Weekend update

I like Sundays. They're the days in which I don't feel pressured to do something social or productive. I have complete license to lounge around all day, in a mix of the clothes I've just slept in, padding around in my red slippers that I bought from Santa Isabel.

It's not that I'm completely unproductive. I usually take my time catching up on the news, reading my favorite sex columnist, and getting my pop-culture hate fix. I download the latest of The Daily Show, which never ceases to both inform and entertain. I log onto nola.com to see what kinds of shenanigans and scandals are plaguing my city this week. I call Mom on Skype and maybe watch a movie.

This weekend was a good one, mostly spent with my pololo E., roommates and friends. This weekend:

My first expedition to La Vega Central. It's THE fruit and veggie market of Santiago. The produce is cheaper, fresher...but the cost comes at having to make your way through the hoards of santiaguinos and vendors, clamoring about prices and quantities and hastily making their way through the tiny aisles. I can barely deal with regular shopping malls without getting stressed, so needless to say the experience took a lot out of me. But we came away with two stalks of broccoli, one of cauliflower and ton of beets for about US $3.50.

The wild goose-chase for mote con huesillo. Yesterday was one of the first warm days since winter set in a few months back, so after a hectic time at La Vega, E. and I were craving a refreshing mote con huesillo.

Unfortunately, after roaming the centro for about an hour, looking for street vendors and ducking into various cafes, our mission was reluctantly aborted. We compromised on Mega ice cream bars (sooo not the same...) and finally sat down, exhausted, on a bench in Plaza Brasil near my apartment. Poor E. insisted on carrying our heavy load of veggies the entire time, without complaint, even after I offered to help...let's hear it for that famous Chilean chivalry.

Game night. My roommate S. arrived from France with a myriad of card games. I never played many games in the States, but it really is a fun alternative to getting smashed at bars as your main source of recreation. Plus we usually have a few liters of Cristal or a bottle of pisco on the table to share, so it's always a good time.

Last night there was about ten of us: my roommates S. and B., my other roommate Y. and his sister who was visiting from Valparaiso, friends K. and J., P. and F., and of course E. and me. A chill yet entertaining evening!

Other highlights. I talked to E.'s mom on the phone, which was a semi-success (i.e. semi-disaster.) It's incredible how much nerves can affect your comprehension abilities. How can I understand almost everything E., my roommates and students tell me, but have so much trouble in situations when I get nervous? Argh. But basically she wanted to thank me for the basket of goodies from Peru and invite me to lunch soon. My expression of desperation and terror seemed to amuse E., who was 90% giggling and 10% cringing.

Isn't Spanish fun?