Skiing in August

After making our way back from our trip to the sweat box of Texas, we've settled back into winter... and by settled back into, I mean we are surviving.  (I really am not a big fan of the cold in general).

Being neighbors to the great Andes comes with a certain feeling of obligation to take advantage of the things that come with living next door to giant mountains.  When some friends organized a day ski trip to El Colorado, we jumped at the chance to tag along.

A skier I am not.  In case I had forgotten just how "not a skier" I was, I was reminded in the first 4 seconds of the first run down the easiest hill when I fell, lost my ski, and then couldn't get it back on without taking the other one off and walking back up the hill to flatter ground.  Meanwhile, 2 foot children were racing down the adjacent hill, proving that adulthood sometimes just means you have further to fall and a heightened sense of how unfun it is to suck at something.  Regardless, I skied between falling and rolling down the mountain.  At some point during the first run and  the give or take 20 times I found my self horizontal in the snow, the camera that was in my pocket was in there no longer--- sacrificed to the Andes along with all the pictures from 2013 in Chile.  I clung to some hope as we rode to the top and walked down scanning the hill, but realized pretty soon that finding a silver camera in the snow was a pretty hopeless endeavor.  Admittedly, I allowed myself to sulk in the tragedy as we hiked back up the hill (turns out you can't ride the chairlift sans skis), but then got some perspective, realized we were in a place so pretty it hurt, and that the day could be salvaged even if the camera was a goner.  

By the end of the day, I was beginning to get the hang of being on skis, as in only falling 2-5 times per run.  Once I fell into one of those temporary fence things and knocked it over, and then decided that I would just go under it instead of trying to maneuver myself around it.. Because... Please.  A skier I am not, but I certainly earned the beer at the end of the day.

When we left, we put our name on a list of lost items... Just incase you find them.. Call me... With about 25 other people from that day who had lost phones, cameras, wallets, etc.  When the snow melts, I feel like El Colorado is a technology graveyard.

Luckily, some friends were kind enough to snap some pictures and smart enough (unlike this fool) to keep tabs on their cameras.  Stolen photos.  Thanks guys!!

¡Cumpleaños Feliz!

It is a distant memory what it was like to have an August birthday not spent sweating through Summer Band or preparing for school to start.  This year I turned another year older on a random, unspecial, middle of the semester, cold Tuesday (although Martes trece is bad luck... But other than that).  Leave it to Chile to surprise me.

Birthdays are a big deal here.  I've realized little by little how big of a deal.  Chileans have an uncanny ability for making you feel special for just being born.  Everyone makes a grand gesture out of "saludando-ing" and if they forget and accidentally say "good morning" before "happy birthday" complete with hugs and kisses and wishes for all of your dreams to come true, they apologize profusely and feel guilty.  My co-workers brought a muffin with candles along with tons of little gifts, everyone asking how I was going to celebrate.  The kids all raced to hug and kiss me first.  The 4th grade girls drew a giant cake on the whiteboard that I was to "consume". By slowly erasing it... Obviously.

After school, I went with Valentina and her mom to her house for our weekly private lesson. At some point, she whispered that it was my birthday and the mother stopped to pick up a cake on the way.  She then made Vale sing happy birthday (in English of course).

Gifts from my co-workers have continued to appear on my desk for a week.  Then today, my sneaky 8th grade class threw a late surprise party for me complete with homemade cakes (by the girls) and Eminem--- yes the rapper (by the boys).  

Overall, I have to say "Bien Hecho Chile" for making 27 an adventure and my first week of 28 so special.  Also... Thanks for the long weekend... That was awesome too.