Feria report, with tomatoes with real tomato taste
There are times when you go to the feria obligado, you go because you have to, because when you open the fridge there is more space than stuff, and when dinnertime comes, you think, “I could eat rice...
View ArticleWater water everywhere, but not a drop to drink in much of Santiago
Rain, rain and more rain in Santiago. What’s a city to do? The first year I lived in Chile, I was caught unawares by many a rainstorm. First of all, because rain here seems to have a higher ceiling...
View ArticleHow to parse a sign in Spanglish
Today I am going to teach you how to parse a sign you see in Spanglish, and by parse, I mean consider how it came to be written how it is written, as opposed to in actual English, based on a previous...
View ArticleAlto En, Exploring Chilean Memes, Nutrition and the Fiestas Patrias (Tiki...
One thing I love about Chile is how readily artists, graphic designers and other creative types take anything that’s happening in news, or in the world, and immediately incorporate it into memes,...
View ArticleIs that all you’re buying? Social norms and observations on the New Year
“Tan solo eso?” (Just that?) This was what the man said to me while I was buying a bunch of grapes the other day at Tirso de Molina, the small two-story market before the real chaos of La Vega begins....
View ArticleStreet Spellcheck. What the Fock?
When I was living in DC, I worked at a publishing company, writing business-to-business compliance manuals and newsy bits about environmental law. It was a pretty big office, maybe 60-80 people, and...
View ArticleIn Which Our Protagonist Makes the Most Out of Coconut
What’s in a coconut? Several things conspired to make this event happen. First, a friend recently was complaining that you can’t get fresh coconut in Santiago. Not true, I cried! And then set out to...
View ArticleNew-to-me Santiago Feria Report
Oh, the feria. If there’s a constant in my life, and you are also in my life, you know I live by the feria. Cheaper fruit and veg, no long lines, and truthfully, it’s just one of the joys for me of...
View ArticleSantiago Carnaval Report. Dancers and Cuchiflies and Chaya, oh my!
At any event in Chile, you are sure to find people selling something. Some of these people live mainly outside of the formal economy, selling different things at events and wherever crowds are likely...
View Article8M, the International Womens’ Day March in Santiago, Chile (a commemoration,...
“Casi me emociono” said a woman standing next to me as I used the back of my hands to dry my own eyes. She “almost” got emotional. It was her way of saying it brought tears to her eyes, as it had mine....
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