La huasa and other stories

To be quite honest I have been avoiding blogging like the plague. Much has gone down in the past few weeks!! This is the first of a few updates...as there is much to say and little time!

For starters, I switched host families, which made the last few weeks a bit hectic, but its all good. I now live with a super sweet young couple and I have a 1 and 1/2 year old brother named Gabrielle, who is adorable aside from his screaming tantrums which are usually after being taken from my room where he enjoys robbing me of things that look interesting...for example, my cell phone, makeup, or my ridiculous pile of note cards.



SAY HELLO (OR HOLA) TO THE CONCHA-MICHAE FAMILY!!



As any good big sister would do, I have been teaching Gabrielito all the words he needs to know in life. Although he still cannot say "Mama" I am proud to say that I taught my little Gabbicito to say "SALUD" (cheers)...except not in a way that will be very cool with his friends. Since us gringos are students of "Salud Publica" (Public Health), when we go out together we like cheers in this fashion: "SALUD........PUBLICA!!!!" So now, el Gabrielito, as he holds his bottle full of orange juice in the air, likes to say "RARU...RURICA!!!!"
Another important lesson I have shared with Gabrielito is the "abrazo familiar" GROUP/FAMILY HUG!!!! Best. hermana. EVER.


Of course, this month we celebrated 18 de septiembre, Chilean independence day, which consists of insane amounts of meat/food in general, chicha (partially fermented apple or grape juice), beer, the Chilean national anthem, and of course, THE CUECA. The Chilean national dance, its great, I learned it, wanna see??? Luckily I have insufficient shame!!! Below you will find an embarrassing video of my first attempt at the Cueca with my four year old cousin Fernandito and my Mom Sondra. (Notice the copious amount of small children that are either on the floor, or running in circles around my feet...and so is my life.)





I should mention that this year was not just any year, but Chile's bicentennial, which makes more reason for celebration...and dressing up like huasos! On the left you will find me in the traditional dress of a huasa with my host mom, aunt Ingrid and cousin Rafaela.










One thing I love about Latin American culture is the constant presence of family. Although it makes studying a little challenging, my house is constantly full of screaming children, and I love it. I don't play favorites or anything, but I am definitely in love with my four year old cousin, who is seen in the embarrassing video. I think the moment I realized we share the same blood is when he heard a Daddy Yanky (reggaeton artist) song at the bicentennial parade and screamed "DADDY YANKY!!!!!" and then preceded to scream the rest of the song and dance intense reggaeton/break dance in the middle of a huge crowd.

Left is an action shot of Fernandito crashing into a mattress in his huaso uniform. He found it quite amusing that I caught him in action.

I am constantly surprised at the American music that makes it down here. One of the Chilean radio station favorites is Justin Beiber. I had underestimated the impact that this boy has had on the world until I was holding Fernando on my lap in a taxi and he started singing (very audibly for the rest of the passengers) "Baby, baby, baby..." As hilarious as it is to hear Fernando singing Justin Beiber, at the same time I am slightly disturbed and want to politely ask Justin Beiber to leave the head of my four year old cousin and give his frontal lobes a chance to develop...and every 12 year old girl for that matter!

I'm sure everyone is wondering when the llamas are coming into this picture...well don't be so hasty because despite the common assumption llamas are not cute and fluffy, but in fact are fat aggressive demons. This statement of course is derived from a rash generalization I am making from one mean llama I met at a truck stop. Its not my fault that ever since I was just a little girl I have dreamed of meeting a real live llama and riding it off into the sunset, I blame this on television and Barbies and everything idealistic! Well basically what happened was that I was SO excited that there was a llama outside of our low-key, bright green bus that reads "TURISMO," that I was the first person off the bus to pet the llama. In response to me running "with arms wide open," (please note the Creed reference) and making some kind of ridiculous clicking noise that I thought would somehow tell the llama that I come in peace. And the result...I was accosted and spit on by a fat aggressive llama!!!!

Left for the very unflattering evidence!!

*Note demonic facial expression of llama

Chilean timing

I am not doing a very good job at this blogging thing. However, I like to consider my tardiness evidence that I am blending well with Chilean culture. I have derived a term, that I was probably not the first to derive...and that is "Chilean timing." Where "now" or "today" might mean "tomorrow" or "never." Chileans, and especially ariqueños are very laid back in comparison to Americans. There have been several times where I have been trying to express myself, searching for a word, meanwhile getting progressively louder and more concerned until the person I am talking to says "tranquila, tranquila!," which is pretty much like "calm down and think about what you are saying you crazy overstressed gringa!" Life here can be very difficult with our three hour break from school for lunch and a nap, pity me much?



As previously said, all of last week was orientation, which was spent in a hotel. Orientation was really just a lot of protocol and seminars. All of it was of course important and well worth my outrageous tuition, but all that I would like to report is that I saw a mountain that was completely white, solely because of "guano de aves." Bird poop. Amazing.



The group also visited "El Morro," the plateau-like hill that can be seen from about anywhere in the city. On top of El Morro is a big statue of Jesus with one hand pointed towards Peru and the other pointed towards Chile, symbolizing peace between Peru and Chile after the War of the Pacific, in which Arica was taken from Peru. There still exists some tension between the two concerning who Arica rightfully belongs to, but Rosanna, our program coordinator claims that if you look closely at the statue, the middle finger of the hand pointing at Peru is a little longer than the hand pointing towards Chile. Tranquila Peruanos, its just a chiste!! (First person to spot the irony in this picture gets a high five!)

I am very determined to learn the Chilean national dance, the Cueca, so I ask about everyone I meet if they can teach me. One of my first victims was one of the program coordinators Leonardo. Leo was happy to show me the ropes, and all the rest of the group, as we were all together waiting to leave on an excursion. So the dance is very flirtatious and at one point, the man is supposed to kneel and the woman puts her foot on his knee. When Leo was showing me this part, he said something really quickly in Spanish...probably "and now you put your foot on my knee..." but my interpretation was, "...and now you sit on my knee." I could feel myself looking a little hesitant, but without thinking much, I headed for the knee thinking it was just part of the dance and Leo says "no, no, no! el pie! (the foot)!" Awkwarrrd.

Last Saturday I moved in with my family!!! You can call me Jennifer Moscópulos Tapía for now :) I live on a nice street near the University of Tarapacá I have three sisters, two of which are away at school in Viña del Mar and one that lives at home. My parents are Miguel and Elsa and my dog is a cocker spaniel named Yuyin (named after Eugene from "Hey Arnold"). I also have a super sweet grandmother who lives with us and is an amazing cook. I am already preparing myself to be slightly plumper when I return to the U.S., but only as evidence that "abuelita" took good care of me. My family owns an olive farm in Azapa Valley, which explains the gigantic bottomless jar of olives in the kitchen, and also a shoe repair shop. Below is the only picture of all of us I have...although terrible, it will have to suffice for now, sorry Madre.

Arica is a small city, almost like my hometown Morganton (shout out, sort of). There are ~180,000 inhabitants, so it quickly becomes a small world where everyone is related somehow...and thus, it just so happens that one of the other girls from my program, Jordan, is my niece!!!! Isn't that just adorable?! Te quiero mi sobrinaaaa!! (Below: my niece Jordan and nephew Ignacio)

Really terrible embarrassing misuses of Spanish seem to be a motif in my life lately. While shopping for a sweater made from alpaca fur in the market, I really needed to check myself out, so I asked the lady "tiene espalda?" She looked pretty puzzled and then laughed and said "espejo?" I asked that adorable lady if she had a "back" instead of a "mirror." GRINGA ALERT My abuelita told me that I talk just like a baby, I guess that means I'm improving?

One thing I find particularly hilarious is the plethora of fanny packs here (called "bananos" here). Although one might think that this fine piece of fashion is only reserved for the 50+ crowd, I'll have you know that every young person in Chile owns a fanny pack and wears it proudly, including myself.
Below you will find me making my parents proud as I bring the Jersey Shore fist pump to Chile while wearing a fanny pack.

I like to take pictures of the food that I eat here. Just for reference, I really like food...and I get fed a lot. Feel free to laugh and point as I appear progressively plumper in upcoming pictures. Below is a giant steak, chorizo, a potato salad, and avocado salad.

Chilenismos

First, I would like to share this commercial, which is played at least five times per hour on every kids station in Chile. Since I'm usually the only person in the room laughing hysterically at this, I won't be offended if it isn't the best thing ever to everyone else...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo4axx5zX5g


Aside from playing about 40 rounds of UNO Attack and "Cuatro en Linea" (Connect Four), with Carlitos, who is 9 and way smarter than me, I decided to take a bus to Viña del Mar/Valparaiso this weekend.

I was able to catch a bus with Pablo, my host's brother, who goes to school in Valparaiso. On the ride over, Pablo taught me some "chilenismos," and all the bad words I will need to know to interact with the "jovenes" (young people), as a VERY large percentage of Chilean Spanish is slang. My favorite is "cachai," which means "ok/I understand" and "bacan" (accent on the a...hating my PC), which is like "cool." I really don't think Spanish teachers in the US want American students to be cool to any degree in Spanish speaking countries. I have run across numerous situations where the vocabulary I learned is either unheard of, or sounds really awkward. It's basically impossible at this point to not be the awkward foreigner who thinks its cool to say "this is totally groovy friends!"

I am not a very choosy or "picky" person, so when someone asks me what I want to eat, I have been struggling with a way to express that whatever I'm given is fine with me. So, while preparing "almuerzo" (lunch), I was trying to describe the word "picky" to Pablo by using a metaphor of picking berries. (In Spanish) "Some people pick only the good ones, but me...I will eat ALL the berries." Then I thought for a while and asked if it was correct to say "Soy fácil" (I'm easy...). Judging by the shocked look I was given, I am assuming its not ok to say that...wrong translation. In addition, I have explained to too many people why "quizás" is funny to English speakers, so I can't use it anymore without saying QueesAss and snickering a little...shame on me.

I didn't spend too much time in Valpo as I was solo again--just wanted to take some touristy pictures and say I had been there. However...I had just enough time to run into a totally unlikely situation. Valparaiso is known for its Bohemian atmosphere of street performers and other charismatic people...as my travel guide quotes Neruda: "Valparaiso,/how absurd/you are...you haven't combed/ your hair,/you've never/ had/ time to get dressed,/life/ has always/surprised you." Its really a great place, but somehow, I didn't feel that way as I walked towards one of the main plazas, surrounded by a stagnant population of -not very nice looking- people...all the store fronts are closed, police on every corner...I clutched my sling purse a little tighter. Just as I realized I was walking the wrong way, I turned around only to see two men running at me with pistols.

(...just enjoying this brief pause knowing my parents are reading this. Love yas!)

As they pass me and I hear a commotion behind me, I walked quickly to the "ascensor" elevator station, which would take me to the top of the "Cerro Concepcion." I asked the operator, who looked way too calm "Qué pasó?" and she told me I had just walked straight through the filming of some Chilean action movie. I wish I knew the name of the movie, but I was way too relieved that no one was on a rampage to kill "gringas" that day to ask. Who knows, maybe I'm an accidental extra...I bet I'm a great "actress."

So I took the elevator to the top of Cerro Concepcion, and guess what I found?! A bunch of other gringos! After my last incident, I was really relieved to see the group of North Face backpacks and hear the Spanish with a hint of US drawl. I gingerly approached in English with a "...where are you guys from," only to confirm my suspicions. And what a great group of estudiantes, all studying in Valparaiso, living in Viña del Mar, I was able to catch a ride back to Viña on the Microbus with one of the girls.

Monday I met up with one of the girls from my program, Sam, who is no better at reading maps than I am :) :) We got lost a few times together before we finally made our way to Barrio Bellavista, where we had lunch and some more Pisco sours. After checking out San Cristobal hill (see left for gringa tourists), where some gift shop employees tried to teach us some of the Chilean national dance, the "Cueca," we had to try a "terremoto," which is a bunch of wine mixed together with a glob of ice cream in the middle. It was tasty, but after one glass I quickly felt how rightfully named the drink was. *[terremoto=earthquake]



I arrived in Arica Tuesday, ~2,300 miles north of Santiago (this country is really really long...) and met up with my travel weary peers. We are in orientation this week, in a sweet hotel with a great view of El Morro (left). We've mostly been learning about how not to offend people, but today a group of "jovenes" came in to give a presentation on all of the best clubs that "jovenes" go to, including a picture representation of why we should not go on Wednesday night...for "Sexo en vivo."

In the short time we've been here, I have managed to break our air conditioner during a fight with the sliding door, and the neighbors have already complained about the loud American students...good start I guess!


In conclusion...which would you order...normal, or gigante?

Santiago de Chile

After spending a relaxing day in Miami with my uncle, I hopped a plane to Santiago and arrived early in the morning on Wednesday. I quickly realized that my Spanish skills are nowhere near up to par. Chileans speak very fast and use a lot of slang, so it was almost as if I had never had 5 years of Spanish under my belt. I am staying with a girl named Barbara and her adorable son Carlitos in Santiago. This week her family is visiting so I got to meet her brothers Pablo and Rodrigo and her Mom. Incidentally, they're all from Arica, where I will be studying in a few days...small world!

The first day I was here, I arrived super early, so I had to drop my bags off with the doorman and figure out how to use public transport to town until Barbara returned from work. I had a very difficult conversation with the cleaning lady and the doorman, who thought my efforts to speak Spanish were hilarious. Surprisingly, although I only understood about 3% of what they said, they were a lot of help and I was able to make my way into town using Jaime (doorman)'s transport card, and with Jessica (cleaning lady)'s help to the bus stop.


ESCANDALO NUMERO 1: As I wandered around trying to figure out where the metro went, I came across a cafe...somehow it did not occur to me that the only customers were MALES in business suits and all the windows were darkened, I just needed a place to sit and figure out where I was without looking like a tourist (FAIL). So the waitress comes up and asks me what I wanted to drink...assuming I should order something as I was taking a table, I ordered a cappuccino and kept reading through my travel guide. As I just happened to be reading through the description of "cafes con piernas," or "coffee with legs," I realized I was sitting in the Chilean equivalent of a Hooters. It then occurred to me why the waitresses were somewhat scantily clad and I was the only female in the joint. All of a sudden, I felt pretty awkward and was noticing some weird looks from other customers...so I paid my bill and peaced out ASAP laughing at myself for showing my cultural ignorance so quickly.

ESCANDALO NUMERO 2: Another innocent endeavor...trying to find my way to San Cristobal Hill, upon which a giant statue of a saint stands and there is a cable car between two hills where you can see all of Santiago. I can NOT read a map. I was never a girl scout and I literally could get lost in a paper bag...and so I traveled solo, great idea?? So, I find myself in a big park, Parque something or other...right next to Rio Mapocho. I quickly found that the only thing to see in the park, aside from sleeping dogs and statues are couples making out EVERYWHERE, rain or shine, mostly young couples, but I caught a couple of 60+ showing the world that "they still got it." Most of the young couples are rebellious teens that refer to themselves as "Pokemones," which indicates that they make out with a lot of people...I mean, the PDA all day and everywhere is whatever, but the fact that they call themselves "Pokemones" is h-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s to me. The only thing that would make me happier is if they all had special powers like "super tongue strength" and "tantalizing saliva," and they would all have names like "Smoochmander" and "Tonguetwistagon." POKEMOTTO: "Pokemones-mones-mones-mones! GOTTA KISS'em ALL!"

Check out what's goin' on behind 'ol Abe the Great Emancipator!

So, I'm in the Plaza de Armas, probably taking a picture and looking at a map, keeping a low profile right?...and although I tried to get a tan before I left, so I wouldn't stick out too much, a whole group of school girls spotted me immediately, tested my Spanish, and rejoiced when they found out I spoke English so that they could interview me for their English project. Standing in the midst of a group of girls recording me on their cell phones, I answered questions like... "What-is-you-name?" "Why you like Chile?" "Do you like Chilean people?" I should have said something really shocking for their English teacher to find since they couldn't understand me, but that wouldn't be very nice and its too early to get kicked out of the country.

Last night (Friday) I had my first taste of Pisco, Chilean brandy, in the form of a "Pisco sour," which is Pisco with lemon juice. Its rather awesome if I might add, go Chile.

This is all of us at the bar: Left to right: Barbara, Me, Maria, Pablo, Carlitos!!

"A todos, a vosotros"

To everyone, to you.

That's the title of a poem by Pablo Neruda, a communist writer and great poet from the lovely country I will be spending this semester in, Chile!

The majority of my time will be spent in Arica, a small city in the northernmost part of Chile and also the Atacama desert--the driest desert on earth! You might be thinking, desert=dry and totally lame, but fyi, the Atacama is home to some sweet mountains and volcanoes, but most importantly...VICUNAS (see top of page), adorable llama-like animals that better live in my backyard, or I'm asking for a refund.

With my program, I'll also be making a few excursions to southern Chile and Peru to study some of the native cultures. In the last month of the program, I'll be conducting an independent study research project in either Arica, or another city, yet to be determined!

I just watched The Motorcycle Diaries (must watch) so I'm full of idealistic fantasy and more anxious than ever to get into South America. Tuesday I fly (standby...should be interesting) to Santiago, where I will spend a week with a nice lady named Barbara and her son Carlitos exploring the capital city, which is conveniently perched next to/in? the Andes.

(Ignore the next section Mom and Dad):
Those are really all of my plans to date. If you don't know me, you should know, my planning skills are still maturing and often include a little improv, but hark!, I am equipped with some good readings for possible layovers and long bus rides. These include The Essential Neruda, Life of Pi, Siddhartha, and of course, the Chilean public health standards, which definitely deserve a slow clap.

So, if you are reading for scandals in Chile as my bold title alludes, I'll try to keep it interesting; otherwise, enjoy my sporadic, choppy, very grammatically incorrect life documentation.