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