I woke up this morning to some cold mountains, loud city buses and the knowledge that the weekend is right around the corner. I glanced over at my calendar in hopes to see a holiday coming up soon (Score! This Thursday the city takes yet another day off)and I realized that the date is July 10th. I kinda stared at it behind sleepy eyes for a moment, and I quickly realized that July 10th marks half a year of living here.
Although it's not exactly a huge milestone, it is the first significant one I can think of. In six months, I have created a completely different life, made new friends, got a real job and I've done it all in a new country and a language other than my own.
I remember quite clearly arriving here in Chile. I hadn't slept in about two days, I got fined at the airport for "smuggling" an apple in from Florida, I got ripped off in the taxi (because I was a tired, apple-stealing gringa), and everything looked new, scary and exciting. I walked the city for days, I learned the streets and the metros and I slowly started to let Santiago seem into my pores (literally...its filthy here).
6 months later I have moved twice, I have made a ton of new friends (additional family, if you will) and I have a job that I really enjoy. I thought about that as I walked to work in the cold this morning. I thought about how in 6 short months I have built something out of nothing. I landed on empty shores and built a hut, then a road, then I started a small town (I just need a bank...). The sounds of the buses no longer shake me as they pass, the streets no longer intimidate me, and I am no longer a stranger to Santiago.
Well, its back to work for now.
I miss you all.
Keep the hugs flowing and flying, and I'll try to catch a few.
much much love.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Lazy Sunday
With a tea, some music and a few friends joining me in my living room, we've taken it upon ourselves to dedicate this Sunday to pure laziness. The Santiago chill has decided to loom quite awhile in the city, and sometimes a day of pure laziness is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, the Santiago nightlife schedule has also loomed in our lives as we find ourselves staying out later and later on Saturday evenings. This pretty much debilitates us every Sunday and leaves us with very little energy. So, a day of couch potato seems to be an order.
In the past month, I have been learning a lot in regards to my professional life down here. As I mentioned in a previous posting, I recently made a sudden job change on a whim and I have therefore been trying to accommodate myself to the new demands that come along with it. I have been working in my new company for about a month and I have surprisingly found myself loving it even though I am often in a cloud of confusion.
I work in an office with solely my boss and my colleague (who has now taken on the role of an older Chilean sister), and it is a very comfortable space. We spend the cold Santiago days making each other tea, sending emails, making phone calls, going out to lunch and joking around at random intervals. I am serving as the link between the Spanish-speaking world and the world that doesn't speak Spanish in order for us to maximize our communication with the event guests. My boss is extremely patient yet demanding, and it gives me a comforting challenge in both my language skills and my first steps into the professional world in any sense. So far, I have really enjoyed the onda (vibe) of the office and I'm much happier in my new setting.
Outside of the job, things are simply peachy. Unfortunately I don't have the patience to write about everyone and everything that has made an impact on my life, but I find daily reminders of why I wanted to come on this journey and why I am continuing to stay. The other day, I was walking through an area of the city where they sell artesanias and other random "Chilean" things, and got pleasantly caught in a conversation with an old man at one of the small kiosks. We greeted each other as any normal person would, but somehow 30 minutes later we were talking about philosophy, communication, and the beauty and pain that the world has to offer. I simply love getting caught in these random conversations that each give me a piece of the city and a piece of the people around me. We talked of many things, but he left me with this quote: "Sin presión, no habían diamantes" (Without pressure, there would be no diamonds).
The city center was buzzing yesterday as it does every Saturday and Sunday with people spilling from their apartments to walk around. Free hugs were being passed out (I stocked up) and there were youth groups getting people involved. It was so nice to see people connecting and walking around even though the winter has set itself in place here, and it was nice to be a part of it.
Aside from my random conversations, my work, and my lazy Sundays, I am simply continuing to live life and spend as much time with my friends as I can. I have a trip to Peru coming up with two very special people, and I am looking forward to taking two weeks outside the city life and breathing the air of another country. Until then, I'm simply trudging along in the city hoping it doesn't rain (the drainage here is horrible, so it's full of puddles at the lightest rain), enjoying the time with the wonderful Chileans that I've met here and learning as much as I can. I could get used to this for a little while.
My lazy Sunday must come to an end (or at least the internet part of it) so that I can go converse and breathe the outside air.
I hope everyone back at home is doing well
I think about you all the time
Keep the hugs flowing
Send some to me
I'll write soon.
love love love.
Oh yeah, and happy 4th of July. We celebrated with some style last night though we were missing fireworks. :)
In the past month, I have been learning a lot in regards to my professional life down here. As I mentioned in a previous posting, I recently made a sudden job change on a whim and I have therefore been trying to accommodate myself to the new demands that come along with it. I have been working in my new company for about a month and I have surprisingly found myself loving it even though I am often in a cloud of confusion.
I work in an office with solely my boss and my colleague (who has now taken on the role of an older Chilean sister), and it is a very comfortable space. We spend the cold Santiago days making each other tea, sending emails, making phone calls, going out to lunch and joking around at random intervals. I am serving as the link between the Spanish-speaking world and the world that doesn't speak Spanish in order for us to maximize our communication with the event guests. My boss is extremely patient yet demanding, and it gives me a comforting challenge in both my language skills and my first steps into the professional world in any sense. So far, I have really enjoyed the onda (vibe) of the office and I'm much happier in my new setting.
Outside of the job, things are simply peachy. Unfortunately I don't have the patience to write about everyone and everything that has made an impact on my life, but I find daily reminders of why I wanted to come on this journey and why I am continuing to stay. The other day, I was walking through an area of the city where they sell artesanias and other random "Chilean" things, and got pleasantly caught in a conversation with an old man at one of the small kiosks. We greeted each other as any normal person would, but somehow 30 minutes later we were talking about philosophy, communication, and the beauty and pain that the world has to offer. I simply love getting caught in these random conversations that each give me a piece of the city and a piece of the people around me. We talked of many things, but he left me with this quote: "Sin presión, no habían diamantes" (Without pressure, there would be no diamonds).
The city center was buzzing yesterday as it does every Saturday and Sunday with people spilling from their apartments to walk around. Free hugs were being passed out (I stocked up) and there were youth groups getting people involved. It was so nice to see people connecting and walking around even though the winter has set itself in place here, and it was nice to be a part of it.
Aside from my random conversations, my work, and my lazy Sundays, I am simply continuing to live life and spend as much time with my friends as I can. I have a trip to Peru coming up with two very special people, and I am looking forward to taking two weeks outside the city life and breathing the air of another country. Until then, I'm simply trudging along in the city hoping it doesn't rain (the drainage here is horrible, so it's full of puddles at the lightest rain), enjoying the time with the wonderful Chileans that I've met here and learning as much as I can. I could get used to this for a little while.
My lazy Sunday must come to an end (or at least the internet part of it) so that I can go converse and breathe the outside air.
I hope everyone back at home is doing well
I think about you all the time
Keep the hugs flowing
Send some to me
I'll write soon.
love love love.
Oh yeah, and happy 4th of July. We celebrated with some style last night though we were missing fireworks. :)
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