For those of you in Dunedin I'm going to have to have an informal feedback session on Sunday afternoon. This is an opportunity to come and hear some more stories and how I'm feeling about the whole experience now that I'm home. There will be lots of photos and the opportunity to ask any questions you might have. I would love to see all you wonderful people who have been supporting me so I can say thank you in person as well.
Details: Leith Valley Church, 267 Malvern Street @ 2pm on Sunday 11th of August.
See you there!
Anna's Adventures in Chile
Tuesday 6 August 2013
Thursday 25 July 2013
Over and Out
I've been back in NZ for just over a week now and am finally over the jet-lag. Saying goodbye to my host family was extremely hard and I hope that we will see each other again. Pedro was very insistent that I stay or take him with me and Sammi was so angry about me leaving that he wouldn't say goodbye! The flight was long and boring but survivable and I was very happy to see my family at Dunedin airport.
Being home has actually been a bit odd and I keep looking around for a 2 year old or expecting to hear the street dogs barking. It is definitely a strange experience to have culture shock in your own country. In some ways Chile is starting to feel like a dream but I know that those memories will stay with me forever. I have also had some time to reflect and my overall feeling is positive. Yes, it was challenging and at times very stressful but I am really glad I went and stuck it out. I have grown so much as a person and feel blessed to have seen another part of God's world. It's awesome to see Him working somewhere different and helps me to see that we are part of a global church. I miss my kids from kindergarten and will continue to pray for their futures - the way forward for them is not easy.
Now I have about 5 weeks to get myself ready for the next adventure! Right now Germany doesn't seem appealing but I'm sure I will be ready when the time comes. I would like to thank you all for reading these blogs, for sending emails, praying for me and supporting me financially. I could not have done the last 6 months without you. God bless you all!
Being home has actually been a bit odd and I keep looking around for a 2 year old or expecting to hear the street dogs barking. It is definitely a strange experience to have culture shock in your own country. In some ways Chile is starting to feel like a dream but I know that those memories will stay with me forever. I have also had some time to reflect and my overall feeling is positive. Yes, it was challenging and at times very stressful but I am really glad I went and stuck it out. I have grown so much as a person and feel blessed to have seen another part of God's world. It's awesome to see Him working somewhere different and helps me to see that we are part of a global church. I miss my kids from kindergarten and will continue to pray for their futures - the way forward for them is not easy.
Now I have about 5 weeks to get myself ready for the next adventure! Right now Germany doesn't seem appealing but I'm sure I will be ready when the time comes. I would like to thank you all for reading these blogs, for sending emails, praying for me and supporting me financially. I could not have done the last 6 months without you. God bless you all!
Tuesday 16 July 2013
Final Adventures
Valparaiso port |
with Pedro at the Naval Memorial |
Waving hello to NZ |
Armada of Chile |
Pelican!! |
On Sunday I played flute in church with the music group. Absolutely no written music in sight which was petrifying for me but I ended up having a lot of fun. It was definitely sad to say goodbye to people at church but I'm looking forward to seeing my own church family soon!
with Pati and Carolina |
Now, I have the final packing to do and final goodbye to my wonderful Chilean family before getting on the plane home. While I'm excited to see my family and friends I'm also sad to be leaving the people here. It hasn't been an easy 6 months but it has been a good experience and I am really glad that I came.
Friday 5 July 2013
School's Out!!
Having fun with Pre-Kinder |
English class "up" with Kinder |
English class with Pre-Kinder |
Group hug!!!! |
Monday 24 June 2013
Surprise!
Got back this morning from an awesome trip down south with the family. We left on the night bus on Thursday evening. Thankfully Pedro and Sammi slept most of the way down - the same can't be said for the rest of us. I think I got about 2 hours sleep! We arrived in the tiny village of Lican Ray at 9am in the pouring rain and were met by some of Emy's cousins. Breakfast at their place while we waited for updates from the rest of the family. You see, it was Emy's grandmother's 80th birthday and the whole family were turning up to celebrate - but she had no idea. So another cousin was luring her out of the house for a couple of days while everyone arrived. When we got the call to say the coast was clear we packed ourselves into cars and drove up to their farm. Sadly, there weren't enough seats so Felipe and I ended up on the back of a truck which was fun but very wet!
The farm was a wonderful place to visit. Emy's family have owned the hill for many generations now and they have superb views of the lake and volcanoes. Although we only saw some of it because the weather was average most of the weekend! When we arrived Felipe suggested we go and check out how the meat was coming along which I naively agreed to. Coming into a barn and being confronted with a partly butchered cow was a bit of a shock! Thankfully the meat is a strictly boy place and I didn't see it again until it was cooked. On Saturday morning we were busy with balloons and streamers and cooking while the boys were bbqing and doing jobs around the farm. More and more family turned up until there was about 50 people I think. At 1pm we got the call to say Grandma was coming back and we all hid so when she came we all jumped out saying "surprise!" She cried. (in a good way!) And then we ate. I don't think I've eaten quite so much meat in one sitting as I did this weekend. We had meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 days. Emy is threatening to have only lettuce for the rest of the week!
In the evening they began to dance lots of traditional Chilean dances which was really cool until a slightly drunk uncle decided that the gringa needed to join in rather than just watch. So I was pulled protesting vehemently into a Chilean walz much to the hilarity of everyone else. Fun but I was thankfully rescued by Emy before he could make me dance another one! On Sunday morning the weather had cleared up a lot and so we went for a big walk which was fantastic for me. It was nice to be out in the mountains with fresh air and greenery all around. In the afternoon I caught a bus to Temuco to visit Nia before joining the rest of the family on the bus back to Santiago. Again, not much sleep happened but I was able to sleep once we got home. Overall, a wonderful get away for the weekend and a really awesome celebration to be part of.
Meat for the weekend |
Emy putting up balloons |
In the evening they began to dance lots of traditional Chilean dances which was really cool until a slightly drunk uncle decided that the gringa needed to join in rather than just watch. So I was pulled protesting vehemently into a Chilean walz much to the hilarity of everyone else. Fun but I was thankfully rescued by Emy before he could make me dance another one! On Sunday morning the weather had cleared up a lot and so we went for a big walk which was fantastic for me. It was nice to be out in the mountains with fresh air and greenery all around. In the afternoon I caught a bus to Temuco to visit Nia before joining the rest of the family on the bus back to Santiago. Again, not much sleep happened but I was able to sleep once we got home. Overall, a wonderful get away for the weekend and a really awesome celebration to be part of.
Pedro chasing the sheep |
Felipe and Pedro out for a walk |
From the top of the property |
Exploring the river |
Sunday 9 June 2013
Concert and Chilean Culture
The stage is set.... |
Me and Felipe |
The Blue Danube Walz |
Which brings me onto the next topic. Dad suggested I write a little bit about Chilean culture/people now that I've been here awhile. Please note that I am probably going to massively stereotype but with only 4 months of observation I guess that's inevitable. Let's start with the things that annoy me first so that I can end positively. Personally, their sense of time is very frustrating. If I say, "meet at 4" I mean at 4. Not 4:30 or 5. It generally means a lot of waiting around and wondering if I understood correctly. Also, the subjunctive tense. This gives people a whole tense to avoid committing to anything. In fact, I suspect many NZers would appreciate a subjunctive. It does mean having to listen very carefully when arranging things. Moving on, many Chileans have no concept of a rubbish bin. I frequently see people simply dropping their lolly wrapper, ice-cream stick, coffee cup etc on the street. Or out a bus window. Being a rubbish collector here is a full-time job.
Things I like about Chilean culture. People are super friendly and open up their lives far more readily than we do. Some people I've met here tell me more about their lives in 10 minutes than people I've known for years at home ever have. I like that they hug each other as part of their greeting. The kissing is ok except that it gives strange men the right to kiss you on the cheek and that's uncomfortable! Chileans have a lot of respect for elderly people and will stand up for them on the bus/train. This also extends to people with disabilities, parents with children or pregnant women. Children are highly valued and are looked after by everyone. Including the guys. It's wonderful to see guys so comfortable and involved with the kids instead of seeing them as some other kind of species. Not that I'm interested in Chilean guys! Can't cook, clean etc. However, they are far more gentlemanly than at home. They open doors, let you on the bus first, serve your food first etc. It's lovely!! Right, I think that will about do for now, I've got to get up for school tomorrow and it's late.
Monday 27 May 2013
Thieves and Rain
As many of you will know, I had a rather frightening week this past week. On Monday I was waiting at the bus stop in Renca and was quietly warned by a local that I was the target of a group of thieves. He recommended that someone accompany me from now on because it simply wasn't safe for me alone. I thank God that I had a very basic acquaintance with this man beforehand so that he felt that he should warn me. My host family were all for me quitting Renca but I wasn't keen this far into my time here. Thankfully our cook offered to walk me to the bus and wait till I was on-board so this is my new routine. While it is a little frustrating to be reliant on someone else to leave school, it is the only way to guarantee my safety. Needless to say, I was a little shaken up by this experience but am thankful that nothing has actually happened to me!
My parents have just emailed to say they are snowbound and I can proudly announce that we are rainbound here in Santiago! It's been raining all day and I got home to news that schools are shut tomorrow. It rains so little here that the city just isn't able to cope. The streets turn into rivers, house and businesses flood, the buses leak, the bus 'shelters' (roof, no walls) are almost completely ineffective and the number of car accidents has gone through the roof. I stupidly left my raincoat at home so was very glad for my layers of wool getting home. The whole family is now huddled in the living room around our 1 heater trying to stay warm. My electric blanket and bed are calling...
I learnt a Chilean idiom that I thought was so funny it needed to be shared. When two people are flirting they say that "there is the smell of feet in the air"! I have no idea why but perhaps we could introduce it into English? Thoughts?
My parents have just emailed to say they are snowbound and I can proudly announce that we are rainbound here in Santiago! It's been raining all day and I got home to news that schools are shut tomorrow. It rains so little here that the city just isn't able to cope. The streets turn into rivers, house and businesses flood, the buses leak, the bus 'shelters' (roof, no walls) are almost completely ineffective and the number of car accidents has gone through the roof. I stupidly left my raincoat at home so was very glad for my layers of wool getting home. The whole family is now huddled in the living room around our 1 heater trying to stay warm. My electric blanket and bed are calling...
I learnt a Chilean idiom that I thought was so funny it needed to be shared. When two people are flirting they say that "there is the smell of feet in the air"! I have no idea why but perhaps we could introduce it into English? Thoughts?
This was also pretty funny. An escaped pig in the street just down the road from my kindergarten. Pork anyone?? |
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