So for my predictions yesterday... I was wrong on the Germany Costa Rica game and correct on the Ecuador Poland game, though not on the score. Oh, well.
I saw the goals. They were pretty.
Now that I am no longer in South America, it is hot. It has come to my attention that I am sorely lacking in my summer wardrobe. I am thinking that it has something to do with the fact that the last year that I spent July and the first part of August in the US was 2002. Nonetheless, something must be done. And though they have put my air conditioning unit back in the window, it doesn't turn on. At least it is supposed to be somewhat cooler this weekend, and I have a fan.
I ordered some new books last night. I'll admit they are on the reading list, but I am still excited to read them! What a dork.
I miss S a lot, but we are doing pretty well I think with the separation this time. It helps that it is not going to be very long. And I am very happy because I used my new apron (yes I asked for an apron for my birthday last year... I make a mess of my clothes in the kitchen) and I didn't spill at all. I think it brings me good luck.
And, todays predictions: England Paraguay 1-0 (though I would prefer that England lose... I'm being *realistic*), Trinidad Sweden 1-3, ARGENTINA! Cote d-Ivoire 2-0. We'll see how the day wraps up.
And to look forward to tomorrow: Serbia vs. Netherlands, Mexico vs. Iran, and Angola vs. Portugal. I'll go ahead and make my predictions now. Netherlands beats Serbia 3-0. Mexico ties Iran 0-0, and Portugal beats Angola 3-2. I really want Mexico to lose. It's totally random but... well... that is what tends to happen in the Mundial. :-)
10.6.06
9.6.06
Mundial!
For those of you living in a hole, WORLD CUP begins today! One hour until the first game: Germany vs. Costa Rica. Also this afternoon, Poland vs. Ecuador. Much to my own dismay (and with a million excuses but still feeling sort of silly), I am not nearly as prepared for the tournament as I might like to be. I am not intimately acquainted with the lineups of my favorite teams, and I can't remember off the top of my head who is in what group. The shame! So my totally uneducated guesses for today's games: Germany Costa Rica tie 1-1, Ecuador beats Poland 2-1. Again, totally uneducated. But I will be entertained by seeing how close I get without having any money at risk.But for me the important games aren't played until later - Argentina has it's first game tomorrow (followed by other games the 16th and the *BIG* one the 21st) and the US plays the 12th, the 17th, and the 22nd. It's still sad that Chile isn't in the Mundial, but to be honest it makes my who-I-am-rooting-for rubric a little easier. So, we'll see.
Tomorrow: England vs. Paraguay, Trinidad vs. Sweden, Argentina vs. Cote d'Ivoire.
8.6.06
long equation
All I am going to say for now:
car + plane + plane + rude customs officials + plane + transfer bus + bus (late!) + taxi [36.5 hours traveling] = being at home but missing S.
I need some sleep.
car + plane + plane + rude customs officials + plane + transfer bus + bus (late!) + taxi [36.5 hours traveling] = being at home but missing S.
I need some sleep.
4.6.06
Los pinguinos
*WARNING* This is a post on Chilean politics... and current events... and well it is interesting so you should read it anyways.
New York Times: Chilean Promised a New Deal, Now Striking Youth Demand it
The Economist article is subscription only: School's Out: Freedom is loose in the land, and the children know it.
Crib sheet: For the last few weeks high school students have been on strike or have taken over their schools in a protest of the quality (or lack thereof) of education in Chile and the govenrnment has been negotiating with the students. There have also been protests and incidents of police burtality, as well as delinquency and vandalism along the main road in Santiago, the Alameda. It is THE topic in the country - everything is about the students and the state of education. The students have been iun dialogue with the government and at the end of last week the government offered a program as a response to the student's demands.
I'll admit that I think the government's proposal is entirely reasonable and I am actually pretty surprised that it has taken this long for press in English to cover the high school student movement... they call themselves "Pinguinos" from the March of the Penguins... anyways... calling the topic of the "pase escolar" and the "tarifa escolar" (actually two different things: the first is a card that identifies the student as qualified for a reduced fare on public transportation, while the second is the actual fare) free bus fare... well the terms of complaint in English sound sort of silly. Free public transportation? hm. No article really explained the issues that most students have with the jornada escolar completa (full school day), which as someone who came from a system with that style, well I don't really understand the pedagogical objection to an eventual change to that system.
OK a bit of an explanation of the JEC is in order. Many schools here have two jornadas, or schedules, and students only go to one. So for example you only go to school in the morning or in the afternoon, and teachers give the same classes n the morning as in the afternoon. The whole point of the JEC is to expand the offerings of education and to allow for more variety and more learning time. However, a good implementation of this change will take time and resources; I can understand the students complaining abut a change when they have teachers who are not prepared and there is not curriculum in place to take advantage of the change. But eh the change in and of itself is a good thing because it will widen opportunities (this is supposedly a social movement...) and improve the quality of the Chilean education. I really think most students are against it because they don't want to be in school all day, and that is it.
They also haven't mentioned a lot of things that are sort of a huge matter of discussion here... the growing division between the student leaders, the violence in the centro caused by and I quote "lumpen" rather than normal people, why people complain about the LOCE (other than the centralization issues and Pinochet)...
There is a national strike tomorrow (Monday) in support of the students, who didn't accept the government's proposal basically only because of the tarifa escolar. S doesn't have classes because his university is on strike to support the students.
Also, I should mention that S's alma mater, the Liceo de Aplicación, was one of the first to mobilize. S is very proud. He even wore his old school tie last week. But no worries, we have stayed away from the protests. I have no desire to have tear gas thrown at me or to be knocked down by a water cannon. Anyways - let me know what you think!
And a random correction: school uniforms are not black and white, they are navy blue and white. And not all schools have the same colors...
New York Times: Chilean Promised a New Deal, Now Striking Youth Demand it
The Economist article is subscription only: School's Out: Freedom is loose in the land, and the children know it.
Crib sheet: For the last few weeks high school students have been on strike or have taken over their schools in a protest of the quality (or lack thereof) of education in Chile and the govenrnment has been negotiating with the students. There have also been protests and incidents of police burtality, as well as delinquency and vandalism along the main road in Santiago, the Alameda. It is THE topic in the country - everything is about the students and the state of education. The students have been iun dialogue with the government and at the end of last week the government offered a program as a response to the student's demands.
I'll admit that I think the government's proposal is entirely reasonable and I am actually pretty surprised that it has taken this long for press in English to cover the high school student movement... they call themselves "Pinguinos" from the March of the Penguins... anyways... calling the topic of the "pase escolar" and the "tarifa escolar" (actually two different things: the first is a card that identifies the student as qualified for a reduced fare on public transportation, while the second is the actual fare) free bus fare... well the terms of complaint in English sound sort of silly. Free public transportation? hm. No article really explained the issues that most students have with the jornada escolar completa (full school day), which as someone who came from a system with that style, well I don't really understand the pedagogical objection to an eventual change to that system.
OK a bit of an explanation of the JEC is in order. Many schools here have two jornadas, or schedules, and students only go to one. So for example you only go to school in the morning or in the afternoon, and teachers give the same classes n the morning as in the afternoon. The whole point of the JEC is to expand the offerings of education and to allow for more variety and more learning time. However, a good implementation of this change will take time and resources; I can understand the students complaining abut a change when they have teachers who are not prepared and there is not curriculum in place to take advantage of the change. But eh the change in and of itself is a good thing because it will widen opportunities (this is supposedly a social movement...) and improve the quality of the Chilean education. I really think most students are against it because they don't want to be in school all day, and that is it.
They also haven't mentioned a lot of things that are sort of a huge matter of discussion here... the growing division between the student leaders, the violence in the centro caused by and I quote "lumpen" rather than normal people, why people complain about the LOCE (other than the centralization issues and Pinochet)...
There is a national strike tomorrow (Monday) in support of the students, who didn't accept the government's proposal basically only because of the tarifa escolar. S doesn't have classes because his university is on strike to support the students.
Also, I should mention that S's alma mater, the Liceo de Aplicación, was one of the first to mobilize. S is very proud. He even wore his old school tie last week. But no worries, we have stayed away from the protests. I have no desire to have tear gas thrown at me or to be knocked down by a water cannon. Anyways - let me know what you think!
And a random correction: school uniforms are not black and white, they are navy blue and white. And not all schools have the same colors...
2.6.06
and I am still not healthy...
I have managed to have a cold nearly all week. Not cool.
On a positive note, I have been able to spend lots of time with my in-laws. On the negative side, I haven't been able to do too much else.
Wedding planning is going well... we are almost 100% sure about our choice of venue, which is pretty exciting. I also got my hair cut today... same style but a little shorter. Because it was getting longer.
World Cup is coming.... YAY even though Chile isn't in it... harumph harumph.
At some point I'll write about the student protests here, basically no one in high school in the whole country (OK that is an exaggeration but still) has been in classes because the schools are either on strike or "en toma," demanding educational reform from the government. The government came up with a proposal that was broadcast yesterday but the student's didn't accept it and are now calling for a national strike on Monday. Hm. We need things to be open on Monday. There has also been a bit of violence - over 800 people arrested downtown alone - which is disquieting. Tuesday the police reacted totally out of control and then as people say the lumpen and delinquents came to cause trouble, not the students. Either way that is all that is on the news here. IN case you were interested. At some point I might write about the demands and the process of dialogue between the students and the government... but to be honest I don't see the high school students of the US uniting to force reform of education policy. In that respect, it's pretty cool.
S still has classes. Mish.
On a positive note, I have been able to spend lots of time with my in-laws. On the negative side, I haven't been able to do too much else.
Wedding planning is going well... we are almost 100% sure about our choice of venue, which is pretty exciting. I also got my hair cut today... same style but a little shorter. Because it was getting longer.
World Cup is coming.... YAY even though Chile isn't in it... harumph harumph.
At some point I'll write about the student protests here, basically no one in high school in the whole country (OK that is an exaggeration but still) has been in classes because the schools are either on strike or "en toma," demanding educational reform from the government. The government came up with a proposal that was broadcast yesterday but the student's didn't accept it and are now calling for a national strike on Monday. Hm. We need things to be open on Monday. There has also been a bit of violence - over 800 people arrested downtown alone - which is disquieting. Tuesday the police reacted totally out of control and then as people say the lumpen and delinquents came to cause trouble, not the students. Either way that is all that is on the news here. IN case you were interested. At some point I might write about the demands and the process of dialogue between the students and the government... but to be honest I don't see the high school students of the US uniting to force reform of education policy. In that respect, it's pretty cool.
S still has classes. Mish.
28.5.06
meanderings of a sunny domingo
Today was beautiful and sunny. We could see the mountains again. Even though it hasn't really rained here at all in 2006... which is odd to me. I'm used to being places where it rains. And goodness knows that it rained here last year.
Congratulations to N! :-) You rock. Though I don't think you read this but still. Yay!
S and I saw the film Mi mejor enemigo, which is a Chilean film about an almost war between Chile and Argentina in Patagonia in 1978. It was an excellent film. It is definitely in my top 5 Chilean films category. Yes, I have a top 5 Chilean films list. Not in any particular order, they are: Mi mejor enemigo, Machuca, Subterra, Historias de fútbol, ... well OK I will leave it at 4 because I am having a hard time deciding what should be number 5. I can think of lots of movies that shouldn't be - most of which I have seen on Monday nights on TVN's Cine Chileno. Yeah. that.
Wedding planning goes. It's weird because S and I have things agreed too pretty clearly between the two of us - we know what we want. Explaining it to everyone else is the challenge. At least here, where the custom of having the religious and the civil separate is, well, the way you have to do it. The most important part is that S and I agree and in the end, we'll be married. That is what really matters.
Congratulations to N! :-) You rock. Though I don't think you read this but still. Yay!
S and I saw the film Mi mejor enemigo, which is a Chilean film about an almost war between Chile and Argentina in Patagonia in 1978. It was an excellent film. It is definitely in my top 5 Chilean films category. Yes, I have a top 5 Chilean films list. Not in any particular order, they are: Mi mejor enemigo, Machuca, Subterra, Historias de fútbol, ... well OK I will leave it at 4 because I am having a hard time deciding what should be number 5. I can think of lots of movies that shouldn't be - most of which I have seen on Monday nights on TVN's Cine Chileno. Yeah. that.
Wedding planning goes. It's weird because S and I have things agreed too pretty clearly between the two of us - we know what we want. Explaining it to everyone else is the challenge. At least here, where the custom of having the religious and the civil separate is, well, the way you have to do it. The most important part is that S and I agree and in the end, we'll be married. That is what really matters.
26.5.06
bits and pieces
We saw the new X-men movie yesterday. If this computer weren't so slow I would put up a picture. We really enjoyed it. Dad has to see it.
We've almost completed Lego Star Wars. It is sort of sad. But we have been playing Battlefront also so it's OK.
Update: We beat it. Which was cool, but it's sort of anticlimactic, as well we go the part where you get to play A New Hope before we got all of the vehicles. Nothing happened when we got all of the vehicles. Sad. Melissa recommends that I start over. That's what S and I did with Battlefront...
We've almost completed Lego Star Wars. It is sort of sad. But we have been playing Battlefront also so it's OK.
Update: We beat it. Which was cool, but it's sort of anticlimactic, as well we go the part where you get to play A New Hope before we got all of the vehicles. Nothing happened when we got all of the vehicles. Sad. Melissa recommends that I start over. That's what S and I did with Battlefront...
23.5.06
social time with the in-laws
Oh, bureaucracy... in the end it all works out fine but the process is really frustrating.
I went to tía Mari's house on Saturday, and S came after his exam. I had a very nice time with them. Even with my 4 year old admirer Matías, who really adores me. Ja, ja. He's so cute. Matty loves Harry Potter; when I got there he was watching one of the movies and told me (with a "wand" in his hand) that HE is Harry Potter and that I can be Hermione. And that his mom is also Hermione. Adorable.
Sunday was nice, in the late afternoon I went down to the mall with my suegra. We had coffee, chatted, and window shopped. She's really a wonderful person. I had a great time.
Yesterday was more crazy bureaucracy... have I mentioned how much I like the new Metro line here? It's blue. Which of course helps. But I like the design of the stations better than some others, they have higher ceilings. I also like the cars a lot... everything is even more clean than the rest of the Metro, even though this is the line that goes into the peludo part of Puente Alto. Speaking of, the Metro doesn't make me motion sick, rather the micros do. So instead of a 20-30 minute micro ride to the Bellavista de la Florida station (line 5) to get to downtown or Providencia or Las Condes (another alternative - an hour to 2 hour micro ride...), I can take an 8 minute micro ride to the Hospital Sótero del Río station. Which is not in as nice an area as Bellavista... but it's closer to home. Less micro time is always good. That said, in the dark I see a lot more sketchy people hanging out around the metro station... yesterday the micro came right away, so no worries.
My cuñada made this mobile thing for her room yesterday, it's quite pretty. I'm impressed.
I also had an excellent chat with my sister today - B, you are great! :-)
And S brought Mi mejor enemigo to watch. I'm looking forward to it. Another Chilean film... TVN has a Cine Chileno thing on at 10 PM but they show movies that are... um... not things that I would want to show other people. Last night I watched part of one called Tuve un sueño contigo and it was just really odd. And way too much gratuitous nudity. The one last week had that too, and with a lot of unneeded bad language (it was El roto) but it is still interesting to see them. As I explain to my in-laws, I don't see these films in the US. But I also can't see the Brazilian teleserie A escrava Isaura in the US, either. Ja, ja.
I went to tía Mari's house on Saturday, and S came after his exam. I had a very nice time with them. Even with my 4 year old admirer Matías, who really adores me. Ja, ja. He's so cute. Matty loves Harry Potter; when I got there he was watching one of the movies and told me (with a "wand" in his hand) that HE is Harry Potter and that I can be Hermione. And that his mom is also Hermione. Adorable.
Sunday was nice, in the late afternoon I went down to the mall with my suegra. We had coffee, chatted, and window shopped. She's really a wonderful person. I had a great time.
Yesterday was more crazy bureaucracy... have I mentioned how much I like the new Metro line here? It's blue. Which of course helps. But I like the design of the stations better than some others, they have higher ceilings. I also like the cars a lot... everything is even more clean than the rest of the Metro, even though this is the line that goes into the peludo part of Puente Alto. Speaking of, the Metro doesn't make me motion sick, rather the micros do. So instead of a 20-30 minute micro ride to the Bellavista de la Florida station (line 5) to get to downtown or Providencia or Las Condes (another alternative - an hour to 2 hour micro ride...), I can take an 8 minute micro ride to the Hospital Sótero del Río station. Which is not in as nice an area as Bellavista... but it's closer to home. Less micro time is always good. That said, in the dark I see a lot more sketchy people hanging out around the metro station... yesterday the micro came right away, so no worries.
My cuñada made this mobile thing for her room yesterday, it's quite pretty. I'm impressed.
I also had an excellent chat with my sister today - B, you are great! :-)
And S brought Mi mejor enemigo to watch. I'm looking forward to it. Another Chilean film... TVN has a Cine Chileno thing on at 10 PM but they show movies that are... um... not things that I would want to show other people. Last night I watched part of one called Tuve un sueño contigo and it was just really odd. And way too much gratuitous nudity. The one last week had that too, and with a lot of unneeded bad language (it was El roto) but it is still interesting to see them. As I explain to my in-laws, I don't see these films in the US. But I also can't see the Brazilian teleserie A escrava Isaura in the US, either. Ja, ja.
19.5.06
¿and what day is it?
LEGO Star Wars is going well. S and I are pleased with our progress.
Tomorrow we might be going out. I know, it's exciting. S also tells me that it only got cold once I got here. So appropriate.
Hmmm I made pasta with oil and garlic yesterday. I love that. And I appear to be the only one in the house who does. Everyone else thinks it's missing something - sauce, mostly. Mish.
I love watching my teleserie on TV. It's so much better than watching it on the computer. The news here has been sort of random. A bad bus accident (half of the passengers are dead), high school students protesting (I'm not sure why...), etc, etc. I miss NPR. But now that I'm not sick I am enjoying myself much more.
Tomorrow we might be going out. I know, it's exciting. S also tells me that it only got cold once I got here. So appropriate.
Hmmm I made pasta with oil and garlic yesterday. I love that. And I appear to be the only one in the house who does. Everyone else thinks it's missing something - sauce, mostly. Mish.
I love watching my teleserie on TV. It's so much better than watching it on the computer. The news here has been sort of random. A bad bus accident (half of the passengers are dead), high school students protesting (I'm not sure why...), etc, etc. I miss NPR. But now that I'm not sick I am enjoying myself much more.
17.5.06
Champions
While I am feeling better - I can truly enjoy bread now :-) - I lied about the smog bit. Even though it rained a bit again last night, the smog is disgusting. S and I went to pasear at the mall today and when we were down there we looked back up at the cerros and - wait for it... - you could barely see them. I have never seen it this bad before. Remember also that the air here in the outskirts on the side of a mountain is much better than in the centro. Uf.
We um sort of forgot that today was Wedneday. Which meant that the final of the Champions League was on. How did we know? Because all of the TV's in the mall were tuned to the game. Luckily for me (though not for S since he is at school right now), Chilevision is rebroadcasting the game. Yay.
We um sort of forgot that today was Wedneday. Which meant that the final of the Champions League was on. How did we know? Because all of the TV's in the mall were tuned to the game. Luckily for me (though not for S since he is at school right now), Chilevision is rebroadcasting the game. Yay.
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