A friend of mine recently mentiond to me that I never say anything about my other blog. Other blog? Like a secret one where I rail against people who have wronged me and talk about how much alcohol I have drunk that day (always a disappointment, normally very little or none)? No, actually it’s a blog I write for NileGuide as part of my gig as an expert there. I try to keep that stuff more Santiago-specific and less me-specific, but as I am incapable of maintaining a poker face, so too is it impossible for me to keep my personality out of what I’ve written. Here are a couple of things that might be of interest or cause a snicker. Feel free to click and make me rich (where rich is very, very relative).
Upcoming events
Cumbre Guachaca– an alcohol-soaked good time, tonight and tomorrow night at Estación Mapocho. I can’t say enough about this insane event, but I can stay far, far away. But that’s just me. Go! drink a terremoto! twirl your hankie!
Cuasimodo Celebration– Not your grandmother’s Catholicism. A parade/procession of headscarved horsemen and cyclists accompany the priest to bring communion to the infirm. Sunday, May 1.
Guided Wine Tasting in English by Andes Wines-Another wine dipenser event, this one hosted and guided by Pamela Villablanca. May 5th, click for details.
Hilarity
Chilean Mine Rescue Recreated in Marshmallow Peeps– My two countries coming together in the name of hypersweet snacks and great human drama.
Legal
Seatbelt Use Now Obligatory on Long-Distance Buses in Chile– really, they’re handing out tickets and everything!
More
There is tons more. I’ve written more than 80 posts for them, some time-sensitive, some not. As time has gone on, I’ve been doing more “upcoming events” in Santiago type posts, as that seems to be what people want.
And even more
I also write restaurant reviews and things to do and whatnot, which you can check out if you like. I try to be circumspect, but again, the snark sometimes comes through. Coming soon, I ate Mexican food in Santiago that didn’t suck! (link to follow).
I’m probably going to do this at least once a month. Tell me if you object, and I’ll consider sending you a carrier pigeon with the news instead. I know where you(r computer) live(s).
This comment has nothing to do with this post, but I was going thru ur old posts because I only recently found this blog and had so much fun reading them.
I’m really curious about the difference between “a lot of mistakes” and “many mistakes” (???)
I always thought they were the same! Perhaps it’s because I earned my “bilingue diploma” (which I later found out meant I could barely make myself understood in english) at 15 in the Instituto Chileno Norteamericano, which I’m not sure is the same place the lady you tried to explain this to worked at. But probably they just all teach the same, so what’s the difference!?
It was the difference between “a lot of mistakes” and “too many mistakes.” A lot is quantitative, there was a quantity, they were numerous. Too many is a judgement call, as in, an excessive amount. It’s a point often lost in ESL/EFL teaching (to Spanish speakers), no matter how many times it is explained.
Consider this. Your niece is very tall! Sweet. You’re saying my niece is tall for her age. You notice that her height is above average. No one is offended.
Now this. Your niece is too tall! Bummer. She doesn’t fit in the car, can’t buy clothes easily, or looks out of proportion. Now I’m sad.
Hope that helped
ohhhh i see it now! it is indeed very subtle.. I think its the same difference we have in spanish when we say has cometido muchos errores and has cometido demasiados errores, but if someone had asked me what was the difference between demasiado and mucho before reading this, i would have said: there’s none.
I guess u can only be as good in english as ure in ur mothertongue language xD ..i was always below class average in spanish, but then i also got the highest math score the school ever got in the math psu 😛
It is true that your 2nd language skills are not likely to exceed your 1st language skills, but if you can see the difference, maybe your skills are better than you think. I think the problem with the person with whom I had that experience is that in Chile, people use demasiado to mean “a lot” more than “too much” and then that generalization gets extended to English. I learned “demasiado” as “too,” so I was always surprised by some Chileans using it to mean “a lot.” Though she was an English teacher, so she probably should have known better.
I want a carrier pidgeon!! Hahah. Also, more importantly, I want to know where the Mexican food didn’t suck. 🙂 Also I have your Nileguide bookmarked on my work computer now and click often. Hopefully your millions are rolling on in.
oh yes, I am tremendously wealthy now, all from NG! (ha!) I will try to write about the mexican food later today, but the short story is: ciudad de Mexico on Rancagua near Condell. they made me vegetarian enchiladas. Went to another one that came highly recommended and almost starved to death. Will write about both maybe later today if I can get this cold-fog out of my brain long enough.
Uggh spelled pigeon wrong.