, who are the most organized and loving people, took us to a special dinner. Their names are Patricio, Elsa, Briggitta, and Cintia. We went to a beautiful area in Providencia and the meal started out with everyone getting a Pisco Sour (the most famous Chilean drink). I really enjoyed my first Pisco but look out, it’s very strong! There was also a man singing and playing the guitar during the whole meal. They started with a salad with half an avocado in it filled with sauce and a chicken salad type of thing. Then I had carne and potatoes. We also got wine and then for dessert had ice cream with fruit. Amazing! Afterwards we went to Avenue Suecia where all the bars are. At first we intended on going as a small American group of only four people, but all of a sudden I realized there were about twenty of us. AS we walked by all the men that worked at the bars tried to get our huge group in their doors. Finally we broke down and entered a bar, which happened to have Karaoke. Also we decided on that bar because they offered everyone a free beer if we went. All of a sudden we were these crazy Americans singing Karaoke. It was a little too wild and obviously American for me but it was also fun because we were all spending time together. I actually did break down and sing one song with my friend Jennifer but only because it was Juanes (fotografia). We went to one other bar and called it a night.

Today we had orientation later in the morning and then we had lunch at a really great vegetarian restaurant called “El Huerto” (“the vegetable garden”). The food here is proving to be really great. I’ve been drinking tap water, and eating tons of fruit and vegetables (even though the USC health center told me to do none of those…pshaw). Providencia is a very fun area with lots of cafes and restaurants. After lunch we were all given gas detectors to ensure that in the homes were staying in the calefonts (hot water heaters) aren’t leaking. They can kill you if they are used improperly, but the houses we will stay in all have safe ones, its just a safety precaution. Then we were given our host families (just a picture and a map). My host mom is named Eliana Bravo. She lives in Providencia in one of the nicest locations that any of us have been given. Its right by the park and not too far from the universities were going to attend. We were also told, which is clearly very different from our own culture, that our hosts moms will do all our laundry (clean, iron, fold, and put away) once a week, make us box lunches everyday, and make all our meals. This is very different from what we are used to expecting from women, but it is an insult to not allow the moms to do all those things for us. Now we have been given the rest of the night off to explore Providencia. Tomorrow we have more orientation (such as purchasing phones, etc.) and then we get picked up by our families in the afternoon. I’ll post more once I see where I’m living!

Everything here feels perfectly right for right now. I couldn’t wish to love a place more in only two days and I can’t wait to experience more!

Waiting as Water

My adventure begins in only five days. Somehow I have been super organized in my preparations and I seem to be at a loss as to what else I have to do. I’m all packed, all my documents are in order and I’m just waiting to go and search for my personal treasure (“The Alchemist”). Here’s a part of the Tao Te Ching that describes how I’m feeling right now:

Best to be like water
Which benefits the ten thousand things
And does not contend.
It pools where humans disdain to dwell,
Close to the Tao.

Live in a good place.
Keep your mind deep.
Treat others well.
Stand by your word.
Keep good order.
Do the right thing.
Work when it’s time.

Only do not contend,
And you will not go wrong.

Essentially I am like water, I am ready for my adventure to take me where it leads and I have no fear but just subdued excitement as I wait for Tuesday.

I've included two of my own photographs that represent how I am feeling right now.