Oh, the rocks you’ll see. Cajón de Maipo, Chile
Despite the fact that hiking is not my thing, per se, and that hanging out in large groups in the wilderness tampoco (neither), I have recently "joined" (which means I am friends with them on Facebook, I think) a hiking group in Santiago. And it's all Heather's fault,...
On Supermarkets and My Cachito de Poder
Of all the things to be concerned about concerning changing apartments (will my stuff arrive? will it fit? will the internet ever be hooked up, is there a secret infestation of curly-antennae'd bugs? yes, yes, yes no), my mother was concerned about whether or not...
Open the Door! Close the Door. A Lesson in Emergency Spanish
There are two situations I encountered upon moving to Chile, two uniquely annoying what-do-I-say-here situations that left me frustrated, exposed, and sometimes, seemingly hijacked. It may be that you've studied Spanish or any of a host of other languages. You may...
New Zealand’s Riot of Color (#Blog4NZ)
There are places in the world that scream with color. Where in the middle of a pale blue sky pops a stark white cloud, against a red ridge. Where azure lakes appear over the horizon, turning milky turquoise, and rimmed with yellow and purple lupins. New Zealand is one...
Bearshapedsphere on La Bicicleta Verde, Bike Tours in Santiago
Ever the doubting Thomas (or Eileen, as the case may be), I was sure that the "traditional" snack on my La Bicicleta Verde tour was going to be an alfajor, a sweet, soft sandwich cookie filled with manjar (dulce de leche). They're packaged, widely available, and...
Nary a Hanga Roa in Hanga Roa, Easter Island report 2, now with jabón gringo
Before I left for Easter Island, I was charged by one of my work gigs with doing some research (and writing) on the island. This was nearly a first for me. I am the person who managed to go to Milan and failed to see the Last Supper because I simply didn't know it was...
Green Celery to me! (Easter Island report, with birthday blabla)
For reasons too complex and probably personal, all of which have to do with someone's precipitous and precocious death and feared short life expectancy and really, I am that person who has been to two cardiologists in the past three years only to find out that no, I...
On the anniversary of the 2010 Chilean Earthquake
On the anniversary of a terrible date in recent Chilean history, the 27th of February, nearly a year is completed from the 3:34 AM earthquake in Chile that would generate a tsunami that would wash away towns, and would knock one apartment building flat on its back...
Chileans make fun of gringos speaking Spanish! (again!) This time: Lah Peeohhaira
The last post, where I talk about whether or not walking more than kung fu (caminar mas que kung fu) is a potentially offensive expression, brought up issues of language and sensitivity. I am particularly attuned to language, and I like to think that I watch carefully...
Caminar mas que Kung Fu: More lessons in Chilean Slang
It wasn't until I heard the expression "caminar mas que Kung Fu" (lit: walk farther than Kung Fu) for about the third time that I thought to ask someone just who or what Kung Fu was, and why he walked so much. It's not that I'm not interested in language. On the...
