Los Dominicos

Topping my last post is a challenge, that I have decided, after a week and a half, to finally overcome. Unfortunatly, I don't have any wild adventures from last weekend to report on, unless you count a party at Eric's apartment on Friday night with blasting techno music that was loud enough to get a ticket in the US. Aside from that, laying out at my roof pool with Jackie, Eric and Eduardo on Saturday and a Christmas party at Laura's on Saturday night, the weekend was pretty mellow. I did discover the aritsan market at Los Domincos with Jackie on Sunday afternoon, where I did some last minute Christmas shopping. My family better be excited for some really great Chilean presents. I wanted to buy all of the jewelry in the whole market! They had some really beautiful lapis lazuli and copper stuff. Lapis lazuli is incredibly famous in Chile, as it is one of the only two places in the world where it can be found in any large quantity (the other one is Afghanastan). The market also had a nice selection of alpaca and wooden crafts, and best of all, tons and tons of birds. I didn't really understand how the bird cages filled with ducks, chickens, parakeets, and cockatiels really fit in, but then again, I don't understand a lot of things in Chile.

For example, why do all Chileans have to do EVERYTHING at the same time? This custom includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:

- going to the bank at 9 AM
- going to lunch at 1 PM
- smoking cigarettes at 10, 12, 2, 4, 6, 8...you get the point
- shopping on the 1st of the month
- going to the beach every weekend during the summer
- not going into the water at the beach every weekend during the summer
- lining up to pay your bills on the 1st of the month

Personally, I hate to wait in lines, so cannot understand why anyone would choose to go at the time that everyone else goes anywhere, but that is just a cultural difference that I will have to get over, I suppose. Speaking of cultural differences, I get a break from them today for a short trip back to the US for Christmas. I am praying that Delta breaks their 2 year streak of failing to get me into/out of Salt Lake City at the scheduled time. A 16 hour flight is bad enough without complicating it with their reputation as the airline that "Doesn't Ever Leave The Airport." I am really looking forward to seeing my family, skiing in Deer Valley, speaking English, and most of all, eating American food. My dad just forwarded me a confirmation for the Riverhorse in Park City tomorrow night, so I am certain that my first meal will be delicious! All I have to do is get through the next 5 hours of work and I am off to the USA.

Bon voyage!