Brush with fame

A couple months ago I was walking through downtown Vina with Giselle. We saw a huge group of people gathered and camera flashes going off. Of course we had to investigate. I saw people taking turns getting pictures with a man and a woman in the middle. Giselle told me that the man ran for the Chilean Senate the last term, and his daughter-in-law was a famous TV Anchor. I handed Giselle my camera and asked her to take my picture with the pair since I didn't want to pay for the Polaroid print.

So here I am jumping up and down not only being an ugly American, but an obnoxious one at that. After this picture a man running the operation kindly pushed me forward to be with the celebrities...

...I learned a couple things after this picture was taken. One: the Polorid was free. I didn't have to tell everyone to look over towards Giselle taking the picture. Two: the man in the red jacket wasn't just being annoying, HE's the famous one, not they guy in the blue. JA! Too funny!

One more thought: Chileans are positively shameless in their political advertising! Elections for both the Senate and new President are this Sunday, the 13th (the same day I leave). I need to get some better photos, but this will do for now.

Mira! Look at all those signs! Who honestly wants to see their face that big every three feet?

Not only are the signs huge and everywhere, but they're also cheesy-lame like you wouldn't believe. These would not fly in the States.

Remember my photo with the former Senator-candidate Lavin? Well it turns out he's back this year, and someone told him that the jacket over the shoulder (which he has in all his pics) was a crowd-pleaser. Mentiroso!

It's go time

I used to think the crosswalk "go" lights **honest to goodness I've forgotten what they're called** looked really funny. I would just laugh inside every time I saw them. Now for the life of me I can't think of anything strange about them. Time does something to ya.

Hobbiton Habbitations

I have a bit of a fetish with the doors and vibrant colored houses in Vina. When I first arrived here I was constantly reminded of "The Hobbit" because so many of the doors have a knob right in the middle. But ye be warned: the knob does not actually turn and open the door; it's purely there for show. Take a look at some of my favs (doors and houses).

Shouldn't give that one out...

The other day I was trying to remember what my cell phone number was. I was racking my brain for the digits when some familiar numbers came to mind. It wasn't until after I said them that I realized I was reciting my social security number and not my cell number. Ha!

CareFULL please

I know I say the darnest things in Spanish (okay, okay, English too), but Chilean translations into English make their fair share of mistakes as well. I can't even begin to tell you how many translations I've seen that just make me cringe. Some are downright awful, and some are just too funny to pass without a photo. I'll share just a few examples.

Yeah, I know this translation is fine. I just thought it was funny because it's so obvious. I'm glad they took the time to explain to gringos that the magnets are "for your fridge."

This badboy is hanging in el Congreso (Congress Building). Instead of turning my phone off next time, I'd rather just grab the fire extinguisher and douse it.

I think this one's my fav. Please be full of care as you exit.

I let the bedbugs bite

Itchy...so itchy...can't. stop. itching!
I have more than thirty bites on my body. They're on my feet, legs, stomach, arms, hands, fingers, and I even had a bite IN my ear. I knoooow. Okay, they're really not that bad, kinda like mosquito bites, but all the same, they're so iiiiiiiiitchy!

P.S. Chile is not a third world country and I living in a really nice area. I just have a knack for getting bugs bites.

"...and it's happy to see ya!"

I'm a firm believer in celebrating the little things in life. Sometimes I have to make an effort, and sometimes there is no way I could possibly overlook it; this is one of those times. There I was, about to take a bit out of an apple, when something caught my eye. Take a look at this picture and tell if you can see it...

Ja, for serious, this apple has a natural smiley face. So cool! Move over Goldfish, you're not the only snack that smiles right back before I bite your head off.

Dos Meses Dia

Well here I am, dos meses en Chile. Wow. Let me highlight a few events and milestones from Month Two (in no particular order).

1. I felt a couple minor earthquakes. I used to think it would be fun to have everything shake a little bit, but it's actually a really uncomfortable feeling.
2. I taught the lesson for Noche de Hogar (FHE) last week about Sabbath Observance.
3. I said a comment in Relief Society. Ja. I knew we were talking about Baptisms for the Dead, and I really wanted to share a thought...and I did. I even think they understood me.
4. I was asked to give the closing prayer for a Church activity on the spot. I nervously took the mic, and as I was speaking I made sure I said oportunidad with a round "o." I've never received hugs and high-fives after a prayer before, I felt like a million bucks.
5. I REALLY learned that encouragement is oxygen to the soul, but in the end it's up to me to determine how much I like Spanish and learning. Quite the battle, but I'm learning how this attitude relates to every aspect of my life.

Two down, two and a half to go. I am excited for the lessons I will learn and for my Spanish to improve even more. Here I am doing one of my favorite things, practicing hymns at church keyboard.

The Perfect Leaf

I have to publish something quick before I'm stuck with the number 13 on the month of August forever. Today I stepped on the perfect dried leaf. Everything about it was ideal. First off, it was a surprise. Second, it's size was impeccable (about the size of my fist). And third, the crunch sound was flawless. I even stopped to look back at its remains because I couldn't believe just how awesome the event was. I'm glad I have this joyous occasion recorded...and I'm even more glad that August will have 14 rather than 13 posts. (14 is my favorite number and I don't like 13 because it's supposedly unlucky!)

They're On To Something Here

I love the dumpsters in town. They are so cool. You don't need to touch the lid to put your trash inside. All you have to do is put your foot at the lever at the bottom which lifts the lid for you. It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant I tell ya! I'm totally bringing this phenomenon back to the States...

Good news! I saw a dog today!

Probably the most prominent thing I noticed when I walked around Vina for the first time was all the stray dogs. In fact, you have to be a complete space cadet to miss them. I was taught that if we could read animals minds, cats would say, "I'm a cat, and I hate you." Horses would say, "I'm a horse, and you are not." And dogs would say, "I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a dog...!" I've come to realize that not all dogs have that same slogan. I decided that if I were to read the minds of Chilean dogs, they would be saying, "I wish I was dead. I wish I was dead. I wish I was dead..." It's a good thing all dogs go to heaven, because the dogs here certainly have crummy lives. Pobrecitos.

Once I started taking pictures of the homeless dogs, I had a hard time stopping. There are so many, and the next one always looked more destitute and miserable than the last.

This poor pup--that I affectionately nicknamed Skelator--takes the cake for most heart-wrenching dog on this side of the Amazon.

Never Give Up, Never Surrender!

My first night in Chile, Giselle y mi madre explained the shower furnace thing to me. Light a match, stick it inside the furnace, and turn the knob to the red for warm water. Pretty easy, right? Well, leave it to someone like me to make it difficult. The next day I woke up cold as cold could be. All I was looking forward to was a nice, hot shower to get me going. But, when I got in the shower I couldn't figure out how to get it on. I tried all sorts of things...like turning the knob to the black. Not smart. I had the coldest shower in showering history that day, and it set the tone for an extremely chilly day. At least it build a lot of character, right?

This morning I was determined that history would not repeat itself. I saw that the flame was on inside the box thing, so I didn't mess around. I went straight for the water, and miracle of miracles, it was warm, and dare I say it, it even got hot. It was marvelous, simply wonderful, and my warm shower set the mood for a perfectly sunny day. Ah, what a life!

The furnace that outsmarted me.

The knob of destiny.

Red = warm (which equals happiness)

Black = Outer Darkness (and wickedness never was happiness)

So, bien esta lo que bien acada (all's well that ends well). I can sleep easy tonight knowing that I did indeed conquer the furnace.