Chapter 4 ~ Its a Dog Eat Dog World

In which I explain my daily life as a South American, some differences between here and the US, and I finally have the truth on toilet flushing...


It is a strange concept, time. It is difficult to grasp how, depending on what you are thinking about or doing in any given moment, the speed of time changes. For instance, when you are having a great time, or are on vacation, or sleeping even, time doesn't seem to slow down. It even seems to accelerate. But then the second you are homesick, or are in class, or waiting for 3 hours to get an ID at what can only be described as the DMV, sitting there, on the floor because there are too many people to even find a good place to stand; time finds the breaks. And now that 3 hours, or that 1 hour and 45 minutes remaining of class, or that 4 months until you return home seems like it will NEVER arrive. Time, for me anyway, seems to be a teenager learning to drive for the first time. Sometimes the foot slips and you accelerate into next week, and sometimes they just can't find the courage to go the speed limit on the interstate. What I'm doing with my time, however, is what this whole trip is really about.

So, what is it like, being a South American? Incredibly it can be described using only one word, relaxed. I will take you on an average day with me to show you what it is exactly that I mean. I wake up in the morning everyday (except Tuesdays because I have class) at around 10. My host mother, Hilda, makes me breakfast, which usually consists of bread with a variety of toppings on the side. She has homemade jams, she has different kinds of cheese that I still have no idea what they are, she has honey, she has butter, and if there was something else I wanted on my toast that morning, she would find it. Sometimes there is a bowl of cut up fruit and yogurt but that isn't everyday, bread is every day. After we eat breakfast, depending on the day, I either get ready for class or go in my room and relax, because breakfast was extremely stressful. After a few hours of relaxing it is time for lunch, the main, and only big meal of the day. I have yet to know exactly what I am eating, but it is always good. It is usually some kind of stew, or soup, with salad and bread. Of course there is bread, just assume from now on that there is always bread and it will make envisioning this a lot easier. So after lunch, I generally take a nap. Not a long one, only about an hour, just enough to sleep off that huge lunch I just ate. After my nap, I try to be productive, so that is when I go for a walk usually, to get to know the city, to do something, really anything that day. After my walk its time for 'once', the spanish word for 11, and what they call dinner. It also consists of, you guessed it, bread! Also, just so it is clear, all beverages are either tea, or instant coffee. I drink a LOT of tea and instant coffee, and water. If I drank milk, which I don't, but if I did, my only option would be the powdered milk that they have here. After 'once', Hilda and I clean up the kitchen and then generally play cards until 930, 10, after which, I go to my room and either watch a movie on my laptop, listen to music and play a game until around 2 or 3. Then I go to bed and start the whole process over the next day... life is a little rough right now.

What I didn't include in my daily life rituals, were my classes. I have no classes on Mondays, so what you read above is usually my Monday. Tuesday is the rough day, I have class from 8:15 until about 3:30 that day. Wednesday I only have one class from 11:45 until 1:30. Thursday I have class from 10:15 until 1:30, and Friday I have my favorite class so far, Deportes de Montanas, from 5:20 until 7:20. Because I have only had classes for one week I will wait to discuss them in more detail until further into the semester. All I can say right now, is they are small, consisting of only 9 or 10, and seem to have no real structure that I can tell right now. Interesting, yes, fun, sometimes, easy, well thats to be determined. This relaxed schedule I have had for the past couple weeks is going to change very soon, I have a lot planned for the upcoming months, but for now, its just kind of nice to not have much to do.

As for the introduction, I promised the truth about toilet flushing. Thanks to two of the best friends in the world (Chris and Ashley), I promised I would mention them, we have finally discovered the myth of the toilet flush. It was said, by many people, and only now am I wondering why I believed them and all their stupidity, that once you cross the equator, the toilet flushes in the opposite direction. Well, after a few tests, and thanks to the wonderful invention of Skype, I can safely say that it is NOT true. The toilet flushes in the same direction no matter where you are in the world.

And as for the title of this chapter. If Bob Barker ever came to Chile, he would die, if he isn't dead already, I'm not sure how old he is but he looks about 104. Anyway, the reason is, there are literally thousands of dogs living on the streets here. None of them are fixed, and most look malnourished. Some are nice, but I'd say the majority are skittish and mean at times. On any given walk, I see about 10 dogs roaming around, fighting with each other, looking through garbages, eating off of outdoor tables left unattended. And they bark, constantly and I mean CONSTANTLY, all night long. Most nights I am accustomed to it, but some nights it is hard to sleep.

Well, further chapters to look forward too consist of Mountain Climbing, surfing lessons, Machu Picchu, and further traveling. All of these activities are going to make that time that I mentioned earlier fly by.

Until the next chapter, Thanks for reading!
Nos Vemos Pronto
S.R.