Rain rain, go away!

"'Patagonia!' he cried. 'She is a hard mistress. She casts her spell. An enchantress! She folds you in her arms and never lets go.'"
-An excerpt from In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

I had every intention of taking more photos of Punta Arenas yesterday, I even brought my camera to school so I could take pictures on my walk home.....but the Patagonian winter won, as I'm told it always does. It hasn't stopped raining since! It briefly snowed around 10pm but quickly fell backing into freezing rain. There is a singular patch of opaque plastic roofing in my house that the rain used as a vessel for percussion to let us know that it hadn't let up. Between the soft roar of the gas heater, the roof, and reading In Patagonia, I was quickly able to fall asleep.

Today I woke up dreading the body evaluation I had at my gym. I put off going there until the last minute and had to run/walk in my long, brown coat in the freezing rain to make it there on time. My socks were wet by the time I had gotten there mainly due to the fact that I thought I could jump over this one big puddle on the sidewalk and fell about a foot short---why do I always think I am taller than I really am? I'm blaming my legs and the song "Walking on Sunshine," for that one for instilling in me a false sense of hope. My evaluation was everything I thought it would be--embarrassing, intrusive, and a huge wake-up call. The good news is that I guess when I bought my gym membership it came with a sort-of personal trainer. Paolo, my evaluator/instructor gave me a new regimen that I didn't even know I wanted! Instead of showing me the machines I should use in order to tone various muscles, Paolo gave me a series of 5 exercises that I have to do four times in a cycle (I have to do each exercise for a minute). This is preceded by a ten minute warm-up and followed with 40 minutes on either the treadmill or elliptical, making sure that I have my heart rate between 127-147 RPM in order to burn the most fat. According to Paolo, this will get me to where I need/want to be the fastest. In order to save face, I won't tell you the results of the body evaluation, but I will tell you that Paolo said 70% of my problem was changing my eating habits.......no kidding Paolo.

I was feeling a little lonely on the walk home from the gym when I decided two things:
1. Patagonia is my new mistress (I guess technically it would be 'mister') and
2. A crab empanada will never really love you back....

Anyhoo, I am looking forward to my first day of solo-teaching tomorrow. I'm sure I will have a full report on that this week...wish me luck!

Things to come:
-Papa José's return from Israel/meeting Papa José
-Carbs, I hate you.....but I really love you.../Hah! I'm hot!
-My students........

Pictures featured in this post:
-Welcome sign to Punta Arenas (located at the entrance to the center of town)
-Two things that have led me to buy a gym membership: Austral beer (brewed here in town) and a marisco empanada

¡Besos y abrazos!

KEEEEEE-LEEEEEEEEE

Magallanes, te quiero

I have to say that in spite of the cold, I truly love it here. Punta Arenas is a pretty clean city--the tap water is devine and the air is pure. Santiago definitely had a better nightlife and more action, but it was a pretty congested city. The one day I went running, I began to taste the pollution (no exaggeration) a mile into my workout. I guess people don't normally run on the streets of Santiago, because I have never gotten so much attention in my life! Workers were spilling out of their semis, whistling up a storm, and macho men were honking the most ridiculous sounding horns I have ever heard (a horse/mustang neighing and a elaborate wolf-whistle that went on for at least 20 seconds). It was great for my self-esteem and reminded me that I really need to get the car horn that plays the godfather theme song, I have waited long enough! Speaking of working out, I have joined a gym! I had a serious talk with myself after I could no longer zip up a pair of the jeans I brought without having...a muffin top....gross. Turns out that eating copious amounts of fried foods, bread with every meal, and 2-3 dinners are not the key to a hot body. Who knew? For those looking to gain weight, come to Chile.

I figured that I had better get a serious action plan because no one wants to read a blog entitled: "Sad, chubby gringa in Chile."
Step 1: I am walking to and from school every day so I will get at least a 45 minute walk in every day
Step 2: I joined a gym that has a nice array of machines, classes, and good-looking men
Step 3: I will force myself to brave the elements and walk (eventually run?) to the gym in the mornings/afternoons which will add another 30 minutes

When I went to sign up at the gym yesterday I was told that everyone has to have an evaluation with an team member/instructor who measures your body fat and weighs you....mine is tomorrow....can't wait! The good news is that I have already been able to use the machines and plan to get a nice workout in tomorrow as well because there is no school tomorrow. My plan is to kick my gringa status up from hot to fiery.....I at least have to look good for the disco-themed birthday party I intend to have!

My School!
I love it! I have been placed at a high school that is notorious for having 'rowdy' students (especially the girls). They aren't too particularly fond of school/working/learning, but I intend to play into their interests to motivate them. Once you get them talking about things they like, they won't stop! I have had to introduce myself to around 8-10 different classes and it is really funny/cute to here them try to pronounce my name KEA-lee? KYE-lee? Oh, KEEEEE-LEEEEE! I have gotten asked in the most awkward way if I have a boyfriend, if I'm married, and if I have any children. "How old is your boyfriend?" "You have babies?"
-My answers: no, No, NO!

There are some students that are particularly fond of greeting me in the mornings, especially this one student who's rocking a mullet like there's no tomorrow. "Hello miss! Good morning miiiisss!" (pronounced ('mees')

I will begin teaching this Thursday and I will have my own room, that's long, very narrow and robin's egg blue. Since all of the walls are bare in my room, feel free to send me English-related decorations, I would like it a lot! I am going to look for some cheap markers, poster board, and other miscellaneous art supplies. Email me and I'll send you my address!!!!! I will be working with students at all levels, which I am excited about because I will be able to use my Spanish to make the time we spend together more meaningful and worth-while. Yesterday both the teachers and the students started teaching my 'bad/dirty' words and phrases---apparently there are a lot of them and then a mountain of other words/expressions that when used in the wrong context are also bad! Good thing I have 2 Chilean diccionarios thanks to my new friend who will remain anonymous!

¡Besos y abrazos!

Keeley

Pictures featured in this post:
-Sunset from outside my house
-Downtown Punta Arenas with the ocean in the distance!

Patagonia....the end of the world

"Patagonia is the farthest place to which man walked from his place of origins. It is therefore a symbol of his restlessness. From its discovery it had the effect on the imagination something like the Moon, but in my opinion more powerful."

--Bruce Chatwin, author of In Patagonia, stating one of the four points he believed were key to understanding his book.

The night before I was scheduled to leave for Punta Arenas I couldn't sleep.....alright, I probably could have slept, but decided it was pointless to sleep for a couple of hours only to have to wake up at 3:45am. I decided to spend the night partying with Angela, Jack, and Diego, my favorite Hosteling International Santiago employee (Natalie, if you ever read this blog I love you too). Needless to say, by the time we were picked up at 4:15 I was very crabby. I dozed in and out of sleep the entire flight from Santiago to Puerto Montt and Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas. My cheerful friend (now roommate) Angela was talking up a storm with the woman seated in our row, and I was half drooling (okay, full on snoring/drooling) on my neck rest pillow. Towards the end of the flight I woke up a little more and started to stare out of the window. At first I couldn't see anything other than a listless and foamy sea of clouds, but then the sky opened up and revealed the prehistoric expanse that is Patagonia. My mind buzzed with the thousands of things I had promised to make happen for myself here and my heart began to beat as though I was a kindergartener again kissing my first crush on the school bus coming back home from Lanikai Elementary. I knew instantly that this place was where I needed to be and that I was going to get even closer to becoming the woman I'm destined to be.

Alright, enough sappy shit. I was picked up at the airport by the regional coordinator of my program who immediately informed me that I would be living in a house with my friend Angela. She also went on to say that the man we would be living with was away on a vacation and that we would be having a 'enana' ('nanny') coming and preparing us lunch every day. Neli, our nanny, was at the house when we arrived and had been preparing us our first meal in Punta Arenas. She has been the nanny for our Chilean father for over eight years and has helped him raise his two daughters. Neli and my Chilean father often eat lunch together, and I have been told that he sees her as a beloved mother figure.......

Speaking of my Chilean father, I have decided to call him Papa José. Here is the four month breakdown of his knicknames: August/early September:Papa José
Mid/late September:Pay-jota (P-J en español)
October:P-J (in English)
November: Peej

Papa José is truly a modern day Renaissance man.....a badass Renaissance man, that is. When you first enter his house you can't help but notice the vast array of martial arts weapons he has. The ninja turtles would be jealous. Papa José's arsenal of weapons include 2 sais, 11 bow staffs of various lengths, and a samurai sword. There is a black belt that hangs casually over some the bow staffs and sword as if to say, "Yeah, I got a black belt. No biggie." The front room of his/my house also has 6 plants (I'm told they all have names and that Papa José talks to them to help them grow). Along with these items are a guitar, a microphone, and a boombox with a variety of CDs that you would not expect an almost 50 year old to have (Amy Winehouse?!). After talking to Papa José's sister Saturday night, tía/mamá Merry, I have been told that P.J. thinks he is a fabulous singer, especially after a few drinks (according to the rest of his family, this is not the case) and often is the source of 2am music jams.....

Furthermore, the walls of his dining room are adorned with pictures that simply contradict each other in the most extreme ways possible. The various wall hangings begin with a National Folklore plaque that casually flows into his various Patagonian karate tournament awards/medals....then Che Guevara comes into the picture. The poster begins with "Seremos como el Che!" (We will be like Che!) and has a picture of his face dissolving into an army of rebels. To the left of Sr. Guevara is a etched drawing of what I am assuming to be Papa José's dad (this guy's rocking the Buddy Holly glasses). Not to be outdone by the previous two, a photograph portrait of none other than Fidel Castro (entitled 'Fidel General') lies below daddy dearest. Next to this trio is a huge cross hanging from communion beads, of course. The best part about all of this it is all true. I couldn't make this up if I tried, and believe me, I have tried!

I would like to dedicate this blog post to my real father, Thomas William Cestare, who is definitely a Renaissance Man in his own freakishly athletic way. In addition to being a black belt in karate, an All-American lacrosse player, and a religious runner, he only sings in desperate times and dances once in a blue moon (or should I say whenever someone gets married in our backyard). Although he sparingly uses his gifts for singing and dancing, they are quite effective in swaying the mood of any crowd, I daresay. I just hope I can record/document his Irish jig next time I see it! Start practicing, Dad!

¡Valparaíso:así me gusta!

Going to Valparaíso (the locals call it Valpo) was a great decision! It started with Manu picking me up from my hostel and having to cram myself into his mom's SUV with a awesome mix of 5 chileans and peruvians! Valpo is an hour and a half outside of Santiago on the Pacific coast. We met up with Peter and got to stay at his house, which is absolutely beautiful! Not only does Peter have the best roommate/landlord ever, but the house is on a hill that overlooks the ocean! After many hugs and kisses between everyone we went to the grocery store and Manu made us a fabulous dinner consisting of meat and rice with a delicious mushroom cream sauce. Manu, if you're reading this, you really should open up a restaurant...like NOW. Adriana and I helped a little, that cheese wasn't going to cut and put itself on the crackers! After dinner we hit the Pisco pretty hard and everyone (9 in total) went out to a club called 'Máscara,' which reminded me of a Chilean version of my old 'go to' bar in Boulder, 'Bacaro.' That night I used my favorite Chilean equation: Pisco + Keeley=dancing machine. After a few songs I was in my own little world, dancing like the little engine (or in my case Italian) that could. For the most part, I was dancing by myself! It could be that no one could keep up with my awesome rhythm/dance moves, but in reality no one wants to dance with 'elbows mcgee.' Although I may have failed the elbows part, it was an overall successful night because I didn't headbutt anyone (an embarrassing and painful move that I do more times than I like to admit...ooops!). We danced the night away and of course I had to hit up a late night food stand for a snacky-poo on the way back to Peter's house. I forget what it was called, but I had the most delicious meat sandwich with palta (avocado)...yum! Needless to say, I slept like a rock.

It definitely took awhile to get going the next day (technically the same day), but I got my shiz-nat together and Peter and I went out to eat lunch. Since Valpo is right on the water, we went to a seafood restaurant and ate like kings! We shared a crab empanada (wowza!), congridae (a nice white fish), and paila marina (a thin broth loaded with seafood/fish). Afterward we went on a wonderful stroll around Valparaíso with the lovely Lautaro. After walking around for three hours (mainly uphill....) I decided that we deserved a pastry and we stopped into a pastelería and bought a huge crema berlina that we had to immediately sit down and eat. I also made the boys go back to this cute wintery store where I bought an adorable black dressy coat (it has pleats-so cute!) for around $28 USD. That day I found out that was placed in Punta Arenas, the capital of the Magallanes region! Since I was scheduled to fly out of Santiago early Friday morning, I decided to leave Valpo Wednesday night so I could get all of my miscellaneous errands done on Thursday.

Thanks to everyone, especially Peter and Lautaro, for a great time in Valpo. I loved this city so much that I believe I am going to have to live there for at least a month after my program ends November 24th. I have been thinking about it and if I return to Colorado, I will have back-to-back winters.....no thanks! Besides, I need to send Sasha down here so she can pick out which dog she wants to be her Chilean brother/sister!

¡Muchos besos y abrazos!

Keeley : )

Next blog: My life at the end of the freaking world or help! I can't feel my legs!
I will also have my snapfish site updated with all of my photos for everyone to look through!

Pictures in this blog:
-Peter and I doing 'jumping' action shots
-the brightly colored houses of Valparaíso
-the pastelería where I bought the crema berlina (top left hand corner of the display case)....I told the employee that she was in my shot afterward and finally got a smile out of her!

Peter Pedro and legit Chilenos

First of many blogs to come this week, catching up on my schnanigans:

So my reunion with Peter Wednesday afternoon began as it usually always does, with a lot of screaming y besitos. True to form, I made him eat dinner with me at the hostel (where it is free) and then we went out to eat dinner #2. Peter took me to a Japanese/Peruvian restaurant for dinner where we met up with his friends Manu, Maca, and 2 wonderful peruvian girls. The sushi wasn't too different than sushi in the United States but it was still very very good and only cost 1/4 of the price I usually pay when I go out to sushi with friends. Maca and Manu are friends that Peter met during previous trips to Santiago, and they're absolutely fabulous! They are so funny and full of life, it was great going out and practicing my Chilean Spanish with them. After dinner we tried to go to this bar called 'La Piojera,' which translates to 'The Lice Den,' in English, but it was about to close so no dice. I am going to have to try and go back there because they have a drink called 'el terremoto'/'the earthquake' that every visitor to Santiago has to try at least once! From what I understand, it is very similar to 'the volcano' at K's China (one of my favorite bars in Boulder). And for whatever reason I decided to tell them about the Hawaiian version of lice, 'ukus' and how I used to have 'uku checks' in elementary school......We ended up going to barrio Bella Vista and drinking outside in the bitter cold then going to a reggae club called 'Jammin'' (pronounced 'yamming') where we danced the night away. Since I have been living in a dorm room with six other girls, I can't turn on the light when I get home, so climbing to the top bunk/brushing my teeth/putting on my pajamas is quite the challenge! I didn't even notice that my jacket that was once white was now tie-dyed brown.

You'll have to excuse this lame post, it's a rainy miserable day in Santiago and I am sick! I have been trying to write this blog for several hours and can't concentrate so I am going to get some rest and try again tomorrow (with caffeine). Don't worry, after hitting up the pharmacy down the block (which is attached to a gas station--Shell) I now have the whole schmorgesboard of Chilean medicines and tea.

Topics to come:
-More Peter Pedro (duh!)
-Keeley Cestare: the new patron saint of animals?!
-I speak Chilean Spanish, deal with it!
-Toquetones--short Chilean men being inappropriate

Love you all and expect a post that is 2X better tomorrow!

Kiki

Pictures: San Cristobal at night, view of the mountains behind Santiago from the street

Los perritos de la calle, "The Glacier of my Heart," and a blind man that meows...

How-do-ya-do?

I'm fantastic. A little bloated, but fantastic. The people in my program are amazing, I sometimes don't stop laughing for hours it seems. Thanks to everyone who comments on my posts, I love seeing that people are actually reading my blog! I am in a week long orientation program which is so incredibly bo-ring! They are re-teaching the TEFL course I just completed and I can't help but think that I could be using this time to explore the various Santiago neighborhoods and buy miscellaneous crap instead of beng cooped up in a conference room. I keep on nodding off in orientation and even woke up today with an imprint of my jacket's zipper on my face! Ooops! I never did learn well in warm rooms packed full of people.

Fortunately, there is a lunch break and we have these coupons/vouchers for 2500CLP ($5USD) that can buy you a very decent meal. After I had lunch yesterday with my new hilarious friend Angela, we were walking the streets checking things out when a blind man popped up out of nowhere, grabbed my arm, and in the creepiest voice possible said, "Meeeeeooooooowwwww." (Think alley cats in heat). I firmly told him "NO!" and then ran away. I can't say that has ever happened before....and I hope it never does again. Becca, you would have cried/laughed/peed your pantaloons!

One of the things that really kind of bothers me about Santiago/Chile are the 1,000s of street dogs. It is NOT that warm outside and these poor babies have nowhere to get warm and curl up. It absolutely breaks my heart. I have been trying to smuggle them into my hostel with no success. And to make matters worse, these castaway dogs have been driven into madness from years of rejection. They actually play with MOVING CARS. They'll chase cars in traffic, bitting at the tires and mud flaps. Can you believe that? On my way back to the hostel Sunday night, I was followed by an adorable dog baby I named 'Terrance.' He trotted happily along by my side, stopping to chase cars and motorcycles along the way. He was so sweet and only wanted to be loved. Luckily I had my friend Sara run up to our room to grab the leftover steak from lunch I made my friends save so I could feed the dogs. Terrance and his new dog novia (they met outside my hostel it was pretty much love at first sight) had the best meal of their little doggie lives! The bright side about the street dogs is that they are really well fed, Sasha would be pretty envious of some of the meals they get to eat. There are also many doggies fleeces that people buy and put on some of the dogs. So the people of Santiago basically feed and dress the street dogs but they don't take them in.....WTF? I may be bringing Sasha back a doggie brother or sister....It's better than bringing home a baby!

So far, I have had two BRILLIANT ideas. We're talking genius concepts here.

1. I have decided to write an epically romantic movie about finding love in the Patagonian wilderness entitled, "The Glacier of My Heart." I am not completely sold on the title and some other options include "Of Glaciers and Patagonians/Men," and "Gone with the Glaciers." Let me know if you have any ideas and/or suggestions. My friend Angela will be writing the accompanying rap/theme song to the movie and some possible lyrics include: "The Glacier of my heart/it happened from the start.." Any friends and family members wanting to be in the movie have to come visit me or it's NO DICE BABY!

2. My birthday is on the 24th of September and my friend Megan's birthday is September 9th. Since we'll both be in Magallanes, we have decided to do a birthday booze cruise to ANTARTICA. Angela has agreed to reveal/perform the rap song to "The Glacier of My Heart," (I will de doing the accompanying interpretive dance, of course) and we are going to try to find electric snow suits.

Tomorrow I will be meeting up with my dear friend Peter and we will be going out with a couple of Chileans, I can't wait. Apparently there is an on-going party every Wednesday night in this castle, which sounds like a lot of fun! It's now midnight here, so I'm gonna have to wind things down. I have a walking date at 7am so I can work off some more of the meat and potatoes I can't stop eating (I have thrown ice cream into the mix)! I am also looking into buying a gym membership so I can maintain my músculos/throw down if necessary. I don't think I have shown off my 'guns' since I have been here!

I love and miss you all!

¡Besos y abrazos!

Keeley : )

Partial Weekend Re-cap/I don't feel like putting it all into one post

¡Hola!

Well my first weekend in Chile has been a 'whirlwind' experience. So many things happen in the span of an hour, let alone one day! I thought my program was going to be small and that everyone would be in Patagonia. Turns out, English Opens Doors/Inglés Abre Puertas is a program throughout Chile. People have placements in the North, in Valparaíso, and in Santiago......and I'm in Patagonia???? I definitely should have done more research. All of the participants in the EOD program are staying in the same hostel in Santiago, so there are plenty of new friends to explore the city with. I am on the fourth/top floor of the hostel and had to haul my suitcase up 4 flights of stairs....luckily I did not get a hernia or pass out. I am staying in a small, 6 person room with bunk-beds. Not only am I on the top bunk but my luggage locker is high off the ground, so taking out items to wear or even grabbing my freaking toothbrush is quite a process for my 5'4" self. One of my new friends knew someone in the city and he (Roberto) has been taking us on daily expeditions to various neighborhoods and on several hikes. Roberto is a photographer and has been showing us very beautiful parts of town. I'm so glad we have been hanging out with him because until then I had only seen pretty hideous sections of town that made me seriously doubt coming down here. I will hopefully figure out how to post pictures on this blog/facebook/snapfish.

I hiked up two different mountains yesterday and got quite the workout! The second mountain, San Cristobal, was a nice 40 min hike UPHILL that made any entry point to Chataqua/Mt. Sanitas seem like a joke! I would have totally taken the tram to the top but other people in my program decided to walk, and since I have been on a straight meat and carb diet since I arrived I thought it would be good for me. By the time I got to the top I decided that I would rather be fat and bloated than hike that ever again.

The food here is...well...interesting. Italianos are everywhere, but since I am not a fan of mayonaise, I can't get down with hot dogs smothered in both avocado and mayonaise....at least not every day. My favorite meal so far is called 'Biffe a la Pobre'--a huge piece of steak next to a huge pile of french fries topped with two eggs and fried onions--it's delicious! I ate it yesterday for lunch at a restaurant called 'Las Vacas Gordas' (the fat cows)...Now you see why I felt I had to go on that arduous hike!

I was going to get a phone my first day here, but other people in my program advised me to wait until I get down to my region so making calls to other people in my region/my host family wouldn't be as expensive. I have a skype account, but it's not letting me sign in. I may have to restart my computer.......just tried doing that and no luck. I guess I'm going to have to be nice so someone will want to help me...lame! (just kidding!)

More to come either tonight or tomorrow, there's just too much to put in one post! Hopefully my pic of Santiago will show up in this post!

¡Besos y abrazos!

Keeley : )