Thoughts of Leaving

Well, today is my last day and Chile, and so far I am doing okay with it. I got a little weepy in church this past Sunday but that was to be expected. I also had a little going away party on Sunday night and continued the tears when some people left ;) I finished my classes a week ago so it was nice to have a free week to visit people and catch up on some things. Yesterday, Eduardo and I spent the day at a beautiful beach a couple hours north. I don't have my camera with me so I can't post a photo, but I think it was one of the most beautiful sights I've seen. Gorgeous water, fluffy clouds in various colors, the sounds of waves crashing on rocks, boats and cute restaurants on the coast. Oh, it was one of those dreamlike moments that I won't forget. Sadly, we spent too much time at a ferria so we just missed the sunset. It was funny because after the ferria we drove to a place to see it, ran  like the devil down this vertical path/trail with steep steps made of tree roots and blocks. We almost killed ourselves trying to get down there. Then we ran through more trees to the beach and when we arrived the sun was gone moments before! We did get a good laugh about it and just spent some time there.

Overall my experience in Chile has been nothing short of a miracle. I remember my first Sunday here walking to church thinking that when the time came I knew I really wasn't going to want to leave. That feeling has definitely come to pass. I came to learn Spanish but ended up leaving with so much more. I have learned not to be afraid. I remember coming here and initially being a little afraid of things. Now I just walk around the city by myself, talk to people, order or buy things. I'm not afraid to speak the language no matter how badly I slaughter it. I think back to when I came through customs and I was was afraid to even say, "gracias" to the guy. As I have stated in an earlier blog, I also learned that there are all types of normal life. Traveling or living abroad is one of those forms. I learned to love sushi and other types of fish (the fish in Chile is delicious). Still my favorite restaurants are Ichiban's Japanese Bistro and a couple of Peruvian restaurants. Luckily Ichiban's exists in MN. 

Well, I should go because I still have some things to do. I hope you all have enjoyed my blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it. My new favorite quote was told to me by a very wise missionary the other day, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr. Suess is a very wise man. See you all soon!

Going up North

"Going up north" in Chile means going to the desert. This past weekend some friends and I took a trip 5 hours north to the beautiful beach town of La Serena. The drive itself was gorgeous, and quite different from Santiago. We checked into our little cabaña and headed out to see the sights. Unfortunately, Friday was a holiday so most everything was closed. We did manage to find a restaurant that served something that I was looking for-- Machas de Parmesana, which is a type of mussel or clam or I don´t know what it is. I only know that it came on a shell. Ewww. The only reason I tried them was because the came highly recommended by a friend, and also because I have tried to be more adventurous with my food selections while in Chile. Indeed they were tasty, but I still tried not to think about what I was eating. 

The next day we drove to another area called Valle de Elqui. Again, it was so beautiful to drive through the mountains and vineyards. Along the way we also made a stop in Vicuña so we could buy some "gringo stuff" as I like to call it. I seriously adore the ferrias in this country. Eduardo and I also toured a bug museum that displayed spiders and beetles as big as my head. Going in that building was clearly an act of love on my part. So we finally arrived in the valley, toured around a bit, and later that evening drove up a mountain to an observatory in order to get a better look at the stars. Sadly, when we arrived at the gate the attendant told us that we needed tickets. And where do you suppose they were sold? Not at the observatory and  not across the street in a little booth, but WAY down the mountain in the town! Perfecto! Well, not to worry. Eduardo simply found us a spot nearby and we just looked up at the sky. The stars were truly amazing in the valley because it was so dark, and there were no lights from the city detracting from their brilliance.  I´ve tried to find the Big and Little Dipper in Chile for a while now without much luck, though I have halfway decided that the stars are different down here.   I´m pretty sure I saw the the Big Dipper but it was upside down and one of the stars was missing. Not sure where the Little Dipper went. What we did see was fantastic, and we even saw a falling star. 

The end of the trip didn´t end so well for one of our travelers. Audrey ate some bad seafood or something Saturday night and spent the rest of the weekend staying close to a bucket if you know what I mean. The worst was when we were trying to find a restaurant that last day,  and we almost ran over this poor man in a wheelchair while trying to quickly pull off the road. That man got a scare, and also a rather disgusting sight once we finally stopped. Needless to say, we decided to skip the restaurant and get this girl home. Of course we got caught in holiday traffic,  but we passed the time with a homemade version of Spanish Scategories. Overall, we had a good trip. I love to travel around Chile, and hope that I can see more of the north as well as the south on my next trip--whenever that will be.

Love is in the air...

...and in the parks, and on the streets, and in the restaurants, and on the metro, etc. I wanted to write about all the love and PDA in Chile. Sometimes it is very sweet. Sometimes it's a little too much. People here are very affectionate. It's very common to see couples of all ages holding hands and kissing in public. Of course, public make-outs are more common with the younger kids, and often there are couples smooching on the ground in parks. In fact, one day I passed a park, and counted 6 couples on one block PDAing in this manner. I think that they are popular places because everyone lives with their parents ;) 

On a side note, cold and smog are also in the air. It is getting so chilly at night and the smog is really starting to form. It's so terrible that in the winter children with allergies or people with respiratory problems have to wear little masks. The other day was the first time that I was actually looking forward to getting out of this country because I was freezing. 

Coming back with more than a souvenir.

I suppose I should write about my latest adventure, which has involved a guy named Eduardo. I met him my first Sunday at church, but we didn't start hanging out or going on dates until a couple of months ago. At first he didn't even talk to me because he thought, "Hey, these gringas come and go too often" but then he finally did, and was smitten ;) I really don't know exactly what to write about this because there is so much info that it might either be really interesting or really boring. I guess I could write a little about him. He is from Chile (obviously). He is a convert to the church of about 4 years. He also works for a company called Agility Logistics, which is a company that deals with imports. Those are the facts. Why do I like this person? I made  a brief list ;) He is very funny, which is mandatory for me.  He is helpful, smart, perceptive, a good listener,  has his own opinions, remembers dates, cooks for me, does the dishes, opens my doors, holds my hand, carries my stuff, remembers the little things like the earrings I once admired in a store window and bought them for me later, is taller than I am, will take fashion advice (my own giant man-Barbie). Most of all he is active in the church and has a strong testimony of the gospel. It has been an interesting experience because while it has been a lot of fun, it has sometimes been a  serious and difficult time as I have been trying to wrap my mind around it. I have learned so much about myself through this whole process. At this point we have plans for him to come for a visit in MN July, and we will go from there. It's funny because before I came to Chile, I sometimes heard these two statements. "Nell, do not come back with a Latin boyfriend" and "Nell, I bet you'll come back with a Latin boyfriend." After dragging my feet for a while, I have recently changed my Facebook status to, "In a relationship". I guess that means I am in a relationship, though I can't bring myself to use the word "boyfriend" or "girlfriend". It's not me. Plus, it's just too weird. Anyway, that's Eduardo. I look forward to introducing him to everyone. Ahhhh! I can't believe this happened !!! 

It's all about Jumbo

In one of my early posts I mentioned my first trip to a little meager grocery store in my neighborhood. I was concerned that I wouldn't have much food for four months. Little did I know that I would soon discover Jumbo. It's like a cross between a Cub Foods  and SuperTarget. I love it! When Marilyn first took me I was in heaven. I usually only go once a month to do my major shopping. I even found chocolate chips a few weeks ago, and when the clerk showed me where they were I almost hugged him.  There are actually several chains of stores just as large. Wal-Mart is even coming to town. Look out little vendors. Santiago also has some of the most gorgeous malls I have ever seen.

Late Nights in Santiago

Before I arrived in Chile I heard that people stay out really late, but I didn't know exactly how late that was. (My parents said it was like back in my high school days. I would go out when all normal people were coming home.) People here have their dinner at 9 or 10ish pm. Actually, lunch is the big meal here. After work, they eat a small meal like a small sandwich or bread with tea (onces). Then "dinner" is later. Nothing gets started until midnight. A while ago,  I went to a BBQ and we started eating around 10pm. Then, at around 3am, someone thought it would be a great idea to put in a movie. My friend and I were a little stunned. What was better was that as soon as it started, everyone except me and one other person promptly fell asleep. We actually had to stay there because the buses and metros stopped functioning at midnight. How un-chilean of them.  That night was an all-time record for me. I made it home around 6:30 am only to have to wake up at 10am and go to a different BBQ/pool party with the YSAs.  Nowadays, my life has become more tranquil, and I get home at a respectable hour--2 or 2:30ish. 

Soccer Game #2: Spectator Sport or Aerobic Workout?

I went to another futbol game with a couple of Chileans from the ward and some friends from my  school. This game was safer than the last one even though we sat in the section with the crazy fans. Once again, we had to pass through the police barricade and get frisked to make sure we didn't have any dangerous objects. Since we had to get there 2 hours early, I decided to bring a worksheet and pencil to occupy my time. I guess I never thought of a pencil as a weapon, but at soccer games in South America anything is possible.  The police almost didn't let me bring it in, but when I told them it was for my homework and since I looked pretty non-threatening, they let me pass. The game was amazing. When the players came onto the field for the first time, the crowd went nuts. Everyone was singing, jumping, and chanting. People were lighting flares with and setting off fireworks. Huge clouds of colored smoke somehow appeared. Essentially, we were on our feet the entire game. When our team scored a point, it was mass hysteria all over again. Everyone was screaming, jumping around, and running from side to side in a huge line on the benches. It was probably my last soccer game in Chile, which makes me sad but I am sure glad I got to have the experience.