Mantequilla de Maní

Peanut Butter.

You'd think that due to an overwhelming American influence all over the world, peanut butter would have caught on by now. It hasn't. In Spain I used to hide it in my room so my host mother wouldn't judge me as I ate it. She was convinced that it was the most fattening & disgusting thing on the planet and that there was no way her food was adding poundage to my frame. (It wasn't the pb...I only possessed two jars all year!)

Fast forward. Santiago Chile. I need an American food fix...real bad. I go to the grocery store and begin a "mantequilla de maní" expedition. After much searching I find the one and only jar in the store, hidden behind some kind of weird dulce de leche spread. It is the smallest jar of pb i have ever seen, and i had to sell half of my soul for it. I think it was close to $5! Last Sunday night I go to make the first Chilean PB&J. Of course, María Victoria is in the kitchen and she's eyeing my sandwich preparation. I ask her if she's ever tried the stuff. She told me that she didn't like it....I knew she hadn't tried it. So I make her take a little spoonful. Verdict? She didn't love it...but she also didn't hate it!

I am slowly going to win this country over to peanut butter.

March 29th, 1985

"To fight is to be young"

Today was "El Día del Joven Combatiente", an unofficial remembrance celebrated every March 29th by the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) here in Chile. It commemorates the 1985 death of two brothers, Rafael and Eduardo Vergara Toledo, ages 18 and 20. As members of the MIR, they were taking part in an anti-Pinochet protest, where they were shot and killed by a group of Carabineros (policemen). Since then, this day of commemoration has escalated into a day of protest, violence, vandalism and overall public disorden. We were warned to avoid certain areas of the city, especially Villa Francia (the site of their death).

I went out yesterday but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I'm not sure yet about what transpired last night...last year one person was killed and a few foreigners were deported for participating in the activities! (And I guess those are improved statistics from past years!) Anyways, here's your brief Chile history lesson for the day.

If you know any more about current MIR opinions & activities...please comment!

exploration & being professional

These photos are from "Los Dominicos". Some friends and I went exploring in this region of the city and found the views to be terrific and the air to be purer. It was pretty much a perfect day...blue skies, 75 degree weather & nothing to do!

Classes finally began today (after weeks of delay due to the earthquake!). I am teaching 5 classes-each of them meet twice a week. The school (Duoc-pronounced "dew-ock") is a professional institute offshoot of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. I have 3 intermediate level classes and 2 beginner. I have THE WEIRDEST schedule! I work from Tuesday-Friday. All of my classes start at 4 p.m. On Tuesday and Thursday I teach the 3 intermed. classes and I am at school until almost 11 p.m!

Classes went much better than I had expected...I had only prepared a few introductory games to break the ice. I had no idea about what their levels of English would be, so I was afraid of running out of things to do during each 90 minute class. All of my students are male and almost all of them are mechanical engineering majors. My first class was hilarious...though I think they might have a hard time concentrating on english. They stare at me like I am a strange zoo animal...good thing I have a good sense of humor?

Should be an interesting semester...

Cerro San Cristobol

Today we celebrated Clare's birthday at the top of Cerro San Cristobol in barrio (neighborhood) Bellavista. We had an "asado" (barbeque) on top of the Cerro. Isaias, my "host brother" and I were going to drive over, but the car was having some mechanical issues this morning so we decided to walk. We picked up some groceries and headed up...in the mid-day heat...to the park. It was more of a hike than we thought (40 minutes), but the views were spectacular and once we made it there we had a really good time. The place got pretty crowded as we were heading out...there were lots of teens hanging out, dancing and playing music.

Cerro San Cristobol is a big tourist attraction in Santiago. I hear the views are even more amazing early in the morning before the air pollution takes over. I hope to get out one morning and take get some better shots of the city.

(1,2) the walk back down the Cerro...you can actually see the mountains! The smog subsided.

(3) the asado. Man, they eat a lot of meat here...no veggie burgers to be found yet.

(4) Clare's friends & co-workers

In summary...

We'll call this summary a "List of Firsts".

First Earthquake March 11th: I had felt tremors since landing on the 7th, but this day in particular we had a tremor that was actually an earthquake. A 6.9! We were in a new teachers training meeting and we all sat around just staring at each other wondering when it was going to stop. It started with a small tremor, then the 6.9 which lasted about 45 seconds(?), then another smaller one. A lot of the staff was pretty freaked out because the cell towers were cut off and they had family close to the epicenter. Last weekend I was in a sky-rise apt. and we had a tremor then too. The whole building was swaying...I cannot imagine what it would have felt like during the real thing.

First National Power-Out March 15th: Last Monday some friends and I went out to Barrio Bellavista to get some dinner. I don't think I have ever been hungrier in my life, so it was crucial that I get food in my system. We walked around for a while not able to decide as a group where to eat...finally we found a restaurant (finally? the whole neighborhood is full of cafes and restaurants!) and when were just about to be seated the power went out! We left the place and realized the whole city was completely dark. It was so weird walking down crowded streets with our cell phones lit up to see where we were going. And even in the total darkness, strangers still noticed that I was an American. I couldn't see them! How could they see me? Is my super-white skin reflecting light or something?? Anyways, a bag of street vendor Churros and 50 minutes later we were finally eating some delicious traditional Chilean food.

Why a Power out?

March 18th: First time riding on a motorcycle. It was totally unexpected, I almost didn't get on. But I had a helmet and I am getting so sick of public transportation....(mom, don't freak out.)

(1) new preferred form of transportation, new friend Jorge.

(2) Jordan and Colby's sky-rise where we felt the tremor. Nice view of Las Condes.

(3) Eating "Cazuela de Pollo" after several hours of starvation.

Nuñoa

After a week of hostel life, which most of you know is less than desirable, I found a place to live! I responded to a craigslist post and visited the place on Saturday which is out in a neighborhood called, "Nuñoa". After seeing everything I was moved in 2 hours later! The house belongs to a woman named María Victoria and her son Isaias. She is a wacky artist and the house is really eclectic. She reminds me a lot of my host mother in Spain, Carmen. A "super-madre". I have a really nice room (minus a handpainted bright pink line that runs halfway up along the walls around the whole room...) with a desk, closet, and even a lock on my door (not like I need it here!). I definitely feel at home here and it's nice because my work is a 5 minute walk and an 8 minute bus ride that drops me right in front of the school.

(1) in front of my house. All the houses are gated like that, but only mine has a fuchsia fence!

(2) the patio/front yard.