I can’t find my pajamas, which is a little strange.  I don’t think I washed them with my other clothes, but perhaps I did and didn’t notice.  Sometimes I come back into my room and everything is rearranged; Diana comes in here and makes my bed after I do, which is a little bothersome, but I guess I shouldn’t complain.

Today was very enjoyable and I am very tired now.  I woke up, took a shower and ate breakfast.  I’m not sure if Jorge works because he was home all day.  But, I left to go to classes with some other girls and their brothers.  Classes today were interesting – about Pablo Neruda, Gabriel Mistrel and Isabel Allende.  And I decided that I am going to talk like a chileno with yo (jo) y allende (ajende).. Por que no? (Why not?)

After the first set of classes, I walked back to my house with another girl and her family.  We had una sopa con frijoles y fideos y (as soup with beans and noodles and) some kind of sausage.  Also, pan, cebollas con vinagre y repollos (cabbage) con aceite y limón y sal (mi favorito).  Then, Diana y yo began to wash my clothes in the washer.  It is somewhat like mine (well, mine at home doesn’t work) but they do not have a dryer, like most chileans.

I went to the second set of classes, which was interesting again – we talked about the differences between Los EEUU and Chile.  And it’s interesting because we decided that the pace of life at least in Linares is very different than in Los EEUU. Although mi familia me dijo que es diferente en Santiago.  But, it does seem very relaxed here.

They ask me if I want to live here, which is funny.  But, I definitely would not live in Linares.  It is very small and muddy and sort of gloomy.  I guess that is because of the winters, but I can’t see myself living here.  And today, I learned that Mapuche, the one group that is the most discriminated against has skin that is lighter than mine!  Therefore, I am really different here.  It is interesting because they do not understand discrimination based on race because it doesn’t exist here; there aren’t many diversities in small town Linares.

ALso, I learned that Las Condes, where I’ll be staying, is filled with rich people because during the reign of Pinochet, the military dictator between 1973 and 1989, they were placed there, while rather poor people were placed in the parts of the capital.  He wanted Chile to be segregated based on people’s economic situation.

También, en Chile, there are no scholarships based on financial situations.  Therefore, if you are smart, but poor, you cannot attend a university because normally you do not attenda  good colegio (in Los EEUU, hay ayuda del gobierno).  ALthough, these children do go to Catholic schools.  Jorge told me Diana was a bad student.  She definitely has a lot of energy, though.

After classes, Diana y Connie (su prima, cousin) picked me up and after stopping at the the store we went to their house for dinner – and it was a lot of fun.  Otra prima, se llama Fransesca, was very excited to talk with me because she is attending the University in Valparaíso (a port city a little north of Santiago) and is studying English there.  She is very passionate about it.  I think we might be going to a discoteque on Saturday.  My family’s family is very nice and very enjoyable.  I visited Veronica’s sister and brother’s houses and they seem to be well off compared to this family.  But, it really doesn’t matter – all are very caring and fun.

SIDE NOTE: Waking up in the middle of the night and having to go to the bathroom downstairs sucks.

It was weird waking up here.  Partly because of the dreams I had – of course, I was doing the standard introduction in Spanish to some group and they could not understand me afterwards.  So, I do not think that counts as the profound dream that symbolizes your fluency – not after a week in Chile.

The family is very nice.  Ignacio reminds me of my real brother, Matthew, in Los EEUU (the US).  Pato will be leaving for a bit to stand guard as service in the army.  I really enjoy spending time with the family, just hanging out and relaxing.  I also feel more comfortable today speaking in spanish and understanding them.  we had breakfast, went to mass, had lunch with another cousin and aunt/uncle.  They were nicer and I felt more comfortable with them than the family last night.

We watched a movie and I tried some drink arenasado (wine with something that tasted like peanuts).  I liked the wine, but no tthe other stuff.  Then, two other gringas y yo (and I) with their brothers walked to the Plaza de Linares.  It was rather long, but by randomly talking to Pato y Diana, my spanish somewhat improved (or so I think).  At least, the conversation seemed a little more fluid and I’m getting more familiar with the family, who I love (kind of)..haha.   I like talking ot the father about random serious things.  And tonight I played with Diana and Nacho – some random card game.  She was excited when I understood what was going on – and so was I!  And Nacho is so cute! especially when he smiles.

But after our walk we came back and all had empanadas chilenas con carne de vaca (cow), cebollas (onions), huevos hervidos (boiled eggs), and aceituna (olives).  Then, the gringas y sus hermanos left.  More cousins came over and they were super nice and very excited to be talking to me.  Fransisca, who I believe is only 18, is studying English in a university in Viña del Mar.  And then, Connie, who is also 18, is only in her last year of high school.  I guess tomorrow we are going to their house for dinner.  It is interesting how easy it was to talk to them, not just because of their age, but they seem very intelligent and they know English!

Once they left, I played cards with Nacho and Diana and talked to Jorge.  Pato had to stand guard for the night and left with his uniform on.  It was interesting because he said he was nervous before, but I’m not sure if that was because of the time of or because of what he had to do.

It’s weird.  It’s not like I miss my family, yet, well, perhaps a little.  But, the family dynamic here is a lot different. They seem a lot closer, partly because the parents are different and the culture is different.  I guess I should value my time more when I am with them, change my attitude so that I can enjoy my time with them.

They gave me a flag of Chile to remember them and asked if I would come back and visit.  And its only been the first twenty-four hours!!!  I really like them.

And yes, there house is not much.  I told them it was like mine in that they are both rather small.  I mean, I share a room with my borther still and here the girl sleeps in a very small room while the two boys sleep in another small room; the parents sleep in another, bigger room.  (PIC OF ROOM) Possibly, this room (I’m sleeping in the girl’s room) is suppose to be  a bigger room, but they divided it.  The walls are almost unfinished and so is the door.  There are no knobs on the door nor the dresser.  Everything is small and cozy, but I feel like you do not need much more to live.  I did notice that the parents wore the same thing, however, from yesterday.  Although, they did hang their clothes to dry, so possibly that is why.

I really enjoyed the shower this morning with warm water and no shower shoes.  It is nice to take a break from the other Notre Dame students, as well, just because we were with each other almost all the time for a week.  Therefore, I am glad about the host families, despite the initial awkwardness.

Here is information to cure the maté gourd cup from http://www.mymateworld.com/how_to_cure_a_yerba_mate_gourd.htm (just in case you happen to purchase one somewhere).

Curing a Yerba Mate Gourd

The name “Mate” derives from the quichua word “matí” that names the gourd that is traditionally used to drink the infusion. The Yerba Mate Cup or vessel most commonly used, is a gourd of the Lagenaria Vulgaris, a climbing plant, which grows in several parts of the world. Always remember the gourd is a natural plant product.

The gourd is put to dry and hollowed out. Composed of 90 percent water, the gourd must go through a process of evaporation outdoors for about three or four months.

In the drying process, the gourd will lose its fleshy membrane, leaving it hollow. They also lose much of their color. When dry, the hard-shelled gourds are almost as hard as wood.

There are mate cups that don´t need to be cured such as those made of wood or non-porous materials (glass, metal, china, etc.)

The curing has one purpose : the removal of the inner soft tissues of the gourd. By removing the soft membrane it will insure that your first mate will not be so bitter. However if you want to use your gourd right away you don’t have to cure it at all. The membrane will slowly be removed as you empty out the old mate and rinse with running water. The first couple of times the mate may have a more bitter taste by not curing it.

You may find on other web sites, books or booklets that you must use old yerba mate in the curing process. This is not entirely necessary as the gourd will finally get its proper taste after several uses of the mate.

GOURDS WITH METAL RIM :

Add boiling water just below the lower part of the metal rim line.

The reason you do not fill the gourd above the rim line is to allow for it to expand and seal tightly with the rim. If you put the water above the rim line when you cure it, your gourd will, more than likely, leak although it may stop after two or three days use because of the continuing expansion of the gourd and the sealing of the rim as we said above.

So, let the boiled water sit for approximately 10 minutes. After this you may use a teaspoon and softly scrape the membrane out of the gourd under running water. If you have successfully removed the majority of the membrane you have completed the curing process.

Please do not remove the stem in the center of the gourd. Doing so will cause the gourd to leak.

9) Lack of water in the fountains

8 ) Land of men; ie. Women are not abundant

7) Unstable hostel bunk beds, that rip your favorite notre dame t-shirt.

6) Not making it to Crobar, the best disco in Buenos Aires

5) Lack of credit cards allowed in tiendas and restaurants

4) LAL (Latin American Looks from guys/Logic); ie, feeling uncomfortable wearing a tank top and shorts/whatever you think would make sense, never does in Latin America

3) Not finding a sinlge copy of Diarios de Motocicleta by Ernesto “Che” Guevara, but seeing Twilight and Dan Brown everywhere

2) Mosquito bites that cause swollen ankles and feet

1) Realizing you are a minority traveling in South America; ie. You have no money

34) Sun “set” on the Plato River

33) Café Tortoni with Herlinda

32) Michael Jackson impersonator at the Feria in Recoleta

31) Dulce de leche

30) Ball whip

29) Argentinean children

28 ) Random Brazilian men at a bar

27) Sunrise on bus to Buenos Aires

26) Alfajors (with chocolate)

25) Walking around Buenos Aires

24) Michael Jackson/Lady Gaga/Pitbull/Black Eyed Peas

23) The pronunciation of “buquebus”

22) Freddo ice cream (chocotorta y piña)

21) Hanging out with boys from Chicago

20) Getting a tan in December

19) Laughing at the Latin American Look

18 ) Argentinean statues and fountains that lack water

17) People being surprised that I’m from the US because of my semi-good Spanish (I’m assuming)

16) “I really like those shorts on the gaucha” (me).  “They are Gaucho Pants!!” (Herlinda)

15) Laughing about Latin American Logic

14) Elderly woman in a Mrs. Claus costume advertising for a sex shop

13) Michael Jackson CD on bus to Buenos Aires

12) Argentinean asado/parilla, ie. Bistec y chorizo

11) Finally buying a maté cup

10) Appreciating American culture, ie. A better respect for women, or something to that extent

9) Going to Uruguay (4^th country in 4 months)

8 ) Tigre Delta ferry ride

7) Talking to a couple who own a store with remnants of the Che Guevara museum

6) Riding a horse in the argentinean pampa with gauchos

5) Finding an Argentinean bracelet

4) Pub crawl of a total of 4 bars, it. The night we did NOT make it to the best disco in Buenos Aires for free, cutting the line.. FRACASO

3) Gauchos wearing berets playing the drums

2) Tango lessons with attractive Argentinean who smelled quite nice

1) “¡Qué lastima con lagrimas! .. what a pi-ety con tears!”

19) Our attempt to party it up in Mendoza…fracaso!

18 ) 3 scoop ice cream cone

17) some cute Argentineans

16) old Argentinean cars

15) eating an awkward dinner with strangers, yet getting advice on where to see orcas

14) Riding a bike in the sun with a tank top on..

13) argentinian children

12) lake with roses and statues

11) wine cockscrew

10) Provolone cheese skillet with toasted bread and sun-dried tomatoes..to accompany our wine tasting..

9) Riding through the Andes at 7:30 am by bus

8 ) “I’m going to ride with no handle” after the chocolate/liquor place

7) wearing shorts and sandals

6) chocolate alfajors

5) hearing pitbull/BEP/Lady Gaga everywhere

4) Biking wine tour

3)Chocolate and liquor place. Ie. Absinthe

2)Bistec/asado

1) Realizing I’m only 20 years old and this is my third country in 2 months!

• Notre Dame family
• New friends, ie, Herlinda, mi compinche
• My time in Chile
• Chilean sunsets
• Pan, palta y pisco, and basically all great food and drinks, like chocolate and raspberry cake, macaroni and cheese, all pasta and parmesan cheese, taco bell bean burritos, chorillana, caipirinhas, ron, chorizo, pebre, ice cream and brownies, cheddar cheese and real orange juice
• My family in the US
• “po”
• being over age in Chile
• Isla negra
• Los Andes
• Michael Jackson
• Music
• Growing up in California
• The Dominican Republic
• Chocolate
• The sun and warm weather
• Internet connection
• Notre Dame
• Good-looking foreign men
• The words of Paulo Coelho, Pablo Neruda and other human beings that seem to just help you get through life

Viernes, 27 de Noviembre de 2009

9) Cream puff on cake covered in manjar

8 ) pebre, pan, palta

7) fruit kabobs with chocolate

6) chorizo at 5 pm

5) Watching only Herlinda hit the piñata

4) Throwing myself in the pool

3) Lady gaga/Michael Jackson/BEP

2) caipirinhas

1) DJ/dancing (one point dancing la cueca to techno music..JAJA)