First let me preface this post by explaining that there are a lot of random things I'm about to talk about. IT'S JUST BEEN SUCH AN EXCITING WEEK!! Chile is literally SO fun! There's so much to do and see and explore here! And I can now call myself a true Chilean because I ate my first completo (at 2 in the morning which apparently is the only time to eat one...or so I hear?) A completo is a foot long hot dog, covered in avocado, tomato, mayo and mustard and ketchup if you're American. Simply delish. The men selling them ask you about your night and you feed some of it do the stray dogs around you- everyone benefits from completos!
On the topic of food, I figured (actually my mom said I should) explain the food sitch here in good ole' chilz: it's customary to have breakfast at like 9 in the morning, a huge lunch at like 2 and then what's called "once" at 7 or 8 at night. No dinner. At first I was like, oh no way baby girl's gotta eat some dinner but now I'm alllllll about once (pronounced like the number 11 in Spanish.) Once is usually made up of tea or coffee, toast and cheese and ham. Sometimes though my Chilean mom gets wacky and likes to throw in avocados or one time she gave me jelly to put on my toast! I know, wild.
Tea and bread with avocado and ham- quite filling actually!
Chilean's also love alcohol. Lots of alcohol! One of the first nights I was here my CM (Chilean mom) asked me if I wanted to go to a friends' house with her. I was expecting to walk in and maybe drink some tea and be back in bed by 10 like good girls. Boy was I wrong! It was like a party straight off of Real Housewives of Chile, except no one threw drinks and everyone got along! We drank these things called mango sours (kind of the unofficial drink of Chile- the recipe is on the back of every postcard) and we drank a lot of them. It was so fun and funny to get to see my CM in that environment! I've also gotten drinks with the girls I live around from my program- one day we had margaritas and one night we drank Chilean beers!
A margarita the size of my head
This weekend we toured around Valparaiso and Vina del Mar to get better acquainted with the areas. In Vina we went to a really cool park right by my house that I had no idea even existed! My neighbor and I decided on Monday's after class we're going to go to the park and do our homework and just chill like Chileans (that pun never gets old)
Riding a lion in the park
This picture didn't really fit anywhere so I'm putting it here because my hair looks like a lion's mane? My CM took me to the beach!
Today we had the tour of Valparaiso and although it was a lot of walking, it was super cool! We went to another one of Pablo Neruda's houses* and then walked around the city. We also rode in a funicluar, an elevator carved into the side of the mountain essentially, rode on a boat around the marina and looked at lots of weird street art! It was a wonderful way to get more acquainted with the city I'm living in!
** Sidenote**: Pablo Neruda is Chile's spirit animal. He was a famous Chilean poet who loved to fix up old houses and make them tell a story (basically a crazy old dude who was quirky but everyone praised him for it). He has 3 houses in Chile, and we've seen 2 of them so far. Next weekend we're seeing the third, yippee for me.
***Sidenote pt. 2***: I'm wearing the same green jacket in all of my photographs but it's because it's so dang cold here! I promise these were taken different days. I also promise I'm buying a new jacket so y'all don't have to look at this one anymore!
A view from Pab's house! That lucky bro got to look at this view everyday when he woke up!
This is a funicular! If you google "Valparaiso" this picture pops up with the blue house on the right!
Looking down from the funicular
Selfies on the funicular. Aren't my friends cute?!
Standing in front of the Naval Base (I think???)
SEA LIONS!!! They're actually fluffy and have weird feet and kind of smell
A mural casually painted on the side of a building
Oh yeah, I'm also taking classes! Ha! They're pretty good and I think they're going to be really helpful! The only homework I have for one of them is to find a new word every day and present it to the class! Swag. In the school, all of the international students are quarantined to this little section of rooms that to get to you have to go up and down so many stairs, pass through a secret door, knock 3 times and hop on one foot (not really, but they are really hard to get to!). Right now only international students are in school because it's the universities' break! Monday starts my first whole week of classes so I'll let y'all know if I really like them once I have to go to them everyday.
It's nice to have a little routine (even though it's pretty new still) and my CM and CS (Chilean sister) are very encouraging and helpful when I have questions or appear to be lost, which is often. It's so fun getting to know them and their friends more!
All is well here, but if anyone wants to mail me some fuego queso I'd be one happy camper!
Chao!
Aves
Yeah, we do eat completos more often in the night because it's the best after having some drinks! haha You can still eat them during the day though. I recommend you "Sibaritico", they sell the best completos on earth. so goood
ReplyDeleteDo they serve peanut butter & JELLY completes, because I'm so, so, so, so jelly of your adventures! Several random thoughts: How could I have lived this long and never seen sea lions? Your pictures (NOT selfies!) look just like the ones posted on Google! Can you order Once in a restaurant or is it just a home thing? Can we repeat every bit of this when we come? Is it uncomfortable in that green jacket while I am living vicariously through you? Love, love, love -- keep blogging!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're having so much fun! Now I can't wait to study abroad next summer! I've always been pro-Spain, but now I'm starting to consider Chile... ;)
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