Wine and such

If you're thinking, "Man, I really wish Kelly (or Fee for some) were here with me right now...what could I possibly do to make myself feel better?" I have the answer: drink some Chilean wine. Now, don't be mistaken - I'm not telling you to turn to alcohol for comfort. However, I did just visit one of the best known vineyards in Chile so if you open a bottle of Don Melchor's Merlot from the Concha y Toro winery, we'll practically be sharing a drink. You might now be thinking, "What's with all the wine - she hardly drinks?" The truth is (and all of you wine connoisseur can attest this) that wine is more than a mere drink. It's an art. In the time is takes to go from grape seed to top-rated wine, you could probably pass a health care bill through both houses of Congress (haha).

Seriously though, the vineyard I toured was both beautiful and educational. I recommend that everyone splurge on at least one wine tour to learn to appreciate all that goes into making one very special drink.

To depart from my usual tourist activities, I spent Sunday afternoon with my friend Nacha (a Chilean girl I met through some Christians at Stanford) and her two friends. We had a picnic in el parque bicentenario, enjoying the general splendor of the la cordillera (mountain range) in the distance. I met up with some of those same girls a few days later to check out the bowling scene in Santiago. As it turns out, Chilean girls don't make the greatest bowlers. Still, it was fun.

Enough writing...I've got some midterms to finish! Chau!

Pictures from Mendoza, Argentina

Experiencing Santiago

Instead of spending the weekend in another country, I chose to explore Santiago a bit more. On Friday, I toured the streets of Santiago antiguo (the old part) before having lunch at the local horse racetrack. After watching one race, I realized that when you don't be any money, it's not that fun. Still, it was definitely one of the things I had to see during my time here.

Another "must-do" in Santiago, at least for the younger crowd, is visit a bar called "La Piojera," a.k.a. "Lice." With a name like that, you can imagine what this bar might be like. At 7:30pm it was so packed with Chileans that I could hardly walk to the bar. Then it took fifteen minutes to order the bar's signature drink, a terremoto (earthquake), which consists of some sort of liqueur, white wine, I think, and sorbet. Once I got my drink, I met up with a few gringos from work and enjoyed the surrounding chaos that generally characterizes that bar. I felt so Chilean.

I lost that feeling a few hours later when I sat down at an American sports bar and watched the Yankees beat the Angels. I felt very at home expect for this old Chilean who spoke to my friend and me for 25 minutes about his new book idea (which I didn't understand at all).

After such a great Friday night, I had low expectations for Saturday. However, Santiago is full of surprises. A few friends and I opted for a low-key night of music and food at the local Club de Jazz. Little did we know that it was the club's birthday, which meant a glass of champagne and a piece of cake on the house for each customer. That alone would have made my night and still, things got even better. Three New Orleans jazz bands took to the stage, each one as good or better than the last. I was entranced. Three hours went by like ten minutes. Needless to say, I'm going back.

Alright, enough of my rambling. Please send me an email about your life...unless, of course, I don't know you, in which case you should probably go...forever. :)

Don't Cry for Me Argentina

Best weekend ever.

It started Friday morning with an 8 hour bus ride through the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina. I was so entranced by the view from my window that I never once felt the need listen to my ipod, which is saying something considering how hyperactive I am. Upon arrival, I followed the Google map I had printed out to Avenida Mitre 946. Note to self #1: there are TWO streets called Avenida Mitre in Mendoza. After walking through a very sketchy part of town for twenty-five minutes, I scrambled into an athletic store, got directions, and then prayed as I walked back to the bus station. Evidently, I lived.

I quickly forgot my dangerous excursion once I entered downtown Mendoza. It's a very fun and young city with something different on every street. There are five plazas (like parks) throughout the city which serve as gathering points for artisans and musicians on a holiday weekend like this one. On Friday night, two of my amigas and I went to Plaza Espana to watch live performances of various Argentinean dances (though sadly, we did not see any tango). I spent following morning exploring the city before going on a bus wine tour to two bodegas and a in-house manufacturer of liqueur, chocolate, and olive oil. Note to self #2: Never, and I mean NEVER, take a sip of absinthe. It tastes like liquid fiery death.

Things only got better from there. I woke up early on Sunday morning for an afternoon of trekking, repelling, and soaking in hot springs. It felt great to hike after being limited by my crutches all summer. Despite my love for heights, repelling was a bit unnerving at time, but whatever stress I felt on the descent was long gone after spending time relaxing in the naturally heated water of Argentina's termas. Note to self #3: bring a swimsuit when traveling - that way I'll never have to wear a sports bar and underwear to the pool (again).

I left last night at 10:30pm to travel back to Santiago and get cracking on the one thing I had yet to really explore since arriving here: my homework. I had hoped to sleep through the night on the surprisingly comfortable bus, but one look out the window and I knew that no amount of sleep was worth missing an uninterrupted view of that starlit sky. It might be impossible for you to imagine this, but I actually sat still peering out the window without speaking for several hours. All I could think was (quite literally), 'I am the most undeservingly fortunate person in the world.' Then Psalm 8:3-4 very appropriately entered my mind:

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place

what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?

Now I'm back in Santiago and enjoying el Dia de la Raza (Day of the Race - celebration of one's heritage). I have a lot of work to do, but every minute I spent in Argentina was worth it. :)

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Here are some pictures from Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, and Santiago!

Living the Dream

If you've ever had difficulty memorizing the spanish names of the parts of the body, then here's the cure for you: Spanish yoga. After just one class, I can now recall the Spanish word for heel, elbow, and knee with next to no effort. On the other hand, if you've ever had difficulty understanding the Spanish language, Chile is NOT the place for you. Most Chileans act as if the "s" at the end of a word is just there for decoration and see no value in pronouncing it. Not only that - Chileans like to make up their own words.

-Exhibit A: "Eris bacan, ¿cachai?" (which means "You are cool, ya know?")
-Exhibit B: "¿Estas lista? Ja po, ja po!" (Are you ready, let's go, let's go!)
Even a native of Latin America is perplexed by such language. Nevertheless, I am slowly learning.

On an average day, I wake up and do some reading before eating breakfast with two of my three little brothers. We usually have toast with jam or eggs along with a hot tea or cafe (coffee). The only coffee Chileans drink in their houses is instant coffee - powdered. My days of being a coffee-snob have ended abruptly.

Following breakfast, I get ready for school and either walk or take the Metro to the building that serves as a one-floor Stanford campus. I go to class, eat lunch with some companeros (classmates), explore the city and then head home. We don't eat dinner until 8:00pm, which would kill me if we didn't have "onces," a small bit to eat around 6:00pm.

After dinner, the fun begins! Sometimes it's salsa dancing and other times is a friendly bar. I certainly don't go out as much as some of my classmates, but I still enjoy the night life.

This is a typical day. However, no day is actually this well-planned. Generally, the only stable parts of my days are breakfast and dinner. The rest is determined by where the wind blows me. For example, last week I saw one of Pablo Neruda's three houses. Yesterday I ascended Cerro Santa Lucia (cerro meaning "hill") and got a bird's eye view of Santiago. On Tuesday, I took the Metro to a small college to help some students learn English. Each day is unlike any other and that's the way I like it.

I have officially started the volunteer internship I mentioned before. I'm working with an organization called Accion Emprendedora (AE). The mission of the organization is to assist low income entrepreneurs in developing a sustainable business (i.e. a seamstress) by providing classes and other resources. AE is now trying to add a micro-finance branch to the project, which is where I come in. My role is to create a profile of the market of Chilean micro-finance institutions. It suits me, though I'm sure the thought of it makes some of you yawn :).

I will stop there before you waste your whole lunch hour or study break reading about the adventures of Kelly Fee. I'm off to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar this weekend and hope to return with a story or two.

Ciao,

Kelly

Chileans love America and I love Chile.

Only one week down and already so much has happened. The very first day I got a literal taste of Chile when I ate my first empanada - kind of like a calzone with a wide range of fillings from cheese to ham to veggies. I also ate the classic Chilean completo (hot dog) and pan picante (similar to a spicy hot dog). The food doesn't differ too much from the US, but I already know the two things I will want to eat first when I return: a big ole' salad and PEANUT BUTTER (which is very expensive here).

On the academic front, we had orientation this week. I'm taking three classes (only 12 units - the minimum), doing research for a professor, and I just got a volunteer "internship" with an organization that works to eradicate la pobreza (poverty) in Chile.

In order to keep this short, I will tell you the three eventos mejores (best events):
1. Learning the merengue, salsa, and some other dance in a bar on Wednesday night
2. Seeing one of Pablo Neruda's houses
3. Being kissed on the cheek (which is customary in Chile) by a homeless man named Julio who then proceeded to follow my friends and I down the street

That's all for now. Ciao! (In general, Chileans use "ciao" instead of "adios")

Kelly :)