Gracias a la Vida

This song, "Gracias a la Vida," is a collaborative effort including Juanes, Shakira, and many others. It can be bought on itunes and the proceeds go toward Chile's earthquake recovery. The original version of this song is a cuenca, a typical Chilean folksong, written by one of Chile's best-known musicians: Violeta Parra. I'm currently learning to play a few of her songs on the guitar. :-) Below is the original version of her song:

A heart spills forth

Chile in a Word: Cariño

Caring, caressing, expressing, loving, warmth, besos, worried inquiries, “don’t forget to bundle up”s, kisses on the cheek, extra uvas on the plates, another blanket on the bed, a little longer hug, lingering palm to palm, and good night to you, too.

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I live in a world where a white-collared man can preach my salvation in the same instant that another man in the shadows can whistle in appreciation of my sexuality. A stray dog amongst millions can sit stoic and patient, awaiting the oncoming bus with the air of an old man who has done this many more times than he can count. But that clinking box of green and white just whizzes right on past, and the mangy mutt, unblinking, awaits the next. Gazing through those bustling windows, I roll about town with my family of strangers, living in grays, mutes, and white-noise. Suddenly, rounding the bend I look down into the city center at sundown and the traffic signals are positively smoldering with light. The city is gilded in gold and, at once a child in attics of old, I am discovering a treasure.

Gems of another glitter can be found in that same cramped, jostling city bus; recovering from a headache and clutching my weary backpack to my chest, I’m suddenly joined by a mother and two children who are juggling a potted plant and trying to arrange themselves in the bustling vehicle. Eyeing the verdure perched on her lap, I catch the mother’s glance, and a conversation is sparked. A sort of warmth effuses through the atmosphere. Several laughs and a good many smiles later, my headache is gone and my stop has arrived. A kind man seated in front of us, having overheard me mention where I'd need to hop off, thoughtfully warns me that the time has come for me to descend. Hands and voices reach out when I drop my scarf in the aisle –and I feel blessed. Within moments, I have moved from being that solitary foreigner on the bus to feeling myself at the heart of a small family –one where you help without it being expected of you. Where you exchange a smile in passing and look out for everyone as a whole. We at the front of that bus, we achieved something enviable, nay, precious in those few instants. All it took was an open eye and a few words.


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But what have I been doing these last few weeks? Obviously not keeping up on my blog as much as one might hope. Well, I made a weekend trip to Mendoza, Argentina, delved deeper into my artistic self, came to know a few musician friends, and buckled down on my course work, which has picked up, thankfully. I have felt myself re-becoming that creative person that I love so much, channeling that special energy through art classes, song writing, poetry, and dance. A friend is starting me off on Chilean folk songs as he teaches me the guitar and my personal modern-dance pieces have been well appreciated by someone other than my own shadow for the first time in recorded history. And Robert was a very good audience, I might add.

I have planned out my entire pre-med track and triumphed in planning my class schedule for next semester. I’ve played in compost bins at my internship, kissed the sky a hundred times, spoken with Robert infinitely more, and procrastinated long and hard on my Chinese test preparation. Hence, it is my time to leave you, although this post deserves much more than what I have given.

May love be with you wherever you go.

Peace and love,

Jocelyn

Fotos! The best in life: Food and Family!

My mamá, my baby nephew, and our lovely neighbor Miré who is practically part of the family.

An appetizer! Its some sort of mejillon, or mussel.

My host father, Jorge, and my little nephew.

In spanish, this is called tuna. It is a delicious fruit with round seeds in the middle that comes from some sort of cactus. yum! AHA! I just looked up the translation for tuna! It's a prickly pear! (*Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw. When you pick a pear try to use the claw!*)

My host father eating tuna. :-)

THE CHILE QUIZ! PLAY TO WIN!

Are you ready for a game?!?!

Today’s game is called, “The Chile Quiz!” No, its not academic, and yes, there is a prize, so roll up your sleeves and whip out a blank word document, because we’re about to get down and let the good times roll!

How this works: okay, so I’m providing you with a series of multiple choice questions concerning what I’ve experienced of Chile thus far. Your job is to answer them to the best of your ability BEFORE checking the key that I will place at the end. THIS IS AN HONOR SYSTEM! Your karma points will go way down if you tell us all that you got a perfect score, when in fact you feel that you deserved a C! So, answer them all, grade your quiz, and post your score in the comments section of this post –or send me your results via facebook or email. Whatever works. And now for the good part: WHOEVER GETS THE MOST CORRECT WILL RECEIVE ONE GENUINE, HIGHLY-SOUGHT-AFTER POSTCARD FROM YOURS TRULY!

Let me repeat that, I will send you a POSTCARD with a Chilean stamp and everything if you show me your mad, superior skills on this quiz. :-D I hope you’ve rolled up those sleeves already, because here we go!


* * *


THE CHILE QUIZ

1. What is a “pololo?”
a. A tasty Chilean rice dish.
b. A boyfriend.
c. The typical wart found on every Chilean host mother’s face.
d. A fruit.

2. What controversial dictator hangs heavy over Chile’s recent history? (okay, I know this is academic, but don’t you dare go consulting wiki!)
a. Pinochet
b. Mussolini
c. Salazar
d. Piñera

3. What is Jocelyn’s favorite type of Chilean food/drink thus far?
a. Her mother’s special pork and bean stew.
b. The abundant avocadoes.
c. Pisco sour: almost like a margarita –but better!
d. Fruit juices: freshly blenderized!
e. b and d.
f. a and b.

4. What is the name of the meal that Chileans eat in the evening?
a. La té.
b. La once.
c. La merienda.
d. La cena.

5. Which of these are you LEAST likely to find on a bus?
a. A clown.
b. The ice-cream man.
c. A fortuneteller.
d. A baby.

6. Which of the following does Jocelyn frequently pause to do during her walk home from school?
a. Buy an avocado from the corner store.
b. Do pull-ups at the park.
c. Climb up the alley wall.
d. Have tea with Sadio.

7. If Jocelyn lives on 12 Norte and her university is at the corner of Argentina and Brazil, how many blocks does she walk to school each day?
a. Only a few; it’s not far!
b. Too many! Aaaaack!
c. I don’t know what you’re talking about; the concept of “blocks” doesn’t exist in Chile.
d. Why would she walk when she could just take the bus?!


8. Which of the following items, bought in Chile, is priced incorrectly (in US$)?
a. Box cutter: 30 cents.
b. Postcard: 40 cents.
c. 10 Multimedia CDs: $10.
d. One pad of lined post-its: $5.

9. Most Chileans live with their parents until they…
a. …turn 18.
b. …go to the university.
c. …graduate from the university and get a job.
d. …get married.

10. What act will most definitely get an exchange student kicked out of their host family’s house?
a. Coming home drunk.
b. Not coming home at all.
c. Having a significant other sleep over.
d. a and c.
e. a and b.

11. What is the name of Chile’s primary indigenous population?
a. Mapuche.
b. Puelche.
c. Huaorani.
d. Apache.

12. What nickname does Jocelyn’s host family give her?
a. Jocey.
b. Hijita.
c. Gringuita.
d. a and b.
e. All of the above.

13. Which value is typically held in higher esteem by Chileans? (at least according to my Public Health professor)
a. Friendship.
b. Honesty.
c. Responsibility.
d. Cleanliness.

14. What was the magnitude of Chile's largest earthquake in recent history on the Richter scale?
a. 7.5
b. 7.8
c. 8.8
d. 9.5

15. Who makes my bed in the morning?
a. Me.
b. My host mom.
c. My nana.
d. Nobody.

BONUS QUESTION!!!
Name as many of my classes as you can, or at least their fields.





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Key: 1-b, 2-a, 3-e, 4-b, 5-c, 6-b, 7-d, 8-c, 9-d, 10-d, 11-a, 12-e, 13-a, 14-c, 15-c.

Don’t forget to report back on your results! ;-)

Fotos! Escaleras y palabras.

Photos of some stairs on campus.
"Because I want nothing, I have everything."

"Everything for everyone."

Fotos! School, cityscape, and friends.

The Viña del Mar cityscape.

On my way to school.

A mural behind the campus.

A lovely little cove behind campus that I want to explore sometimes soon.

My wonderful program crew! From left to right, Pamela, Vivi, and Helen. These are the lovely women who oriented me to Chile and help me in my every endeavor! Three cheers!

Being.

Here is a place where magenta, lime, and melon houses checker the creams and whites. A place where a boyfriend is a pololo and a light, autumn breeze caresses your cheek on a warm day in March. The people are cariñosos and the avocados abound, served on toast at most every meal of the day. The bureaucracy can be stifling and the boys sometimes whistle, but looking out over the active city with its happy port from atop one of the various cerros –or hills- you can’t help but smile a little smile and sway inside yourself.

This has been my first of many weeks in Chile; smelling, touching, laughing, harrumphing. Wondering when my classes will make up their mind and just stick to one schedule already, avidly devouring choclo, humedas, and ciruelas –roughly translated as corn, tamales, and plums, and coming to know my delightful host parents who so lovingly include me in their daily endeavors. We’ve shared several meals, gone to the mall, talked with Robert on skype [ ;-) ], gone to a tea party at the neighbor’s house, looked over my endless photos of family and travels, and conversed at great length. I feel quite at home here, lacking only certain poochie-loving goofballs, raspberry-receiving adolescents, world-traipsing Omas, ever-huggable mamás, and orange-juice bathed someones.

As for school, I’m currently enrolled for my required Spanish class, two art classes –the first involving stamping and the second drawing, an internship class working with kids in a nearby community, and a biology class. The biology class might be cellular, but then again it might end up being anatomy. I’ll be attending various classes in the meantime, as I search out one that works for me and my schedule. I’m also enrolled in a 2 credit course of Into to Mandarin Chinese as well as a psych course entitled “Leadership and Coaching.” If I really like those courses, then I’ll simply volunteer for the internship and forgo the credit, opting for Chinese and psych instead.

My classes are scattered about the city, providing me with ample opportunity to get lost or take the wrong micro, or bus. But have no fear! I shall sally forth and brave the wild furrows and crescents of this intrepid city! I shall take the wrong bus no more than once a day and go where no Davisite has gone before! As you can see, I am quite optimistic about my future ventures, even if registration resulted in a short facebook rant. The upside of taking the wrong bus is that I get to take a nice promenade through lovely parts of the city that I have not yet explored. Jolly good, those walks! In fact, I purposefully exited my bus a few blocks early on my way home today for the express purpose of cheerfully accepting the sun’s rays.

Well, that golden orb does shine a little more brightly here, and the night sky looks a little strange even to such a novice star-gazer as myself, but this place is still just like any other; unique, beautiful, jam-packed with interesting, caring people, and unknowable in its entirety to a foreigner. Nonetheless, it should be lovely unraveling a few of those unknowns throughout the upcoming months.

Love and peace,

Jocelyn


PS Along with Kate, another girl from my program, I have decided to speak exclusively Spanish while I'm in Chile. At first, we were concerned that we'd be alienated from the other students because of this choice; as a exchange student in a strange culture far away from everyone you know and love, English becomes a linguistic comfort food. However, after no time at all, everyone became accustomed to our choice, and now they speak to us in whichever language they prefer, and we respond in Spanish. It is lovely!

PPS Te quiero.

Day One: Where do you find a downy bower in the midst of an earthquake?!

A haze of fatigue lingers over my mind, like a constant drip IV seeping sleepiness into my veins. I cannot say the same for the two women in the car with me; they are pumped full of adrenaline and chattering away in Spanish as they attempt to outwit the downed phone lines and achieve a few phone calls. With so many frantic people dialing up on their cell phones, the entire network is jammed and the absence of communication terrifies a host of mothers, sons, close friends, and grandfathers who cannot verify the safety of their loved ones. With a 7.2 earthquake and a tsunami on our hands, the “Welcome to Chile” sign has tumbled to the floor and steering wheels guiding us to higher ground have taken center stage. A soft bed will have to wait; we’re on tsunami alert.

Looking out over the red carpet of airport security officials, our heard of bedraggled and travel-weary passengers descended from our winged chase. This royal welcoming party, necessitated by the earthquake’s damaging effects on the terminal, sorted through us, looking for those with connecting flights and guiding us off hastily. The airport seemed normal enough, but as I came through customs, I began to note the closed shops, draped construction sheets, and distant revving of concrete saws. I would later discover that the true damage to this airport had not been structural, but rather the myriad of shattered glass panels that enclosed its entirety. I pushed my cart down the center of the road before the airport, rounded the bend, and came upon a huge tent filled with eager faces and white, lettered signs. “Ah, here awaits the throng that is fenced out of the airport.”

Well, I met up with the Santiago program director and Andy, another weary student traveler like myself, and we made our way by taxi to the bus station. Everything looked so normal that it was difficult to reconcile it with the crumpled buildings I remembered from the internet. We hauled that 53 lb box of aid through the station and off we went on a bus, headed for Viña del Mar where I would be meeting the Valparaiso program director and, then, my host family. Then everything was put into question; a woman received word of a 7.2 earthquake that had hit our destination and she started panicking over the well-being of her children, searching for them frantically in phone call after phone call. The radio came on and we craned our ears toward its warning beeps and alarm messages. The traffic in the opposite direction mounted and knapsack and backpack laden travelers appeared, treading along by foot in t-shirts and suits alike. And yet, we kept pushing forward…against the grain.

Upon our arrival in the bus station, Andy and I ran about searching for our program director (or rather, I sat with the bags and box while Andy ran about on his search mission). We were in the process of problem-solving how to get our hands on a cell phone, since a pay phone is not an option without a few Chilean pesos, when our beloved director and entourage appeared before us a half-hour after our arrival. We were so thankful! It turned out that, as they prepared to pick us up, the alarm sounded and forced them to evacuate. Against protocol, they had come back to retrieve us and carry us up the hill by car to safety. Frankly, we were all safe even on the flatland beside the coast because the water is deep enough to prevent any tsunamis from having a real effect, but when there’s any question in the matter, you play it safe.

And thus have we come full circle; little old me sat in that traffic-weary car feeling, I can only assume, one hundred times more exhausted than the vehicle. Since that moment of exhaustion in the coche, or auto as they call it here, I have been graced with the opportunity to meet my fabulous new host family, eat of their delicious food, partake of a much-needed nap, see the town, and, once again, bless my stomach with Chilean food. I can tell that this will be a wonderful semester.

Hugs and love,

Jocelyn

Chile: My Crumbling Destination

If you had asked me two weeks ago where I would be right at this instant, I probably would have told you that I’d be safely tucked into a bed somewhere slightly north of Santiago, Chile, tuckered out after a long but exciting day of orientation. I would be dreaming of Spanish and imagining my eminent meeting with my host family. I’d be living out of the backpacks at the end of my bunk and everything would be new and thrilling.

Ask me now where I am. I’m not in Chile, and I’m not in bed. If I were, it might be shacking with aftershocks, because only days before my scheduled flight to that South American destination, a terrific and terrible 8.8 earthquake struck Chile. My airplane never took off, and I stayed put in cheerful, comfortable Davis with the strange sensation of being in limbo. That hazy world of uncertainty ended with the rescheduling of my flight for March 10th –a little more than a week after my original departure date. Having spent that week appreciating the company of those I care for, preparing more thoroughly for my big trip, and collecting relief supplies to pack up and fly over, I’m now more ready than ever to be in a place where “hola” sounds more normal than “hello.” And let’s just say that I feel severely deprived of some good, down-to-earth classes and homework. (I know, it’s almost blasphemous that I speak of homework in such a longing tone. Don’t worry; that won’t last long!)

So, orientation will be short and sweet and I’ll be jumping straight into my host family’s lap upon my arrival. Hopefully a nice climbing trip will be quick to follow. :-D We’ll see…