ARICA SIEMPRE ARICA

Arica, the northern most city of Chile, the city of eternal spring, has been my home for the year.   Hard to believe that it´s time to go already.  But school is out and there is another few thousand kilometers of this diverse country to explore before I return to New Zealand.  My first post on here included a picture of the sun rising over the Pacific taken from Mangawhai Heads and while this will not be my last post from Chile, it will be my  last from Arica, where I have had the priviledge of watching the sunset over the other side of the pacific many evenings.

Felicitaciones San Marcos,
 making it through to the Primera Division!

I have made some precious friends and outlandish mistakes!  There have been times of elation and confusion. I have had both routine and adventure, mistakes and mischief.  But best of all I have learned!! I have learned a language, a new way of expression, and a new way of understanding,  I have learned a new way of life and of viewing the world.  And I have learned this from people, people who have been open and generous, taking time to teach me and to share with me, people who have laughed at me and with me, who have both questioned me and understood me.

Thank you, Paulina, Daniel, Maja, Nelson, Laura, Julio, Connie, Pamela, Emily, Rodrigo, Trevor and Patty... nos vemos!!!

And the delicious fresh fruit and veges available at every corner

Looking forward to bringing home these new understandings, to share them with my students... because as great as this adventure has been for me personally, that was always the point, to enrich my teaching and the learning of my students.  Keeping my eyes on the prize, I feel a real sense of satisfaction and appreciation.

I have down sized my apartment into to small bags that I will carry on my back for a month as I travel through Chilean Patagonia and Lake Ristrict, where I will no doubt encounter my first spot of rain in over 9 months!

Here are a few photos in tribute to favorite places and things I´ll miss!  Chau Arica ha sido genial, gracias para todas por todo x

Shameless gorging of barbequed meat!

Street Musicians

Trying new things in this case tumbo
a perfect cross between the tastes of a lemon and passionfruit!!
New favorite gelato flavour!!

The port, favorite place to see the sea lions basking the sun,
 buy fresh fish and eat at the local seafood restuarants!

Reflective view from my balcony -
as the sunsets on New Zealands yesterday

SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA

After living in the desert for many months the idea of going on holiday in the desert, didn't seem all that appealing. 

  To be honest I would have chosen the mountains or the lakes or even a small green paddock would have been fine!  But everyone I talked to insisted that it was worth the 10 hour bus ride through the desert, to get to this particular part of the desert, San Pedro de Atacama. 
 Mistico, precioso, unico where the words most commonly used to describe it.  And amazingly it was actually all of those.

The town itself a little more than a handful of unpaved streets surrounding the tiny central plaza but it is quaint and relaxed and has all the trimmings to cater for the tourist without the glaring commercial spoils. It is an oasis and has an elaborate and efficient irrigation system that directs waters from underground resevoirs to sustain the community and their lush gardens.

 

But best of all is the surrounding area, within an hour or two in any direction are a diverse set of natural attractions. Best described in photo form - Check out the diversity of this place... who would have ever thought there would be lakes, mountains, flamingos, salt flats and geysers in the desert?!

¿¡¿GEYSERS IN THE DESERT?!

Ya, well it was 4.30 in the morning
and minus 13 degrees but at least my Mum was there!!

FIESTAS PATRIAS

"El diece ocho" has been dropped into conversation all year, spoken about with fond memories of past celebrations and great anticipation for the following.
It refers to the 18th of September which is the day that celebrates Chile's Independence.  And the festivities, which of course given the Latin American culture, could not possibly be contained in just the one day, are called Fiestas Patrias (patriotic parties).

The 18th and 19th are the official public holidays but this year most schools and businesses made a sandwich, meaning that because Monday was inconveniently squeezed in between the weekend and the 18th they decided to make that a holiday too.  Schools, shops and downtown were decorated in red white and blue from the the 1st of September and throughout the entire month.  Flags were flying from almost every house (it is mandatory to fly a flag at your house on the 18th, failing to do so can attracted a hefty fine, and although the law hasn't been enforced since democracy returned to the country at the end of the Pinnochet rule, the majority of households willing comply. During the week of Fiestas Patrias, fondas, or fairs are set up downtown, displays of live music, and traditional dancing particularly folklore, and stalls are set up in tents, where you can find all the typical chilean treats such as empanandas (meet or cheese filed turnovers), anitchuchos (shish kebabs), carne asada (filled beef and pork), yogi (a version of the hotdog on a stick), completos (a cross between a hamburger and a hotdog). The 19th is a holiday also in honour of the military, so pretty much the whole week is a holiday giving time and reason for families to get together for barbeque after barbeque. A Chiliean barbeque means lots and lots of meat, lots and lots of people, lots and lots of dancing cueca, and not a lot of work, anywhere for anyone.  It has the shut down feel like between Christmas and New Years  Both of my schools had a diece ocho celebration.  At Montesorri we had a school fair, with stalls selling all sorts of local treats, cecha dancing competitions, I got to dress in traditonal local costume and welcome guests at the door! (ironic to have a gringa on the welcoming committee of such a national event!) At North American College we had a massive barbeque for all 300 staff members (that's a lot of meat and a lot of dancing ;)  the senior kids all presented a dance in the Plaza downtown, showing national pride through and through,  
Best of all everyone is in a festive mood and bursting with bunea onda (good vibes) and proudly celebrate their "chilean-ness'.

VAMOS MBS! APPRENDIENDO ESPANOL VA SER MUY ENTRETENIDO!!!

Excited!! Have just done a big shop for resources to bring home!
Note I have had to take out some fabulous shoes in order to fit this into my luggage!!
Oh, the sacrificial life of a teacher!!

SAYING IT HOW IT IS

That's what I love about Spanish, it sounds exactly as it is written.

There are no complicated blends, or 'magic letters' that change the rule, there aren't two sounds for one letter and there is even a mark over the sylable to show where to put the emphasis on the word.  On the surface it looks like a no brainer

However, on the other hand, this kind of acccuracy is rather unforgiving.  Change one misely letter, misplace the accent or mix the pronunciation of the r's and d's can mean that everything is lost in translation:

your father turns into a potato, (papa y papa)

yes becomes if, (si y si)

The verb for 'loading a programe' can be easily confused for  'unloading your bowels'

At a school barbeque I asked someone what was happening in the classroom next door and they passed me the salt...!?!

There are dozens of words that link very closely to English and even French that often help me out, wacking an o or an on the end of a word can mulitply you Spanish vocabulary in an instant. For example fantasic becomes fantástico, music beomes música, but then ...careful just when you think you  are getting the hang of it can back fire, for example estoy embarazada does not mean you are embarrassed, it means you are pregnant ' and then you really are embarrased after that mistake!!

Until I have learned to properly curl my tongue around r's and d's there are certain words I should avoid, The word for but (pero)- easily confused for 'flatchlence' (pedo) which is English lends itself to a joke that would be completely lost on the Spanish speakers.
So yes as far as writing goes, you simply say it how it is, but how is that again!!

EL TIEMPO VUELA!

Blimey its November already!! 
I'm sure I'm not the first to say that this month,  with the fourth term already underway back home and students preparing for their end of year exams, we are all in the same boat.
I think there is something about living in a desert that allows time to run away on you and then sneak back up.
There haven't been the usual signs of changes in season that help to mark time,  the desert hills have remained a constant blend of 'creams and cafe' colours; no autumn leaves, no bare winter trees, no periods of storm or rainfall, no cherry blossoms or daffodils either.  I only came across the word for umbrella (paragua) for the first time the other day - in a book!  Admittedly the winter did see colder temperatures which required socks and sweaters.  So there was some change.  Now, the wind that whips in of the coast is a welcome relief as it tames the intensifying sun that signals that summer is well on her way.
This means that I have nearly done full cycle here in Arica and am in the tail end of my time here ' que el tiempo vuela!! I'm starting to take stock of just what has happened over there, and I feel like a disappeared into a period of integration in the past few months and there are many tales to tell, will have to update you on this blog again soon.

YO ELIJE PODER

Gymnasio Survival Vocabulary
I CHOOSE POWER - This is the clever motivational phrase that is plastered on the gym mirror. But to be honest, sometimes I feel like this poster is mocking me, I don't really feel that powerful!
Exercising in public is never really that pleasant. I prefer to have some anonymity while putting my body through its paces; tripping over my two left feet, dripping pools of sweat and gasping for air, its generally not a pretty sight. But anonymity is not really on the cards, my mere appearance screams "gringa" (which in Chile is not a word with derogative connotations like in other South American countries). Even without opening my mouth or falling over the step, I stick out for being particularly rubio, fair, and while many Chilean are also rubio nobody else in the class seems to turn that same shade of deep red/purple that I do! How I envy that moreno look with gorgeous olive, tanned skin!
And, I have the distinct disadvantage of not actually understanding the instructions. In my defence. this is not just a simple vocabulary problem, the blaring music and the sound of my heart pounding in my ears doesn't exactly help my comprehension. Frequently, my language learning skills revert to 'monkey see, monkey do'.
But I am persisting, determined to bust through those layers of pain and confusion and I am finally beginning to decipher some sense from amongst the chaos. Seriously, I have come to the conclusion that sometimes the instructor doesn't mean what he says. There is a definitely a difference between literal translation and contextual translation. I have collected here some key vocabulary and phrases that had I known earlier might have avoided some embarrassment and frustration.

uno, dos tres, cuatro cinco... ocho -one, two three four, five...eight- yep pretty straight forward - however a gym instructors idea of ocho is a little like the Chilean version of 'on time', ie. an extra 20!
Arriba, abajo, atras, adalente, = up, down, front, back - yea but try doing that quickly and repeatedly while standing on one foot, with a change in sequence and direction with seemingly no warning!
Tres y uno = don't be fooled! While this sound identical to desayuno, (breakfast) it is referring to three stomach crunches up and one down.
Ay, ay = ouch ouch - (very handy and self explanatory)
Nada mas = nothing more (one might think this would be music to my ears but no, it also means repeat only this exercise until further notice!)
Vamos = let's go (yes Im thinking lets go... but in this context it means, come on, move it!)
Otra vez = again (seriously?)
Ultima vez = last time (what ever that's what he said last time!)
Doble = can mean twice as fast or twice as many, something more specific might help the gringa girl to keep in sync!
Concentrarte = Concentrate yourself ( this is a favorite for the Spinning instructor, given that pedalling a stationary bike is not that complicated, I assume she means concentrate on not throwing up, since that what I usually feel like doing in her classes!)
Apliquete = Apply yourself (now that's a goodie that can be applied in all areas of life!)
Hombres, Mujeres Men, Women two simple words which had they been written on the newly renovated bathrooms would have avoided devastating embarrassment. Needless to say I won't be showering at the gym again, the water is cold anyway!

Now I just need to find thee Spanish equivalent for Drama Queen and I think I could describe myself quite accurately!!

MUMMIE!!
No, I'm not homesick - but perhaps I could be considered sick of some sorts, since I am fascinated by the mummification of dead bodies?!

A visit to the Chinchorro museum this weekend has been a educational experience to say the least!  The museum exhibits the mummies found in Atacama desert and the coast line not far from here.  They are the oldest mummies in the world, predating the Egyptian mummies by 2000 years, making them about 5000 years old!
Unlike the Egyptians who mummified only their elite, the Chinchorro people mummified all their dead, including fetuses!  They varied their techniques over time but generally process involved disassembling the body, treating the internal organs with salt and then reassembling it, skin and all, wrapping it in mud and bandages made of vegetable fibre.  This is a lot of attention to a dead body that seems very alien to they way that we do things now, and is surely linked to beliefs about assisting the soul in the afterlife.
I remember a couple of empathetic students who had researched a little about attractions around Arica, teasing me about the possibilities of mummies laying dormant under my house.  At the time, I laughed and dismissed their teasing, but as it turns out there may have been some truth in what they said as it is not uncommon for mummies to be unearthed when foundations are being laid for new constructions!
To be honest I wasn't in a hurry to visit this unique and world class museum, it has taken me four months 'to get around to it'. It seemed kind of morbid to go and check out dead bodies, but now that I have - I think that when one considers the time and attention with which these people treated their dearly departed, I can't help but respect the expertise of their practice.
No one really knows the final fate of the Chinchorro people, its seems that they disappeared in the course of time.   Their mummies are their legacy. 
 For those of you who might be further fascinated by this practice - check out the details of there techniques here.

Feliz Cumpleanos Arica,

On the 7th of June Arica celebrated her Chilean birthday - and for a 132 year old she can still party!!
In honor of the occasion, El Morro - the point of victory in the 1880 battle in which Chile finally claimed the port city from Peruvian control, donned her best party dress - the largest flag in all of chile.
During the week long celebrations young and old flocked to the downtown that was bursting at the seems with markets and fairground, musicans and comedian buskers, concerts of tradtional music and dancing,  Creating a jovial and festive atmosphere which reflected traditional and diversity all the same time!  At the stroke of midnight on the 7th of June the celebrations came to a climax as hundreds of locals gathered in the town square at the foot of El Morro to watch the elaborate fireworks display.
The victory at El Morro was a significant moment in the history of Chile as it consequently secured the entire northern regions of Tarapaca and Arica from Peruavian rule. The city still pays tribute to Fransico Bolengesi, the valiant Peruvian Commander who died in the final battle, by naming her prettiest cobble stone pedestrian street after her.
The enthusiastic and communal celebration of "Arica's birthday" demonstrates a strength of cultural and national identity and is an active expression of solidaridad - solidarity which is a value and characteristic that the Chileans are duly proud of.
Viva Arica!!  Viva Chile!!

More about the Battle of Arica .

EXPERIENCIA CULTURAL NUMERO...?

TYPO:  Road Trip
PRESENTE:  Laura, Hulio, Pato, Andrea, y Yo.  


DESTINATION: At woozy heights with snow dusted volcanoes, remote hot springs and glimmering lakes, Parque Nacional Lauca, 160 kilometers north east of Arica is an absolute treasure. 

OBJECTIVO: To get out of town for the weekend and explore some more of this amazing region.  
To visit Lago Chungara, the highlest lake in the world, and Salir de Surir, a salt desert on the border of Bolivia.

It is not just the exaggerated altitude (between 3000m and 6300m above sea level) that leaves visitors to this national park breathless. Lauca is home to some breathtaking altiplano scenery, snow-sprinkled volcanoes, sparkling lakes and isolated hot springs. It's also shelters pretty highland villages and a huge variety of wildlife - not least the nimble-footed vicuña and the rabbit-like viscacha. Lonely Planet

LEYENDA DE AYMARA: The daughter of the local chief was once caught in an intimate embrace with  local lad.  The chief was enraged, and had them thrown into the lake.  They later emerged in the form of volcanos on the edge of the lake, know as the  "Payachatas".

IMPRESSIONS: It was well worth 2 days of driving, the diversity of scenery was incredible.  Leaving a little later than expected due to a city wide power cut, actually worked in our favour, we got to see the sunrise through valley of Utah and watched the colours change dramatically as we wound through the mountains.  As we began ascending through the mountains, we stopped at the small Aymaran Village of Zapahuira, for mate de coca, a medicinal cup of tea to fight off altitude sickness.  We also stocked up on a packet of dry coca leaves which magically relieved any headache and nausea caused by ascending 3500m over just 150 kilometers.   This high above see level, the clean air and crisp light accentuated the colors and contrasts.  After becoming accustomed to the scenery around Arica which is dominated by various shades of brown, the blues and greens of the Parque National de Lauca seemed to have a magical glow. 

CONFESSIONS OF A GRAMMAR GEEK

It has been a while since my last post; let's just put it down to technical difficulties.
But be assured that while time flies - it's certainly not passing me by. I have been busy with my three fold objectives of studying, the language, culture and pedagogy! I have just completed my in depth 3 monthly review for the LIA which has prompted some serious reflection of what and how I have been learning. Hence topic of this post.
While it would be nice if simply by immersion, I could learn completely by osmosis, unfortunately that's a myth! So I have set myself to studying!
I arrived in Chile with a string of vocabulary, a handful of set phrases and a very rusty understanding of present tense verb conjugation, some of them useful and correct- others, not so much! Every day - Monday through Friday, I go the Academia de Artes y Lenguas for a 2 hour lesson. This may sound like a lot but feels like a drop in the ocean when I consider the mass of language that I am still blissfully ignorant of! I have two teachers, apparently I am too exhausting for one to handle?!
Laura, from Switzerland, speaks an impeccable Spanish with an enviable accent. On the odd occasion when communication in Spanish fails us - we revert to French, her first language and my second. Learning a third language through a second language is a brilliant brain buster! My classes with Laura are fascinating not only because of the language but because of the content. We read and discus texts about the history of Chile, articles from current newspapers and magazines, and works by incredibly talented Chilean writers, like the poetry of Pablo Neruda and Nicolan Parra, and music by Violetta Parra and Inti Illimani which in particular, provide an excellent commentary on the times of the Pinochet regime (1973 - 1990).
So while Laura and I concentrate on content and comprehension, my other classes with Emily, concentrate on accuracy and articulation - more specifically grammar! Yes, I am becoming a grammar geek and I love it! From my very humble beginnings of a few verb conjugations in the present, I can now use; the present continuous, past continuous, past preterit, past perfect, plus perfect, impefect (which doesn't even exist in English!), future and conditional, phew!! Although I can use them, I confuse them frequently and would not claim to have mastered them yet! Often a sentence will take several minutes to construct (by which time the conversation has usually moved on!). It feels a little like trying to a length math equation. My comprehension is improving all the time but I still have moments where all the sounds seem to blend together into 'Charlie Brown speak', like "whaaa whaaa whaaa...."
While Spanish is a second language for both my teachers, I think it somehow works to my advantage. They have a perspective of the language that a native speaker doesn't necessarily have. They know how to chop it up into pieces and put it back together perfectly, and make comparisons and find similarities with the languages that I already know. The also both have a distinct understanding of the idiosyncrasies of the Chilean Spanish, which is apparently distinct from 'Spanish Spanish'. While it all sounds the same to me at this stage, one of the benefits of Chilean speakers is that they often chop of the ends of words, particularly the 's' sound. As a 'kiwi' speaker, this suits me just fine since we are not much better with our English, and as far as I'm concerned it excuses me for mumbling over a syllable or two!!
Simply attending classes is not enough - I have to consciously use the new language that I learn, otherwise the words just stay in the book and they are not much use to me there! So, I have post-its and vocab lists and grammar explanations tacked to my wall. The fruit bowl on the dining room table is full of cards with sentence starters and idioms to prompt conversation. I sit with a notebook and copy down new phrases from the movie subtitles. I write summaries of texts and memorize poetry for homework. I reward myself after class with coffee and cake in the cafe downtown, because it can't be work no play ;)
My Spanish has certainly come along way, pero me falta mucho todavia (I am still missing alot!) and I continue make frustrating and hilarious mistakes on a daily basis. However, I'm sure my geek like tendencies will eventually pay off. I'm banking on the theory that what goes in must come out.

UN POCO DE TODO!!!
Following on from Santiago, I took an extended Easter break.  
Just doing my job! Reference: LIA goal number 2.7-

• Understanding of of places, sites and monuments with cultural,        historical and national significance.

I found an incredibly diverse and beautiful region,with un poco de todo, (a little bit of everything).

UN POCO DE LAS MONTANAS...

After being in shadows of the foothills of the Andes for several days in my favourite city, they beckoned me to visit and certainly didn`t disappoint! Fossils found in these mountains share the secrets of their past life.
The mountains are as majestic close up as they are from a distance.  I regretted not having bought my hiking gear, but that is a definite on the list for the next trip. 


UN POCO DE CAMPO...

Best way to explore the countryside is on horseback for sure!   My first time in loooong time, too long! But kind of like riding a bike, it was so much fun! Fortunately my horse new the drill and wasn't disturbed by my shrieks of laughter as he spontaneously broke into a canter.  Words fail to describe the
incredible scenery and light as the sunset over the acres and acres of vineyards that stretched all the way to the foot of the mountains.  And then to trump it all was an early rising full moon!

UN POCO DE VINO...
Well, it be rude to ignore the world class export that is the pride of Chile.  I know have a new found respect for the time, resource and sheer genius that goes into the tipple that I too often take for granted! Months in making, moments in the mouth!  




My favorite bodegas of the day was totally organic.  From the
 planting, to the nurturing, to the processing, to the bottling - 'todo natural´. This family run vineyard, now in its fourth generation, seems to have captured a beautiful balance with the old and the new techniques, maintaining the integrity of organic product and quality of a great wine.  An exquisite lunch boasting the full flavors of the farm and vineyard , was served in the shade of a massive walnut tree, amongst the vines. Que rico,!

UN POCO DE LA LITERATURA...

The word of Pablo Neruda; Nobel Prize winning poet, entertained and enchanted me all afternoon in the cafe near his old home on the coast of Isla Negra.  His home and final resting place is now a tribute to his life and loves that inspired his poetry.  From the design to the decorations, Neruda life and loves are reflected.  The house is cleverly set out like a boat and a train carriage and sits on the edge of the ocean with a constant sound track of crashing waves.  Each room is filled with collection of  exquisite and eclectic objects from all over the world. Neruda died just days after the military coup in 1973 but his body was not able to be buried at his home until 1991 when democracy returned to the country.  Fortunately he is once again celebrated as a literary genius.

UN POCO MAS DE VINO... 

Because I do like have a well rounded perspective, I checked out another winery, kind of like getting a second opinion. I indeed found evidence to supporting my first conclusion, Chile makes great wine, especially reds!  Chonca y Torro, the third largest wine producers in the world, in their 5th generation of wine making.  They make the best known Casillero del Diablo (devils' locker), legend has it that the original winemaker invented the story that the cellar was haunted to deter the neighbours from pilfering his treasured stocks!

UN POCO DE LA HISTORIA...  The official word on Valparaiso is - ´cultural capital´ of Chile and it is also named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  To me it was a combination of the character and hills of Wellington,  the grunge and dilapidation of studentville in Dunedin, along with the shambles and edginess of Naples with the pavement.  It is rough around the  edges and has a distinct bohemian feel.  In one word, I would call it funky.  Crooked stairwells, crumbling homes stuffed into every crevice of the hillside, trusty cable cars hauling through the steep slopes, old European style buildings and monuments,  street markets, and coastal scenery all gather to create a fascinating a diverse picture of this historic town.

So the past coupled of weeks I have been more focused on the cultural goals than language ones, yet I haven't been homeless, stranded, hungry or lonely, nor have I needed to draw any pictures to make myself understood. So in comparison to my first trip to the supermarket - I will take this as progress! 
However, it seems that tourist talk doesn`t necessarily translate to day to day life and now back home, I am struggling to string a decent sentence together at the dinner table!  So with respect to grammar ' its back to the the drawing board - or rather whiteboard and post-its and notes tacked to my wall.

Faced with the prospect of Monday morning like very one else,  I shall leave you with the words of Pablo Neruda, which come to mind -   El dia lunes arde como el petroleo cuando me ve llegar con mi cara de carcel - Monday burns like kerosene when it sees me show up with my mugshot face!
This a rather poetic complaint, but seriously, I love my job!

SANTIAGO, ME ENCANTA

I am sitting on the roof top terrace of my Santiago hotel watching the lights from skyscrapers and apartment buildings wink at each other. It is like being in a cityscape from a movie.
I love this city. Me Encanta as the Spanish would say, it charms me.
 Last night I followed sounds of music floating through the streets, like a child in the Pied Piper and was treated to a free outdoor classical concert in front of the exquisite Museo de Bellas Artes! It's funky and full of character, antique architecture reflects the influence of Europe and the Spanish colonisers from hundreds of years ago, yet at the same time modern buildings of glass and class clearly show that this city has not been left behind in the fast paced world.  The street art and graffiti, particularly prominent in the bohemian part of the city Bella Vista where I am staying give it a character all of its own.  Negotiating such a massive city is easy with the infrastructure of the modern day Metro system, which is again decorated with art, distinct style for each station.  This beauty and attention to detail takes the edge of the sardine like treatment as we all cram into the the already filled carriages.  For me this is the perfect combination for a capital city.
I have come here to Santiago (a three our flight from Arica) to meet with the NZ ambassador tomorrow, on behalf of AFS and to promote the scholarship, what a privilege! It should at least be interesting and I hope that I can find an iron!
Meanwhile, I am taking this opportunity to expand my understanding and knowledge of this country and culture by touring the city!  This morning started with the Santiago Marathon, with 30,000 participants in 10-42km races it was quite an event.  What a fantastic setting, I watched with utter respect and some disappointment that I wasn't participating myself.  I was envious of those endorphined pumped athletes. "Vamos! Vamos!" I cheered along with the other spectators. Then I saw a runner face down vomitting in the gutter and I had flashbacks of myself in Rotoru, needless to say my disappointment quickly disappeared, and I set off to explore the city happy that I was not crippled by the event.
I ascended the 500 metres to the top of the Cerro San Cristobel in a cable car, where an enormous statue of the Virgin Mary stands, arms protectively stretching out over the city, a tribute to the country's Catholic allegiance. What an incredible view! The city, home to 7 million people stretching upwards toward the sky and sprawling outwards to fill the entire valley, yet completely dwarfed by the surrounding foothills of the Andean mountains!
Its a humbling perspective.

ME GUSTA QUE ... I love it that ...

 

   is my favourite phrase at the moment because I have so many uses for it!

Me gusta que I can just flag a bus down where ever it suits like a taxi and jump on for a dollar!

Me gusta que there are portable street stalls selling all the day to day necessities and a few niceties can be found everywhere.

Me gusta que the people of Arica proudly love where they live and have created a joyful place amidst the desertscape.

Me gusta que at the beach I can have pizza, empandas, chocolate caramel cake, fried donuts filled with chocolate condensed milk, frozen juice and even a newspaper delivered right to my towel!

Me gusta que live music, pan pipes and drums, are often heard in the streets.

Me gusta que an afternoon siesta is a routine, an expectation rather than an exception!

Me gusta que even when it gets dark its still not cold.

Me gusta que sometimes not understanding can work to my advantage!

Me gusta que wine bottles are stopped with good old fashion corks!

Me gusta que the Chilean flag flies proudly on the highest peak above the town and can be seen from everywhere.

Me gusta que the markets and stalls fill entire blocks have everything you would want from a mall but at a quater of the price and with no hard sell or bartering needed.

Me gusta que after siesta, the town comes alive again at 6 and bustles on until as late as 11 o'clock.

Me gusta que the main meal of the day is lunch and dinner is just a snack.

Me gusta MUCHO que  this list is growing more and more every day!

Mi Vida Loca

I am starting to etch out some kind of routine in my new life which currenty consists of school, Spanish classes and negotiating day to day life and loving it all. 

I am participating with three schools, each very different from each other and from MBS but all fascinating! The variety is fascinating and though provoking. 

My main school, North American College ( although we are in South America?), is a government subsidized high school, I am enjoying working with older students, inyear 12 and 13.  English is and has been compulsory for them for at least 6 Years.  Today we analysied the lyrics to a Bob Marley song Is this love?  Although teachers have to pay for their coffee, there is a t.v in the staffroom! On the whole, the students are keen and classes are full with 30+ in each.

My next school is Junior College is a fully private school with obvious benefits in facilities and standards. This school has students has about 600 students from Year 1 to 13). I am working with primary students, who are enthusaistic teachers themselves and the Spanish in their classes  is at least at level that I can understand!

Then there is a Montessori school, where I work with an English teacher who has a very interactive and communicative approach to teaching and learning.  Her philosophy is learning through play, these classes are so much fun and again I am learning a lot of Spanish from the kids who are so curious and keen to share. 

I have formal Spanish lessons three times a week, which is so incredibly necessary and helfpul!  Laura, my teacher' is from Switzerland.  Although French is her native language, she speaks flawless Spanish and good English, so is able to point out similarities and difference in vocabulary and grammar between these languages.

However, I do as much, if not more, learning in day to day conversation as I do in these formal lessons.  I am finding that making mistakes is, not only funny but, the best way learn!  My approach most of the time is to simply get the courage to open my mouth and hope that something comprehensible falls out and eventually I will get it right!  My flatmates keenly discuss, and patiently explain, all sorts of things from politics, to education, grammar, films, and local customs.  They are my best teachers.  They laugh easily which makes living with them great fun and helps to cross the language barrier.

As you can imagine with all these different professional experiences, approaches and philosphies, and constnatly needing to negotiate my way through a linguistic jungle ~ much time for reflection and analysis is needed.  Fortunately the beach is not to far away and it`s always sunny! Ciao!