I guess I've reached the break - even point and already spend less time on the Internet than actually do something here. I can't really say that upsets me. I guess me using more and more of cachai, po (a shortened form of pues, an equivalent of so yeah and thus an over-used expression; nevermind the fact that I feel like swearing in Latvian every time I say it) and bacán, something like cool (even though they actually do use cool with the silliest Spanish-sounding accent ever. Speaking of which, I've suggested pronouncing all English expressions in a Spanish sounding way. I can't really figure out the reluctance encountered, even though it might do something with the obligation of phonetically omitting h in hip hop, eventually ending up as -ip -op.), I'm having hard time finding the beginning of this sentence, definitely helps to understand more of what I' m told and even communicate (!). OK, I admit, I'm not that bad, but constantly facing their accent, slang and the quick pace of speech does create some obstacles when it comes to getting to know people.
Nevertheless, I haven't been a loner this week at all. After warming up (literally) with nice sunbathing and slightly burning my cheeks (no implications), I got another chance to show off as the intelligent European by attending an inauguration of an art exhibition in the Bellas Artes museum (or the place). Even more, as the artist turns out to be Camila's professor, we even greeted each other, and I got a kiss on a cheek! How intelligent-sounding-cool is that? Anyway, Hernán Miranda does know what he's doing, and his aesthetic realism was indeed a treat. What interested me more, though, was his idealization of communism, a phenomenon encountered far to often in this society.
Do you notice Churchill, Roosevelt and Staling in the front ground? He is accompanied by Lenin in the following piece. Извини, Бладимир, в конце концов ты меня не интересуешь столько штобы снять фото с тобой.
The inauguration itself was also a gourmet experience, especially when it comes to the exceptionally good Lagos chocolate truffles or.. rain water, bottled in fancy glass bottles and presented as the latest hip thing to spend lots of money for.
On Wednesday I was finally allowed to take some photos of the city centre, along with another city tour with Jose Miguel, one of the AFS-ers around (don't worry, at some point I'll explain what AFS is and what I'm actually doing here). This calls for a tourist photo.
There you go. Plaza Armas, the founding square of Santiago, and Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago in background.
Oh, I also did the tourist duty and had a photo with guards taken. Which was actually an experience itself, since I had not imagined how professional they are when it comes to having a conversation with their faces completely firm and lips barely moving.
Anyway, enough with touristy stuff.
Thursday was so far the most exciting day. I might've already mentioned that the quality difference between public and private schools is striking, and there are no possibilities to study for free in university, rare cases of scholarships aside. As somebody later explained it to me in a nutshell: Si tienes plata, puedes estudiar. Si no, no. If you have money, you can study. If not, well, you can't. Which is why around 100 thousand students, including my brother Felipe and me, gathered for a protest march just yesterday.
Before the march I was seriously warned of tear gas, water cannons and plastic bullets and kindly suggested not to attend. Right before leaving Felipe told me to take a scarf with me for easier breathing under tear gas. Sorry, Mum, I forgot to tell you about it. Too bad these protests always evolve in fierce street fights between some idiots and policemen. Since these are the details that make it to the front page, no wonder there were controversial sentiments felt before and after the march. Well, I was there and didn't forget my camera as well. And what I saw were thousands of enthusiastic, fiesta-loving students, using every opportunity to be there, march and have fun, among other things.
A video was supposed to be here.
All in all, it was definitely worth experiencing, as there's nothing more exciting to be there when making history. Especially if you end up being OK.
Yesterday was also my first salsa experience in Latin America. A boost in self - esteem actually, since they too have to learn to dance, and the rhythm is not always there in their blood and hips, so I didn't really feel like a beginner. Though, my favourite part remains the post - class improvisation, and I think I'll try to make the most of the many salsotecas around rather than dance classes. I still believe that all the lady needs to know is how to follow. And the partner's task is to make her want to follow (knowing what to do with the girl is also handy).
What goes around, comes around. Having begun the week lying in the sun, I also finish it (and this post) when marveling at the still warming sun. And the weekend is still ahead.
Can it get any better than this?
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