Santiago Impressions

Hi again! I'm doing well, but unfortunately I've been sick since Tues. I have a bad cough and cold, so I haven't had the energy to see a whole lot. But here's what I've managed to pull together...

I accomplished my goal of attending Yom Kippur services! I went to La Comunidad Israelita, a conservative synagogue. A few hours before the service, I was in the hostel on the Internet figuring out how to get there. Someone new sat down next to me so I asked his name and where he was from: Ilan from Switzerland. Right away I thought he might be Jewish, but I didn't want to come right out and ask. So I just said, "Ilan's not a very common Swiss name it it? It sounds like Hebrew." He did turn out to be Jewish, so I invited him to come to services with me. A funny coincidence, especially since he's the first Jewish person I've met here and it was while I was looking at the synagogue info.

Everyone had a reserved seat, but somone told us we could sit in any open ones. We ended up sitting next to an 80-year-old woman named Gitel, who made her neice and nephew sit behind her so that Ilan and I could sit next to her! She was very warm and open, and it made me feel at home. There were about 1200 people at the service, which began with 15 old men carrying Torahs around the room. For the most part, there was the usual crowd: the darling grandfather who looks a little like Einstein, the 10-year-old boy who insists on wearing his soccer jersey, the well-dressed couples, the little kids running around...but there were also a lot of blondies! I saw one man who looked just like Arnold Schwarzenegger with blonde shoulder-length hair. That would be an uncommon sighting at a North American temple! And of course, another difference was the Spanish. I'd say I understood 90% of it and knew about half the tunes. The best surprise was that we sung the V'ahavta to a melody we use at camp (yai-dai-dai-ya-da-da-dai > can you hear it JRFers?!), which we consider alternative but was their standard one. The rabbi had been in Peru last month when the earthquake hit, so his sermon was comparing life to an earthquake-often fragile and easily shaken. I would say it was a positive Yom Kippur service over all!

My Brazilian roommates left, I roomed with Andrea from Switzerland briefly, and now Yvet from Holland is here. Really wonderful people! For Andrea it was her last day of a year traveling, and for Yvet this is her first day of a year traveling. The cycle continues. The hostel is great-where else can you meet people from 15 different countries in one week?! I have really connected with Yvet, and last night we went to a Middle Eastern restaurant for dinner. The owner, a Palestinian woman, asked where I was from. Before I told her, she said my accent sounded Ecuadorian. A compliment indeed!

Today I went to La Chascona, one of three houses that the famous poet Pablo Neruda lived in. Part of it is designed to look like a boat because of his love affair with the sea (e.g. the floor of the study is sloping to make you feel like you're on the ocean). Neruda's original writings are also displayed. In case you're wondering, La Chascona refers to the unruly hair of Neruda's third wife, Matilde Urratia. There's a portrait of Matilde and her wild hair in the house, painted by the famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Neruda passed away on Sept 23, 1973 at the age of 69 (pure coincidence that I decided to go his house today, Sept 23).

I've been feeling like I'm hanging in the balance between Cuenca and Santiago and have been pondering their differences. Here's what I've noticed about Santiago compared with Cuenca:
1. It is much bigger! There are skyscrapers and wide streets and lots and lots of people.
2. It doesn't feel "South American" and is more westernized.
3. People are less warm and although they're helpful, not a single person has smiled back when I smile at them on the street.
4. I get more cat calls and constant stares.
5. It is more laid back and liberal (there's a gay pride parade next Sat!).
6. People drink wine and beer in the streets and parks. Speaking of parks, there is much more PDA than in a U.S. park.
7. More people smoke.
8. There is a lot of graffiti around the city-some of it neat but some of it on important monuments.
9. The goth/hipster look is popular among teenagers and university students. Think black clothes, tapered jeans, dark makeup, and big necklaces.
10. It is really expensive, some places comparable to the U.S.

I guess that's not a very positive list. There are also great things, like beautiful mountains (but Cuenca has those too so they didn't make the list). Where does all this leave me? Truthfully, I haven't been as impressed as I thought I would be. Yesterday and today I went to look at many neighborhoods around the city and was disappointed to not find a single one that I liked. I saw none that were cute or quaint or charming. It seems that the only nice neighborhood (apart from the rich, fancy neighborhood-that's not what I mean by nice) is the one I'm currently living in here at the hostel. But it seems to mostly have restaurants and bars and not apartments. And do you really want to live in a city that has only one nice neighborhood?! All that to say that today was the first day I thought about not staying in Santiago for the 8 months. I've definitely been missing Cuenca and the people there, but I know it's not just that. And although any place is mostly about the people, I'm not feeling such a positive vibe. So I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Do I pursue an apt & job here or figure out a different city to move to? Even if I don't end up living in Santiago (or Chile for that matter) there are a million places in Chile I want to visit. Do I work and make money and then travel or the other way around? And how to travel with my two big suitcases! I know I don't have to figure it out immediately, but I thrive on having a direction in which to head. I'm going to give it some serious thought. Any ideas/suggestions?

I just saw this quote on someone's blog: "Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going" (Paul Theroux). That's me, the wandering traveler unsure where I'm headed! I'm wishing myself more insight in the next week and the spirit of fully embracing this freedom and adventure.