Where Time Stands Still
This past Friday I began helping Chileans celebrate their independence- during the afternoon I went to a fair/rodeo (called a fonda) with my roomate where we met up with Adrien and some of her classmates. We drank some chicha, watched a horse show, ate some BBQ, listened to some music, played some games (foosball, mainly- and I kicked butt!) and generally had a very good time.That evening, after a small get together in Adrien´s apartment, we went out to a different type of fonda- the Yein Fonda (translation- Jane Fonda!) where some popular bands were playing- The Bunkers, La Sonora de Tommy Rey, and a few other whose names I don´t remember. But the music was very good- a mix of some funk, cumbia, norteños, and pretty much every other Latin rhythm there is. We didn´t get home until about 5.
Of course Saturday, Chile´s actual independence day, we didn´t get up until pretty late in the afternoon, but once we rolled out, we went to the house of a friend of Adrien´s outside of Santiago- it was absolutely beautiful. And there- time stood still.
We began with some Chilean wine (of course) and started up the BBQ- we picked at the salad and potato chips while the vegetables, chicken, sausage, and beef grilled on the fire. There was jazz music in the backgrouund, good conversation, a beautiful sunset- what a good way to pass the afternoon. The party continued with Chilean jokes and cueca songs, more food, and of course, more copete.
This little enclave where we were at ended up being the niche of mostly a family of artists and journalists- everyone there was either a photographer or painter or studying to be one, or else a journalist (one girl does documentaries) or studying to be one, or an actor or musician or studying to be one. All very interesting conversation- all obviously thoughtful (in different ways) people.
Originally, we had only planned on staying for the BBQ for a few hours, hoping to return to Santiago for another BBQ at a different friends house. But Felípe warned us that once we got there, we wouldn´t want to leave. Needless to say, he was right. I woke up at his house, for the second morning in a row, to birds chirping, clean air, warm sun, and a state of relaxation and tranquility that I hadn´t known since arriving in Chile. Time was literally standing still.
But alas, I had to return to a different reality- a reality that means books and tests instead of three holes of golf in the morning and fresh salmon for lunch (that was Sunday). And here I am, back in Santiago, trying to concentrate but not really succeeding because I have to be working in the city, when all I want to do is be out in the country.
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