An innocent goodbye kiss with Sergio in downtown Santiago turned into a public display in front of several IOM students two Wednesdays ago.
I didn’t think anything of it. I certainly didn’t imagine I’d come back to school after winter break to, “Miss Breeee…. We saw you in Baquedano. Wooooooo!!” combined with full scene enactments. By two different groups of students (freshman and seniors) that saw me independently of each other. Whaaaaaaaaat?!
After all, Santiago’s a huge city and Maipu is an hour away from the heart of it all. What were my students doing in the same metro station as I was at the same time? Had they been tailing me for awhile, getting a kick out of their gringa pololeando con un chileno? Ohhh the questions I have... and the answers I’d prefer not to know.
When work and personal lives collide, the ensuing results can be interesting. Where are the lines drawn? I certainly have a right to live my life outside of work as I see fit. However, I’d rather not have my dirty laundry aired for all to see.
The bottom of the line: conduct myself as I’d want others to see me. But I want goodbye kisses. I want to live life. I want to make mistakes. I want to live without regrets. And I guess if that’s how my students at IOM see me, it’s not the end of the world.
HORSES:
I’m taking riding lessons again. Por fin. The first time I was on a horse was when I was three-months-old, cradled in my dad's arms as he shared his equine love with me. I was that girl in middle-school – the one who lived, dreamed and breathed horses. I got my own at nine-years-old and spent the next ten years or so living the dream. I was in
Pony Club and spent my youth competing in Eventing (Dressage, stadium jumping and cross country jumping) at Horse Trials across Washington State.
I looked into taking jumping lessons here but then decided to get local. Rodeo style, that is. Chile has a huge rodeo tradition. A while back, I even went to the national rodeo in Rancagua. I didn’t understand a thing that was happening but I recognized beautiful horses when I saw them.
So here I go again. I had my first lesson last Thursday and am eager for this Thursday to come around. Eventually, I plan to get back into Eventing but while in Chile, may as well learn like a Chilean huaso, cierto?
POMAIRE:
This past Sunday was spent trekking an hour and a half outside of the city to Pomaire, a small Chilean mountain town famous for ceramics and native cuisine. We endulged in both. The cobblestone streets are lined with artisan warehouse upon artisan warehouse, each exhibiting the resident craftsman’s speciality. Without fail, each store displayed clay chanchitos (little pigs), which are believed in Pomaire to bring good luck to family members and loved ones. These poor chanchitos to the left where piled on top of each other in a cardboard box in one shop - which I don't think the creators of Pomaire's legend would be so pleased to see.
I didn’t think anything of it. I certainly didn’t imagine I’d come back to school after winter break to, “Miss Breeee…. We saw you in Baquedano. Wooooooo!!” combined with full scene enactments. By two different groups of students (freshman and seniors) that saw me independently of each other. Whaaaaaaaaat?!
After all, Santiago’s a huge city and Maipu is an hour away from the heart of it all. What were my students doing in the same metro station as I was at the same time? Had they been tailing me for awhile, getting a kick out of their gringa pololeando con un chileno? Ohhh the questions I have... and the answers I’d prefer not to know.
When work and personal lives collide, the ensuing results can be interesting. Where are the lines drawn? I certainly have a right to live my life outside of work as I see fit. However, I’d rather not have my dirty laundry aired for all to see.
The bottom of the line: conduct myself as I’d want others to see me. But I want goodbye kisses. I want to live life. I want to make mistakes. I want to live without regrets. And I guess if that’s how my students at IOM see me, it’s not the end of the world.
HORSES:
I’m taking riding lessons again. Por fin. The first time I was on a horse was when I was three-months-old, cradled in my dad's arms as he shared his equine love with me. I was that girl in middle-school – the one who lived, dreamed and breathed horses. I got my own at nine-years-old and spent the next ten years or so living the dream. I was in
Pony Club and spent my youth competing in Eventing (Dressage, stadium jumping and cross country jumping) at Horse Trials across Washington State.I looked into taking jumping lessons here but then decided to get local. Rodeo style, that is. Chile has a huge rodeo tradition. A while back, I even went to the national rodeo in Rancagua. I didn’t understand a thing that was happening but I recognized beautiful horses when I saw them.
So here I go again. I had my first lesson last Thursday and am eager for this Thursday to come around. Eventually, I plan to get back into Eventing but while in Chile, may as well learn like a Chilean huaso, cierto?
POMAIRE:This past Sunday was spent trekking an hour and a half outside of the city to Pomaire, a small Chilean mountain town famous for ceramics and native cuisine. We endulged in both. The cobblestone streets are lined with artisan warehouse upon artisan warehouse, each exhibiting the resident craftsman’s speciality. Without fail, each store displayed clay chanchitos (little pigs), which are believed in Pomaire to bring good luck to family members and loved ones. These poor chanchitos to the left where piled on top of each other in a cardboard box in one shop - which I don't think the creators of Pomaire's legend would be so pleased to see.
The afternoon sun glistened on the white stone cottages while hundreds of families milled throughout the streets perusing the shops for their next household purchase. I found a beautiful clay paila bowl cast inside with a piercing turquoise-green shade for $1,500 CP (about $3 U
S) that I’m going to put my spare change in. The wonderful afternoon finished with a heaping bowl of Pastel de Choclo, a fresh-ground corn pie with meat, onions and basil (a Chilean culinary staple).
S) that I’m going to put my spare change in. The wonderful afternoon finished with a heaping bowl of Pastel de Choclo, a fresh-ground corn pie with meat, onions and basil (a Chilean culinary staple).
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