DECEMBER 5, 2009
It wasn’t until my last connecting flight that it hit me. I left my boyfriend, quit my job, said goodbye to all my family and most friends and moved to a foreign country; without a job and only $4000 saved. WTF?!
Luckily the nice Chileno boy next to me kept feeding me drinks, so it was more of a celebration.
Welcome to Valparaiso, Chile!
The apartment is not as fully furnished as promised. There is one bed, one pillow, no sheets and one blanket. No stove/oven nor pots and pans not that it matters without a stove. There is a sink, plates and glasses, and a fridge.
Esta bien. It is good. What did I expect?
One thing though, the city of Valparaiso is situated on numerous steep hills or cerros. We reside on Cerro Yunguy which I renamed HOP (Hill of Pain). At first called HIP: meaning my hips are going to fall out of place from this massive hike to mi casa.
RECAP (DECEMBER 7TH)
Yesterday totally desperate to shower! It had been 2 days and I could feel the stickyness. So I went into the bathroom. No towels!
The next day we finally bought towels! I was so excited! Until I found out the hot water isn’t working. Cold shower it is. If Katherine Hepburn can jump in an icy lake everyday, then I can do this?! Correcto? Just keep telling yourself that, Nerissa.
At the end of the week the landlord finally brought over more furnishings; another bed, a table and two chairs which was supposed to be our sofa but I didn’t care.
My roommate and I've stayed up late each night hysterically laughing about our predicament!
No internet. No cell phone but who the hell am I going to call? Text myself with loving messages? But starting to miss contact with people. Texting, cell phone, and internet were my contact with the world.
FOOD
THE HEAT
I took my first Collectivo which is a form of taxi that is shared with others—and the rates change! I sat in the Collectivo smiling because I said “Bellavista, Valparaiso por favor” and the driver understood me! One step at a time!
It wasn’t until my last connecting flight that it hit me. I left my boyfriend, quit my job, said goodbye to all my family and most friends and moved to a foreign country; without a job and only $4000 saved. WTF?!
Luckily the nice Chileno boy next to me kept feeding me drinks, so it was more of a celebration.
Two days later I'm staring at a metal contraption covered in spikes and I'm betting it's not for the birds. This is our front door. Actually it's front door #1. Front door #2 is hidden behind. Broken glass is cemented into the walls. Graffiti everywhere. Pretty graffiti though. Dogs howling. Houses are bright colors. Old men and women walk slowly up and down the high hills.
Welcome to Valparaiso, Chile!
The apartment is not as fully furnished as promised. There is one bed, one pillow, no sheets and one blanket. No stove/oven nor pots and pans not that it matters without a stove. There is a sink, plates and glasses, and a fridge.
Esta bien. It is good. What did I expect?
One thing though, the city of Valparaiso is situated on numerous steep hills or cerros. We reside on Cerro Yunguy which I renamed HOP (Hill of Pain). At first called HIP: meaning my hips are going to fall out of place from this massive hike to mi casa.
I thought I was in shape but I'm a sweating monkey in sandals every time I climb it. Won't stop me.
RECAP (DECEMBER 7TH)
Yesterday totally desperate to shower! It had been 2 days and I could feel the stickyness. So I went into the bathroom. No towels!
And I think...how important is a shower? I looked at myself in the mirror. Oy. “Muy importante!” But then I thought, naw.
The next day we finally bought towels! I was so excited! Until I found out the hot water isn’t working. Cold shower it is. If Katherine Hepburn can jump in an icy lake everyday, then I can do this?! Correcto? Just keep telling yourself that, Nerissa.
At the end of the week the landlord finally brought over more furnishings; another bed, a table and two chairs which was supposed to be our sofa but I didn’t care.
My roommate and I've stayed up late each night hysterically laughing about our predicament!
No internet. No cell phone but who the hell am I going to call? Text myself with loving messages? But starting to miss contact with people. Texting, cell phone, and internet were my contact with the world.
Another thing my Spanish is spotty in the first place but my Chilean Spanish is totally bad. I'm spending a lot of time looking confused. It's super fast and their dialect is to drop all their "s" so instead of mas o menos, it's ma o meno and gracia. Like what?!
FOOD
Non spicy, mucho pan (bread), meat is for the rich or well off, queso is pretty cheap BUT hard to buy because you have to go to the "butcher" and have them slice it off and I don't know how to say half a pound in spanish. I get freaked out and just choose not to get the cheese. The yogurt is soupy too, which makes me miss, just alittle, the FDA. But fresh fruits and vegetables are super cheap!
THE HEAT
After 2 pm and before 6 just sleep. I've tried to beat the heat but I just become exhausted. It's best just to nap.
DECEMBER 8, 2009
HOP is just another day of hard labor. Bought cheap tequila by myself! So proud! Just drank cheap tequila, by myself. Not as proud. You can take the girl out of Wisconsin but you can’t take the Wisconsin out of the girl. I write this with my “Love from Minnesota” pen that my work “mom” gave me before moving here.
I took my first Collectivo which is a form of taxi that is shared with others—and the rates change! I sat in the Collectivo smiling because I said “Bellavista, Valparaiso por favor” and the driver understood me! One step at a time!
Bought my first cell phone! I feel so connected—I have no one to call but still! Even in Chile I can be glued to the stupid thing. I left the states to disconnect, yet here I am—staring at the phone—please ring—SOMEONE CALL ME. Damn, nothings changed. Someone validate my existence by calling me, please.
--Nerissa
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