How much do we owe?

Ugh.

Just as soon as we finally start getting everything in motion, this. I especially enjoy that I actually cannot find how much we have to pay in fees for the immigration process. They really just say when they ask for money, but not how much. So to be honest I have no idea of knowing which fees we get charged when or really beforehand how much it will cost. Which is quite frustrating.

What this means for aspiring immigrants is simple: more cash upfront. The application fee for citizenship would rise to $595 from $330. The fee for permanent residency would increase to $905 from $325, and charges for bringing in a foreign spouse or employee would more than double. Refugees and victims of human trafficking or sex crimes would still have their fees waived, and other applicants could request hardship waivers. (Emphasis mine)

I admit I have yet to deal with the people here in the US with regards to immigration stuff, but if the way the people in Chile treated me is anything to go by, this will not be pleasant. Let's just focus on the positive outcome of all of this - S and I will finally be living together in the same country! So exciting!

non-confrontational

After what feels like weeks of not getting anything real done... I finally feel a little accomplished.

My studying is finally organized and sort of going somewhere. Which is good. Because mid-March is fast approaching.

S and I have the forms printed out to start the immigration dance, there are just a few bits and pieces to get together and then off it goes to the government.

I was very stressed the end of last week and the beginning of this one with regards to what S and I are going to do about this summer, and while it's not the ideal situation, I actually sort of negotiated my way into a better job. Considering how non-confrontational I am, I'm still in shock. But this better job means we want to get right on the immigration stuff.

I should get back to making my notecards - yes, notecards - so that when I go places, when I wait for the bus, etc, I don't feel guilty about not having anything to study. Yes, I h ave a giant feel like I should be doing more complex. And the notecards are probably feeding it. But if it helps me do better, then it is worthwhile.

Married a month!

The title pretty much says it all. Happy first month anniversary, dear husband of mine. (OK I admit that sounds better in Spanish)

Re: Barbie, evidentally it's because I've been dressing well, doing my hair, wearing makeup, and have a tan. And in my world, I'm almost as close to blonde as you are going to get. I just think it's funny now.

Classes and studying are going well. Really the only thing not going too well is me getting up easily in the morning. I'm not so good at that. And also, my house is, um, cluttered. I would de-clutter it, but I need the papers and I don't have anywhere to put them. A familiar problem...

Watch the shooting star...

I just wanted to leave a quick note - I was perusing the recent archives of APOD and came across a video of the Comet McNaught as it passed the sun. It was SO COOL. So speaks the astronomy dork in me. You can check it out here.

Such a heart as joys in love

I vaguely remember that I have posted poetry up here before. In the spirit of having had a meeting for church-purposes, I post another lyric of hymn-renown that I adore. George Herbert (16th century) with music by Vaughan Williams.

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a way as gives us breath;
Such a truth as ends all strife,
Such a life as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a light as shows a feast,
Such a feast as mends in length,
Such a strength as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a joy as none can move,
Such a love as none can part,
Such a heart as joys in love.

I was going to start putting the lyrics to wedding hymns... I suppose that can wait until tomorrow.

PS I love the use of thou. I know it's random, but I still love it.

Barbie fea

A friend of mine called me a Barbie today at a baby shower. How much does it say about me that the first thing that came to my mind wasn't WHY she was calling me a Barbie but rather an episode of... wait for it... CASADO CON HIJOS. Nacho calls Titi a Barbie as an insult, and she, being somewhat of a ditz, says, well yes, and he then calls her a Barbie fea (Ugly Barbie), which makes her angry. (Here's the video)

Now that I think about it, why did she call me that? It might have to do with the fact that I'm thinner now than I was the last time we saw eachother (before Christmas), I have a tan (amazingly, yes, I still have a tan. And people here notice it. Weird.) And I had my hair straight today and fashionably styled. I also wore a little more makeup than I do for informal things (read: not teaching or church), but nothing flashy or paint-on-pink. For goodness sakes, I was wearing sneakers! So here is a question that I certainly don't know the answer to, nor do I think Cultural Studies has answered to my satisfaction: What is Barbie? And why might I be compared to one?

Another meandering thought of mine over the course of this week has to do with the contradiction of being incredibly sad because my husband is far away (thousands of miles, as opposed to the hundreds listed in the Kilometros son) but also the happiest I have ever been in being married to him. Does anyone care to try to explain it?

Also on the married person front, it is somewhat odd to me that in the past year I know 5 women who are expecting children. Of those five, one is married. Let me tell the world that at my (too young to be a mother!) age, I (and my husband, so I guess we is better) don't want to have kids yet. Goodness no.

I sometimes feel very young. A colleague the other day asked me what an avatar was. Yes, yes, I grew up with computers and despite my dorkiness, I know a bit about "youth culture," however you might define it. But it was somewhat odd. Though not as odd as a friend calling me (not in insult) a Barbie. Yeah, I still don't have that figured out.

PS Remember back in the fall when I talked about Las Condes' crazy mayor wanting to close off streets? The Chilean Supreme Court just ruled that that is totally not allowed. What did I say months ago? That it wasn't allowed! Go justice :-)

Me gustai!

My most favorite television show right now (it is even funnier than The Daily Show or even (gulp!) That 70's Show) is CASADO CON HIJOS, a Chilean adaptation of Married with Children, which I never saw. But Casado con hijos is just hilarious. I have a lot of favorite moments, but one that, being a newlywed, means a lot to me is the following. You can even watch the clip (which would be, obviously, in Spanish) on YouTube, though it doesn't let me straight blog the video, so the address is this.

This is an episode where Quena sells Tito (her husband) for 50 million pesos. This is the scene at the end of the episode, where Quena decides that she doesn't want to sell him after all. Here's the dialogue:

Quena: sabís que no nos va a resultar esta cuestión, no nos va a resultar porque quiero que te levantí y vístete, sale, sale, sale! este es mi cama y mi marido, así que sabís que tu plata te la puedes meter por cualquier parte. Ahí tení tu cheque.

You know what, this isn’t going to work, this won’t work out because I want you to get up and get dressed, out out out! This is MY bed and MY husband, so you know what, you can put your money wherever. Here’s your check.

Chantal: Oye, es un boleto de supermercado ya?

Hey, this is a grocery store receipt.

Quena: pensé que pasaba… aquí toma. Y ahora ándate, huh. Que t’ai creído, pa’ tu sepai, yo tengo algo mucho mejor que la plata, tengo algo que es valiosísimo, que no sé como se llama, que es una cuestión de tení hartos hijos y tení, (Tito: familia) te pasa una libreta y un anillo que pone ahí, familia, esta cuestión. Esto es mucho más mejor. Así que te fuiste. Ah. Búscate otro mono porque este monito ya tiene dueño. Ah?

I thought you wouldn’t notice… here you have it. And now leave, OK? Who do you think you are, so you know, I have something much better than money, I have something super valuable, I don’t know what it’s called, but it’s a thing about having children, and you have (Tito: family), they give you a certificate and a ring you put on your finger, family, that’s it. That is a whole lot best better. So you’re gone. Ah, and look for another monkey because this one has an owner. OK?

Chantal: Estás segura que no quieres que te suba la oferta? Porque la verdad es que estoy tan vulnerable que me podrías sacarme cualquier cosa…

Are you sure that you don’t want me to raise the price? Because the truth is that I am so vulnerable you could get anything out of me…

Quena: Sabís lo que te voy a sacar yo si no salís cascando de mi casa? Para que sepai parece que to’ eso es una lección, porque no todo está a la venta. Veinte años de peleas y malos ratos no se compran, ¡se ganan! Así que te fuiste, te fuiste. ¡Ay! que que te vai a parar, tu pensai que te tengo miedo flacucha uy te saco la cresta si quiero, te fuiste, que me vai a poner este jarro a mi? Ponerme este jarro? sale sale! (Escupe) agradece, agradece que soy una dama, no soy una rota de mierda!

You know what I am going to kick you out if you aren’t hurting yourself to get out of my house? So you know, this appears to be a lesson, because not everything’s for sale. 20 years of fights and bad times can’t be bought, you earn them! So you’re gone, you’re gone. Ay! What, are you stopping? Do you think I’m afraid of you skinny thing, I’ll kick your butt if I want to, you are on your way, what, you are going to throw a vase at me? At me? Out! (spits), be thankful that I’m a lady, not trailer trash!

Quena: Ay Tito perdóname, es que la verdad la verdad no soporte verte con esta yegua en la cama.

Ay Tito, forgive me, it’s just that the truth and I mean the truth, I can’t stand to see you with that horrible woman in the bed.

Tito: Quena, para todo el oro del mundo no te cambiaria.

Quena, for all of the gold in the world I would never change you.

Quena: Tito, para mi vales mucho mucho mas que cincuenta millones. Tito (qué), estamos solos (si). [beso] Ay Tito! Me gustai!

Tito, for me you are worth a whole lot more than fifty million. Tito (what?) We’re alone (Yes). [kiss] Ay Tito! I like you!

I just love that. They are so cute! Plus there I can practice my translation skills, which are getting rusty what with not being in Chile with my Anglophone family. Let me tell you, it's much easier for me to use Chilean slang than the appropriate American equivalents. Read into that what you will.

How is it Friday already?

I am still not used to being back in the US. I miss my husband. But I am getting busier, which should help me deal with it.

I taught for the first time this semester yesterday. I think I have two good groups, so that is exciting.

I haven't studied as much as I would have liked to. I have been sleeping a lot. And it's cold. I have told myself though that Saturday (that is, tomorrow) is the serious start of studying, that these days have been for me to get adjusted to being in the States again. I'm not adjusted, nor do I feel prepared to buckle down. I miss my husband and I wish that he were here, or that I were there. I imagine I'll feel like this until I see him again. Which will be in May. I hope the time passes quickly.

being señora

So I feel like it's been aaaaaaaaaaaages since I've written anything here. Which is partially true. It's mostly due to the fact that S's computer is painfully slow, and I was busy being married and swimming in the pool trying to get a tan before I returned to the Northern Hemisphere, which is where I am now. And it's colder here, let me tell you.

I miss my husband. I've finally gotten used to the term - saying marido or esposo was really easy but husband took me a bit longer to get used to. And though it sounds odd, I might even be used to being señora. How might I know that? Because when I was going through immigration at a deathly early hour this morning one of the officers called me señorita and I almost corrected him. Mrs., that I don't know about. But señora I think I am now OK with.

But most of all I miss my husband. A lot.

A random very cute thing that I like about married life most when I am actually in the same country as mi marido: S usually gets up before I do but he always kisses me on the cheek when he wakes up. I'm not always awake when he does it but it makes me smile even in my sleep. When I woke up on the plane this morning there was no S to kiss my cheek. It made me sad.

On a cheerier note: the photograph is from the location of my wedding. So beautiful. Flowers! Sun! Summer!

resumen

Ah, 2007. You feel no different than 2006.

I've been so overwhelmed since my family got here this week! We have done a lot and seen a lot, which is neat. We've walked around the neighborhood of the hotel a lot, walked along the Mapocho (it's much nicer looking in the summer), had lots of quality family time with my in-laws, pick-up soccer games, we went to Valparaíso and to Viña del Mar, I got married, everything went well with the wedding, we had a giant meal for New Year's Eve, and we went to the beach for New Year's Day (yay for stopping at Pomaire on our way to El Tabo and sitting on the beach at Punta del Tralca). Today, however, is lazy day. We're having dinner with grandparents and my brother and husband are going off to play soccer again.

My family leaves on Friday (sad!) so we are trying to fit in some things that we would like to do before then. My Dad wants to take a city tour (I say: but I can tell you all of that information for free!) so he and my mother are probably going to do that while my siblings and I go to Fantasilandia. We'd like to go to a vineyard, and we'd like to go to an art museum. We're going out for dinner Thursday night. I have to admit I will miss my family a lot when they go back to the States. Almost as much as I'll miss my husband when I have to go back to the States. Uf, I don't want to think about that right now.

I've got to get ready for dinner!}

PS Yesterday going to the beach was fun but the house made us all sneeze (it was all dusty) and there was terrible traffic on the way back. Really quite terrible.