Chile: a different political climate.

Change is in the air – perhaps it blew in from way down south. In 2006, Michelle Bachelet, a center-left politician was elected president of Chile. According to wikipedia, she is a moderate socialist concerned with considerable gap between the wealthy and the poor. Also, a polyglot! She is part of a change that is happening in Latin America; a swing to the left.

A little less than two weeks ago, I went to a campaign rally for Obama at the University of Denver. As an undecided voter, I wanted to check out my options. His speech blew me away. I couldn’t help but get caught up in excitement of his rally. Caroline Kennedy came on stage before Barack – amazing to see both of them on the same stage! I never got acclimated to Bush. Next!

I leave in a few days. I’m excited and a little nervous. Moving to a new place on my own is nothing new, but it never fails to overwhelm the thoughts. The goal is to be bilingual and biliterate by the time I get back. So…I go. Two layovers (one in Columbia for a while!) and twenty hours later, I’ll be!

Chilean Rodeo…possibly my new potential favorite pastime??

After my last blog, I had a few people tell me that they're very interested in visiting Chile! Yes! So, I’ve continued my research to provide some more info. Did you know that Chile covers 38 degrees of latitude? And, it also has every climate on Earth except for tropical. I love it! Chile is also home to the driest desert in the world; the Atacama.

Chilean rodeo is intriguing. It is a national sport in Chile. I’ve included a link to explain how one wins in the end. Basically, the Huaso (a skilled horseman) wins by pinning a steer against a huge padded wall. The culture around rodeo is big in Chile. The garb is very detailed and the national dance called the Cueca is performed on most occasions. I’m excited about checking this out!

Here is a list of links for anyone who is interested in making their way down there:

http://www.chile-usa.org/

http://www.chilemade.com/

http://www.chileanhorse.com/ the Chilean flag is very similar to the Texas Flag, bizarre.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_rodeo

so...the mental preparation is underway!

Hola a todos! This is not my first attempt at a travel blog. This time, however; I plan on doing it up right! In Thailand I started one, but was intimidated by my roommate's excellent blog writing skills. I was easily discouraged that I had anything interesting to tell people.

My next adventure takes me to Chile next month for nine months, until December. I have always wanted to live in a Spanish speaking country; finally it will happen. I'm making a mental list in my head of what I will need for this trip. A beach towel for February, a coat for July? My mind is reeling about Chile. I started research about this country last month, yet it remains elusive. I'm really excited.

I will be living in the city of Vina del Mar (Vineyard by the Sea) on the Pacific coast. Also referred to as Vina, it's located 3 miles from Valparaiso. Valparaiso is known as the cultural hub of Chile. I'm excited about the proximity of these two cities. In Vina, I will be teaching children ages 6-8 at an American school. According to my new boss, the school is located 2 blocks from the beach! One week after I arrive, a Latino International Music festival begins. Five straight days of the Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar. It is one of the biggest annual festivals in Chile, attracting people from all over the world.

If anybody reading this has been to Chile, please send along any advice or suggestions. I would love to have visitors! Keep in touch and keep reading the blog to watch my writing skills evolve. Hopefully! I will leave you with a few pics of Vina and Valpo.