un finde

Which means, un fin de semana. A weekend. Getting the internet Spanish down has been an entirely other aspect of learning this language. Also, my spelling in English is shot. All over emails, facebook, this blog, I just find I make so many errors. I don't know if I'm trying to blame that on being here or just, announcing it. In the entry below, I said "roll" instead of "role." On facebook I said, "balling" instead of "bawling."

This weekend was in a lot of ways totally average, so I wanted to post about it. It technically started Thursday because Friday was a holiday for the Bicentenario down here. But, in the end it started on Wednesday. Had an afternoon soup with Jeanie at this new place we're finding we like to meet at. The soup is SO GOOD. And I went out Wednesday night to this folklore bar I really like with a new friend I made on the volunteer trip. It ended up being a long night, but I was happily wooed by music and conversation and new faces so it made whatever fatigue I had the next day okay. I had a dance class, and the instructor asked me if I've considered dancing professionally so I blushed and smiled and simply said no , but was very flattered by the comment of course.

And I spent the days of this weekend reading reading reading. And yet despite all that reading, distracted so that I feel like not much got done. Mostly towards my thesis, so it was all enjoyable!! And Susana had visitors--I met her brother and his wife (figure) and it was strange because after talking with them for just a bit I realized that they were probably the most intellectual adults I had met in Chile in a social setting like that (ie, not in school). His wifey is French; he lived in France for a long time. I also met a family friend that day, a young guy in his twenties I'd guess, who is from Concepción, right where the earthquake hit. He was the first person I've heard tell stories like he did--he was down there pulling already disintegrating bodies out of the water, watching looting, talking about all the fires, the craze that went on after dusk in the streets, the lack of organization and communication. Heavy as it was, it was good to have heard it personally.

And I had a relaxing couple nights going to hear some American girls I know play live at a bar, and went to see the Alice in Wonderland movie that's out, and cooked soymeat burgers with some new friends + Jeanie. I slept until about 11 both days which is nutty for me. And this morning woke up to a sunny one and chatted with Susana over instant coffee on the balcony about pishposh but also about hopefully traveling together one weekend this semester. And after a slow start and a big lunch and a bit of reading we went to see a play that was selected on a national level and put on for free! It was a simple production with three actors that retold, more or less, the story of Pedro de Valdivia and the conquest of Chile. They used an array of instruments, so that a lot of the show was really a musical perfomance, and overall was so well done! Would have been a great historic play for kids, kind of thing.

Tomorrow, a test! And much reading to do this week. And the usual routine. And more new faces to be with. And a goodbye to a friend that's been around since I've gotten here and is now heading back. Apologies for typos.