September is coming, possibly my favourite month in my short experience here in Chile. The weather is improving so the people are happy, their are a couple of public holidays one of which is the national independence day, and Cueca, choripan and empanadas abound in the streets which makes me personally smile from one side of my stomach to the other.
Other things that are making me happy right now are that I am starting a new job on Monday as the Academic Director of the Institute, and that I have moved house into a much more adult situation where things are clean and tidy and there is food in the fridge.
I have some wonderful friends here, and lately I have learnt a lot about them and myself through a serious of unfortunate events which led to me leaving my last house. Some of my friends really stepped up and helped me out. Some of them physically, some of them emotionally, but they all contributed as part of my family here in Chile. People are more expressive here, and much less concerned about "proper manners" than we might be in NZ or Australia too. Sometimes it can be frustrating as people don't always respect that some people need a little time out, but other times it is completely endearing. For example, on Friday I was tired and didn't want to go out partying, and told each of my three closest friends this in different conversations, only to have all three turn up at my house with sushi and a bottle of wine. Their reasoning was that "if Mohammad won't come to the mountain, the mountain will come to Mohammad".
People are very content to just hang out here too, and simple activities like picnics in the park are some of my favourite times. Sunshine, food, and a guitar can make any day bright and shiny. And finally I am comfortable enough with the language to not feel constantly frazzled with the effort of understanding. I can talk to anyone patient, about any range of topics, and I can enjoy it. I can translate things for new teachers, I can have conversations on the telephone for half an hour with any of my friends, or the taxi driver on the way home at night.
Not everything is glitzy. I have learnt a lot about trust and loyalty, and a lack of it among some people. I understand that the code that I am accustomed to at home between friends can be somewhat different here, especially loyalty between female friends, but learning and growing is part of the process of living in any new culture. Right now I feel like Chile is stretching her arms after a long siesta, and that she will get up and dance a cueca brava with me at any second.
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