pomaire

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This was by far one of my most favorite days in chile! It was part of the program, and our last field trip! Only 9 of us showed up...we were all out celebtrating sydney´s cumpleaños until 6 that morning, yup, we met at 9 in el centro to leave! It was so nice to get out of the smog for a day and be in the campo.

So pomaire is about an hour west of santiago, and is famous for their pottery, called greda. tradicionally they would use the soil of pomiare to make their pots, but only in the last five years have they started to import other soil from other places, not too far away. It is pretty much only a tourist town. With less than a few thousand residents, almost all whose families have been making greda pottery for over a centruy and a half, and almost all are potters. All the pottery is made by hand, on a kick wheel! They can mass produce and sell their pots for incredibly cheap (us standards). We got the whole history of pomaire, and a tour that led us to make our own pottery, chonchitas (which is one of the most popular types of pottery) and get a view of pomaire that most tourists don´t get to see. This artsy family opened their home to 9 gringos (its not an ugly word here), fed us desayuno and almuerzo (empanadas, salad and like a hearty stew) and showed us around!

The town is tiny, not much happens there but making pottery! they are famous for the empanada de medio kilo! it´s rediculously huge! And of course you have all the wonderful artesania, clothing, and jewlery that chile has to offer to matter where you go.

There are more blogs on the way soon! again, sorry it take me so long to get to these!

Oh i had my stinky brother here por un ratito! It was soooo great! We walked all over this city, ate empanadas, drank pisco sour, and just hung out at my beautiful house and had dinners with my room mates! He came with me to the ferrias, the vegie and fruit, fish, flower, honey, random appliances, clothing, fresh eggs -markets with me. i tried to feel him as many vegies and fruits as i could! with the help of my tandem partner, who i now call weon (his name is leon,-sounds the same-and here weon is what guys say to eachothr like at the end of every sentence or though...ejemplo...no me dices weon es diferente de eso weon porque no soy como asì weon...but when girls say it it is very harsh, or they say it because they are pissed of, girls say weona to eachother, but i say it in joking to leon...he doesn´t have a choice) oh yeah, we bought markus a plane ticket to the end of the world in argentina where he has been working building knarley rock stairs in some pretty shitty weather...lots of rain, and harsh cold wind! But, around the 12 of deciembre we will be traveling this beautiful country together. Probably stay in southern Chile and Argentina.

For my summer plans, since none of you can visit me, I don´t have to stay in Santiago, and therefore I am going to try to live in another country for 2 of the 3 months! after markus flys back to the other side of the equator, i have applied to a few volunteer positions in bolivia and ecuador. I want to experience other parts of south america, and this is the perfect way to do it!

so i will try to keep you updated as best as i can, or of course feel free to call rick and jody (320-235-5687) for an update because they are always so good about calling me every weekend!

so don´t send anything in the mail for a while, because i don´t think i will be here...but you can get some things ready to send, so when i´m back in santiago i will be delightfully surprised!!
Here is what I miss most: you. and what else, well, just all of you! a lot! so some pictures or notes would be great!

ok, chao for now, hope all is well!

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Photos

la casa
where we desayumos y almorzamos.

the main street
i know i know, i really should get better at taking pictures...

i liked the sign on the tree
i´m use to seeing ¨internet¨but not this ;)

chard
very comon sight, it seems even more amazing because the trucks are so tiny, and the chard is so huge!

greda
this is what pomaire is famous for...hot dishes, like i used to make the chocolate zucchinni cake soup, are only like 2 or 3 bucks, bowls and cups, less than a buck, cause this is the source!

this guy
doing his daily work, to me seemed incredible

where we got to make our own pots!
The front of the house/pottery studio

this was so much fun
one of the best days yet here in chile

la tierra
starts from here

la piscina, the pool
after letting the clay/earth soak for 2 days, he shovels it into the machine behind him, which makes it into like play-dough

the rounds
then into rounds, like blocks of cheese

then kneeds it by hand
im just so amazed at how simple everything appeared

then a demonstration
Molly and Michelle in the background

then it was our turn
i couldn´t stop laughing at michelle...

her finished project
she couldn´t tell me what it was either!

sharon
doing great!

Comments

[karin]

Miss u much
Is that your doggy in the window? I always thought you have a great connection with dogs. I miss you Car -Car and been thinking of you alot during our fall season here in Northern California. Maybe I'll drag dixen cowgirl with me and visit little bird legs. love love love love you. Karin