And here I am. SANTIAGO. Madness. I am only two weeks in and it feels like I have been here for months.
My first conversation with with Fernando, the son of the family I was staying with. He realised from my first response that he had to speak a lot slower, from which my favourite phrase “LENTO POR FAVOR” was born.
I was staying in barrio Puente Alto, south of Santiago, with Mario`s family. Mario was my neighbour when I lived in Sandown Lane, but our families are very close and we have been on loads of scottish hiking holidays together. Because we are dead cool…
Karina, Poncho, Marti and Fernando could not have made me feel anymore at home. So much so, that they are now my chilean family, and Karina is now known by my friends as `mama chilena`. But it was a strange first week. I found myself unable to keep my eyes open past 9pm, not opening my eyeballs until at least 11am, yet still not having any energy to do anything.
Family in Chile is quite a big thing, usually they are fairly large and I have been to 3 asados in 3 weeks. Karaoke is a must…and I have to say I am loving it, I know ALL the words! HOWEVER – this is an element of party that I would not be caught dead doing in England. I think I have noticed my improvments with them more than anywhere else, because I have found myself being aBle to converse a little more each weekend. Little by little.
I started apartment hunting as soon as I got a Bip! (metro prepaid card) and within the week I had found an apartment using compartodepto.cl – a fully furnished room on the 12th floor of a building on Avenida Apoquindo. Sharing with 2 boys: an Italian, Enrico and a Chilean, Andres. Although room isnt`t anything to brag about, the apartments location, views and roof terrace with pool has sold it for me. My freckles will return. The boys are lovely, really easy to get on with and Enrico loves a bottle of red as much as me, so we often find ourselves spending hours at the table talking shit and enjoying a Syrah.
Then this big thing happened – WORK. wow. felt like I had been hit by a bus. Not only was everything in spanish…but everything was about motorbikes, words i didnt even know in ENGLISH! A lot of hours, overwhelmed with the language, I realised it was going to taker a little longer than I thought to get used to the life. If anything, I have learnt to become a much more patient person, in only 2 weeks so hopefully, if I keep taking it day by day then the language will come.
This is becoming something that is SO SO SO much easier said than done. I have “off” days, usually this means no matter who is talking to me or what time of day it is, my brain refuses to translate anything and enjoys letting me stand there like a twat and stutter in pigeon Spanglish. I don`t enjoy these days.
Constant tiredness, headaches, the craving of dulce de leche…according to my flatmate Enrico, whose 1st language could now arguably be English over Italian, told me that this painful process is called PROGRESS – my brain is starting to think in Spanish. Another great reason to crack open a bottle of vino. (I find many reasons).
Luce has also been a geat help these last couple of weeks, being quite reassuring when I have a hungover meltdown. We have had a few fun nights out together and I managed to convince her to come and see DADDY YANKEE with me – oh my god the excitement. the PADRE of reggaeton. There will be photos. and a blog post.
CDS 