Cobquecura

After spending Saturday morning at Dario Salas (see previous blog post) we headed home for lunch, and then Pam came by to pick us up to drive over to the beach at Copquecura, about an hour and a half away. We arrived there in mid afternoon and checked into our small hotel/cabaña in town. The town was small and quiet, and the first thing we saw out our room window was a man plowing a small field with two oxen.

It was a 10 minute walk down to the beach, and what a wonderful 5 km long beach it was. We headed north along the beach, passing by the Loberia, a large rock formation with a colony of sea lions. We could hear them barking above the wind, and when we got downwind of the rock we could also smell them. We continued along for about an hour and a half - it was a long beach and the going was slow in the soft sand.

Finally, we got to the far northern end of the beach and the Iglesia Piedra - a large natural rock cavern carved by the ocean. Inside it was like a dark cathedral, with religious statues and various inscriptions on the walls. The cave opened out to the beach in three different places, and the tide was obviously rising, so we didn't get to spend too much time inside. Just to the north of the iglesia was another beautiful cove with wild windblown waves.

About this time we were getting tired and hungry, and the sun was just about to go down, so we decided to take the long walk back to town along the road. The wind was fierce, and it was getting colder as night fell. We were going to hitchhike, but very few cars were passing by. After walking along the road for about a half an hour, we overtook a man with an ox cart full of hay. He offered to give us a ride back to town, and after a bit of negotiating about the price, we climbed on board.

The driver was either going deaf, or thought that since we didn't understand his spanish too well that it would help to talk REALLY LOUDLY. He was a bit drunk and very friendly. We never did quite catch his name, but he proudly told us the names of his two oxen, Elegante and Flagrante. It wasn't much faster than walking, but it was a very entertaining mode of travel. He proudly proclaimed, "fui militar!" (I was a military man), "Cuando?", we asked. "1973! Pinochet, Pinochet!". OK, right, I'm not sure how to follow up on that. A few months from now when my Spanish is better I might be able to really have the rest of that conversation, but for now we just kept jostling along in the cart. He sang us a Chilean song. A partial video is here. You can see that by this time it was quite dark.

Note, if the embedded video doesn't work for you, try this link
Eventually we got back to the edge of town and he explained that he had to let us off here because the Caribineros would give him a ticket if he went too far into town. We said our goodbyes. He was hoping for goodbye kisses from Catherine and Pam but they demurred. We then walked the last kilometer or so into town and found a place to eat some hot seafood soup to warm up.

Links:

• More pictures of the weekend in Cobquecura


• soundtrack of the frogs that sang to us as we walked that last dark kilometer into town after our ox cart ride
  


• Link to a google map of Cobquecura
  

Colegio Dario Salas 'Big Band'

On Saturday morning Catherine and I went over to the school to help with the entrance exams for next year's prospective freshman. Over 600 eighth graders were on hand to take some addmissions tests and also tour the school and see what it had to offer. There was a lot going on for both parents and students. Catherine was featured as the new "native speaker" English teacher and was asked to get up and say a few words to introduce herself (in Spanish, of course) to the parents and to the students. The school fife and drum corps was putting on a show in the patio, the chess team had matches going on, the choir was singing in another room, the swim team was practicing in the pool. The hightlight, at least for me, was a performance by the school's Big Band. Earlier in the morning they had played several tunes for the parents, and they were great. I was impressed.

But, a bit later in the morning, with all 600 prospective students packed into the auditorium to hear speeches and more music, the band unveiled their secret weapon - a singer. WOW! This kid could really sing and he worked the crowd like a pro. He is going to be a star. It was over the top, and the crowd loved it. I have some video here that will give you a taste of the event. The whole event ended up being really fun and showed off the school's many talented students and teachers.

Note, if the embedded video doesn't work for you, try this link

The kindness of strangers

Since arriving in Chile we've had to do a bit of paperwork to get everything all squared away. We are practically on first-name basis with the folks at the nortario where we have gone repeatedly to get notarized copies of passport pages and teaching certificates. It is all a bit of a blur when you don't speak the language so well.

Just this morning I had to return to the Registro Civil to give them some additional papers needed to complete my application for a Chilean ID card. I had applied originally last week and all seemed fine, but the application went to Santiago and came back with a request for additional documentation. Catherine got the call yesterday at the house from Sr. Fuentes at the Registro requesting that I come back today.

Sr. Fuentes is the same person who I dealt with for my original application. This morning he was very helpful in getting my augmented application in order (and, of course, taking my picture and fingerprints again). Although Sr. Fuentes spoke no English with me, he did take the time to speak Spanish slowly so that I could understand what was happening. He is everything that you hope a civil servant will be; helpful, considerate, and compassionate. He made my experience relatively painless. He, along with so many other people here, have been kind and tolerant and helpful. It is humbling to be dependent on the kindness of strangers, yet it reaffirms my belief in the basic goodness of people.

I also have a renewed and enhanced appreciation and respect for the immigrants who come to the United States with limited English language skills and successfully navigate our own bureaucratic maze, find jobs and housing, survive, and even prosper. I hope the people of our country are as kind and helpful as the Chileans have been to us.

Girlfriends

Friends come easily, readily, and sincerely here in Chillán. As our community grows, so does our contentment. For more on our housewarming--birthday party--pisco sour tutorial go to: piscoparty

Meanwhile, here's to building community. Cheers!

La Cocina de Laura

Chilean schools have a very civilized protocol--time for almuerzo. We have an hour at my school, which enables us to go to a nearby restaurant for lunch and socializing. Thanks to Laura and her team I feast on traditional Chilean culinary delights on school days. Hearty dishes such as cazuela, porotos con riendas, pastel de papa, and various types of pescado, along with lively and animated conversation, replenish my spirit. This is an ideal recipe for promoting contentment and esprit de corps among school staff. Are you listening Portland?

Feliz Cumpleaños Miss

My day got off to a grand start when students insisted on singing happy birthday to me, first in English and then in Spanish. Of course they would have been thrilled to continue with festivities for the entire period in each of one today’s classes. Given that I had 3 consecutive 3 hour classes, it would have been a bit hedonistic to follow that path and throw the lesson plans out for today. I’m saving the self indulgence for a party this coming weekend. Meanwhile, both students and colleagues alike are generous with their affection and I am still wearing the hugs and kisses of the day. Lucky me, I came home to more from Dan.

Las Termas de Chillán

This morning we got up early to catch the bus up to las termas de Chillán, the natural hotsprings about 70 km up into the Andes from Chillán. It was a national holiday, the day of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, so there was no school for Catherine. The tourist office had told us what bus to catch from which bus terminal, but told us that it would only take us as far as Las Trancas, a small village about 7 km from Las Termas, where we could transfer to another bus to go the rest of the way. No problem, we thought.

We got to the bus terminal a few minutes before the 7:50 departure time, only to find that the small bus was packed to the gills (of course, since it was a school holiday, there were lots of kids going skiing). We got the last two seats, and 8 or 10 more people got on after us and spent the trip standing in the aisles or sitting on the steps. The trip from Chillán to Las Trancas was uneventful, although we couldn't see much in the early morning light with the windows of the bus completely fogged up.

When we got to Las Trancas, we asked for directions to the next bus to Las Termas... oh no, they said, there is no other bus, you just have to hitch hike. OK. So we stuck out our thumb and soon had a ride. Most of the people on this road were headed for skiing, but we explained to our driver that we didn't want to ski, only soak. No problem, he would drop us at the right spot. bueno.

Soon enough he dropped us at the Gran Hotel. We went inside to ask about the thermal pools. Oh no, they said, the pools are only for overnight guests. OK, so where are the public pools? Oh, you have to walk back down the road 1 km to la Valle Hermosa, they have public pools. OK. Start walking...

So, we walked back down the road a bit to the fork in the road to Valle Hermosa. Several men were standing at the bottom of the road, and we asked about the public pools... Oh no, they said, you need a car to get to them...but, but, we were told us that there were public pools at Valle Hermosa. True, they said, but you can't walk up the access road, too dangerous, cars only. But we have no car. hmmm. After a moment of awkward silence, one of the men said, come with me, and drove us up the access road in his truck. What generosity! Once we got there we paid a small entrance fee, changed into our bathing suits, and sat down in the pool, which was warm, but not too hot.
There was a gorgeous view of the snow covered mountains and steam rising from the surface of the pool. For the first half hour, we were the only ones there. Gradually, people started arriving, so that by noon there were almost 20 people in the pool with us.

One of the people in the pool with us was a man with his two year old daughter. We both ended up getting out at the same time, and I asked him if we could perhaps have a ride back down the access road to Las Trancas. Of course, he said. In fact, he lived in Chillán and would be happy to give us a ride all the way back down to Chillán. Along the way we found out that he was originally from Germany and had been living and working in Chile for nine years. As we came into town, he suggested that we stop for tea (and ice cream for his daughter). It would have been so easy for him to just give us a ride and drop us off, but instead he chose to make time to extend our interaction. After another half an hour or 45 minutes of conversation over tea, with him marking his favorite places to eat in Chillán on our map, he drove us to our house and dropped us off. I promised to email him photos of his daughter (which I will do right after I finish this blog entry). We were so touched that he took the time to help us out and connect with us on a more personal level. This is Chile.

la calle mojada...

I have been in Chile for 5 days now. It is wonderful to be here. As I flew out of Dallas late last Tuesday night, the full moon was rising in the darkness outside my window. All week long the moon had been waxing fuller and fuller, drawing me like a tide to Chile, and Catherine. After flying all night and watching the thinnest sliver of sunrise over the sawtooth Andes from 30,000 feet, we dropped down through the thick clouds and caught glimpes of vibrant green fields outside of Santiago.

After a 4 hour layover in Santiago and a one hour flight to Concepción, I was met at the Concepción bus terminal by Luz Maria, Rodrigo's girl friend. She was kind enough to meet me there and take the one hour bus ride back from Concepción to Chillán with me. As we rode the bus, the scenery outside the window reminded me of Oregon in the winter - green coastal range hills with small farms and vineyards (one difference here is the common sight of orange trees.) As we approached Chillán, we could see a dramatic bright rainbow lifting up out of the center of the city. That looked like a pretty good omen to me.

At one point on the ride, Luz Maria looked out the window and commented on la calle mojada, which transported me into the lyrics of the Victor Jara song te recuerdo Amanda. Actually, since I have been here I have felt like I am living inside Jara's images, including a woman with la sonrisa ancha at the Police Station who was registering my passport and visa.

At the center of this new world, it is most wonderful to be reunited with mi amor, Catherine, after a three and a half week separation. Despite almost constant rain and raw weather, our house is toasty with two wood stoves. After years of dreaming together and all the busy-ness of the past six months getting ready for this year's adventure, it is great to finally be here together, living in it instead of preparing for it.