Broadening Horizons

Those of you who know me well know I am an extremely picky eater! You would be surprised to see just how much things have changed since I've been in Chile! In a new country and culture, with a family cooking for you a majority of the time, there are very few choices! When I arrived here, I knew the food would be something to get used to and I told myself I would try everything once, not promising that I would like it! Between the house I live in and my travel, below are a list of foods that I have tried while abroad...hope you have the stomach to read it! There is always the mystery meat...but these are things I was sure about!

Goat
Rabbit
Cow Tongue
Guinea Pig (in Peru it is a delicacy)
Seaweed Salad
Almost raw egg (mixed with rice it's actually really good!)
Raw pumpkin

I definitely came in with an open mind, and although I will probably not attempt to eat any of the above again, at least I can say I tried them!

Food here is not all bad or scary. Fruits and vegetables are so fresh here and extremely cheap! They have several fruits that I had never heard of before coming to Chile, and will definitely miss when I return to the states! They also have some special dishes that are typical to the region. One of those is Chorillana, which can only be eaten sparingly...and especially good shared with friends after a late night out! It is french fries topped with fried egg, grilled onions, sausage and cheese. Probably the best thing I had here!

I don't have very much time left in Chile, am I definitely want to make the most of it! I started physical therapy for my ankle today and it is actually doing a lot better. Although I will miss the friends and experiences I have made here, I can't wait to see everyone back home! Love and miss you all!

Chilean Culture...wow!

These are some fun and interesting things I have learned/observed while in Chile. I stole some of them from Devon...hope you don't mind!


1) Dr. Atkins would not have done well here. Fresh bread is a staple at every meal. Condiments range from fresh avacado to butter, cheese or pate (a ground meat paste).

2) The 70´s and 80´s are alive and well in Chile. On the radio, on the television and in dance clubs one can find Abba, classic Madonna hits, Duran Duran and the likes playing loud and proud. While this era of music may be considered quite out of date in the U.S., its what´s hot and happenin´ in Chile. Its Hammer time!

3) Along with the music, mullets are the hairstyle of choice for most Chilean guys (and some girls as well).

4) Fanny packs are carried (with pride) by just about everyone...guys and girls!

5) Innocent downtown plazas and parks where children laugh and play are filled with young couples and their public displays of affection. It is not abnormal to hug, kiss or makeout ANYWHERE in the city. I guess that's what happens when you live at home until you marry! While I thought I would have to guard myself at night against robbers and pickpockets, I now realize I must guard myself against the sight of many a young person freely enjoying the company of pololo or polola (Chilean term for boyfriend or girlfriend).

6) Eggs are sold on a shelf, and eaten at dinner (or with tea)--not at breakfast. And while we´re on the subject of food that comes from animals, let me add that milk is generally sold in powdered form. If not powdered, it comes unpasteurized and thus also on a shelf. Yummy, no?

7) Hardly anyone owns a dryer here, and there are some people who don´t own washers either and have to hand wash their clothes. But most people do have washers, then hang clothes to dry outside or in a special room in the back of the house. This means that if you want to wear your favorite shirt out on Friday (probably to the discotec), you better wash it on Wednesday and give it all of Thursday and Friday to dry.

8) Chileans are on a completely different time schedule. When a time to meet is set (even class time etc.), you should not expect a Chilean to show up less than 15 minutes late! It's just a way of life here...no hurry!

9) The general perception of Americans is that we are cold towards others, like to stand far away from each other when having conversations, and generally avoid physical contact with people as much as possible. In Chile, you greet people by embracing them and kissing them on the cheeks. During conversations, the space between people is a lot closer than we are used to.

10) When sick, Chileans do not turn to Dayquil or Theraflu. Instead, they have their mother or other loved one make them some weird hot tea concoction that takes away congestion and helps one sleep at night. Don´t ask what´s in it, they say...just drink it. There is a natural remedy for anything. When I fractured my ankle, my host brother rubbed lemmon on it and said it would help with the swelling...it's times like these you just smile and nod!

11) When lost, you can ask pretty much anyone on the street for help and they will not only tell you how to get where you are going, but they will offer to show you. Kindness towards strangers seems unlimited here.

Just a few funny, interesting things about Chile!

Halloween boo-boo

I hope everyone in the states had a fun and safe halloween! Wish I could have been there to celebrate with you all, your stories were all so much fun to hear! In Chile, Halloween only began to be celebrated about 2 years ago...it caught on from movies and tv shows from the United States. It is so interesting to see another culture´s take on a holiday initially only celebrated by Americans. Children dress up and go around to both houses and stores for candy, but a lot less people participate so it`s kind of hit or miss. People my age also go out to the bars and clubs, most of which have a halloween theme, and some people dress up.

Unfortunately, my halloween wasn´t much fun! I was on my way out to meet friends, walking down my street and tripped and fell (i mean really fell!) All of the streets and sidewalks here are in pretty bad condition with holes and cracks that have been filled with random materials, and others that haven´t. It was dark out, and I guess I should have been paying a little more attention to where I was walking! I knew I had hurt my ankle as soon as I fell, and couldn´t manage to get up due to the pain. Luckily some people that live on my street were outside and saw me fall. They had to go to my house and get my family to help me home. I sat down for awhile and my host brother got me an ankle wrap. He also said in Chile, rubbing lemon on the ankle is supposed to help the swelling. I was willing to try anything! My ankle hurt pretty bad but I still decided to go out for awhile with my friends. My host brother and his wife were nice enough to drive me to the bar to meet my friends. I tried to sit as much as I could while I was out, but walking is inevitable in this town. When I finally made it home, my ankle hurt so much and was so swollen I had to wake my family up to see what they thought I should do. It´s nice to have a psuedo-family you can depend on for things like that!

Despite how bad my ankle looked, we decided to wait until morning to see how it was. After trying to sleep through the pain for a few hours, it was obvious I needed to go to the hospital. I had x rays and found out my ankle was fractured. It was a small fracture, and the muscles were cause of more worry that the bone. I could either get a cast or a medical boot that is removalbe. I definitely wanted the boot, which you can walk on and doesn´t require crutches, but lucky for me they were out of my size! I had to get a cast and crutches. It makes for a pretty difficult time in a city where you have to walk several miles a day, up and down huge hills to get anywhere!

After a day and a half with the cast I decided I couldn´t take it. I went to another medical center and they had my size boot! They cut off my cast which was a huge relief, but my ankle looked pretty scary! Now I have the boot and can walk/hobble and shower with ease! I might be wearing it the rest of my time here in Chile, but I guess it could have been a lot worse! I got to experience hospitals here and became closer to my family, having to depend on them for support. Thanks to everyone back home who has called and emailed! Miss you all and it won`t be long until I will be able to see you in person!