Food Part 2

I don’t know if I have always been a little odd, or if it is something in the water (or lack thereof) down here, but at least to my family, friends, and most of my students I am known as the gringo loco.  Besides the obvious differences in my blond hair, and my wonderful Spanish accent, the strangest things about me revolve around my preferences in food.

Here is the list.

I drink water- lots of water- from the tap…people look at me like I’m crazy… Apparently 8 glasses of water a day was not in the health class book…

8 glasses of coffee --- everyday (which I don't drink) --- however was the first chapter.

Everyone has an electric water boiler.

I put water in my “juice” (sugar water with fruit concentrate)-

Should I trust juice and milk that don’t need to be refrigerated before you drink it…and comes from a box…?

The last drink I had from a box… bad memories… A Tour of sorts…!

Mayonnaise…enough said...

Hotdogs--- so many hotdogs.

Salt and pepper have been separated… Pepper should have signed a prenup.

Salt is on everything the “salad,” the potatoes, the meat- everything.

Other spices and flavors exist, but most people just don’t use them for some reason.

Peanuts are sold all over, in the store, in the streets… peanutbutter… not so much.

Has anyone else ever wanted something they never eat, just because they can’t have it?

I never buy peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies--- but --- what I would do for them now.

White bread still does not have too much nutrition—even though it is tasty---Yes I am trying to watch my figure. However with the bread, I have been watching myself grow.

Fried eggs have shown up in the most random foods… empanadas, spaghetti.

I should have brought some Cholula from the US. 

Avocados are really good---I need to move to Southern California and plant a tree.

I still don't like Mayonnaise?

Even though it sounds like I don’t like anything, the food has been plentiful and I have eaten everything and am satisfied and happy.  The Chileans like it so that is ok with me.  It must be the same thing as the Australians with their vegemite.  I say that in order to experience a country it is important to immerse yourself in the culture… even the food.  I tell myself that I need to try everything once.  This reminds me of a quote by Virgil Thomson, “Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it.  Twice to learn how to do it.  And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.”   

            Food is just a glimpse into the many cultural differences between Chile (and at least my life in) the United States.  It has been important to have patience and to understand that other people act the way they do because it is what they learned and know.  My customs and the foods I eat are probably just as strange to Chileans as Chile’s customs are to me. There is much more to a country than her foods as food is only the fuel that gets a person from here to there.  It is far more important to remember why you are going in the first place and to remember that it is the people, who truly matter. 

La Comida Chilena

It is amazing how I haven’t written about this topic yet as it is a favorite part of my life: food.  There are some great local dishes, and some of the best seafood in the world, but from what I have seen, the food in general, in Chile is just…ok.   It is not bad by any means; there is a reason however, that you don’t see many Chilean restaurants in the United States.  Chile’s baby back ribs don’t count by the way.  I am no critic, but things are done a little bit differently down here.  To each his own.

I have been real fortunate to be fed a variety of tasty dishes during my time.  Other friends have not been so lucky. Variety is the spice of life, yet unfortunately that saying has not caught on here.  The major food groups here are pan (bread), condiments especially mayonesa, juice with sugar, anything with salt, and the hot dog.  If you throw in a bit of palta (avocado) some pollo, mashed potatoes, rice, a tomato, a bit of ham and cheese, and some instant coffee, you have the general idea of meals. 

Even the idea of meals is completely different, Breakfast or desayuno is small usually just a cup of coffee or tea and a little bread.  Lunch is the main meal of the day and often includes some rice, or potatoes, meat, a “salad” and a desert with a coke.   Like in Spain, lunch takes a long time as people talk and enjoy being in the company of others.   Dinner, or Once as they call it, is similar to a British tea-time.  People often just have some tea, bread with palta and ham and maybe another small item. Like at lunch the meal is long and it often occurs around eight or nine.  I have been blessed my entire life to always have enough food on the table, and to eat whenever I want.  This is definitely a change.

                                                                My friend Elena eating a homemade Completo

A few more of the signature items are empanadas, cazuela (a soup with potato, a chunk of meat, and corn, all in one) porotos (another name for frijoles/beans), and last but definitely not least… the completo.  The completo is the best and worst thing in the world.  It is a tasty hotdog with various toppings including tomato, avocado, sauerkraut, and mayonnaise… so much mayonnaise.  Why the idea hasn’t caught on in America I don’t know- we have all those on burgers.  Lets just say the avocado and tomato are a great…alone… I now remember why I practically stopped     eating hotdogs and mayonnaise.  One day I ordered a completo sin mayonesa (without mayonnaise) and received the hotdog with a healthy dose of mayonnaise on top and no meat… (sin vienesa).  Apparently it is more plausible to be a vegetarian than to not want a mountain of mayonnaise… that or my Spanish has room for improvement. 

Look forward to food part 2 pronto…

Thanks for reading and happy feasting… Hope you enjoy the memorial day BBQs…

I’m not jealous…yet!

School is not all that it's Cracked up to Be.

Schools- No matter what I do I just can’t seem to stay away from them.  Less than one month after graduating from the University of Oregon and leaving Eugene, I took my first step into Colegio San Jorge as a new English teacher.  San Jorge is divided into three separate schools the Media (high school), the basic, (elementary and middle), and the Jardín (Kindergarden and pre school).  For some reason it goes 1^st- 8^th grade and then 1st-4th media instead of 9-12^th.  Not only that, but it took me 2 weeks to realize why the little kids school was called the Jardín- I’d never heard of a (kids garden) before.  I luckily would be teaching 5^th graders through seniors (4m) and thus would have a great idea of what age I liked if I decided to continue teaching in the future.  Lets just say the terrible twos don’t end when you are three…try 19 or maybe 90.

            As I had been a student for 18 years, and a teacher for all of zilch years, I had a lot to learn.  Luckily the professors and staff at both schools are great and have been helping guide me the whole way.  I am assisting three great English professors: Rodrigo, Gladys, and Mariela.  They all have treated me with great respect and as an equal even though they understand the complexities of English more than me.  Even though I can’t understand anything they are saying, they always seem to include me (and laugh).  Rodrigo has been teaching for many years and is a very animated and fun.  Apparently teaching is not his only means of employment; on the weekend he and his wife are clowns and perform in front of up to 1000 kids. 

            Speaking of kids, the students at San Jorge are something.  The first day I saw more people wide eyed with dropped jaws than I had ever seen.  I thought there must have been a beautiful woman walking behind me, ( I looked) but nope it was just me… the gringo.  Of course the first thing that came out of the kids mouths was “Hello. You like Justin Bieber?  I made my first mistake by saying I like him a little: a mistake that came back to bite me a few weeks later (You’ll see).  The conversations improved to talking about sports, favorite foods etc.  After only a couple of weeks nearly every student knew my name and says Hello, How are you? Good and you? Fine… awkward silence--- bye!  Learning their names for me however…another story.  I have never met so many Javiera’s, Cristobal’s, Fernando’s or Valentina’s in my life.  My goal is to learn all 300 students names, first names first, I’ll work on their 3 other names after.

            In general the students are really nice and polite to me… outside the classroom.  Inside was a different story… people are expected to and needed to learn.  No matter how “cool” you are, you are still the teacher and students automatically start talking to each other when you have anything important to say.  My task, however, was simple: teach English in English to students who don’t understand English… run that one through your head.  Piece of torta (cake)! right? I quickly overcame my fear of public speaking and making a fool of myself.  My acting skills have come a long way from my time as the drunken bum in “Little Shop of Horrors” Lets just say I can give anybody a run for their money in Charades. 

            All in all the first impression of the school has been great.  I have a lot to learn, and I hope that I also have just a bit of wisdom to share with my students.  It is strange being the one connection someone has to another country.  If all else fails, the school and the students are only stuck with me for 4 months and then I become someone else’s problem.  So far-so good. Buenas noches y Buena suerte! 

You Can Pick your Nose, You Can Pick your Friends, but your Stuck with your Uncle Bob!

           Moving to a new country, city, or even house is never easy.  What once was a safe physical space is now only a distant memory is your mind.  Your friends, family, school, work, and routines – your haven- is non-existent.  Coming to Chile flipped everything on my head and officially started the next chapter of life.  I knew no one in Chile and only a couple people in the entire southern hemisphere. Beginning April 1^st, however all these uncertainties came to pass as I met my host mother and over the coming weeks became part of the family. 

My host brother Fernando

            I live with a wonderful woman named Rosa.  She is not only in charge of buying all the food and collecting all the money for snacks and lunch, but also teaches little 2^nd graders too.  She is a remarkable woman.  Her husband Fernando lives both in Talca and out in the country about 30 minutes away in their little cabin.  He works on his 94-year old father’s 100-acre farm most of the week and thus cannot make it back most nights.  However this often equals great fresh food for meals - but that’s for another post. My host brother Fernando lives about 4 blocks away with his daughter Flor and girlfriend Cote.  When he is not traveling around the region working he often joins us for once/dinner. And like any good big brother, the first things he taught me were the necessary words to woo women and get slapped at the same time.  I won’t elaborate here but one has to do with pollo.

            Though I am often only with Rosa, I’m rarely alone. The extended family is fairly large and it seems like every day I meet a new uncle, aunt, or cousin.  Nearly everyone in the family lives in or around Talca, which is nice.  Some are even traditional Chilean cowboys: Huasos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHM50mSNkJs&feature=related). ((I still don’t know exactly what’s going on.))

 Huasos

             Family seems like one of the most important element of life in Chile and most of the people I have met don’t have a huge desire to leave Talca or their family.   Though I may be an exception in my desire to travel and be independent, it is still interesting to not want to venture too far out of one’s comfort zone.  My family in the US is small and lives far away, so I guess I have a different philosophy on life.  It has been an adjustment but a great learning experience.       

             I was also fortunate to be placed with 3 friends in my city and a forth just a couple hours away.  They have become an extension of my family and have joined Rosa and I for many meals throughout the weeks.  Besides the fact we all speak English, which is a rarity here, our mutual craziness, unique “learning experiences,” and perseverance has made us so close.

                        Mis Amigas

Through all the challenges with language, teaching, and culture shock, my family has been there for me.  From day one Rosa has called me her hijo, her son, given me space when I necessary, and love throughout.  Even if I have only lived in Chile a few weeks, she has already uttered the words of my favorite restaurant back home.  Me casa es su casa- her family is my family- and this is so true.  

Talca

            For the last few months friends and family asked me about my plans down in Chile.  I responded with teaching English for four months… nothing more.  Up until a week before I left I knew little more than this. Luckily with a few days to spare I found out that I was teaching in the Maule region in a town called Talca. The Maule region is a fairly agricultural place that produces tons of wine, is situated between the mountains and the ocean and is quite rainy.  Talca is a college town where everyone loves fútbol.   As I spent many a few days in Eugene, Oregon, I believed I found my sister city on the other side of the world...

Or so I thought…Not Quite… But hey… change is good… and speaking of change I am switching up the writing style with this post. Enjoy. 

The Main Avenue Park 

Welcome to my home for the next 4 months. This is a brief overview.

·      Talca is not necessarily a tourist destination… but beauty can be found.

·      Every house has a metal fence surrounding the outskirts.

·      There are more colectivos (taxis on a specific route, a car/bus) than I can imagine

·      Which leads to a game of frogger every day you cross the street.

·      Countless dogs still roam the streets

·      There are more completos (fancy hotdogs) than actual dogs

·      There is very little green space or parks to run or play which makes it difficult to exercise (refer back to the 4th point)

·      The wine is great!

·      Like Springfield, Oregon it is very close to beautiful scenery to the west, south, east, and north- which apparently is pointe, sur, oriente and norte here

·      Its not uncommon to see horse drawn carriages lumber down the road

·      They still have earthquakes

To make a long story short Talca is different than any other place that I’ve ever lived, and makes me really appreciate where I grew up and what I have been given in my life.  Though the city may not win awards for its beauty, the people I have met thus far continue to impress me everyday. Talca is not Eugene like I imagined, but has its own charm.  As you will learn in future posts about my family and my school, it is the people who really make an experience.  When you are over 5000 miles from home, it doesn’t necessarily matter how far you roam or if the city is fair as long as you are with people who care.

My House