goals

It’s halfway through the school year here in Chile and my 2-week winter vacation is coming to an end. (Sniff, Sniff).  Vacations have definitely exceeded my expectations this year.  I was originally bummed because I was supposed to have visitors from the United States-but those plans fell through and I was left with a wide variety of options.  In the end, I travelled to Concepcion to visit my friend, Julia, who I met while hiking in Patagonia. 

The most beautiful part of my time in Concepcion was when a group of us went to a nearby beach town, Coliumo, to go rock climbing.  The sensation of climbing while breathing in the fresh ocean air was unforgettable. Each breath was so positive and refreshing. It was a blessing to have the opportunity to go to such an incredible place.

With Julia 

Starting off...

After spending a week in the city, we decided to spend a few days in the snow.  Our friend, Felipe, (who we also met in Patagonia) is a mountain guide, and had the idea to climb a volcano about two hours south of Concepcion in a smalllll town called Chillán.  We were never able to reach the summit of the volcano due to extreme winds, but I learned SOOOOO much from Felipe and the few days disconnected from the world helped me see clearly what I want for myself in the next few months.

Felipe and I being crazy 2,800 mts in the air!

The reason why I am writing this post is because I have created a few goals for myself for the upcoming months.  I think it’s important to critically look at your life and see what you are doing well and what you can improve.  Here are 5 simple goals that I hope to achieve:

Goal #1:

READ MORE

It’s important… and I’m not doing it.

Goal #2:

ABS

I’m roll-less… but I want it flatter… and with abs. 

Goal #3:

EAT HEALTHY (on the weekends)

I eat extremely healthy during the week-but for some reason I find myself eating pizza, hot dogs, and French fries on the weekends. I need to become more creative with my cooking.

Goal #4:

STAY SINGLE

No comment.

Goal #5

ONLY WINE AND BEER

My alcohol tolerance is SO SO SO SO low at this point that if I drink one strong drink I’m already buzzed.  I feel like it’s a positive change.

I continue feeling grateful for my independence and my simple lifestyle here in Santiago.  For me, there is no future nor is there a past.  I live, think and breathe in the present.   I still play soccer 3X a week and rock climbing/mountaineering on the weekends.  Chile offers such a beautiful life—this country has everything to share and everyday I fall more in love with its people, landscape and opportunities.

I suppose that I am in a moment of personal growth and find myself in good balance. 

I am living MY dream.

I’ll finish this post with a poem written by my favorite poet, Pablo Neruda.  I remember reading this 5 years ago in my Spanish literature class here in Chile.  It didn’t have the same affect as it does on me today.

His words speak the truth... and I, forever, will live by his wisdom.

You start dying slowly-Pablo Neruda 

You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice…

click clock click clock

It’s been a long, LONG time since I have updated this blog, cueeK!

I’m going to make it quick, no edits, no thinking… just writing.

I couldn’t be any better.  I am in a great spot, physically and emotionally.  It’s always scary to find yourself smiling while walking down the street because you know that your state of blissful happiness will soon take a tumble…but I have learned to enjoy it while it lasts.  

I’m a busy woman these days. I have made my weeks my weekends and my weekends my vacations.  I play soccer on Monday’s and Tuesday’s and I rock climb on Wednesdays. Thursday’s are social days and Fridays I like to rest. I have spent almost every weekend away from Santiago rock climbing. 

I haven’t done a lot of partying.  Or maybe I have…just not a lot of drinking.  I have been enjoying my weekend get-a-ways way too much to loose a day to a hangover.  I also don’t like who I am when I drink a lot.  Shit, I’m growing up.

I am still teaching English.  This year I teach 1, 2, 5 and 6 graders and an after school high school class.  I am already restless feeling trapped with the strict routine and I don’t find the job very rewarding.. but whatever, I need money.  At least, so far, I haven’t had any children grab my breasts asking for milk.

Maté, big sweaters, empañadas. Rock climbing? Sarah, what? Since when?  Well, to be honest, the first time I went climbing was in Pucón (the south of Chile).  I met some guides while hiking a volcano and they invited me to go with them to climb.  As a person who never turns down an opportunity, I gleefully accepted. We went, we climbed, we repelled, and we fell.  The rope ran out and SPLAT, I fell about 10 feet right onto my back.  Luckily, I only suffered severe bruising and a few days of intense pain.  However, I can’t play it off like it didn’t affect me…it scared me, a lot.  Just thinking about the details of that night puts a knot in my stomach.

Anyway, I started rock climbing after that.  Not sure why.  I guess the fall motivated me.  I have been learning slowly, taking every detail into account-no more accidents! I spend all of my free time outside in the fresh air. Nature is my new religion.  It gives me energy…it fills my lungs with air, brings me to peace, and it takes me to new limits.  I sprawl out in the dirt, I hug the rocks, I feel childlike.  Over the past three months I have been to many breathtaking places.  I have met amazing people.  I have pushed myself to meet goals.  I have been frightened, felt uncomfortable…but there is nothing better than finishing a route.  Taking a few seconds to look around at your surroundings.  Your body is shaking and you’re exhausted but it doesn’t matter because for one moment, you feel on top of the world. 

I have met an entirely new group of friends here in Santiago.  I find that they have a very positive influence on me: less drinking and more activities, overall, guiding me to find a healthier lifestyle.   I am learning a lot from them.  I feel comfortable with them.  I don’t need to try.  They are simple and they don’t expect anything from you, just respect and an equal friendship…an ’I’m here for you and you’re here for me, kind-of-thing.’ Sharing moments together is enough.

I am now living in a neighborhood of Santiago called, Lastarria.  It is smack dab in the center of the city and has a very artistic vibe to it.  The apartment is old and has a lot of character.  I am living with a musician.  His name is Diego and plays the guitar in a flamenco band.  

No boyfriend right now, BUT I have met someone that gives me butterflies for the first time since my ex left me for Europe.  It’s a fun feeling.  I like him.

I have so many awesome stories but I have been writing a lot in my journal.  I like pen and paper.  It’s so old-fashioned and basic. 

My soccer team!  "Factor Sorpresa."  After not playing for almost 4-5 years I am doing pretty well!  I am #49 for the top scorers in the entire league (yeaaaaaaaah, you have to give me some credit there's 40+ teams)!

Here we are in el Cajon de Maipo for a climbing film festival.  Oscar (left) and Claudio (right) are my boys!  They have taught me so much about climbing and we've built a really great friendship.  Even though we fight like brother and sister and they make fun of me for EVERYTHING, we laugh A LOT.  I never miss a Wednesday climbing with them at Casa Arbol. (Our friend's house that has a climbing wall).

 This photograph was also taken at the film festival in el Cajon de Miapo.  We were returning from the "valle de la engorda" right as the sun was setting on the mountains.  The colors were spectacular!  I had an incredible experience climbing here, it started snowing.  There was a moment when I couldn't feel my fingers or my toes...!!  When I got down I couldn't untie the rope or take off my shoes--it was very painful :O

 valle de la engorda-cajon de maipo

valle de la engorda-cajon de maipo

I thought I would throw in a normal picture, wearing normal clothing, without any mountains or rocks. Here I am, with my friend Julia, pronounced, Hulia here in Chile.  I met her while hiking in Patagonia and we have stayed in contact.  She came to visit me in Santiago and I have a trip planned to visit her in Concepcion in June.  Julia also climbs and was a huge inspiration/reason for why I started. 

I'll end with a few random photos from weekends away:

 There is nothing better. Complete and total happiness.

 With Maru, my other favorite climbing companion.  The 'nice' one that stands up for me when Claudio and Oscar are picking on me!

I could never forget to add a picture of my best friend, Katie, and me!  She's not only my best  friend in Santiago she's also a friend of all sports....and food!  She introduced me to both soccer teams I am playing with and we both started climbing around the same time.  We also tend to go on a lot of friend dates together trying out new restaurants and bars around Santiago.  

Well, to be honest I am getting really tired.  I have to take my laundry out to put it on the line and I really want a tea.  Sorry for falling off the face of the earth.  I hope to stay in better contact.  Updates are welcome.

Chau.

right foot left foot

I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas.  I am sitting in my office sunburnt with an iced coffee hiding from the Santiago scorcher that will for sure give me pit stains and swap ass the second I walk out the door.

I have officially finished my first year as a 'real life' teacher.   Last Friday was the last day of classes and after mass we had a huge “end of the year” party.  Things got out of control when I found myself sexy dancing like I would at a night club with my first grade class.  After eating copious amounts of cake and cookies we set up the projector and had a huge rave.  One of the music videos had a segment of a blonde woman dancing solo … well...  the boys started a “Miss Sarah” chant, and formed a circle around me...so naturally, I kicked my leg up on a chair and dropped low.  As I write this it sounds really inappropriate but I swear it wasn’t as it seems…….? 

These past few months have gone by in a snap.  I have had ups and downs…ins and outs (lots of stomach problems)…and a lot of FUN!  I finally resolved everything with my Chilean visa…thank God.  Dealing with the “system” here has given me a few emotional breakdowns and moments of uncontrollable rage.  However, I can leave the country…and return—which is a relief. 

I am currently in the process of moving out of my apartment.  It is amazing how much junk a person can accumulate in just one year.   I am hoping to finish cleaning out my room later this afternoon so I can be ready to pick up and leave on Sunday.  Homeless for a week should be fun…wouldn’t be the first time.

Just one week and I’ll finally be on summer holiday!  I have been counting down the minutes.....

Let's work backwards...starting with last Sunday.

Here I am with my friend Meghan who I met in Ovalle teaching at an English camp last summer.  She lives in the north of Chile but was in Santiago for the weekend because her boyfriend was playing in the National Championship for North American football.   Saturday we went to the game and let me just say…Chileans CANNOT play football.  It was worse than anything I have ever seen.  I could throw a better spiral then ¾ of the boys out on the field.  However, at the entrance of the stadium (I thought this was really sweet) there were people handing out instructions on how the game was played.  In the end, Meghan’s boyfriend’s team won…so it was fun to watch them celebrate after the game.

The picture above was taken in Parque Forestal here in Santiago.  Yesterday, I met up with Meghan and her boyfriend for lunch and afterwards we joined others to go to a concert that was a protest to protect Patagonia.  Here you can read more about the conflict that is taking place.

There were tons of famous Chilean singers and bands that played.  The concert lasted about 6 hours and I stayed for the whole dang thing.  There is nothing better than laying in the park with a cold beer, listening to music and being with good company.  Here are a few songs that I heard yesterday:

Manuel Garcia 

Villa Cariño

Joe Vasconcellos

The above photos are both related to the two theatre performances in which I participated in at the end of the year.  The roses were given to me by a group of seniors for participating in their final English project.  I had the lead part of a Mrs. Robinson that went around having sex with lots of young children…one in which ended up being my son.  I am very thankful that the audience did not understand English.  It was a very uncomfortable part to play, (although extremely entertaining), and I am still shocked that it was appropriate for school?  The other photograph is from another end of the year English performance with a group of juniors.  Their play was a lot more appropriate for school and I played the part of the “crazy, man/wife.”  Note: the unibrow, mustache, big wart on my nose.   

As many of you already know I will be teaching one more year here at Colegio San Ignacio.  I am very excited because I was told that next year I will be giving classes to elementary, middle and high school students.  It is going to be very difficult and time consuming but I am ready for the challenge!

 Here I am making bread with one of my second grade classes.  We made the bread for the “Liturgia del Pan” where we went to mass and shared the bread that we made with our families and friends.  The leftover bread was given to shelters throughout Santiago.   It was special to have the opportunity to share with the students outside of our normal English classes…plus, I learned how to make bread!

My friend Katie and I had been itching to get out of Santiago for a weekend.  After many tried and failed attemps, we finally got ourselves together and went on an incredible weekend hiking/camping trip in Cajon de Maipo. It was one of the most beautiful places that I have been to since I arrived in Chile.   I am very surprised about how many Chileans have never been to Baños Morales in Cajon de Maipo…it is only about an hour and a half outside of the city and it is very easy to access.

Waiting for the gates to open at the metro on a Saturday morning was a joke.  Sooooooooo many drunk people.  With limited harrassment we made it to the end of the green line where we jumped on a bus that took us down the dirt road en route to “el volcan.”  When we finally arrived we were in serious need of a coffee.  The town was so small that we literally ran into the only place that served, well, anything…and it was gooooooooooood!  God, the air was so refreshing. 

After our much needed coffee we set off to find a place to pitch our tent.  After about 20 minutes of roaming around we found a quiet spot next to a creek.  Here is a photograph of the view we had from our tent…pretty beautiful, right? 

The park ranger told us that to hike to the glacier and back would take us about 5 hours.  3 hours there and two hours back.  In the end, it took us about 10 hours  to finish because we took our time and bee-bopped around.  The hike was UNREAL.  The first 40 minutes were pretty intense, all uphill…but after that it was pretty smooth.  Here are some photographs of the hike:

The lagoon that we stopped and napped at! 

On the way to the glacier we stopped to play in the refreshing snow! 

Finally, we found someone else on the trail to take a picture of the two of us! 

After finishing the hike we went to our campsite where we relaxed for awhile before heading up to the town to see if we could find a hot meal to reward ourselves after a day of exercise.  We stumbled upon a tiny family run restaurant (literally, it was their house) where we were fed chicken and rice (very typical) and watched the Colo Colo soccer game.  There was a moment where we looked in the mirror and noticed that our eyes were bloodshot and red…CUJO, rabid dog RED!   We looked, really, really, stoned.  We definitely deserved the skeptical stares…and learned that we need to buy better sunglasses.

The second day we went to the mineral pools that are located right in the town.  It was about 5USD to enter and we were there all afternoon.  

Water kind of looks like poop, he he.

Needless to say, it was an awesome weekend outside of Santiago. 

I have gone on a lot of different hikes over the past few months.  I have found that getting out of Santiago for a day is really good for me.  I think it may also be a new hobby of mine.   After my trip to DC, I will start training for my journey to Patagonia to hike/camp the 8-10 day circuit in Torres del Paine…alone! I have been planning my trip south for a few months and I am not sure why…but I have always seen myself traveling and doing it on my own.  So…I am.

Some photographs from my hiking trips:

At the top...relaxing with a juice box!!

Cerro Pochoco: right outside of Santiago.  Straight uphill hike for two hours.  Going down was worse.  I ripped open my hand and still have a scar.  Fell about 40 times.  I downed a pitcher of beer, cheeseburger and French fries after this hike. 

Los Saltos de Apoquindo: also, right outside of Santiago.   It was a very rainy day and a very long hike.  I went with my German ex-roommate, Kerstin and some other friends.  We went with a local hiking group that always gets people to go on hikes during the weekend.  It was an all-day hike … about 15km and 8 hours.  It rained the entire time but we met a lot of fun people and enjoyed drinking the fresh water from the creeks!

I have to pee so bad right now but the woman is cleaning the bathroom and she gets so angry when people enter while she’s working.  I could go downstairs but I am way too lazy.  I drank 3 coffees this morning after I started to drool on my desk while reading the news.  I am so jacked up on caffeine.  I recently had a meeting with my boss boss, like…the most important boss that I have and I couldn’t understand a word he was saying…just starring at him with a big DUMB grin on my face. 

Anyway, I completely forgot to mention my weekend get-a-way to Pichelemu.. a beach town about 3 hours South of Santiago.  We stayed at my friend’s cabin, which didn’t have electricity so it was candlelight all weekend long.  It really wasn’t that difficult to live without electricity.  Obviously, I would have liked to shower (wait, that’s a blatant lie, I hate bathing myself) but I enjoyed the rustic lifestyle for the weekend.

The town was magical.  It was a mix of being at the beach and being on a farm. There is a really famous beach called “Punta de Lobos” which is known for some of the best surfing in the world.  Luckily, there was some type of “paddle while surfing” tournament…so there was a live DJ, tons of people and lots of commotion.  Oh yeah, we ate churros.  They were huge and filled with chocolate and manejar.  I ate 2. FAT ASS.

Really, the whole weekend I ate like a queen…my friend’s boyfriend is a chef, so we were spoiled with fresh seafood, delicious sauces and excellent deserts.  But I think my favorite part of the whole trip was the moon.  The second night we were there it didn’t come out until about 11pm…and when it did…it was a huge and abnormal.  It was so….melon-like.   It made me so happy…and I may or may not have howled…

The cabin that we stayed at for the weekend.

Eating delicious seafood. 

Looking out at "Punta de Lobos" 

With las toko at Punta de Lobos

Sunset on the first night...spectacular.

Sooooo yeahhhhh, asssss youuuu can seeeeee… I’ve been having a lot of fun!  I still haven’t gone to the bathroom.  I may have a bladder infection by the time I am finished writing this blog post.  I am trying to think of any other new and exciting news to share.  I have been very single but recently started seeing someone.  He takes me to nice dinners, art exhibits (he’s a graphic designer) and is really, really cooooooooool. Not sure if it will become anything serious…but for now…I’ll be selfish and enjoy being spoiled.

AND, how could I forget?  I am not sure if I have ever mentioned the family that I give private English classes to.  In the beginning, I worked with three different family members but now I only work with the father, Alfredo and son, Diego.  Working with this family has become a huge part of my life here in Santiago because I am there for four hours, two days a week.  The family lives in a very wealthy part of Santiago and I have to ride the metro to the end and then take a bus for another forty minutes.

Alfredo, father of 6, is an incredible man.  He has traveled all over the world and is the president of a huge cancer foundation here in Santiago.  I really enjoy giving classes to Alfredo because we talk about everything from politics to our favorite childhood memories.  He once told me this elaborate story about he was tricked into going to a Japanese strip club where the women were mud wrestling.  I think he was a little embarrassed telling me the story…but I told him about the diarrhea-turban-Sahara Desert story…so we were even.

Diego, the 25 year-old, hottie…has become a really good friend of mine.  He has been my most consistent student over the past 6 months and we have gotten to know each other really well.  It is a shame that he will be leaving for Australia in a month because I would love to try and court him as my future husband.  It has been so fun watching him improve his English….and I am so relieved that he passed his big test last week.  I feel very proud and full-filled seeing him succeed.

The family has treated me so well.  I have gotten to know everybody on a personal level and they are constantly inviting me to have lunch at their house or visit their beach house on the weekend.  I remember being very intimidated and nervous the first time I had to give them classes...but now…I consider all of them, kind of like….family.  I am very blessed to have them in my life here in Chile.

I could blabber on forever about lots of different things but I will save that for myself.  I’ll end the blog post with a few random pictures.

Birthday girl and her cake of jelly shots! 

In passing.

Barrio Bellavista 

Barrio Bellavista

Plaza Brazil on a Sunday. 

  

I wish everyone a safe holiday season and I look forward to seeing lots of you during my time in the USA.   Updates are welcome!