Greetings from La Serena!

Sorry I've been so absent recently. For the past three weeks (THREE weeks) we've been staying at Pedro's grandparents' house in La Serena. That makes 3 out of the 4 weeks that I've been here. Don't get me wrong, I really feel lucky that Pedro has such a wonderful family, but three weeks becomes a bit much. At times, this transition into Chilean life can seem less than peachy. Being a gringa, it's hard not to feel like an outsider. I've been told by other gringas (who are far past this first step) that it gets better -- and I'm positive that it will.

All complaints aside, I really do love Chile. While we've been here we went to see Tongoy, a little fishing village where people go to vacation during the summer months. It was a beautiful day, so we stripped off our winter coats and watched people surfing in the little bay. As we drove through the town we oohed and awwed at the houses that we dreamed about owning one day. 

We finally stopped when we got to the beach side, so that we could try their famous jaiba (crab) empananadas... but we got embarrassingly and inexplicably drunk after one pisco sour each, so the excitement for the empanadas melted into uncontrollable laughter at our sad state. After we parked on the beach a few meters down from the restaurant, we had to take naps in the car before we drove home. We are not normally so lush...

still sober

Fishing boats of Tongoy

Once we had sobered up, we decided to head out to Playa Blanca. We didn't go all the way down to the beach, but the views were amazing. 

Today we're heading home (and eating Huentelauquen empanadas on the way there! YEEEE!). We're leaving and I've realized that I'm going to miss this bustling orange home. The worries about the possibility that I have anemia because I only choose to drink tea puro (or tea without milk). Through the discussions about politics and the tears of homesickness, I'm starting to feel a little spot growing that's just for me, in my own little Chilean world with my little Chilean family. Well, it's actually a huge Chilean family, but it sounded better the other way.

Chile is crazy. It surprises me everyday. But the people are warm and the landscape is breathtaking and I couldn't be happier. In an out-of-my-mind kind of way.