La Leyenda del Salto de la Princesa

For those who want a little taste of the indigenous culture here in the South, here's a fun Mapuche legend I learned about a waterfall I visited this past weekend...

Location: Curacautin, La novena regíon de la Araucanía, Chile

There were times in which the Mapuche in Curacautin received neighboring tribes that would come to trade, barter and partake in religious ceremonies.  These visiting tribes would introduce new and unknown items to the people of Cura, one of which, being the horse. 
One day, the tribes arrived as usual, but this particular day, they arrived on horseback.  Chief Huillical, in awe and amazement of this new creature, promised valuable gifts to anyone valiant enough to bring him one.  However, he soon discovered how difficult this request truly was (as the horses had to be brought over the boarder from Argentina).  Over time, this wish soon transformed into an obsession and Cheif Huillical desired a horse more than ever.  
Until one day, he learned that a beautiful white colt had arrived in Malalcahuello (the neighboring community).  Upon this new the chief united his tribe and announced:

"This is my daughter, Princess Rayén.  Whoever is able to bring me this white horse can have her hand in marriage."

Nahuelcura, a mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indigenous heritage), whom Rayén was in love with promised her that he would bring the horse to her father so that they could finally be together forever (as it was forbidden in Mapuche culture to marry someone of Spanish or mixed blood).
At dawn, the third day after the chief's request, a forceful neighing broke the morning silence of Cura.  Chief Huillical couldn't believe his eyes, the horse he had for so long wished for was standing in front of him.  But, to Rayén's dismay, the horse was brought by another, and indian by the name of Quilacura.  
Standing there, next to the horse, Quilacura asked the chief:

"Now that I have made your dream a reality, will you fulfill your promise?"

"A Mapuche always keeps his word", responded Huillical. "Go to the house, and take Rayén as your wife."

It was as if Quilacura was walking on clouds.  For so long he had jealously adored Rayén from afar and finally, she was all his.  But, when he entered the house, he let out a scream of fury that abruptly startled the entire tribe.  

"Rayén! Where is Rayén?!"

Little did he know, she was far from the house, with her love, Nahuelcura.

"Look for Rayén through the entire forest.  Look in every cave for three moons and three suns.  If she doesn't appear, she will have chosen her destiny and she will never again be a Mapuche woman", Chief Huillical instructed his tribe.

All of the men went out to look for Rayen.  Quilacura went out alone, running like a lion through an unknown course out of desperation. 
Rayén and Nahuelcura ran through the forest without stopping until dusk, where they found a huge rock to rest their weak and tired bodies.  However, the search for the young lovers continued, Quilacura not stopping for a single moment to rest or to realize that the three moons had already passed.

As soon as the rays of the third sun appeared, out of the brush came a scream:

"I found Princess Rayén! She is here! Everyone come!"

Upon these screams, Rayén and Nahuelcura looked around, but found no escape.  The Mapuche had circled them in from all ends and forced them to the edge of a cliff.  The couple was trapt.  The only way out, was to jump...
The couple looked at one another, gripped each other's hands tight, and threw themselves off the cliff.  
This is when the waterfall was created.   Ironically, it is shaped in the form of the white horse's tail.  Today, the waterfall (or salto in Spanish) is a symbol of their undying love for one another.

The Good, Bad, and everything in between

If you're wondering why many of you haven't heard from me in quite some time, it's because I've been out living, learning and soaking up as much as this country has to offer me.
However, with that being said, I have learned some noteworthy lessons that I believe are worth sharing...

After living in Chile for over 3 months now, I have transitioned past the "wide-eyed ignorant tourist" phase where everything is new, wonderful and exciting and have now entered, what I like to call, the "equal, but separate" phase.  Instead of being the new gringa on the block, I have successfully integrated myself into the daily goings on of Perquenco.  The students look at me as just another teacher, I've gained the parents trust and respect, I can walk down the street and run into familiar faces and have formed a couple of noteworthy relationships.  I coexist.

And as this transition has taken place, I have moved from the ignorant bliss of being in a new place to seeing things as they actually are.  In my first days here, I was warned that this would happen.  "Not everything is pretty," I was told, "There's good and bad in everyone and everything."  This turned out to be incredible accurate.  However, I have come to find that it doesn't necessarily have to be a negative thing.

You need the bad, in order to have the good.

You need to experience hardships, so that you know to take a step back and smile when things are easy.

You need people to be cruel, so that you can learn how to treat others kindly. --I've had LOTS of experience with this one, trust me.

You must know what it's like to fail again, and again, and again, so that you can learn to appreciate the little victories that carry you from day-to-day.

To the left are my dedicated sixth graders, that come to my English Club every week.
Even on the most hopeless, frustrating days, they can manage to put a smile on my face.


You need to make a complete fool out of yourself, so that you can just dive in without inhibitions or embarrassment. ---I finally agreed to let the school gym teacher give me Judo lessons. My first class starts tomorrow, wish me luck!
Oh, and did I mention that the other day I was voluntold to get up in front of an auditorium full of people and sing the National Anthem?! Yeahhhhh, point made.

You need to bust your ass, to the point where you ask yourself, "Is this even worth it?" So that when the time comes, you'll know it really was.

After days spent preparing a Halloween party for my 5th and 6th graders, I had TONS of kids show up.  They were all fascinated with everything I had prepared for them and they all had a blast!
Definitely one of the highlights of the semester.

When the people you rely on let you down and betray you, you realize how incredible it is when a complete stranger offers you a little bit of kindness.
In this case, Carlyn and I had 3 complete strangers   (whom we met via a mutual friend, Lorena) invite us to stay with them in their house, cook for us, and do everything possible to be the best tour guides in Valdivia.

When others loose their patience with you (for example, an old and bitter bus driver who doesn't give gringos the time of day), it teaches you to have tolerance for others who are struggling.

You must feel abandoned and alone, so that you can learn to find love and family in the hearts of others.

I, for example, have managed to develop a solid support system here in my home away from home.  My Chilean family consists of the infamous Peñailillos (whom you were introduced to in a previous post-I stay with them every weekend I'm not traveling) and my friend Carlyn, another volunteer like myself, and her host lady, Nelida (right).  Nelida has invited me to spend the weekend with the two of them in Curacautin countless times.  She plans each weekend out meticulously so that she can give us both the best experience she possibly can--with TONS of success, I might add--.  To the left is Leo (Chilean brother) on his 12th birthday.  I FINALLY beat him in chess a couple of weeks ago, he was pissed.  AND I took him out trick-or-treating for his very first time this year.



You must experience that "you against the world" feeling, so that you can genuinely thank someone for beding over backwards to help you.

You need to feel completely isolated, so that you know how special it is to be apart of something.

Me trick-or-treating with some of my students this Halloween.

There is a lot of ugly in this world.  There are ugly things, ugly words, ugly places and the worst of all, ugly people. I have come to find, that you need the ugly in order to fully appreciate what is truly beautiful.  You can find beauty in the oddest of places and in the most unlikely of people. Real beauty is not something superficial, its something genuine that you can see and feel inside and out. 

Due to the sheer vulnerability of my situation here in Chile, I have been faced with each and every one of these scenarios.  (For better or for worse.)  I take a look at my kids and it brings me back to a time when the only problem I had was that my little brother was annoying and wanted to play with me TOO much.  To be perfectly honest, I envy them.  How simple and pure the world seems from their point of view.   Little do they know, they'll soon grow up, loose that ignorance and begin to see the world for what it is.  A world where the good can not exist without the bad.  But like all the rest, this doesn't have to be negative.  

My experience in Chile has made me grow up in ways I could have never anticipated.  It has taught me to accept and appreciate reality for what it is, whether it be good or bad.  It has taught me to learn from each and every experience.  I have grown to appreciate the simpler things in life and I can feel myself developing into a mature, grounded and well-rounded individual, or dare I say it, a REAL person.  Don't be fooled! I still have a long ways to go! But I DO thank Chile for everything it has taught me thus far (and still continues to teach me) throughout this adventure.

Fiestas Patrias... talk about patriotism

Perhaps one of the most anticipated holidays of the year in Chile is Fiestas Patrias, or Dieciocho, which  marks the Chilean independence. A holiday I was informed of within my first hours in Chile and one that apparently the Chileans believe they need a whole week to celebrate.  And I'm not talking about our US holidays where we celebrate for a day and that's that.  The Chileans actually celebrate every single day of the week!
The actual historic days are:

• September 18th (hence dieciocho, eighteen in spanish) which marks the proclamation of the first governing body in Chile--beginning the independence process
• September 19th which is knows as "Día de las glorias del ejercito" or "Day of the glories of the army"--self explanatory. 

National observation:
Although the actual holiday is only for two days, to my understanding, all work and school in the entire country is closed for an entire week in observation of the independence (with a few exceptions of couse).  And boy do the Chileans take advantage of their free time!

Chilean flag:
It's actually a law that on this holiday, every public building and chilean home must have a chilean flag flying out in front, hung the correct way and facing the right direction.  Failure to comply with this law is punishable by fine.  Furthermore, the police actually enforce this law! Apparently they stopped by my host family's home and asked them where their flag was.  My host mom who tactically keeps an extra flag by the front door specifically for this scenario, came running out of the house, flag in hand, explaining to the police man that she had a flag out and was just in the process of changing it out for a nicer and newer one.  Fine averted.

La Ramada:
Or "Fonda" as they call it in central Chile is pretty much like a giant Chilean independence party.  Its filled with traditional food, dress, music, dance and games.  From what I'm told, there are ramadas throughout the entire Independence week.
My school had its own ramada (along with many other festivities) the week before the break, which of course Tía Rebecca was invited to partake in.  Each class decorated their classroom, brought in music and food, and many of the kids came in dressed in the traditional Chilean clothes.  I celebrated the Ramada with my fifth graders!! (Left- the kids dancing cueca -the national dance- in the classroom.  Below- us all siting down for a HUGE lunch)

El mes de las metas:
My host mom described September as "the month of goals".  Where there are competitions held throughout the country to see who can make the best ají, empanadas, pévere, etc. in light of Dieciocho.
If all else fails, I can always just stay here and be a judge for the rest of my life ;)


Food:
At this point, I could recite the typical Chilean food in my sleep!
-Empanadas: Cheese, beef or chicken and they can be either baked or fried.  (My personal opinion: they are MUCH better fried)

-Pan Dulce or Barritos: A really dense, sweet bread which is typically covered in a merengue-style frosting.

 -Asado: Chilean style barbecue containing an assortment of different types of meat. (NOT the US hot dog and hamburgers).  When the Chileans have an asado, they're not kidding around! And they LOVEEE their meat during Fiestas Patrias!!  They cook the meat on either a parrilla (chilean style grill) or what is pictured below which is a steal (or metal) disc.

 -Sopaipillas: The fried dough I've been gawking over since I got here.  This stuff will be my demise.

 -Mote: Wheat that's been soaked so that it's easy to eat, or in this case, drink.  Chileans will put mote in any type of drink and eat it with a spoon.  However the most traditional way to drink mote is in Mote con Huesillos.  Pictured below, it is a peach drink, (reminds me of a really sweet ice tea) with pieces of peach (huesillo) and mote.

 -Terremoto: The evening beverage of choice.  It translates to "earthquake" which is exactly what you experience when you stand up after drinking one!  Filled with pineapple ice cream, grenadine and whatever mystery liquors the bartender wants to throw in.  It's delicious.

-Chicha de manzana: Not pictured because I've never tried it but according to the Chileans this is THE drink of Dieciocho.  It is an alcoholic drink made of fermented apples.  Still on the to-do list....

La velada: A town-wide show put on by the students and teachers (and even some private groups) in Perquenco to represent all of the dances that make up and represent Chilean culture.  Cueca, the national dance, of course being the main attraction.

It was here that I learned there are actually TONS of different types of cueca, not just what all of my kids danced at school.  There are different variations depending on what part of the country your in.  For example, one variation of the cueca is shown above, where the woman dance while balancing a bottle on top of their head.  Regardless of the type, the use of the panuelo, or handkerchief, (as their waving to the right) is always a vital part of the cueca.

But it doesn't stop there... There are all sorts of waltzes and interpretive dances as well.  And let's not forget, the baile de los maches.

Three weeks ago, some of the girls from my 5th and 6th grade classes knocked on the door to my English classroom and asked to speak to me outside.  I left the room to find the professor of dance and culture standing outside waiting for us.  The girls excitedly asked me if I wanted to learn how to dance Mapuche and preform a dance with them at the Velada.  Not knowing what the hell a Velada was I instantly agreed, eager to learn more about the Mapuche and thrilled that they wanted to invite me into their world. 

It was only later, after the steps were learned and the coreography was memorized that I realized that the Velada was a big, important event of which the entire, and I mean the ENTIRE town attends.  Oops!

Another blessing in disguise I suppose!! It was incredible to be able to participate in something so important.  After all, I've never really been a "sit on the sidelines" kind of girl. Not to mention the entire town got a HUGE kick out of the gringa english teacher dancing mapuche in the traditional dress and attire! (To the left is a photo of our Mapuche group dancing at the Velada.) 

La Cueca:
Perhaps on of the most important things to know about Chilean life in September is the Cueca.  As the national dance of Chile, the cueca is meant to represent a man seeking out and courting a woman.  The woman keeps a comfortable distance from the man at all times and conceals her face with a panuelo (handkerchief).
It is typically known as a dance of the countryside, however in September, competitions are held in every town in every region, nation-wide.
All of my students know how to dance the cueca (as demonstrated in my pictures) and were eager and willing to teach me....
Well, I tried! I guess that's the most important part... however it was wayyyy too much multitasking for me.  Remembering the steps, the direction I had to dance, what to do at what part of the song and all while maintaining the circular motion of the panuelo was clearly too much for me to wrap my head around.  Oh well. At least I mastered the Mapuche dance!

Traditional Dress: 
Another thing I thought was SO cool about this holiday, is that every Chilean has their own set of traditional Chilean clothing reserved for exclusively for Fiestas Patrias.
-The boys wear a hat, white collared shirt under either a jacket or a poncho-like garment, accompanied by special pants, and riding boots ((spurs and all)).  It is meant to represent the traditional dress of the Chilean countryman, or huaso.
-The girls all have a pretty, colorful dress, typically decorated with the national flower, that poof out at the bottom so that they can grab it with their left hand while dancing the cueca.  (their right hand is occupied by the panuelo).
Chileans of all ages have this traditional dress. From the little kiddies (pictured above, which is my personal favorite) to the high school students, and even most adults take part in this tradition.
For those that are Mapuche, most choose to show off their traditional Mapuche wear.  As you will see to the right, me dressed the part for my Mapuche dance the night of the Velada, I am wearing all of the traditional Mapuche clothing.  -Trarilonco, a headpiece made of sliver and colored ribbon that drapes down behind each woman
-Aros, silver earring with mapuche designs (which were given to me as a gift after the Velada)
-Trapelacucha, a silver jewelry piece on the chest of each woman
-A blouse under a black sheet folded and wrapped into a dress and fastened by
-Faja, a beautifully knitted belt
-Echarpe, blanket draped over the shoulders 
All of my clothing from that night was authentic Mapuche clothes and jewelry borrowed from the wife of a teacher at my school.  

Los Juegos Criollos:
One entire school day was used up to partake in the Creole Games, traditional games and races of Chile.  My best way to describe it is like a glorified field day (if any of you remember celebrating field day in elementary school).  If you don't, no worries! Most of these games should be familiar....

Tug of war for instance.

Sack race

Three legged race

The funny looking top-contraption you see here is called el trumpo.  EVERY Chilean boy has one and they carry it everywhere with them in September.  What you have to do is wind a string around it, then wrap the other end around your hand.  Then throw it just right and just hard enough onto the ground so that it unwinds from the string and hits the ground spinning like a top.  It's SUPER hard but SOOOO rewarding when you finally get a good spin.  

This turned into another "let's teach the Tía" game...

El volantín, or kite, is another typical toy of Dieciocho.  They are sold in almost every store, and flown everywhere.  The last event of the day was exclusively reserved for kite flying.  Every child was given a free kite, courtesy of the colegio, and what's more surprising is that each and every child knew how to fly it!

El Desfile:

To conclude MY Fiestas Patrias (as I went traveling the following week), there was a town-wide parade, in which all of the students, bands, sports teams and town groups marched a whopping block and a half, in front of town hall (yellow) and the cultural center (grey).








I was invited to march with my kids and take part in the parade as well, but chose instead to take a step back and watch.  This turned out to be a GREAT decision, as I got much more personal satisfaction out of watching them all try and maintain a long enough attention span to march together in a straight line without squirming.  It was the most under control I have ever, and probably will ever see them.  It was HILARIOUS!

And that's that.  I ate, danced, listened, played and participated in all that is Fiestas Patrias (without sticking around for the actual holiday hehe).  Personally, I think spending it with my kids was wayyy better anyhow!

Felicitaciones, Chile. ¡Salud!

Take a step back... and smile.

"THE 20s ARE LIKE the stem cell of human development, the pluripotent moment when any of several outcomes is possible. Decisions and actions during this time have lasting ramifications. The 20s are when most people accumulate almost all of their formal education; when most people meet their future spouses and the friends they will keep; when most people start on the careers that they will stay with for many years. This is when adventures, experiments, travels, relationships are embarked on with an abandon that probably will not happen again."
Here's a little bedtime reading... if you have the time, it offers some pretty interesting perspectives.

Here I am, smack dab in the prime of my life, in the middle of South America (well actually, more like along the south-western tip) doing God knows what in God knows where.  Living in a small little country town in Chile where everyone knows everyone else.  Miles from the nearest foreigner and I have no one here that can even remotely begin to relate to me.

It's partly exhilarating, as if there's this chapter of my life--a secret if you will--that will forever be kept for me and only me.  It's mine forever and I'll never have to share it with anyone else. 
It's also greatly isolating.  I am alone in my thoughts and in my perspective.  No one here knows where I've been, what I'm thinking or how I might be feeling.  And I know, despite my greatest attempts to articulate these feelings to either the people here or my loved ones back at home, no one will ever know or be able to truly understand what I'm going through.  So I know that any cries out for guidance or understanding will forever be in vain. 

Yes, it's fun to tell you all about my fun and exciting weekend adventures or my new and interesting cultural encounters, but there is a crucial part of my experience here that I believe must be addressed.  A part so prevalent that it has become an integral part of each and every day I've spent in Chile thus far.  To ignore it, would be to undermine the incredible growing and developmental experience that it is.  I am not on vacation.  It is rather an intense learning experience that will forever impact the type of person I become.  Here are a few words describing my experience here that you probably wouldn't have expected... Frustrating, Confusing, Aggravating, Dumbfounding, Isolating, and Lonely.

I live with a family (and I have another that is always asking me to come over), I work an 8:30-5 job during the week, I have over 375 students who constantly compete for my attention and approval, there is a network of other volunteers on facebook whom I speak to almost daily, I have great internet service at my house so that I can contact anyone I like whenever I like, and yet still not a day has passed, where--if even for just a brief moment--I have felt lonely.

No matter how long I am here in Perquenco, I will always be the Gringa English teacher.  There will always be those who talk down to me assuming I don't speak or understand a word of Spanish (or worse, those to talk to me through others as if I need a translator).  There's a certain comfort in being around people who are similar to you, who know where you've been and why you area the way you are. (Perhaps thats why I felt so lonely in my first few weeks back from Argentina.)  I will forever carry with me, the fond sentiments of my hometown, of Baltimore, of my family and friends, and as long as those are still prevalent in my memory and heart, I will never feel completely at home. Not to mention the daily frustrations of cultural and language barriers.
Some examples, just to name a few...
- Being in a conversation where the ONLY word you don't know just happens to be the topic of conversation.
-When someone comes up to you and speak so fast your head starts spinning in circles, and no matter how many times you tell them you don't understand they still refuse to talk slower.
-The word you need has JUST left your mind and you're left staring out into space in the middle of a conversation with nothing left to say and no idea where to go from there.
-Someone tells a joke and the whole room erupts in laughter, except for you.  It's times like this when you long for American humor again.  (believe it or not, sense of humor is different in every culture)
-You're walking down the street and you say hello to a passerby, because that's what everyone else does  in Perquenco, and you're received with a look as if you just landed from outer space.
-Worst of all, when you're frustrated, you realize there is no one to turn to, no one that will truly understand what you're going through.  And then the fact that you have no one propagates more frustration and feeling of loneliness and isolation.

It's reflective to say the least.  A situation that calls for deep self reflection and criticism... not to mention constantly begs the question: What the hell am I doing here?

But there is consolation in it all. There are moments, gems, that make all of this worth while.

They say a smile is worth a thousand words.  Well I'm willing to raise them a thousand more.  A smile can have hundreds of different meanings, feelings and implications.  And for a foreigner, it can be a hail mary.
Living here, I've found that a smile can get you through the best of times, and the worst of times.
Here's just a few of the many different smiles you might not have known existed...
-The blind first-day-of-school optimism smile.  It doesn't have to be the first day of school necessarily, just any situation at all that you're walking into blind, where you have no idea what to expect, or what the hell to do with yourself so you just stand there and smile like a dumbass until someone comes over to help you or give you instruction.
-The new people smile. I know I'm the only foreigner in town, but I didn't arrive via spacecraft and I promise I don't bite.
-The confused smile.  I can't even begin to guess what you're saying to me so I'm just gonna smile and hope you get the hint to repeat yourself.
-The I'm lost please help me smile. I have no idea what I am, what I'm doing here, or where I'm going.  This smile is a desperate cry for someone to please walk over and help the poor lost gringa.
-The dumbfounded goofy smile. I have no idea what the hell you just said to me, but you're laughing, smiling, and looking at me as if I should respond so I'm going to give a little chuckle and smile until we move to the next topic.
-The frustrated smile. Nothing is going right. I'm so frustrated and angry right now I want to scream. But instead, I have to sit here and force the worst fake smile imaginable in hopes that I might actually get somewhere.
-The on the verge of tears smile. When you feel as if the world is against you.  When you're lonelier than ever and you just want to curl up in bed and cry.  But instead you have to go to school and be 100% of your BEST self or else there is no chance in hell that you're students are even going to give you the time of day. (Fun fact, when you're a teacher, you're not allowed to have an off-day, because if you don't care, neither will you're students.)  So you smile in a desperate attempt to hold back the tears, so that you can fake it to the rest of the world, and even to yourself if you're lucky, that everythings okay.

But just when you feel as if you've lost all hope...

There's The I just learned something new smile. Whether it be a new word, a new spanish phrase, or a fun new cultural tidbit--and trust me, there are many of these each day--they're all small little victories within themselves. 

-The rewarding smile. Walking out of a successful class or a great day at school. That, "I can actually do this" feeling.

-The friendly smile. When you're walking down the street and one of your students pop up out of nowhere with a big wave and an enthusiastic "¡Hola Tía!".  Or even when you run into any familiar face and exchange a brief hello... the fact that it's a familiar face in a foreign country is a celebration in itself.
-The belonging smile. The response I have to the millions of hugs, kisses and smiling faces that greet me every day I walk into school.  These kids are thrilled to see me, which means I must be doing something right.  What's even better is I'm thrilled to see them!  They give me a reason to get up on even the hardest and most challenging days.
-The thank god I have my kids smile. I have 5th and 6th graders lined up to participate in my after school English club.  They're ages 10-12, anxious to learn and just itching to spend more time with me.  They come up to me every day asking me millions of questions about the United States and trying to teach me all about their culture in Chile. "Tía, do you know what this is?" "Tía, try this!" (translated version of course).  I swear, they can put a smile on my face on even the crappiest of days where I just want to dig myself into a hole.
-The is this real life smile. There are countless times throughout my stay here when I have to take a second to give myself a reality check: "Is this really happening to me right now?" For example when the whole school just gets up in the middle of class and walks outside into the plaza and has a big Cueca dancing festival and one of my students grabs my hand and drags me into the dancing crowd of kiddies. Not to mention, the whole "wing-it" life style down here in Chile allows for some pretty awesome surprises.  One thing leads to another and before you know it you're snowshoeing around an active volcano!  I've had too many instances here where I have to take a step back and let my brain catch up to the rest of me, and by the time I realize, "yes, this is really happening" I find that I'm smiling from ear to ear.

-The new friend smile. One thing you learn very quickly in this country is that Chileans are INCREDIBLY friendly and welcoming people.  They love to talk, touch, share and meet new people.  For example, it is not unusual for you to meet someone for the first time and have them invite you to their home that same day. I have received countless invitations from Chileans anxious to share a little bit of their country with me.  For example, the people above, are the directors of the national park and invited Carlyn and I to take part in an invite only snowshoeing adventure through a national park.  At said adventure, we met Jorge (pictured right) who after a couple hours of trekking alongside us, invited us to his house the following day for lunch.  This is a typical day in Chile.

And then there's the best smiles of all...

-The ear-to-ear, every single tooth (or lack there of) smile. Jumping up and down, waving ferociously and screaming "¡Hola Tía! ¡Hellooooooo!" "Mama, ¡¡ella es la tía de ingles!!" (Mom, that's my english teacher!)  The look on my kid's faces (especially the little ones) when I run into them around town.

-The I get it smile.  That smile that spreads across a student's face as soon as that light bulb goes on and everything clicks.  That momentary satisfaction, when they don't even realize their smiling. And what's even better is knowing that I helped them get there. 

-The I just taught the Tía something smile.  I can't tell you how much delight my kids get from being able to teach ME something.  They love showing me things, teaching me about their culture and making me try new foods. For example, in the picture to the left, my 4th graders got a kick out of trying to teach me the Cueca.  Lucky for them, I love learning all of it just as much as they love teaching me.  Maybe even more!

-The running smile.  There comes a time at the end of each day, where I go for my afternoon run and reflect.  I think about everything from my daily goings-on to where I am and what I'm doing in my life right now. For those that know me best, you'll know that this is my way of coping with all of life's ups and downs. It maintains my sanity and piece of mind throughout this entire emotional roller coaster. And as I'm running through these picturesque landscapes that no camera can do justice to, I get that same "WOW, this is really happening" feeling.  I feel more alive than ever and no matter how hard I try, I can't hold back a smile.

The Chilean School System (from the Araucanian Perspective)

(A good education is the best way to liberty)

In case you all have forgotten, I'M A TEACHER.  That means in spite of all of the adventures I've been writing about in my blog, I actually have an 8:30-4 (sometimes 5) job Monday-Thursday.  

I figured in light of the "Paro", aka strike, because of which I got the day off from school, I would use this free time to give you the low-down of exactly what's going on in the Chilean School System.  (Or at least what I've been able to gather of it from my home down in Araucanía).

---Which by the way,  I was reading a newspaper on the train a couple weeks ago which the front page reading "La Araucanía sigue siendo la región más pobre de Chile".  Translation: Araucanía continues to be the poorest region in Chile.  However in light of this, after speaking with the teachers in my school district and seeing the way things are run in my town, It seems like whatever money Perquenco DOES have, it distributes A LOT of it towards education.  However this doesn't seem to be the case in the vast majority of the country...Interesting.

(By the way, the funny picture to the write is a sign hanging up in the cultural center in Perquenco and translates to: "Less face and more book." hehehe)

Before I go any further there are two words you must learn that play a MAJOR role in the Chilean school system:

Paro= Strike (this can mean the students OR the teachers)

Toma= Litteral translation, to take (meaning that the students take over the school)

These are the two main ways that people in Chile express their discontent with the system.  However, they are so frequent and such a common occurrence that it begs the question, exactly how effective can if be??  The country is so accustom to these practices that both strikes and tomas have become incredibly easy to coordinate and carry out.  They are SO common in fact, that they have become one of the characteristics of the culture here. 

These practices are not exclusive to one part of the country, they occur nation wide.  They occur more often in cities and less often in small towns such as Perquenco. (In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm the very LAST volunteer to experience one).  They are typically peaceful, in which the students or teachers simply just don't how up to school, however the events that have been occurring recently in the capital are another story.  

Teachers strike due to being underpaid, the distribution of state/governmental finances, and how the government manages the education system.  --Fun fact: All teachers in Chile get paid by the HOUR! Regardless of how many years they've been working, or whether they're in private or public schools or teach primary or university education-- The strike today for example, is in response to the new education laws created by the government.  The teachers are angry because the government failed to consult them about the changes before they were passed.  They are also protesting that in many areas, not enough municipality funds actually go towards the school system.  The teachers at my school however, were very adamant on  enforcing the fact that this is NOT what is happening in Perquenco, and that they are protesting the national system and not the local one. 

Students strike and take over the school for many different reasons.  I have heard of all sorts of stories and all different reasons for strikes and tomas.  In general, students demand a cheaper/free, better quality of education, more funding for their school, improved classroom conditions, or plain and simply, more attention from the government.  These are the valid reasons of course.  I have also heard of students taking advantage of this strike-oriented system and refusing to go to school for absurd reasons.  At another volunteer's school for example, the school was separated into two different buildings, one of which was undergoing much needed renovations.  So one day the children with classes in the construction building had off from school due to renovations, so in response, the students in the other building went on strike for the day because it wasn't fair that only half of them got off from class.  My other friend, hasn't had class after 1:30 for the past week because all of the students go on strike after lunch and leave school halfway through the day.

Despite these absurd instances, there are strikes and tomas with good intentions as well.  The picture above for example was one I took of a high school in Temuco in toma.  The banner reads: We are prisoners of the neoliberal system where education is a good consumption.  

In the capital: Strikes have been going on in Santiago for the past month or so.  Some schools have been shut down for weeks! My friend Rhodri, another fellow volunteer, has taught at his technical institute in Santiago a total of 6 hours in the past 3 weeks.  The students are demanding educational reform; they want quality public schools and lower costing private universities.  What I've gathered by speaking with various Chileans is that the only way you can get a quality university education, is if you have the money to pay for it.  And the banks put high intrest rates on all of the education loans they distribute.  So very few students can actually afford to get a quality education.  

These particular strikes have gotten rather heated and even violent and have gained the national spotllight.  To the point where an update on the Santiago strikes are the first thing you'll see on whatever chilean TV news station you turn to.  

The police, or carabineros, respond to these protesting students by force.  They battle the protesting crowds fully suited in full out SWAT gear, they use those strong, powerful fire hoses and tear gas, and even beat and arrest some of the students.  The government even went as far as to burn 3 city buses and frame the students in order to taint their reputation and make them seem more extreme and violent in the national eye.

For some crazy photographs of the Santiago strike, click here!!

This strike has filtered its way into other Chilean cities as well.  This past weekend for example, I was walking through Temuco and passing by one of the Universities with two other volunteers, when all of a sudden we were hit by a funny smelling cloud of air.  All of a sudden, our eyes started to water and burn.  The weird tingling smell worked its way into our noses and up far into our nostrils.  The burning sensation then eventually worked its way to the back of our throats and down into our lungs. We were having difficulty seeing and breathing and we had absolutely no idea what or what it was from.  Later that evening, we found out that we had walked through tear gas released by the carabineros to suppress the protesting crowd a the university.  It was awful, and we were just on the tail end of it.  I can't imagine being directly in the crowd that was sprayed.  

Personally, I think it's great that the students are trying to take control of their education and seek reform.  God knows the system needs it.  However, I feel as if their means of protest have become too typical and common to actually make an impact and invoke change.  Then again, I have no idea how else they can speak up and be heard by their government.

In Perquenco: I've found the system here to be a lot different, even encouraging.  Although there are still many obvious things that bother me as an outsider looking in, the system as a whole I think is great.  Principally due to the educators' and administrators' honest intentions and aspirations for improvement.  

There is not much more to Perquenco beyond a few markets, the cultural center and the schools (this includes day care, the elementary school in the town and those of the outlying campo communities and the high school).  Perhaps for this reason, education is a very integral part of Perquenco and receives much attention from the mayor and town as a whole.  My second week here, the mayor held a meeting with all of the educators from the various schools of the commune regarding the future of education in Perquenco.  He wanted to hear the teacher's opinions on the current education system, the good and the bad, what improvements they believed needed to be made and exactly how the changes should go about being done.  He had the teachers work together in collaborative groups and present in front of everyone their reactions and responses to these questions.  

I'm SO glad I got to sit in on the meeting!! I learned SO much about the social issues that Perquenco faces.  For example, the fact that only 25% of their students continue onto a university or technical school after completing high school.  I also began to understand what an integral role the family plays in a student's educational success.  Everything really does start in the home, and if the parents don't stress the importance of education or encourage their kids to be well-rounded children (which I am told very seldom happens in Perquenco) the kids are from there on jaded.  

--Another issue I am beginning to see is that the few that DO receive a higher education, choose not to stay in Perquenco and live elsewhere where there are more jobs.

It's interesting-- and ENCOURAGING-- to see such a small town with such high aspirations and such innovative outlooks.  Unlike the ministry of education, where one of the biggest criticisms is the lack of change and willingness to try anything new or innovative, the educators (for the most part) are open to new ideas and up to try anything new that might bring about a positive result.  

Then again, last week, all of the schools let out early for another teacher meeting-- a movie the town wanted all of the educators to watch.  At first I was thinking "you've gotta be kidding, they let school out early for a MOVIE?!", but then I actually watched it, wow. It's called "La educación prohibida" and is an argentinean documentary about the problems in the Latin American school systems.  It was great to see that many of the issues I had been observing being addressed--and not by North Americans but by Latinos!! What was even better was seeing the positive responses by all of the teachers of Perquenco!! 

It's true that a lot of the issues that frustrate me have a lot more to do with the fundamentals of "the system" and a lot less to do with the individual schools.  It's frustrating because even though the teachers are aware of these issues, there's only so much they can do.  Especially from Perquenco.

But enough about that... I'll leave you on a lighter note of some of the highlights in the classroom.  :)

My first week was observation week, it was pretty much me getting a feel for my classes, my students and the material I'll be teaching as well as giving the students time to warm up to me.  My first hour with each of my classes was just spent with me telling them about myself and them asking me a million different questions.  They were really interested to learn about the United States too!! 

Fun tid bit: They think its absolutely amazing that our seasons are reversed and that it's cold during our Christmas.  So in the first class with my 4th graders, I did the whole introduction and then my head teacher and I taught a lesson. At the end of class the head teacher asked what they learned that day and the first student to raise his hand said "We learned that it SNOWS in Christmas!!!) hahahahaha

(The picture above is me teaching my 6th graders)

I co-teach alongside my head teacher, Lily.  She's awesome and we work really well together! We have a great relationship and I love to talk to her.  Unfortunately her English isn't that great, and because she never has a native speaker to practice with, her pronunciation is always wayyyy off, but she LOVES to learn and is always asking me questions and writing down notes of things I say in english so that she can improve.  It's really admirable. The two of us are always walking around with a notebook and pen in hand jotting down notes of what the other has said so that we can both improve :)

Here's the rundown of my classes: (Most of my classes are in the elementary school)

1 pre-K class

2 first grade classes

1 third grade class

2 fourth grade classes 

2 fifth grade classes

2 sixth grade classes 

3 seventh grade classes (these classes I teach at the high school, or Liceo)

(The ministry said that volunteers are only allowed to teach grades 5-12, --so I'm a very rare case--but I'm quickly learning that all of the ministry's "rules and restrictions" are just a very VERY LOOSE guide haha)

I feel as if I lucked out, none of the other volunteers get to work with the kiddies!! And I love it because I believe that they're younger years are the most important.  A. That's when they soak up the most information B. If you can get them interested and motivated young, then they're sure to learn more in the future.  (And I mean, common! The picture to the right is my pre-K kids... they're ADORABLE!!) 

(Below is a picture of some of my 3rd graders, hard at work)

The kids took to me immediately!! I LOVE going into school every day cause all of them run up to me to give me hugs and kisses and say good morning.

The best part is, that because this is a kissing culture, every time a new class walks into my english room I get about 30 kisses and hellos and every time they leave, another 30 kisses and "chaus".  I'm averaging 200+ kisses a day, I LOVE IT!  :)

Because they're still young, they call me "Tía Rebecca" (Aunt Rebecca) instead of "Profe" or "Teacher" (which is what the other volunteers with older students are called).

To the right is my 1st graders during a SERIOUSLY intense game of Pictionary hahahaha!

And below is my other 1st grade class completely out of control! Mental note: saying "smile for the camera" results in complete and utter chaos.

I these brand-spankin new English text books came in last week for our 1st-4th grade classes, and when we told the kids, they actually cheered and clapped.  They were EXCITED for text books!!  That's certainly one reaction you would NEVER get in the states!!

Tomorrow is the first day of my after school English club!! I decided that kids in both 5th and 6th grade could sign up, but then I had SO many kids that wanted to participate (some of which I didn't even have for class) that I had to break it up into two separate days, one day for each grade.

Last week all of my afternoons were taken up by my 6th graders.  Lily and I picked 3 of the most motivated kids from the class to participate in a regional English Spelling Bee.  So every afternoon I spent with them practicing and preparing them for the Bee.  (They really did study SOO hard, it was great!!)-- I was SO proud!

Then the day of the Bee, we went into Temuco for the competition.  We lost by only a couple of seconds (it was a tie for the amount of words spelled correctly but we lost in the time it took to spell each word).  But either way it was great to see them get so into it, and we finished the day with a nice lunch all together in Temuco.  

(To the right are me and my kids at the Bee with their certificates of participation).

THEN, yesterday, a few of the girls in 5th and 6th grade came knocking on my classroom door looking for me with the cultural director at school.  They were bouncing with excitement and giggles when the professor explained to me that they wanted to teach me the traditional Mapuche dance (about 50% of my students are Mapuche, if not, more!) and then PREFORM it with them durring their school's annual independence day celebration in September (traditional dress and all).  I'm so excited that the students want to share so much with me and that they're so willing to let me, a foreigner only here for 5 months, into their world.   

Below is a picture I took from my classroom window after a HUGE rainstorm.  It might rain a ton here,  and it might be freezing cold and in the middle of no where, but like this rainbow, my experience in Perquenco thus far has been absolutely beautiful.

PS. if you haven't already figured it out, I LOVE TEACHING!!!!