Today marks my one year anniversary of living in Chile....
And I'm leaving the country!
Don't worry, it's just a short trip to Argentina. I'll be back on Monday with a full one year blog report.
Yayyyy, South America!
Besos,
Allie
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
This is becoming a food blog, isn't it?
Chinese food in Chile. I've heard that it is pretty bad. On Sundays, nothing in Chile is open. Last Sunday there was no food in the house. Out I went in a desperate search for sustenance. All I wanted was an empanada. You'd think that wouldn't be too hard to find. Wrong. Everything was closed... except for a Chinese restaurant. In the US, you can always count on finding an open Chinese take out place when everything else is closed, like on Christmas day or in the middle of a deathly ice storm. Sundays in Chile have a similar post-apocalyptic feel and apparently, Chinese restaurants are into that kind of thing. So, I ate there and it was ok.
Sometimes wontons look like this....
or this....
but in Chile they look like this.
I have been told that this is the universal Chilean interpretation of a wanton. See that little folded over corner at the top? There is actually a tiny piece of meat in there! For as strange as they appear, they are actually not that bad. Unfortunately, the soy sauce on the table must have been watered down because it tasted like.... well, water. They would have been better with some condiments. For a Sunday, not that bad.
Besos,
Allie
Sometimes wontons look like this....
or this....
but in Chile they look like this.
I have been told that this is the universal Chilean interpretation of a wanton. See that little folded over corner at the top? There is actually a tiny piece of meat in there! For as strange as they appear, they are actually not that bad. Unfortunately, the soy sauce on the table must have been watered down because it tasted like.... well, water. They would have been better with some condiments. For a Sunday, not that bad.
Besos,
Allie
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Allie+food processor=true looooooove
My love for my food processor goes beyond the affection that many people feel for their pets. I freaking love my food processor. I bought it for $3 at a garage sale when I was in high school and it has served me faithfully ever since.
When I was packing for Chile, I only took a backpack and a small rolling suitcase. This was a bad idea since I had to re-buy many things I already had in the states, like say most basic items of clothing. Even with this limited packing space, my food processor made it into the "maybe pile" on a few occasions. I just LOVE my food processor. I left it in Bob's hands and I hope that he is caring for it well.
After talking about all the fabulous things I could do with said food processor for months to one of my friends, he suggested that I buy one here in Chile. Genius! Then, I looked at the prices and was appalled. Considering that I've had pretty crap luck with the quality of items I've bought here, I was even more appalled. Then I was sad.
Months later, I was still sad. I had a dream about making hummus and decided that on that very day, I must go out and spend money that I didn't have on a food processor. Lack of patience coupled with lack of selection led me to buy a strange hand held kitchen multi-tool which included an attachment that vaguely looked like a small food processor. I made pesto once, was moderately pleased with it's performance and promptly forgot about the hummus, until today!
Yes! This thing makes hummus and it makes it well! But wait.... it is sweet. Strangely, the tahini that I have been buying here for months now has sugar.... a lot of sugar. So, I have sweet hummus, but it is hummus none the less. Garlicy, smooth, sweet, sweet hummus. And, it's not that bad.
After I finished the hummus, this conversation took place with my friend referred to above. I wont mention names in order to protect his privacy.
"Hey, do you want to try some hummus? It's sweet!"
"No!"
"Have you ever had hummus?"
"Hummus is for jews and gay people."
"... and vegetarians?"
"No difference, you are all evil! ...and the same!"
Isn't he sweet?
Hummus makes me evil and I love it.
Besos,
Allie
When I was packing for Chile, I only took a backpack and a small rolling suitcase. This was a bad idea since I had to re-buy many things I already had in the states, like say most basic items of clothing. Even with this limited packing space, my food processor made it into the "maybe pile" on a few occasions. I just LOVE my food processor. I left it in Bob's hands and I hope that he is caring for it well.
After talking about all the fabulous things I could do with said food processor for months to one of my friends, he suggested that I buy one here in Chile. Genius! Then, I looked at the prices and was appalled. Considering that I've had pretty crap luck with the quality of items I've bought here, I was even more appalled. Then I was sad.
Months later, I was still sad. I had a dream about making hummus and decided that on that very day, I must go out and spend money that I didn't have on a food processor. Lack of patience coupled with lack of selection led me to buy a strange hand held kitchen multi-tool which included an attachment that vaguely looked like a small food processor. I made pesto once, was moderately pleased with it's performance and promptly forgot about the hummus, until today!
Yes! This thing makes hummus and it makes it well! But wait.... it is sweet. Strangely, the tahini that I have been buying here for months now has sugar.... a lot of sugar. So, I have sweet hummus, but it is hummus none the less. Garlicy, smooth, sweet, sweet hummus. And, it's not that bad.
After I finished the hummus, this conversation took place with my friend referred to above. I wont mention names in order to protect his privacy.
"Hey, do you want to try some hummus? It's sweet!"
"No!"
"Have you ever had hummus?"
"Hummus is for jews and gay people."
"... and vegetarians?"
"No difference, you are all evil! ...and the same!"
Isn't he sweet?
Hummus makes me evil and I love it.
Besos,
Allie
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Belated New Year Resolution
When I moved to Chile (gasp) almost a year ago, I accidentally gave up music.
This is how....
I bought a new laptop shortly before I left and had way (way way) more trouble than necessary copying my music onto it, especially considering that I had the help of a computer engineer! Then, what music I was able to actually transfer somehow became all out of order in iTunes. Mysterious. Well, it really pissed me off so I kind of just tried to forget about it. I did a really good job and forgot about music entirely! Oops!
It's decided. My belated new years resolution is to bring music back into my life.
Readers, I need your help! What have I been missing out on?
Thanks! Besos!
Allie
This is how....
I bought a new laptop shortly before I left and had way (way way) more trouble than necessary copying my music onto it, especially considering that I had the help of a computer engineer! Then, what music I was able to actually transfer somehow became all out of order in iTunes. Mysterious. Well, it really pissed me off so I kind of just tried to forget about it. I did a really good job and forgot about music entirely! Oops!
It's decided. My belated new years resolution is to bring music back into my life.
Readers, I need your help! What have I been missing out on?
Thanks! Besos!
Allie
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Holidays are stuff... and Allie does stuff.
Holidays are nice, they make me realize how much I can't stand not having a job to go to every day! My class schedule started tapering down mid November and by about December 20th, I had nothing at all. At that time, a summer break seemed nice. I had many visitors scheduled, plans for travel, etc. By the time I started working again on the 19th of January, I couldn't wait. Goodness. I didn't really realize it until now, but I love teaching! I'm probably the only gringa in Chile who likes her job! Anyway, this summer I'm interning at One World Nursery and I have a few private classes outside the institute with some students in the neighborhood and with a kid in Renaca. Yayyyy, work! It's back!
Anyhoo, this was intended to be a post about time off from work. My family visited for a little over a week at the end of December/beginning of January. We explored. We had fun. They were all super adventurous and I was very proud. It was great to see them and sad when they left. It will be nice to live close to them again when I finally head back to the states. (It's strange when the idea of a 3,000 mile distance seems "close..." Crazy Chile rots your brain.)
The cast of characters:
Mom on horseback in Con Con on Christmas day. One of our group members was thrown from her horse! Luckily it wasn't Mom!
Dad! Decidedly too optimistic about his pastel de choclo.
Boy! He is just a bucket of sunshine, isn't he?
Vince, one of my best friends ever, also came to visit. We did a bit of traveling and then (unfortunately but not unexpectedly) I got sick and had to leave him to take on South America on his own for awhile. I've been so proud of his ability to meld his extensive understanding of English and French into an ability to comprehend Spanish. Yay, Vince! He leaves today, and I'll be sad to see him go.
Here we are in a fantastic Peruvian Restaurant in Santiago. Yummmmm.... (Photo courtesy of M-dogggg)
Check out my "I'm a pre-school teacher and I'm going to send you to time out" look. I'm getting good at it, huh? Wardrobe helps.
Am I becoming one of those girls who just loooooooves to teach pre-school?
I think so.
Besos,
Allie
Anyhoo, this was intended to be a post about time off from work. My family visited for a little over a week at the end of December/beginning of January. We explored. We had fun. They were all super adventurous and I was very proud. It was great to see them and sad when they left. It will be nice to live close to them again when I finally head back to the states. (It's strange when the idea of a 3,000 mile distance seems "close..." Crazy Chile rots your brain.)
The cast of characters:
Mom on horseback in Con Con on Christmas day. One of our group members was thrown from her horse! Luckily it wasn't Mom!
Dad! Decidedly too optimistic about his pastel de choclo.
Boy! He is just a bucket of sunshine, isn't he?
Vince, one of my best friends ever, also came to visit. We did a bit of traveling and then (unfortunately but not unexpectedly) I got sick and had to leave him to take on South America on his own for awhile. I've been so proud of his ability to meld his extensive understanding of English and French into an ability to comprehend Spanish. Yay, Vince! He leaves today, and I'll be sad to see him go.
Here we are in a fantastic Peruvian Restaurant in Santiago. Yummmmm.... (Photo courtesy of M-dogggg)
Check out my "I'm a pre-school teacher and I'm going to send you to time out" look. I'm getting good at it, huh? Wardrobe helps.
Am I becoming one of those girls who just loooooooves to teach pre-school?
I think so.
Besos,
Allie
Friday, December 26, 2008
The year in pictures.
The New York Times, as well as many other highly respected news sources, does an annual year in pictures at (you guessed it) the end of each year. I'm joining the trend. Behold, 2008 in the life of Allie..... stuff was done.
The year started in Seattle with a New Years Eve Underwear Party at Nelly's house...
I held a goodbye party at my apartment before I moved to Chile. In a cathartic attempt at enlightenment, I gave away most of my stuff. I tried to give away those shoes, but everyone at the party said that we were meant to be together. I guess that they are now sitting in a box somewhere. I don't really remember... Also, Aaron, my shoe eating photo companion, moved from Seattle back to his former home of Minneapolis. So, who knows if I will ever see him again. Sad thoughts.
I met my first friends, Julie and Eoin, and began to settle into the awkwardness of expat life in Chile. We got bored, we amused ourselves by making clothing out of a phone book... Julie and I also took up knitting, gained a mastery of the local public transportation system and tested out some new recipes.
The year started in Seattle with a New Years Eve Underwear Party at Nelly's house...
I arrived in Chile at the end of February, just in time to catch the end of Southern Hemisphere summer. A spent the better part of a mostly jobless month reading on the beach, trying not to spend money.
I taught English to adorably darling little children, intolerable teenagers, and some truly wonderful adults. I've worked with every type of student from a hotel maid to a Congress woman, beginners to the annoyingly advanced.
Jenn won the prize of first friend to visit me in Chile. She's actually come twice and is scheduled to return in February 2009. Yay for Jenn love! Her reoccuring presence has truly brightened my year!
Jenn won the prize of first friend to visit me in Chile. She's actually come twice and is scheduled to return in February 2009. Yay for Jenn love! Her reoccuring presence has truly brightened my year!
I did a bit of hibernating and I was forced to discover the true genius in the design of the turtleneck sweater. As we've previously discussed, central heating hasn't made it big in Chile yet...
I explored Valparaiso, the most fabulously eclectic city I have been privileged to visit.
I explored Valparaiso, the most fabulously eclectic city I have been privileged to visit.
I moved from Vina to Valpo. I climbed a lot of hills...
I almost died (a few times), but I have overall maintained good health, perserverence, and something resembling sanity throught 2008. That's more than I can say for 2007!
Stay tuned for more adventures! Chau chau!
I almost died (a few times), but I have overall maintained good health, perserverence, and something resembling sanity throught 2008. That's more than I can say for 2007!
Besos and a happy new year,
Allie
Allie
Friday, December 19, 2008
The earth is a'quaking...
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