My feelings about leaving had been back and forth. One moment I was excited to think about staying, the next I was excited about leaving to see family and friends. The hard part about being so far away is that it is a long trip and, in most cases, not cheap. I think that has been the hardest part about saying goodbye. Normally, you are at a comfortable distance to be able to communicate by phone and maybe take a short flight to see people...
No te vayas Jami...no te vayas....don´t go. I don´t know what it has been about hearing these words so often...but, in the end...I am not ready to leave. I feel as though I have just started...just started on what I could do here.
It won´t be easy to start. Luckily I have some friends that are willing to help, but even then, I know I need to be careful about who I trust. I am already finding the dificulties of being a gringa looking for a place to live...being a gringa people see dollar signs. Yesterday I talked with a man about a room in a hostal. First, he was prodding to hear what other offers I had...or what I was willling to pay. I just looked at him and said, it doesn´t matter, what are you going to charge me? He gives me a quote in dollars. I look at him and say...I´m not making dollars, I am making pesos...what is the cost in pesos? I could see he was trying to top dollar. The price he quoted me was good...but, now i have to figure out about how many pesos I could comfortably be earning.
It is an adventure. Because, to rent an apartment or house, you have to have/buy all the furniture to go with it...including the fridge. It is still reasonable, in dollars. ;) We will see.
In the end, if I haven´t said it already...I am staying in Chile. I was able to get a refund, or credit, for my ticket and I have the year to use it. My visa is good until August...so why not take advantage of it now, while I am here?
I have no idea what will result from all this, but, I guess time will tell. Wish me luck! I have nothing to lose....and everything to gain... If it doesn´t work, I can go home. :)
Alright...cheers! I have to get some papers together to find a job. I had to get a picture taken to attach to my resume because they are very focused on appearance here. Being that I am norteamericana and fluent in English...my odds are greatly increased....at least that is what I am told....we will see. :)
Cheers!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
More food (an incomplete entry...but important one..)
Well, this week was my week to say good bye to the whole school at the acto, or the little program that happens every week. I got up to give my speech and found myself unable to talk because the tears just wouldn´t stop coming. Finally, at one point, everyone started clapping, probably just to break the silence. When I was finally ready to talk, or read my speech, everything went fine.
I spent the day a bit sad and thinking about how hard it would be to leave. I started to wonder if maybe my time here was just beginning as opposed to just ending. There is so much that can be done here with English. Plus, it is hard to leave everyone. I had even gone to the education office to talk to the director about jobs for next year. I even had a friend ask offer to help by asking some people she knew about jobs.
Today, however, after the fact, I feel as though the transition has really begun....I am not holding on so much to what I know now, as much as just enjoying the moment because I know I won´t be back, at least not for a while. I have grown more comfortable with the idea of leaving and returning to the United States....maybe because I am not one to draw out good byes and now that I have gotten the big one out of the way...I am just coasting to the end. Enjoying the moments.
SO, if you don´t hear from me for a while...this would be why.
Some of you may be wondering about the elections and how people here viewed them...well, first of all, i am happy and hopeful with the election results. I didn´t vote because I was a bit lazy and never filled out the paper work to vote in Chile...but, I had faith the best candidate would win.
People in Chile, the teachers, still think we live in slavery and find it incredible that the ¨negrito¨ won. I have had many many race related conversations since my first day here...it is amazing the perspectives of other cultures. As I watch TV at night, I have been taking more notes on what Chileans watch that is related to the United States, especailly since my students seem to think that anyone from the US with blonde hair and blue eyes is rich. This has come up more than once, so I have been trying to tune into the things that would create this image for them...like movies and MTV. My thoughts on MTV alone is simple...it is a sick representation of what the US is. I enjoy watching it at times, mostly just for a good laugh, but I also live in the US and know we are not limited to the mentalities represented on0 MTV.
They watch alot of terror movies here...they love terror. They have the regular movies we have...in english and spanish...they get alot of practice, or listening opportunities to english through movies and music.
I spent the day a bit sad and thinking about how hard it would be to leave. I started to wonder if maybe my time here was just beginning as opposed to just ending. There is so much that can be done here with English. Plus, it is hard to leave everyone. I had even gone to the education office to talk to the director about jobs for next year. I even had a friend ask offer to help by asking some people she knew about jobs.
Today, however, after the fact, I feel as though the transition has really begun....I am not holding on so much to what I know now, as much as just enjoying the moment because I know I won´t be back, at least not for a while. I have grown more comfortable with the idea of leaving and returning to the United States....maybe because I am not one to draw out good byes and now that I have gotten the big one out of the way...I am just coasting to the end. Enjoying the moments.
SO, if you don´t hear from me for a while...this would be why.
Some of you may be wondering about the elections and how people here viewed them...well, first of all, i am happy and hopeful with the election results. I didn´t vote because I was a bit lazy and never filled out the paper work to vote in Chile...but, I had faith the best candidate would win.
People in Chile, the teachers, still think we live in slavery and find it incredible that the ¨negrito¨ won. I have had many many race related conversations since my first day here...it is amazing the perspectives of other cultures. As I watch TV at night, I have been taking more notes on what Chileans watch that is related to the United States, especailly since my students seem to think that anyone from the US with blonde hair and blue eyes is rich. This has come up more than once, so I have been trying to tune into the things that would create this image for them...like movies and MTV. My thoughts on MTV alone is simple...it is a sick representation of what the US is. I enjoy watching it at times, mostly just for a good laugh, but I also live in the US and know we are not limited to the mentalities represented on0 MTV.
They watch alot of terror movies here...they love terror. They have the regular movies we have...in english and spanish...they get alot of practice, or listening opportunities to english through movies and music.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Food, Food, Food...
I think I am going to explode!
Friday night was dinner at a co-workers house. Judging by all the food on the table, I would have thought there would be a dozen people there, but it was just the three of us....and we ate well. Salmon with a clam sauce! Wow! And, my, did we have a good time! I knew this particular from school...one of the first people I met, very friendly. After winter break, she disappeared. I kept asking where she was...turned out she had lazer surgery, but the doctors goofed and she was sitting in her house practically blind...that was back in July/August. Now, she is finally up an moving, however her vision isn´t good, still....but that sure didn´t stop her from coming to pick me up for dinner! ha ha...great lady, fun lady...and her husband is so nice too. He is a folklorical singer and he is so nice. He taught me how to do the huaso ¨oooe oooe oooe¨...I might need to practice it more.
After dinner there, I stopped to celebrate a friend´s birthday. I could hardly drink a beer at her house, nor eat the fabulous pizza her husband had made. Gosh, I swear it was the most beautiful pizza I have ever seen! Mushrooms, tomato, salami, peppers, onion, garlic...PILED on top of the pizza dough. Wow! I got home about 2 am.
Saturday, I had lunch here at the house with Angelica...CArbonada...which I already mentioned.
Saturday night, I went to the house of another woman from school..Nana...the woman who gave me the eggs and who is always giving me sandwiches. She works in the school casino where they have food. We had a fabulous dinner at her house! Yum! Meat, potatoes, mushrooms, all fried on a pan that resembled a giant metal saucer sled. We ate in the kitchen...she, her daughter, her sister, her daughters friends, another woman from school...and finally her Mom, who is 83, and reminded me of my own grandmother....sharp and a good sense of humor. Oh my she made me laugh! After dinner, we all piled in the car and headed to the Casino....the casino with slot machines. I didn´t win anything, but one of the other women won 20,000 pesos, which is roughly $40. We left after midnight.
This morning, me and the family, went to Rancagua to have a birthday lunch with our Chilean Uncle. We went to the country club where I saw my first golf course in Chile. We also saw the futbol team for Rancagua...nice looking group of young men. ;) My CHilean Uncle pointed out where the copper mine was, the one he works at...it was tucked in the hills off in the distance...with the snowcapped peaks behind...well, at least there was still a fair enough amount of snow to call them snow capped.
We stopped at the mall on our way home, where I bought a suitcase. It seems as though I have accummulated some things...
On the drive home, I started thinking about what it will be like to go home, to the US, and I started to get excited. So many people I haven´t seen or talked to for 6 months (minus email, which is great, but just not the same)...people I miss seeing...my friends and my family. Things I haven´t tasted for 6 months....like a big cup of REAL coffee! Then, I started thinking about what it is like to leave any place you have lived, have worked, and have made friends...any place that you have experienced...and it never is easy, because it isn´t because of the people you are leaving, it is because the time has come....and when the time comes...everything is perfect and you forget the bad...you leave a place you have grown to love and that will always be a part of you. And, as long as you don´t drop an A-bomb before you leave or manage to burn every bridge you have built...you can always to back. That has been the beauty of every place I have lived...people always leave me with something to come back to....
Friday night was dinner at a co-workers house. Judging by all the food on the table, I would have thought there would be a dozen people there, but it was just the three of us....and we ate well. Salmon with a clam sauce! Wow! And, my, did we have a good time! I knew this particular from school...one of the first people I met, very friendly. After winter break, she disappeared. I kept asking where she was...turned out she had lazer surgery, but the doctors goofed and she was sitting in her house practically blind...that was back in July/August. Now, she is finally up an moving, however her vision isn´t good, still....but that sure didn´t stop her from coming to pick me up for dinner! ha ha...great lady, fun lady...and her husband is so nice too. He is a folklorical singer and he is so nice. He taught me how to do the huaso ¨oooe oooe oooe¨...I might need to practice it more.
After dinner there, I stopped to celebrate a friend´s birthday. I could hardly drink a beer at her house, nor eat the fabulous pizza her husband had made. Gosh, I swear it was the most beautiful pizza I have ever seen! Mushrooms, tomato, salami, peppers, onion, garlic...PILED on top of the pizza dough. Wow! I got home about 2 am.
Saturday, I had lunch here at the house with Angelica...CArbonada...which I already mentioned.
Saturday night, I went to the house of another woman from school..Nana...the woman who gave me the eggs and who is always giving me sandwiches. She works in the school casino where they have food. We had a fabulous dinner at her house! Yum! Meat, potatoes, mushrooms, all fried on a pan that resembled a giant metal saucer sled. We ate in the kitchen...she, her daughter, her sister, her daughters friends, another woman from school...and finally her Mom, who is 83, and reminded me of my own grandmother....sharp and a good sense of humor. Oh my she made me laugh! After dinner, we all piled in the car and headed to the Casino....the casino with slot machines. I didn´t win anything, but one of the other women won 20,000 pesos, which is roughly $40. We left after midnight.
This morning, me and the family, went to Rancagua to have a birthday lunch with our Chilean Uncle. We went to the country club where I saw my first golf course in Chile. We also saw the futbol team for Rancagua...nice looking group of young men. ;) My CHilean Uncle pointed out where the copper mine was, the one he works at...it was tucked in the hills off in the distance...with the snowcapped peaks behind...well, at least there was still a fair enough amount of snow to call them snow capped.
We stopped at the mall on our way home, where I bought a suitcase. It seems as though I have accummulated some things...
On the drive home, I started thinking about what it will be like to go home, to the US, and I started to get excited. So many people I haven´t seen or talked to for 6 months (minus email, which is great, but just not the same)...people I miss seeing...my friends and my family. Things I haven´t tasted for 6 months....like a big cup of REAL coffee! Then, I started thinking about what it is like to leave any place you have lived, have worked, and have made friends...any place that you have experienced...and it never is easy, because it isn´t because of the people you are leaving, it is because the time has come....and when the time comes...everything is perfect and you forget the bad...you leave a place you have grown to love and that will always be a part of you. And, as long as you don´t drop an A-bomb before you leave or manage to burn every bridge you have built...you can always to back. That has been the beauty of every place I have lived...people always leave me with something to come back to....
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Campo photos...
I was just getting together some photos from my trip to the campo and I couldn´t help but think about the family of Blenda, who so kindly took me in.
Just to give you an idea of how kind and loving the people are here....when I was there, I asked Cristobal how many people were in his class, only I think he tought about I asking about how many people in the family....so he said, there are five of us, but with you, we are six.
I told Blenda that I was going to make copies of the photos for her family, so to be sure to ask me for them. She said her family says hello and that they were sitting around the table eating, talking about how they were missing the sixth person in their family. :)
yep...I will cry before I leave....yep....
Just to give you an idea of how kind and loving the people are here....when I was there, I asked Cristobal how many people were in his class, only I think he tought about I asking about how many people in the family....so he said, there are five of us, but with you, we are six.
I told Blenda that I was going to make copies of the photos for her family, so to be sure to ask me for them. She said her family says hello and that they were sitting around the table eating, talking about how they were missing the sixth person in their family. :)
yep...I will cry before I leave....yep....
Lapostolle
I did go to Lapostolle vineyard with my family last weekend. Lapostolle is French owned...the granddaughter, or is it great granddaughter, of the family of Grand Marnier. It is a gorgeous vineyard! The originally budget for the vineyard was 5 million but, after running into a 60% granite hillside, the budget doubled to 10 million dollars. They used the granite in all the flooring of the facility. Everything is very symetrical, very elegantly and tastefully done, using the natural elements of the terrain. The hillside provides natural cooling to help maintain the cool temperatures necessary for the wine making process. It is the most beautiful of all the vineyards I have visited here in Chile. Of course, I have only visited about 5 of many...
The building, at the top, is designed to look like a bird´s nest. The grapes come in at the top level, which is at the top of the hill and come out as wine at the bottom of the hill. The grapes are all hand picked by female workers (because females give more attention to details and handle the grapes with more care). The whole wine making process is moved along by gravity....not pumps. It is a 5 story process. Amazing! These are only a few pictures to give you an idea of what is it like...I have more to share later.
I had also visited another of the Lapostolle locations, closer the Santa Cruz, with my host Mom, since she teaches English lessons there...they gave me a tour to practice there English. I found it interesting that all the bottles for their top top wines came from France. All there barrels, of course, are french oak too.
Alright...ciao for now....jami
2 weeks
It is hard to believe the time has gone by this quickly. It seems like just yesterday that I arrived here in Santa Cruz...but I guess it was about 5 months ago.
My last day at school is on the 21st of November. The festivities have already started...all the good byes. Last week was a good bye dinner with the English department, in the same place we met my first day. At first I thought, hey, I am not leaving tomorrow...but, now I know why they planned it early...my calendar has become packed with activities.
I was invited to an elementary school to say hello next week and probably sing some songs. I had three invitations for lunch and dinner this weekend (so, by no means am I going hungry before I go). Today, Angelica and I cooked my favorite dish, Carbonada, and at together, just the two of us. After we ate she handed me a package from she and her girls....a little leather backpack with a message written with a sharpie on the inside flap, signed by all of them. The teachers are having a going away dinner for me this next Tuesday at school. The students from one of my classes invited me to a going away BBQ on the 21st. My amigos from the negocios I pass everyday on my walk to and from school remind me everyday not to leave without saying goodbye. My salsa classmates, along with some fellow teachers, keep questioning why I need to leave....just stay Jami, they say. Why do you need to go back? We want you to stay.
I was walking around town yesterday, looking for going away gifts, and didn´t by a whole lotta gifts, but I had a mental list of people who wanted English lessons if I were to come back to teach English. When I stopped to look up a friend at the local elementary school, one of the little girls waiting for her Mom to pick up even asked me if I was going to teach English classes for them....because they need more English teachers. So sweet. ha ha...The owner of the bar where the salsa classes are even started explaining to me how to start an English institute, or at least get permission to have classes legitimately. It is always good to have options, ya? Santa Cruz is a growing community, with alot of potential...BUT...it is still far from home. We will see what happens when I get home....I am sure I am just caught up in the leaving processes...when everything is perfect and you are trying to do everything and see everyone before you go....
When school is out, I will probably relax and start packing, maybe hit up Pichilemu one more time...Santiago...we will see...right now I am just enjoying the people I have met and will miss dearly...so I don´t worry too much about traveling. I know one thing for sure...I will be back to Chile to visit friends and to be a tourist.
My last day at school is on the 21st of November. The festivities have already started...all the good byes. Last week was a good bye dinner with the English department, in the same place we met my first day. At first I thought, hey, I am not leaving tomorrow...but, now I know why they planned it early...my calendar has become packed with activities.
I was invited to an elementary school to say hello next week and probably sing some songs. I had three invitations for lunch and dinner this weekend (so, by no means am I going hungry before I go). Today, Angelica and I cooked my favorite dish, Carbonada, and at together, just the two of us. After we ate she handed me a package from she and her girls....a little leather backpack with a message written with a sharpie on the inside flap, signed by all of them. The teachers are having a going away dinner for me this next Tuesday at school. The students from one of my classes invited me to a going away BBQ on the 21st. My amigos from the negocios I pass everyday on my walk to and from school remind me everyday not to leave without saying goodbye. My salsa classmates, along with some fellow teachers, keep questioning why I need to leave....just stay Jami, they say. Why do you need to go back? We want you to stay.
I was walking around town yesterday, looking for going away gifts, and didn´t by a whole lotta gifts, but I had a mental list of people who wanted English lessons if I were to come back to teach English. When I stopped to look up a friend at the local elementary school, one of the little girls waiting for her Mom to pick up even asked me if I was going to teach English classes for them....because they need more English teachers. So sweet. ha ha...The owner of the bar where the salsa classes are even started explaining to me how to start an English institute, or at least get permission to have classes legitimately. It is always good to have options, ya? Santa Cruz is a growing community, with alot of potential...BUT...it is still far from home. We will see what happens when I get home....I am sure I am just caught up in the leaving processes...when everything is perfect and you are trying to do everything and see everyone before you go....
When school is out, I will probably relax and start packing, maybe hit up Pichilemu one more time...Santiago...we will see...right now I am just enjoying the people I have met and will miss dearly...so I don´t worry too much about traveling. I know one thing for sure...I will be back to Chile to visit friends and to be a tourist.
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