Advertisement
Published: September 2nd 2006
Edit Blog Post
I pictured a transport system of collective positive energy emitted from the homes of my readers. It was strong enough to carry two very large and heavy bags to me the day after I published my blog. Thank you to all who sent your positive thoughts and messages my way. I arrived "home" to find my bags. From what I can tell everything is intact. I measured this by checking that each shoe had its proper partner. Does it show me to be materialistic when I admit that I got a tear in my eye?
So why have I remained in Santiago? As some of you know, my plan was to head immediately for the coast to a town called Valparaiso where I would look for a job. But my bags arrived two days ago and each night I continue to set up my cozy bed on Edgardo´s futon. A few reasons why I remain:
1. Each day after trekking round the city I return to ask Edgardo, in English, the multitude of questions about procedural strategies I have collected during the day; and he has answers to them.
2. The man who monitors buses at my neighborhood
bus station remembered me the second day and alerted me when my bus was approaching.
3. Though it took two days I learned how to get to the city center and home again on public transportation. Day One was spent wandering on the pedestrian malls. Each time I emerged from a store I went the wrong direction. Day Two (Which I called Take Two) I got off the bus and walked directly to my destination without confusion.
Though these are all excellent reasons to settle in Santiago, I have learned from previous travel that it is not during the comfortable times that I´ve had the best experiences or learned the most. So, I will press on and see how my path reveals itself. My revised plan involves leaving tomorrow, Sunday. If I have no luck with the job search I will willingly return to Santiago. It has been a wonderful city to me, BUT a city nonetheless. The air is quite polluted as evidenced by the dirt I clean from my nasal passage each morning. However, I am quite impressed by the cleanliness of the city. The Chilean people take great pride in their country, as they should,
and they work hard to make it a place that others will enjoy.
Over the past few days I´ve done my best to learn the layout of the city and important locations. Day One (Thursday) I spent wandering the downtown pedestrian malls. As I mentioned before, each time I left a store I began walking in the wrong direction. This is because there are a number of major stores (department stores, drugstores, shoe stores) that repeat over and over again. For example, on one block I may see a Fallabella department store and the same on the next block. In one I may find the juvenile department and in the other the electronics department. It is also necessary to pay for items from one department of the store before leaving for another department. In addition, every corner is home to a major drugstore, the three major companies leapfrogging their way down the street. After observing these things on Day One I finally made my way to my destination, El Mercado Central (The Central Market). I was hoping to have a seafood snack, but because of my wrong turns I had taken too long and the gates were closed. Instead
I ate a tasty empanada (a dough pocket, this time containing shrimp and cheese). Muy rica! Then I headed home.
Day Two (Friday) I had my path memorized. Got onto the bus, got off at the correct location. Began walking down the pedestrian mall to the tune of "Like A Prayer" by Madonna. No, this was not playing on my MP3 player, it was broadcast in the form of Muzack. Seems that Santiago has invested in a priceless North American Muzack collection. I took some time to relax in La Plaza de Armas and spent 30 minutes conversing with a local. Actually, I got quite the earful from him AND understood quite a bit but was not very successful communicating back. I left and headed to the Central Market for my second attempt at seafood. This time I was successful and ordered a recommendation from my friend Monica, Machas a la Parmesana (Clams with cheese). Yummy! After leaving the market I took in Santa Lucia and Cerro San Cristobal, two of the premier vista points of the city. From Cerro San Cristobal you can see to the Andes Mountains on a clear day. Surrounding the monument, Santiago sprawls in
all directions. It is impossible to describe the Andes and how immense they are. I thought of the book "Alive" and how the survivors were trapped in the midst of the Andes. When I arrived home we went for pizza with a group of Edgardo´s friends. I spent the evening listening, trying to take in as much as possible, but only rarely comprehending the conversation. They are a wonderful group of friends and I look forward to the time when I´ll be able to participate more.
All of this walking and research has brought me to today. My huge accomplishments were buying a towel, a hairdryer, and a cell phone. Once again I felt a little teary and proud of myself. Though no one has my cell phone number it is a comfort to have it here in my pocket.
For those who are familiar with Spanish and Central/South American differences I thought you would be interested in the following. I´ve already developed a lazy mouth and drop my s on a number of words, just to fit in. Dos ejemplos: Bueno Dia y Gracia. I haven´t incorporated it, but am becoming accustomed to the Sipo, Nopo, Claropo.
And I am definitely using Ciao! And the cheek kisses, love those.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.147s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 10; qc: 62; dbt: 0.0609s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Monica
non-member comment
Si po!!!!
HOLA SARA!!! Ya sabia que solo en poquito tiempo te acostumbrarias a mi ciudad natal!! (I knew it would only take a few days for you to become accustomed to the city of my birth!!!) Quiero llorar, estoy feliz por ti, no puedo creer que visitaste los lugares queridos, ya dejaste de usar las eses????? Que chica tan lista!!! jijijijij!!! I want to cry, I am happy for you, you already dropped the "s's, that usually takes years to learn!!! Sharp girl.. Que rico que fuiste al mercado central y los cerros, tambien tienes que visitar el jardin de los domenicos ( a cute little market), and the jewelry/craft market in front of the cerro santa lucia. In Valparaiso they also have a mercado central (most every city has one) for machas!! Anyway, I could go on and on... Gracias por contar tus aventuras (thank you for telling your story) . Te quiero mucho, -Monica