Christine's Return to the US

On December 8th, 2009, I landed in Miami, Florida. It was a full day of traveling from Chile. I spent two full days roaming around South Beach, eating some wonderful Cuban food, and doing a little shopping. The weather was spectacular and the scenery is entertaining. It's like an adult playround where the rich and famous and the wanna-be's come to show off their toys.

Then I spent the weekend in Chicago. Arrived on Friday and left Monday morning. I went ice skating in Daley Plaza, had some great American meals including, macaroni and cheese, pizza, and turkey & mashed potatoes. Also went to where Oprah Winfrey records her show near downtown Chicago. I would have expected the building to be more grandioso but instead it was simple and plain.

HARPO STUDIOS

I went to a German festival outdoor where I had hot spiced wine (new to try) and walked around looking at all the different booths of tradition German ornaments, food, and trinkets. The famous Christmas tree was also lit up and beautiful, but a tad smaller than I had always imagined. Had lunch in Greektown and then went to the new skydeck on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) which was so scary! It's about a 6'x4' glass box that sticks out of the building so you feel you are walking on air. You can see the 103 stories down. We had 3 or 4 boys jumping up and down on it right before our turn! Very comforting to watch and if it was going to break, it would have broke then.

Looking down.

The last of my "travel excursions" happened Sunday evening, before I was flying to Oklahoma on Monday, which was going to an Oz themed park in Chicago slightly north of downtown. Very fitting for me and this blog.


You see, the headline on the black and white photo of my brother and me at the top of this blog reads, "We're Off to See The Lizard." I'm sure it makes no sense to anyone that is not in our family. However it has a big significance to us and is based on the lyrics of "We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz." So, to find myself, after 8.5 months of traveling, in a park themed off the Wizard of Oz, there could not have been a more fitting ending.

MY ARRIVAL TO OKLAHOMA

My arrival to the Tulsa International Airport was a show and something I will NEVER forget. As I am walking towards my parents and start to give my mother a hug I hear this LOUD "whoa, whoa, ay muchachita........" and I look over to see my brother practically running over to me in a HUGE sombrero and Peruvian llama sweater!! It was hilarious and anyone in the waiting area was laughing hysterically at this unfolding. It was an unforgettable moment and pictures were taken to capture it all.

Me, my brother, and Julie.



My family.

As for me......my plans are to spend the holidays in the US. Around the end of January I'm looking to take an intermediate spanish course in central america for approximately 4-5 weeks to build upon what I have already learned but with an emphasis on grammar.

Afterwards, I don't have definitive plans yet. Next year holds a new chapter and I don't even have the title. Exciting the possibilities!

Thank you for reading the blogs I've posted the past 8 months and we'll keep adding entries whenever we find ourselves somewhere new.

Christine

Christine's Closing Ceremonies

Antofagasta was located in the second (of fourteen) region in Chile. Between the 4month, 6month, and 8month volunteers, it was the largest region for volunteer placements so the organization held closing ceremonies for us in Antofagasta (largest city in the region). We watched a group of singers and dancers perform to the tunes of the traditional Chilean dance of Cueca which is pictured below.

We had a nice lunch for just the volunteers in public schools in Antofagasta. Then we started with breakout groups to provide feedback on the program. The following day we had formal ceremonies where each of us were called up on stage to receive a certificate of participation as well as a copper (one of the primary minerals of the region) notebook pad.

Here is myself pictured with my host mom.

Joe, Paul, and I were the last of the 8monthers to finish in Antofagasta so, of course, we had to take a picture to commemorate the accomplishment!

After closing ceremonies, we were bused to Santiago for closing ceremonies there too. Over 200 volunteers came and we were presented another certificate. Several countries were presented including Czech Republic, Germany, Australia, England, Trinidad, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and of course the USA.

It was a time to say goodbye to those friends made during our time in Chile. We differed in races, education, beliefs, opinions, and interests but were bonded by the experience of being in a foreign country. We experienced the excitement of a new place together. The stares from looking different from everyone else. The frustrations of not being able to communicate easily. The adjustment to dinner being much later in the evening. The hugs, kisses, and endless questions from our students......"Ms/Mr., How old are you?....Do you have any children? Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend?". The feelings of "How in the world do I get these children to listen to me". The curiosity of traveling to other parts of the country. The thoughts of ........ "oh my goodness, I'm really going to have hot dog meat over buttered spagetti noodles as a meal?" Relying on public transportation instead of a car to get from one place to another. It was those experiences in Chile that brought us together and will forever give us a bond.

Saludos to the friends who I came to know in Chile and thank you for your friendships.

CW

Christines trip to Argentina

I arrived to Argentina two weeks ago and stayed for about 8 days. I loved every minute in Argentina. It is a great place. I visited Mendoza and Buenos Aires. The accent there is slightly different and takes some getting use to. They use vos instead of tu to refer to the other person they are talking to. The first time i heard this i thought they were asking something about my voice, which in spanish is voz.

Mendoza is located in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes (gorgeous drive). It is a popular tourist city, though the most popular tourist attraction are the wine tours offered (most popularly on bicycle which doesnt make to much sense.... wine + bicycle riding).

Then was Buenos Aires. It was spectacular. This is the second largest city in South America, with about 13 million people. The people are very friendly and beautiful, the buildings have great old architecture, and there are many things to do and see.



I thought it was interesting here, and it was one of the first things i noticed, to see the difference in greetings between Chile and Argentina. In Chile, men and women greet with a kiss on the cheek. Men greet with a handshake. Here, there is the kiss on the cheek but it is also customary for the men to kiss each other on the cheek. I thought that was interesting.

I went to the second most unusual bookstore in the world. It was built in an old theatre. Talk about jaw dropping gorgeous. The stage was converted to a cafe where you could sit and read or enjoy a cup of espresso and an empanada.

I took a short tango lesson and watched a tango show. What an amazing dance. May have to put that on the list of next dances to learn.

I visited the tumb of Evita. She was only in her young 30s when she died of cancer but there is a musuem dedicated to her and people regularly come to pay their respects.

I thoroughly loved Argentina and would love to go back one day. I have now returned to the US and will write two more blogs, one on my closing ceremony and then one on arriving to the US with closing comments.

CW

Closing & the "Gut Instinct" -- Christine

Well, it is now official.......the 8 month program I started back in March is over. I'm at an internet cafe right now waiting for my bus to Mendoza, Argentina. The closing ceremonies were nice. We each received a diploma for our contribution and participation in the program. There were over 200 volunteers between the 4, 6, and 8 month programs. Their biggest group to date.

This morning we said our goodbyes to the friends we've made over this time. Bitter sweet moments. Unfortunately, not long after I left the hostal, I ran into every travelers worst nightmare. I boarded the subway to get to the bus terminal. It was crowded and tight and I didn't have a post to hold on to. I'm concentrating on balancing the whole time and not missing my stop.

I look down at my purse that I had drapped around me and the gentleman next to me had his coat, which was drapped over this arm, just a little to close for comfort. It was a gut instinct that something didn't feel right. I didn't like that I couldn't see my purse so I slid my hand down to rest on my purse when I felt his fingers coming out of my purse. I shoved my arm up and he immediately turned his back to me and pretended to get on his telephone. I checked to see if I had my wallet and camara.......and I did. Fortunately he hadn't had enough time to take my things, just to open the zipper of my purse and stick his hand inside. It was a sad moment because we like to believe that people are honest and good, but it's a reminder that there are bad apples out there that we have to watch out for. However, I like to always believe that for every rotten apple, there's a basket of good ones too.

CW

Christine- Bringing the tradition to Chile

Thanksgiving is always a special time to gather with family and friends. Since the volunteers are not able to be with their family this Thanksgiving, Kristina (volunteer) hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for several us. She went above and beyond in her self appointed task and really put together a beautiful dinner. She made esparagus, zucchini, green beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread, black beans, and one of the most delicious turkey's I have ever eaten! For dessert she made a pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie bread. It was perfect! She couldn't have done a better job.

Here's the table:

Here's my first plate:

This is Jennifer and I after a great meal!

Joe and Paul enjoying dessert.

Cheers to an American style Thanksgiving in a Chilean culture.

As we all sat around the table talking, reminiscing, and laughing, one had the idea of going around the table and sharing something we are thankful for.

My list of things I am thankful for this year:

• I'm thankful for my very supportive family.
• I'm thankful for the cards and packages that my mom and family sent me while I have been in Chile.
• I'm thankful for the friends and relationships I have made in Chile.
• I'm thankful for the great host family I have here.
• I'm thankful for the opportunity to have traveled throughout Chile to see the various types of landscapes this beautiful country offers.
• I'm thankful for my parents help in tending to some of my ongoing responsibilities in the US.
• I'm thankful for alfajores.
• I'm thankful that Antofagasta has a salsa dancing scene. It is how I met some of the great people I know here.
• I'm thankful for my brother's visit in May.
• I'm thankful for the million "hello's" and hugs I gave and received from my students.
• I'm thankful to live by the ocean.
• I'm thankful for the ride to school I got from a fellow teacher every morning.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

CW

Christine's Despedidas

I'm approaching my final days in the English Opens Doors program. We have final ceremonies this coming week and then the program is officially over on Friday, November 27th. To mark the ending of this chapter in my life, some fellow coworkers as well as my family threw me a "despedida" or farewell gathering.

My fellow co-teachers are a fun group of people and they took me to a local pub to celebrate. We talked, laughed and ate some traditional greasy food. They also surprised me with a trinket to remember Antofagasta by. It's a small model of La Portada, the famous rock formation close to the city. The dish below has beef, chorizo (sausage), eggs, and french fries.

It was very nice of them to throw me a despedida and I had a great time, though i will miss everyone.

Then, my host family threw me a despedida asado. Here my host parents are preparing the chicken, chorizo, and beef on the grill while a family friend and my cousin watch. Bread, pebre (salsa), and some "punch" await on the table.

This is my great family as we all gather around the table to eat the fabulous feast in front of us. Alongside the meat, we had many different types of salads (many of which i have blogged about before) and potatoes. We sat down around 1:30 or 2 and left the table after 4pm. I've come accustomed to sitting at the table for awhile after the meal is finished. I like that in the culture here. It makes time for enjoying the meal and conversing with the friends or family that surround you. Now, if I have to get up from the table 5 minutes after I'm finished, my stomach feels weird and I feel like the time has passed to rapidly.

"Saying goodbye doesn't mean anything. It's the time we spent together that matters, not how we left it."
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Tweek Vs. Craig, 1999

CW

Christine's Trip to Valparaiso y Viña del Mar

Right along the ocean, these are the two more gorgeous cities I have visited in Chile to date. Valparaiso literally translates to "Paradise Valley" and Viña del Mar to "Vineyard of the Sea". You leave one city and enter the other without really knowing, since they are side by side. These cities are centrally located in Chile and important seaports to the country. Valparaiso also houses the National Congress. A couple lesser known facts about Valparaiso is that it was home to the first public library in Chile as well as the continents first fire department. Viña is known more for its beaches and touristy attractions. It also has a stunningly beautiful white casino.

Valparaiso has steep hills with homes almost all the way to the top. It has an artsy atmosphere, with little shops everywhere, in every hidden street and corner. We were there for one week and I saw many beautiful places, danced salsa, drove a boat, met lots of people, enjoyed the beautiful weather, and ate some great food!

The family i stayed with was wonderful. It was a cozy home, beautiful antique hard wood floors, simple, with a great garden of fruits and nuts. I had fresh picked mini-plums and another yellow fruit, which i dont recall the name of, in the morning for breakfast. There were papaya trees, a lemon tree, and almond trees in the garden too. I have worked with almond manufacturers, I've promoted almonds, I've sold almonds, but never could i recall having actually seen an almond tree and furthermore, picked an almond myself, cracked it, and ate it immediately. So, of course, i had to take a picture to mark the epic event, haha. You can see the rock that i smashed the shell with, and then the freshly picked almond in my hand, which immediately went to my stomach. Rico!

I think this is the biggest completo, aka hot dog, i've ever eaten. Tomato, palta (avocado) and mustard were my toppings. It was HUGE but did ya know, i ate it all!!! The picture doesn't do it justice! I never knew avocado or guacamole was a great topping on hot dogs until i came to Chile. Live and learn.

We took a boat tour in the harbour in Valpo. We had blue skies, it was quite windy, with a gorgeous view of the cities. The boat captain was very nice. I headed over to his cabin and just as i was asking him if i could drive, he offered me the task! I didn't even have to finish my sentence. So I took the wheel and had a ball!

I manuevered through all those birds!

Sealions, o lobos del mar, sunbathing! How peaceful, except for the occasional tourist interrupting their sleep. :)

First, New York Bay....now Valparaiso, I wonder how easy it would be to become a boat captain.

This is me with Viña and Valpo in the background.

I would definately recommend to anyone, VISIT Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. They are worth the trip!

I am now getting ready to head down to the South of Chile, which is vastly different than the North, which is all desert. I will return to Antofagasta for a few days before heading to Santiago, the capital, for closing ceremonies. After that it's Argentina for a week and then the US of A! Wow how almost 8 months is over.

CW

Christine's Fin de Semana....or Weekend

And what a long weekend it was with the teachers strike on Friday. The national strike involved public schools, which meant I had no classes.

So, a busy weekend it was. First, I got to play with big trucks! I was invited to an open house at Finning Catepillar. Caterpillar Inc. is a US based corporation headquartered in Peoria, IL. They claim to be "the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines."
Famous for their products featuring caterpillar trucks and a distinctive yellow paint scheme, Caterpillar produces a wide range of heavy equipment, including the range of Caterpillar bulldozers. So, I got to climb up on some major equipment and even sit in the drivers seat!

I like big trucks.

Afterwards a friend invited me to her daughters cheerleading competition. Her daughter is 7 years old and is part of the "WildCats" cheer club. I've seen competitions like this on TV or movies but never in real life.

I thought it was interesting how the whole stadium would cheer in English, "Let's go WildCats" or "Let's go Giants," or whomever they were cheering for. The winners in each of the 4 categories had the opportunity to go to the United States for the finals, so there was definately competition in the air.

This is Ale, a fellow salsera, and me.

Then it was beach day and a few of us volunteers made it to our local beach for a day of tanning (and maybe some burning), american football, food, and fun. And in our attempt to play some football with some local kids, I can safely say that we were the entertainment for the entire beach.

Last but not least, a few of us got our hair done with trassels from a local artesian vendor.

I've only got a few more weekends to enjoy like this before I head back to the states.

Heres to a great upcoming week!

CW

Christine's Semana de Inglés

Last week was "English Week" for the country and in Antofagasta the major festivities were Tuesday, September 29th. From 9am-1pm there were presentations and performances put on at the local municipal building. My students performed at 10am. There were 9 students in total, 3 girls and 6 boys. They sang a version of "baby got back" but, of course, i completely changed the lyrics to reflect a song about colors. It was so cute! They were so nervous and excited at the same time.

CNN Chile showed up and did some interviews, as well as Malcriados, an Antofagasta TV show. Somehow I made the cut along with some others and we showed up on the Malcriados show. I have yet to see it.

Of course, the two boys hovering around the CNN Chile crew were my students. The boy in the red shirt is the same boy that gifted me a little blue stuffed dog that i wrote about previously.

All of us together after the performance.

Afterwards we went to the beach behind the municipal building to take some pictures with the students after their performance. Bad idea! A few of them started running straight for the water. All of a sudden, i see t-shirts flying in the air and pants around one boys ankles. (Proof below-haha)

One boy had started taking off all his clothes so he could go swimming! Fortunately he left his underwear on and we quickly made him put his clothes back on. It was hilarious though! Children are so free spirited!

Thanks for reading!

CW

CLARIFICATION

Just a quick FYI- Any blog entry with "Christine" in the title is Christine's blog for easy reference. If it doesnt have Christine in the title it is Donny's blog. However, Donny is not living in South America anymore, so most of the blogs are from Christine.

Thanks for reading!

Christine's first Fiesta Patrias

September brings spring to Chile, and with it the days of celebration of Chile's independence from Spain.

For days before and after September 18, the Dieciocho or Fiesta Patrias, the country celebrates with parades, festivities, food, music and beverages.

Thursday a small group of us went to Abasto and Candela to go salsa dancing. At Candela, they had some traditional Cueca music and dance for about an hour.




Then a friend of mine attempted to teach me Cueca. She dances the Cueca beautifully and as my expression should convey, I wasn't really getting it but at least I was trying! A few people sitting next to us i guess felt sorry for me so they came over to "help" me but i didn't really improve.




For the actual day of September 18th, my host family threw an ASADO. We had chicken, pork, salads, bread, and mote con huesillo for dessert.



And everyone around the lunch table......

For this holiday, much of the drinking, music and dancing occurs in the ramadas, open air "buildings" with a dance floor under a thatched roof, or one made traditionally with branches, as in traditional shelters. They are kind of like fairs except on a smaller scale. Refreshment stands, fondas, offer a variety of national food favorites and wine and chicha are the popular beverages.

I went to my first Chilean ramada behind the local casino and we went two days in a row. I had my first antichucho which is like a shishkabob (sp?) with pieces of beef, sausage, hot dog pieces, and onions. We played rifle games and ball tossing games, enjoyed the company of friends, and danced to some popular reggaton music. Here is the group I was with infront of the rifle games.

Cheers to September 18th in Chile and an awesome time!

cw