right-side-up / up-side-down

new blog.

2009-09-17T18:04:00.002-04:00

This blog has been short in life, but meh. My blog has moved! Post will be more frequent and better on the new blog. And I will no longer try to worry about maintaining anonyminity.

So, hi... my name is Kelly, I live in Guatemala, and this is my story: http://la-kellykellykelly.blogspot.com/

La peliroja en Chapinlandia

2009-09-10T16:37:00.003-04:00

So I finally made it to Chapinlandia (more commonly known as Guatemala)! Ok ok, I've actually been here for about 2 weeks already. Setting up the internet at our house has been a PAIN, but now I'm all set and can resume my addiction to always being connected (uff, it's actually a terrible thing and my week+ vacation from the internet was wonderful) -- but to make this addiction a little more positive, I am hoping to become a better and more consistant blogger.

So, just a few things to start off ... some notes and my first impressions of my central american home:

- We're still in the rainy season here. It usually rains at least a little bit everyday (and to prove my point, it is raining right now). Generally it will rain for about 20 minutes and then stop (and as I speak it is slowing down and the sun is peeking through the clouds). Unlike the rainy season in Chile, it is NOT cold here. The temperature generally ranges from the 50s to the 80s (Fahrenheit, obviously), year round. Needless to say, the weather is great.

- I eat beans almost everyday. I seriously never knew how many different ways you can make beans. You can even have beans for dessert (beans and sugar .... kinda odd)!!

- I live with two chihuahuas, Terry and Perla (who I will definitely be writing more about later).

- Movistar sucks in Guatemala too (sorry to all you people in Chile who actually like Movistar... why?!?! why why why?!). Telefonica is the reason that setting up my internet took an eternity.

- I stick out more here than I did in Chile, but I don't get blatantly stared at as much. I guess Chileans are just straight up rude. Haha.

- Transantiago is like heaven in comparison to the buses here. So stop your bitching, chilenos!

- Despite these things, I miss Santiago. I have no big complaints about Guatemala so far, but it doesn't feel like home. I realize that it has only been 2 weeks, but I knew that Santiago fit almost immediately. I guess this is just motivation for us to move down there ASAP.

I will stop there... mostly because I want to expand on most of these topics but I can't do it all at once. And the rain is stopping and I would like to take advantage and go outside. :o)

I should be packing, but instead I'm doing BS like this...

2009-08-26T10:24:00.002-04:00

1. Song that always makes you sad?: She's Like the Wind (from Dirty Dancing). -- it was the first thing that popped into my head
2. Last thing you bought?: Shoes - black loafers. They were onsale for 20 dollars and hella comfortable. that's my excuse and im sticking to it!
3. Last person you argued with?: I honestly cant remember... I dont like arguing with people if I can help it.
4. Do you put Butter before putting the jelly on?: Sometimes, it depends on the quality and type of jelly. my favorite jelly is raspberry - that shit can stand alone
5. One of your stuffed animals' names as a kid?: i dont recall naming my stuffed animals.
6. Did you ever own at one time a Nysnc Cd?: No.
7. Favorite day of the week?: Thursday. I was born on a Thursday and it was the best night to go out drinking in college. cant argue with that.
8. Favorite Sundae topping?: I'm not a big ice cream fan in general (I know, I'm a freak) but I guess I would go with hot fudge.
9. Did you take Piano lessons?: No.
10. Most frequent song played?: currently anything by ximena sarinana... bc I just discovered that I like her a lot.
11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?: secretly? I dont watch a lot of TV. But I love Lost, Heroes, and Law and Order (any of them). but none of those are secret worthy.
12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey?: basketball. hockey = ice. ice = cold. cold = something I dont like.
13. Date someone older or younger?: I have dated guys younger and older. thought usually not too many years to be significant either way. I would recommend not dating younger men... its fun, but usually ends badly.
14. One place you could travel right now?: seeing as I am already traveling to Guatemala on Saturday... hmmm... In terms of life goals I would want to go to Chile again. In terms of dream vacation... a small europe tour of Spain, Italy, and Greece.
15. Do you use umbrellas?: Yes. and I will continue, thanks to this wonderful thing called "the rainy season"
16. Do you know all the words to the US national anthem?: I think so, but don't ask me to sing it.
17. Favorite Cheese?: oooo! I love this question. I love cheese. Monterrey jack is my go to cheese. cheddar is a classic. brie is my special occasion cheese. Feta is my salad cheese.
18. Disturbed or My Chemical Romance?: neither? if I have to pick -- distrubed. i guess.
19. Do you prefer Blondes or Brunettes?: in the opposite sex, I like darker hair. This question pisses me off though.... no love for the redheads, huh?
20. Best job you ever had?: I love teaching. any jobs I have had doing that were the best. I also count swim coaching in that category.
21. did you go to your high school prom?: Yes I did. went with one of my oldest friends in the world and I wore some insanely high-heeled shoes that were completely out of character for me, but damn did they look GOOD.
22. perfect time to wake up?: 9am. not too early, not to late. enough time to enjoy the morning with some coffee
23. perfect time to go to bed?: midnight.
24. do you use your queen right away in chess? ..: I'm bad at chess. I dont understand all the rules. im guessing that i would use the queen right away though
25. Ever been in a car accident?: no, thank god.
26. closer to mom or dad...or neither?: mom. only because I chose to live with her when my parents split when i was 15
27. what age is this exciting life over for you?: um, you wanna try asking that one again... in a slightly more understandable manner. You want me to predict my death age???? yeah, i dont know. or is what age do i feel like my life is over because i will just be so old and worthless??? the answer to that is never... getting older is going t be awesome. the older you get, the more excentric you can behave !
28. what decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager?:	I think I probably would have liked the 70s.
29. Favorite shoes you have EVER owned?: blue chuck taylors when I was about 11 years old... I wore those things into the ground and drew all over them, but man they were comfortable. A close second are the sparkly purple jellies I had when I was 4 or 5.
30. Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high schoo:	dont think so... i dressed like a tomboy in high school... im way more feminine now.
31. Were you in track and field?: no. i cant run. blasted knees.
32. Were you ever in a school talent show?: yeah i think so....
33. Have you ever written in a library book?: not that i recall... anything is possible.
34. Allergic to?: nothing that i have encountered yet. knock on wood.
35. Favorite fruit?: clementines. but I have this new found love for green melon.
36. Have you watched sex and the city?: yes. it's amusing - though unrealistic
37. Baseball hat or toque?: baseball hat
38. Do you shampoo first in the shower or soap?: shampoo
39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste?: wet
40. Pen or pencil?: pen.
41. Have you ever gambled at a casino?: no. i should do that sometime though
42. Have you thrown up on a plane?: no, I love flying.
43. Have you thrown up in a car?: yes. because of the after affects of anestesia after knee surgery. nothing quite like puking when your knee is all swollen and full of stitches.
44. Have you thrown up at work?: yes. bad hang over. not fun.
45. Do you scream on roller coasters?: only for the purpose of scaring the people waiting in line.... muahahaha
46. Who was your first prom date?: my only prom date was one of my oldest friends... name not to be revealed. ;)
47. Who was your first roommate?: Girl named Nora at my first University. we got along because she was kind of tom-boy-ish too. She thought I was crazy because I was constantly talking about missing diversity and all my high school friends had "ethnic" names. I eventually left that school because there were too many white people.
48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time?:	beer.
49. What was your first job?: lifeguarding.
50. What was your first car?: nissan sentra.
51. When did you go to your first funeral?: age 6 or 7. my paternal grandfather.
52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown?: I didnt. always been in the same spot.
53. Who was your first grade teacher?: Ms. Moore. she was nice.
54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride?: Santiago Chile. first time on a plane and i decide to go alll the way to the other side of the world. smart.
55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with?: never. i was too busy studying and swimming to do stuff like that. yes, i was a "good" kid in HS.
56. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends with them?: benji. havent spoken to him in ages.
57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parent's house?: dorms
58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?: my boyfriend or my mom
59. Who's wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsme: havent been yet.
60. What is the first thing you do in the morning?: make coffee.
61. What was the first concert you attended?: hmm, dont remember.
62. First tattoo or piercing?: i got my ears pierced when i was 8. i just got my first tattoo this year.
63. First celebrity crush? patrick swayze.

How it feels to leave...

2009-08-17T13:23:00.004-04:00

I hate the few weeks before leaving. I have those awful mixed feelings pulling me in two different directions. One minute I'm cursing that time is moving so slow. I'm starting to pack what I can while remembering that I still have to be able to dress and function where I am for a few more weeks. I'm dreaming of the flight (I love flying), I'm dreaming of landing, I'm dreaming of arriving at the airport and seeing him, I'm dreaming of my new home, my plans, finding a job. And then the next minute, I'm begging time to slow down so that I can have more time with the people I love here. I wonder if I will ever feel like I have enough time to say all the goodbyes that I want to --- or if I should even say "goodbye" at all, since I know that the world turns and life leads you back to the people you are forever connected to. I hate balancing working and having enough money for my up coming journey with wanting to have enough free time to enjoy my present and all the places and people here. Frustration, confusion, excitement, happiness -- all seem to describe the situation now.

What makes people move? What makes people leave? What makes the surrounding people approve or disapprove? How does that influence me? My grandmother moved from Wisconsin to Washington DC when she was 17 ... with disappointment from her father and quiet support from her mother. It doesn't seem that far now... but then - without internet or quick and cheap ways of traveling - it was a great distance. I'm not as young as her, and I have wonderful things like the internet with skype and e-mail and such for keeping in touch... but I'm moving to a completely different country. I will always think of her as my inspiration to be gutsy and brave ... to take chances.

I will arrive in Guatemala City in the morning on August 29th. Once again an expat learning about a new place .... I cant wait... and yet, I can.....

Dear DC Tourists....

2009-07-12T10:01:00.003-04:00

I think it's wonderful that you want to travel to my lovely city -- I hope that you can come to see that it is much more than just the location of the Federal Government with lots of shiny white monuments and free museums. I have a great hope for this now that you are all coming in droves due to the fact that Obama has suddenly made DC "cool." (Just ask MTV. The next season of The Real World is in DC. And I can tell ya, everybody here hates them already!)

There are a few issues I would like to address though:

1. There is a lovely loop announcement played in the Metro system that starts off: "New to Metro?..." That's your cue! Listen up! It tells you great things like, stand on the right side of the escalator so that you will avoid being screamed at by a hurried politician with a blood vessel on the verge of bursting. It will also tell you not to try to pry open the Metro doors if they start closing. What part of "this is not an elevator door" don't you understand. DC Metro doors equal JAWS OF DEATH. If you hear the nice voice say "step back, doors closing," get the hell out of the way.

2. Also Metro related... Please use the farecard machines and NOT the SmarTrip card machines. YOU are a TOURIST... you don't have a SmarTrip. I cannot use the farecard machines to recharge my SmarTrip. Those ugly grey and brown machines are for YOU. I get the pretty blue one. Deal.

*the following are all restaurant related because I am an employee of one of the many lovely eating places in the city. *

3. Yes, an imported draft beer costs over 7 dollars. This is DC. It's expensive. Not New York expensive, but still expensive. Enjoy your beer and your 5 dollar Obama pin.

4. Foreign tourists: we tip 15 to 18 percent here. not 10%. not 5%. and definitely not 0%. You might be surprised to learn that my salary is about $2.50 per hour. Pay me please!

5. American tourist from the middle of nowhere USA: we tip 15-18% here. Maybe it's ok to tip 10% in your tiny little middle of the US town, but my rent is probably 4 times more expensive.

6. The restaurant says Tex-Mex on it... do not come in here and ask me what a burrito is. seriously?

I realize that a lot of tourists are on a budget when they travel, but please educate yourselves on the prices of things in the city you are visiting and plan accordingly. The next person who wants to know exactly how much each beer costs, how much a side of sour cream costs, and if mayo on a burger costs extra will immediately receive shitty service... because I KNOW you definitely didn't bring money to tip me. So do us all a favor and go to McDonald's.

Metro Disaster

2009-06-22T23:09:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the depressing topics lately.

I was about 10 minutes from being on this metro train.

I headed to work this afternoon with a wicked headache and serious fever, hoping that my boss would take pity on me and send me home. The whole metro ride downtown was delayed... we spent 5-10 minutes at each metro stop. This delay was due to a problem with a train on the complete other side of the Red Line. So, I got to work after a ridiculous amount of time and was ordered to go home -- yay restaurant managers NOT wanting to infect customers with my disease! I wandered over to a corner store to buy some super vitamin C infused juice and walked slowly around the outside of the Art museum enjoying my beverage. Then I headed back to the metro. Got on the train... and then had to get off early....The metro was closed down two stops before the one by my house. There were some vague announcement being made in the station, but luckily all those people with their fancy shmancy phones had gotten on the internet and discovered breaking news reports of two metro trains colliding.

So today was quite the feverish commuting horror story. Although, I guess I should be greatful for that vitamin C juice - since it helped to delay my return metro trip and possibly avoid being on one of the smashed trains.

I just have to throw in that I think Transantiago is pretty great. Just look at some of the alternatives and then you'll appreciate all that the Santiago public transportation system has to offer.

Apparently the US of A bubble-of-safety doesn't cover my city

2009-06-11T18:31:00.005-04:00

I always had a difficult time trying to convince Chileans that my home city is dangerous. I'll admit that I don't have to worry as much about pickpocketing here as I do in Santiago, but I worry way more about violent crime (muggings, assault with a weapon, etc). For me, the US is NOT a bubble of safe-ness. Sure, in some parts of the US you can keep your car doors unlocked and not have a problem, you can put your purse on the floor at a restaurant without thinking about it not being there later, you can walk along the streets at dusk and only expect to here a "how ya doin" from a passerby .... I do NOT live in this part of the country. I'm not saying that I live in a terrible neighborhood, because I know it could be worse. But I do know that there have been shootings at my local grocery store (resulting in roadblocking my whole neighborhood), stabbings outside of my middle school, and - on a more personal note - my mom's house got majorly broken into this past year. So, being a pickpocket victim in Santiago last year doesn't sound so bad in comparison.

I bring this up now because....

This happened yesterday while I was working downtown (roughly 7 blocks away).

NOT COOL.

Send some supportive thoughts and prayers to the family of Stephen T. Johns.

International Telephoning

2009-06-09T10:12:00.003-04:00

So here's the scenerio:

After a few days of asking everyone where I could buy an international phone card (why is that so difficult here?!!), I finally decided to check the most obvious place: a gas station in my highly diverse / immigrant-full neighborhood. (duh. why didn't I go there in the first place). So I see a gas station with a sign that says "phone cards."

Me: Do you have international phone cards?

Gas station dude: Yes. What country you want to call?

Me: Guatemala

GSD: ok well we have these three. the pink one, the green one, and the blue one.

Me: What's the difference?

GSD: I dunno. Here, try the blue one... a lot of *them* get that one.

I give him the money, not bothering to question what *them* he is referring to.... he pauses....

GSD: You're not from Guatemala, are you?

(really? genius?)

Me: No, I'm not.

Pauses again....

GSD: You're from here, right??

Me: Haha, yes.

At this point I grabbed the card and bolted. Seriously, do I HAVE to be Guatemalan (or latino in general) to want to CALL Guatemala?? I'm sure I thoroughly confused the hell out of that guy.

Drinks 'Round the World - Pink Lemonade

2009-06-01T17:06:00.003-04:00

I love the idea of International Cocktail Hour as suggested by Travel Experta. So this is my contribution!

Since it is early summer here (in Washington DC) and the temperature is slowly creeping toward disgustingly sticky, I thought I would do a childhood favorite - with an alcohol twist! - PINK LEMONADE.

1.5 oz Lemon Flavored Vodka (I generally use Absolut Citron)
0.5 oz raspberry liqueur (Chambord is great)
2 oz Sour Mix

No shaking necessary. Just pour, tumble, and enjoy!

You could definitely substitute regular lemonade for the Sour mix, but it would make the drink a little sweeter. I prefer the tartness of the sour mix.

Write a drink recipe on your blog then swing by Travel Experta's blog to leave a comment and spread the International Cocktail Hour fun!

Cheers!

white people are crazy...

2009-05-19T21:12:00.003-04:00

Since I am now car-less in DC, I have to take public transportation to get anywhere. This is fine... public transportation here is great. Generally, in the DC/metro area, the majority of people riding the bus are minorities (does that majority/minority combo just mess with your head a little? because i felt weird typing it). So often times I glance around and realize that I am the only "white" person on the bus.

The few times I have noticed another "white" person on the bus, the are ALWAYS.CRAZY. I'm not exaggerating. Today there was a dude talking to himself... or the window... or someone he thought was there?? I don't know. The other day there was this guy talking to no one... or maybe everyone ... about every topic known to man. Like how the bus stop at a certain intersection shouldnt be there because it blocks the right turn lane, or how the banks in the US will NOT fail because the gov't is actually amazing, or how my former high school is an eyesore (it is though), and then he would announce every bus stop by street name --- you know, just in case you cant read the electronic sign at the front of the bus. And then there is my favorite guy - who I have seen numerous times -- who insists on trying to shake hands with everyone who gets on the bus... and then tries to shake hands with people as he gets off the bus. This creates some interesting reactions - surprise, disgust, fear, laughter. It's amusing to watch.

The point is: all these guys are "white" on a bus full of minorities (and me). Makes me wonder if I should take on some weird tic to fit in with the "crazy white person on the bus" stereotype.

the flipside of life / how santiago is always in my heart

2009-05-18T22:08:00.006-04:00

Now that I am back in the States, I present to you ..... (drum roll please).......
Random things that make me realize that I have been infected by Santiago living:

- wanting to order agua con gas at a restaurant but then remembering that ordering Perrier makes you look pretentious.

- trying to click the light switch side to side instead up flicking it up or down ... also reaching for the light switch higher than it actually is (all my light switches in chile were up really high... dont know why that was).

- reaching for matches when I want to cook something.... and then remembering that I have an electric stove

- slight confusion over the fact I dont have to light the water heater to take a hot shower (where does the hot water come from?! it's like magic!!)

- wondering where all the mullets are.... and fanny packs... oh wait, I see fanny packs on all the midwest tourists in DC (sorry, Sara! People from your part of the world need fashion lessons)

- saying gracias by accident ALL THE TIME

- getting pissed that people are so loud EVERYWHERE! oh americans...

- being shocked that people actually let the passenger OFF the metro before getting on... and there is no pushing involved.

- standing too close to people while waiting for the crossing light to change and then wondering why they're giving me dirty looks and slowly creeping away. (apparently I have lost my need for personal space now...)

- getting annoyed that I can't smoke inside and that I should be mindful when smoking outside to not get smoke within 5 feet of anyone else or else I WILL get the death stare. (yeah, I know I should just quit... what can I say, it's a vice!)

- feeling short again. People here are taller than me!! and the buildings are bigger! and the cars! and the trees too! And a large soda at fast food restaurants is the size of my head!

- staring at people... all the time. and wondering why they aren't staring back. What is so interesting about the ground people??

- seeing 20-somethings dress like young professionals rather than 80s punk rockers.... (30-somethings also for that matter. hahaha)

- being insanely SHOCKED when someone asks me a question in English.... oh wait, I'm a dummy.. everyone here speaks English.

I'm not really experiencing much reverse culture shock --- I mean like super depressed and completely out of place feeling type reverse culture shock. This is mostly due to the fact that I was in the US recently (in the winter in the US/ summer in Chile). And although I miss things, I'm not sad. I know that I will return to Chile, so it's no biggie (when that will be, I don't know.... but definitely with a stop in central america before !)

My life is about to get REALLY interesting and I can't wait to actually write about it on here. I have to wait though... the timing is not right to divulge the awesomeness of my fabulously twisty-turny life.

"do you dance reggaeton?"

2009-05-10T20:38:00.001-04:00

....a question I hear a lot from Chilenos... and it cracks me up. Maybe it's just because it sounds so weird, since most Chilenos lack the English vocabulary word "grind." And that makes it even funnier because "grinding" is not limited to reggaeton (at least to me). Where I grew up, people were grinding looooong before reggaeton made it big. Rap and hip hop anyone?

I guess this question comes up because Chilean guys are curious if I am willing to "get sexy" on the dance floor. Honestly, I have done my fair share of grinding in the US ... but NOT in Chile. Too much unnecessary attention ... and my red hair already does that well enough. Besides that, the people I have seen "grinding" here ... uff ... not even close to what am used to in the US. Chileans are TAME. If they saw what my high school's homecoming dances were like they would probably faint. (I'm not exaggerating... I'm talking used condoms on the floor after the dance type of dirrrty dancing).

In anycase, I'm always amused by this question.

Part 2 of this post - because I know it will come up - Yes, I LIKE reggaeton ... bite me. I like all kinds of music except for real US country music (I mean like the reaaally country stuff .. some pop country is ok. and folk music doesnt count as country - to me anyway) and techno (I like some electronic music, just not the techno stuff with the steady beat that makes your heart feel like it might explode to the point where being drugged out of your mind seems appealing). So besides those exceptions... this leaves quite a range of music - classic rock, hard rock, a little heavy metal, alternative (whatever that means), hip hop, R & B, rap, folk, bluegrass, jazz, classical, showtunes, soft rock, and reggaeton. I get a lot of crap for liking reggaeton in Chile - by gringos and chileans alike. I dont get too much grief in the states. Most latinos there are just pleasantly surprised that I like music that isn't in English. And most really gringo type americans don't know what it is, so it doesn't matter! My latino (non-Chilean) boyfriend tends to make a face when it comes to reggaeton. Mostly because he prefers music like this. (I also prefer this over reggaeton... but I still like reggaeton). However, when I go out with my boyfriend to dance, he doesn't seem to mind reggaeton at all!! Surprise, surprise (could it be the grinding thing? haha).

So, no need to inform me that "all reggaeton sounds the same," or that "reggaeton has dirty and disgusting lyrics." (This song also has some dirty lyrics, but lots of people love it!) These facts don't change the fact that I enjoy reggaeton on occasion. :o)

KC in crisis....

2009-04-24T12:45:00.002-04:00

This year has been hella interesting for me. Moving to Chile was a big decision (some of my friends might go with the word "insane")...going back to the US when everything I had planned was turned upside down was painful.... deciding to "run away" and come back to Chile after three months seemed like a good idea... having my world turn upside down once again and rethinking how long I would stay in Chile was impulsive and illogical - but so so right... And now, Life has once again thrown me a curve ball. I feel like completely random circumstances have shaped my life recently. Fortunately, I am not a completely control freak and so I have been OK with that. But the next decision I will have to make is going to be a BIG one ... life altering and all that jazz.

This has made me think about how much I have changed in the past year. Before I was a very logical person who thought through decisions. The amount of planning that went into my decision and preparation to move to Chile was enormous. When I decided to return to this March, it was impulsive, hurried, and completely not planned well. I also used to be a rather cold and distant person --- and although I still hold onto this personality trait (I don't think I'll ever lose it completely) -- I am definitely noticeably nicer and more openly emotional.

When I returned to the US my best friend informed me that I was different...but the same... but DIFFERENT. This declaration was followed by, "I mean, you hug me everytime you see me!! what is that about!?" (I didnt used to be such a touchy feely person... now I hug all my friends like I'm never going to see them again).

I think my boyfriend put my change the best... "It's like you're still YOU, but you're different and still you... as if you are more YOU than ever. You express yourself so much more and show your personality much more freely." And I definitely feel more free.

And so now I make a lot of my decisions based on emotional impulse. Yes, my logical self still screams in the back of my mind. But I always know that I will be content making my decisions based on my emotions more than my logic .... it's harder to regret these decisions.

I can't say what this big decision is yet... because I don't even completely know what I'm going to do. But big things are coming. stay tuned.

Mo Money, Mo Problems...

2009-04-10T10:06:00.003-04:00

Well, the real problem is that I need "mo money." Classes have been slow to get rolling for me. So I have been on somewhat of a vacation for the past two weeks while I wait for a teaching contract with a specific business to get squared away.

So basically, I have a lot of free time... but no money to do anything. So these few weeks I have been sleeping late, taking long walks, surfing the internet (way too much), chatting with friends in the states online, and cooking at home. All that is fine and good, but I am BORED.

So, what can I do in Santiago that is entertaining but cheap? (I have lived here long enough that I should have some ideas... but apparently, I don't).

why does everyone sound like mini mouse?

2009-04-03T17:52:00.002-04:00

So last night, I was bonding with my new chileno housemate and a few of his friends over some red wine. One of his friends - a chilena - came in and as soon as she started talking I was mesmerized. I loved the sound of her voice for some reason. I sat there for a long time trying to figure out WHY I liked her voice so much.....And then it hit me. She has a low voice. Like me. And completely UNLIKE pretty much any other chilena I have ever met. Why do most chilenas talk like mini mouse?!!?! Seriously. This girls voice was beautiful...gravely...deep...sexy (no i dont have a crush on her hahaha)...and most importantly it was natural. Sometimes I get the feeling that the high-pitched, sqeaky quality of most of the girls here is forced. What gives?

Moooooving day!

2009-04-02T11:14:00.003-04:00

After sleeping on the floor of a friends room for a little over a week, I am finally relocating and getting to sleep in a BED! Oh the small things in life make me so happy. I am sad to leave this apartment though. This was my home all of last year and I feel very comfortable in it. Aside from it being gorgeous in that cute old apartment building way and having a fabulous view of the park and the Andes, three of my very very good friends also live here...and it's awful to have to leave them. My one issue with this apartment has always been the number of people living in it and frequency of turnover. There are six rooms in the apartment and two of them have double beds, so there is always the possibility that EIGHT people could be living here at any given moment. The apartment is quite obviously advertised to foreigners studying abroad or traveling through or doing an internship -- so people stay anywhere from one month to a year (staying for a year is almost unheard of though). Last year was very exhausting for me having to say hello and goodbye so frequently and readjusting my habits to get along with new people. (on the plus side though, I did meet a lot of people from different countries... so besides learning about life in Chile, I also got cultural lessons on Germany, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Austria, and France!)

So now I am moving to a smaller flat and will be living with two other people - and both are Chilean. Seems much more stable. I have had some curious conversations with some Chilean friends about the details of where I am moving to. They always ask if the Chileans are both women. (They aren't. One is a man and one is a woman). Then they ask if they are a couple. (They aren't. They have seperate rooms). And that is when the confused face appears... apparently men and women cannot share the same apartment plantonically. Or at least, Chileans can't. That is just something those crazy gringos do.

This is one of my greatest frustrations here.... The fact that men and women have such a hard time just being FRIENDS. A majority of my friends in the US are guys. I can go to bars with them, go out dancing with them, watch sports at their houses... and they make raunchy jokes around me and forget the fact that I am a woman. No. Big. Deal. Here I feel like I can't be friends with guys without them getting the wrong idea and thinking I (a) want to sleep with them (since I am an American, I am obviously easy) or (b) want to pololear. And then Chilean women don't want to talk to me because they think I am constantly trying to steal their man!!

Obviously these are all generalizations. I do have a handful of Chilean friends. I'm not sure if they are outstanding exceptions to the rule or if I just generally attract the weirdo Chilenos because I am a gringa (hooray for gringa stalkers!). Either way, I count myself lucky that I at least have those few Chileans as a part of group of friends.

Next post will be from the new casa!! :o)

So, what's the plan?

2009-03-31T22:12:00.003-04:00

You know those days when every single conversation seems to be super meaningful? Almost like you're in a really long therapy session, but it is exactly what you need?....

Today was like that.

I started teaching again today. And in true Chilean fashion, only one student showed up to my 3 student class. My student was exceptionally thoughtful and intelligent (I seem to have the best of luck with getting awesome students). We spent almost the entire class discussing relationships, marriage, divorce, and deterioration of the family unit... Kind of depressing topics I guess, but the conversation was so insightful. It really got me thinking about how I want my relationship to work out, what I want in terms of a family in the future, and how to achieve all of that. My student and I basically came to the conclusion that a solid family is not just caring and supporting your children, but also nuturing the relationship you have with your spouse. My student said she felt like too many people neglect the relationship aspect of marriage after they have children (or get so wrapped up in work and making money to support themselves). Everyone needs that love and support of their SO. And having that gives a beautiful example for children of a loving relationship. Makes for happy people all around.

Later this afternoon I met up for lunch with a friend. This lunch pretty much turned into a private motivational seminar for Miss Kelly (aka me). My friend convinced me that everyone needs a plan... whether it's about where to go to lunch or what job you want to obtain by the following year or where you want to be living in 10 years. You always have to heading somewhere.

OK, timeout. You have to understand that I am not a planner. I was never that person who graduated from high school and had my course of study, career, deadline for marriage and children, etc all decided on. I definitely knew people like that ... maybe not all of them had those plans set in stone, but most definitely had things at least penciled in. I am a fickle person... constantly changing my mind and changing my path... What I DO know though is that my "goal" in life is to be happy wherever I am living, whatever I am doing, whomever I am with... (this seems to be working for me so far... but I often feel as if im just floating along, letting life's waves take me where they please).

Alright, so I explained just this thing to my friend, and he said to me... "So you're goal in life is to be happy. Good. Now, how are you going to achieve that?" Seems like a silly question, right? But he went on: "What makes you happy changes, obviously... so you have to make plans for new ways to be happy... So you STILL have to plan." So I have to ask myself, What makes me happy? After answering that, I can really go after those things that will achieve that ... and be happy about it. Really happy. not just with this sense of contentment that I have at the moment.

Ok, I am doing a really craptastic job at explaining what my friend said to me (cut me some slack though.. this was my first day back working and i woke up at 6:30am for the first time since December).

Basically this is what I know... I came back to Chile because I knew it would make me happy. I jumped right back into teaching because I knew it would make me happy. I went to the beach this past weekend because I knew it would make me happy. (you get the idea). I planned all these things, but without feeling like I was planning them. They all just felt like natural things to do. So imagine if I actually made real plans about things (that I know will make me happy... blah blah blah... this is getting annoying now. haha).... I don't think I ever considered how happy I can be. I guess I just settled on happily content.

This all might seem obvious, I suppose. But just think for second.... Why do you make the plans that you make? What is your ultimate goal? Is there anything else you could be doing to get there?

And a question for you "planner" types: are your plans really for you? or are they just plans to reach the standards of everybody else? (I ask this question because this is the very reason I am so anti-planning... I want to live for me, not because society, my culture or even my family or friends thinks I should be doing certain things).

Sorry this is so stupidly long, confusingly put together, and generally horribly written. Hope it makes some bit of sense though.

on the flipside...

2009-03-30T09:36:00.004-04:00

So I made it. I have actually been officially back in Santiago for five days. (I really need to get myself in the habit of blogging more often... oops!). It's weird to be back. Like reverse reverse cultural shock or something. Everything feels so comfortable and normal... I almost feel as if i never left. My carnet (chilean ID) was waiting for me at the Registro Civil and I didn't have to wait 2 hours to get it. My Bip card still had money on it (nice surprise!). I have already had sushi (which is so much better here and cheaper too.. gotta love that), and also drunk copious amounts of Chilean wine (yes, I said copious... in 5 days.... I am a master!). I start teaching again tomorrow and I couldn't be happier. Unlike the majority of foreigners teaching English in Chile, I actually like teaching and taught in the US before I came (well, not ESL... but reading development is similar enough).

So I am happy at the moment. Really really happy. To be here and for everything in my life right now................ ... ... .. .. . . BUT of course, life has thrown me a curveball like always. (as a good friend of mine likes to say "it's the Kelly telenovela!" Without going into a lot of details -- I have a lot of decisions to make about where I want my life to be going and who is worth trying to keep in my life. Gotta meditate on all that....

So this was my "I'm here!" post. Hopefully I will get into some amusing stories about the fabulous life in Chile in the next posts. (hahaha... fabulous!)

TORTUGA

2009-03-15T23:26:00.005-04:00

A little more than a week left. I (think) I'm ready to go. It's a mixed bag of feelings, like always. Tearful goodbyes to one group of people and happy celebrations with another. It's an emotional roller coaster. I usually like roller coasters... just not this type. And chaaaaanging the subject.

In other news, I finally got my first tattoo. I have been meaning to get this done for over a year now. I feel like this specific point in my life is the perfect timing. After everything that has happened to me in the past year, I feel like I'm.... I hate to say "at a turning point" because that just sounds so lame. But I'm definitely at a point where I never thought I would be. So that deserves marking.

So I got a tattoo of a turtle on my foot. This tattoo represents a lot of things for me. It's my personality, my past experiences, and my future outlook rolled into one. I know that doesn't make sense... because, let's be honest, it's a TURTLE. Haha. But really, what do you expect when someone asks: What does your tattoo mean? It's personal. So deal with it.

It's blurry, I know. I took this pic with my crappy camera.

Catching Feelings

2009-03-03T00:23:00.000-03:00

It's official. March 24, 2009 I travel to Chile once again. Sometimes I wonder if I am really taking my life into my own hands or if I'm running away from my problems.

I have the unusual talent of meeting new awesome people right before I move away. Moving is hard enough when you have to say goodbye to really old and solid friends, but saying goodbye to new friends with so much potential is almost harder. It's harder because you will never know what could happen if you don't leave. And you also never know if there is enough of an immediate connection with the person to maintain contact until you are both back in the same geographical location.

So The questions is: do you distance yourself from these people when you know you have only three weeks left in a place, or do you embrace the experience and pour whatever emotions that come up into it???

I always have a little voice in the back of my mind that says " Don't catch feelings". It's that part of me (and everyone has it) that is trying to protect me from being emotionally injured. But what I find curious is the phrasing: Don't catch feelings (yes, my little voices have freedom of word choice and placement). It's as if feelings are a disease; they will make you sick; you dont ever what to experience *shudder* feelings.

So instead I am going to change my little voice to say: Go catch feelings! (sounds more like chasing after butterflies, right? way more positive.)

this is the first day of my life...

2009-02-23T16:05:00.000-03:00

So I took my friend's suggestion and decided to start blogging. Everyone else who travels and lives abroad seems to have one of these, and since I am one month removed from returning to my second home, Santiago Chile, I figured that it's better late than never.

This will be my third time flying into the land of endless shoreline and enormous mountains. This time is different though, because now I have no ties to anything or anyone. No serious relationship headed towards engagement, no semi-vague plans of going to grad school in the US, no imaginary societal pressures to "be successful" or use your foreign experiences as a stepping stone, etc etc. My life in Chile isn't just a short stop in the story of my life... it IS my life and I can't wait to see what will happen.