La Jac Goes to South America.: Just living, and stuff.

(It’s super late. I’m writing this in my bed and I’ve got the window open because I love the sound of the rain. The smell of woodstove smoke coming in isn’t half bad, either.)

So I joined Anna’s competition because no matter how resolute I am I give in and speak the mother tongue. I have so much access to English speakers, and I’m weak. I’m here to learn Spanish! She came up with the obvious solution of berlins (those caramel filled doughnut things). They’re probably the answer to everything. She started a one-week, “no-English” contest between us: winner buys loser a berlin. I spoke a lot less English, but she still won...

The film festival was neat-o. There were so many people in town. The venues were scattered all over the city, and at any given time there were 3 or 4 things going on. I watched a few documentaries that I really liked. I also went to a few artsy films that I didn’t really understand, and I think the problem was more than just the language barrier. And speaking of things I don’t understand, the weather has been wacko this week. Rain. Sun. Rain. Torrential rain. Clouds. Sunny rain. And so on. (This means not much Frisbee.)

What else? Felipe made crudos the other day. (You should know that “crudo” means “raw.”) They consist of ground up raw meat spread on thin white bread. Then you squeeze lemon juice onto it and top it with this yummy cilantro/onion/ homemade mayonnaise sauce. I had a little trouble with the concept but the taste really was fantastic.   Before coming here I decided I was going to get off my high horse and eat all the things that everyone else was eating. Since arriving in Valdivia I have eaten meat almost every single day (generally cooked, though). I have actually sincerely enjoyed scrambled eggs. I have actually requested bananas. (However, I still am sticking to my guns with mushrooms and chewy seafood.)

The other day there was a surprise birthday party for Paola (my older sister here). She is 100% hilarious; unpredictable and always laughing. So that, of course, was fun. Host family experiences are fun and confusing, I’m deciding. I want to be involved in the family and basically follow them all around like a puppy. Sometimes I get worried, though because I remember that they can’t really escape from me.   What if they might possibly want a break? I’m kind of this weird mutt of a daughter/sister/friend/strange foreign host girl who’s like, “Ta-da! Here I am…. let me come to all your family functions and be sitting on your couch every time you come in the door. Welcome home!” It’s a funny thing.

I met two lovely ladies, Luz and Cami. They’re studying to be English teachers (their English is great!) so it’s been fun[ny] to find new cafes and bakeries and restaurants and just sit there and listen to each other. Also, they let me come to this English club going on at the university, and I met some hilarious kids who told me I have a funny accent.  That day was a Halloween party so I was in charge of a cakewalk and they also bobbed for apples and did other autumn-ish things (which is funny because it's definitely springtime).  I went to Niebla the other day with Pipe and Lacey! It’s maybe about 20 minutes away by micro? We tried to play Frisbee on the beach but Señor Pulgas The Friendly Stray was having none of it. (The stray dog population doesn’t seem to be decreasing.) We walked over to an old Spanish fort, too… that was fun, but I’m still perplexed about why they were playing “Chariots of Fire” in the museum part.

This is too long.
JacLyn