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.