Monday, December 22, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Lucho con la ducha (Battle with the Shower)
Okay, I try to stay positive about my experiences here in Chile because seriously I do love it here. The weather has been nice and HOT, there is always some place new to explore and visit and things are so much cheaper (2 pounds of fresh, juicy strawberries for 75 cents) But right now I really need to vent about my daily battle that makes me question if living here is really worth it. My enemy = the calefont!
Oh yeah, it looks innocent, doesn´t it? It is NOT. For those of you who have experienced a calefont before, I know you are on my side. For those of you who are innocent to how evil this machine really is, let me explain.
Chile is really a very developed country but when it comes to heating water, that´s where it all goes downhill. A calefont is used with propane gas to heat water when you need it for showering, washing dishes, etc. Sounds like a resourceful tool, doesn´t it? Well, don´t be fooled. My daily showering routine now includes twisting the cold knob a few degrees so that the water is tolerable for approximately 8 seconds before it gets too cold for comfort. I then twist the knob the other way, waiting for my 8 seconds of tolerable water again before it gets too hot. (Scalding hot some would say...) And it goes back and forth, back and forth until I finally decide to just give up.
Now, I´m not looking for sympathy. I know that I chose to move here and leave all those wonderful water heaters behind. I´m just venting in a public manner and reminding you to all be grateful for the water heaters in your lives. Treat them well. Give them regular check ups. And remember that it could be worse!
Oh yeah, it looks innocent, doesn´t it? It is NOT. For those of you who have experienced a calefont before, I know you are on my side. For those of you who are innocent to how evil this machine really is, let me explain.
Chile is really a very developed country but when it comes to heating water, that´s where it all goes downhill. A calefont is used with propane gas to heat water when you need it for showering, washing dishes, etc. Sounds like a resourceful tool, doesn´t it? Well, don´t be fooled. My daily showering routine now includes twisting the cold knob a few degrees so that the water is tolerable for approximately 8 seconds before it gets too cold for comfort. I then twist the knob the other way, waiting for my 8 seconds of tolerable water again before it gets too hot. (Scalding hot some would say...) And it goes back and forth, back and forth until I finally decide to just give up.
Now, I´m not looking for sympathy. I know that I chose to move here and leave all those wonderful water heaters behind. I´m just venting in a public manner and reminding you to all be grateful for the water heaters in your lives. Treat them well. Give them regular check ups. And remember that it could be worse!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Say 8 Tag -- Thanks Lar...
Just a little tag-a-roo from my favorite sister Laura--Enjoy!
8 Favorite TV Shows
1. The Office
2. Ugly Betty
3. Private Practice
4. Arrested Development
5. NCIS
6. One Tree Hill
7. Casáte Conmigo
8. Amazing Race
8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Olive Garden
2. Bajio´s
3. Craigo´s
4. Melina's
5. Rupe's Burgers
6. The Backyard
7. Mexivan in Rexburg
8. Chili´s
8 Things That Happened Yesterday
1. Made lunch (tacos) for the elders
2. Ate `once´ with Pablo
3. Helped Pablo with homework
4. Sent my resume to a bunch of different places
5. Chatted with Mark
6. Checked my facebook
7. Caught up on the watching The Office (www.surfthechannel.com)
8. Offered to wash my clothes but the lady I live with it did it for me
8 Things That I Look Forward to
1. Christmas package from my Mommy!
2. Something sparkly on my hand
3. Getting Christmas shopping done
4. Going to the beach on Monday!
5. Pablo graduating
6. Seeing my family again and meeting my new nephew that will come in Feb!
7. Working...
8. Seeing Twilight (gets to Chile January 1st)
8 Things I Love about Fall/Winter (Spring/Summer here...)
1. The cool evenings
2. The sunsets in Chile over the Andes Mountains
3. Eating ice cream that was only like 17 cents
4. Going to the beach
5. Eating Mote con Huesillo YUM!
6. Taking siestas
7. Planning your day around the cooler parts of the day
8. I´m just grateful it isn´t snowing!
8 Things On My Wishlist
1. Peanut Butter M&M´s
2. New bag/purse
3. a small little Bling-Bling on my hand
4. Only having ONE roommate who is not female
5. a JOB
6. my own apartment
7. A nephew
8. Lindor Truffles
8 Friends I Tag:
Katy W., Michelle Y., Hillary K., Teresa S., Lacey H., Shara H., Kayla G. and anyone else who wants to!
8 Favorite TV Shows
1. The Office
2. Ugly Betty
3. Private Practice
4. Arrested Development
5. NCIS
6. One Tree Hill
7. Casáte Conmigo
8. Amazing Race
8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Olive Garden
2. Bajio´s
3. Craigo´s
4. Melina's
5. Rupe's Burgers
6. The Backyard
7. Mexivan in Rexburg
8. Chili´s
8 Things That Happened Yesterday
1. Made lunch (tacos) for the elders
2. Ate `once´ with Pablo
3. Helped Pablo with homework
4. Sent my resume to a bunch of different places
5. Chatted with Mark
6. Checked my facebook
7. Caught up on the watching The Office (www.surfthechannel.com)
8. Offered to wash my clothes but the lady I live with it did it for me
8 Things That I Look Forward to
1. Christmas package from my Mommy!
2. Something sparkly on my hand
3. Getting Christmas shopping done
4. Going to the beach on Monday!
5. Pablo graduating
6. Seeing my family again and meeting my new nephew that will come in Feb!
7. Working...
8. Seeing Twilight (gets to Chile January 1st)
8 Things I Love about Fall/Winter (Spring/Summer here...)
1. The cool evenings
2. The sunsets in Chile over the Andes Mountains
3. Eating ice cream that was only like 17 cents
4. Going to the beach
5. Eating Mote con Huesillo YUM!
6. Taking siestas
7. Planning your day around the cooler parts of the day
8. I´m just grateful it isn´t snowing!
8 Things On My Wishlist
1. Peanut Butter M&M´s
2. New bag/purse
3. a small little Bling-Bling on my hand
4. Only having ONE roommate who is not female
5. a JOB
6. my own apartment
7. A nephew
8. Lindor Truffles
8 Friends I Tag:
Katy W., Michelle Y., Hillary K., Teresa S., Lacey H., Shara H., Kayla G. and anyone else who wants to!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Weekend Fun!
Though I didn´t spend my weekend eating lots of Turkey and early morning shopping, we did have a fun weekend! Friday night was the Azul y Blanco (Blue and White) Stake Dance for all the YM and YW. I recently got called as the 2nd counselour of YW in my ward, and Pablo is the 1st counselour of YM in the Stake, so we had plenty to do to get ready for the dance. Most of the day Friday was spent decorating and getting ready and then Friday night was the dance. Here´s a picture of three of my 4 Beehives (and the grand daughter of the YW President who is from a different ward) 
Here´s a picture of Pablo with the 2nd counselour from our Stake and the President and other counselours of the Stake YM Presidency--they are all single, RM´s if any of you are out there looking! (wink, wink!) Notice that they are all wearing the same blue ties--just following the theme I guess!
Here are a few pictures of our humble Thanksgiving Day feast if you will! Pablo and I made chicken and rice ( pretty common Chilean meal!) I didn´t know how to make rice like chileans do so I got online and typed in Google--how to cook rice. And guess what--I found a page with step by step instructions, WITH pictures! Nice! (Click HERE if you want to try it at home!)
And don´t forget our scrumpcious deseret of ALFAJORES! Not home made, but one of my absolute favorite treats here in Chile. Seriously, how do Americans survive without them?! They are chocolate dipped, cookie-ish, with manjar (kind of like carmel but way better!) My mouth waters looking at the picture!
I hope you all had great Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekends--though mine was a bit different then usual, it was still pretty great! Now, onward and upward with Christmas shopping and Holiday plans!
Here´s a picture of Pablo with the 2nd counselour from our Stake and the President and other counselours of the Stake YM Presidency--they are all single, RM´s if any of you are out there looking! (wink, wink!) Notice that they are all wearing the same blue ties--just following the theme I guess! 
Here are a few pictures of our humble Thanksgiving Day feast if you will! Pablo and I made chicken and rice ( pretty common Chilean meal!) I didn´t know how to make rice like chileans do so I got online and typed in Google--how to cook rice. And guess what--I found a page with step by step instructions, WITH pictures! Nice! (Click HERE if you want to try it at home!) 
And don´t forget our scrumpcious deseret of ALFAJORES! Not home made, but one of my absolute favorite treats here in Chile. Seriously, how do Americans survive without them?! They are chocolate dipped, cookie-ish, with manjar (kind of like carmel but way better!) My mouth waters looking at the picture! 
I hope you all had great Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekends--though mine was a bit different then usual, it was still pretty great! Now, onward and upward with Christmas shopping and Holiday plans!
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