Update on my first month in Chile:
Greetings all,
Over a
month has passed since Kyle (my Project partner) and I arrived here in
Valparaiso on the Pacific Coast, and it has certainly been very enjoyable,
albeit eventful too!
This month
Chile marked its independence from Spain with four days of celebrations, and
through this vivid display of culture and national pride, I learnt the true
value of national identity, as well as having a great time.
In the week
leading up to Independence Day, school was centered around the celebrations,
and we attended an impressive whole school display of traditional Chilean dances.
Dressed in traditional outfits, each class performed a dance ranging from La
Cueca to a Roman Catholic dance, reflecting the prominent position of the
Catholic Church here. Chileans are very patriotic, and when the whole stadium
rose to sing the national anthem we realised how special and important this
occasion was.
Kids performing La Cueca: the boys are dressed
in the national costume of the huaso (traditional horse and countrymen) and the
girls in typical Chilean dresses.
For Independence Day itself (18th
of September) we travelled south to the small countryside village of Comalle, a
beautiful and tranquil getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. During
the day we spent time with the extended family, enjoyed typical traditional
food such as empanadas de pino , continued the family tradition of barbecuing a
sheep killed just that morning, and danced La Cueca. That evening we went to
´las fondas´, which despite initially resembling a fun fair turned out to be
tents full of traditional food, drink, dancing and music.
Stunning view of the area surrounding Comalle
Chile is one of the most seismically
active countries on earth, and just as the celebrations were beginning, the
country was hit by a massive earthquake. Whilst the damage principally occurred
in the north, Valparaiso was hit by strong shaking and a tsunami evacuation. It
was heartbreaking to see so much damage so nearby, and the experience certainly
strengthened my perception of nature as a destructive force as well as a
spectacle of beauty.
In addition to exploring the city, I have started running along a route that provides
spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and the occasional pelican or two! We
also get to visit beautiful places with our family when they are travelling
with their small curtain company. I hope to join a sports club soon and am
going to attempt to teach
myself the guitar in my free time. In addition to embracing the language and
culture, I have started following the national news, which not only helps my
Spanish but also provides interesting topics of conversation at the dinner
table such as the current legal debate between Chile and Bolivia over a land
dispute dating back to the War of the Pacific in 1883.
We have also been working at the school, teaching and assisting in English classes
of roughly 30 primary school kids. I am really enjoying the challenge of coming
up with fun and interesting ways to teach the content, and being an assistant
too allows us to also work on a more individual basis with the kids. Ceilidh
classes are due to start next Thursday which is exciting and we are also
arranging some additional classes and the English/culture class.
Spring is
now upon us and I can´t wait to explore more of this amazing country and get
more involved in the school. Thank you for reading and please keep an eye out
for my next post!
Best wishes
to all,
Andrew
