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Published: November 28th 2007
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Ocean
and in the background, the sister city of coquimbo. The city distinguished itself with the worlds largest depiction of jesus on the cross... can you make it out in the background? Well, I´ve left the chinchilla place. It was an experience to remember. I realize my last post was not so interesting with the pictures, and now I have time to go back and add some more, so check it out.
Going back a week ago...
I judged the spelling bee. Man! Those kids could spell in english! I had a cheat sheet, but it was not alphabetized or anything so that was hard. I almost had a panic attack when the kids got to lettuce and restaruant (is that last one spelled right even now?) Luckily, I got to confer with two other people. It was quite a serious ordeal. The province commissioner of education was there. I guess they are trying to promote kids learning english and such. This was part of a extracurricular school program, and he and other bigwigs attended as sort of an end of the year congratulations. Oh yeah... and it was multi-school. Parents and teachers came, and like I said, it was a big deal. In between rounds, there were intermissions, and kids would but on little funny skits in english. Those were great.
I spent another night in Illapel again with
Amy and her kids before she brought me back out. People visited us because she had been telling people (as a joke) that I was her sister. So her friends came to check me out, and some brought food. It was a bit silly. Either way, I met more Chileans, and got a bit of a real thanksgiving feel.
Back at Chinchilla hut, I went back to watering plants and repairing fences. I invented a new shading mechanism for some of the plants. I just made one little one, and Amy can make more if she likes them. We also dug poles in the ground (or mostly I did) and strung fishing wire between them to keep out the rabbits. Amy is having a really hard time with them. I also passed on my mother´s secret of hanging dial soap around the plants. I hope these things work for her. She can´t grow little seedlings if hungry hares keep eating them. Its the dry season, and it is especially hard because there is little left in the desert right now.
While I was there I experienced my first earth quake! It was not very large, although Amy said she thought it was a large one being in Illapèl. She was only an hour away, so I don´t know how that could be true that we would have such different appreciations of the same event... but what do I know about earthquakes, and maybe I´m just crazy, I dont´know. Any, some things fell over in the hut. That was it. It took me a minute to realize what had actually happened.
The only other thing that happened, that was exciting, but not exciting at all, was that I was sitting in my house making dinner when I heard loud noises outside. It sounds like footprints and it freaks me out a little. So I peek out, and there is a donkey just on the other side of the fence! Not 10 feet from me. So anyway, he was frightened too, because he didn´t expect me. He continued to stare at me for like 10 minutes. Eventually he went back to munching stuff around the outside of the fence. We hung out by me for a couple hours. I was happy for the company. 😊
The other thing I enjoyed about the place was that I got to cook. For the last five days I made french toast every morning! Yum! I made something different everyday, and I brought lots of thigns out with me. I made gaucomole, stirfried rice, spagetti with lots of vegetables. It was good eating! Because I could splurge and becasue I was working hard, I ate lots of chocolate and cookies. The fruit and vegetables I bought were really good. I got them in the farmers market on the thursday before I left. I love themarket culture here. Its always a good way to pass on hour or so. You can find anything there. I know, I mentioned it in my last blog. But did I also tell you I bought some really awesome sunglasses for just $4! Awesome.
Well, I´ve moved away from there now. I was a bit frustrated at first. Chile is just so expensive and I don´t have the money! I went to four places to stay before I found one I could afford and had and open room. And there was no hot water again! Which is ok, but I really need a hot long shower to scrub myself clean with. Basically, the other day, I could only stand to wash my hair really well before I couldn´t tolerate it anymore. Its so cold at night too, and that makes it even more unbearable.
But after all of that, I find that I love Chile. The ocean is so spectacular here. I think it is my favorite ocean view ever. When the waves hit the shore, the water is green, like a crayon or deep jade. Its such an amazing color. And out of shore, the water is deep blue. The atlantic never looks like this, and I prefer these colors to the more tropical ocean look of the caribbean. I´m going up the coast, and fromt the bus, I can look and look at the ocean as we go by. In many places, were there aren´t towns, the water comes right into white sand hills... Chile is so dry. There are plants, but not to many.
Well, I´m just staying in La serena before I countinue to head up. Not sure if I´ll stay in Chile and do a feel things or go straight to Peru. Peru is going to be so much cheaper! So that is why I´m excited to get there. its also more moist, which is also important because my skin is dry dry dry. Almost to the point that is hurts. I can barely stop itching my legs. Oh well. What can you do? Next stop: Antofogasta!
love
Kelly
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