1. There is a fantastic store here, Casa y Ideas, which is a combination of Crate and Barrel and Pier 1 Imports that I would buy up if only I could fit everything in our bags. Once fall hit everybody started wearing just black again so it is a joy to walk into this store with all of its colors. They have opened one store in Florida but I am not holding my breath until it opens in South Bend! I fear taking photos in stores so here is one I swiped from their web site to give you an idea:
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2. Another sign that it is time to go home. Rob went to get an estimate to fix some of the bumps and bruises before we sell our car. When he came back for the estimate this guy was found "purring" on the engine. Ginger's cousin!
3. Weighing bags #1 - I have finally given into the fact that the vendors at the feria compulsively put every piece of fruit into the bag but at the supermarket if I have to get a fruit weighed (all fruits and veggies are weighed in the produce section not at the cash register) and it has a peel that will be peeled (like a banana) I don't use a bag. This drives some people crazy. A man in line behind me the other day to get our fruit weighed almost started a screaming match with me because I didn't have my mango or bunch of bananas in a plastic bag. The weigher handled it well and I held back sticking out my tongue at him.
4. Weighing bags #2 - On the other hand, the other day I had to buy some goodie bags for Elisa's party. There is a mall close by that has many small stores that have been around forever all specializing in something. I remembered that there was a plastic bag place and went to procure some little colorful bags. The lady told me they came in packs of 50 and were about $7/kg. I looked at her in disbelief as she weighed the bag of bags. It came to all of $2/50 bags - who would have guessed that you weigh them!
5. I think that I have mentioned that people are forever sweeping the sidewalks here. Well now that we are in fall they are sweeping the leaves too even if they are in the grass. I think that I have seen maybe two rakes and probably 100 brooms so far attempting to rake leaves out of the grass. Not the most efficient but....
6. Jamon de Pavo - So I kept hearing about kids bringing in jamon y queso sandwiches for snack at school. Jamon usually means ham so I thought it quite odd given the dietary restrictions at a Jewish school especially when it was in between matza on Passover. I finally figured out that they usually mean Jamon de Pavo which is like sliced turkey cold cuts in the US.
7. Instituto Nacional de Deporte - At the Estadio they have signs all over the place of kids doing various types of sports with the logo of the Instituto Nacional de Deporte and a sidebar saying that this is part of Ley del Deporte (Ley Nº 19.712 de 2001). It turns out that it is a government agency that wants to increase public participation in sports by promotes sports, allocates resources to develop programs, and oversees the organized sports. I am not sure if that included private teams. It looks like they also sponsor elite athletes perhaps on their way to international competitions?
8. There is a kids clothing store here called Colloky. The clothing looks cute but based on the name and having survived Renee's first six months of life I could never set foot in that store! Who thought this stuff up????
9. Estadio Israelita Macabee Gimnasia - Both girls spent a lot of time practicing gymnastics at the Estadio. They may not have been the best team out there but the teachers were very loving and the kids had a great time.
10. Kissing - I don't think that I ever covered this but there is a lot of social kissing here. We Americans definitely seem cold to Chileans (or any Latin American!). When you enter a room for a social engagement you kiss everybody on the cheek. When you leave, same deal. When you see somebody you know walking down the hallway at school - kiss. Mom drops off kid for playdate - kiss when Mom comes, kiss when Mom leaves. When you visit your husband at work and see a colleague in the hall or at his desk - kiss. When you greet a teacher - kiss. When you see somebody you know at the grocery store - kiss. When you see the Director of school at school or anywhere else - kiss. Nana shows up for work - kiss. Mom drops off kid at birthday party - kiss. Mom picks up kid at birthday party - kiss. Its a wonder we haven't gotten sick more often ;-)
When people know that I am a gringa (if savvy enough they know at first glance!) they often hesitate to see whether or not I'll go for the kiss. Now I usually do but I'll preface it with a look saying "I know what this is about." Hoosiers - if I lunge for your cheek when I first see you I apologize ;-)
4. Weighing bags #2 - On the other hand, the other day I had to buy some goodie bags for Elisa's party. There is a mall close by that has many small stores that have been around forever all specializing in something. I remembered that there was a plastic bag place and went to procure some little colorful bags. The lady told me they came in packs of 50 and were about $7/kg. I looked at her in disbelief as she weighed the bag of bags. It came to all of $2/50 bags - who would have guessed that you weigh them!
5. I think that I have mentioned that people are forever sweeping the sidewalks here. Well now that we are in fall they are sweeping the leaves too even if they are in the grass. I think that I have seen maybe two rakes and probably 100 brooms so far attempting to rake leaves out of the grass. Not the most efficient but....
6. Jamon de Pavo - So I kept hearing about kids bringing in jamon y queso sandwiches for snack at school. Jamon usually means ham so I thought it quite odd given the dietary restrictions at a Jewish school especially when it was in between matza on Passover. I finally figured out that they usually mean Jamon de Pavo which is like sliced turkey cold cuts in the US.
7. Instituto Nacional de Deporte - At the Estadio they have signs all over the place of kids doing various types of sports with the logo of the Instituto Nacional de Deporte and a sidebar saying that this is part of Ley del Deporte (Ley Nº 19.712 de 2001). It turns out that it is a government agency that wants to increase public participation in sports by promotes sports, allocates resources to develop programs, and oversees the organized sports. I am not sure if that included private teams. It looks like they also sponsor elite athletes perhaps on their way to international competitions?
8. There is a kids clothing store here called Colloky. The clothing looks cute but based on the name and having survived Renee's first six months of life I could never set foot in that store! Who thought this stuff up????
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| None of these kids look like a typical Chilean (dark hair, dark eyes and darker skin)!!! That's very typical for advertising here. |
9. Estadio Israelita Macabee Gimnasia - Both girls spent a lot of time practicing gymnastics at the Estadio. They may not have been the best team out there but the teachers were very loving and the kids had a great time.
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| Renee got third in her level and age group at Club Manquehue |
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| Elisa's first meet (she's got those lovely hyper-extended elbows that will, unfortunately, prevent her from becoming an Olympic athlete ;-) ) |
10. Kissing - I don't think that I ever covered this but there is a lot of social kissing here. We Americans definitely seem cold to Chileans (or any Latin American!). When you enter a room for a social engagement you kiss everybody on the cheek. When you leave, same deal. When you see somebody you know walking down the hallway at school - kiss. Mom drops off kid for playdate - kiss when Mom comes, kiss when Mom leaves. When you visit your husband at work and see a colleague in the hall or at his desk - kiss. When you greet a teacher - kiss. When you see somebody you know at the grocery store - kiss. When you see the Director of school at school or anywhere else - kiss. Nana shows up for work - kiss. Mom drops off kid at birthday party - kiss. Mom picks up kid at birthday party - kiss. Its a wonder we haven't gotten sick more often ;-)
When people know that I am a gringa (if savvy enough they know at first glance!) they often hesitate to see whether or not I'll go for the kiss. Now I usually do but I'll preface it with a look saying "I know what this is about." Hoosiers - if I lunge for your cheek when I first see you I apologize ;-)
A real problem is that some countries kiss on the right cheek, some on the left cheek, and some more than once on alternate cheeks. If you cross enough borders, there is the real potential for gringo/chele induced, head-on collisions!
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