i just wanted to let everyone know that tomorrow i will be leaving for a week-long trip to san pedro de atacama, a really small town in the north of chile surround by amazing nature, such as the driest desert in the world, the second tallest natural geysers in the world, and one of the best star-gazing places due to the high altitude, low pollution, and low ambient light. i'm extremely excited to go, and i hope to have some amazing pictures when i get back. however, i may not be available for the week, because i'm not sure if the town has an internet cafe. so, if you try to email me, that's why i don't answer!
i had my last day of class today, although i will have a couple finals still when i get back. we also had our goodbye dinner for the program and it was that first small realization that it's almost over, as we all said goodbye. however, i think that because i'm not actually leaving for a few more weeks it hasn't hit me yet. i hope it doesn't for a while...i still have a lot to do!
random note: the other day, i heard a mom speaking native english to her daughter in the supermarket, so i asked where they were from. she was very nice and said they were from alaska and that about 6 months ago, she and her husband decided to move to chile with their two daughters, elementary-school-age, in order to learn spanish and experience a new culture. they are planning on returning before the beginning of the school year in aug/sept. i think that is amazing and super inspiring. i hope that when i have a family i will never be unable/unwilling to pick up and move to a country where i don't speak the language, simply for the experience. that, for me, is living life to the fullest.
peace.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
quince paginas
it's done.
the 15-page monster is done.
thanks to my friend felipe for his editing skills, i have officially printed and stopped thinking about this thing that i, literally, spent at least 50 hours working on. including putting on the song "i'd rather dance with you" by kings of convenience and doing a celebration dance in camilos room while it was printing.
then he and i had a good chat about how great it is to feel known by the family to the point that i can dance like a fool when i finish a paper and not feel weird.
then he told me that their new gringa (to live with them next semester) is also named kate and she comes a couple days before i leave. and...how there's just no way she will fit in with the family like me. anyways, i decided that for those couple of overlapping days, i'm going to have my stuff packed up and i'm going to sleep upstairs with the family in my sister's room so we can have some more tight bonding time before i leave. camilo thought it a great idea. and we an talk about the new girl and i can judge her. juuuust kidding. kind of. but anytime any of us start talking about me leaving, we all get sad and decide not to.
i had a conversation the other night with patricio, my host dad, about what its like to live in this state in which i know i'm leaving in a month and i don't know, realistically, when i'll be back. (although i will). it's like i notice everything. like i want to breathe deeper, see everything, remember every detail. and in reality, it's a beautiful way to live. it makes life so much more...alive. the other day it just felt surreal. like my life was a...baz luhrman movie. (moulin rouge---since frank doesn't read this.) a great conversation with my best friend, a smile from a cute boy on the street, a great cup of coffee, a breath-taking view of the andes, and suddenly, a person walking down the street with a huge sword. surreal.
also, a couple of the boys i work with just found out i'm not chilean. and a couple girls in my dance class found out i'm not venezuelan. (i know, right?)
i hope, if anything, i can learn from this. the joy that it is to understand how precious every moment is. the joy of recognizing an expansion of my heart to people and places i never expected. the joy of living amongst mountains! the joy of feeling like i may be able to call myself, gulp, fluent. and the joy of knowing that a random dance party is just as joyous in any continent or language.
besos,
kait
the 15-page monster is done.
thanks to my friend felipe for his editing skills, i have officially printed and stopped thinking about this thing that i, literally, spent at least 50 hours working on. including putting on the song "i'd rather dance with you" by kings of convenience and doing a celebration dance in camilos room while it was printing.
then he and i had a good chat about how great it is to feel known by the family to the point that i can dance like a fool when i finish a paper and not feel weird.
then he told me that their new gringa (to live with them next semester) is also named kate and she comes a couple days before i leave. and...how there's just no way she will fit in with the family like me. anyways, i decided that for those couple of overlapping days, i'm going to have my stuff packed up and i'm going to sleep upstairs with the family in my sister's room so we can have some more tight bonding time before i leave. camilo thought it a great idea. and we an talk about the new girl and i can judge her. juuuust kidding. kind of. but anytime any of us start talking about me leaving, we all get sad and decide not to.
i had a conversation the other night with patricio, my host dad, about what its like to live in this state in which i know i'm leaving in a month and i don't know, realistically, when i'll be back. (although i will). it's like i notice everything. like i want to breathe deeper, see everything, remember every detail. and in reality, it's a beautiful way to live. it makes life so much more...alive. the other day it just felt surreal. like my life was a...baz luhrman movie. (moulin rouge---since frank doesn't read this.) a great conversation with my best friend, a smile from a cute boy on the street, a great cup of coffee, a breath-taking view of the andes, and suddenly, a person walking down the street with a huge sword. surreal.
also, a couple of the boys i work with just found out i'm not chilean. and a couple girls in my dance class found out i'm not venezuelan. (i know, right?)
i hope, if anything, i can learn from this. the joy that it is to understand how precious every moment is. the joy of recognizing an expansion of my heart to people and places i never expected. the joy of living amongst mountains! the joy of feeling like i may be able to call myself, gulp, fluent. and the joy of knowing that a random dance party is just as joyous in any continent or language.
besos,
kait
Sunday, June 15, 2008
la vida
so, just thought i'd give a bit of an update, make the mood a little more light-hearted on the ole blog.
1--i'm in the midst of my big paper, 10-15 pages, the longest i've written in any language! the closest i've come was a 12-pager for a social work class in which i had to write about...myself. needless to say, this one with the working title 'globalization and nationalism: end of the nation-state or resurgence of ethnic nationalism' is proving to be a bit more of a challenge.
2--there was finally a tremor! jaja. i've been hoping to feel one the entire time i've been here, and miraculously, there hasn't been one. which is rare for 5 months. but i was out the other night and suddenly one of the guys we were with said, 'there was just a tremor, did you all feel it?' i didnt feel a thing. however, i got really excited, like maybe an after shock or something, while another one of the girls, a colombian, started freaking. apprently they don't happen in colombia either. so i guess technically experienced one, i just didn't know it.
3--we went out for my best friend here, alejandra's birthday. (night of the tremor.) we went to hear some live reggae, which was pretty cool. but more so, it was great to hang out with her. we were laughing that most people come back to their study abroad country for a boyfriend and i was going to have to come back for her. it was also a cool night because in the group that was there, there were 2 colombians, 1 gringa (yo), 1 cuban, and about 5 chileans. we felt very cosmopolitan.
picture of ale and me--
4--i almost burnt down the house. okay, not really. but, i was drying my hair (which, for the record, i hate doing, but my host dad gives me hard time if i walk around with wet hair. theyre all hypocondriacs here.) anyways, i was drying it, and it had been a while, probably 15 minutes, and i started to smell something. so, i put my head up, and there is a TORRENT of smoke coming out of the power adapter. so, i shut it off, dropped it, and seriously RAN out of my room, thinking for sure it was going to explode. it didnt, luckily, but the torrent continued. so i had to open my window and door and start fanning the smoke with a towel. and keep in mind i'm still in my bath robe. and of course, thats right when my host sister and mom came downstairs. it was pretty embarassing. obviously the power was too much for the adapter, which was melted. it was crazy.
5--i'm going to peru with my host brother and sister!! i'm extremely excited. we finally got everything worked out with the tickets and we'll be going as soon as they get to winter vacation, the second week in july. i'll get back a few days before my flight to the states. we're all reaaaaally excited.
ok, should be getting back to the current ideological and idiomatic mess that is that paper.
chao chao.
1--i'm in the midst of my big paper, 10-15 pages, the longest i've written in any language! the closest i've come was a 12-pager for a social work class in which i had to write about...myself. needless to say, this one with the working title 'globalization and nationalism: end of the nation-state or resurgence of ethnic nationalism' is proving to be a bit more of a challenge.
2--there was finally a tremor! jaja. i've been hoping to feel one the entire time i've been here, and miraculously, there hasn't been one. which is rare for 5 months. but i was out the other night and suddenly one of the guys we were with said, 'there was just a tremor, did you all feel it?' i didnt feel a thing. however, i got really excited, like maybe an after shock or something, while another one of the girls, a colombian, started freaking. apprently they don't happen in colombia either. so i guess technically experienced one, i just didn't know it.
3--we went out for my best friend here, alejandra's birthday. (night of the tremor.) we went to hear some live reggae, which was pretty cool. but more so, it was great to hang out with her. we were laughing that most people come back to their study abroad country for a boyfriend and i was going to have to come back for her. it was also a cool night because in the group that was there, there were 2 colombians, 1 gringa (yo), 1 cuban, and about 5 chileans. we felt very cosmopolitan.
picture of ale and me--
4--i almost burnt down the house. okay, not really. but, i was drying my hair (which, for the record, i hate doing, but my host dad gives me hard time if i walk around with wet hair. theyre all hypocondriacs here.) anyways, i was drying it, and it had been a while, probably 15 minutes, and i started to smell something. so, i put my head up, and there is a TORRENT of smoke coming out of the power adapter. so, i shut it off, dropped it, and seriously RAN out of my room, thinking for sure it was going to explode. it didnt, luckily, but the torrent continued. so i had to open my window and door and start fanning the smoke with a towel. and keep in mind i'm still in my bath robe. and of course, thats right when my host sister and mom came downstairs. it was pretty embarassing. obviously the power was too much for the adapter, which was melted. it was crazy.
5--i'm going to peru with my host brother and sister!! i'm extremely excited. we finally got everything worked out with the tickets and we'll be going as soon as they get to winter vacation, the second week in july. i'll get back a few days before my flight to the states. we're all reaaaaally excited.
ok, should be getting back to the current ideological and idiomatic mess that is that paper.
chao chao.
Friday, June 6, 2008
god bless
i just received an email to which i MUST respond, and i don't know that it would be appropriate to respond to just the person who sent it to me, nor all the people she sent it to, as i don't know the majority, and it would probably GREATLY upset them.
but i MUST respond.
the email was from a good friend while growing up, we've known each other since circa 3rd grade. i'm not going to mention a name, as it's not necessary.
so, the email subject was: beautiful picture. it contained a picture of the "american" (united states) flag with the sun shining through the blue/stars corner, creating the image of a cross in the light. written below was, "for those that prefer to think that God is not watching over us...go ahead and delete this. for the rest of us...pass this on."
how to respond in a way that matches my disgust? i thought of first responding to all with just the word, "deleted." however, that wouldnt explain why i'm upset and would just piss a lot of hard-working people off and maybe get my next phone call or email tapped. so, then i thought about writing, "well, right now, i'm actually living in a different country. so...does that preference extend to us 'americans' on other soil? or do we have to be within the borders to get it?"
or perhaps, "well, my brother and sister-in-law just adopted from ethiopia and another is doing it now, do their children get the benefits? does god honor adoption records?"
or perhaps, "i'll pass it on to my host family here, maybe it'll encourage them to come to the states."
or, "i'll pass it on to the boys i work with in one of the poblaciones (poverty-stricken neighborhoods) here and explain to them that that's why they live in tin huts and have a one-in-a-million chance of going to college. they should think about being born elsewhere next time, or pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."
please, know that i am in no way saying that everyone in the states thinks that way, of course. in fact, if thought anyone who read this blog was really gung-ho on the idea, i probably wouldn't write this. and you can look back at my past blog entries--i have been extremely conscious to not make this a states-bashing blog.
however, as i see/learn the effects that mindsets such as the one presented in that email, it is impossible to ignore. unfortunately, it gives me great fear. i fear for our country, our children, and our world (by OUR world, i mean the world that we all, as human beings share. not the world that the US claims to own through it's violent foreign policy and disregard of international law, to name a few. or it's idea that God has chosen to bless it above all other nations. with prosperity. you know, just like jesus said, "blessed are the rich, because god likes them more.")
rev. wright, the controversial pastor from chicago that some tried to use as a weapon (we love 'em!) against obama, was quoted most often (from what i heard) for saying, during a sermon in which he was talking about the great civil injustices of the past and present in our country, "god bless america? NO! god DAMN america." and of course, you cant say that. we have free speech, so you can SAY it, but you cant SAY it. but the point is, what was he trying to say?
in his speech after winning the nomination (which really was a great speech), obama ended by saying, "god bless america." again, with all above, it was the one thing that really made me cringe. not that i don't want god to bless america, but there's a lot more world out there. maybe we could think about spreading some of the blessing around.
and this example of obama goes to show that there is no answer in a power-suit. i believe change can happen, "change we can believe in," if you will. but it won't come from a 45-year-old guy in washington. (or a...70-year-old?) it has to come from the heart and mind of each individual citizen. and as long as we are passing along emails to remind eachother of how great we are, things won't change.
i hope everyone understands that this post has been written in a fit of passion. not that it doesn't present EXACTLY how i feel, but i usually try to censor myself a bit. and here, i have not. in all it's "anti-patriotic," sarcastic glory.
please, if you have thoughts, i would love to hear them. if you would prefer to email rather than post:
kaitlinrae@gmail.com
oh, and god bless.
post script:::
i decided to respond to the email i described. to the sender, as well as everyone she sent it to, the majority of whom i do not know. the text is as follows:
hello all,
some of you, the majority even, may not know me, but i am a friend of _____'s from WAY back (which means we have choreographed a LOT of dances to spice girls' songs.) my name is kaitlin and i am currently living, studying, and working in santiago, chile. i believe my situation gives me an interesting perspective on the subject of this email. and rather than delete it, as it suggests i do, i thought it might be more interesting and beneficial if i begin a conversation. you may dismiss me and delete this email if you choose, but if you find my thoughts interesting, please respond. i would love to discuss it with you.
i just want to say that as i live with a family and work with at-risk youth who do not bow down to that flag, i have a difficult time accepting the idea that is discussed, the idea of God specifically watching over the united states. as i look into the eyes (unfortunately only through pictures right now) of my new nephew, recently adopted from ethiopia, i again struggle with the idea that i have some type of benefit over him or his biological family.
i do believe that God loves everyone in the united states, a country that is so great in many ways, but i cannot believe that he does so more than in other countries, also great for many reasons. the God i know and love, the God of love, who said, "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth...blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God...blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." (matthew 5).
i believe God absolutely does this, to all those that live as such in the united states. as well as elsewhere in the world.
again, i hope you all may understand where i am coming from with these thoughts. one of the greatest things about the US is that we have been taught to think as we may, and that we have the freedom to express that. whether you agree or disagree, i hope this will make you think, and maybe respond.
wishing you peace and blessings, as we all strive to be a little more like what Jesus was describing,
kaitlin
but i MUST respond.
the email was from a good friend while growing up, we've known each other since circa 3rd grade. i'm not going to mention a name, as it's not necessary.
so, the email subject was: beautiful picture. it contained a picture of the "american" (united states) flag with the sun shining through the blue/stars corner, creating the image of a cross in the light. written below was, "for those that prefer to think that God is not watching over us...go ahead and delete this. for the rest of us...pass this on."
how to respond in a way that matches my disgust? i thought of first responding to all with just the word, "deleted." however, that wouldnt explain why i'm upset and would just piss a lot of hard-working people off and maybe get my next phone call or email tapped. so, then i thought about writing, "well, right now, i'm actually living in a different country. so...does that preference extend to us 'americans' on other soil? or do we have to be within the borders to get it?"
or perhaps, "well, my brother and sister-in-law just adopted from ethiopia and another is doing it now, do their children get the benefits? does god honor adoption records?"
or perhaps, "i'll pass it on to my host family here, maybe it'll encourage them to come to the states."
or, "i'll pass it on to the boys i work with in one of the poblaciones (poverty-stricken neighborhoods) here and explain to them that that's why they live in tin huts and have a one-in-a-million chance of going to college. they should think about being born elsewhere next time, or pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."
please, know that i am in no way saying that everyone in the states thinks that way, of course. in fact, if thought anyone who read this blog was really gung-ho on the idea, i probably wouldn't write this. and you can look back at my past blog entries--i have been extremely conscious to not make this a states-bashing blog.
however, as i see/learn the effects that mindsets such as the one presented in that email, it is impossible to ignore. unfortunately, it gives me great fear. i fear for our country, our children, and our world (by OUR world, i mean the world that we all, as human beings share. not the world that the US claims to own through it's violent foreign policy and disregard of international law, to name a few. or it's idea that God has chosen to bless it above all other nations. with prosperity. you know, just like jesus said, "blessed are the rich, because god likes them more.")
rev. wright, the controversial pastor from chicago that some tried to use as a weapon (we love 'em!) against obama, was quoted most often (from what i heard) for saying, during a sermon in which he was talking about the great civil injustices of the past and present in our country, "god bless america? NO! god DAMN america." and of course, you cant say that. we have free speech, so you can SAY it, but you cant SAY it. but the point is, what was he trying to say?
in his speech after winning the nomination (which really was a great speech), obama ended by saying, "god bless america." again, with all above, it was the one thing that really made me cringe. not that i don't want god to bless america, but there's a lot more world out there. maybe we could think about spreading some of the blessing around.
and this example of obama goes to show that there is no answer in a power-suit. i believe change can happen, "change we can believe in," if you will. but it won't come from a 45-year-old guy in washington. (or a...70-year-old?) it has to come from the heart and mind of each individual citizen. and as long as we are passing along emails to remind eachother of how great we are, things won't change.
i hope everyone understands that this post has been written in a fit of passion. not that it doesn't present EXACTLY how i feel, but i usually try to censor myself a bit. and here, i have not. in all it's "anti-patriotic," sarcastic glory.
please, if you have thoughts, i would love to hear them. if you would prefer to email rather than post:
kaitlinrae@gmail.com
oh, and god bless.
post script:::
i decided to respond to the email i described. to the sender, as well as everyone she sent it to, the majority of whom i do not know. the text is as follows:
hello all,
some of you, the majority even, may not know me, but i am a friend of _____'s from WAY back (which means we have choreographed a LOT of dances to spice girls' songs.) my name is kaitlin and i am currently living, studying, and working in santiago, chile. i believe my situation gives me an interesting perspective on the subject of this email. and rather than delete it, as it suggests i do, i thought it might be more interesting and beneficial if i begin a conversation. you may dismiss me and delete this email if you choose, but if you find my thoughts interesting, please respond. i would love to discuss it with you.
i just want to say that as i live with a family and work with at-risk youth who do not bow down to that flag, i have a difficult time accepting the idea that is discussed, the idea of God specifically watching over the united states. as i look into the eyes (unfortunately only through pictures right now) of my new nephew, recently adopted from ethiopia, i again struggle with the idea that i have some type of benefit over him or his biological family.
i do believe that God loves everyone in the united states, a country that is so great in many ways, but i cannot believe that he does so more than in other countries, also great for many reasons. the God i know and love, the God of love, who said, "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth...blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God...blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." (matthew 5).
i believe God absolutely does this, to all those that live as such in the united states. as well as elsewhere in the world.
again, i hope you all may understand where i am coming from with these thoughts. one of the greatest things about the US is that we have been taught to think as we may, and that we have the freedom to express that. whether you agree or disagree, i hope this will make you think, and maybe respond.
wishing you peace and blessings, as we all strive to be a little more like what Jesus was describing,
kaitlin
Monday, June 2, 2008
fotos
alo--so, i finally figured out how to put links to my foto albums on facebook here, so they are below.
chao chao.
courtney's visit in santiago
buenos aires
parents visit
chao chao.
courtney's visit in santiago
buenos aires
parents visit
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