Mi Familia :)

My family arrived 2 weeks ago to visit me in South America. I was SOOOO excited to have them here! I hadn't seen my parents since February and my brother since Christmas break so it was about time I got to see them. They arrived on Monday and I met them at the airport. I had arranged for them to stay in my same apartment building. My landlady owns 5 apartments in the building and she usually rents them out to tourists so she arranged a room for my parents and brother. It was perfect. They settled into their new apartment and I showed them around my neighborhood. Even though it was June and winter, the first week they were here was known as the "Verano de San Juan" which means San Juan's Summer. It was definitely warm and sunny. I was hot wearing a coat. My brother is notorious for being a "foodie" so I had thoroughly tried to plan out where to take him and my parents for typical Chilean food. The first place I took them for lunch was "La Esquina" which is a typical "completo" or hot dog place. I also introduced them to Aji Pebre along with fresh Chilean "palta" or avocado. We took the metro to my school and since they had traveled all night, I took them to none other than Starbucks for a burst of energy. I brought them to one of my Basic English 1 classes where we reviewed for the test and played Jeopardy. My family loved seeing my students and me in action. It was great having them in class and my students got to practice their English. 

The next day, I had class and then I met my family and Abby in Providencia where we tried Chilean empanadas (Spinach to be exact). I also wanted to show my family the hostel that we stayed at for the first month. It was great seeing my first home in Santiago and the people that made us feel so welcome. We arranged some plans for skiing the next day and then we decided to meet up with Trisha to go to dinner. My brother, Collier, and I have been known to base our dining experiences abroad off of Anthony Bourdain's show. Anthony Bourdain came to Chile a few years ago and one of the first place he went to was Fuente Alemana which is notorious for beer and sandwiches. Collier loved it. We indulged in typical Lomito (pork), Churrasco (steak) and Rumano (beef broiled with pork) sandwiches. The Rumano was the best. Topped with avocado, home-made mayonnaise, and tomatoes makes it ten times better.

When my family first decided to come visit me in South America in the winter, the FIRST thing my Dad insisted upon doing was skiing. On Wednesday, we decided to rent skis, boots, and poles and take a bus up to Valle Nevado ski resort in the Andes. Taking a bus was the smart decision because the road was super curvy and had tons of switchbacks. The ski trails at Valle Nevado were all above tree line and the snow was decent. My mom chilled in the lodge while my Dad, brother and I skiied. It was weird skiing without a helmet and in rented equipment since I've been used to having my own equipment for the past 10 years. It was also weird to ski in June. But I definitely enjoyed skiing in the Andes. I can't wait to do it again.

The next day, one of my Basic English Classes insisted that we have a party for our last class and because they wanted to meet my family. One of the first things we did was an "introduction" activity where everyone (including my students and my family) stood in a circle and introduced themselves saying at least 4 sentences in English or Spanish. My students all spoke in English while my family spoke in Spanish (my brother could manage speaking in Spanish but I had to tell my parents what to say in Spanish since they don't speak it whatsoever). It was really cool because we all got to know each other a little better. And even though my students weren't technically studying for their test, they were practicing English and what better way to practice than by speaking to Native English Speakers! Then, we watched YouTube videos including the United States National Anthem and the Chilean National Song (My students all sang because they are proud of their country). Finally, two of my students got up and showed us how to dance "La Cueca" which is Chile's national dance. My student Camilo tried to teach me but I couldn't get it haha. Let's just say it was a great party.

After the party, my family and I went to a typical Chilean restaurant for dinner that consisted of Pastel del Choclo (similar to shepherd's pie), Cazuela soup, Prietas (blood sausage) and a beef dish similar to stroganoff. Later that night, we met up with Collier's old friend from college, Colin, who has lived in Santiago for almost 2 years. He worked in a vineyard and is an impressive wine connoisseur. We went to a Wine Bar in Barrio Lastarria and were able to try Chilean wine by the glass which was delicious. For more Chilean experiences, we also went to Mercado Central to try some seafood, and then the popular tourist attraction "La Piojera" to try the infamous terremoto drink. La Piojera literally means shithole and boy was it interesting haha. But it is all part of the Chilean experience. 

On Saturday, we flew to Buenos Aires to experience a different South American country. We arrived in the evening and the of course the first thing we had to do was eat meat. We went to a restaurant in Puerto Madero and all ordered different types of steak. It was DELICIOUS. The meat is great quality for a reasonable price. And the wine was great too! Later that night, Collier and I met up with my friends Marcelo and Christine from Colorado. Marcelo is from Argentina so it was great to see him in action back in his hometown. We went to a nightclub called Pacha that is only located in Ibiza, New York and Buenos Aires. We stayed til 6:30 am and the club was still rockin'. Collier and I got back to our hotel, slept for about 2 hours, and then woke up to take a city tour. Our tour guide was very insightful and taught us the majority of Buenos Aires history in about 3 hours. We went to Casa Rosada (the "Pink House" where the President lives), San Telmo Market, La Boca/El Caminito, and Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron is buried. We bought some leather bracelets and belts (since Argentina is also known for its leather) and then had another delicious steak meal at La Cabrera in Palermo. Buenos Aires has tons of European influence and most of the people that live in BA have European heritage. The city is very cosmopolitan and has the widest avenue in the world (Avenida 9 de julio which is 6 lanes across each side). The Spanish is also a lot different. In general, Buenos Aires and Santiago are almost complete opposites but I love both of them so much. I wish I could have spent more time in BA but that just means I have to go back! 

After Buenos Aires, my family and I came back to Santiago and enjoyed a relaxing day off from school. Christine met us in Santiago after she left Buenos Aires. On Tuesday, I had to give written tests and then after class I met up with my family and Christine and we went to El Caramaño for another typical Chilean lunch. As part of their last day in Santiago, I wanted to take them up to Cerro San Cristóbal for a spectacular view of the city. We took the furnicular up around sunset and were greeted with gorgeous mountains and sunset colors. Then, we walked around Patio Bellavista and bought some Chilean souvenirs. On Wednesday, my family's last day in Santiago, we toured Concha y Toro vineyard and sampled some authentic Chilean wine. Concha y Toro is the second largest winery in the world after a company in Napa. We were able to try Merlot and a Carméneré which is a grape that can only be grown in Chile. Later, we went to Fuente Alemana for one last delicious Chilean meal and then my family left. I was so sad to see them go but I was so happy to have them visit me. It will only be a short time before we are reunited over Christmas! Christine stayed for another day which was great having a friend here, too. Overall, I am SOOO glad that I got to have visitors come see me in my new world. I think they were impressed with how comfortable I am in a big city like this and how much my Spanish is improving. Anyone else who wants to come visit is certainly more than welcome!