Just as some of us like to send cards for every occasion, the Chileans like to have a special day dedicated exclusively to a theme or person, a fact which surprised me at first but now strikes me as a normal aspect of Chilean culture. In the last couple of weeks alone we seem to have had several. 12 October was Columbus Day, a national holiday to commemorate Columbus' first voyage of discovery to the Americas but also reclaimed in South America as el Dia de la Raza in which the indigenous origins of its people is celebrated in colourful and festive style with street parades, often laced with undercurrents of political sentiment.
In the same week a letter from DD1's school announced that Friday was el Dia del Profesor ie Teachers' Day, hence school would be finishing at midday to allow the aforementioned teachers to enjoy their day and indulge in a celebratory lunch. In addition to the early conclusion of the school day, they also decided to hold el Dia del Idolo for the pupils, which meant the children were allowed to come to school dressed up as their favourite idol. Realising Buzz Lightyear was a tall order, DD1 settled for Woody (from Toy Story) instead and was more than happy to dress up as a cowboy, complete with authentic huaso hat...
The following week invitations were issued at DD2's nursery to all grandparents to celebrate el Dia de los Abuelitos that Wednesday. Obviously we explained that DD2's grandparents would have loved to accept but that they were all on the other side of the world in Europe. The least I could do was to go myself to represent the grandparents, not really knowing what to expect but preparing DD2 in her costume of tango dancer that morning I began to have an inkling... Just like for Mother's Day and Father's Day before, Grandparents' Day was actually great fun and as ever showed meticulous attention to detail and careful planning by the nursery staff. DD2 sat demurely on a wooden chair, with her hair pulled back and a huge flower adorning her ear, waiting patiently for her (boy) partner to offer her a rose and lead her by the hand onto the dance floor while authentic Argentinian tango music from the 1930's crackled on what sounded like a real gramophone... Later there was juice, cake and biscuits for the audience to enjoy as they cuddled their little stars and were proudly offered finger-painted tiles as a gift. Much emotion was felt as one of the nursery ladies in charge, still wearing her nursery green apron but with spiky high heels and hair set for the occasion, delivered a heartfelt speech thanking all the grandparents and reminding us of their importance in the lives of the nursery children, assuring them that this was their special day...
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Excursion into the Central Valley
The weekend following the party was a long one thanks to Columbus (more about him later) so we took the opportunity to have a change of scene by hiring a car and driving into the Central Valley south of Santiago to explore some of the famous vineyards, orchards and countryside in general.
Ruta 5, the main motorway which bisects Chile's already slim interior, is not particularly interesting in itself though it is pleasantly surprising how quickly one can actually get out of the city (traffic permitting). This being Chile however there are often unexpected sights to note on the motorway such as cyclists, pedestrians and of course stray dogs traversing the carriageways (often to their peril). We took advantage of the roadside vendors on the way back to stock up on fresh produce, filling every available space in the car with minor wonders from the fertile Colchagua valley such as sackfuls of potatoes, oranges, kiwis, avocados, strawberries, asparagus...
Back to the trip. After passing Rancagua we turned off the motorway at San Fernando, embarking on the aptly-named Ruta del Vino which was a meandering road flanked by endless vineyards and occasionally bursts of startlingly beautiful wild orange flowers. Eventually we reached our destination of Santa Cruz, the main town of the area and inevitably a gateway to the tourism, gastronomy and business of visiting vineyards, wine-tasting and buying wine. It was a good place to stay while exploring the area though the guidebooks had somewhat exaggerated its charm we found. As usual for Chile there was a stark contrast between the social classes; most of the town was unexceptional with some very dilapidated parts to it while a luxury five-star hotel and restaurant (with its own casino) occupied the central position in the main plaza...
Our own bed and breakfast was tucked away on the edge of the town but was perfectly comfortable for our purposes which were quite literal in this case. We dutifully visited a vineyard though chose one the girls would enjoy which included a tour of the vines by horse-drawn carriage... and were persuaded into tasting and buying some wine too. The vineyards themselves were somehow different to the ones we knew from the more familiar landscapes of France and Italy, not terraced nor set on undulating hills but organised on the plain and surrounded by countryside which was reminiscent of the Wild West... This was "huaso" (Chilean cowboy) territory after all.
The cowboy theme continued the next day as we set off on our first horse-ride, DD1 and I on one horse and DD2 and DH on the other, accompanied by a real-life "huaso" on a third horse. We had expected to be led around a field for half an hour or so therefore were most surprised when our guide took us for what turned out to be a two-hour trek into open countryside. Despite some initial fears such as how to control one's horse it was very atmospheric and I for one felt like a character from a western. DD1 spent most of the time complaining she was being squashed and panicking every time the horse broke into a trot while DD2 was blissfully blithe, held firmly by DH who lost then regained his stirrups... but we all made it safely to the end, muscles aching but exhilarated by our latest adventure...
Ruta 5, the main motorway which bisects Chile's already slim interior, is not particularly interesting in itself though it is pleasantly surprising how quickly one can actually get out of the city (traffic permitting). This being Chile however there are often unexpected sights to note on the motorway such as cyclists, pedestrians and of course stray dogs traversing the carriageways (often to their peril). We took advantage of the roadside vendors on the way back to stock up on fresh produce, filling every available space in the car with minor wonders from the fertile Colchagua valley such as sackfuls of potatoes, oranges, kiwis, avocados, strawberries, asparagus...
Back to the trip. After passing Rancagua we turned off the motorway at San Fernando, embarking on the aptly-named Ruta del Vino which was a meandering road flanked by endless vineyards and occasionally bursts of startlingly beautiful wild orange flowers. Eventually we reached our destination of Santa Cruz, the main town of the area and inevitably a gateway to the tourism, gastronomy and business of visiting vineyards, wine-tasting and buying wine. It was a good place to stay while exploring the area though the guidebooks had somewhat exaggerated its charm we found. As usual for Chile there was a stark contrast between the social classes; most of the town was unexceptional with some very dilapidated parts to it while a luxury five-star hotel and restaurant (with its own casino) occupied the central position in the main plaza...
Our own bed and breakfast was tucked away on the edge of the town but was perfectly comfortable for our purposes which were quite literal in this case. We dutifully visited a vineyard though chose one the girls would enjoy which included a tour of the vines by horse-drawn carriage... and were persuaded into tasting and buying some wine too. The vineyards themselves were somehow different to the ones we knew from the more familiar landscapes of France and Italy, not terraced nor set on undulating hills but organised on the plain and surrounded by countryside which was reminiscent of the Wild West... This was "huaso" (Chilean cowboy) territory after all.
The cowboy theme continued the next day as we set off on our first horse-ride, DD1 and I on one horse and DD2 and DH on the other, accompanied by a real-life "huaso" on a third horse. We had expected to be led around a field for half an hour or so therefore were most surprised when our guide took us for what turned out to be a two-hour trek into open countryside. Despite some initial fears such as how to control one's horse it was very atmospheric and I for one felt like a character from a western. DD1 spent most of the time complaining she was being squashed and panicking every time the horse broke into a trot while DD2 was blissfully blithe, held firmly by DH who lost then regained his stirrups... but we all made it safely to the end, muscles aching but exhilarated by our latest adventure...
Friday, 7 October 2011
Birthday party
Another huge milestone reached, celebrated and survived last week: DD1's long-awaited seventh birthday. For me the very fact that my daughter was turning seven was already a meaningful and emotionally-charged event. As for the birthday girl herself, she had been counting down the days quite literally for over a month and was getting more and more excited at the prospect of inviting her friends to her very own birthday party this year, planned for the Sunday afternoon following her actual birthday itself...
I may or may not have mentioned that children's birthday parties here in Chile have little in common with those I recall from my own childhood. It might just be a sign of the times though culturally I am sure that even thirty-odd years ago Chilean children did not indulge in some of the traditional delights we enjoyed such as the birthday tea and party games. Most of the children's parties we have attended here in Santiago have been held either in a special themed party venue such as Chuck E Cheese or Let's Fun (sic), in which case the children have been busily and noisily engrossed in slot machines and similar, or else in upmarket country clubs, often belonging to the military and set in luxuriantly verdant surroundings towards the outskirts of the city, in which the families concerned have provided drinks and snacks and usually a bouncy castle, though sometimes one or more entertainers are also involved in keeping the little guests amused. In all cases so far the food and drink on offer would certainly raise more than an eyebrow in more health-conscious environments as fizzy drinks, sugar-laden juices, sweets by the barrel-load and alarmingly brightly-coloured crisps and processed snacks are the standard fare, with sometimes a hamburger, hot-dog or slice of pizza thrown in.
Much to my relief DD1 didn't want her party to be of the same mould and was quite happy to innovate amongst her Chilean classmates. Thus we held the party at home but downstairs in the "Sala de los eventos" and outside in the communal garden complete with the godsend of a playground. We even managed to have a few party games such as Musical Chairs and Pass the Parcel (accompanied by a live accordion) although these required considerable and lengthy explanations beforehand in my still far-from-perfect Spanish. Still they kept the little people busy while the music was much appreciated by all age groups. Alongside the biscuits, fairy cakes, mini-sandwiches and cheese stars the table was also laid with carrot sticks, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. And of course cocktail sausages on sticks, which went like hot cakes... The children tucked in and enjoyed it, finishing every last carrot stick. Not the cucumbers though... only the British contingent went for them.
And last but not least we adopted a Chilean custom which I have since discovered is popular in many parts of Central and South America but had never seen in Europe: that of the "piñata". A large and attractively-painted box or container is filled full of sweets (no avoiding them here) and small toys, hoist into the air usually by the obliging father, while at the same time a lever releases all of its contents which spill onto the ground. Eager children, each armed with a recipient, then scrabble around on the lawn in search of bounty, picking up every last lollipop, chocolate coin or whatever it may be... DD1 certainly enjoyed her afternoon of glory, as did we with increasing relief as the party mood and spumante took hold.
Lessons I have learnt: all children enjoy a good party, regardless of cultural expectation. Remember to take the jellies out of the fridge. And Chileans don't go in for RSVPs...
I may or may not have mentioned that children's birthday parties here in Chile have little in common with those I recall from my own childhood. It might just be a sign of the times though culturally I am sure that even thirty-odd years ago Chilean children did not indulge in some of the traditional delights we enjoyed such as the birthday tea and party games. Most of the children's parties we have attended here in Santiago have been held either in a special themed party venue such as Chuck E Cheese or Let's Fun (sic), in which case the children have been busily and noisily engrossed in slot machines and similar, or else in upmarket country clubs, often belonging to the military and set in luxuriantly verdant surroundings towards the outskirts of the city, in which the families concerned have provided drinks and snacks and usually a bouncy castle, though sometimes one or more entertainers are also involved in keeping the little guests amused. In all cases so far the food and drink on offer would certainly raise more than an eyebrow in more health-conscious environments as fizzy drinks, sugar-laden juices, sweets by the barrel-load and alarmingly brightly-coloured crisps and processed snacks are the standard fare, with sometimes a hamburger, hot-dog or slice of pizza thrown in.
Much to my relief DD1 didn't want her party to be of the same mould and was quite happy to innovate amongst her Chilean classmates. Thus we held the party at home but downstairs in the "Sala de los eventos" and outside in the communal garden complete with the godsend of a playground. We even managed to have a few party games such as Musical Chairs and Pass the Parcel (accompanied by a live accordion) although these required considerable and lengthy explanations beforehand in my still far-from-perfect Spanish. Still they kept the little people busy while the music was much appreciated by all age groups. Alongside the biscuits, fairy cakes, mini-sandwiches and cheese stars the table was also laid with carrot sticks, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. And of course cocktail sausages on sticks, which went like hot cakes... The children tucked in and enjoyed it, finishing every last carrot stick. Not the cucumbers though... only the British contingent went for them.
And last but not least we adopted a Chilean custom which I have since discovered is popular in many parts of Central and South America but had never seen in Europe: that of the "piñata". A large and attractively-painted box or container is filled full of sweets (no avoiding them here) and small toys, hoist into the air usually by the obliging father, while at the same time a lever releases all of its contents which spill onto the ground. Eager children, each armed with a recipient, then scrabble around on the lawn in search of bounty, picking up every last lollipop, chocolate coin or whatever it may be... DD1 certainly enjoyed her afternoon of glory, as did we with increasing relief as the party mood and spumante took hold.
Lessons I have learnt: all children enjoy a good party, regardless of cultural expectation. Remember to take the jellies out of the fridge. And Chileans don't go in for RSVPs...
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Spring in the air
Well the holidays are over and both girls are back at school and nursery as of yesterday. We all had a break from the punishingly early schedule only to find we were quite glad to get back to it, especially now that spring has most definitely sprung. Now it is practically sunrise by the time DD1 gets to school and the days are longer, brighter, warmer and more pleasant. Last week the girls and I made the most of the weather and spent as much time as possible outdoors in parks, gardens and the obligatory playgrounds. Perhaps too much time... The girls picked dandelion seeds and we all breathed in the heady and quite literally intoxicating scents of the Chilean flora surrounding us until suddenly the familiar feeling of losing one's senses took hold...of me I hasten to add, thank goodness, though DD2 is showing some light symptoms such as reddened eyes... Hayfever is a cross some of us have to bear every year at this time though usually the warmer weather and the pleasure associated with increased outdoor pursuits outweigh or at least partly soothe the suffering. Or used to... Here in Chile as expected the smells, sights and pollen count are magnified a thousandfold which causes in turn more dramatic allergic reactions. Suffice to say I reached immediately for the antihistamines though am still waiting for any appreciable effect.
Meanwhile during the last ten days whilst still in the midst of Fiestas Patrias we passed the first anniversary of our faltering arrival in Chile without even realising it. Progress most definitely has been made on every front: the girls are settled and entirely integrated into their school and nursery respectively. DD1 speaks fluent Spanish and has made satisfying friendships within her class, gaining respect from peers and teachers who marvel at how many languages she apparently effortlessly speaks. Even DD2 has completely lost her initial ambivalence and waltzes happily and willingly in through the door at her nursery in the morning, parking her bike at the entrance and waving goodbye with nonchalance. She too has now started producing some Spanish, mainly at the word or simple phrase level but generally spouting more and more even in her play. All very satisfying from the point of view of cerebral development and the number of synaptic connections taking place though I still wonder about their sense of self and cultural identity...
Meanwhile during the last ten days whilst still in the midst of Fiestas Patrias we passed the first anniversary of our faltering arrival in Chile without even realising it. Progress most definitely has been made on every front: the girls are settled and entirely integrated into their school and nursery respectively. DD1 speaks fluent Spanish and has made satisfying friendships within her class, gaining respect from peers and teachers who marvel at how many languages she apparently effortlessly speaks. Even DD2 has completely lost her initial ambivalence and waltzes happily and willingly in through the door at her nursery in the morning, parking her bike at the entrance and waving goodbye with nonchalance. She too has now started producing some Spanish, mainly at the word or simple phrase level but generally spouting more and more even in her play. All very satisfying from the point of view of cerebral development and the number of synaptic connections taking place though I still wonder about their sense of self and cultural identity...
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Fiestas Patrias- the main event
Well if September has been filled with the slow but steady build-up then last weekend witnessed the long-awaited festival we had all been waiting for... Friday afternoon and there was frenzied party shopping going on at our local Jumbo (supermarket). Aisles were looking empty, faces ashen as contents were swept off the shelves in anticipation of the big two-day consumer shutdown (18-19 September) during which time it was not possible to be a functioning public business due to national law declaring two days of state-enforced festivities. Hence the crowds, many of whose trolleys were actually full of raw meat, beer and/or fizzy drinks in preparation for goodness knows how many barbecues or "asados" not just across the city but nationwide to mark the festival of "Chilenidad" (being Chilean) as well as heralding officially the slightly earlier than usual advent of spring.
There was a rare hush in the streets as people enjoyed their long weekend, in or outside the city, partaking in the aforementioned barbecues in private and public while also seizing the opportunity to fly kites in the light but capricious spring breezes prevailing over Chile's beautifully verdant landscape. By far the most popular pastime was that of the "fonda" or special fair in the numerous parks and green spaces, huge events organised and promoted by the city's town councils offering a veritable multitude of delights for families, young and old alike. We saw and participated in pony rides, boat rides, funfairs and food whilst also admiring mock battles, rodeos, parachutists, traditional dancers and farm animals including a litter of one-day-old silky smooth piglets... All-in-all a feast for all the senses, a reason to be jolly and a sense of what Chileans consider and celebrate as their own.
There was a rare hush in the streets as people enjoyed their long weekend, in or outside the city, partaking in the aforementioned barbecues in private and public while also seizing the opportunity to fly kites in the light but capricious spring breezes prevailing over Chile's beautifully verdant landscape. By far the most popular pastime was that of the "fonda" or special fair in the numerous parks and green spaces, huge events organised and promoted by the city's town councils offering a veritable multitude of delights for families, young and old alike. We saw and participated in pony rides, boat rides, funfairs and food whilst also admiring mock battles, rodeos, parachutists, traditional dancers and farm animals including a litter of one-day-old silky smooth piglets... All-in-all a feast for all the senses, a reason to be jolly and a sense of what Chileans consider and celebrate as their own.
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Fiestas Patrias
Last Saturday morning as DH, DD1 and I took our seats in a draughty theatre, waiting for the thick velvet curtains to open for DD2's nursery's show for Fiestas Patrias, it struck me that this was the Chilean equivalent of the nativity play. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles had turned out in their droves to witness the annual rite of passage for their little one. Only this time the subject of the show was not a child born in Bethlehem, but the birth of a nation... We were treated to a narrated history of the first explorers and settlers arriving in the Atacama Desert and bringing light in the form of Roman Catholicism to the natives. Thus began the story in the north of Chile, gradually working its way down and recounting the origins of this long thin country from an untamed wilderness to the beacon of modern civilisation we see before us today. The organisation and preparation with which the nursery staff had planned the event was quite impressive, with scenery, props, music and of course the direction of acting by some very small children, all dressed up in traditional costumes from different regions of Chile. As DD2 had been given the part of a "chilota" or southern Chilean woman, we had an apparently interminable wait before she finally appeared, clad in black shawl, skirt and headscarf, busily and very seriously stirring a huge pot with a long wooden spoon... It was obviously a proud moment for all of us and one that DD2 enjoyed tremendously, even singing Chile's national anthem with the rest of the (wholly Chilean) children at the end.
Two days later and it was DD1's turn to have her moment of glory, this time in the indoor gymnasium within her school's vast sports centre. This time all the children of Year 1 were dressed identically as northern Chileans, the girls resplendent in striped skirts and hats while the boys sported a traditional Andino woollen hat and belt over their school uniform. The children filed in, smallest first (DD1 was third to enter) matched with a same-height partner of the opposite gender and began singing a hauntingly melancholy chant about life in the Andes... This was followed by patriotic poems recited by the individual classes plus traditional dances which had been meticulously choreographed by the PE department. Great fun to watch actually, although listening to six- and seven-year-olds declaring their unswerving loyalty to the Chilean flag was slightly over the top. Especially from DD1, who says she even feels Chilean now...
All the flag-waving, patriotic fervour and extreme national pride are elements we don't usually employ back in Europe for fear of being exclusionist though here it seems to be a genuinely heartfelt blanket sentiment which encompasses all ages, social classes and political persuasions. Apparently...
Two days later and it was DD1's turn to have her moment of glory, this time in the indoor gymnasium within her school's vast sports centre. This time all the children of Year 1 were dressed identically as northern Chileans, the girls resplendent in striped skirts and hats while the boys sported a traditional Andino woollen hat and belt over their school uniform. The children filed in, smallest first (DD1 was third to enter) matched with a same-height partner of the opposite gender and began singing a hauntingly melancholy chant about life in the Andes... This was followed by patriotic poems recited by the individual classes plus traditional dances which had been meticulously choreographed by the PE department. Great fun to watch actually, although listening to six- and seven-year-olds declaring their unswerving loyalty to the Chilean flag was slightly over the top. Especially from DD1, who says she even feels Chilean now...
All the flag-waving, patriotic fervour and extreme national pride are elements we don't usually employ back in Europe for fear of being exclusionist though here it seems to be a genuinely heartfelt blanket sentiment which encompasses all ages, social classes and political persuasions. Apparently...
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
September song
Thank goodness August is over and September has arrived. August was a hard month here, more like February than the August we used to know. Grey and cold, no respite from work and school, no hint of the holidays...
September by contrast has arrived along with early blossom on the trees, distinctly warmer air and the promise of a break coming up soon. Yes September is of course the southern hemisphere's equivalent of March, the beginning of the end of winter with the rebirth and renewal we usually associate with Easter. Here though the big holiday coming up soon is Fiestas Patrias, a huge patriotic bonanza to celebrate Chile and everything Chilean to mark Chile's independence and its military glory. Last year the girls and I had just staggered off a plane two days before the country closed down for four days to celebrate two hundred years of Chile's existence as an independent republic. Obviously the significance of that event was somewhat lost on us at the time as we struggled to focus on where we were, what time it was and where to buy household essentials. Almost one year on and it is now clear to us that this is the biggest event in the Chilean social calendar. DD1's school closes for a ten-day break between terms 2 and 3 next week while both girls are busy practising traditional songs and dances dressed up in national costume for shows and parties to be shared with parents and teachers alike. Supermarkets have been full of the aforementioned national costumes as well as balloons, paper plates and other party equipment including barbecue materials in the colours of the Chilean flag. Clearly for us this is all extremely interesting from the point of view of culture, history and folklore which doesn't belong to us in the slightest. Not sure how I would feel about it if I were Chilean; presumably things would be a good deal more complex in that case. At the moment I've just had to kit my children out in the appropriate gear (some of which I am still unsure whether I actually have correctly understood or not) and listen to them singing about how beautiful and wonderful Chile is. Quite endearing in a way, especially to an outsider... DH's ardent students meanwhile have decided to postpone all major decisions such as whether to lift their boycott on this term's lectures and seminars until after Fiesta Patrias is over. Quite right too... evidently like all students since the dawn of time the would-be revolutionaries don't want to miss a good party.
September by contrast has arrived along with early blossom on the trees, distinctly warmer air and the promise of a break coming up soon. Yes September is of course the southern hemisphere's equivalent of March, the beginning of the end of winter with the rebirth and renewal we usually associate with Easter. Here though the big holiday coming up soon is Fiestas Patrias, a huge patriotic bonanza to celebrate Chile and everything Chilean to mark Chile's independence and its military glory. Last year the girls and I had just staggered off a plane two days before the country closed down for four days to celebrate two hundred years of Chile's existence as an independent republic. Obviously the significance of that event was somewhat lost on us at the time as we struggled to focus on where we were, what time it was and where to buy household essentials. Almost one year on and it is now clear to us that this is the biggest event in the Chilean social calendar. DD1's school closes for a ten-day break between terms 2 and 3 next week while both girls are busy practising traditional songs and dances dressed up in national costume for shows and parties to be shared with parents and teachers alike. Supermarkets have been full of the aforementioned national costumes as well as balloons, paper plates and other party equipment including barbecue materials in the colours of the Chilean flag. Clearly for us this is all extremely interesting from the point of view of culture, history and folklore which doesn't belong to us in the slightest. Not sure how I would feel about it if I were Chilean; presumably things would be a good deal more complex in that case. At the moment I've just had to kit my children out in the appropriate gear (some of which I am still unsure whether I actually have correctly understood or not) and listen to them singing about how beautiful and wonderful Chile is. Quite endearing in a way, especially to an outsider... DH's ardent students meanwhile have decided to postpone all major decisions such as whether to lift their boycott on this term's lectures and seminars until after Fiesta Patrias is over. Quite right too... evidently like all students since the dawn of time the would-be revolutionaries don't want to miss a good party.
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