Frank's Bloggin Journey

Melanie's anecdotes from the trip

2011-01-31T16:14:00.000-08:00

Melanie (my closest thing to a sister, Ben's actual sister) wrote this about her and the family's visit to the ranch. She write and describe things much more better than mi.

hermano

here's my little recap--enjoy, che xoxo

Trip to ranch was epic. Driver picked me up in bus station and we drove 2 hrs to a little tin hut in the middle of a gigantic field with gorgeous mountains in the backdrop. Only people there were 2 toothless gauchos. Waited about ten minutes and my driver pointed to phrase in his eng/span book that said "I'm losing patience". I pleaded with him to stay with me until my amigos came. Finally they did - Franke and my mom on horseback! It was amazing. I knew Franke was coming but I never imagined my mom would be there!! I loaded up my possessions into saddlebags and hopped on a horse for the 4 hr ride through the ranch to the cabins. It was spectacular. Hard to describe the beauty. The ranch in total consists of 100,000 acres. The ride took us through and over rolling sprawling hills and mountains. Bushes, flowers and long grass in hues of green, sage, yellow and purple. Some parts lush some dry. Untouched natural beauty as far as they eye can see. Stopped for a small break at a gaucho house halfway. Drunk old gaucho there. Then to the actual ranch. Crossed a river to get there and up one last hill and through a gate and then there we were, basically riding horses into a Christmas eve celebration. My whole familia there to greet me and it was so great to see everyone after two solid days of intense travel. Swigged some beer, some wine, ate some roasted goat, some fresh bread and salad and toasted my tired wet feet by a fire. Awesome.
My room was in a tiny cabin at the bottom of a steep hill where a cow named Monica lives. Which means to get to the room you stumble down a hill covered in cow pies. Franke had laid down some rocks and wood planks to help with the terrain which was amazing. The room itself was very sparse - just a small single bed with a table and a desk. No electricity just a few candles. I loved it. Gorgeous view of the river. Next to the outhouse which was actually quite impressive in it's cleanliness.
The brothers from both families shared a cabin with a kitchen and a picnic table (that Franke built) so that's where we spent most of our time cooking and eating. There was a main cabin (el casa grande) where we would go to get ingredients like rice, pasta, polenta, cheese, onions and potatoes. Also fresh loaves of bread. And sometimes cafe con leche, cookies, fruit, or bread with dulce de leche on top. There was a massive overgrown garden that I just adored. I could stroll in there anytime and pick fresh Swiss chard, kale, squash, baby lettuce, red leaf lettuce, arugula, carrots, radishes, beets, turnips, basil and sage. Heavenly. Then we would cook up whatever trout the boys caught that day as well as goat or steak. We made some incredible meals. Everyone had a hand in contributing to the cooking which of course made them even more delicious. We had unlimited bottles of wine which we took full advantage of as one might imagine we would. One evening we ripped through about 16 bottles in a few hrs after dinner around a campfire...which led to much singing and endless rounds of "would you rather" into the wee hrs of the night. (i.e. Would you rather have lobster claws for hands or rollerblades for feet?)
The days were filled with hiking, horseback riding, fishing, reading and cooking. Also there was a wood burning stove sauna a short hike away situated perfectly at the bottom of two incredible cliffs and right by the river.
There was no hot water and I literally went a week without washing my hair and substituted showers for jumping in the river. We are covered in big bites, scratches, rashes and burns. My mom lost a porcelain tooth while enjoying a rib of goat. That sucked!!! We drank away our pains and we're now en route to BA.

7 Train 82nd Street-Jackson Heights

2011-01-31T15:23:00.000-08:00

Even though my journey through Chile and Argentina is over I'm ganna keep on writing. Dunno if anyone even reads it besides my little granny still, but I like it.

Anyways I'm back in New York now and it is pretty funking different. I miss my volcano. At the ranch I became addicted to Yerba Mate and today my only goal was to find some. Went on the super sonic internet and found some places. There was three stores in Jackson Heights that some girl had posted on some discussion board that said they had some. So I charged my Ipod put on some new beats I had just acquired and set out. Took the One to 42nd then the 7 to 82nd Street-Jackson Heights. With Chromeo playing in my brain I stepped off the subway to Roosevelt Avenue and felt finally at ease. All the tiendas were in Spanish and everyone and their mother on the street was hablando en espanol. I had never been in that part of the city and I loved it. With the subway going over the street and tons of people and shops and madness, and spanish. Walked to the first store on my list, didn't exist so I got a little worried but only had to walk about five feet to see that every other store was a hispanic or foreign foods supermarket. Needless to say after that it was relatively easy to find mate. I went to a few supermarkets and the other stores on my list to find the cheapest one. They didn't have the brand I wanted, Amanda or Pipore, but heard Cruz La Malta was good so got some a that and some of the real good stuff Rosemonte. Traveling threw the streets helped 2 guys out of the snow, a woman get cherrios (she was too short) in the supermarket all in spanish, and ordered my mate in spanish, was about to buy an empanada but only had enough plata for my 6 kilos of Yerba. Although everything was in New York it felt good to speak and the feel was still like a little South America.

Living in New York....so since I been away my parents sold the house in my suburban bubble and bought a great beautiful place in the city, really it is amazing and love living in it, you the man pops. But New York life is fast, sometimes a bit too fast. I don't think I have culture shock but definitely don't feel easy here yet. It is as if I'm just trying to keep up but barely can. It's hard to even speak sometimes because every else is like in "fast forward", thanks robbe. But I had an amazing welcome from my friends with beer and wings, what I had been dreaming about for a while. Saw some Hamilton buddies Friday and was going to see more that night but lets just say I was really exhausted and needed to go home early, sorry bros. Funny when people ask about my trip, it's like when you come home after summer or winter break and do the whole, "so how was it?" "great?" "wow where'd you go?" "thats so cool, now what are you going to do?" Ppppsssshhhhhbbblllaaaaarrrggg (thats me envisioning myself barfing on the person in front of me) No offense to anyone who asked me that I understand it is the social guideline of question one must ask to another after a long period of not talking, shit that's what I do, we all do it, and it's weird because everyone feels pretty much the same way about it. We should just ask those questions right when we see someone boom boom boom, then after those questions are out, we can have a beer and talk about more important things like... look at the brunette. Also kind of sucks because everyone is in their grooves now and I am just trying to adapt. I guess I need to do all that jobby stuff and eventually move out of my parents and get my own place, which I will but I feel like everyone did that 8 months ago, can't someone just give me a job and an apartment, Im good with my hands and can lift heavy things. I dunno blah blah blah I hate blogging.

I need to go to VT,

Franke

Kiss - New York Groove

2011-01-27T17:01:00.000-08:00

Back in the New York Groove

Mi Onda

2011-01-25T13:47:00.001-08:00

Its been awhile invisible internet and a lot has happened over the past few months, for the good and for the bad, so I thought it be time I drop you a line. I think I left you off right before I ventured into the Argentine Cordillera.

I crossed the mountains into Argentina and could see the difference in landscape. Going from the beautiful lush rainy greens of southern Chile to the desert, rock, thorny, Cordi(cha)ra that is the south for Argentina. After some confusion and a little bit of luck, I found the small small pueblo of El Huecù. Where I stayed for two days with a townie guacho named Jorge. One of the funny guys I've ever met. He was an amazing cook, loved to smoke, drink and laugh his face off. Ashley, El Patron finally showed up at the house, and we were to leave the same day. So we packed up the truck with a trailer, Sky (Ashley's daughter), Gusti (Sky's friend), Becca (Ashley's girlfriend), myself, and two dogs, and the back filled to the top. Pretty tight. Driving in was pretty easy. Got to ride a horse over the river but just going into the Estancia was like going into a different world. No buildings, no roads, no people, nothing, bliss.
Mainly worked construction on the ranch but also learned a bit about cooking too. Have to say I'm pretty damn good at crying when cutting onions. For the construction fixed up a bunch of things, learned about masonry, wood work, carpentry, cement! painting, heat and exhaustion. Also did some Guacho work, pretty much straight man shit, learned to ride a horse a bit, learned to fly fish, addicted to fly fishing, addicted to Mate! learned to do a proper guacho asado, addicted to chivito. I met some awesome people at the ranch, the guachos were always funny, always willing to speak slowly in spanish, the other volunteers were great, it was like we had been friends forever. Its was weird there because the days were slow but the time went by so fast. I loved it really, I enjoyed coming back at the end of the day exhausted and physically tired, dirty, you get some sort of satisfaction out of it. But I would have to say the point at which I fell in love with that place is when returning from dropping my family off. Not because they left but because coming back I had to herd 8 horses with another Gaucho, and I had never ridden a horse so fast for so long or felt more like a cowboy ever it was amazing. Then I had to pull two more horses another 3 hours to the actual ranch, by myself. Alone in the Cordillera, mountains, and a thunderstorm in the distance. No one around, not a sound but the horses hooves, you can see the heat lighting and rain miles away, as well as the Andes mountains of Chile. If I could stay in that moment forever I would. But needless to say all things change. I got very antsy at the ranch for many reasons and for my visit to Buenos Aires to see my grandmother and distant family I decided not to return.

Now going from the desert to the biggest city in Argentina in one day is not the greatest idea. Rode out on horse back, took a taxi from Huecu to another town where we took an over night bus to Buenos. If it wasn't for my friend on the bus with me I think I'd still be lost in Buenos Aires. Talk about total culture shock. So fast, so tall, everything going a mile a minute, and ridiculously hot. The first few days in BA were tough to say the least, I really wanted to go home and it was doubley worse cause it felt so much like home, but instead of walking back to my brothers apartment to sleep, I had to go to a stupid hostel sweating balls. Well thank god for my grandmother and cousins. My grandmother Mama Eileen and Aunt Anita came down to visit the cousins, Grand uncle Ber, Uncle Daniel, Aunt Luli, and my cousins, Gabbi, Vero y Flor. They all were so friggen awesome! Ber probably told the family history to me about ten times and asked me how much asado I ate in the south. Daniel is a complete jokster, and my wonderful cousins are as smart and sweet as can be. I immediately felt like family with them and like my own cousins at home. Saw bunch of places with my awesome grandma in Buenos like La Boca and San Telmo Market, and those old ladies made it through just fine. Buenos was good but also felt a strong need to get out of there. Said goodbye to all and headed for San Martin de Los Andes. San Martin was cool but it rained a lot so wasn't that interested. I then returned to Pucon my home in Chile for six months.

I was welcomed greatly from many friends now living there and it felt all so familiar. Like we had been doing this since the summer began. Beach, sun, beers, empanadas, completos. Vacation city pretty much. And the town from what I used to know it as had completely morphed into a busy beach town that tripled in stores, restaurants, and people. Many of my old stomping grounds were over run by visitors. But I had a blast. I saw my host father and said goodbye to him now for a much more extended period. But the little man looks great, got work, head chef at some new Termas. I hope to return and see him again, as well as Pucon. All the people in Pucon right now thanks for sending me off you guys are the best keep in touch, reunion New Orleans EOD 2011 "Sí po weón", let's make it happen.

As amazing as summer Pucon was a switch flipped in me somewhere a while ago and my traveling bone died. It was time to come home. I had seen and down so much and couldn't be more thankful for that. I took it all in and will never forget any of it. My experience down here has changed the way I look at the world and go about living it. Thus fueling my urge to want to get home to my family and friends.

And I want to ski that fresh pow.

See you all in New York City,

Cansado Patiperro
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Next Adventure

2010-11-26T11:23:00.001-08:00

Tonight I will begin my voyage onto my next adventure in Argentina. I am nervous and anxious but more excited than ever. Its going to be a challenge I think but in a different way, a good way.
I just finished up the closing ceremonies for my program, English Opens Doors, and am now sitting in my hostal recharging all my electronics. The last six months feel like nothing, insanely fast. We got diplomas and stuff, and ganna have a cocktail hour later. It was a good ceremony and nice to catch up with people who I haven't seen since the first days. But the shiz iz donz.

Last night went out with all the gringos for thanksgiving to a awesome gringo bar called California Cantina. I think we stayed there for like 8 hours eating and drinking and watching football. It was funny we were on our way out mid afternoon and walk through the bar and. See the saints playing dallas, and just so happens the two friend I was with, one is a dallas fan (from texas) and one is a saints fan (from New Orleans). So of course we ended up staying and getting a bit many more pitchers. We ended up meeting the owner's mom of the restaurant. And she told us all about how they started the restaurant and how much they love it. Two friends from california came down 6 years ago and started it up. We ended up meeting both the owners as well and they only strengthened my desire for wanting to own a restaurant/bar (sounds like fate ma????). Well had a great time there and met lots of other very nice gringos, lota english being thrown around. It'll be sad to say goodbye to all the cool people I met on this trip but I definitely am planning to see them again in the future.

As for my next adventure like I said I can't wait. If you still haven't looked up where I am going to be working you really should it is beautiful, Estancia Ranquilco, google it. Tonight I will be taking a bus from Santiago to Temuco which is in the south of Chile. Then tomorrow morning another bus from Temuco to Las Lajas, Argentina. Then another bus from Lajas to a small pueblo where from then I have to meet this lady who will take me to the ranch. There are no roads that lead into the ranch so you have to travel by horseback to get in and out. Like I said a very different experience. But that's what I want, I've always wanted to see what that kind of lifestyle is like. I will be working there for the next three months, and am going to have limited access to the internet so excuse my lack of blogging for you followers. This may be the last blog for awhile sorry peeps.

I just want to say a late happy thanksgiving to my family and friends, thanks for all the great emails and texts and stuff miss you all a lot. I am thankful for all the cariño I have in my life from friends and family.

Love,
Franke
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Genaro

2010-11-23T18:21:00.000-08:00

Genaro is my host padre I have been living with for the past 6 months and if you haven't met him or know anything about him I'd like to tell you.

Genaro is 68 and was born in 1942. He never had a good relationship with his father or family and when he was 17 he moved out to Santiago. Where he lived for about 5 years. There he worked in the restaurant business, probably as a waiter or something I think. He met a German couple who had fled Germany and moved to Santiago. They pretty much took him in as their own and when they were returning to Germany they said he is coming too. He then lived in Germany with his adapted parents and family for 5 years. They paid for his schooling in the culinary arts. He learned German from scratch by speaking it only with his host family and only had classes in German. After he graduated he went to Spain to work as a chef. He worked in southern Spain for ten or more so years at a five star restaurant as one of the chefs. He told me he has cooked for the king and queen of spain once and a prince of German, or duke or something. While working in Spain and during school he traveled all over Europe. After about 15 years abroad he returned to Chile. He then got work in a Tolhuaca Hot Springs for six years before beginning his teaching career in Pucon. He was a teacher for the Liceo Hotelería for about twenty years teaching cooking. Then he retired this year and when my principle asked him if he wanted to help in my program he said yes. He has had a lot of ups and downs and many experiences in his life he likes to talk about. He is a very very nice guy. He knows like every single person in Pucón and we literally can't walk down the street without bumping into someone he knows.
I had a very interesting time living with him. He was very kind and always fed me and made sure I was comfortable. But then again he is old, and one of the slowest people on earth, I'm not kidding. He is only 5ft tall and very feminine. He likes listening to classical music, reading, picking flowers and watching dances, not really man stuff you could say so it was a "fairly odd couple" living together. At times, many times, I did get very frustrated. But there is no point in trying to do anything, you learn to cope.

I am glad I lived with him it was quite the experience, he is a good friend. I hope to see him again in the near future and hope all goes the best for him.

Thanks padre,
Frankiline
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Traveled

2010-11-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of pretty much all the places I have traveled to over the past six months. And all the stuff I did in Pucón.

Santiago
Temuco
Villarrica
Puerto Varas
Osorno
Puerto Montt
Valdivia
Curacautín - Termas de Tolhuaca
Bariloche, Argentina
Concepción
Chiloé - Castro
Valparaíso
Viña Del Mar
Carburgua
Lican Ray
Muelehue
Lonco (for a night)
Coñaripe - Termas Geometricas
Lautaro

PUCÓN:
Parque Huerquehue
Parque Villarrica
Los Tres Saltos
Volcun Villarrica
Las Termas - Pozones, Huife, Quimeyco, Trancura
Salto La China
Salto Leon
Cuevas Volcanicas
Canopying
Hydrospeeding
Horse Back Riding
Ojos de Carburgua
La playa en Pucón

There's probably some stuff I'm missing but it was all amazing and couldn't have asked for anything better.
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Weird

2010-11-18T06:26:00.001-08:00

Its pretty weird I only have one week left, not even. I just sent my stuff back yesterday so all I have left is my big pack and very limited clothes, and no computer which sucks for a second but is refreshing in a way. I still have my phone and my ipod so I'm still connected in a way. This last week of school has been alright, everyone has been really nice, my eight grade class had a little thing for me and so did the professors, it was very nice and I will be sad to leave some of them. Like my host teacher and principle, who have been like my sister and mother here. And I had a little onces with my 5th and 6th grade workshop which was actaully a lot of fun, I will miss them cause they were my best class. But to tell you the truth I will not miss teaching, it was a lot harder than I thought and especially for this age group it is like pulling teeth. I think I would have done better in a high school and maybe a little different setting but that's that. The one I am worried about the most is my host dad, I think he'll have a tough time when I leave but he has a friend coming to live with him and should be starting work so that'll keep his mind busy. But all in all this has been a crazy wild adventure. I learned a lot about myself and others and the time has literally flew by. Chile is an amazing place and it will always mean something to me.

That being said I am extremely excited to start work at the ranch in Argentina, nervous excited anxious more than I have been in a while for anything. It is like the total opposite experience I have had here in Chile but that's what I want, man shit. I hope it will be what I am expecting, I mean the place is beautiful and it'll be summer time so I'm not to worried about it. It looks like total peace and tranquility with some real hard labor in it, just what I want. Ojala! I will be in Argentina for 3 months December to end of February.

So I have one more day of teaching on monday, then I go back to Santiago on Wednesday, have the closing Ceremony for the program on Friday. Coming back to Temuco then to Argentina on Saturday November 27th. So I should be in Argentina a week from Saturday, aaahhh crazy. I don't know how much contact I will have with the outside world but we will see. May also put the facebook on hiatus for a bit don't know for sure yet. I will keep posting a lot this week to let all know the happenings before I leave.

Que te vaya bien,
Patiperro
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Cuevas Vulcanicas y Hydrospeed

2010-11-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

Hydrospeeding

Entrance to the Cave

Chocolate room in cave

New born calf

Yesterday I went Hydrospeeding with my friend Dermot. It was super extrema. Dermots parents are visiting and he came down to Pucon with them and they wanted us to do something cool. So we went into Aguaventura to see about Rafting or something and they said that Hydrospeed is way more fun and extreme. It is like Rafting without the raft. So after they told us a little about it we were like funk yeah. So I skip my afternoon classes yesterday and we get to the adventure place, get into the van and head off to another place to get all the gear. The guys are sizing us up and literally just throwing us stuff not really checking the sizing so one guy asks, "like shouldn't we try these on, can I switch and get a larger one" or something, so the head guy hears this and said who said that, goes over to the guy asks him if he speaks spanish, he doesn't (went with a bunch of french people), said he speaks english, so the head guide says "the first thing you have to do is trust me, if you don't then you are fucked." That was the last time anyone asked that guy a question. We get to the side of the river, getting very pumped, put on the wet suits, wet suit socks, helmets, flippers, then jump into the water on these boey things that the front half of your body goes on and your hands go inside, this is how you stay afloat. You use your flippers and kicking to steer and the boey to stay on level with the water. So off we go and we hit some small rapids and get tossed around a little bit the head guide is yelling at us to stay closer and it is so much fun. We get to the last big bunch and he is like alright now you have to wake up these are like three times the size of the others, stay close and follow me. We hit these and it is like going off a huge ski jump in a tube, waters going in your face, your yelling, laughing, going up crashing back down into the water, going under, and you right in the water the whole time, just floating down the river with the rapids. It was insane. Got out and was freezing, such a sweet experience, I would definitely do it again.

On Sunday when Dermots parents first got here they wanted to go to the Cuevas Vulcanicas, the Volcanic Caves. It was another thing that I had been wanted to do and they invited me so I went along. When we got there to the top near the base of the volcano it started to snow, crazy because of how warm it is hear now but it still snows on top of the volcano. We got a little tutorial and stuff about Plate tectonics and rocks and when the volcano last erupted and types of eruptions, I think that is my favorite kind of science and junk. We go into the caves and it is wet and the ceiling is dripping and it looks so cool. They have small lights and different colored lights for trying to grow moss. There are also places where they have been doing research very cool. We go further into the caves and they have different caverns, where tunnels have been made from hundreds of years ago. One room is called the chocolate room because it literally looks like chocolate was dripping from the walls and ceilings. We get to the furthest cave and the guide turns off all the lights, seriously it was kind of scary it was the darkest place i have ever been like weird, makes you think about how the miners felt. Also in the last cave there is a rock formation that they call the Panther but really it looks like a Buffalo but the Spanish didn't have a word for what it looked like so they called it the Panther, very interesting stuff.

Also last week my host Uncle Coco called Genaro up and asked him if I wanted to come up because some more calves were being born. So we went up and went out with Coco saw a Cow about to give birth right away and I literally saw everything, was so gross haha. But the calf was pretty cute minus all the gross fluid and bloods and shiz. Coco also took me over to the stream and pulled up this root/plant from the side called Nalca, split it open and chomped it. It is pretty good, kind of like a dry appley taste, its weird but good. I had like 2 whole plants, which is a lot.

The weather has been getting really warm here and its great. Thinking about spending a day at the beach this weekend, swimming in the lake. Only 2 weeks left!!!

He was big and bent and grey and old and I looked at him and my blood ran cold,

And I said MY NAME IS SUE HOW DO YOU DO? NOW YOU GANNA DIE!!

Love,

Franke

SOUL DECISION - FADED

2010-11-01T18:19:00.001-07:00

Haha is it gay that I love this song, I don't care. Thanks gorgeous.

Cumple

2010-11-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Had a pretty good birthday weekend. Thursday at school all my classes sung me happy birthday in English to me which was very sweet and surprisingly well pronounced. Ha and in the afternoon there were games in the gym and I was watching when one of the eighth graders thought it would be funny to have a gang try and throw me up in the air for my birthday, unwillingly of course. And right before they asked me how old i was and said 23 but i guess someone thought it would be funny to say i was 33 so i was like yeah sure im 33. Then the eleven eighth graders grabbed my arms and legs, as i tried to fight them off but the eventually overpowered me and threw me up in the air 33 times. Pretty persistent little buggers. Was a good laugh. That night went to Temuco and partied it up a bit with Dermot. We tried to go to this one bar but they wouldn't let me in because last week for Dermots birthday (week older than me) things got a little crazy and long story short I tried to ride a motorcycle in front of the bar and the guy wasnt to happy about it.

Friday we came back to Pucon to try and go rafting but it was like a monsoon outside so instead we met up with Corey and his friend from home, David, and got Pizza and beers which I always love. Then went to the Hot Springs which i also always love. Went out in Pucon mainly to try and stay dry.

Saturday went to the campo with Genaro's family. He has been wanting for me to have a whole day with the family at the campo and to cook for my birthday. It was such a nice gesture and the food was amazing but was a little tough sitting around talking for literally 12 hours straight, not kidding got there at 1130, got home at 1130. But they are all so nice and the two boys are cool and it was fun to joke and eat. Genaro was very happy and it was a good birthday, the Aunt made a delicious cake.

Sunday was nice weather tried to find some stuff but all of Villarrica was closed and Pucon didnt have anything. But I did find some new shades cause i lost my old ones. Then went out to a halloween party at the club which was funny with all the costumes but I really wanted to dress up but didn't have anything, really wanted my Nacho costume, I love that damn thing.

Today didn't have school which is always awesome, wanted to go rafting but again too tired and lazy, so chilled when to the beach cause it's warm here now, at some cheeeps, tried to make american salsa which is a lot harder than i thought , ended up pretty much just eating hot sauce and chips. For the most part took it easy.

I have 3 weeks left and definitely feel it. I am ready to move on. It was an amazing experience teaching but my drive really isn't there anymore to be honest. Most of the time the only way I can get the kids to do anything i want is if i give them a prize or candy, it's insane. But I am insanely excited about the Ranch I really hope its sweet.

Spread love its the Brooklyn way,

Patiperro

B.B. King - Lucille

2010-10-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

this one's for you....Lucille

Worst teaching day followed by best campo day, El Torito

2010-10-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

So I woke up today at 7 like every other tuesday and I already was in a bad mood because tuesdays are the worst days of the week for me cause I have to work from 8 to 4. So after my cold shower (cause we barely have hot water) I got dressed and see I have a stain on my pants from something I ate that had to much oil on it because Genaro dumps aciete all over everything. Entonces I had to wear my jeans which I don't like because its unprofessional. Well I get to school and am ready to start the day when I get an email from the other english teacher I work with only on tuesdays who tells me she is sick and if I could tell the Inspector and Principal she's not going to be there today because she's ill and she can't call because she has no more credit on her phone. Now this really pissed me off because this SOB pulls this shit like every other week and expects me or someone to teach her classes, and the school has had it with her. I tell them and they get pissed again and tell me how she aint ganna work there next year, and Don Rueben makes me laugh but half seriously says I should make her give me half her pay, which I should. They ask me if I want to teach the classes and of course I have to say yes. So after preparing for the other classes I was going to teach I have nothing. So I decide I will teach a tongue twister for the first 45min of class then take them to the english computer lab. This goes ok for the first class. The second class is a little harder because I have about 6 jackasses who never shut up and tap their friggen pens on the desk as loud as they can all at the same time just because they know it makes me mad. O and all day the school had the Simpson test which is like a country wide exam for all grades so they kids had to be extra quiet, impossible. Then the half of the class that doesn't want to learn or try annoys the other half so I can't teach shit. Then we get to the computer lab and half the computers don't work or can't get internet (teddy I never did AV but I feel like i could show you a thing or two, and all the computers are in spanish). Then the third class, right before lunch, 7th grade, smartass city. I make it short but no one stopped talking, didn't let them go to the computer lab, seperated several kids, had one kid stand in the corner facing the wall, cursed a little, yelled at some but then they just laughed in my face because they don't understand what I am saying, so I makes me want to literally take them outside and fight them one by one until they shut the f up. Pphhfffeeeww. Genaro made a great lunch, fettichini and meatballs. Then the last class I was like her learn this tongue twister say it a bunch of times let's go to the computer lab do whatever you want just sit down and be quiet. I basically was on google earth with one kid the entire time. When the day was done I crashed onto my bed and Genaro asked me if I could go to the campo with him to get some dry wood cause all our wood is wet. I was like fine whatever.

Although it has been raining a bunch the campo is beautiful still, everything is green and lots of water. We say hello to Genaros family friends abuelita and she talks the same if not more than Genaro so I'm like, god I hate listening to these two repeat themselves over and over, where are the dogs I want to wrestle them. Then Coco comes by he's like the Uncle, Abuelita's son, he owns the farm and is like yeah you can have some wood but Frank you want to help me with this thing first, he takes me over and there is a calf bull in the stable with a cut in between his toe so this other guys is holding him and Coco and I are trying to find the right injection to give him for antibotics, I think. It was so cool like a little bull cow I wanted to take him home. But that was just the start, then I got some dry wood for Genaro, loaded Coco's truck with some more wood big ass pieces, threw out some hay for the cows, moved the horses, then as we were going in for onces Coco spotted one of the cows going off to give birth. Now Coco artificially has his cows get pregnant so they all give birth around the same time. There were two calves already, 2 others died, and about 5 more cows that had babies, and humongous stomachs. When a cow is about to give birth you can see the stomach super concave and the mother goes off to be alone. So we rushed in and ate quickly, then went to go watch. It was the cows first calf so I think it was spooked and the dogs were messing with it so it took a long ass time. About 3 hours. I didn't mind Coco said you have to have a lot of patience to be a farmer which I like. We watched till it got dark then moved it into the stable to keep an eye on it incase it needed help and we had to pull it out which I was kind of hoping like that scene from City Slickers and then I could name him Norman or Herman I forget the bulls name. Anyways it was smooth just long, and a little gross but so amazing, I saw a baby bull take its first steps, really cool. I talked a lot about how I wanted to be a Vet or Doctor or something with Coco and I realized its the same shit here as in the US, the farm Vets get paid shit and have to work a shitload. But they only come when they are needed so its expensive, he knows a lot about his animals but he's not a doctor. It was a really cool thing to see. And all this gets me insanely excited to work on the ranch in Argentina, I don't care if I'm just building houses or whatever just to live the simple life is what I want, and to grow a huge mustache.

Rio de arboles.

Fwh
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Chiloé, Valparaíso con Jack, Los 33

2010-10-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

Where we at Lunch Sunday Blue House

Some houses in Valparaiso

Graffiti Art

Vina Beaches

Palafitos of Chiloe, our hostel is the house furthest to the right, to the left of the yellow house

Sorry it has been a little while since I've shared my travels but I have been doing lots of things. About two weeks ago I went down to the island of Chiloé with some other gringo volunteer friends. It is a huge island in the south of Chile and has a lot of its own culture and customs. But I am sorry to have to say I didn't really see any of these customs. I did see a lot of the beautiful countryside, the Palafitos, and ate Curanto but for the most part it was a pretty gringo (drinking like a fish) weekend. The island has tons of rolling green hills that go straight into the ocean and this beautiful yellow bush flower that is literally everywhere and makes everything look fake like a painting. We stayed the first night in Castro in a Palafito hostel. Palafitos are the houses on stilts next to the water all different colors and really cool looking, and we stayed in a really cool one the first night right on the water, great find Rob.

The next day we walked around the Artesian markets and stuff then got some great Curanto at a restaurant right on the water. Curanto is this seafood dish in which they bake like a tons of different shell fish, potatoes, sausage, pork, steak, in a giant pot like a meter tall all different layers of these foods for hours. It is amazing and delicious. Ha not realizing how big of a serving they actually give you many people ordered one for themselves, in the back of my mind I was like these are going to be huge so I wanted to share but oh no Corey you said we should get our own, i was stuffed to the max, nobody finished their serving. That night we stayed and hung out with one of Laura's host teachers friends who was so nice and hospitable. He fed us great snacks and dips and went out with us and was just awesome. I don't want to get into the story about getting home Sunday but I didn't, probably some of the worst traveling I've ever done in a health and preparedness sense, I will never make that mistake again. Ok, I pretty much didn't sleep saturday night, we all woke up top late Sunday missed the early bus back to Osorno, which ultimately means I missed the last bus to Pucon from Osorno. Anyways we got the 2 o'clock bus made it back to Osorno, Corey worked his spanish magic, we got to stand on the same bus until his town, which was like another 3 hours, eventually found some seats but the entire day more hungover than ever, on a bus traveling 8+ hours trying to speak spanish, not ending up in your own bed, but Corey's brothers bed was awesome, shit it was just a longass day. But I did make it to my first class Monday morning, was wiped. Pretty fun weekend.

This week Big Jack Dunn came down to Pucon for the end of his travels of South America. It was weird at first because it was all to familiar seeing one of your old friends in a different place, but a good weird. He met the host padre, saw some waterfalls, termas, met the host teachers, he even helped me teach one class. It was funny he had to help a small girl who like came up to his knees, was very fun. We then traveled up to Valparaiso together for the weekend. I had been wanted to go up to Valpo forever because I had been hearing the best things. Dermot and I made plans many weeks ago to go up this weekend and it ended up being Dermot, Jack, and Evan another volunteer who would haven't seen since the beginning of the program. It was so much funking fun. The first day we went to Vina Del Mar to look for Dermots camera on the bus, sucks he lost it. Then we walked around the coast and drank beers on the beach, in shorts and a t-shirt. Something I really needed, even got a little sun burned. Evan went into the Pacific where your not allowed to go swimming. Had Churrillana for dinner which is fries, cut up meat, hot dog, onions and deliciousness. And lots and lots of beer. We partied at a club called Huevo that had like 5 floors and lots of different party disco rooms with different rooms but really wasn't that sweet. Actually got up relatively early and went for a long walk up and around los Cerros, the hills. I feel in love with Valparaiso, the houses are all up the hills, millions of different colors, bohemian style, every spot you can see the whole city, there is sick ass graffiti on every corner, like a small little food hut thing in the middle of now where will have like the best view, it was just amazing, super chill, I could see myself living there up in the hills. But then when you go down to the bottom of the hills its like a really city fast and stores and lots of cars and buses and people. Really cool. We saw Pablo Neruda's second home in Valpo, pretty cool. On the way back we found a second hand store that Evan was looking for and bought some sick ass threads. He bought a sweet blazer, I an awesome orange leather jacket, Derm a shirt from Saratoga Springs, weird right. We went to a friends birthday party that night and met some other volunteers and some oldies. They must have thought I was weird or a jackass cause I wore that leather jacket but I looked good so funk them. Got back to Valpo on a crazy bus ride, and partied it up there for a little longer before watching the sunrise. Sunday we walked to the other side of the city with the ports and had a sick lunch in a house restaurant literally hanging off a cliff, with some wine and seafood, sat there for like 3 hours. Thanks Jack. Hung out a little before I had to head back home but it was by far my favorite place I visited and most fun weekend I've had so far. Haven't laughed that much or that hard in some time.

If you haven't seen on the news for the last 3 months or so there have been 33 miners trapped underground in a collapsed mine about two empire state buildings down. There was no word about how they were the forst 17 days and when everyone thought they were gone they reached them and all 33 of them were alive. They built tubes and tunnels down for food and water and approximated they will be out at the end of November. The plan was to dig a big enough hole all the way down to have an elevator type machine bring them up one at a time. They worked around the clock and the president actually did a very good job with it. After 70 days, ahead of schedule, the last miner came out of the ground, all 33 were alive and fairly well. It took about 21 hours to get all of them out but the job was well done. It was a historic moment for Chileans and pretty incredible. The horns in town were going off and you could hear people cheering. Chile is very put together and has huge patriotic pride, they are very united for their country but there still are some major gaps. But Chile is awesome and fuck yeah for those miners,

C-H-I, CHI, L-E, LE, CHI CHI CHI, LE LE LE, VIVA CHILE!!

Miss everyone mucho,

Franklinito

Estimados Mi Gorro,

2010-09-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

Our first adventure Teton Valley (USA)

Volcano Villarrica Adventure (Chile)

I remember when I first met you. I was in the Teton Valley on my NOLS trip and when we began telemark skiing practice at Targhee I realized the hat I brought with me was way to small. So after the first day I went looking for a new one, and looked around for awhile and couldn't find anything I liked, then I saw you, brown with pigtails and a sweet nativish design around the mid section, and you fit perfectly. Made in Canada but I bought you in the USofA. You weren't to colorful, no pompom on top, not a snowboarders hat for sure; you were simple, warm, made of wool, and me, we connected. I didn't take you off for 13 days after that.

You've kept me warm when I was cold. You've kept the sun out of my eyes when I couldn't see. You've been my pillow when I had none. And my tissue when I needed one. My towel when I needed to wipe the sweat off my forehead or to dry my hands when they were wet. We've summitted mountains together, we've seen the inside of a active volcano crater, together! We've seen countless lakes, rivers, beaches, valleys, trees, and natural beauty of mother nature with one another. Don't forget the way you used to help me pick up girls, letting them try you on then run off so I can find you again. You stayed up late with me when I couldn't sleep. You helped me sleep by covering my eyes when I needed it. Some people would say they thought I had actual pigtails because you looked so much like my hair, it's just because we were meant for each other. We have traveled to 4 different countries on 2 different continents. We learned Spanish together and they said you looked Bolivian. I've worn you as a glove, sock, underwear haha, and of course a hat, and sometimes you would be the only thing I was wearing. You fixed my hair when I wanted to look cool, and kept me mysterious when I wanted to look cooler. We've gotten drunk together, and we've been way to hungover together. You never got mad when I threw you on the ground or wore one of my baseball caps. You were always there waiting, knowing I would be back. We have seen the world together for the past 2 years. I don't know were you went or why you left and if it was my fault, no hard feelings, but I know you are making someone's head very warm and you are ready to be on your own adventure now. I will never forget you and the time we had together. Best hat I've ever known.

Love,

Franke

Saltos, Esquiando, Pizza, Poo

2010-09-27T15:07:00.001-07:00

Salto Leon

Salto La China

Had a perfect day last Friday. I don't work on Fridays so they already are awesome but I woke up after a great nights sleep, first one in awhile, looked out my window, blue bird day, I was like yes finally some sun. Still in bed, looked at my phone to an awesome hilarious email from Chaub, that really helped jump start my day, thanks zms cool. Went for a run to the beach and back fist pumping to my Chilean music. Took a shower, called up my friend Tina and said we have to do something today and not waste a second, so we decided to go see these waterfalls I heard about, Salto La China y Salto Leon. My padre let me use his car which was sweet, so we get out there not knowing where it is or what to expect, find the signs pay the entrance fee for Salto La China walk up, and were in awe. This waterfall had to be over a hundred feet tall so sick, with a rainbow and everything, just look at the pictures I can't describe it. Drove out to the next one which was 5 minutes more up the road, got to the entrance and there was no one there, so we say what the hell lets just go ahead, there was three of the scariest dogs barking at us almost bite Tina, they acted like I wasn't there and went straight for Tina because they could smell I'm part wolf, but really they didn't even look at me. So I was like just don't look at them and keep walking, which worked. Walk up to the Salto Leon, and it was funking insane, about the same height as the other but had a second fall and more water coming out and just the scenery was mas fuerte and the rainbow was crazy. By far the most amazing waterfalls Ive ever seen.

Went back to Pucon for a late lunch, found a good cafe/deli. Was perfect, sun was shinning, I was outside, could see the Volcano in one direction, an amazing sangwich in front of me, perros lying to my side chilling in the sun, people talking spanish, was very tranquilo. Entonces we went back to Villarrica chilled at Tina's house for a bit. Met up with this gringa who is 16 and is studying for a year here which takes muchos ganas. We corrupted her and took her out way to hard. Met up with another friend Claudia who is Chileana and we all had some beers and popcorn, listened to way to much Michael Jackson then went out for Karaoke, at a disco called Magnolia in Villarrica. I signed up for Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams and after about 15 spanish songs I was up, and I belted my heart out, I have the worst voice in the world but I knew all the words so whats up. We attempted to sing with the Chileanos for a while then danced a bunch and before you know it, it was 3am and we had planned to go skiing the next day. If its skiing I can always get up, but I can't always last. I got up at 7am, got on a bus to Pucon got must stuff rented from my friends in Aguaventura, who are French, and was on the Volcano by 930 am. I was like the first one up there, had the slopes all to myself, was very peaceful but after about 3 hours, I couldn't tell if iwas either just super bored because I had done every slope ten times or was so hunger i was going to barf. Told myself I need to make it to 2pm and did then bounced as fast as I could. Rested for awhile and decided I really want some pizza and watch some sports like an American.

Went to this delicious pizza placed called Pizza Cala owned by an Argentinean/American. Got there around 5 and he had just opened. I was the only one in there for about 2 hours just shootin the shit with this guy. His name is Javier and he owns the restaurant and lives above it. He was born in Argentina and lived there till about 8 i think, and then his family moved to Virginia because his dad was in the World Bank, outside of DC. Grew up speaking spanish and only spoke it at home, but when he got to public school he said it was like he had no idea what was going on and he said the first thing he can remember really understanding in English was, "ok put your things away" which to him meant alright now I get to go home. Went to Virginia Tech studied restaurant management. Don't really know how he got back to Argentina but married an Argentinean woman had four kids, and was working in a good restaurant cooking lots of pizza. Got divorced said fuck it and went back to the states and worked in Steamboat Springs at a restaurant cooking. Would spend 4 months in the states, 2 months in San Martin de Los Andes. And after about 6 years a friend of his who owns a Pizza Cala in San Martin said he should open up one in Pucon so to be closer to his kids. So about 4 years ago he did, and has been there ever since, the restaurant has amazing pizza and a great atmosphere. Everyones always drinking and joking around. And this guy is obsessed with pizza it was pretty funny when I asked him a question he would just go off, and then when I told him I was from New York, he said he researches pizza from Italy, NY, Chicago Cali, everywhere. I also asked him a bunch of restaurant questions because yes it is still my dream to own one. I won't go into the specifics but most important thing is the food, if they leave and say damn that was good pizza then they will come back and word will spread. I will pick his brain more, Oh and he has FOOTBALL and Monday Night Football!

Chilled Saturday night cause I was very tired. But Sunday, man sunday was a trip. So our toilet has been funked up lately and wont flush right, and sunday it overflowed something out of a movie with poo water everywhere. Our neighbor ended helping us with everything but after much manly work, we had to take the entire toilet out of the bathroom outside, literally pull what was stuck in the toilet from the bottom out and clean it. Now it would be funny if i did this but there was no way i was touching someone elses shit (I hadnt pooed in the toilet since last week because we were doing the yellow mellow rule) whatever it was awful. But its all fixed now so thats cool, i can poop again. After we sterilized the whole house Genaro taught me how to make hamburgers ad said I was a good student and I cut garlic real well, from watchin you ma! Chilled the rest of the day with Genaro, he was feeling down so we went to the beach and played with his dog Josefa. I feel bad the man is pretty much alone in this place, not much connection with his family, has lots of friends but its not the same, getting old and just retired, I am afraid for when I leave, I promise I will return and see him again.

Taught solo today wasn't that bad cause I played bingo, but the last class I had was absolutely horrible. Cram 45 ten year olds into a room 15ft by 15ft, make the class an hour and a half long, and the last class of the day, show them small prizes watch them go crazy, then try to play bingo keeping track of whos cheating and whos not, oh yeah and speak spanish!, and tell me you wont have a headache. I survived then played basketball after school with some of the 8th graders who were cool today, and took my anger out on them by running all over their faces, they were dead tired by the end, and by the end I would just run up and down the court actually making layups, still got it ladies.

Right now we are waiting for the Gas guy to come because we don't have hot water and I haven't showered in 3 days, so I am really hoping we can get some tonight. Ganna go watch MNF too, go who's ever playing!

Como esta gringolandia?

Patiperro

fin de semana de la diez y ocho

2010-09-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

Crazy dance competition

Feliz Cumpleanos Esteban, con la abuela loca

Tina;s host parents dancing Cueca

Some 5th graders at the Cuecada

Chile is awesome. The last weekend was a blast. It was the Independence weekend for Chile and it was my friend Steve's birthday. So like I said last week my school had a play type thing on Tuesday were I dressed up and danced Cueca all night. Since we didn't have school on Friday on Thursday we had another Cuecada, which is just a big Cueca dance party all day. It was a good jump off to the weekend because I had to dance Cueca by myself with a partner (13 year old student) in front of the entire school in the gym. I felt like it was the gringo show but it wouldn't be the last one of the weekend. It was also impossible to teach this week because all the kids were so excited for the holiday, even with bribing them until I almost had no more little goddies left. After the Cuecada all the teachers gathered in the Professors classroom and drank wine and ate empanadas. I crushed about 5 and had my generous share of wine. After went to another professors house for more chips and beer, and after about an hour being shot up by machine gun spanish I figured it was time to leave.

That night made plans with my friend Tina from Villarrica to meet up with Steve in his town Pitrufquen for his birthday. Tina's family is the bombizzle and got her a car that she shares with her host brother. It is like a 1982 Mazda or something but it is a beast, one door doesn't work, it overheats, and the host dad put a new stereo system in it so we can play our ipods, it felt like road tripping back in America. We hit the road to see steve when we call him and he's in Temuco. So we change plans and vamos a temuco. Meet up with Steve and a friend Claudia, then go to a bar to meet Steve's host teachers and some of their friends. Who were the funniest guys ever. Spoke decent English but we loud as shit, cursing and chain smoking the whole time. After many drinks and conversations about curse words in English and Spanish we decided to go to the casino. We tried to pull the gringo card and tell the bouncers we didn't speak spanish and to let us in for free. Tina worked her magic and got us tickets from the front desk for free. The bar was sick, it was like a huge discoteca in the bottom of the casino. Got more drinks, danced faces off, boogied. Woke up wishing for and American style hangover cure of M&R, Rocky's, or some type of diner with hashbrowns and endless eggs but we had to settle with gross muchies from a gas station, and the chips tasted like a fart. We all went back to Villarrica decided to go to Tina's host families campo house and grill up lots of meat and food. After much running around going to one store than to another because chileans never buy everything they need at one place, we finally made it to the campo. We hung out for a while enjoyed the scenery, grilled up, popped open mucho vino, ate goat kidney, Dermot came up, played cards, then I ate till I couldn't move which I sometimes due because of the Holiber-Endless-Pit-Stomach-Syndrome or HEPSS for short, were we eat until we are full then just keep eating until it is physically impossible to move then pass out. The meat was so good though, and grilled vegetables, and we only ate with our hands which makes everything taste better.

The next day I had to get back to Pucon early because my school was having a Desfila, parade, for the town as well as all the other schools for the 18th. Now the weather has been crazy lately and when I woke up it was pouring so I knew this wasn't going to happen. Got back home and my teacher calls me and say that it is going to be in the main gym in the city. So like half the town was squished into this small basketball gym and for about 2 hours it was just random important people talking and sometimes the band would play. And after the first 20 minutes my host teacher says she is going to leave because there are too many people here. I figured I am already dressed up in a tie and nice slacks I might as well stay no point in wasting these good looks, and plus I never saw this so I told her I going to stay. The only cool thing I saw was this little 8 year old kid dance Cueca like the man, like a player pimp, he was my idle. Finally got out of there and decided to go back to the Campo with Tina and Steve because Tinas family was having a party. My host dad has been sick and was in bed all weekend, as well as some of the family he usually sees so that is why I hung out with Tina's family. But her family is absolutely amazing so it was awesome. Got to their campo house and the whole family was there, uncles aunts cousins grandparents, it felt just like home. They immediately gave us food and drink and were joking laughing having a good time. Once everyone was finished eating the moved the tables outside and blasted the Cueca music. Another dance party, so sick, and Tina's host dad is the Cueca man, he danced for about 20 minutes and said he felt like he was going to die, haha pot belly and a half. Of course all the gringos had to dance Cueca too another gringo show, we gave steve a quick lesson and he did his best to keep up. Oh and Tina's host grandma is the craziest lady ever, probably the funniest woman I've met in Chile. Always joking, speaking Mapugundun, talking dirty, and telling steve he had a nice ass. The family knew it was steve's birthday and made him a cake, a complete stranger, such nice people, but there is a tradition in Chile for your birthday and after the birthday song and blowing out of the candle they smashed Steve's face into the cake. He was covered in his hair everything was hilarious. Was a sweet holiday party, good people good food good time.

That night we went to meet up with some friends in Mulahue, Dave and Corey, who said there was a sweet Ramada there. A Ramada is like a place with games bars dancing and food. After finally finding the place through fog and much guessing, we were awed by how sweet it was. Tons of cooking meat, everyone was dancing and drinking and they sold bottles not glasses of drinks, so the night was a little hazy after that but we played foozeball, throw the ring on an impossible target, danced more cueca, ate more meat then ended up going to a discoteca were the bouncer was like 350 pounds and was quickly annoyed with me when I told him to let us in for free because we don't speak English. Well we got in and danced more, then watched some kind of dance competition on stage with half naked women and dudes competing, the winner was a beefy guy who ended up taking his shirt off and dancing with the hot chicks on stage, was a very smart move, thats what I would've done. Drove back to Villarrica at like 730am passed out hard for a few hours then decided I'm going to die if I don't get to my bed. Took a bus at like 11 for Pucon and must have looked like shit because I was getting more than usual gringo stares. On the way back the bus stops turns around goes to the bus repair shop, we switch busses, then get on our way. A 20 minute trip that took an hour, I was not in the best of moods. Finally made it home then passed out till about 6 in the afternoon. Cleaned myself up and I feel like a million bucks today plus there's no school today either. Was a fun filled weekend with lots of good food and company.

Forgot to write about this but two weeks ago my boss's came to visit me and see how I was doing. It was the two regional directors and the boss from the ministry. A little nerve racking to say the least so I prepared hard all week and made tons of lesson plans. And for the lesson that they were going to come and watch me teach I planned a very special one. I thought I would teach a song, and what better song than Fight For Your Right by the Beastie Boys. I couldn't help but laugh to myself because they had no idea what the words to the song meant and I would just yell the chorus in their faces. Not to be mean but sort of my own little inside joke, one for the good guys. They said I was doing a good job and were on their way. Thought you'd get a kick out of that.

I have also decided, after thinking about it and talking to the fam, I'm going to volunteer on a horse ranch for three months after my teaching is done. I will work for food and a place to sleep thats all. Can't funking wait. check it out Estancia Ranquilco http://ranquilco.com/blog/

YOU!,

efronka

almost forgot, yo kayla, ¿comó estas chica?

Concepción y La Cueca

2010-09-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

Went to Concepción last weekend with my friend Dermot. For those of you who don't know Concepcion was the center of where the Earthquake hit last February. Before going I tried to look up in my travel guide about hostals and other cool stuff there but there was not one word about the city, and also online it said the city had no hostals. A little strange since we were going to the place with the most earthquakes. But it ended up being awesome. We got to the bus station and found that we weren't actually in the city, but just outside so after some crazy machine gun spanish we figured out what other bus we needed to take to the center. Concepcion is gorgeous there are tons of markets and tons of pedestrian streets and a great plaza. The first night we also found an awesome strip of about 15 bars and discos. And after a little walking and talking we found a great small hotel a block from the plaza, Dermot worked his magic and we payed a good deal less and got breakfast in the mornings too, only thing was we got no receipt so we were a little nervous they were going to steal all our stuff but the didn't so it was cool. Went out hard the first night, our usual buy a bottle of pisco, drink in the plaza, try and talk to girls, freeze our butts off, have deep conversations, figure we are to drunk and need to dance. Oh we also found a sick bar that has the best 80's classic rock cover bands, I was rocking out hard to Van Halen, Guns and Roses, Foreigner, was a dream come true. Went back there the second night too. Walked around all day saturday, bought a pair of awesome shades for 2mil on the street, walked to the ghetto of Concepcion which really put things into perspective, was like an entirely different city. Watched some kids play futbol on pretty much a sand field, or "the worst pitch I've ever seen" says dermot. Ate mounds of meat and fries, and this dish called a Pinchanga which would kill in the states, im bringing it back, its fries, avocados, olives, onion, meat, hot dogs chops, tomato, and everything else you want. At dinner we felt a tremor and felt the trip complete. The messed up thing was the city seems so fine and nice, almost like white plains or a small boston, but then you go down a block and a building would be destroyed glass everywhere on the street, caution tape, and you can't even imagine if and when people were in there. The streets and gravel are also sometimes out of place, they say that when the quake it you could see the ground move like waves on a beach, messed up. Overall was a good trip. Also met a guy from Chicago playing pro basketball in Chile, went to Indiana for Bball, forgot his name but I'll keep a look out for him in a few years in the NBA, Darius, or Darien something.

So Fiestas Patrias is September 18th. It is the Independence Day of Chile and this year happens to be the bicentennial. So the last week and this week has been crazy and people have been partying and dancing the national dance called La Cueca. It is a dance that most people know but if your good you look like an absolute player. I've been telling my host dad how much I want to learn so last week I got my first lesson in Cueca from friends of my host dad and they were sure to explain everything real easily for me, NOT, I got the hang out it after about an hour. It is a really awesome dance thats sexy and stomping and foot shoving, and the real Huasos have spurs and sick outfits. So anyways last night was like a big show from my school for the Holiday and my principal and host dad had been saying for weeks how I need to dress up like a Huaso for the show. So I said hell yeah I'll look like a cowboy, so they went through with it and I found myself walking down the street to the gymnasium in inch high boots, high jacket, sombrero, and a Manta(Pancho). And I felt very over dressed lets just say cause none of the other students were dressed up and only a few of the teachers. But I just told myself I am part of the show and hey, im in friggin Chile what the hell. Thinking I was going to be dancing Cueca all night, I had another professor I work with give me another lesson of Cueca that day, I was rocking, and even learning some of the harder stomp steps, player. We get to the after party drink some pisco sours and wine, turned the Cueca music on and then the party really started. As I was bombarded by all the women professors to dance with me I quickly began to think, shit I'm the dumb gringo that thinks he knows how to dance. Whatever whipped out my hanker-chief, wooed my partner and got dancing. Was awesome, ended up dancing with jsut about every teacher there even the principal. Whenever I would mess up they would just call out the next step for me, was hilarious, Vuelta! Vuelta! They finally called me Chileano, el Gringo Chileano, I felt like I fit in....tear. Anyways was a lot of fun and I can't wait to see whats in store for this weekend. I hear wine, empanadas, wine, and cueca, sounds promising.

you have power in your silence

Ignacio

Trip to the hospital, ma don't worry I'm fine

2010-09-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

Futbol field where I run laps sometimes

Other side of the field

So last week I got a little sick. I wasn't so much sick as it felt like a football was in my stomach and I couldn't go to the bathroom. I woke up and had the worst stomach ache of all time so I asked my host dad if he had any xlax. It was super early for my host dad as he doesn't wake up until 12 everyday. Bending over in pain I was like, "puedo usar su alto para comprar." He asked me like 5 times if I wanted to go to the hospital or that he should drive, and knowing that he is the slowest man on Earth I tried to deny but he insisted. Already being annoyed and for those who know how much I hate getting sick, waiting for this guy to get dressed and find his glasses and his keys, I knew it was going to be a pleasant morning. Meanwhile it took us another ten minutes to get out of the driveway because he also drives like an old person, (two accidents in last two weeks). Yet again he kept nagging me if I wanted to just get checked at the hospital, ultimately I was like fine take me to the dang hospital just to keep him quiet. I should have known better because like everywhere else in Pucon he knew everyone at the hospital and said hello and shook like 5 peoples hands on the way in, which I was in no mood to meet anyone or try and talk spanish. Surprisingly the hospital was pretty good and fast. A doctor checked me out and said that I just had a lot of gas in my stomach. Probably the insane amount of shell fish I ate in Valdivia, I had two plates of shellfish, something was bound to get me back. I got some drops for my stomach and stayed in bed for the next day. I won't go into detail the dump I took but after two days of no pooping, combined with the amount I eat equals.... Ha. Anyways when I got back to school everyone already knew what was wrong with me, stomach, and not being able to poop and all. Guess word travels fast when you live next to your school and your host dads favorite hobby is to talk talk talk. Oh almost forgot on the way back from the doctors he stopped in the middle of the road to tell some family friends I couldn't go number two, he was yelling out of the car in the middle of the street, I don't understand much but I know when to feel embarrassed. I'm all good now everythings going smooth. It was also pretty funny hearing the Chilean remedies for a bad stomach, some of which include: go for a run, smoke a cigarette, drink some weird herbal tea, eat more, eat less, drink lots of water, don't eat any chocolate, no sugar, eat lots of fruit, nothing with grease, only eat crackers, drink a cup of cooking oil, and more. Although I hope I don't get sick again it was a good experience to see what another hospital in a different country was like.

Took it easy most of the weekend tried to nurse the stomach back to health weather was amazing went for a run, chilled on the beach, but did kind of learn how to ride a motorcycle which was awesome. It was just around the block, and yes I wore a helmet, but it was cool to finally get on one, was badass. Hung out with my friend in Villarrica saturday night, played cards with her host family, drank mucho wine, cause there is a sale here for Fiestas Patrias, and wine is dirt cheap, I'm talkin 5 doll hairs for really good Chilean wine. Went to her host family's campo sunday, ate amazing meats and tomatoes, enjoyed the sun, river, playing futbol in the yard, was great.

Want to get out this weekend not sure what yet but I'll take pictures. Oh I am also thinking about working on a farm after my program here for three months then traveling, or I could just travel, thoughts, digame?

Hope the real world is treating everyone well, winter is almost over! (for chile)

Is True Blood Over?

Fwh

Is that American Football, skadoosh in my pants

2010-08-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

The last week has been pretty sweet. Last Wednesday I went to a Cueca competition that two of my students from my school were in. Of course we came home with first place but that was the first time I had seen real Cueca. It was friggin' awesome. Cueca is the national dance of Chile and why the States don't have a national dance is beyond me. Being able to dance like those kids would be so sweet, and sexy like. And the guys have to do more work than the girls so if you are good you look like a player boss pimp. The way the dance goes is the man woos the woman by strutting his stuff and givin' her the eyeball. Then they walk together and pretend to talk and I think its the man asking the girl if he can dance with her. Then they start dancing and its like a figure eight with awesome stomping and cowboy spurs and handkerchiefs and even cooler music. I am definitely taking dance lessons when I get home, I need to improve my moves, the stupid foot shuffle thing just isn't cutting it in Chile anymore, and if you know how I dance you know what I'm talking about. Anyways USA should have a national dance.

Then revisited Valdivia for the weekend. And when the weather is good, Valdivia is the bomb. First night went out with Luisa and Jeff, another hombre from NYC babay. And if you got out in Valdivia go out with Jeff, he is the mayor of Valdivia, knew everyone and everywhere to go. For dinner we had Pinchaba, I think it's called, which is fries with meat, vegetables and other food on top, it was delicious(nacho voice). Then as we were looking up at the big screen they were changing the channel and there it was, Colts vs. Packers, Monday Night Football on a Friday night. It was like seeing colors for the first time, or a moth to a flame, hard to look away. Was quite the treat, drinking beer, watching american football, listening to the back street boys, talking english, I felt like I was home, until I walked to the bathroom and forgot what meant Men in spanish....I remembered. After the game we went to a different bar and got dancing and drinking. The next day was super sunny and gorgeous. Sat outside the hostal window for some minutes tried to soak up some rays in my hangover. We woke up got 3 empanadas for a mil, great deal. Walked to the center saw another gringa friend, Sara, reading her Sara book. Walked down to the fish market which was so cool. Tons of fresh fish, shell fish, pelicans, and SEA LIONS! huge sea lions, or lobos marinos. Got to go on a private coast guard boat cause Jeff speaks fluent spanish. Then met up with Rob, another gringo and his host brother and his friend who took us to the beach, and some awesome views next to a old fortress. On the way back stopped at the Cervezaria De Kuntzmann got a column of the Boch which was also delicious, Nic you would've loved it. Later we got some beers and hung out at Rob's brothers friends place where some more gringo friends met us, Dave, Corey, and Steve. Went out gringoly hard again that night, drinking tequila, friggin tequila, turned into a wolf, so there I was... was a fun night. And for some reason on Sundays Valdivia doesn't have electrcity until like 3 or 4. Ha so there was no running water, and when you need that hangover shower it sucks, and need to poop. We all got up and went down near the fish market again and got some great sea food. I shared a bag or shellfish with Sara, forgot what it's called, then had a salad with tons of fish, I ate until I couldn't breath, and then drank three fantas. Walked around a bit more and then headed back to Pucon. As soon as I sat down to watch my host dad watch TV because I understand nothing, I started to pass out. Felt good to have no sleep party weekend with the gringos.

I am at the halfway point of my program now and although I am not one big on reflection I can't help but think how fast it has gone, and it is hard to believe I have been in Chile for so long. The winter is just about over, I hear friends are going back to school and the weather is changing. My Castellano has improved mucho and I have seen many amazing things. Just hope the next three months are as good as the last. Hope everyone is happy and healthy.

Love,

Franks and Beans

El Jefe

2010-08-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Genaro took some friends and I to these amazing termas in the mountains, called Tolhuaca. We stopped first in Curacautin to pick up the keys to the house we were staying in and to thank the people who were letting us. Genaro used to work at these termas and the old bosses were letting him stay in their small cottage next to the termas. We walk into the bosses home and are greeted with open arms. Instantly I fall in love with this couple, they are hilarious and always joking and being nice. They look like they were created from a book or something because they has so much character on their faces. Not only did they give us the keys and told us everything was free for the weekend but the mother than took us out to lunch at their restaurant they just opened. At we ate a shit load, I don't think I've ever eaten that much meat were I didn't know what animal or part of the body it was coming from. Some that I can remember were blood sausage, someone's intestine, goat's throat, other sausages, steaks, etc. The restaurant was gorgeous also, the dad was Arabic so it had a little eastern vibe but had nice tables, music, bar, and even better food. I'm taking notes for when I open my restaurant. After being stuff to the max we thanked the mother and went to the hot springs.

The place we were staying at was awesome, like a little house next to the main restaurant and next to the kitchen. The first night we chilled at the pool and couldn't believe how ridiclous it was, right in the mountains next to a river, heated by a geyser that you could sit in, in a cave. The Araucana trees would grow straight out of the cliffs up above us. After the pool we chilled at the house and played cards, taught the old man how to play Rummy 500. Was pretty fun and of course I crushed, guess all those games in OBX payed off.

Next day we chilled at another pool and just hung, ate hamburgers for lunch that Genaro made. Then we went to a small campo of some friends Genaro knows ate even more bread and drank Mati for the first time, was pretty good. They had three of the coolest dogs ever, and I helped the guy there cut some wood cause I want to be a hippie-farmer. Relaxed hard, made friends with the kitchen staff, drank some vino. Was fun. Sunday it snowed and it made everything super linda. We went again to the main pool when it was snowing and it was like being in a different world. Although we didn't want to leave it took us an insane amount of time to get out of there because my host dad might be the slowest man on Earth, sometimes annoying cause i could easily throw him over my shoulder and make him move. But all in all another amazing weekend in Chile.

A veces estoy inquietud y necesito vivir en la naturaleza

el gruñiendo lobo

Leccíon de Español

2010-08-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

Went to the Trancura Canopy last Friday, was very cool. We did it at sunset so when I was flying 40 meters above the Earth looking over the hills to the Volcano it was muy linda. I went with some of my profesoras and Dermot. They got a kick out of it and it was even funnier watching them scream and cry for help when they got stuck or didn't want to go. It was also funny hitchhiking back to town with 8 women shoved into the back of a van. Friday night went out with Dermot went to our usual spot on the lake to drink and be cold then fuí Las Mamas y Tapas para carrete. Estuve muy barracho.

On Saturday after another delicious meal by Genaro we went to the National Parque Huerquehue for a good hike with some other volunteers and saw a pretty spectacular waterfall. I felt good in the woods surrounded by trees and the smell of nature. Right after, well not right after, I got lost for a little but some nice guy who we picked up told us where to go, cause Genaro let me use his car, we went to Las Termas Pozones at night. Was a trip looking up at the stars, and we saw like 5 shooting stars or satellites or UFO´s couldn´t tell what they were, spooky, but they were moving fast. Then we hung out at another Chilean friends house that night but I was tired so no barracho.

Last week I began intensive Spanish lessons with Genaro. One hour a day 5 days a week. Sometimes my head wants to explode but I think I am getting better. I read aloud, write down the words I don´t then Genaro explains them in Spanish. No English is spoken. I look up again the words I don´t know to make sure I understand. Then the next day I review what I read the last time and have to explain it in Spanish. Like I said sometimes my head feels like its going to pop. And after a long day in the school, then teaching a bunch of profesoras English it crazy. I am beginning to dream in Spanish though which is cool, ha more like nightmares.

Genaro is going to take some of my friends and I to these cool hot springs near Latauro this weekend and we are going to stay in his old bosses house. Should be sweet.

Hope all is well in Gringolandía,

patiperro

PS check out Bills blog he loves to surf and ski and do cool things too

http://billyhaas.wordpress.com/

Croni k Arriba La Vida

2010-08-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Chile´s theme song

Dobie gray- drift away

2010-08-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

One for the bros.....

To the Funking Top

2010-08-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of the most tiring and best days of my life. I climbed a fucking volcano, Vulcan Villiarrica. It is hard to put into words how I was feeling but I couldn´t lift my arms or walk afterwards and felt the greatest satisfaction of my life. Beer taste better than it ever had and the Snickers bar I was saving was like I was eating the Big Bang, each bite an explosion of beauty and life.

We woke up at 554 because I don't like to wake up on divisibles of five cause its bad luck. I went with my friend Tina because she really wanted to try the climb as well. I got dressed in about 30 seconds flat cause my blood was pumping. Homemade applesauce and bread was waiting for us on the kitchen table cause my host dad is the nicest coolest man on earth. We got into Tina's piece of shit car, and after the new method of fixing a car, hitting the ignition box with a rock, it started. Got to the tour place around 645. Packed our bags with ice picks and crampons, jumped in the van and off we were to the volcano. Got to the base lodge around 730 i would say. Tina was going with the walking group. I on the other hand I had to ski this bitch so I went with two guides and we skinned up. Just me and two other guys who had done this many times before. It felt good to slap the skins on again and do some touring up a place full of snow, makes you appreciate it more. The views were amazing, once we made it past the last chairlift and all you could see was snow, clouds, surrounding mountains and volcanos, and smoke from the top. The day was perfect nothing but sun, but when you have a big pack, and your skinning up you get hot hot hot. I was sweating a lot stripped down to two layers no hat no gloves, had plenty of water so I was ok. We pasted tons of sick cliffs, peaks, rocks, snow dunes, ridges, and an abandon chairlift. We were about 2 1/2 hours up about to go over a very high ridge and I looked at the top and it looked so close. But to my lack of depth perception it was another 2 hours away, a very hard two hours. Over the peak, I forget the name, we had to put all our layers back on because of how windy it was. It was like looking at nothing but white, incredible. We got about an hour from the top when we couldn't skin anymore. So on went the crampons. Carrying your skis on your back while trying to climb up an icy ledge when it is super windy is like having a sail on your back. I was inching my way up and getting light-headed taking many breaks when I looked up and the first guide was pretty much at the top. I don't think the guy took one break, mother was in ridiculous shape. Ha and the other guide who was hanging with me says, who could really speak broken english, but was french, "Don't fall because sometime if you fall, you fall all the way to bottom, not always but one man fell all way to bottom of volcano" its much funnier in a french accent trust me.

Then after I thought I couldn't go any further I could smell the toxic gases from the crater, and my superback Holiber/wolf instincts kicked in and I made it. Through my bag and skis off and sat down. Just soaked it all in. Speechless.

None the less it was beautiful but hard to breath, and it was time to crush some ski! Skins off, helmet on, chug some water, click in the alpine bindings, bonesaw is ready. We skated to the other side of the crater, and I look down and I can't see where the side of the volcano is awesomely steep, I'm thinking, aw shit don't fall and be the bitch. We hit it and even though my legs are shaking couldn't have been smoother. Like whip-cream all the way down. Snow spraying up, causing mini avalanches so sick. We go to the front side and find even better snow. By this point I am almost crying cause I don't want it to end. Everywhere we go untouched snow, fresh tracks, hot sun, insane views. Finally get to the bottom, sit down outside near the snow bar, the guides by me a beer, and one says, "(pointing up high on the volcano) us only us" words I will ever remember. Only our tracks no one elses for everyone to see, on the side of a volcano. The guide said he has climbed tons of times and that day was one of the best he's ever had. Not much to say after that.

I slept well.

Dad, Nic, Rob, wish you guys could've been there with me, was thinking about yous all the ways down. Love you ma

us only us,

Franke

Long Two Days

2010-08-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

You know that scene in Beetlejuice where the main character woman, forgot her name, is trying to say Beetlejuice at the end to stop him, but Beetlejuice uses his weird vodoo magic and creates a metal plate and sticks it onto her mouth so she can't speak. Well the point is this is what I wish I could do to my students at all hours of the day, screw a metal plate over their mouths so they would shut up, then tie them to their seats. Ha maybe a little overboard to say the least but the last few days were rough. About ten minutes before classes on Tuesday around 820am I get an email on my super duper Crackberry from the English teacher I work with on Tuesdays telling me she is sick and can't make it to school today. In the email she proceeded to tell me what topics I should cover for all her classes. Now this is not the usual teacher I work with, my real host teacher I work with all the other days and she is the shit, she's like my older sister. Anyways I tell them she is sick and am like what should I do. In the program it says that volunteers are not substitute teachers and do not have the responsibility of one. So when Don Rueben told me I am going to teach all the classes today alone I was like, um shit..... I quickly ran back to my apartment and grabbed the only movie I brought down here, haha, Nacho Libre. I thought to myself, screw trying to teach these kids anyways its hard enough when I work with ten of them at once no way I could do it with 45 in a room the size of a closet. So I got a computer and the movie and walked to my first class, the kids like usual were running around talking yelling not listening. I told them all to sit and tried setting up the computer, and told them the teacher is sick and we are watching a movie, they all liked the idea of Nacho Libre. Then the DVD wouldn't work and the kids started getting louder and louder and soon enough I was like this day is going to suck. The Don Rueben came to my rescue, Don Rueben is the Inspector General at my school which means his like the discipline guy. He is the funniest guy ever, he loves Michael Jordan and always tries to speak broken english with me. He settled the class down while I went and got Toy Story 3 which worked and my day was set. This is how pretty much every class went. It took about 2o minutes to settle the kids down and get them quiet enough for you to speak, then by the last 30 minutes of class no one would want to watch anymore so I would spend even more time saying, "silencio por favor!" and "sientate!" and other spanish phrases to make them shut up. I was extremely tired afterwards and need to blow off some steam so I went for a super long run.

There are some major problems in the Chilean School system. Classes are 90 minutes long, which for any human is way to long to sit in one place and listen to someone talk especially kids going through puberty with every hormone bursting through their bodies. The students do not change class rooms, they stay in the same room all day, and the teachers move to different classes at different periods. There are 4 periods a day so only 3 breaks a day. Lunch is not until 130pm so they students are always hungry witch makes them more anxious. Most teachers and principals know these problems but it is to hard for things to change now because of money and the government.

One thing that did help me over my hard few days of teaching alone was my awesome little host dad, Genaro. He is the man. Eating his delicious food and listening to him talk and trying to talk spanish is one of the things I look forward to. And sometimes my host principle, Veronica, has dinner with us and she is also hilarious because she is the fastest talker I've ever heard, it sounds like a vacuum cleaner when she talks.

Everything else is going well, weather is getting a bit better here. Going to do some outdoors shit this weekend. Um....I bought about 8 Snickers yesterday.

Future goal while I'm down here is to learn to ride a motorcycle because they are badass.

Frank William Patiperro

Bariloche, Argentina

2010-08-03T13:10:00.001-07:00

Yo fui a Bariloche de San Martin en la fin de semana pasado. I think it has been my favorite place so far I have visited. Bariloche is about 8 hours from Pucon and it took about ten or twelve by bus, had to travel the whole day. It was a long day but worth it. I went with two friends from the program who also really wanted to go and love skiing just as much.
The first night we had an awesome meal of meat and wine. I found out that I really like dry wine, they had a very tasty Malbec at the restaurant we went to.
Bariloche is known for its chocolate, dry meats, cheese and wine, and we had a bunch of all. Everything was rich and delicious.
The next day we went skiing all day and it was magnificent. We had to take the public bus which smelled like a foot and had about 75 people on it but only cost like a buck fifity. I think the mountain has 54 trails but you can pretty much go anywhere you want if you can get back. The night before it had snowed a little so there was plenty of fresh pow to be had, and I had it all over, in and around my mouth. We hiked up a little too and had some fresh tracks of our own. It was incredible. O yeah and to start the day for the first chairlift you need to walk through a mini-mall to get to it. It was very funny standing on the escalator in my ski boots holding my skis. But the skiing was awesome, really soft good snow and the weather was mostly sunny both days. From the top of the mountain you could see pretty much everything. The views looked unreal. The second day was better picture wise but of course I dropped my camera in the snow after the first picture but I fixed it now. At the top of the mountain you could see two small towns, Bariloche, 2 lakes and tons and tons of mountains, ridiculous. We sat and chilled to look at the view for quite awhile. There I found that I want to be surrounded by mountains in my future I need them in my life.
At night we went to a couple of really great restaurants. We got fondue at one and for a first time fonduer it was delicious. I was stuffed each night. The town has tons of great small shops and stores for touristy people like we were being. They also have great small pubs and bars that were very cool drinking in and hanging out. Another night we pigged on a few chocolaterias had some hot chocolate that tasted like just hot chocolate syrup was sooo gooood.
Argentians are very nice not like what Chileans think of them but when looking for nice people you can find them anywhere, we just have to sift through the rubbish that people say about each other. I liked the Argentina vibe too it is a little more European than Chile and somewhat more relaxed, want to return to Argentina.
All in all I would say it was the most satisfying and delicious trip I've had yet. Mucho traveling but worth it, would definitely go back there again.

Disfrutar juventud.

Franks
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Blog with email?

2010-07-27T14:54:00.001-07:00

Does this work?
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Mi Vacacion

2010-07-25T17:08:00.001-07:00

I had a great vacation. It is winter here and the last two weeks has been my winter vacation. The first week I skied a bunch with my friend Dermot and it was awesome. Skiing on a Volcano is sick, not many trees and lots of bowls. Dermot and I were very determined to ski all week but the lifts were closed for 5 days because of the wind. We made due and did other sweet shit too like went to the Termas and watch movies dubbed in Spanish that are impossible to understand, and drink a whole bottle of pisco, and go to the discotec, you're the man Derm hope the wing feels better.

The second week my sweet loving parents came. We went skiing with mama one day but it was super cloudy, still cool though. Ate so much good food, thanks pops. Mama wanted a spa day so we made a trip to these other Termas called Geometricas, and it was awesome. Found out that some famous architect built them. It was like right in the mountains surrounded by snow, two waterfalls and aqua muy caliente. Just what Moms wanted. The next day I went skiing with just pops and it was amazing. We had a snow storm here the day before and there was like a foot and a half of fresh pow. We hiked up the volcano for about and hour and a half. Looked down at nothing but untracked snow and crushed it. The run was about 3 minutes but probably some of the best skiing I've ever done, very worth it. We had the only tracks there. You could see the Andes and about 4 lakes from where we were.

Oh ha and we tried to go to Argentina one day for more skiing at another mountain. We bought chains, packed everything up, ready to go, drove through a beautiful park for about 2 hours, turned around twice, my fault, got to the border. Guy stamped our passports, then some other guy said we couldn't go because we need more car insurance for Argentina on the car we rented. Sucked bad, was a real bummer but I think the tire chains are the best buy of the trip, right dad, needed them quite a few times. We also went to the Kuntsmann brewery with my host dad. We met his 94 year old friend. She still lives alone and was as sharp as a tack. She was super tiny but had designer boots on I think was pretty funny.

All in all had a great time with the rents and hope they did too. Miss you guys and love you mom and dad.

Patience is a virtue, and you better have a shitload when you come to Chile.

Franke

Discotecas 101

2010-07-25T16:37:00.000-07:00

Coach Tribou once said that going both ways in a football game is one of the hardest/most tiring things someone can do. I agree with that statement but would also like to add going to a discotec, dancing 5 hours straight, sober, then sleeping 45 minutes, and go hiking the next day is just as hard. Here are some things I noticed and recommend for good discotecs:

1. Strobe lights, strobe lights, strobe lights. Not only do they make you feel drunker but make you dance better too, and make the girls around you look better.

2. Drink before hand. Las bebidas es muy caro.

3. Pisco pepsi is my new favorite drink.

4. Although my dance moves in the states were foolish, here in Chile everyone dances like a fool.

5. Fog machines should be a requirement for every club in the world.

6. Always have a video or multiple videos of extreme skiing and snowboarding on the walls, the same ones that Billy and Justin would always watch, not kidding.

7. Give away free bottles and gifts from the stage because it makes the dueschbag guys leave their girlfriends haha.

8. Chileanos are short.

9. If you don't smoke or can't take smoke don't go because you will feel like you smoked a pack when you leave, and smoking inside is not illegal here, and Don's Rok.

10. If don't want herpes don't go to the bathroom, they don't have soap and it's gross.

11. If you are able to get drunk beforehand, you will be sober by the end because bars and clubs don't close until 5am. And you dance so much that you sweat it all out.

12. Always make sure you have enough money for a taxi afterwards because for some reason the discos are always super lejos del centro.

13. Learn spanish.

14. Completos are the best late night food in the world and 24hr places that make them are girfts from god.

- A Completo is a big hot dog in a bigger bun with a shit load of chopped tomato, avocado and mayo, then put Aji on it and its the bomb.

15. Make sure you can sleep all day the next day because you usually won't go to bed until 6 or 7 in the morning. But who cares about sleep, yolo.

16. Wear comfortable shoes your legs will feel numb for 12 hours.

17. Yes and also you will have a ringing in your ears for awhile afterwards, awesomely loud music.

18. Make sure you love reggaeton. Croni-K, Daddy Yankee, Jowell & Randy and Pit Bull are the shit.

19. Everyone loves music from the States but no one knows what they are saying and the Chileans always confuse the words , very funny. But it is used to boost people back up at around 4am.

20. If someone can't pronounce your name just add a vowel to it and its all good.

More will be added when I can remember.

Franko

D. Gookin - Glad I Met You

2010-07-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

I listen to this song on repeat.

Las Termas de Pozones

2010-07-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

We get into a small bus not exactly knowing where we are about to go, but we asked the bus driver if he could drive us to the hot springs and he said yes. As you leave the edge of the city of Pucón, clearing the small buildings all you can see is open land. The farmland and countryside are very flat but this flat land quickly turns into enormous mountains. It is as if someone dropped giant rocks out of the sky. It is surreal and hard to imagine without really being there, well so are most things. We drive further into the countryside and begin to get further and further into the mountains seeing even larger cliffs and volcanoes in the distance covered by snow. We pass tons of farmland with cows, goats, llamas, chickens and horses. Once we think we definitely lost, the bus stops and we are there. We don´t really know what to expect because there isn´t really a gate or anything. So we pay this woman who barely had change walk down a bit and finally get to a cliff where we can see everything. It looked like something out of a Asian monastery, untouched and holy. The pools of hot water are next to a strong flowing river and you can see the steam coming off of them. We walk down the cliffs to the bottom on the way passing giant boulders covered in the greenest of mosses. We get down and check out the whole area going next to the river, unable to hear anything because its so loud. We get changed and jump in and it is just like a hot tub but all natural. It is hot too. The water is hotter closer to the rocks on the sides. We end up relaxing all day in the hot springs and it felt great. The entire time I am wondering if this is still real. Was quite the day.

We had a pretty standard July 4th after that, bought lots of beer and played drinking games. Then went to the discotecta Bozz. Was fun.

It has been raining in Pucón for the last 5 days and the sun just came out so I think I am going to go for a run. Stay sweet.

Sameness is plainness.

-Patiperro

Total Data Outage for Chile

2010-07-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

So I felt my first tremor on Monday night, was pretty cool actually just felt like someone was gently moving the couch I was sitting on. But the pictures on the wall started shaking and my host dad said look look. It was nothing though, when the big earthquake hit he said you could barely keep your balance while standing on the ground, very scary.

Got my Carnet, Chilean ID, last Friday and it was super easier this time. Turns out the 4 pictures and 8 photocopies of all my documents I didn't need. Guy literally filled out the from for me then covered my fingers in ink to fingerprint me. Then gave me one small paper towel to clean myself off, I still have ink under my finger nails.

Went out in Villiarica with some friends had a good time, mucho dancing and singing. Of course for the karaoke we picked Bruce Springsteen- Born in The USA, had too. When leaving the disco disco, two of my friends were trying to get with these Chileanos and turns out one of them worked in Stowe last year for a few months, small world. Then slept all day sunday. Then on Monday my host dad took my to the National Park Huerquehue, was amazing, we literally drove like straight up a mountain to get there. And there is this one family that looks after all the trails and people who go in and out of the park and of course my host dad new them. The guy was a carpenter and showed me the biggest trees ive ever seen. The mother was making bread from scratch when we arrived. So we hiked up a little and saw awesome waterfalls and I told my host padre i was going to go up a little further because he couldn't make it up the hill he said ok. I come back ten minutes later and guys gone. So for the next 45 minutes im running up and down this mountain through mud and shit thinking he fell off the side and is in a ditch somewhere. Finally the friend comes walking up, returns my screams and turns out my padre just went back to the house cause he was tired. Almost tossed the midget out the window. Lets just say I didn't talk much the rest of the night. But he did let me drive home which was cool.

Even though we had a short week it felt really long. We only have one more week till the end of the semester and I think the kids are getting extra anxious for it because my urge to hit them grows with each day. I need to learn Spanish faster and the kids need to learn to shut up, Im making due though.

For this weekend some friends and I are going to celebrate July 4th by coming here to Pucon and chilling in the hot springs and going out. Should be a good time.

I haven't decided what I am doing for the Winter Break may ski may go up north or further down south but whatever I will make the best of it and do something I haven't don before. Oh and I can't wait till the Real Padres come down, we are going to have lots of fun ma and pops.

Much Love,

Patiperro

Last Supper

2010-07-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

My moms meatballs but after they have been sitting in sauce for 2 days then you know they are good.
My dads flank steak (still don't know how he marinates it) half cold, thin sliced cuts.
Nannis Manicotti.
Two slices of plain pizza from my Marios.
The "Sandwich" from M&R.
Caprice salad.
Prociutto wraped around melon(forgot what that's called).
General Tso's chicken from David Chens.

Wings from Candle Light.

Piggy Pats sweet potatoe fries.
The mussels my mom makes for christmas, and the scallops.
A shit load of strawberries, mangos, pineapple.
Tsurimsu

Chocolate mousse cake from M&R once again

Aunt Karens cheesecake

Aunt Silvias rainbow cookies.

Slice of Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie from Bubbys
Ten giants glasses of milk.
5 magic hate beers.
5 New Castle beers.
One glass of Juto.
One glass of V8 splash.
And 2 glasses of cold water with no ice.

How I would be able to eat all of this probably would be the cause of my death....good question ;)

Semana Pasado

2010-06-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

First just want to say another late happy fathers day to my pops, I love you and without you I wouldnt be here or made it through the last four years.

Last weekend I went to Puerto Varas with some friends and had a great time. It was a pretty spur of the moment thing cause I was pretty bored, but I met up with my friend, Tina, to get my Carnet for Chile, which is the Chielan ID. And lets just say the DMV in every country is the same fucking blew and then we didnt have the right slip and when we went to go get it the International Police wasnt there, bologna¡¡ But right afterwards we took a bus down to Puerto Varas and when we got there we were greeted with open arms. Many of the other friends that we met in Sanitago were there and it was fun from the start. It was a pretty American weekend much drinking and eating and being loud but just what I needed. We went to this one place where they only had 3 beers, all delicious and I met a man who came down to Chile with nothing but a bookbag and a credit card and has been there for 4 years. We went to a bar and danced faces off and drank more. We got burgers the next day and rested, the weather was rainy but we made due. We then had an awesome seafood dinner, because this place is right on the water and has very good seafood. Then went out again and had a gay old time at the same bar ha ha. Towards the end of the night I met an Apache man who was from the States and had been living in Chile for 30 years, and has 4 kids, a little shady about if he had 2 in Chile and 2 in America but by the end of the night he was giving me kisses on the cheek and not allowing me to speak spanish to him. We stayed up very late that night and our hostel was very mad but whatevs it was funny cause the only english words this lady knew was IM FED UP FED UP be quiet¡ We all passed out on the ride home.

Teaching has be harder than i thought. The kids are loco but very sweet, there are just too many of them for one teacher to handle. But my teachers are the shit. Really funny and cool to hang out with.

I am trying to go hiking this weekend if the weather holds up, going to try and see the lava at the top of the volcano, damn straight.

Shout out to my grandma, Mama Eilleen, who is totally better form her illness and will hopefully come down to Argentina to visit the other fam and I can see her. Love you Mama you are the best and strongest grandma in the world.

Y.O.L.O.

Best wishes to all,

Franke

Ps I can get emails on my phone so email me.

Santiago, Pucon, Escuela

2010-06-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Santiago is a sweet city. I think I have seen some of the best graffitti ever since I´ve been here in Santiago, Nic you would love some of the shit they have I will try to put up pictures. I went to Pablo Neruda´s house and that was really cool. He seems like he was a crazy poet and artist, makes me want to get more into art again. This whole city has like a cool funky sense to it. He was obsessed with the ocean so his home was designed like a boat, weird hard to explain, but he also didn´t know how to swim till he was like 43 or something. He also had 3 wives and a number of mistresses, esta loco. I also went to the Pre0columbian museam with some friends and that was cool, I like learning about the Mapuche culture.
The night life is pretty wild here too. I Heart Discotectas. People dont go out till like 12 then stay out till like 5 or 6. The bars dont close until 4 or 5 i think. It is really cool when leaving the discos at like 5 and there are tons of people walking around and who have no idea what time is it. Let´s just say I danced for like 4 hours straight one night. Ha it was fun.
I arrived in Temuco which is like 8 hours south of Sanitago and had another orientation with my regional director and stuff. I then met my host teacher and principle and my host father. My host padre is like 5 feet and 65, he is the man. We then went to Pucon where I am living now and for the next 6 months.
My host padre used to be a chef and cooks me the best food eveyday and he makes it look readiculously easy. He is really nice and we have had some pretty cool conversations. Sometimes it is frustrating because we both cant understand each other. But we figure it out.
I had my first week of obseravtion of the school this week. My school is across the street from where I am living. It is called Carlos Holzapfel. I am going to be teaching 4-8 grade and after my observing I am a little nervouse because they are literally insane. The kids ahve no discipline and run around crazy like. Its going to be like keeping a pack of wolves together ;) Whatever should be fun but I know they are going to be speaking the spanish and making fun. I played basketball and soccer with them on friday and they love basketball for some reason, love Kobe Bryant. And the head discipline guy is in love with Michael Jordan. But when i was playing soccer the kids were literally schooling me. They have the best feet Ive ever seen and they are like 13. One kid scored 13 goals, i counted, we played indoors.
Yesterday my host padre took me to meet his family in the countryside of Pucon: It has been by far the best thihng I have seen yet. It was incredible, the mountains shoot up like cliffs from the ground and you can see both volcanoes. It was a lot like Vermont but better. Genaro(host dad) brother in law, owns the farm and like 2000 heactares of the land around it. It had been in his family for 3 generations. It was fucking awesome. I told him if he need anyone to work I would do it for free. I would live there if I could and if i can get a job when this is over I´m going to, sorry mom. I took a bunch of pictures and wil try to put them up the next time I can get on this computer. I am going to a bbq today should be cool. Hope everyone is happy and healthy.

Living la vida loca

Love,
Frank

Running with the dogs

2010-05-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

So I met a bunch of really cool people last night in my program at dinner and what not. I split like 4 liters of Escudo, the Chilean national beer, with this kid from Tennessee named Evan at dinner. He is really funny and actually has more energy than me, surprisingly. The hostel gives us free breakfast and dinner and it is pretty good too. We all hung out and talked after dinner in the common room and got to know everyone. There are three other people going to my region and they are hilarious. One guys from Luxembourg named Dermit is really funny and already wants to go skiing when we get down there. I also found out that it rains like all the time where we are going but it is beautiful and green forest.

Anyways after some time all drinking together some of us decided to go to a bar and get the Chile's own alcohol they make called pisco, it was gross, sugary margarita type thing. We just hung out there until the placed closed and lets just say I was feelin pretty comfortable. Oh, I forgot to mention that there are tons of stray dogs in Santiago and they all look really cute and healthy cause everyone feeds them a little something on the streets. But they are extremely dirty and probably all have fleas or lice so they tell us never to touch them. So as I was saying I was feeling very comfortable with the people I was hanging out with and decided to do my usual drunken trademark and started wolf howling (yea hamilton) and to my surprise everyone started as well. While we were waking up probably half the city 3 or 4 stray dogs started running toward us. We decided it would be best to run back to our hostel howling with the dogs by our side, they even tried to follow us inside the hostel. We got back and hung out for a little more then went to sleep, this was like 3 in the morning and we had to be at our orientation at 930 and my roommates woke up at like 730am because they wanted to get an early shower in or something. I would have killed someone for two drops of visine. Orientation was a struggle but it was helpful. I ran today and on the way back I could see the mountains behind the city and it was gorgeous, it didn't look real. But the smog is so bad that it felt like I just smoked a cigarette after my run. Well it's about dinner time, hope everyone is well. Miss you all.

Sleep is deaths cousin.

Love Franke

Post 2

2010-05-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

Got to Santiago this morning at like 8am and when I went to the transportation bus I was suppose to go on they didn't have my name so I was a little worried but after some broken Spanish I found out where I was suppose to be and away I went to the Hostel Internacional. It is a nice hostel, very clean and the people are nice and speak some English. I met some other people in my program and we walked around Santiago today. The town is pretty cool but the landscape surrounding it is amazing. The enormous Andes mountains surround the city and there is a shit load of snow on the tops of them, would be sick to ski them but would probably fall and die. We walked around some more and got something to eat and I quickly learned how bad my Spanish is and how dumb I sound, it is going to be interesting with my host family and los ninos. It is becoming winter here and I think I may need some more warm clothes (Ma you were right). But it was really warm and sunny today, something that the people say doesn't happen often because there is always smog. We start orientation tomorrow so we will see how things go. I will try and put pictures up as soon as I can but my camera ran out of battery.

Yesterday's history, tomorrow's a mystery, that's why they call it the present baby!

Love,

Franke

1st Post

2010-05-29T07:54:00.001-07:00

I leave for Chile today to teach the english to the children.