A Little Island Named Chiloé

Palafitos, or stilt houses, in Castro, Chiloé

Remember Anatevka?  Okay, maybe you don't, but maybe you can picture a village, well more like a region, where the people are known far and wide for their specific traditions, food, and their rich history.  Such is the Island of Chiloé.  The people of this island, or Chilotes, are known for their customs,  their rich history as well as their vast mythology, and of course, their food.

Curanto... Pictures just can't do it justice!

Like any maritime region, Chilotes live off of seafood.  Now, if you can remember back to my eating preferences before Chile, (which probably most of you can't, really), you will probably remember that I eat practically everything.  Everything, except shellfish, crabs, and most types of fish that I haven't tried.  Guess what?  Chileans and Chilotes especially, LOVE fish, shellfish, and all of the other words that I didn't really pay attention to when we learned the food market chapter in our Spanish books.

SURPRISE!  I actually eat Shellfish now.  There's something about already being here that has made me even more adventurous, adventurous enough to do things that I even said I HATED.  While we were in Chiloé, I got to try Curanto, a HUGE PLATE of clams, mussels, pork rib, two types of Chilean potatoes, and even chicken.  My dad would have been SO proud.  Of course, that was lunch on day one.  Day two on Chiloé and a change of towns provided it's own new foods.  Food number one caused the most excitement later: RAW OYSTERS.  Paulina said that they were her favorite, so she urged me to try one with Lemon.  I told her that I would eat one if she would eat one, so we each bought one.  WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!  I didn't like it at first because I got shells in my mouth and struggled to get them out before my super strong gag reflex kicked in, but afterwards, I felt so accomplished!  (Make sure you get to see the pictures on facebook, of course (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2072308&id=1461390133&l=a299e81d7c).

Yes, that's a raw oyster!

We also tried one of Erik Lindquist (my adviser from Messiah)'s favorite Chilean dishes: Chupe de Jaiba which was almost like a cheesy crab dip, but it really tasted like avocado dip.  Later on in the day, however, both Mr. Butto and Paulina got sick and had to throw up.  We're not really sure what it was, but they're pointing their fingers at the oysters, even though Mr. Butto has never gotten sick from one before, and they made sure to tell everyone that asked what happened that the "gringa" didn't get sick.  I guess this just proves that I have an iron stomach.

Chupe de Jaiba

Another point of Chiloé that I'd like to highlight were all of the beautiful boats.  You will, of course see these in my pictures, but I have a FASCINATION with the beautiful colors of island and sea towns.  The same thing seems to be happening with windows as a reoccurring theme for me.  Before coming, I read a book that was a collection of poems from Pablo Neruda, a chilean (in English) and pictures by a Chilean photographer called, "Windows that Open Inward."  Now, I've really been taking note of the windows.  Each one is different, specific, and personal, like you could look into the souls of the people who inhabit the house, or as if the beautiful scenery of Chile could use a window to change your soul.  Pay attention to the use of windows in my pictures.

Chiloé is also known of all of its old churches, built in the 18th century.  They are made only out of wood, no nails, even and many are being restored today.  We went to see the large one on the plaza at Castro, and then, as a highlight, we got to attend a church service in another very old church in Ancud.

Part of the Cathedral at Castro

The service was very beautiful and extra special because it included Paulina's cousin's engagement!  In Chile, when a couple decides to get engaged, they have a part in a church service.  Both the man and woman wear an engagement ring, a thin gold band which is worn on the ring finger of you right hand, and switched over to the left with a thicker gold band on their wedding day.  They exchange engagement rings in front of the whole church and promise to their fiancee that they are reserved just for that person.  How beautiful!  I also really enjoyed the pastor's message about the church being the bride of Christ and being pure for him on the day of his return.

A Picture from the Engagement Ceremony

Well, they say that Chiloé there is a lot of mythology and there are many famous characters that get blamed for many mysterious things.  I for one, only have an outsider's view, but I can say that something was afoot while we were in Chiloé.  I'll stick to calling it irony, but while we were anticipating the engagement ceremony, my Aunt Becca (the one that moved to Alaska) was getting engaged herself!  It was a very happy day for both the Chilean family that we're staying with and for us!  It was also really neat, then when we exchanged engagement customs and stories over this Valentine's Day breakfast.

Terremoto Means Earthquake

This is just a little note to let everyone know that all is fine where I am in Chile!
If you want to look at a map, you should know the following:
I am in Purto Montt.
The earthquake happened in the Biobío Region.
They only felt it as far south as Valdivia.


WE DIDN'T EVEN FEEL IT.
There was no structural damage, no injury, and no threat of a tsunami.
Praise the Lord!

Un dia al lado del lago, a day beside the lake

Here are some of our first pictures here from Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas, y Frutillar

(http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2071837&id=1461390133&l=f5195e14d6)

Una ventana abierta: An Open Window

The View from Butto's Upstairs Bedroom, Puerto Montt

Grandma Sherian and I arrived in Puerto Montt this afternoon where were greeted by the very gracious Paulina Chavez Butto and her hijo (son), Benjamín.  Paulina took us to her family's home which is pretty close to the center of the city.  You can even see water from their kitchen and from the open window of her parents' bedroom where they have us staying these two weeks.  Immediately she asked us if we had eaten and she fed us, insisting that we didn't touch the dishes afterward.

As a testament to Chilean hospitality, dinner, or the light meal we had around 5:15 included general conversation and also questions about how we do things in the United States.  When do you get up?  8?  That's early.  You can sleep as long as you like here.  What do you eat for breakfast?  Lunch?  What time is your last meal?  Do you eat after that?  We usually just have tea and toast around this time; is that okay?

After we were told that we don't have to help with anything, we insisted on helping out with the school that the Butto family is associated with and we were then given tasks for tomorrow.  Mr. Butto told us that we can work in the mornings like him and then come home for lunch (large meal around one) and have the rest of the day off.  Paulina then made a joke that we had to have explained.  She said that her father was a "pharoah," or as we might say a "slave driver," but only as a joke.

After dinner, Paulina took us out in her car for un pasillo (a little pass through) of the city, showing us their two beaches, the stadium, their two BEAUTIFUL volcanoes, the port, the area where they bring in and process fish, and explaining a lot of other things.  Every corner we rounded was another breath-taking sight.

Thus ends day one in Chile.  Much conversation, a lot of listening, and a lot of trying to catch everything.  It is really helpful to have Paulina who speaks English very well to help fill in her father on what Grandma Sherian says, or to put something I say into "Chileanismos," or more Chilean terminology, and I do a lot of filling in from when Paulina explains something to me in Spanish to Grandma.

People keep telling me that I speak very well, and I guess it just takes taking the plunge to try and say everything I can to pull that out of me.  I still have SO much to learn, but listening helps so much.  The funniest thing is talking with Benjamín.  He's six and he thinks that English is a secret code that Paulina uses with me and Grandma Sherian.  He'll beg us to speak in Spanish so that he understands, but he doesn't really understand that Grandma doesn't speak any Spanish and that I can't quite catch everything he says, especially when he says it very quickly.

I really do feel so welcomed and so free here.  Yes, I'm constrained a bit by the initial language barrier, but I can definitely communicate better than when I first went to Mexico and the talking outside of "How much does this cost?" that I did for the group most of the time we were in El Salvador.  Not only do people here trust me to speak (Marta always seemed to forget that I spoke and understood while I was in El Salvador), but they count on it, and, I'm understood!

My time in Chile is an open window.  I can see winding city streets that head up hill and then mysteriously dodge out of sight, feel the vastness of the things beyond me as I gaze at the sea, and still, I feel a part of my surroundings as the breeze blows through the window, touching me where I'm comfortable, and stirring something in me.  I long to join in, to explore the source of this new breeze, to dive deeper into the culture, and to become attached to this place.

THE DAY HAS ARRIVED!!!

Grandma Sherian and I leave Dallas at 09:10 PM tonight and arrive in Santiago at 09:55 AM tomorrow.  Not to mention we have the flight from Madison to a crowded post-Superbowl Dallas then a layover in that crazy and the flight from Santiago to Puerto Montt upon our arrival in Chile.

Please pray for safe and smooth travels and a great two weeks in Puerto Montt.  I will write more as I have time!

It's only "super" if your team's playing

Wow!  What can I say about how exciting it's been to be in Wisconsin with all of the Superbowl spirit?
I suppose that's about all I can say.  Short of being there, this is the best place I could have asked to be.  I kept sharing little tidbits with Tyler, a devoted Pennsylvania Pack fan, so let me just jot down a few here:

Every Wal-Mart (and actually almost any store, Walgreen's and gas stations included) has a Pack shrine where you can find all the gear and accessories you need to show your devotion (yes, even cheeseheads sometimes).
Every news channel devotes 5-10 min per broadcast slot to covering the pre-game starting at least a week in advance.
Some restaurants close on Christmas, New Year's, and Superbowl Sunday.
It is acceptable for the church choir to wear alternating green and gold stoles on Superbowl Sunday.
You hear prayers that end in "Amen, GO PACK!" in church
The congregation is a sea of green and gold and those who didn't dress up are probably just bitter Bears fans.
Elementary school-aged kids sport paper cheseheads (a la homemade pilgrim hat) that they obviously made in school
People will actually get out of their car at the grocery store and take off their coat to reveal their Packers jersey before entering the store, despite the fact it's snowing
I saw Youtube clips like, "Teach me How to Raji," or "Feelin' so Fly Like a Cheesehead" on the news
AND I heard all the hotels in Green Bay were booked as many Wisconsinites made pilgrimage to Cheesehead Mecca to watch soak up the hometown excitement of the big game.

After my first grade vow to never cheer for a Pennsylvania team after being yanked away from Wisconsin at such a formative age, let me just say, finally watching a Wisconsin team beat a Pennsylvania team when it counted (and without Farve) AND being in Wisconsin for the celebration was PRICELESS!  People here really identify with the Packers and I'm just so pleased that they were able to pull through.

Go PACK, GO!!!

It's DONE, THE QUILT PROJECT'S DONE!

I finished the table runner along with some baby Chilean Flags that I plan to frame and give to the Buttos, the family I'll be with from Tuesday until orientation, and my host family (a great gift for Flag Day, eh?)

Check them out: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2071145&id=1461390133&l=086438a996