Nos Complementamos Como Mote & Huesillo

We go together like...

If you're a fan of the movie Greace, you probably finished that phrase in your head with ...rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong.  If you're more of the foodie type, your mind might have raced to something like "macaroni and cheese" or "peanut-butter and jelly."   

Unfortunately, both of these delicious combinations are pretty hard to come by in Chile.  It´s okay though, don't feel too bad for me.  This V-day, I'm mixing it up and bringing you some classic Chilean combinations to add some new flavor to your day.  Feel free to pass these babies on to that special someone.

 

Once upon a time, mote con huesillos (a tea that contains barley and dried peaches) was a meal for the very poor in Chile.  Now, it's a popular drink enjoyed by Chileans everywhere, especially in summertime (which, down here in the southern hemisphere, is now).  By telling your loved one "nos complementamos como mote y huesillo" (literally translated to: we compliment each-other like barley and little bones...but referring to the dried peaches), you can share in this sentiment of true love.  Essentially you're saying that, although one of you may be round and wrinkly while the other is smaller, firmer and more supple, you still make a mixture that's pretty darn sweet.  Now isn't that just precious?

The love between pisco (Chile's national hard alcohol) and coca-cola is a classic.  She's a little bit overbearing and he's a little bit, shall we say, vengeful?  However, in the end, they make it work.  I bet that coke-bottle figure doesn't hurt either...

This  great card for your healthy, uncomplicated relationship.  Unlike pisco and cola, milk and banana have just that.  Putting these two in blender together may not be a novel concept, but it's a good one.  Chile doesn't necessarily have a trademark on this combo but they do do it often and they do it well.  Three cheers for a love that just plain makes sense.  Hip hip horayyy!

For that fiery new love you've got going, I recommend the pebre and marraquetta V-day card.  Pebre, Chile's very spicy sauce sauce, is pretty similar to Mexican salsa.  However, it has a distinct set of spices or something which sets it apart.  It's typically served with white "marraquetta" bread which is great because it helps put out the fire that pebre often starts in your mouth.  This card speaks of a balanced relationship; maybe one that contains a hotheaded person and someone a little more tranquilo who helps take things back down a notch.  Don't worry, if you don't want a valentine's day card that accuses your significant other of being an enojón/a (rage-a-holic), you can always just tell them that it just means that they're hot and sexy (I won't tell if you won't).

 

She's easy-going and lighthearted.  The panqueque of Chile is slightly different from its North American cousin, the pancake.  It is lighter, and more closely resembles a crêpe (the French look is so in right now).  He's sweet and versatile, but also a bit of a man whore.  Manjar is a carmel-like sauce that's used on almost every kind of sweet treat here in Chile.  That's right MANjar, we've seen what you've been doing with that churro...and that Cuchuflí ...don't even get me STARTED on the alfaWHORE.  Overall, this relationship might be doomed.  I knew it seemed too good to be true. Don't worry Panqueque, just wait till we take you up north and introduce you to some nice maple syrup.

 

Here's an odd combo for ya.  She's a little bit country, he's a little bit rock and roll... The mixture of beer and fanta isn't extremely common in Chile but, for better or for worse, it's here.  It kind of reminds me of that one Dr. Suess quote, "We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love.”  If that quote describes your relationship, the Fanshop card might be right for you.

Lo Que Significa Un Año en Chile

 A year ago today, the 23 hours of travel (back when that was a big deal) from California came to an end and I arrived at my final (or so I thought) destination, Santiago de Chile. I had written this post the day before and was about to write this one, the next day.  No post that day though.  I was too busy getting my first taste of Chilean cuisine at the empanada shop down the street and organizing way too much luggage into my cute little blue room in Las Condes.

I had never been to Chile before and I had 0 experience teaching English.  My Spanish was decent but I had no idea what cachai, weon or CSM meant.  I had never surfed, never been paragliding and never hiked Machu Picchu.  I had never heard of Pucón or Iquique and had no idea that I'd be spending a significant amount of time in either.  I'd never seen warning signs for volcano eruptions or tsunamis nor lived near people who considered the constant threat of one or the other to be a normal part of everyday life. I had never tasted cherimoya, pebre, humitas or a terremoto.  Come to think of it, I had never actually met a Chilean person before (to my knowledge, at least).

Needless to say, 366 (leap year) days later, all of that (and so much more) has changed.  Here are a few more things that one year in Chile means....

1. One year in Chile means one year since I've driven a car.

Yup, if you thought I was a bad driver before...watch out.  I'm coming back in July, crazier than ever.  I may be forced to practice in my high school parking lot with my dad until I brush up on my skills.

2. One year in Chile means one year since I've had real Mexican food or decent tequila.

Best believe the Cazadores will be flowin' when I get back.

3. One year in Chile means one year since I've greeted someone without kissing them on the cheek.

If this is how I respond when we see each other again, please do not be startled. 

4. One year in Chile means one year since I've thrown toilet paper in the toilet instead of in a trash can.

I'll try to remember this one when I come back ;-)

5. One year in Chile means one year since I've had a bowl of soul from The Naked Lounge, a jasmine green tea from Empire or an iced coffee from anywhere besides Starbucks.

No Chile, "café helado" is not the same thing.  An iced coffee does not come with sprinkles, an ice-cream cone and a cherry on top.  This concept seems to be lost in translation.

 

6. One year in Chile means one year since I've gone bike-riding through Bidwell, downed an Irish car-bomb at Duffy's or gone skinny dipping at One Mile (not that I would ever do the latter, of course).

7. One year in Chile means one year since I've sent a piece of snail mail.

Sorry about those post-cards I promised.  I'll try to get that accomplished at some point before I leave .

8. One year in Chile means one year since I've used a stove without lighting a match (or occasionally using a lighter).

Electric stoves are very rare here.

9. One year in Chile means one year since I've used a dryer.

Nothing but clotheslines for me.

10. Sadly (almost as sad as #2), One year in Chile also means one year since I've seen a whole lot of people I love :-(
 

On a happier note, Today I celebrated my anniversary with a day off, a delicious little pie from Suiza Pucón and the silly little lake-side photo shoot pictured above.  I wasn't sure whether it was appropriate to make a resolution or a wish as I blew out the candle so I made something that I don't make very often, a plan.  I got a little nugget of good news this morning via e-mail which was just enough to finalize an idea I've been mulling over for a while.  The details will not be revealed quite yet, but you'll see soon enough. 

Cheers to the first year Chile, here's to the rest of our time together :)

Che Boludo: My "Afternoon" in Argentina

In Chile, a “completo” is a hotdog; complete with avocado and tomato and drowning in mayonnaise.  Completos are fatty, cheap and, although they look rather disgusting to me, an undeniable staple of Chilean cuisine. 

However, when a hostel worker in San Martin de Los Andes, Argentina tells you, “Estoy completo”, it doesn’t mean “I’m a big greasy Chilean hotdog”.  In fact, it not only means, “I’m complete (aka, full).” but also, “Every hostel in this town has been booked for weeks.” and simultaneously, “If you think you’re just going to waltz in here and find something on the spot, you’re straight trippin’ home girl.” That’s a rough translation, of course, but you get the idea.

After being told “Estoy completo” for the sixth time, I was starting to get the picture.  I wasn’t going to find a place to stay for the night.

That wouldn’t have been an issue if my initial plan had worked out.  I would have left Pucón in the morning, arrived in San Martin in the afternoon and headed back that evening with a 160-dollar Argentina stamp in my passport and a shiny new visa good for another 90 days in Chile.

This dream plan was shattered when, upon my arrival to SM, I was informed that the only daily bus to Chile left at 6 each morning.  I wasn’t shocked.  I half expected this to be the case.  What I didn’t expect was that, when my hostelworld search returned no results, it was because there was literally not a single empty bed left in the whole town.

So that’s how my “afternoon” in Argentina turned into a 27-hour ordeal; how I ended up having speed for dinner (see below), staying up all night in the bus station to wait for the morning bus and munching on sweaty (though still delicious) artesanal cheeses at an hour that can not be rightfully called dinner nor breakfast.

Despite all of the hassle with the bus, I must say, I really enjoyed San Martin.  It's very similar to Pucón in appearance but the city seems somehow more lively.  During the day, there were literally people drinking mate e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. (way to be an Argentinian stereotype guys) and I found some pretty cool gords and bombillas (like these) around town.

 At night, there seemed to be live music on every corner with a great variety of styles.  I witnessed some folkloric dancing as well as some tango in the park.  Every performer that I saw had a big group of people surrounding them; cheering and tossing some monedas their way.  Nice supporting of the arts there Argentina.

 Even when things weren't going ideally, I was kept in good spirits by lovely landscapes, tasty food, the rush of being in a new country and the silly sounds of the Argentinian accident; the latter of which continued to keep my giggling all day.  Every time I overheard someone talking about the see-sha (silla), the pla-sha (plaza) or the ply-sha (playa), it put a smile on my face.

Although for the same amount of money and half of the time, I could have flown comfortably to Brazil and been happily sipping a caipirinha and stuffing my face with pão de queijo, I'm glad I finally made it to Argentina.  I've just scratched the surface and I'm ready to get some use out of my ten-year visa.  In the meantime, I'm happy to be back in Chile; the land of "po", "weon", ample available sleeping spaces and the original completo.  Until we meet again Argentina, until we meet again.

 View from the bus.

 Argentinian cookie

 The plaza (aka, the pla-sha)

 The Lake

 

Tango in the Park 

• If you want more information on the new visa fee for Argentina, click here.
• If you want to pay the fee online, you can create an account here.
• If you want to put your head through a wall (or have a good laugh, depending on how badly you need a need an Argentine visa at this particular moment), click here to view the website's tutorial on how to pay the fee, which looks like it's been created using a combination of Google translate and paint.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Chile

When we think about travel, we generally tend to dwell on the major differences between two cultures; things like language, cuisine, climate and religion.  These are (obviously) the things that stick out most in our minds, the things that make a place interesting and (in some cases) the things that can cause culture shock.  These overarching cultural themes are splashed across the pages of every guidebook and webpage related to any given country and (if you do your research) should give you a somewhat decent idea of what you’re walking into, even before you set foot in that far-away land.  However, there are other differences, smaller differences, which (never having visited the country) you probably would never have known.   I thought it would kind of fun to write about some of the little differences between the US and Chile that I have noticed over the past (almost) 10 months here.  They probably won’t blow your mind but I bet you didn’t know….

     1. In Chile, They’re Missing a Hole

No, I'm not speaking anatomically here… I’m actually talking about the paper.  As in, two-hole punches, two-ring binders etc etc.  Perhaps I’m just a little ethnocentric but I do think  the three-hole system makes more sense.  Why should I fold every sheet of paper to find the center when I have a hole punch that does that for me??  Call me lazy but I’m talking about efficiency here people!  Come on Chile, let’s start a revolution.

 

       2. In Chile, KFC Sells Empanadas

Yup, somehow the colonel made it all the way out here to Iquique.  However, in Chile, instead of coleslaw or mashed potatoes with your big bucket o’ fried chicken, you might enjoy the more typical (in Chile of course) empanaditas.  In fact, that’s the only thing I’ve actually eaten at KFC here in Chile.  Truth be told, they’re nothing to write home about (although ironically, I seem to be doing so).

      3. In Chile, When You Smoke, EVERYONE dies

Yep, you heard me right, EVERYONE DIES…enveloped in flames with clouds of smoke encircling them, no less. 

According to Wikipedia (Yes, I’m citing Wikipedia as a source...sincerest apologies to every college professor I’ve ever had), the average Chilean adult smokes almost A THOUSAND cigarettes a year... A THOUSAND.  

According to The Santiago Times (a more credible source I hope), Chile has the highest percentage of teenager smokers in THE WORLD (40% of 13-15 year-olds).  

 According to me, the anti-smoking message put out by the Chilean ministry of health is, frankly, a little cheesy.  You've gotta hand it to them for sending a strong message about smoking though (although it appears that no one is really listening).  The very graphic picture of rotting gums on the actual cigarette box was also a little shocking at first.  Let's face it, there's no way the big tobacco companies in the US would ever allow something that in-your-face (and honest) to be slapped on their product.  Go Chile.

4. In Chile, Nestle Rules Supreme 

Ice cream, candies, cookies, cereal, coffee, water…Nestle straight up dominates the market here in Chile, seemingly with little to no competition.  Growing up in a household that pretty much boycotts Nestle products (except when my Mom snuck in the occasional Butterfinger…shhhh, don’t tell Dad) this was a little weird for me to adjust to.  Add in the fact that Nestle products just really aren’t that great (and they’re kinda expensive, at least here) and I'm not overall too thrilled about this fact (although I am a sucker for a good NESCAFÉ Alegria Mokaccino...sorry Papa Bear).

5. In Chile, The Simpsons Are Bigger Than Jesus

Now I know that Lennon got himself in a whole lot of trouble by saying something along these lines but I'm just looking at the evidence here.  Although Chile is a largely Catholic country, I genuinely think you'd get more of a rise out of people by insulting this nation-wide favorite than you would if you made a crack at the pope.  The Simpsons are on everything here.  We’re talking snack foods, notebook covers, ties, bars (pictured above), restaurants, murals (no, not joking), plush toys and the list goes on and on.  Doh!

 

Los Terremotos y El Daño que los Puedan Causar- 3 de Febrero

This morning I woke up with my first Chilean hangover. The culprit, as you may have guessed, is pictured above. We call it El Terremoto, and much like natural terremotos (earth quakes), it is quite capable of shaking things up a bit. Luckily, we managed to survive the damage with only an (albeit, overpriced) taxi bill and a rough next morning. Los Terremotos are made with a sweet white wine (and yes, that is a liter and a half of it you see in the photo) mixed with pineapple ice cream and sometimes rum or cognac. Deliciously dangerous. If you're brave (or stupid) enough, you can follow your terremoto with una réplica (an aftershock), which is just the same thing but "only" half a liter. You can bet that after two liters of alcohol, the earth will be a-quakin'.

Despite my better judgement to sleep off the hangover, I actually pulled myself out of bed at about 7:30 this morning to go get a sim card for my Chilean cell phone. As luck would have it, the department store that I needed didn't open until eleven so I guess I should have just taken advantage of that extra hour of sleep. Pues, asi es la vida.

After my last Spanish class, I went and got sushi at a restaurant by my school que se llama "SushiGREEN". It was muy delicioso and I have been craving sushi for about a week so it really hit the spot. Afterwards, the three of us went on another school field trip with Marisol to Concha y Toro, a vineyard about an hour out of Santiago. There weren't enough people to signed up to justify renting a car so we took 2 metros and a bus instead. This was my first experience riding the bus. On the way there it was fine, but on the way back it was a little rougher since we didn't have seats and had to balance ourselves standing up in the very narrow aisle. It felt a little like we were tourists on display at a zoo, with a guy playing guitar and singing in the background who announced us as we got on the bus, " ¡LOS EXTRAJEROS!"

We paid $8 for a tour of the winery which included two glasses of wine glass. We also got to keep a souvenir Concha y Toro glass which I was excited about because I don't have any at my house here and it feels weird drinking wine from a coffee cup. Overall, I was really glad that I went. I got some great pictures and my SLR survived her first venture into Chile and returned home unscathed.

Now I'm planning my weekend trip to Valparaíso/Viña del Mar. The hostel is booked and now it's time to pack. We take off at ten tomorrow morning! iChau bellos!

The Empanada Diet- El Primero de Febrero

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post yesterday before I collapsed into a pile of sheer exhaustion and knocked out for the night. One day I hope to establish some kind of regular sleeping pattern here in Chile, one day. Yesterday, we visited La Chascona, one of Pablo Neruda's three houses. It was very cool and has an interesting history but we were told, by our tour guide Gonzalo, that the best of the three houses is in Isla Negra (the only one that was not damaged around the time of the Chilean coup d'etat in the early 70's). A few friends and I are thinking about going there this weekend but we haven't decided between Isla Negra, Valparaíso, Pichilemu and Viña del Mar. We were also considering Mendoza, Argentina but after we found out it would be hotter than Santiago, we thought better of it.

The tour cost us about 3.500 pesos (seven dollars) but I think it was worth it. It definitely sparked my interest in Neruda more and our tour guide was pretty cool. We stopped at a little outdoor market in Bella Vista on the way home and I bought a pair of funky earrings for pretty cheap. My roommate and I got home around 6:30, made dinner and spit a bottle of wine. Chilean wine is so cheap and so good.

Today after class, we had an organized school field trip so we just hung out in the teachers' lounge and ate lunch while we were waiting for it to start. We had some empanadas (much like every other day that I've been in Chile...hints the title of this blog) and talked to some of the people that work at Bridge. Everyone from school is extremely nice and helpful. I'm very happy with the program I chose and I would totally recommend BridgeTEFL to anyone thinking about teaching abroad (and yes Bridge, if you'd like to pay me for that shameless plug, I'd be more than happy to accept cash or check).

Marisol, one of the Bridge Spanish teachers, was our guide to El Cerro de San Cristobal. It is a beautiful hill with gorgeous views of Santiago. We hiked up it and wandered around a lot, stopping at a very nice restaurant for a pisco sour on their deck, which overlooked the city. It was such an amazing view. After we reached the summit, we took a trolley car that rides on tracks down the side of the hill and back to the bottom. It was pretty awesome. Pictures coming soon!

¡Saludos!

Cheers everybody, to drinking a nice class of Chilean chardonnay after a long and hot day. My sleep pattern is totally screwed right now so I feel pretty much exhausted even though it is just after nine pm here and I took a three hour nap today. I guess wine was a bad idea...but it's so good. The new roommate showed up around nine this morning. Turns out she's a California girl too and also twenty-three. She's from LA but went to UCSD. Small world. We walked down to the mall together (between ten and twenty blocks away) and scoped it out. Clothes are expennnnsive! So if you're planning on coming to visit me, plan on bringing me some. We did some grocery shopping at Supermercado JUMO (basically Chilean Super Wal-Mart) and carried everything home. I tried to take her to the empanada place around the corner but I guess it's closed on Sundays. We just came home and ate a little at the house and then chilled. Ruby crashed out early and I just stayed up and messed around on the computer and then took the dog for a walk with Brett and Andrés around ten. Spanish classes start tomorrow! Got to get some sleep so I can be rested and ready to brave the metro. ¡Chao!