summer christmas

This year was an especially interesting Christmas..HOT weather, a mezcla of cultures, and delicious food. Luckily for me it was all my favorite foods--seafood, guacamole, onions and peppers, salad, carrot cake, chocolate cheesecake, fudge, apricot and nectarine tart, and raspberry jam cookies. I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas away from home. In true Daly tradition, we took a long walk after all the eating towards Plaza de Armas and spotted the three wise men.

Merry Merry Merry!

starting the morning off with mimosas..


preparation galorrrre


yummmmm yummm yummmmmm. my favorite!
foto de familia



postres/desserts


plaza en navidad


on the walk pitstop

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feliz navidad

Merry Christmas to all!

This is my first Christmas apart from my family. Although this is a little triste I am thankful to have a wonderful Chilean family to celebrate with! The amazingness of technology enabled me to see my family's lovely faces last night and again today. I am thankful for so much--friends, food, health, opportunity, new experiences, learning, teaching and family family family. Christmas is a time for reflection on the year past and the year to come. I can't wait to see what adventures happen next! Wishing you and yours the best this holiday and many besos y abrazos a todas! Love! Food! Happiness!

ps. Due to the very HOT weather here (90s!) We are having a giant Christmas bbq today! Will post pictures soon!

image via CitySage

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vaquera (cowgirl)

There's nothing like riding the trails through the Andes atop a caballo (horse). This past Sunday Sandra, Cortney and I decided to get out of the city (being the country women we are) to escape to Cajon Del Maipo. Cajon is really close to Santiago (60 kilometers) yet a special retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Cajon is beautiful with rugged mountains and valleys, rivers, hot springs and waterfalls. There are tons of outdoor activities to partake but we chose to go horseback riding and then a dip in the pool.

Tito--our guide, a charming man born and raised in Maipo was pretty tickled by that fact that 1. us gringas were going on a two hour horseback ride and 2. Cortney and I were sporting pantalones cortes. Slightly embarrassing but little did he know that I was born in the South thus having natural Cowgirl instincts.

Then as we started the climb..I realized we were getting pretty high up..My horsey (Cajaaaha) was a trooper though. She was one tough mamacita! Especially because it was so hot. But the views were spectacular and I cheered her on in Spanish the whole way up..There was a couple times I thought we were headed over the mountains edge and into the river below but we made it alive!





Thanks for the ride! I had so much fun Cajah! :)




ps. Yes my legs were burning a bit. But that made the pool so refrescado!

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The delights of getting lost.

Anyone who has traveled with me, lived with me, or ridden in my car when I'm driving might say I have a tendency of getting "lost". Some people (ahem--not the most unbiased of sources: Sibs and friends) might tell you I have a "bad" sense of direction. I would like to dispute this claim..granted according to conventional standards of being lost--technically unable to "find one's way" I get lost everyday all the time.

Perhaps its my intense commitment to alone time or self-reflection but when my mind wanders and I end up at an unfamiliar street I prefer to see my instincts through and keep on keeping on. My "bad sense of direction" is relative to what one considers to be "bad". Maybe I don't always end up where I intended to go but I see things and discover places I wouldn't have otherwise and eventually I get where I wanted to go. I love to pick out random people to ask where I could get a good coffee or which way to the nearest metro. You never know who you will end up meeting or what little treasures of cafes or plazas you might encounter.

It might take me twice as long to get from one place to the next but I enjoy every minute of the journey. The nice thing is you know you can always find your way eventually. The paths I take might not be the most efficient or direct--but nonetheless I get where I'm going. To me the journey is more than half the fun! So next time you worry about "getting lost" relish the opportunity to take the route less traveled! Getting lost is relative and I would encourage others to get "lost" more often.

"I never stopped dawdling like an eight-year-old on a spring morning on his way to school. Anything can make me stop and look and wonder, and sometimes learn. I am a very happy man." -Kurt Vonnegut

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hace calor

It is really hot here in Santiago..like really. 90s. As a result we have taken to eating ice cream/frozen yogurt whenever possible.

There's nothing like that sweet fruity or chocolatey goodness when you are dripping in sweat!
happy summer/holiday season.

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big bowl of update

Dear Readers,

Sorry I have been severely lacking on posting..I promise to be better! Things have been moving right along here in Santiago so much so that sometimes I stop and think how can it already be 4pm, and December and almost 2010?! Time goes by so quickly! Jeez. Teaching has become easier because I now have a comfortable feel for my students different levels and strengths and needs--I have never taught adults before..The experience is sooo different than my little elementary school children who I taught to paint and draw in Santa Cruz! There are advantages and disadvantages to teaching adults..for example--you never have to tell adults to pay attention or focus or to just try! But they aren't nearly as funny as the little guys and it's more difficult to see the progress of acquisition in language fluency. Teaching business English is also interesting..I am learning alot about the economics, and policies of Chile and how it effects the citizens. My students tell me many new companies first come to Chile to start business to see how profitable they will be as Chile has few regulations and allows free trade.

Other than that I have been enjoying living in our new abode in Providencia. We live with Carlos and Dana--two Chileans and they host several other foreigners. The house is wonderful and alive and full of art because Carlos is an artist (Dana is studying music!). I always feel inspired and relaxed here. We cook alot and there are two hammocks that I am particularly fond of especially when it is 80 ++ degrees out which is often the case now that we are headed into summer. Even though Santiago gets hot hot hotttt-we are lucky because the beach is a hop, skip and jump (okay maybe 1hr and 30 min via micro bus) which is amazing because Valpariso and Vina Del Mar are soo beautiful and so different from Santiago. These cities feel more like you would expect of South America..kind of dirty but rich in culture and people. A more relaxed feel overall and the BEST seafood everrrr omg. Yum! I went once with Andres then again with Cortney and our roomate Nicole (from Germany). We got to see one of three of Pablo Neruda's (famous Chilean poet) awesome houses which are filled with cool awesome collectibles and such.
And the most spectacular views ever!!







I could eat seafood all day every day!


YUM. So how is everyone at home? Its funny to hear Christmas music when its so hot outside! Here everywhere there are bathing suits, sunscreen and summer dresses galore! Im thinking of you all mucho mucho! My Spanish is slowly getting better but it still needs work..sometimes I still mix it up with French! Silly! Well, more later!
Besos!

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Thankful.

This year I am thankful for.....

good friends


good food


my familia near and far





and vidaaaaa



Wishing the best for all this time of year and I'm thinking of you!
Besos!!

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seize the day

wine tasting









Recently we had the opportunity to go wine tasting through a school organized trip (14 dollars including transportation woot!) at Cousino Macul. Located just outside Santiago this vina was constructed by French architects in 1870 and has a special ventilation system that year round is the perfect temperature. Not only is it beautiful it's extremely profitable! We learned alot like Chilean wines are actually profiting off of global warming--all the wines they have made since 2001 have been good (while French wine is struggling with the global warming ! :( le sad). Our tour guide was really nice and informative. And the wines were delicioussss. We got to try two wines--one was a pink cabernet and the other a regular cabernet. So delicious! I cant wait to try more! Mmmm. Wine is so cheap here its ridiculous..living in Bordeaux part 2 for me. Haha. Maybe I can claim some sort of expertise by the time I leave!
Besos a todos!

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besty birthday

happy birthday Vanessa Ducher!

I love you soo sooo soooo much. You are not only bff but perhaps one of the funniest, charming, caring, smart and beautiful people I have the pleasure of knowing! I know you are going to have the best birthday ever but I wish I was there with you to eat some carrot cake and reflect upon the many many manyyy memories that make our friendship so special and fun.

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inspiration

aqui es Fabi...
This is our housemate Fabienne. She is from Switzerland. She's 22. She has lived in Santiago for 3 months. Starting tonight she is going to travel all around South America by herself!


She's super funny super silly and very brave.




Isn't she a rockstar? I just LOVE it when I meet people who are so free-spirited and admirable. She does what she feels---and that's something I really like. I'm going to miss her alot but I know we will meet again..if not in some other part of South America in Switzerland or America.
We sent her off in true Chilean style--getting fresh mango juice at a cafe nearby and eating palta (avocado) on toasted bread..the most delicious tasting thing ever. I wish her luck and safety in her travels and I can't wait to hear crazy stories all about it.

Buen Viaje Fabi!! <3

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pues, what?

Sunset in Santiago

So, last weekend Cortney and I had the opportunity to have an amazing almuerzo with a Chilean family (a friend of Cort's grandpa). Rodrigo is a longtime friend and business partner with Cortney's grandfather. Cort's g-pa emailed Rodrigo suggesting that we meet up because it would be nice to get some Chilean advice from Chileans! He wrote a couple of emails back and forth confirming then he forwarded them to Cortney and her mom. The last email said: Rodrigo would love to meet you. Here is his contact information so you two can meet up. He loves meeting young girls! ........um. wait. what? Cortney and I were laughing at that part because huh!? Cort's mom actually ended up emailing her G-pa being like WHAT>! turns out he was just being funny but he teased Cortney to death when we met up! hahahaha. He has four kids (and one grandchild!) and his longterm girlfriend also has four kids!! Luckily they are all around our age! So when they invited us over for lunch we were really excited to meet some our age Chileans! They live in Los Condes an area off the end of one of the metro lines. He has a really beautiful apartment on the top of a building that overlooks all of Santiago. Really Baller. We ate delicious paella and met allll of the children (including two really hot 21 year old twin guys!). They were so sweet and helpful. Providing us with advice on everything from where to go out clubbing to what food is good. All of them were studying different things and were all interesting people. It was a really lovely family and it felt nice to get some homemade food and family time.

They asked us about America and we asked them tons about Chile. I've been particularly interested in their politics here because it seems crazy that 1. Chile became a democracy in 1990! (CHUB your BIRTH YEAR!) 2. They have a women president 3. Pinochet--the dictator who ruled for 16 years! was voted out of office but got 40% of the vote! (more than what he was elected for)...the United States also has an interesting relationship with Pinochet.. anyway I decided to take a gamble and bring up politics to see what typical Chileans think of Michelle Bachelet. I asked them about Obama of course first. They said that they like him..they just don't know what he has done yet (cue Nobel Peace Prize jokes). Overall, they seemed to have a positive opinion of him. I asked if they liked Michelle and Rodrigo (who is def in the upper class) talked about how she is contradictory because she claims to be leftist yet many policies remain rightist and that they are ready for a change. Their election is this December..should be interesting to see how it plays out..He went on to say that he thought life was better when Pinochet was in office because he built the economy to what it is today..Chile has the best economy throughout South America currently. His nostalgia for Pinochet's term was met with silence from the rest of the family...Afterwards one of the daughters drove us home..she said that she didn't agree with her father but she didn't say anything to keep the peace (something I can definitely understand) but that thousands of people disappeared during Pinochet's reign and that she believed him to be a dictator.

Anyway, it was pretty interesting talking to them. I really liked them. So helpful, cute and generous! Hopefully we will see them again. :) Other than that we passed TEFL yayyy! and We got jobs! Our FIRST! Exciting!! We start in two weeks or so after our intensive spanish classes. It's beautiful here now and we have been enjoying our freedom by exploring and partying mucho!
Besos!

ps. good article to read!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/world/americas/29bachelet.html?scp=3&sq=chile&st=cse

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did you know?

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vino tinto

a picture post...

view from las condes the "modern" neighbs of Santiago that we were lucky enough to experience from the apartment of a lovely Chilean family


shrimp, pico de gallo, and guacamole mmmm.


wine wine wine..cheaper than water basically.


halloweenie!

sandra y yo


peacock and flapper (does not exist here apparently)

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if vegetarians eat vegetables than what do humanitarians eat?

English is one of the most confusing languages in the world. Nothing is consistent and there is an exception to almost every rule. Its funny because you think its your native language and thus it should be easy peasy to logically come to a conclusion when a student asks you a question. But actually most of the time why English does the crazy things it does has no rhyme or reason!
For example...I was teaching about communicating one's life story to the beginning class last week..A student asked me "Why do you say: Where did you grow up? and then answer I grew up?" uhhhhhh......I started sweating more profusely... Grew and grow..both in the past...I ended up saying something like that's just how it is with growing! Probably not a very satisfactory answer but es la vidaaa!

So far Cortney and I have each taught 3 practice lessons. We teach adult volunteers of different levels varying from beginner to advanced. Our classes are usually 2-4 people which suits me because its nerve-wracking! I can't help but remember how much I used to judge my teachers! Anywhere from outfit inspections--tube socks are never in style SORRY! judging! to wondering if they have families or what their life story is. When you are standing in front of a group of people claiming to be somewhat of an expert on something its hard not to think if they are questioning your expertise. Its interesting teaching adults who are well beyond our years but actually all of the students are very sweet and understanding. Its no struggle to get them to do what you want! Doing the TEFL program has made me realize how hard teachers have to work. Not only is it exhausting to teach and be active and exciting during your lessons but it takes hourssss to figure out a good lesson plan with a variety of activities. I imagine one gets better at planning these with time. It makes me sad that in the US teachers aren't appreciated as much as they deserve. Our teacher Christine is from Singapore and she taught English for several years before she became a trainer. She said that teachers are highly respected in Asian countries versus everywhere else in the world. Its pretty interesting to think about. When and how exactly did the profession evolve to what it is in the US today?

Anyway I'm getting better at teaching and its a relief to be halfway done with our program..wooo HOOO! We had a busy week filled with assignments and homework but we also had some delicious food and fun as well. Nelson cooked dinner for all of us on Wednesday night--a delicious pasta with veggies and some kind of meat (I know! I know! ANDY I am still fully committed to pescatarianism except maybe chicken and turkey too but I couldn't be impolite..I actually have been eating so much suchi (sushi) that I might get mercury poisoning but all the fish here is sooo fresh, tasty and best of all cheap!). It was really fun. Nelson had lots of good Chilean wine and told us that we had to finish all our food and wine because there are hungry and thirsty children in Africa!! haha. Hes the silliest man ever! Thursday night we ordered suchi in with our housemate Sandra--she is the sweetest ever and I love her! She's a 19year old German girl and right now she's here volunteering at an orphanage through a program Germany has where they pay people to go volunteer somewhere! Isn't that cool? I would do it in a second. Um hi America get on that please kthanks!

Anyway, I can't believe we have been here two weeks now! Crazy! Weekend wrap up later.
Besos!!

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some fotos

Just also wanted to share some more highlights of our meanderings so far...


our hallway



traditional chilean food...
empanada and pastel de choco (a corn pudding kind of thing with chicken..very interesting..muy azteca!)



cort in our kitch






bellavista neighb..so colorful!

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exploradora

Our first week in Chile...it flew by! Today I went for my first run in Chile. I love running around a city to explore it because it gives you a chance to see, smell, and observe the culture in a fun and beautiful way. After an intensive week of school (I can't believe so many people get up at 6am and come home at 6pm! I was completely exhausted by Friday. We plan our lessons and have homework at night so the days are very long but its a really good experience!)..we had the weekend to explore a bit and get to experience things other than school.

When you are a foreigner in another country--such as myself--often one makes observations and generalizations of the culture--the outside perspective is sometimes more insightful but can also lead to stereotyping.. but es la vida! So here are some things I have noticed so far:

1. Chilean toilets cannot handle toilet paper. When you go to the bathroom you have to throw the toilet paper in a trashcan. When at a bar you have to tip the attendant to get toilet paper..this is definitely more useful to know BEFORE you go into the stall to pee, as Cortney and I discovered last night when we were at a bar in Bellavista. Oops!

2. Palta which is Avocado in Chilean Spanish is put in everything here!! Its a different kind of avocado and very delicious!! mmm. I love it! My favorite salad accessory of the moment:


3. Dogs rule in Chile. Most dogs here are not domesticated. They run around freely in packs--more wolflike than in the US. Ging would have serious problems I think! They are very sweet to humans and will follow you around..(like during my run this morning) and they are everywhere! Ive only seen one weenie so far..I spotted a pup enjoying the sun at the top of a park we visited on Saturday..The park Cerro San Cristobal (they love Christopher Colombus here..go figure?) has the famous sculpture of Mary of Santiago and it is really peaceful and spiritual at the top. We took a the funicular up (scary!) but it was beautiful!


Doggie Chillin in the sanctuary


view from the top


Mary

4. Chilean culture is pretty! They are super modest people who work really hard. But they also really know how to get down and enjoy themselves. Going out doesn't start till midnight but they really take pleasure in the weekends..A seemingly random parade went down the street outside our apartment today..their costumes were so pretty!



Besides that heres a few people who are making our intro into Chilean culture welcoming, fun, crazy and hilarious!


Nel, Fabian, Maury, Cortney y Yo at Sushi (muy popular here!!)



Nel and the abuelitas drinking tea! hahah. We were so tired!

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