September the month of celebrations

September is a big month in Chile as it is when they celebrate the start of their independence. You see hundreads of Chilean flags flying, see many people dancing Cueca (sounds like quaker; this is their national dance), eat a ton of food and drink a lot of terremotos; these are a perticular cocktail they drink at this time of year, with some kind of wine, syrup and pineapple sorbet; sounds unappetising but it was delicious. Terremoto means earthquake, they give this name to the drink beacuse when you drink a lot the ‘ground starts moving’. 

Me trying a Terremoto

Due to this celebration the school put on a big show with all the classes performing a dance for the parents. It was wonderful to watch all the children in their costumes and see how they celebrate this festival. There was a band playing afterwards and a lot of food was eaten!

It actually rained this month…I wouldn’t really call it rain as it was only a few spots but that is rain for them here in Antofagasta. I took a photo but it is not that clear that it is raining.

The next celebration of the month was Sarah’s Birthday, a friend I have made, she invited Joaquin and I to hers for a BBQ…again a lot of food was eaten!

The 18th of September came around and this is the day of the main celebration. On this day you must fly a Chilean flag from your property. It is a national holiday but as Joaquin works in the hosiptal he has to work his shift but he was home in the evening and he took me to the ‘Las Ramadas’. This is a big festival where you find stalls for games, disco tents, food stalls, mini bars and fair rides. We wondered around so I could get a sense of thier festivities and played some games, I won a teddy bear! I also watched how they make churros. 

The next day we went back in the day to go and eat lunch, it was a very different atmosphere to the night before, less people and a lot of eating going on! I played some games again and won a teddy again!

Then it was my birthday, celebrating 31 years! I spent the morning having my nails done and then the afternoon cooking food for the party in the evening. I invited some friends over for a small party in the garden. I cooked way too much food but everyone like the dishes, I tried to make it more English and cook things they wouldn’t normally have here in Chile. I got some wonderful presents, things I really needed, like my hairbrush.

My birthday cake was awsome which was chocolate and mint. We talked until mid hours of the morning…how parties are so different here; too calm for me - I miss having a wild night with my friends. After the holdiays I also had the kids sing Happy Birthday to me and I wish I had recorded their rendition of Happy Birthday in English, I loved it!

So by the end of the month I had eaten so much food it is time for a diet!

August in Chile

This month has been a little quite (as in I have not been on many outings) but I have been super busy sorting lot of things out.

I visited Mejillones which is the closest town to Antofagasta; it is a 45 minute drive away. Joaquin’s Auntie lives there so we went to visit her and see the town. His Auntie has a huge craft room in her house where she makes many different things. I was in heaven looking at all the crafts she has made and all the equipment/materials she has in there! There is not much happening in the town as it is very small but Joaquin and I took a walk down to the pier. 

I went on a trip with the school to the local farm. They had so many different animals, my favourtie was the pig which kept following us around everywhere. 

I also have visited an outside art exhibition. It was not really my thing and it was a little weird but I suppose that is art for you.

Just along from the art exhibition is where the sealions rest…they really do smell though! 

Well we only have a motorbike to get around so when we go shopping it is sometimes a task to carry the shopping back and pack it all in the backpack! This time the leeks didn’t fit…

Also been back to the market.

I am going along with the scouts to the Jamboree in January, which is super exciting and we have to raise some money for the trip. One week this month they were making and selling Sopaipillas, this is a typical Chilean dish (I can’t really explain what it is as we don’t eat anything like it in the UK). They either have it fried or with a sweet sugary sauce; they are delicious though. 

Chile - July 2019

This month has not been very exciting as I seem to have not done many things to write about.

I saw the eclipse in Chile please see my previous post for what I go up to there.

I have been trying more yummy foods…and a few yucky ones too!

I didn't like this fruit! I wonder if you can tell!

I went for a night out at a nightclub in the casino… I had a lot of fun but we turnt up at 11:30pm and the club wasn’t even open yet so we had a wonder through the casino. We could get in the club at 12 but it was very dead, we could easily get to the bar. Here they really love their drinks strong…we have measurements in the UK…NOT in Chile they just pour its like a single in the UK is a triple here! Still 1am came around and no one was even on the dance floor yet.

What is with partying so late? I would normally be in the middle of the dacefloor by 1am drinking and dancing not having much space but here I am with my drink and having all the room I could wish for to dance! By 2am the night had finally begun…we danced the morning!

One weekend we went down to the south of the city to see a bodyboarding compertition, we were a bit late but we did see a few people ride some waves.

The Scout group celebrated their 18th Birthday this month, we had a party where the parents came along too. There was a huge cake.

I also got given my knecker and offically welcomed into the group. Some of them went off this month to a jamboree in U.S.A, I am waiting to hear how much fun they had. There is a big difference her with how scouts/guides is structured. In Chile most groups meet on a Saturday and for 2 and a half hours! All sections meet at the same time and do an opening ceremoney then go off in their different sections to do activities then at the end everyone gathers to do the closing ceremony. The sections for boys are; Lobatos (like Beavers/Cubs) and Scouts. For girls; Golondrinas (like Rainbows/Brownies) and Guías (Guides). After that boys and girls join together and have Pioneros and Caminantes (a bit like Rangers).

Joaquin and I have been looking for wedding venues, we went to visit one and fell in love so we didn’t see anymore but they were not taking booking yet so we have to ring back next month.

Joaquin has got a job in a hospital, finally something he really enjoys. I am so happy for him, he will be starting in August.

 Monty enjoyed the hike, he even found the first plant in the desert.

Finally I went on a hike with some friends, we climbed up to the top and got an amazing view of the city. We saw lots of cactuses and wildlife along the way, I found spiders, birds and lizards. At the top we had a picnic then made our way down along a very dry river bed. The mud sparkling in the sun and shinning gold. It was so much fun on the way down except that I sprained my ankle when I jumped but fell down a rock…good job I have the best man (Joaquin) to help me fix it!