ReloMary checks out Chile January 17, 2010
My friend, Lana Svien, is the director of the University of South Dakota’s P.T. department. She received a Fulbright Scholarship to do this work. When we started kindergarten together, I hardly pictured this! She is working hard on many levels – including interpreting for me who only learned a bit of German way back in junior high! It is not helping me now.
When Lana invited me to join her for a portion of her one month in Chile, I was highly encouraged by my husband (thank you, Mark!) to seize the opportunity. He didn’t have to say it twice.
I arrived a few days ago and have enjoyed so much in such a short time. We’re right on the Pacific Ocean – as you will see in the photos. Beautiful. The climate is a lot like Santa Cruz, California which is where Lana and I would meet once or twice a year to visit her daughter who was a student at UCSC but who has since graduated and moved to Panama. What a global society!
Roll it forward 4 days. Today is the Presidential election in Chile which is interesting. Will it be Fre or Pinera? We should know soon. (I understand, too, that Ukraine is having a Presidential election on this same Sunday: 17 Jan 2010) Note: Pinera won.
What wonderful pictures! I enjoyed reading both of your essays and am glad taht you are having such a great time!
hola “Anna Maria”,
I am from Redding. My mother was born in El Salvador. In 1939-ish, my 19-year-old mother and her family took in some Chilean sailors & officers that had sailed to San Francisco. As my grandmother and my mother recounted all my life, these poor guys missed their families and homeland and were not treated very well in the USA. They were welcomed into my Latino family, given safety, home-cooked familiar meals and treated with great kindnesses. One of the sailors grew up to become a Brig. General and continued every year since that time to always send cards of sentiment and appreciation for making them feel ‘connected’and safe in an otherwise strange land.
The son of that man – who lives in Viña del Mar, (Sr. Alejandro Contreras Barra (Calle Seis N 17) continues to send thank-yous to my family. Can you believe it?! Intergenerational reciprocation for over 80 years!! He just sent us a condolence card as my dear mother, Carmen, who recently passed away… I share this with you because I appreciate your travel log so much! I plan to take my two daughters (River-13 and Iliana-7) there someday, as well as to the Easter Island festival someday. Your accounts show a warm encounter with Chile (in spite of its trouble past under Pinochet) and that gives me a good feeling about taking my girls there. I will probably write about that story someday… ¡muchisimas gracias señora, “Anna Maria”!
Saludos,
Alan
Fan, and fellow contributer to the ANC village.