Anto is feo

Put simply, my friend Olivia summed up life at the brink of the desert in one simple phrase "Anto is feo" (the city is ugly) I like to write poetically, that I live where the desert meets the beach in Chile. In reality, we live in one of the ugliest cities in Chile. So why live here? Perhaps we didn't realize we even had a choice in this program, but it beats other cities and towns in the Norte Grande. Living in Antofa is expensive, yet not as glamorous as Santiago. People make their incomes off the mines; the majority of money going to the foreign mining owners or to the capital. Yet, I've learned to love the people in the city, my school, my new life.

I have my days. I didn't end up running that 10 K as I came down with food poisoning or something similar that weekend. I had food illness in Costa Rica, so it came as no surprise that living in South America might do the same. After 4 months, and my body still behaves as a foreigner. After 10 hours of lying in bed, I needed to get fresh air. I had coffee by the beach with Jeannette and stayed over at Ron's for the night. I learned that my frequent nights out were "disturbing the family" and my laundry was not being done on my (unannounced) designated weekday. So, I tread lightly with my family for a while. However, their tendency to exaggerate my lifestyle and "problems" made me realize my ability to roll over confrontations was making me unhappy. For example, hearing my host mother tell her granddaughter that I am not capable of serving myself as I don't eat "what corresponds with my body" put me at the brink of insanity. My friends have seen and acknowledge my healthy appetite and concern for health in general.

But this passed, and life with my family is for the most part, uneventful. I get my fiber on Mondays, when we eat lentils and meat (hot dog usually, but once, chicken). Yogurt replenishes my natural bacteria, and salads of lettuce, tomato, palta (avocado) dressed in lemon juice and olive oil make up my veggie servings.

I retreat to Ron's house on the weekends, or vent/connect with my English-speaking peers-- the other volunteers. There are trips to my fellow teachers' houses and apartments for almuerzo or birthday tecitos. And trips to Mejillones to visit Rio, Christine, and Robyn.

I also happened to judge the dialogue competition for the Calama schools in our program. After three hours on a bus, we arrived in the hub of the mining area. Chuquicamata, a mining center, recently closed. So it's inhabitants and their cars (2 cars a family, commonly) moved to Calama, increasing the traffic in the city. Calama's weather was negative six centigrade that morning, but warmed up by the time we arrived at 11am. We walked through the plaza into the open streets for pedestrians in the centro. After a delicious lunch with the Tocopilla participants (who had also travelled for the day) came the work. The hardest part was not deciding on the winner of the competition; it was knowing how hard all the other groups had worked as well. Out of 13 groups from Tocopilla or Calama, one was chosen to participate in Antofa the following Thursday.

The night before our dialogue competition that week, I dreamt I was in the competition and couldn't remember my lines. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't put the words together! So you can imagine my feelings when my students actually went through it! 18 groups separated into two groups. We did a lottery to determine the order of the groups; we were 12th; the 3rd group in group 2. My students got up and said the 228 worded dialogue, "What's Up?" almost flawlessly, with emotion, and in my opinion, quite impressively. However, the judges were wowed by Santa Emilia, the eventual winners of the competition, and their acting skills.

The dialogue practice, which consumed my life and the life of my students from Cerro Moreno (or formally called Escuela Edda Cuneo) and the students from Elmo Funez, was over. Of course, being partial to my own, I was disappointed we didn't make it to the finals, after practicing the harder of the two dialogues, the acting, and self-confidence. Although, there were a lot of schools whose pronuciation was well done. It was the entertainment that separated the winners from the runners-up. Justified or not, the competition went on without my school. However, I'm still so proud of both schools; my own, and Elmo Funez. The girls from Elmo Funez did an incredible job, reciting "The Magic Lamp" without a mistake.

And now, the calm before the next storm... the English Festival. It's a cheery name for another competitive demonstration of each school's ability to sing and perform in English. La Peirina (jokingly nicknamed Caipirinha after I rolled the "r" in her name) from septimo basico will be performing "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles. Some of my sixth graders will be doing a song/dance physical fitness rendition of the Beach Boy's "Fun, fun, fun" (fun, fun, fun, yeah we're gonna have some fitness fun...Clap...Bounce.. Breath in, breath out) and my 8th graders will perform their Obra de Teatro, whose script they created on their own. I was also helping Elmo Funez students with "My Heart Will Go On" (yes, from Titanic) and the Village People's "In the Navy" The music director at Elmo Funez wanted me to sing with the students and dress up as the Cowboy. Luckily, I had to decline because I can't perform for the school in the Festival. However, they think I will be singing for the Festival's final act (which won't be judged). If it goes on, I'll be singing "I Turn To You" (Christina Aguilera), accompanied by Elmo Funez's orchestra. I also found it in Spanish "Por Siempre Tu" also by Christina Aguilera, but they want me to sing in English. Pooh!

The following week, all of the volunteers will be in Antofagasta for Chile's Independence Day. We are part of the parade of the 14th of September. The 18th is the holiday, but we get a week off. Vacation days for asados (barbeuques), sleeping/relaxing, and perhaps, a trip to Iquique to visit la Karrina and la Pepa!

Official Dialogue 2: “What´s Up?”
Written by: Jarett Iliff, Region de Aysén, Coyhaique Volunteer 2007

A: Hey! What’s up?
B: Up? Where?
A: No, no. How’s it hanging?
B: What?!? What’s hanging?
A: Nothing.
B: Then why did you ask?
A: I’m trying to ask how you are doing.
B: Then why don’t you just say, How are you?
A: My friend from “the States” said it’s much “cooler” to say, What’s up.
B: Oh I see! What’s up?
A: Nothin´, just chillin´
B: Are you cold?
A: You’re hopeless!!!
B: What on Earth are you talking about?
A: I’m not cold...I’m relaxing.
B: Hmmm...that’s a strange way to put it.
A: Why do you say that?
B: When I’m cold I have a hard time relaxing.
A: You shouldn’t take everything so literally.
B: I prefer to sound sophisticated. I don’t care much for slang.
A: Why not? Slang is more fun!
B: I like to say what I mean and mean what I say.

A: You need to lighten up Dude!
B: Are you calling me fat? I thought these jeans made me look thin!
A: No silly, lighten up just means to take things less seriously.
B: Well that’s good to know. I’m not a fan of dieting and my membership at the gym just expired.
A: In that case let’s go hang out at the burger shack. I know a cool joint where we can chill out. B: Whatever you say Dude!
A: Now that’s the right attitude!
B: Let’s go to a restaurant together, eat some burgers, and relax.
A: Well at least I tried!
B: Come on, Let’s go!
(228 words)