Chile over the years

Wow.
We are BACK in Chile for a quick visit to catch up with family, and it's like we never left!

It's funny how upon arrival, I compare things I see around me, getting on the plane, the sun coming up over the mountains, immigration stamping, customs, waste clearing on the highway from the airport, all of those little details of immediate arrival, flash before my eyes from all the previous times I've come...it's kind of like magic for me, the moment upon entering into an entirely different life.

It's kind of like when you only see a niece or nephew every other Christmas and suddenly they're twice the size?  Well, that's Chile for me, all grown'd up!  Different...but the same.

The very, very first time (back in 2005!)....

I flew by myself and Rodolfo picked me up from the airport with his father.  On the plane, there was a big group about to go on a cruise (or was it a Christian charity organization?!?) all sported up in their brand new zip off travel pants, mountain climbing shoes and super sized hats and fanny paks, ready for the '3rd world'.  They adopted me as their own on the plane, probably because I was completely terrified, and we were all uber excited together, none of us having been to Chile before and everyone seemed a bit worried for me...my first visit to meet my potential new future in laws...how romantic....and it was!

In the wee early hours shortly before arrival, the pilot gave us a special announcement and flew by one of the largest mountains in ...Chile?  OR Peru?  I don't remember...but I had a view of it from my window and took a picture of it with my old crappy camera and thought it was magical.  Everyone on the plane leaned over to see it, taking turns for everyone to get a glimpse!  (This has never happened since actually, I wish I knew why!)  I think we even gave applause when we landed, we were all so excited.

Back then the fee was a straight up $100 for US citizens..now its more like $150, my passport is just about to expire and then I'll have to pay it again...that is, if the rules don't change before my next visit and they remove the fee...fingers crossed!


Walking out of the sliding glass doors, I remember my eyes hitting the glare of the sun and my nose smelling the dry, warm and slightly cool morning air tinted with sweet fruit.  It was so dry....like a dessert.  and the sun was so bright.  and it was so deliciously warm!  I soaked it all in like a sponge...if a sponge soaked dryness.

I remember seeing a lot of delipidated, over used, very small cars and trucks on the highway, with bumpers tied on, even some horse drawn carts along the side of the road carrying garbage and debree. I was freaking out, because we were driving very fast, swirving around all of these potential accidents, and in the back seat, Chileans didn't wear seatbelts.   I remember seeing the workers in their oversized bright orange onesies, raking and watering the little plants along the side of the highway and the spray painted signs on all of the cement walls with the names of presidential candidates...I believe Bachelette was then running for office, and there was a whirl of excitement.

It was the first time I heard Rodolfo speak real Chilean spanish with his father and I remember being overwhelmed with feeling, seeing them talking together...Rodolfo in his natural habitat!  So this is what he really sounds like when he speaks his own language!  It was the first moment I'd wished I could have joined the conversation and been a part of it all...that we could be so natural together in our thoughts and feelings...and so fast!  and the first moment I realized...this learning Chilean spanish thing?  It's going to be much harder than I thought!

The dry cool air rushed in thru all the open windows and a sense of...wow...I'm alive!  Came in with it!

Shortly after arriving at his moms house, I drank my first nescafe and ate my first palta con pan and then fell asleep with the screenless window open and sunshine pouring in, with the sounds of parrot cheeps squeaking away in the tree across the street.  I felt sooooo HAPPY!

We've noticed a lot of changes this time around on the first day for better or worse...

• No more horse drawn carriages around...I saw only 1 on the outskirts of town.  I also didn't notice any delapidated shacks along the highway from the airport...perhaps they're hidden or destroyed?
• Cars are getting bigger and bigger and there's more of them.  I'm wondering if this has to do with a change in import/export laws?  There's really no room for them here and with pollution as it is, this is kind of sad to see.
• Fat people.  A LOT of obese people.  I blame this on Walmart and their entrance into the grocery stores here which sell American products...mainly of the junk food variety.  
• Along with that, I've seen a lot more bikers and runners of many different ages.  It seems as if bicycle commuting is catching on here, also potentially due to the price of buses almost doubling.
• A lot more electrical appliances everywhere, particularly in kitchens... and everyone has an iphone.  Everyone!  Apple is huge!
•  Santiago is sort of funny because it's inside out.  The streets are not pretty...they are pretty dirty and rugged looking for the most part accept for certain neighborhoods and driving around was making me a bit sad....the pretty parts are all behind locked gates and fences..there's gardens and flowers and beautiful places a plenty, but only for those who can afford it....this makes me appreciate Madisons beautiful public parks even more...perhaps it's time to volunteer!

 So far though, wonderful visit and a very much needed catch up with family!  We've/I'VE missed them so much.  Just being around his parents and aunts/uncles/brother/cousins....it's a whirlwind of feelings and happiness.   Family is a different concept in Chile and it's hard to explain the feeling when they get together..it's a sort of tightness or closeness of extreme happiness and everyone gets a sense of contentment just being together...like eating a delicious piece of cake....which also happens when everyone is together!

All right!  Time for my daily morning run routine and a stroll thru the fruit and veggie market down the road!
BESOS!