Pucón

Pucón, Chile
n. "poo-CONE, chee-lay"

"lobby" of our cabin property

Palín

So, quickly before I depart for Lima, Peru (and on to Machu Picchu!) on Thursday I thought I'd be prompt for once and update you on my trip down South. I left Viña del Mar last Thursday night for an all-night, 13 hour bus trip toward Antarctica.

Weaving

never did get a sound
out of that horn

After arriving at our "cabins" that were more like luxury cottages with jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces, (central heat!) and full kitchens, it was straight to business. We ate breakfast in the "Castle" main building of the property and were off to the indigenous Mapuche community. The Mapuche are a very proud and welcoming people and sat around the fire with us, answering questions and asking us about our lives as well. We were given a tour of their small museum that detailed their unwritten language, Mapudungun, and history. We ate lunch in their restaurant, which included wonderful home-grown salads, sopaipilla (theirs is made without squash), and fresh bread. We also participated in a variety of "talleres" (tay-air-As) which means workshops. I chose the weaving workshop (which is all done by hand without a loom), which is extremely difficult, I have so much more respect for hand-woven artisan crafts now. Other people in my program participated in wood carving, cooking, basket weaving, and music. I eventually wandered over to the music group to try my hand at some Mapuche dances and musical instruments. We all regrouped to play some Palín, a Mapuche sport like field hockey (I'm now a pro of course thanks to my Juegos Mapuches class). After enjoying a little bonfire with more sopaipilla, jam, and empanadas, it was time for us to head home.

Villarrica Volcano

Rochelle and I about to cross the river!

Me crossing the river!

I had the option of signing up to climb the 9,341 ft. Villarica Volcano with an ice pick an all, but opted instead to go ziplining through the Canopy of the lush forests and over the rushing river created by the melting snow of the volcano. The guides were all incredibly excited to have us there, making jokes the entire time (including the first river crossing when the guide suggested I go backwards and then turns to me and says, "you know how to swim, right?). The zip line had ten different stops, where you typically land on a platform (with a gymnastics mat tied to the tree in front of you to avoid the fate of a bug on a car windshield) and climb up to another platform above you toward another rush of adrenaline and an incredible view. When we finished our course, my friends and I spent the rest of the afternoon shopping in the artisan markets of Pucón, best known for their wool and wooden products. I'd tell you what I bought, but then I'd be giving away a great many Christmas surprises. My CIEE group reunited for dinner at Fogón, a restaurant I'd highly recommend for its fogón style cooking (brick oven style fire grilling in tin foil) and warm atmosphere.

Mapuche Land

On our last day, we headed over to the parks to see more of the river and three large waterfalls. I'd list the names of these waterfalls but that would require me having paid attention to our guide at the time (oops!). The woods and creeks strongly resembled the national parks in Northeast Ohio, if I had been blindfolded and placed at random, I would have guessed that I was in South Chagrin Reservation or along the Towpath Trail in Peninsula, Ohio. It made me a bit nostalgic. Finally, we ate a bagged lunch (which was originally described as "very small" and we were instructed to bring more snacks...only to discover, in typical Chilean manner, that it included 2 sandwiches, chips, 2 drinks, a candy bar, and 2 pieces of fruit. Why are you allways trying to make me obese, Chile!?)

On our last stop, we went to natural hot springs way down in a valley beside the river. This was a first for me, and hopefully not a last! Each of the hot spring pools were different temperatures, and when we were dying from the most scalding of the pools, we jumped over the rocks into the colder-than-Lake-Michigan river for no more than a minute, and came back. My friends and I started a massage circle and many others were asleep on sunny rocks in the middle of the river. Reluctant to leave and trek up the hundreds of stairs back to the bus, we finally returned to the hotel, packed our things, ate an asado (barbeque) dinner at the hotel "castle" and departed for Round 2 of overnight busing.
Apparently, I'm still alive so I suppose one can survive these buses, but I'm going to be running around like a crazy fool for the next few days getting ready for Peru.

Until then, buenos noches y buena suerte!

Zip line station- Subimos! 

El Futuro

El Futuro: "elle foo-tour-oh" The future.

So just this once, I think it would be more fun to let you know what's happening in my world BEFORE it happens, rather than weeks after. Here's what's on my horizon for the next few weeks:

Wednesday, October 19: Tonight I'm going to my first "Ultimate Nocturno," aka Nocturnal Ultimate Frisbee that we play on the beach with what sounds like glow-stick bracelets/headbands in order to see everyone and I'm hoping for a light-up frisbee (the glow in the dark type are never the right 175g weight and are typically made of cheap, flimsy plastic...oh yes, there are frisbee snobs all over the world these days).
When I get back I'll probably think about finishing my Valparaíso Cine, Historia, y Cultura paper.

Thursday, October 20: At 8pm I'm off on a 13 hour, overnight bus trip with my program to Pucón in the South of Chile! Just as it gets warm here (oh yes, shorts were worn by Chilean nationals today...seems impossible but it has turned out that they indeed must own them), I'm going South toward Antarctica. Did you know on the morning news they give the daily forecast for Antarctica? During this extremely short trip (we pull another all night bus on Sunday) we are going to visit with the native Mapuche people, bathe in hot springs, explore the great outdoors, go zip-lining on the longest zip line in Chile over a volcano, and who knows what else we'll get into.

Thursday October 27: Yep, exactly one week from tomorrow I'm off on my grand adventure to Peru. I'm not planning to travel at the end of my time here (even though classes all finish around the last week of November) due to lack of funding, so this is the big one.
 First stop: the capital, Lima for two days
Second stop: Cusco and Aguascalientes for five days to see one of the 7 Wonders of the World- Machu Picchu...and hopefully lots of llamas.
Nothing specific is planned yet...hoping not to get too horribly stressed out about it but we'll have to see when the time comes! Anyone been? Suggestions?

Sunday, November 6: Potential trip with Ultimate team to play against another team from Santiago! This is only two days after we're back from Peru so in all likelihood I'll be scrambling to get homework done...but hopefully I can make it.

Padres

Padres: "pah-drays" n. parental unit, momsicle and popsicle, momma and papa, the folks, the voices of reason (sometimes)

After a far too long respite from blogging, I'm finally back! I have a good excuse, however. The padres finally traversed the 5,000+ miles to Chile. In the week leading up to their arrival I was running around frantically buying power converters, sending them far too long emails with lists of things to bring, researching fun things you can do in a meager four days, and squirming with anticipation (and skipping a class or two along the way). At long last, directly from the airport, they crossed the threshold of my big yellow house, enveloped in the welcoming arms and excited cries of my host mom before they even got to me. My parents had their first famous Chilean mixed drink, the Pisco Sour, within minutes of arriving, complemented by the Chilean version of Pringles and dip (slightly strange to see Pringles on a silver platter but I'm not complaining!)

My TWO families...and Shelby my gatita!

My host mom (so confused... both my mamá and my mom together?!) prepared a huge fish lunch (which is more like a four course dinner for twenty) for our entire families. My host sister Marcela was luckily in town from Santiago, so all three siblings were present together for the first time (the sisters having been "dramatically feuding" for the past several weeks). It was much easier to converse than I originally anticipated, thanks to Marcela and Paula who both lived in the US and can speak English and help me translate. My Dad's ridiculous personality had them all cracking up for days despite his complete lack of ability to speak/read/understand/pretend Spanish (and is still commonly chuckled at despite the fact that he went back the USA), and my host mom couldn't stop gushing about how "linda preciosa" my real mom is. 

Of course, Mark (the pops) HAD to rent a car, it's practically encoded in his DNA, so he got lost looking for the Sheraton Miramar, the largest, fanciest hotel on the coast, impossible to miss, while Mom and I sat outside waiting for him for half an hour, having walked there in five minutes time. We only had one night there and didn't intend to waste any time using it! After getting settled in our ocean-view room (every single room has a view) and seeing all the US goodies they had brought for me (á la Reese's, Pepperidge Farm, Diet Dr.Pepper, yumm), we headed down to the café for drinks/coffee and the sunset. Though the hotel is on the beach, it was still chilly spring weather for all four days they were here so we watched from our seats inside (which still look directly West over Valparaíso). Of course now, one week later, it's 75 and sunny. Mom and I later explored the gym and jacuzzi facilities while Mark agonized over the Tigers (who, you're welcome world, were able to knock the Yankees out of the post season). Finally, I had to take them to Entre Masas, only the best empanada restaurant in the world.

Quintay, Chile

In the morning, Dad and I rolled out of bed and back to my house to talk to his 8th grade Global Studies class via Skype. I translated their questions about Chile, the University strike, and life in general for  María José (a girl who rents a room in my house)to answer. Typically chatty Mark tried to contain himself in the background and we more or less ran his entire 45-minute class (for what was intended to be a 15 minute interview). After a successful class period, we returned to the Sheraton for a lazy start at the gym and went off in search of a good panadería on Calle Valparaíso (which is actually in Viña del Mar), my parents' favorite street, for all of its bustle and people milling about. We finally made it out to Valparaíso later to explore and search for one of Mark's different restaurant ideas. After getting horribly lost (despite our GPS) in Cerro Alegría (and a few others I believe), we arrived at our restuarant, and it was closed. CLOSED. So we moved on to option two...blocked by road construction. We must have done something bad in our past lives as dung beetles or whatever because it was past four o'clock by this point and we were dying of starvation. We finally settled on a café on the corner of a random street (I had a gigantic egg sandwich which was to die for) and later stumbled upon an artisan shop where Dad claims we spent over an hour buying amazingly cheap and well-made jewelry but lord knows he exaggerates when he wants to be watching Michigan football...not that he could have found it here in Chile anyways. Finally, we switched hotels to "3 Poniente", explored the other side of Viña near my CIEE class building a bit, got lost some more, and went out to ConCon to try the food at La Gatita, famous for its seafood and huge portions. Dad was impressed, Mom and I not so much. To make up for our disappointmen, we hit Bravissimo for some late night ice cream (including my parents' first Manjar flavor.)

Pizza Chef Mark, taking over Mama Sonia's cocina

On Saturday we all trekked out to Quintay, an old ex-whaling town on the water that has become a little scuba haven and tourist attraction for its seclusion, great restaurants, little museum, and great view. We met with my Mom's friendfrom the States and her son, who ironically lives in Santiago and who they were visiting at the same time. We found some great jewelry sold by artists along the beach and took tons of photos. Our meal at "Miramar" was equally awesome. Hopefully I'll stay with Jeremy and his wife Alexa the next time I visit Santiago! By the time we got home, it was time to eat again (for the Americans...the rest of the Chileans in the world were probably happy with their bread and tea). We went to try some Kuntsmann (yes, it's actually a Chilean beer) and I had one that is actually mixed with pineapple juice, try it sometime it's pretty good. We got lost so much driving around anyway that we bought some ice cream bon bons on the street and finished them by the time I was dropped off back at home.

If you're still with me, I know you're my true friend!  Thanks for bearing with me in this incredibly long tome of a post. 

My sisters

Drummers and fire breather!

On Sunday, we cooked pizza from scratch for my host family, something they had never cooked/eaten before!? Patty made one of her famous salads and I "warmed" the Oatmeal Carmelitas that she had made in the states (my favorite!). Every other bite was someone begging for the recipes. I was so glad to be able to give my family a meal for once and even happier that they enjoyed it. After lunch, we went to Museo al Cielo Abierto, an outdoor free graffiti mural museum in the hils of Valparaíso. It was an adventure in itself fitting my three siblings as well as the three of us all in one car, but everyone enjoyed themselves and no one had ever been there (or heard of it) except me so it felt good to be able to pass something interesting along to the Chileans. We all even stumbled upon the end of the carnaval "Mil Tambores Para Violeta Parra," with a group of drummers in the park playing for a big crowd of happy onlookers. After heading back to the hotel and exploring the neighborhood a bit (and finding yet another fun artsy store to buy Christmas presents in...yep people they're all for you), we went out for our "last supper" at the Italian restuarant Divino Pecado (Divine Sin), and it was indeed divine. It was so good I'm considering posting a picture of (yes, I took a picture) my mini pancetta and flank steak kebobs that were each on a toothpick. Dad couldn't stop raving about his food and I was afraid he was going to try and ask for a recipe in gibberish. 

Alas, last day. On Monday we ran some last minute errands (aka buying alcohol, etc. and more presents to take back to the States), ate at Entre Masas again, drank our last pisco sours, did a whirlwind trip through the Calle Valparaíso artisan market, and said our goodbyes to my other family. So strange...I have two families. 

Looking back on it now, a week later, I feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and a strong desire for these next two months to just hurry up so I can embrace the holiday spirit and bake cookies and see the rest of my extended family and friends, but I keep reminding myself that a) I would be in New Orleans if I wasn't here anyway and b) I'll miss my family here even more from the moment I wave ¡Chao! and step onto the plane. 

Circle of Vida

Vida: "vee-duh" n. Life

A low key week on a high note!
I didn't do any international traveling this week nor did I jump off any rocks or trot up a mountain on a horse. I did, however, have many good things happen that I would typically take for granted.

Mural on the exterior of the Parque Violeta Parra

First of all, I received my first Chilean grade (it's about time!). In my Valparaíso History, Literature, and Film course I received a 7 on my first test (which was a literary exam about the book Lanchas en la Bahía by Manuel Rojas)!! For you confuzzled Americans, Chileans grade on a 7 point scale, with 7 translating roughly to an A or A+. To celebrate the end of the unit we had a fun class this week where we went to the beach at Playa Ancha and hiked up the cerro a bit to the Parque de los Artes Violeta Parra, a little field and garage-turned-dance-studio where we learned some mambo and other dance moves accompanied by a live drummer, all with a huge view of the ocean through the open garage door.  I haven't seen a dance studio in months so this was particularly exciting for me to be able to dance with an instructor. They hold free, open sessions for the community every Saturday morning that can draws up to fifty or sixty people and I'm considering going. They even had trapese equipment hanging...a new adventure?
I also was finally able to go to the beach in shorts and flip flops and I even laid out in my swimsuit on the balcony of my house a few times on my own. It's not 80, but it's not 40 anymore at least! Winter is a very short but incredibly painful season with no instant hot water and no indoor heat here which makes you appreciate spring that much more. After living in New Orleans for the past few years, the in-between seasons like Spring and Fall are more or less ignored or completely unnoticeable, so it's great to see blossoms and the slow progression to short sleeves (not shorts quite yet, a definite "stupid gringo" indicator (host moms here widely and quite seriously believe that illness is caused by cold, sockless feet and wet hair).
I'm really enjoying my Juegos Mapuches course (indigenous games). We meet on the beach every Thursday morning for class and learn a variety of Mapuche games. This week we played the Mapuche version of dodgeball which throws in a couple more rules about how to get back into the game once you're out. Next we we return to Linau, the more intense co-ed Mapuche version of rugby...let's just reiterate that the last time we played at least six of us left bleeding or injured.
Lastly, I just returned from seeing "Rey León" aka Lion King in 3D. The Lion King was the movie of my childhood, of my generation, and to see it in such digitally remastered clarity and to be able to understand it in another language (every single song was translated as well) was a defining moment for me. It was a way of showing me that I've grown not only in age but in intellect and the Lion King has grown right alongside me. The thing that struck me most in the translations was that the "Circle of Life" became the "Ciclo Sin Fin," or "Cycle Without End."