Archive for December, 2006

Things I Never Talked About

Monday, December 18th, 2006

Encuentro Nacional de Jóvenes

A great opportunity to hook up with youth from all over Chile. Plus it was free!

Church Retreat

For three days and two nights the church went South of Santiago to Rosario. It was a good time relax and get to know others outside the jóvenes. Soccer and meditation, what more could you want.

Trip to southern Chile

Oh Jeff had the wonderful idea to take Mauricio, Camilo, and I to southern Chile for a couple of days to get to know each other better. Well, Camilo couldn’t go with us, so that was a drag. We went overnight by bus called “semi-cama” - YOU COULD LAY DOWN WHILE YOU RODE. Fantastic! We stayed in a top-notch hostelería in Villarrica owned by Americans. We hiked on the local volcano, hiked in Huequehue national park, and ate some delicious food. It was a great time out of the city.

Loss of my camera

Sadly I lost my camera in a river at a lovely place named Pucón. I proposed the idea of eating at a German restaurant outside of town, so we went and found the place, it was closed, but we looked around the grounds. We found a river and took some great shots and then it was out of the bag, on the ground, then in the river. It was a sad situation, but humbling. I got over it soon after.

Thai cooking with Jeff and Mark

Oh yes! Cooking with Jeff and Mark returned. We cooked some fantastic Thai food, with crudo, a Chilean raw beef dish, for an appetizer. Pad Thai, Tom Ka Gai, and curry chicken were delicious. Even though being taunted by Scott, he and John came over to crash thee party and eat our food. Oh well, it was fun.

More to come soon.

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Pinochet dies and we go on vacation

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006

 So I was at the church building on Sunday after our afternoon activity we have with the jóvenes and I call Jeff and he advises me to be careful as I go home as some people may get a bit wild at the news of Augusto Pinochet’s death.

 All afternoon people honked their horns as they drove down the streets. The communist youth, whom probably did not even live a day under Pinochet’s regime, gathered in Plaza Italia to celebrate. And, in typical Chilean-communist-youth-style, riots broke out and fires were set.

 Jeff, Mark, and I spent the evening eating sushi and fellowshipping with each other. The next day, Monday, there were people on the news still. Yet no clashes of supporters and defectors. No attacks on the government buildings. No, Chile keeps moving on.
—
 Amanda, John, Ryan, and I took a small intern vacation to the coast before Ryan and I go back to the USA. It was a grand time. John and I were the only one’s brave to enter the frigid waters on the overcast day in Zapallar. In all it was quite fun and we finished it off yesterday in Viña del Mar with a fajita dinner.

 I hope all is well where ever you are reading this. Cheers.

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