1.29.2011

Santiago Street Etiquette

I love Chile and Chileans...I'm growing a deep emotional bond with Santiago, giant city girl, that is me!
But!  I feel it's time to bitch a little.  Sorry Chile.
Santiago Chileans can be EXTREMELY RUDE!
(Chileans outside of Santiago not included....this is totally a big city issue!)
I should also clarify before I rant a critical determinant for poor Santiago Chilean etiquette....

 - Verbal communication! - once you have spoken to someone  - anyone - about anything - how they are doing, how's the weather, what they had for breakfast, which aisle has the olive oil, etc..  any Santiago Chilean will become your best friend and go above and beyond the call of duty to help you and show kindness to you...seriously!  Every time I speak to someone or watch Rodolfo speak to someone it's amazing!
"Where's the olive oil?"
"Aisle 3, but don't buy this certain brand, my uncles cousin works at the plant and it's not as good as this other brand, which is half the price!"
"Oh...uh...thanks!"
 *However, it takes courage to speak to people here...Chileans are a bit shy in general and weary of strangers....it takes some personal effort to cross the line to actually speak....

 - No verbal communication?  You are below dog crap in the eyes of a stranger and they wish you great misfortune in life.  May your children's children have pussy zits and smelly feet forever!

Now for the ranting!  I have become bad ass when getting around Santiago...not that I am, I just try to look like it.  Serious posture, set cheek bones....think Arnold Schwartzenigger...that's me!  Why?

Tran-Santiago - (the subway system)
If you are waiting to enter a train on the subway and you are expecting some kind of fluid entry and exit of polite people showing courtesy and personal space, guess again!  Just jab your way in once the doors open, who cares if someone is trying to get out....they'll do the same to you!

Biking
There are some actual bike lanes now in Santiago, which is awesome!  However, people use it as parking space for their cars, they also don't mind standing in them talking on cell phones.  If you are contemplating to cross at an intersection when a car is coming towards you and you have the right of way (green light)....if you value your life, wait anyways, they WANT to run you over!  They are determined to get you good and dead...what's even better?  Sometimes they speed towards to screw with your head, stop at the very last second and then get pissed off screaming inappropriate language when you don't cross in front of them immediately!  "What's wrong with you!  Can't you see I was going to stop for you?!?  Crazy bikers!"

Walking
Don't be surprised if someone pushes/crosses directly in front of you or walks in front of you and stops suddenly.  And yes, if you look behind/around/in front of you and your a women, there are plenty of men looking right back at you.....but never at your face....of course....However!  Unlike Egypt, if you catch them, most men look away in embarrassment.  My favorite thing to do is look them in the eyes and smile and say hello....gotcha....they don't know what to do.

Driving
People in Santiago are very bad drivers.  I will never drive here...I would kill myself and many, many others in the process....if only more Santiago-ans considered the same to be true, the streets would be much safer!

Shared Public Bathrooms
OK.  This could JUST be me, but every time I've tried to use a women's room in a busy restuarant or bar, I have a hell of a time budging my way into a stall....if I even get that far!  Usually, the door gets slammed in my face by the 10 women I'm assuming are secretly eating lunch in there...since they sit in there for a good 20 minutes!  Latina bathroom etiquette seems to be a fine art I have not yet acquired...all I want to do is pee ladies!  Give a gringa a break!

Are you sure?
I've had to get used to this international question after growing up in Minnesota.  In Minnesota, it's impolite to accept food/beverage when asked the first time.  You should wait until...."Are you sure?"  and then say yes.
I've learned this is purely ONLY a Midwestern thing!
"Would you like something to drink?"
"YES!  WATER!  NO GAS!  WITH ICE!  FROM THE TAP! please?"











1.24.2011

Concepcion + family + wedding = LOCO!

What a weekend!

We spent the weekend with family in Conception/Tome for his cousin Sole's wedding!  Rodolfo's family are some of the warmest, happiest, funniest people...I love it!  I may not get the jokes, but the sound of gut wrenching laughter is never very far away hanging out with these guys and it always makes me smile!
Tio Nano, Tia Marcia (mother of the bride), Tio Juan Gernan, Mamacita
(Tia Gloria not in photo)



Rodolfo, Martin, Pipe, Sebastian, Jimmy    (SOME of the cousins)

Rodolfo has 14 cousins, 15 in total on his moms side!  That's a lot of names for an Abuela to remember!
I love all of them!


The beautiful newly weds making their matrimonial toast.
A wedding Chilean style is the best kind of party EVER!

The most delicious food, amazing drinks, there is even a special soup served at oh...3am as a snack!  Everyone is dancing and happy having a wonderful time!  Chilean weddings are awesome!

It's a big family and for events like weddings, you don't get bored!  There is always something happening, something to eat, something to drink and someone to talk to.  It's a wonderful feeling!

our walk along the shore of Tome
Before and after the main event, we spent the weekend staying with Rodolfo's Uncle Tio Nano in Tome (a small city 30 minutes drive from Concepcion).  The streets along the Tome ocean front are lined with seafood restaurants and people selling giant crabs and mussels out of baskets along the sidewalks.  The smell of freshly baked bread walking thru downtown Tome is intoxicating!






Pipe (pee-pay) and Vita (Italian for life)

Tio Nano's son Pipe found a stray sick puppy in the street a few weeks ago and is nursing it back to health...that's just the kind of people they are!  Puppy savers!

After dancing til 5am (even Abuela was up until 4am!), a lot of the family met up for a seafood/meat barbecue at Tio Nano's house the next day:


Good times had by all.  
Next wedding though... someone has to remind me that I'm not 16 anymore and trying to dance like a Brazilian at 4am...(not that I actually did) not such a good idea!  My legs are killing me, I feel like I got run over by a truck and somewhere in the mix, I got stepped on with a high heel.  But! I had a great time!  YAY for love, marriage, weddings and great big families that crack me up!

1.16.2011

Po-tae-to : Po-ta-to

En Chile : In the USA

Coca Cola Light : Diet Coca Cola

Round prongs : Flat head prongs

Flat round buns of white bread : Sliced up loaves of white bread
(in a paper bag) : (in a plastic bag)

Aji (spicy tomato sauce) : ketchup

San Francicso : Drum Stick
(boxed ice cream with cake in it)  (pre packaged ice cream cones)

Gouda : Velveeta 
(white sliced cheese: yellow sliced cheese)

Nescafe : Folgers 
It's almost impossible to find good coffee : It's quite difficult to find bad coffee
Cortado (1/2 of a latte) : Latte 

Completo : Hot Dog 
(with sliced tomato and mayo) : (with ketchup and mustard)
Italiano : Quarter Pounder
(thin sliced beef : thick pattie)

Lider : Wall Mart (Wall Mart owns Lider here)

Microbreweries!  : Microbreweries!
(A new trend!) : (I miss Wisconsin!)
Some German Heritage : Some German Heritage!

Bike lanes! (Also new in Santiago) : Bike lanes!  (I miss Madison)

Citroens and Toyotas : Fords and Toyotas

Lemon juice and olive oil with a pinch of salt : Ranch dressing

Besos : Kisses
Ciao! : Bye!

1.15.2011

Los Angeles and La familita


I spent this past week hanging out with my Abuela! (upper left)
She's a hoot!  Plus, she's a great Spanish tutor!

Lorena and I went on a road trip together with little Simoncito to grandma's house so little Simon could be introduced to the family!
Did I mention Rodolfo has a big family?
This past week was a crash course in LA FAMILIA!   Who are all totally awesome!
Aunties, uncles, really cool cousins, nieces and nephews...I had a blast!

Let's make this clear though familia:
1.  We are not having a baby until I have adequate housing and health insurance
2.  We are not moving to Chile for at least another two years and then....repeat 1.

Here are some Chilean basics I picked up in my intensive family boot camp in Los Angeles!

 Take any name of a person or food or really any noun in general and add -ito/a to it, which generally makes a word "small" or "cute" in Spanish and you are in Chile!

example:                                            pronounced:
aguita  = Chilean agua/water                  awita
guatita = Chilean guata/tummy               watita          
guaguita = Chilean guagua/baby             wawita   

It was driving me crazy trying to decipher which one was being said!  "Aguita para la guatita de wawita?!?"

Hungry?  Have some pan-cita!
Thirsty?  Beb-ita! or perhaps a cafe-cita!
What is my name?  Saritah!


Sometimes, I think by saying -ita, I am agreeing to eat or drink less??   Nope.  Normal sized!  Just cute!

Pan.
Pan is a staple here.  If you don't like bread, you won't like Chile.  Chileans, love, BREAD...well, and Beef.
Even better?  The two together!  Perhaps with a tomato salad on the side..you know....for healthiness!

On a personal note, I spent the week tummy sick after accidentally swallowing the cleanser in Rodolfo's dads tea kettle making a tea.  Whoops.  After cleaning out my system, it's been a slow and steady recovery to normal watita-hood.  Abuelita chicken and rice soup along with continual cups of fresh herbal tea (I think she said, te-ceta!) from her garden just prove there is no place better to be sick then at grandmas house!  Gracias abuelita!



1.09.2011

oh yeah...life in Chile!

So...lots of stuff has happened and I've gotten a bit behind on my happenings here in Chile!

We've been running around so much visiting good friends old and new and family old and new, I've been a non stop social butterfly!  Rodolfo and I are both concerned over the current state of our livers...but that is another matter!

Here's a mild version of the current state of affairs and photos!

December 25th, 2010 - Christmas!


Upper left: I made a Chilena version of sugar cookies!
Upper center: We ate fillet mignon with wine sauce (which I managed to drop on my lap)
Rodolfo got pooped on by Simon...it happens!
Upper right: Both Rodolfo and I had to change clothes.
Lower center: Simon received a beautiful Christmas present from Minnesota!  
(who doesn't love a baby monkey quilt?!?   - Created by Ruth DeVore - my mom)

After Christmas, we were fortunate to spend time with old friends from Madison!


upper photos:
We brought the New Year in staying with our old and dear friend Rodrigo who now lives near Vina del Mar.
Luckily, our friends Pilar and Juan were also in the neighborhood for New Years Eve and we met them for lunch at a restaurant called La Gatita and danced in the New Year with them as well!

lower photos:
Just this past week, Ashley and Yann came to visit us here in Santiago and we spent two days showing them around the city sharing our favorite Chilean foods!  Empanadas at El Rapido, fresh Chilimoya juice in the market place, espressos in the Bella Vista neighborhood and more things I can't pronounce in wonderful places I can't remember the names of, but absolutely enjoyed!  It was a great day!

So, those are my most recent photos!  Not very well edited, but you get the gist, right?
This week Rodolfo is back to work and I'm off to visit my Chilena Abuela with Simon and Lorena in Los Angeles Chile sin (without) Rodolfo!

Us ladies + baby catch a bus tomorrow morning for a 5-6 hour ride towards an extremely hot (in temperature) city for a week of Simon introductions to the extended family.  Without Rodolfo I'll be forced to speak more spanish which should make for an interesting week!  Not to mention no internet or cable and lots of new Chilean family faces!  This could be the exact experience needed to push my tongue into speaking more spanish!  AHH!!!!!!!!

1.08.2011

Frustration.....!!!!....#$$%^!

So.
I've been slacking.
In honor of my temporary decision to surround myself in as much English as possible, I've dedicated myself to my computer screen and the television screen, any screen that keeps me from reality....culture shock, denial, call it what you will...I miss the English language and people who speak it.

"How's the spanish going?" Are words I've come to dread....my tongue hurts.
When someone speaks to me in Spanish, an odd dear in the head lights situation occurs, my mind goes blank and I say something like...  "Uhh"  "Huh?"
It sucks.

Meet my temporary best friend:



I have now spent most of TWO days watching videos of.....Charlie.
I love Charlie.  He speaks English.  He speaks British English!
We are in a relationship.....but can you blame me?!?  He's lovely!

The thing is....as much as I hate to admit it, Charlie is not going to be talking back to me from my computer screen any. time. soon.....poop.  This is a one way street with a dead end.
Whether I like it or not, I have to face facts....there are lots and lots of people, right HERE in Santiago, absolutely excited to communicate with me on a daily basis...it's just not in English.

Today while flipping channels, I also happened to flip to the movie Mr. Hollands Opus to the exact scene where his wife is screaming in the kitchen freaking out with her son (who's deaf) sobbing on the floor at her feet.."I WANT TO SPEAK TO MY SON! I DON'T CARE WHAT IT TAKES! I WANT TO SPEAK TO MY SON!!!!!" and it started to set in....

Spanish.  
It's the one thing holding me apart from the world I live in and without it, I might as well be that kid laying on the kitchen floor screaming in frustration, because that's just about how I feel inside....mute.  
I can't continue living like this.  I can't keep relying on my husband to speak for me, especially as an adult, with adult feelings and adult things to say to other adults.  Conversations with Simon (my 3 month old nephew) are fun, but not very constructive on a social level.

I have no answers at this point, accept perhaps bang my forehead harder against this ginormous invisible concrete wall in front of me.  Die of embarrassment at every possible opportunity.  Sound like a complete imbecile as often as possible.  Welcome to my world.  

A latte

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