So. On February 6th it was snowing in Boston. My mother, in-demand business traveler that she is, took a cab with me to the airport. We got a coffee. Oddly enough the exact same scene had happened one year earlier, on February 6th 2007, when we got a coffee at the same restaurant (remodelled in the interim), before I got on a plane to New Zealand. Strange symmetry. In any event, on February 6th 2008, I am waiting for a plane to take me to Miami, where I would spend the night before taking a super-convenient combination of three flights (San Jose, Lima, Santiago) on my way to Chile. A hastily made decision, a quick series of preperations, and off I go. I speak no Spanish. I have never been to South America. I do not know how to teach English. Needless to say I am not entirely sure that I am not crazy, and not entirely sure that I don't want to just follow my mother to Atlanta or Idaho or West Point or wherever the hell else she's off to. But I get on the plane because changing my whole life around seems to have become some sort of habit.
So, it is now June 6th, which puts me exactly four months in to my new Chilean life. Time for a check-in.
Spanish: I am rather pleased with my progress. I am now able to speak somewhat competently when addressed individually, in the present tense, by someone with a vast amount of patience. Occasionally I use the past tense correctly. Sometimes I even use the future tense. I use "po" for emphasis (oddly enough, in English at times). I am not getting near "waeon" yet, given that, in my understanding, it is capable of being a noun, a verb, an adjective and even an adverb. In group settings I have gotten to the point where I can think of something to contribute to the conversation.....five minutes after everyone else has moved on to another topic. In short: yes, I suck at Spanish, but what do you want from me?
French: A ghost in the back of my head. I can still read, but seem incapable of speaking coherently. It still manages to trip me up, however, as I run around telling people to "remplacer" things or look at the "deuxieme" item in their books. And every once in awhile I go from being yo to je and that just throws everything off.
Other skills: Last night I learned how to make a little paper collared shirt out of the top of a Lucky Strikes box (photo documentation to be provided at the next chance to upload pics).
Oh yeah, and I know how to teach now.
Jobs: Two, thank you very much. I am very excited to be taking on extra hours with another language school, which will hopefully give my life a bit more order. At the moment, I work all day on Mondays and Wednesdays, for two hours only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and not at all on Fridays. On occasion I forget that I have a job. So hopefully the new hours and new types of classes will bring me back into Grown-Up-Land.
Friends in the metro region: Let's peg it at 3, with a swing rate of 2 in either direction.
Phone: Possessed. It changes its ring tone frequently (unaided), resulting in missed calls. One friend is currently unable to send me messages (they never come through), but can call me. Another cannot call me (error message), and can send messages, but they arrive a long time after being sent. My theory: my phone either wants me to spend all of my money on Entel Tickets as I become forced to call everyone, or--and this is more probable--it is the sinister force behind my stunted social development.
Living in someone else's house: A riot, an amazing experience, a headache. I am immensely grateful to my living situation; I am positive I would not speak Spanish if I were not living with the family. However, I am still not entirely adjusted to the level of scrutiny that my life receives. I am given more unsolicited advice/criticism in a day in Chile than in a year in....wherever else I might be living at the time. I have been told that I can continue renting my room after December, but I have a feeling that by that time I'm going to be ready to be an adult again.
Valparaíso: Amo, amo, amo. I have never loved living in a city the way that I love Valparaíso (except Paris, but who doesn't). My life is frequently a headache but I just look around and I am so happy to be here in this place. This is a new experience for me and it is very welcome.
Future plans: Slowly taking shape. I think that I am ready to say that I want to live in Chile for a while. Things are a struggle. I can't communicate. I have a very limited social life and very little going on in my free time. The truth of it is, though, that four months ago I threw in my lot with Chile. 24 is not a comfortable age for anyone, I think. I may not be fully satisfied with my life in Valparaíso but the meat of it is that I have more here than I do anywhere else. I've moved around too much to have a life waiting for me anywhere; my life is where I am and I have started building a new one in Chile. For once I am starting to see that I cannot keep building up and tearing down existences every six months. So, at the moment, I am going to call Valparaíso my new home.
But....well...talk to me in six months.
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