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