My Last Week in Chile

Last Sunday my mom and I left the island of Chiloé to head north for the adventure town of Pucón.  Pucón sits at the base of an active volcano, Villarica, whose top continually pours a white cloud of smoke.  It was a little unsettling.  What is usually a half-day trip on two buses became an eleven hour fiasco on six.    After the bus on the second leg of the trip broke down, we were forced to catch a series of buses that brought us minutely closer to our ultimate destination.  We finally arrived in the town after dark, grabbed a nice dinner and promptly fell asleep in the hostel.  The next morning we took our time getting ready before our scheduled horse ride in the Andes.  Though the weather was not on our side, we were astounded by the beauty of this part of Chile.  I found the South such a refreshing contrast to the hot, arid North from where I came that I celebrated the downpour.  The horse I was on was eager to gallop at any opportunity while my mom’s, appropriately, preferred to take its time along the trails.  After the four hour ride we were cold, wet and particularly sore and eagerly accepted the opportunity to visit a series of hot springs that night.  Our idealized view of this late-night visit to the hot springs was an immense contrast to the actual experience.  By the time we left that evening the weather had not improved.  For two hours we scampered between the tepid pools in our swimsuits on poorly-lit and rocky, trails carrying a bottle of wine and our belongings, vainly protecting them from the rain by our jackets (it was not safe enough to leave our bags in the changing shacks).  We could finally relax when we were dry and warm in our beds.

The next afternoon we took a rafting trip along the Trancura River, a name given to the river by the native Mapuches to mean river of rocks.  The difficulty of the river reached classes III and IV (out of V) and I am certain the only reason my mom was willing to take the trip was because she had no idea what she was signing up for.  She was very surprised to find out that there were no safety belts in the raft and that a foot wedged in the raft was the only thing that kept her in the unstable boat.  With that said, I think she enjoyed in more than anyone on board.  We both agreed it was frightening and thrilling and one of the best adventures we’ve had here.

Wednesday we left Pucón with a greater appreciation for the Andes to head north again to Temuco.  After arriving there to more rain and cold we quickly changed our plans and took the nine hour overnight bus to the historical, coastal town of Valparaiso.  Valparaiso is characterized by its 40-something steep hills covered in brightly-painted homes and wall art.  We spent the first day there exploring the town and appreciating its unique character and diversity.  The next day we went on a tour run by the hostel to several different destinations around the area.  We first, at 10 am, visited a winery in the Casablanca Valley for a tour and then wine tasting session.  By the time we arrived at our next destination at noon we were extremely drowsy and slightly intoxicated.  After lunch, in which I found a fly in my empanada, we headed to the coastal home of the late Chilean poet and political activist, Pablo Neruda.  Though the home was modest compared to what one may expect for a Nobel Prize winner, it was filled with his many collections gathered on his worldly travels, including insects, shells, glass bottles and nautical instruments.  Our last stop consisted a short hike to a rocky shoreline on the Pacific and then to an old whaling village for a snack.  The tour was very fun but made much more enjoyable because of the company we met while on the tour.  While traveling abroad interesting and unique people are in no short supply.  We have hardly eaten a meal alone as there is always at least one other person willing to chat about there homeland and travels over dinner.

Saturday we took a morning walking tour through Valparaiso, visiting a fish market and wandering through the labyrinth-like streets dotted with artisan shops and cafes.  My mom and I, along with a someone we met on the tour, had a filling Italian lunch–one of the best meals I’ve had since arriving.  Our last day in Valpo, Sunday, we went to one of the town’s squares to the weekly antique fair, finding a couple interesting treasures.  That afternoon we took a bus to Santiago, hauling our excessive amount of luggage through the metro stations and up a long flight of stairs to the hostel where we are now staying.  Happy House Hostel is stunning, with 15-foot ceilings, a bar, entertainment center and a terrace on the roof overlooking the city.  We couldn’t believe it when we were greeted with a welcome drink at the bar!  Today we hope to stop by some of Santiago’s markets and museums and prepare for our departure late tomorrow night.  We have to make the most of our last 24 hours in Chile, and I must enjoy the pisco and wine while I still can!

 

Adventures in Patagonia

Sunday evening I purchased a plane ticket from Santiago to Punta Arenas, in the southern tip of Chile.  Though the purchase was quite spontaneous, I have long since wanted to visit this part of Chile to explore Patagonia.  After arriving in Punta Arenas, I took the bus to Puerto Natales and spent the night in a great hostel, Erratic Rock, full of backpackers setting off to or returning from hiking through the area´s national park, Torres del Paine (¨towers of blue¨).  Since my time was limited, I scheduled two day-trips to see the park.  Wednesday we took a bus through the park, taking hikes to visit a glacier, lakes, lagoons and a waterfall.  That night I met up with a couple other travelers to go to a free wine tasting in a restaurant near the port.  We  sampled many Chilean tintos and blancos and filled up on the hors d’oeuvre, comically finding out afterward we had crashed an invite-only party.  My trip the next day was the most enjoyable.  We set off from the port in Puerto Natales to visit a glacier-fed waterfall and  a cormorant colony and then docked for a hike back to the Serrano Glacier.   The sky finally cleared as we walked along the edge of the lagoon to the glacier.  It was gorgeous.  From the group, only four of us were brave enough to complete the trip on a zodiac, an inflated boat.  We cruised up the Serrano River getting splashed by water and pounded by the cold mountain wind.  Fortunately they supplied us with over-sized, orange floatation suits that also provided much warmth and protection from the elements.  Our view of the torres (towers) was spectacular.

Friday I flew north to Puerto Montt to meet my mom.  A delayed flight in Atlanta caused her to miss her fight out of Santiago, but she eventually made it to where I was waiting.  We immediately set off for Chiloé, an island covered with small fishing villages and farmland, set in the Pacific Ocean.  For dinner last night we tried curanto, a native dish made with every meat imaginable and decided it was a little too much for us.  Today, after doing some shopping in the artesan markets, we taxi ride along the coast to where a boat took us out to visit a penguin colony located on a couple small islands.  We both found it beautiful.  I am so happy to be able to have my mom here and she is equally enjoying being in such a unique place.

Goodbye to Pisco Elqui

After returning from my trip to San Pedro, I spent one more week in Pisco to conclude my time teaching and say farewell to my friends (and also I get my clothes washed one last time).  The week passed very quickly and before I had time to take in my last moments in the valley, I was dragging my luggage along the dirt roads of Pisco to catch the bus in the town plaza. 

Thursday night the volunteers and a couple of the English teachers surprised me for a farewell party.  I had no idea they were planning it and really appreciated their consideration.  Afterward some of us went to La Escuela (“the school”), a popular bar in town, to sit around a fire and listen to Chilean music played and sung by the barman and a few of the locals.  Pepe, the barman, treated to me a Pisco Mistral before I went home to get enough sleep for my last day of classes.  I realized that night is what trips like this are all about.

Friday night us five volunteers ate dinner in the restaurant whose owners I had been teaching English.  We all enjoyed the food and afterward tried vainly to learn to dance the Cueca, Chile´s national dance.

I got up early this morning to pack my belongings, realizing I have somehow acquired more than when I arrived.  No one was available to drive me so I determinedly hauled my rolling luggage and backpack to the plaza, up and down a hill and through road construction. 

I have finally arrived in La Serena for the night to take a bus south to Valparaiso in the morning to drop off my luggage at the home of one of Mondo Challenge´s coordinators.  From there I am still unsure where I will travel until Friday, when I meet my mom in the airport in Santiago and we begin our 11 days of traveling through the South of Chile.  I can´t wait to see the rest of the country, but especially to have my mom with me while I do.

Islas Damas and Fray Jorge

Lorraine and I returned to La Serena on Wednesday to visit two more parks in the area.  First heading North we visited Islas Damas to see penguins, dolphins, sea lions and many varieties of birds.  We circled the islands on a small boat, stopping once to explore the smallest island by foot.  Afterward we grabbed lunch, consisting of locally-caught seafood.  It was delicious. 

Friday we went to the Valley of Enchantment, South of La Serena, where the Incas held celebrations two thousand years ago.  Their rock etchings can still be seen throughout the valley.  We then drove to Fray Jorge, an isolated cloud rain forest surrounded by desert.  The climate is profoundly different at this altitude, where clouds fill the air most of the day and unique plants, commonly found in other parts of Chile, grow wild.

 

Last of San Pedro

San Pedro de Atacama

Lorraine and I arrived here in San Pedro late Friday night and found our way through the dark, sandy streets to our hostel, Sonchek.  San Pedro is a small tourist town surrounded by the Atacama desert, the driest in the world.  First thing Saturday morning we visited the town and the local artisan markets selling ceramics, jewelry and knits and then the beautiful white church that is hundreds of years old.  In the afternoon we set off for the first of our three trips.  The tour van took us, along with the other travelers, to the Valle de la Muerte (Valley of the Dead)  to see the stunning salt mountains and run down the sand dunes.  The colors and shapes of the landscape looked like mars.  We then made our way by van to another part of the valley where we meandered through an ancient canyon with walls of salt crystals.  Finally, we made it to the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) for a stunning sunset over the Andes Mountains whose light reflected on volcanoes and mountain peaks.  By the time we got back to the hostel, we were exhausted.

We woke early this morning for the second trip, traveling for a couple hours as the sun was rising to make it to the Salar de Atacama, the 3rd largest salt flat in the word.  There we saw beautiful flamingos feeding in the water.  Then we drove up several thousand feet to two amazing lagoons, where the glassy blue water was an astounding contrast to the sharp yellow grass and towering mountains.  There we saw the aquatic nests of birds and the protected vicuñas (in the same family as the alpaca and llama).  We ate a delicious lunch in tiny nearby town and then returned to San Pedro, exhausted this time by the vast changes in altitude throughout the day.

These excursions have been amazingly beautiful and have allowed me to meet more people from all over the world.  Tomorrow morning we depart at 4 am to visit the geyser field and bathe in a hot spring and Wednesday we will fly back south to La Serena and visit two more national parks.  This weekend has been such a contrast to the frustration I face daily at the school that I really don`t want to return, even if it is only for a week.  More to come soon . . .

Green, Green Pisco Elqui

Spring is so beautiful in the Elqui Valley. All the leaves on the grape vines have opened up, blanketing the valley with perfectly straight lines of bright green.  Avocados, oranges and lemons are in surplus throughout the area.  Yummy!

Late last week I was furious to find out that someone, somehow got access to my debit account.  I was forced to cancel my card with little cash as a backup.  I quickly realized how difficult it is to transfer and access money internationally, especially when the nearest bank and ATM are one hour away.  Thanks to my mom back home, I was able to transfer the money I needed.  This was especially urgent since I leave on Thursday to head to Northern Chile for over a week.  I and another volunteer, Lorraine from England, are heading to the city of San Pedro to visit one of the most popular destinations in Chile.  There, we will visit the driest desert in the world, along with secluded lagoons where three varieties of flamingos reside and the world’s biggest geyser field.  I am getting so excited!

Biweekly I have been teaching English to a local family who owns a popular restaurant.  I have one of their daughters in 5th grade and the other is in kindergarten.  They are such kind people and make excellent food.  I always look forward to the lessons for the sake of their company as much as the food!

Yesterday each grade participated in the long-awaited English exposition, the Little Stars Show.  Most of the grades performed a skit or song but some of the 7th and 8th graders danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.  I really enjoyed teaching it to them and they had a great time dancing too.

Pisco’s Celebration of the Virgin

A shot I took on my way to school of Pisco Elqui

Wading in the cold river of the cave

A friend from Germany who works at a hostel in Pisco

Notice the statue of Mary in the background

The German-owned hostel in La Serena

Lorraine, Holly and Me

After returning from La Serena on Sunday, we dropped off our overnight bags (which included 10 kilos of oranges for only $4 (USD)) and then headed back into town to the flea market near the town square.  Vendors sold all varieties of goods, from fruit to clothing and pot and pans to woven baskets.  After the town´s mass a parade through town began.  Though the celebration was in honor of the Virgin Mary, the costumes had a greater resemblance to Mardi Gras.  At the end of the procession was a statue of Mary that was carried on a platform by several men.  The entire parade, though short, was quite elaborate and flashy.

For a day my right eye had been very blood-shot and irritated.  Fortunately, the local clinic does not charge the volunteers, so I stopped by that night and got some eye drops for the infection.   None of the bathrooms here have soap, and sanitation it hardly a consideration.  Consequently, I need to be more careful when I put in and take out my contacts, since I have no idea how dirty my hands are getting.  The redness has gone down considerably since.

Yesterday I and 3 of the other volunteers went for a brief walk through an adjacent valley.  There, we waded through and underground river that tunnels through the mountains and surfaces through the occasional cave.  It was beautiful but the water was as cold as Lake Michigan in April.

Writing From La Serena

I am nearly halfway through my stay in Chile and finally feel very comfortable with my Spanish.  On Wednesday I began teaching English to a family who owns a restaurant in Montegrande.  It was very fun as they are great people and made me an excellent dinner afterward.  I will continue to teach them two days a week and already look forward to the lessons this week.

In classes last week we spent much time practicing the acts for the English Expo on the 19th and will continue to do so this week.  While teaching a group of the 7th and 8th grade boys the Thriller dance they were, for the first time, attentive and did not misbehave.  The students are fascinated by Michael Jackson and we all really enjoyed practicing the dance.  During the little time we had for English class, we began a new method to help alleviate the behavioral problems.  For this, I spend a part of the class working with around 4 of the more advanced and interested students practicing and reviewing English.  By dividing the class, the head English teacher can spend more time with the students who struggle, while not holding back the others.  So far so good!

I, along with two other volunteers came to La Serena yesterday, a two hour bus ride to the Pacific.  We browsed the streets where vendors sold Chilean goods, ate lunch at an Italian restaurant on the ocean and then went down to the beach to test the water.  We spent the night in a very nice hostel that cost me only about $16, meanwhile the town was celebrating Chile´s victory over Colombia in a futbol (soccer) match, thus qualifying them to compete in the World Cup.  Yesterday I bought an inexpensive Alpaca sweater and a leather headband from the street vendors.  We are going to do some more shopping today and then head back to Pisco for the festival in celebration of the Virgin Mary.  There we plan to watch the parade, visit the market and then stop by the ramada tonight for a dance.  Finally things are starting to get a little busier and classes are going much better, though it makes my time here go much faster.  I can hardly believe I have only three more weeks of teaching!

Week 4

To my dismay, classes last week went very poorly.  With an ill head English teacher, I faced the classes alone.  Bad, bad idea.  Though the students don´t have much repsect for the other teachers, it is much worse for me because, among other reasons, they know I am here only temporarily.  Since there are no lesson plans (that I am aware of), I was forced to create the lessons as soon as I stepped into the class.  Not only was I extremely unprepared, but most of the students´ behavior was competely horrible.  I simply did all I could to prevent any severe injuries and was unable to make it through an entire English lesson.  Though most classes go better than those last week, it is obvious that major changes need to be made to the English programs so that the students, teachers, and volunteers make the most of their time.  Unfortunately, this is happening in all the schools in the valley.  To begin, I have decided to NEVER enter a classroom alone for the sake of everyone involved.  We will also begin to separate the classes so that the more willing and dedicated students can work with me and wont be brought down by the others.  Though I will only be teaching for four more weeks, this should hopefully help to alleviate the most significant of the problems and make things better for the next volunteers.

Last Friday I left the valley for the first time and headed to the coastal town of La Serena with another volunteer, Lorraine, from England.  Though we did not spend much time there as it is a two hour bus trip, I was very happy for the break.  I finally bought my much needed coffee, dark chocolate, peanut butter and stamps (none of which are sold in the valley).  Saturday the volunteers enjoyed an authentic Gambian meal made by Lorraine, who lives there for much of the year.  The spicey dish was a wonderful departure from the bland food of Chile.  I concluded the weekend with a trip to the remote Cochiguaz, a village that is separated from Pisco by a narrow range of mountains.  The trip there was quite frightening as we hitched a ride in an old jeep whose driver seemed too familiar with the dirt roads.  He took no precautions as we drove high above the rocky valley on a winding road without guard-rails.  We were not sure if we would be able to find a ride out of the valley and did not want to pay 8 thousand pesos ($16) for a private taxi, so we quickly ate our lunch at a deserted but hearty restaurant and hopped on the next car back.

Hopefully the next post will tell of improvements in the school. . .