Una Visita a la Clínica – A Visit to the Clinic

I often take my health (mi salud) for granted and in the past, have shrugged off ailments, both minor and major, without too much concern.  In the US, we often joke that we only have jobs to get health insurance, and in a morbidly, truthful sense, this is entirely true. The truth (la verdad) is that we are gambling on the fact that there will be something to support us financially and provide resources should something catastrophic happen, such as an accident (un accidente) or a severe illness.

This is difficult enough to manage back home, as the long lines (las líneas largas) at the doctors’ offices give rise to prescriptive treatments that do often help, but can also be both a blessing and an inconvenience.  Sure we have health insurance back home, and even here, we have “catastrophic” health insurance for emergencies (las emergencias). Suffice it to say that unless something horrible happens, we are in charge of our own health costs and we will have to pay (pagar) for it at each turn.

The older I get, the more I see how important it is to take care of yourself, to watch your weight, to diet, to exercise (hacer ejercicio) and to reduce stress in your life.  As I am managing this for myself, I do my best, but in reality, I am a bit “old school” in that if I am not bleeding or passing out, I believe I will be OK.  Yet, couple this with being in a foreign country where you home that all this training (este entrenamiento) in Spanish really does pay off and that you can understand and comprehend both the risks and benefits of any clinical procedure.

Yet, when it is not you, but someone you love, who has to take bold steps in regards to a clinical procedure in a foreign country (un país extranjero), you tend to be taken aback by both the potential severity of the issues and the helplessness of health related concerns.  As I write these thoughts, I myself am helpless and alone, as it is my wife (mi esposa), Sarah, who has to stand up to this test.  With a brave heart and a strong spirit (un espíritu fuerte), she is taken behind the glass of the clinic’s doors, along and humble, reserved, yet faithful.

As I remain in the waiting room, my thoughts (mis pensamientos) bounce from high to low, and my prayers are going nonstop.  My wife is a courageous person, and even today, my thoughts are squarely on her and on our future (nuestro futuro), as we put our faith to the test and our lives in the will of God, as well as the hands of the medical staff here at Clínica Alemana.  When the smoke (el humo) clears and the dust (el polvo) settles, Sarah’s checkup at the clinic proved to be a blessing and her stomach pain was attributed to a small infection that is being treated with antibiotics.  In fact, the doctor (el doctor) told me that the operative work for me to tell her from here on out is “Yes!”

Mi Teléfono Celular – My Cell Phone

My cell phone sucks and I love it.  It is a cheap local phone that is better as an alarm (una alarma) or a flashlight (una linterna) that it is also a phone.  It is small, cheap and hard to use and almost impossible to hear when someone calls.  It rings when I don’t want to hear it, it loses numbers (números) each day, it runs out of minutes all the time, and of course, all its directions, functions and information are in Spanish.

When I try and ask for help with my cell phone, I come across like a complete idiot (un idiota completo), someone incapable of even the most basic of tasks.  I mean, it is a cell phone, not a jet airplane (un avión).  Any teenager can program a cell phone, and everyone around the world uses one to stay connected.  Back in the US, I had a cell phone that could take pictures (puede tomar fotos), call long distance and keep track of appointments.  When I knew I would be coming to Chile, I freed myself from this electronic necessity in order to enjoy a brief period (un periodo breve) of disconnected anonymity.

When I got to Chile, I played dumb for some time, asking friends, “Why do I need a cell phone?”  and showing my ignorance in public while holding my enthusiasm (mi entusiasmo) in private.  The cell phone has in many ways become like a pair of handcuffs (las esposas) that we willingly put on ourselves, with the idea that we can and all should be in constant communication as a mandate in the modern world.

I purchased my cell phone (mi celular) at a department store for under 30 dollars and it came with minutes already loaded.  It was the cheapest, most nondescript phone I could find, and I try to use it as little as possible.  When I run out of credit, I go to a pharmacy (una farmacia), imagine that, and recharge my chip with more minutes that I get chewed up when I make or receive calls.  I have only 6 or so numbers stored in my cell phone, and rarely give out my number to anyone unless it is required.  It is more useful as my timepiece (un cronómetro), and in a minimalist sense, it is my most basic concession to my working world.  If no one calls me, I am happy (estoy feliz) and if I go days without using my phone, I am elated.

I have my cell phone because in many ways, I have no choice (no tengo otra opción), and I don’t want to stay out of touch with my friends and colleagues here in Santiago.  Yet, I guess this newfound freedom has given me food for thought, and maybe I can apply this lesson (esta lección) of simplification to my cell phone life when I return to my seemingly interconnected existence back home.

Media Lleno o Medio Vacío – Half Empty or Half Full

Today I realized that I have reached a milestone (un hito) in my time here in Santiago in that I officially made it to the halfway point of my experience.  I calculated that it would be a 150-day journey (viaje) from El Paso to Santiago and back to El Paso, and on this day, I find myself smack in the middle (en la mitad) at day 75.

A number of metaphors (metáforas) come to mind, but none more profound that asking the question, “Is the glass half empty or half full”?  I have always been a “half full” kind of person in my life (en mi vida), always trying to look on the bright side and keeping the positive in the forefront of the experience.  But when I apply this saying to my experience here, I must admit that the glass (el vaso) is both half full and half empty.

In one sense, the glass is half empty, as the time here in Santiago is moving forward (adelante), and slowly pouring out, with each day from here on out moving me closer to a return home (cerca de mi casa).   In other words, the days in Santiago are decreasing and the “glass” is in effect emptying.  Conversely, the glass is also half full, in that the unique experiences that have come as a result of this time are still happening, and there the is a lot more to do and to accomplish (hacer y lograr). As such, the “glass” is half full as all the new experiences are being added into the fold, and increasing the total day by day.

Yet, doing something (algo) halfway is not finishing anything at all or achieving anything complete in a real sense.  If you attend a class, get halfway, achieve a grade (una nota) of 50%, you fail.  Or if you fill up your gas tank to 50%, which may cost as much as you used to pay for a full tank (un tanque lleno) a few years ago, you can only get half as far as if you fill it up completely.  While I don’t feel like a failure in the least, I do recognize that I have gas still in the tank and many miles (muchas millas) left to go. 

I also know that it is more important to finish (terminar) a task than it is to start it, and that the final part (el parte final) of the journey is often the most productive and the most effortful. Anything worth doing well is worth completing and although there is still another half (una otra mitad) left to go, there remains so much to be learned and to be accomplished.

El Hijo Favorito de Chile – Chile’s Favorite Son

Pablo Neruda is a figure larger than life in Chile and throughout the world en todo el mundo).  A Nobel Prize winner in Literature, he was a celebrated poet whose works have stood the test of time and tank among the greatest in poetry (el mas grane in la poesía) alongside Walt Whitman, Edgar Allen Poe and contemporarily, Jack Kerouac.  He was a diplomat, a revolutionary, a thinker, a politician and above all, a legend (una leyenda).

Pablo Neruda was a force of nature (una fuerza de la naturaleza), much like the themes of the sea and of love that he captured so beautifully in his poetry.  Growing up near Isla Negra and using this setting as a focus throughout his works, the crashing waves, the rolling seas, the pounding wind (el viento fuerte) and the lonesome seafarer’s call were all part of his allure and grandeur.  His poetry (su poesía) is said to be best read aloud, to hear the eloquence of the language within a rhythmic beat of nature’s strength and fury.

Neruda also had three houses (tres casas) in Chile, and he also had three wives (tres esposas) within his life.  It is said that he had the 3 homes, one for each wife, but in reality, this represents 3 distinct phases (tres fases distintas) of a Chilean, one of the port, one of the city and one of the sea.  The home in Valparaíso sits high atop the hills, with a beacon’s view of the city and seaside below, a nest (un nido) high atop a perch. The home in Santiago is near Cerro San Cristobal in the Bella Vista district, an area of art and culture, with a spirit of Neruda guiding its beat.  The home in Isla Negra is set directly facing the rocky shores of the Pacific, with its open design (diseño abierto) and confrontational seaside stance, it calls to the ocean in an almost worshipping manner.

I have been to see the 3 homes of Pablo Neruda, and I have read his poetry with great joy.  Not only is his legend large in Chile, his impact (su impacto) extends throughout the world. The spirit of Neruda is like that of Kerouac, of Twain and of Whitman, someone bringing the calling from within to those of us on the outskirts of genius (un genio), so that we can all be enriched and grow in knowledge and understanding from the artist’s works (las obras del artista).

Dos Idiomas en Dos Maneras – Two Languages in Two Ways

I have been, of course, trying to increase my abilities in Spanish and this challenge is part of my learning experience (mi experiencia de aprendizaje) here in Chile.  I have lived in El Paso, Texas for over 4 years (minus this stint in Chile), and have made learning Spanish a specific personal goal in my life.  Each semester (cada semestre) since I arrived at UTEP, I have taken a Spanish class and I even enrolled in the university as a student in order to get top quality instruction in the areas of speaking, reading, writing and listening in Spanish.  I enjoy this learning experience, but also have felt my limits as a learner, especially as an adult trying to master a second language (un segundo idioma).

Recently (recientemente), I was given an opportunity to deliver a presentation to a group of students here in Chile who are learning English as part of an immersion program. The basic idea is that these students, who want to enter doctoral programs in the United States, take a year of intense training (entrenamiento intensivo) in English in order to improve their skills.  The students are exceptional in their disciplines, and have been identified as individuals with great potential for scholarship. This effort is provided as a scholarship (una beca) to this select group, in order to help them achieve academically and compete internationally.

I was happy to participate (participar) in this event and to work with these students, to offer anything I could in terms of perspective on doctoral programs and the process of choosing a university in the US.  Also, it was my first presentation (mi primera presentación) in English in Chile, so this was also a new and different challenge for me.  In a sense, my own experiences learning a second language provided me with the practical experience to be able to approach this presentation and subsequent conversation with a deepened sensitivity and an increased understanding (un mayor entendimiento).

As I was preparing for this task, I had to consult (consultar) colleagues back at UTEP to let them know that I had to do this for prospective doctoral students in Chile.  I wanted to have all my facts correct, and for this I surely needed help (ayuda), and this required communication with the Office of Graduate Studies, who in turn sent me plenty of materials to utilize (utilizar).

Yet, the irony was that all the materials they sent to me were in Spanish, and I had to spend some time translating (tiempo para traducir) these materials into English.  I never thought this would be a task that I needed to do, but having two languages (dos idiomas) at the same time (al mismo tiempo) is an important skills and one that I feel my stay here in Chile is helping to facilitate.  Oh, and by the way, someone (not at this meeting, but at another gathering here in Chile) told me that I spoke English very well…maybe I am really becoming Chilean.

La Pura Naturaleza – Purely Natural

Chile is a beautiful country (un país bonito) and with spring in the air, the skies have turned a rich blue the air has gotten a bit fresher and cleaner, and the trees and bushes are all in bloom with beautiful leaves and flowers (las hojas y las flores). The purely natural beauty of the area, even in a big city like Santiago, comes to life as winter fades and the days begin to lengthen (prolonger) and to warm up as well. In Santiago, surprisingly, there are a number of open space parks and of course, a number of plazas in the center of the communities, yet the remarkable amount of green (verde) all around, on the streets, in the yards, and even on the houses, add to a more tropical feel within this metropolis.

With the sun breaking through the clouds (los nubes), and the peaks of the Andes showing more of themselves and less of the snow (el nieve) that has covered them throughout the past months. When you go down to the coast, whether it be in Viña del Mar, Valparaíso or Isla Negra, you can see the deep still waters (aguas profundos en clama) of the Pacific Ocean stretching out before you, presenting a panorama of calm, a deep rich beauty. The call of the open ocean, like the heights of the mountains, is an enticement not only for adventure, but also for peace, tranquility and refreshment (paz, tranquilidad y refresco).

Chile has zones stretching from north to south (norte al sur) and covering some 4000 kilometers in length. In fact, Chile is the only nation in the world that has parts of 3 continents, South America, Antarctica and Australia, as Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) is part of the Australian continent. Within that expanse you can travel from incredibly dry deserts to seemingly rain forest tropics. You can head into the mountains and go to the beach all in the same day (en el mismo día). You can travel to the lake country or the densely covered forested areas. You can travel down a river, take a walk in a park or drive through the wine county. The natural beauty (a belleza natural) is something to explore and uphold, to enjoy and to respect.

Natural beauty can come in plenty of forms (en muchas formas), whether it be in the smiles and styles of the people or in the scenery that unfolds anew at each and every turn. When we talk (hablamos) about taking time to smell the roses and enjoy the moment, you can’t help but take that to heart each and every day in a place as awesome as Chile.

Las Fiestas Patrias – The National Celebrations

In Chile, throughout the entire country, there are 2 distinct days that are set aside for every citizen to have as a celebration and that is the 18^th and 19^th of September, the days of national pride known as the fiestas patrias.   We have something similar in the United States in the Fourth of July, a single day to celebrate the birth of our nation and to enjoy time with family and friends (familia y amigos) and the joy of being an American.  Yet, in Chile, they have the wisdom to set aside not just 1 day, but 2 days, and with in mind, the thoughts of everyone turns to the red, white and blue (el rojo, blanco y azul) of Chile.

The 18^th and 19^th of September are marked as such to commemorate the independence (la independencia) of Chile from Spain, and although there is some dispute as to whether it happened for real in 1808 or 1810  (actual independence came in April of 1818),   there is no debate on the days themselves. Chileans circle these days in red on their calendars in the beginning of the year (la empieza del ano), and plan their festive times to come filled with the national dance, (la cueca), grilled meats (asados) on open flames, a flavorful wine-sangria type drink (chachi) served in a horn, and of course, the ever-present and flavorful empanada.

Many people celebrate the days with family and friends; others diverge on Parque O’Higgins in Santiago for the national parade (el desfile nacional), some head to the shore, some to the mountains (las montanas), some even head out of town to Buenos Aires.  Whatever the plan, it includes getting ready to party and to celebrate (celebrar) the national days of independence, to kick off the cold of winter and embrace the coming of spring, and to acknowledge the identity and unity of an entire nation.

We went ourselves to El Ingenio, which is located at the foot (al pie) of the Andes mountains just past San José del Maipo, where a group of men (guasos) and women (guasas y chinas) on horseback rode from El Ingenio to San Gabriel to reenact the days of yore.  With their colored costumes and styles of Andalucía, the people were impressive and authentic, taking time to dismount to dance (cueca) in the streets, filling the day with spirit (el espíritu) that comes off as vibrant, brilliant and bold.

The memories are fresh and the images of the days mixed with the sights, sounds, smells and tastes bring this experience to the front burner of the mind even today.  The experience is truly a unique one, a set of events and circumstances (unos eventos y circunstancias) that amplify the spirit of the country and celebrate a tradition that ties together a nation from top to bottom (de arriba al abajo).

 

¿Donde Estoy? – Where Am I?

Dawn (La madrugada) breaks, the birds are chirping, dogs (los perros) are barking and the gentle beginnings to the day are at hand. The sounds that I hear seem hauntingly familiar, as I lay semi-awake in bed, and drift away from Chile and back to El Paso, and begin to think to myself, “Where am I?  (¿Donde Estoy?) Am I here or there?” This transitional scene is broken with clarity when a car alarm goes off and I remember with distinction amidst the distraction that I am actually still in Santiago, Chile.

 Yet, with Sarah asleep beside me and the clock (el reloj) slowly moving and ticking its tick, tock, tick tock, I do feel at home and the barriers and trials of days past seem to be presented within a new sense (un ambiente nuevo) of familiarity and calm.  The days do begin the same and the tasks of the days surround our lives (nuestras vidas), those of work, those of play, those of struggle, those of achievement, those of challenges, those of admiration, and those of humility (la humildad).

Recently, I went to the airport and actually drove myself in a car, making my way along the freeways (las autopistas) and streets within and round Santiago.  Upon arrival at the airport, I parked, made my way inside the terminal and looked for our friends to arrive.  I looked over the faces of the people exiting the gates (las puertas) and tried to figure out where people were coming from. I would ask selected travelers “¿De donde viene?” and the blank stares, the transfixed eyes, the avoidance of glances all looking past me as a part of the foreign crowd, a face (una cara) speaking a foreign language in a foreign country.

Somehow, I have changed positions and moved to the other side (el otro lado), to a different level within a transformation in a personal sense.  I am not a babe in the woods, nor an adolescent looking for an identity (una identidad), but an adult, still with a lot to learn, but able to function independently and without too much support. In some ways, I am starting to resemble the man I left in El Paso, but now in Santiago as a functioning Spanish-speaking member of society (la sociedad).  I have moved from the person looking for reception and aid to the person in the crowd looking for others.  Perhaps this is a transition (una transición) that will lead me from student and mentee to a place where I can be a better teacher and a true mentor.

Un Descanso de Primavera en Septiembre – Spring Break in September

I have been in college (la universidad) for a long time.  I left high school in the spring of 1981 and enrolled at Duke University in the following fall.  Along the way, getting to today, I have attended 5 universities, including the one at which I am currently employed as a professor, the University of Texas at El Paso. Along the way, I have garnered degrees, taken classes in science, literature, languages and technology (ciencia, literatura, idiomas y tecnología).  Yet, I have never, ever had a spring break in September.

I was born in Virginia in October and each fall in the East, I would celebrate my birthday (mis cumpleaños) in the spirit of football and the changing seasons, the leaves turning colors, the air getting crisp and the nights getting cooler.  In other words, the fall, with things falling all around. In contrast (En contraste), the spring has always meant March and April, March Madness giving way to April Showers and the signs of spring.  And, of course, as a college student and now a professor, spring also means spring break, a rite of passage for all students regardless of age, a week to abandon all thoughts of winter (el invierno) and seek out the sunshine and sensations of the summer (el verano) to come.

But, in this September in Santiago, I sit up on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Viña del Mar, and look over the beginning of my spring break (mi descanso de la primavera).  With a day in the mid 70s and the flowers starting to bloom all around, the gentle seaside breezes giving way to the laughter of couples young and old, arm in arm, I am transformed and transfixed to another time (un otro tiempo).  Although I should be firmly entrenched in a tailgate at a Miner football game, I am instead basking in the setting sun, slowly setting into the Pacific.

Spring Break in September (septiembre) is definitely something that sounds weird, and to say it aloud verifies it to any North American.  Yet, with an eye (un ojo) on the future and a tie to the past, maybe the break in the spring will divide my time here and propel me forward into divine and splendid future (el futuro).

Un Mundo de Vino – A World of Wine

I have always enjoyed a glass of wine with a good meal, and as I have grown older (I like to say have matured), I have found that wines are a wonderful addition to meals and social gatherings.  I am fond of bold, earthy red wines (vinos tintos) like a good oaky style of wines, like a Cabernet Sauvignon and often choose this over any other style or type, irrespective of the food being served. This can come at the chagrin of Chardonnay lovers with fresh fish (pescado fresco) or the snickers of Merlot toasters with a light meat dishes.  Yet, I enjoy a flavor (el sabor) of wine that is uniquely sturdy and flavorful, regardless of the food being served, something bold and structured, much like my solid wooden furniture (mis muebles de madera) at home.

Yet, part of my education in Chile has been to increase my knowledge (mi conocimiento) of all things that relate to my education, including my knowledge of social situations and I think (pienso) that includes an increased understanding of wines. This understanding and education is to learn how best to suit wines with social occasions that also include food. And what better place (que lugar mejor) to learn these things than in Chile, where the grapes are beautiful and full and the growing season is practically year round (todo el ano). 

The region outside of Santiago has some of the best (los mejores) wines in the world, and wine is one of the top three expert products in the nation, the others 2 being fruits and vegetables and copper.  Traveling north or south (al norte o al sur) outside of Santiago, you can encounter a number of wine areas and vineyards, including the valleys of Casablanca to the north and Santa Cruz to the South.  Traveling north out of Santiago, on the way to Viña del Mar (literally Seaside Winery), you can travel to a large number of wineries.  When our friends Sunay and Tia recently visited us, we decided (decidimos) to do some investigative reporting and sampling along the way.

In the Casablanca Valley, there are a number of vineyards to visit and we made stops at Veramonte, Viñamar and Morandé. Sunay and Tia, being fellow wine aficionados, also have great knowledge of the vine and we enjoyed a range of tastes from whites to reds, from Chardonnay to Merlot to Cabernet and ultimately to the new favorite (el favorito Nuevo) from Chile, Carmerere.  These wines were incredibly flavorful and affordable and livened up the conversation, not only about the wines themselves, but also about the times in our friendship past, present and future (pasado, presente y futuro).

Wine in Chile is meant to be enjoyed, to enhance the occasion and not to be abused.  Like in Europe, it is part of the culture (la cultura) here and the dining experience, especially on a long weekend lunch.  Chile is a great place to enhance (mejorar) understanding and behaviors, to turn learning into practice. The beauty of the wine country is also part of the journey, and the rolling hills of the countryside provide a beautiful and scenic setting that is both picturesque and unique.  Chile is undoubtedly a magical country (un país mágica), and the treasures of the vineyards in and around Santiago are important parts to the adult travelers sojourn.

Los Pueblos Pequeños – The Small Towns

Small towns really are the heartbeat of a country and wherever I travel in the US or abroad, I love going to places (los lugares) that are off the beaten trail or are somewhat overlooked from the main roads (las calles principales) in order to experience what they uniquely have to offer.  Las year, while traveling through Wyoming on my way to Mount Rushmore, a true American tourist destination, in South Dakota, I stopped in a small town called Gordon, Nebraska for a visit.  Since my Dad’s name was Gordon and my brother’s name is Gordon, and a friend traveling with s as well has a father named Gordon, we all felt the need to at least check out what from the outside (de afuera) looked like a family namesake.

Anyway, upon entering Gordon, Nebraska, there was an already established connection, and on a beautiful summer day (un día bonito en el verano), there was an opportunity to see what unique things this American town in the middle of the country was all about.  From a beautiful picnic lunch in a wonderfully luscious and green park to the wanderings down main street to visit the post office (el correo) and a few local stores (las tiendas locales), the place had a vibe all its own, and I enjoyed the unique setting and the beauty it had to offer.  When I talked with a local about how great Gordon, NB seemed as a place to live, the woman just stared at me blankly, seemingly asking, “What is wrong with you?”

Sometimes, fresh eyes (los ojos abiertos) can capture the special air and unique circumstances in a place that appears to be just a routine or even backward moving location.  This is something I recently experienced in Chile as I left Santiago for the day to go down into the Santa Cruz valley area and visit the small town (el pueblito) of Sede Graneros in a beautiful valley of vineyards and fruit groves.  Walking down the main street, the smell of fresh empanadas drew me into a local store and soon I had a roasting fresh pino empanada in my hands, the aroma (el olor) making my mouth water, and each bite becoming better than the last.  It was like the first and best empanada I had ever eaten, and believe you me, I have had more than a few empanadas during my stay in Chile.  The empanada is practically the national food (la comida nacional) of the entire country, and this day, in a small town off the beaten path, it seemed to me that I tasted the best one (el major) in all of Chile.

Talking with the owner (la dueña) of the store connected me with the heartbeat of this area and having a toast with locals in the bar (la cantina) just cemented my new affection for this seemingly remote and off the beaten path destination.  I imagine that one day I might live in a small town or be back in a small town, or maybe I’ll just hit the road and visit a lot of small towns along my path (mi camino). Whatever the reason, whether it be in Chile, the US or other parts of the world, it truly is the road less traveled where you find the treasures (los tesoros) that a country has to offer.

Las Comunas de Santiago – The Communities of Santiago

Santiago is a big city with over 5 million people living in the metropolitan area (la área metropolitana). It is said that 50% of all the people in Chile live in the region surrounding Santiago or in close (cerca) proximity. In a city so large, so modern (tan moderna) and so cosmopolitan, it is easy to see if as just a large impenetrable mass of bustling transit. From the outside (de afuera), it seems like an endless transverse of people weaving in and out of each day, complete with all the constant comings and goings of people in various modes of transportation.

Yet, part of my process (mi proceso) has been to learn the city and to participate (participar) in the various communities that surround the actual downtown and the regions nearby. There are actually 34 communities (comunas) in and around the city, and Santiago is considered both the capital city and a region itself. The names of some of the areas that I have visited include Ñuñoa, Providencia, Quinta Normal, Cerro Navia, Macul, la Florida, las Condes and Puente Alto to name a few. 

There are 13 regions that expand from top to bottom (de arriba al abajo) in this incredibly long and slender country, and these regions are somewhat like our states in the US, although uniquely Chilean. From the first region at the top, Region Tarapacá, to the 12th region at the bottom, Region of the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, they extend over 4000 kilometers of both shore (la playa) and mountains (las montanas), both desert and rain forest. Santiago is itself also a region and accounts for the thirteenth region in number, although it is known solely as the Metropolitan Region of Santiago.

In getting around Santiago and the local communities, I have enjoyed using the Metro, the bus (el autobus), taxis, taking rides with friends, or just walking through the local areas. I certainly have enjoyed the tranquility (la tranquilidad) and beauty (la bellísima) of living in Ñuñoa, an area that has both a cool sensibility and a family feel. I have also enjoyed visiting the Quinta Normal to work with students, the area of Providencia with its shops, food and art in and around Bella Vista, as well as the quiet and natural beauty of Cerro Navia.

There is so much this great city (esta ciudad estupenda) has to offer in culture and variety, just like visiting the great neighborhoods of US cities, like New York, San Francisco or Chicago. Santiago is a great mix of diversity and adventure, with each side street a chance to explore (explorar) something new and to find places and people you have never seen before. For me, the goal (la meta) is to get around the entire city, but also to respect and enjoy the diversity (la diversidad) that the great city of Santiago, as well as the entire country of Chile, has to offer.

Un Día Negro en Historia – A Black Day in History

September 11^th has a new meaning to those of us from the United States of America, ever since the attack (el ataque) on the Twin Towers in NYC, with 2 planes crashing into the structure and killing over 3000 people. In addition, a plane (un avión) hit the Pentagon in Washington, DC as well as one that went down in Pennsylvania.  This day has become a black day in US history, as the terms ground zero and homeland security, took on new meanings and in many ways, define the apprehension and uncertainty that many Americans (norteamericanos) feel even in their sacred land of the free and the home of the brave.

Yet, this date of 9-11 (el once de septiembre) also has strong relevance here in Santiago and throughout Chile, as it is a day of infamy that occurred some 28 years before the attacks on America on that fated day in 2001.  In Chile, this dark day (día negro) is filled with tensions and protests, as people (la gente) reflect and demonstrate on the lingering memory of the dictatorship associated with the rule of the past.  The anger, confusion and uncertainty that many felt in the past, rises to the surface, and everyone understands the hurt (el dolor), the pain and the disillusion.

On this day here in Santiago, the business (los negocios) close early, as do the schools.  There are demonstrations, there are screams and shouts in the streets, a remembrance harkening back to the black days, to the memory (la memoria) of those who sacrificed their ideals and often sacrificed their lives in the torture of the times.  There are fires (unos fuegos), there is danger, and there is anger.

Although the dates (las fechas) are uniquely different in circumstance, they do both bind Chile and the US together as brothers in arms, as people who know injustice and oppression, as those impacted by something from without that stirs up the fear and pain within.  The day of 9-11 means a day of national turmoil and national despair, and in this, the citizens (los ciudadanos) of both countries (ambos países) are brothers and sisters (hermanos y hermanas), with more in common than might be seen only in circumstance, comforting one another in looking forward to a better future (un futuro mejor) to come.