Still in Santiago!

We STILL have not left the city. It's quite stifling to be stuck in a massive metropolis for 2 months at a time. There is so much to do, so much fun to be had, but really, we are longing for the amazingness of travel, and calmness of small towns and villages. This weekend we plan to go to Santa Cruz, which is 2 hours to the south by bus. It's wine area of Chile, so we are hoping it won't be too expensive! There isn't too much within a 2 hour radius of Santiago to go to on the weekends. Our friends and neighbors Mark and Jenny are coming with us. So we are excited!

Things have been pretty normal and routine these past few weeks. Working, shopping at Vega for produce, cooking, riding the Metro, etc. I have picked up some more hours and will be at 19 or 20 next week, which is a full load, but every week someone cancels here and there, so it is best to get about 22 hours to make up for it. We are hoping to save up $2,000 before we leave for the big trip around South America. We both keep thinking about it constantly, and looking forward to it. But I remind myself to savor and enjoy this time living in Santiago as well. I wish I never had to grow up and could keep traveling and being basically almost irresponsible my whole life! :)

My best friend, Emily Hermesch, sent me a big box of books to read!!! I am so excited and have calmed down immediately. :) I was very anxious about not having anything to read, in addition to not having internet or television in the apartment. Our landlord says he is going to have the internet company come and install a modem, but guess what, he hasn't. Since I don't speak Spanish there is not much I can do about it, and have to rely on Jesse to light a fire under his butt, and fire-lighting is not one of Jesse's delicacies. I am shamelessly addicted to the internet, and living without it in the apartment is slowly killing me and turning me into a whining mujer loca. Firstly, there is Skype. I don't call my parents enough because it's hard to find an empty room in the lobby, and the echo in the conference rooms is horrible. But I would also like to call other people, friends, etc. Then there is chatting online. I wish I could spend a few nights a week just chatting to friends online. I feel like I've dropped out of their lives, and I don't want them to think that. Stamps and postcards are pretty expensive, so I doubt I can send everyone a postcard I wish I could. And lastly, I just like poking around on the internet, looking things up, reading articles, surfing Wikipedia, watching videos about how to knit and crochet and other various nerdy things I can conjure up. The apartment is the size of a hamster's walk-in closet, so it's nice to have things to take your mind totally out and away.

The smog here in Santiago is getting worse because of winter time. I have no idea what it is about winter that makes it worse, but so people say, and so I can see. There are the weirdest hazy, smoggy days when you can't see the sun or even buildings in the distance.

Speaking of buildings, Santiago is building the tallest building in South (or Latin, I can't remember) America. They are in such a hurry to become a “developed” nation here. It basically is, except of course for the exorbitant amount of homeless dogs wandering around and the lack of mailboxes on the street corners (and other real things to do with economics, I'm sure ;). But really, I love not being in a “developed” country and I will not love Chile as much once it becomes one. I love not seeing every single person with a car, an iPod, an iPad and an expensive haircut. I love the Latin Americaness about Chile, the drinking in the streets, the trash, the dogs, the ferras, the people selling things constantly on the buses, in the streets, walking into restaurants and trying to get you to buy a pair of clippers. It's just great to see anything that wouldn't happen in the U.S. It makes me feel more alive. The U.S sucks my soul.

In other, less dramatic news, it is Jesse's birthday on the 28^th of May. We are having a celebration at a local bar and have invited almost every person we know in Santiago, which is nearly 40. Not bad! It's so easy to meet and befriend people here! I love it.

He will be 34, the old man. I will make sure to blog about the evening!

Also, our 2 year anniversary is on the 23^rd of May.

Last weekend we cooked dinner for our friends Leslie and David, and then met up with about 6 other friends at a local bar called The Clinic. The bar is called The Clinic because that is the name of the hospital that Pinochet went to in London for back surgery, where he was arrested for crimes against humanity. A group of journalists got together and started a satirical newspaper called The Clinic, where they wrote humorous and serious political articles. Currently, the president of Chile is from the right wing party of Chile, which has not happened since Pinochet. So The Clinic is having a field day making fun of the president, Pinera, who, by everything I have heard, really does say and do the most stupid and pea-brained things.

On a side note, one of my students, Gabriela, went to university with General Pratts' grandson. General Pratts was in the Allende government and fled to Buenos Aires after the coup, with his wife. Pinochet dispatched assassins to follow him and they blew up his car when his wife was also inside. The grandsons life was drastically affected, and when Pinochet died and his body was put on display, he waited in line to view it. When he got to the front he spat on the coffin and sprinted away. Isn't that an amazing story! I like to hear people's experiences of the coup and Pinochet regime, but it is always a sensitive subject and I don't like to ask, but only prod along if people start to mention it. I have met people who detested him/his memory and people who thought he helped the country and saved it from certain communism. When I see old people, I can't help but wonder what their stories are, and wish I spoke Spanish and could befriend some of them to ask.

Things Chileans are Randomly Obsessed With:

1. Hot dogs
2. Smoking
3. Waiting in line
4. Ice cream
5. Smoking
6. Making babies
7. Heavy metal music
8. Soda of all kinds
9. Living at home until the age of 35