Immersing myself in a culture

Heyo!

I figured I should update now before we leave on our vacations and I come back and have 3 whole novels worth to tell you.

The homesickness definitely comes in waves and i´ve found the best remedy to that is to just get outside and walk around and explore. Not only do i love being outside but it makes me breathe in the culture and realize that i am in a special part of my life and in an amazing place.

We´ve had quite a few days lately of cloudy, semi cold weather which has been lamentable but today and yesterday were gorgeous and warm...i was even sweating trekking across town! Friday i went to a folklore concert with Kelan and Leslie. it was in the theater in the center of town and FREE! very interesting, neat cultural event. there were people who dressed up in many of the traditional outfits of indians throughout chile and played traditional music and acted out scenes and danced different dances. it was pretty neat and very beautiful to see all their traditional wear.

saturday i went with Caroline Adam and Jordan to Isla Negra, a little town about 1.5 hours south of Viña where one of pablo nerudas homes is located. there is not much else in this town aside from pablos house but it was a very beautiful area with a unique coarse sand beach, interesting pine trees, and a house full of all sorts of collections such as ships in bottles, TONS of shells and sea life from a narwhal horn to green shells from cuba, huge oyster shells, all sorts of stuff. a large fake horse with 3 tails, and all sorts of glass bottles and busts from boats. neruda had a large obsession with the sea and this was evident in our visit to this particular home where he spent most of his life. we met a couple on the bus back, the woman was from San Diego and her boyfriend from southern Chile. they were spending the weekend in Valparaiso and we met up with them later on in the evening to hang out and trade stories as well as experience Valpo.

Sunday was a fantastic living life day. I woke up decently early and walked all over Viña..down to the mall 20 blocks away and then back along the beach, walking barefoot watching families playing with their children, flying kites, even a group of guys playing in the ocean and getting engulfed by the large waves! sundays are bustling, family days and itw as fun to just wander and be a part of that. after a lunch of all types of grilled meat on our new grill i caught a bus to Valpo and wandered from one side to the other. i found 3 plazas and saw all sorts of people out in the streets, selling books, antiques, food, souvenoirs, gokart rides, kites. i bought a kite but didnt have the proper supplies to construct it and was told so while attempting to build it by a little boy of about 6 years of age, after his own kite hit me about 3 times while sitting in the plaza. at the last plaza which was by far the largest of those i found this day, i stopped and just breathed in chile, soaking up the sights and smells of a sunny sunday. there was a music group playing and talking on the hill in the center of the plaza amidst a statue of one of the founders of Chile, Bernard O`Higgins. Many of Chiles founders were from Great Britain thus the presence of many English names and buildings named after these specific heroes. Upon exiting the plaza, I saw a man playing guitar and singing on one of the street corners and decided to stop and listen. his manager came over, convinced me to buy a CD, and talked to me about how i enjoyed chile, what i was studying...the normal questions of almost every Chilean or non-Chilean that i have met. i stayed for quite a while, just listening and watching people bustle about as the sun began to set. i caught the metro home and found my way to a panaderia for some cake...i still havent found actual cake here and settled for a nutty, pastel papery manjar layered cake with pineapple slices. later in the evening i met up with Leslie, Christian, Marc, and Matt for our weekly sunday reunion at Ciao for 2 for 1 happy hour... 2 for 1 drinks and some of the best pizza ever. It was a relaxing evening of conversation and camaraderie on everything from this past weekend to the U.S. university education system, U.S. perspèctives of cultural experiences and travel, a German perspective from Christian on WWII and how it is treated and thought of in Germany today, etc.

Thursday evening i leave with Heidi Jordan Adam and Eric on a 12 hour bus ride down to Valdivia and then to Villarrica and Pucón for a few days until the 18th, independence day. The week of all of Chile`s culture rolled into one week of festivities. There are flags everywhere, traditional music, and all sorts of events. Upon our return and celebrating Tuesday, I am meeting up with Leslie, Marc, Christian, and a few others in Olmue, a small village in the country with cowboys and rodeos to go camping and see a different side of celebrating the 18th.

Hope everyone is well, as always, keep writing and sending stuff and conversing, i´ve been here for just about 2 months now..crazy huh?

to end this edition i am leaving you with one of my favorite songs. it is by John Mayer, titled Why Georgia. I challenge you to ask yourself the same questions he poses in this song. Are you livin it right? Write me of your adventures and strive to begin each day truly making the most of every moment and opportunity, cachai? (understand?)

^i am drivin up 85 in the kind of morning that lasts all afternoon...
either way i wonder sometimes about the outcome of a still, verdictless life
am i livin it right?
so what so ive got a smile on. but its hidin the quiet superstitions in my head. dont believe me, dont believe me when i say ive got it down
everybody is just a stranger and thats the danger in going my own way. i guess thats the price i have to pay. still everything happens for a reason its no reason not to ask myself if i am living it right..am i living it right?^