The South of Chile

My work travel plan worked out perfectly for me to stay for a week in the south of Chile. I was originally scheduled to fly south for just two days and then fly back north to another workshop, but in the end it was conveniently canceled. I postponed my scheduled flight and changed the departure city so I take of advantage of my time there. Everyone in Chile talks about the south like it’s the country’s golden area. I have always heard about how breathtaking and green it is, and I’ve always wanted to check it out. Luckily I know some people I could stay with and who could show me around.

I landed in Valdivia on Tuesday the 19th with the rest of the day open to check out the place. The city of Valdivia is surrounded by a big river (actually three different rivers that converge), and the city is known for the biggest earthquake ever recorded, which destroyed almost everything in 1960. I had met up with a friend and co-worker Cristían Gervic at the airport, and after we checked in at the hotel we headed for the fisher’s market where I ate the biggest and best piece of fish ever. We walked around the city until it got dark and started to rain, and with nothing else to do we decided to go see a movie at the mall.

The next day we were up early and off to set up the training workshop at a lodge out in the forest, which is really a jungle. You would have to bushwhack your way through if caught in the middle of it. It was cold and rainy the whole morning until the late afternoon when the sun started coming out. I guess I had gained the confidence of the owner of the lodge because he insisted that I take his truck out for a drive to see more of the forests and countryside. The sights were beyond description, and the chance to be cruising by myself with the windows down was one and only. The sky was clear and bright blue right after a long rainfall, and the clouds moved quickly through the trees and over the hills. Everything was lush green. I cruised for about 45 minutes, getting out often to snag a picture or explore down the hidden path.

My Video of the South

Walking away from the borrowed truck

After the workshop that day I got on an hour and a half bus ride headed south for the small town of San Pablo (just 20 minutes north of Osorno). I stayed the next couple days with Hugo Muñoz, who was one of my mission companions, and his parents and sister. I think I accustomed myself a bit to life in the south by helping with daily tasks like chopping wood and making homemade bread.

El Toro de Osorno

In spite of being sick with a cold, Hugo and I got up early Friday morning to take a couple of bus rides to the Puyehue National Park. It was really cold with rainfall off and on, but we made the best of it. We went on a little hike around the rainforest until the hot springs opened for swim. The place was awesome—a pool of hot water right next to a fast-flowing river. We were able to get in the freezing water of the river and then back in the pool as the cold rain fell down everywhere. After the pool our plan was to hitchhike our way to some waterfalls farther up the mountains, but after waiting for way too long for a vehicle to pass by, we thought we better start walking towards a crossing where it would be easier to find a ride. Once we got far enough along the road it started to pour. We both got completely soaked with miles still to go. After about an hour of walking we finally made it to the crossing and found shelter under a crowded bus stop (by the way, the hitchhiking ironically didn’t work once passing cars saw that we were completely wet). The wind started to pick up, which blew the rain right under the little covering. I could feel the water dripping down my legs and filling my shoes completely with cold water. After waiting for the bus for half an hour we still had another hour and a half bus ride back home without eating anything all day. Not the day I would have picked, but lessons were learned.

The hike

The hot springs pool and river

The worst luck ever hitchhiking

Friday night I got on a bus to Llanquihue to spend the next few days with the Wilhelm’s, who were my mission Presidents. What an honor it was to spend time with them, and it was a blast to be able to remember experiences and stories from the mission that made us laugh. Hermana Wilhelm prepared some of the best Chilean food ever, and President showed me around the area. The Wilhelm’s live outside of the city of Llanquihue and they have a view of the vast lake and snow-covered volcanoes across the water. On Sunday morning we went to a new building dedication where President Wilhelm (now Elder Wilhelm) dedicated the first new chapel constructed since 2004. Hugo met up with us Sunday evening and spent the last night with us there.

The Wilhelm's

New chapel of Alerce

Volcano Osorno (and another smaller one) across the lake Llanquihue

Hugo Muñoz

Ovalle

Two weekends ago I had the great opportunity to stay in the city of Ovalle. Ovalle is where I made many strong friendships, and where I grew the most on my mission. I had been wanting to return ever since I left.

I stayed the weekend with the Vega Ibañez family (Raul and Claudia) and their three daughters (Yanara, Paloma, and Anastasia). One morning I got up early and made them French toast, which was completely new to them. That same day we did a BBQ together and invited over others with whom I became good friends. We grilled up some chicken and chorizo (sausage) and made choripan (chorizo and bread) with pebre (onion, tomato, garlic, and cilantro).

The following day I saw many other friends at church, one in particular named Gerald. After church I had lunch with the Olivares family who always provides an outstanding meal. We had empanadas, salad, mashed potatoes and roast beef, fruit, and strawberry cake. We spent the whole afternoon laughing about past times and experiences.

Olivares Family

In the afternoon I went out "canuteando" with the Elders to visit two other converts of mine. They have since struggled with attending church regularly, but have their goals set and are working towards being better with hopes to go to the temple someday. I also visited another friend who started investigating the church when was first in Ovalle. The missionaries have contacted her again after three years and continue to teach her.

We watched the Joseph Smith movie at Karen Alfaro's house in Ovalle

Workshops

The last two weeks have been busy ones. We began work with Cruz Verde, which is a large national pharmacy chain in Chile. We are in charge of providing training workshops for their employees three days a week in different parts of the country. Two weeks ago I stayed in Limache for one of the trainings, and then went to Santiago for the other two. I am what they call an “Outdoor.” For half of the time the group of about 25 employees receives a presentation and training on customer service, business culture, and sales techniques and then I take over to direct different games and dynamics outside that illustrate what was taught inside. Each seminar is held in a place where there is plenty of open space outside so those who come can get some fresh air. The first two days I observed how it is done and what is said, and then on Thursday I did my part alone. It was intimidating, but fun to use a different gringo style of running things. Although this part of my internship does not exactly have a lot to do with what I am studying, I am grateful for the experience.

Last week the “outdoor” adventures continued. Last Tuesday I was on a bus at 6:00 AM on my way to Santiago to do another workshop. The spin on the outside part this time was that it was pouring rain. We all got wet, but the activities were still effective. After the workshop, I was one bus and two taxi rides away from boarding a plane headed for city of Antofagasta in the north.

Our plane took off about an hour and a half late, which sent me off at about 10:30 PM. I had assured my mom that flying in Chile would be perfectly safe, but it’s been quite some time since I’ve been as scared as I was on that plane. The take off was great, and I even snagged an exit row seat. But not much later after take off the pilots must have started walking a slack line in the cockpit as they steered the plane. We went back and forth and up and down. The wind had picked up and this little jet was all over the place. It was one of those times when you try and keep your cool on the outside, but inside you’re wondering where you’ll be in 15 seconds. I did however meet a new compadre named Alejandro who is from Viña del Mar. He offered to drive me into town to my hotel, which was very fortunate given that there were no taxi’s there after midnight when we arrived.

Five hours of sleep later I was up and off to another workshop. The curve ball this time was that only six people showed up! At first I thought it would be easier, but group activities are lame without the group, and smaller groups are more difficult to captivate. We did what we could, got a little bored, and wrapped up the workshop earlier than usual.

I didn’t get to see Antofagasta much, but just by passing through it looks like an okay place. The only green is what has been planted in the city, and the rest is nothing but brownish-greyish dirt everywhere you look. The city is right by the ocean with mountains on the other side. I was told by the people at the workshop of some of the problems here. Many come here to work in the mines in the north of Chile and make good money. The problem is that the workers typically don’t have much education and don’t spend their money on meaningfully. There is a lot of prostitution and drug traffic that has entered in from neighboring countries.

That night I got on another plane headed back to Santiago to spend the night. 4 hours of sleep later I was up at 5:15 AM and later on a plane at 7:00 AM. I was headed back north to the city of La Serena, which is the furthest city north in my mission. I feel asleep during the flight and woke up as we were landing. I looked at the window and knew that we were in fact not in Serena. The anxiety really settled in when the flight attendant said over the speaker, “Welcome to Copiapo.” I thought that I had really screwed up and got on the wrong plane until after we landed and the pilot told those who were headed to Serena to remain on the plane. I arrived very late to the place where everyone was for the training workshop, but things went well.

The whole week I had been carrying extra luggage because I had planned to spend the weekend in a city where I served for the last part of my mission. The city, Ovalle, is about an hour and a half away in bus from Serena so I thought that I would just miss my flight from Serena to Santiago, and hop on a bus ride to Ovalle inside. That was the plan the whole week—hence the extra luggage—until I found out after I had already left home with extra luggage that I would be charged if I missed the flight. The new plan was to take the flight back to Santiago to hop on a 7-hour bus ride back to Ovalle during the night. When I got to the airport to head back to Santiago, they told me that due to the fog, the plane wouldn’t be leaving, and that they would return the plane ticket back to Cruz Verde who had paid for it. I could not believe my luck (however “luck” isn’t what we call it exactly), and I hopped on a bus to Ovalle. 

Again, not the most entertaining video, but these places are incredible. 

Trojan horse playground in Limache

Palmeras in Santiago

My supply table in Antofagasta

Paintings from the airport in Antofagasta

This one is open for interpretation

Food

This past week I have been working a lot on putting together a presentation on strategy for Surmount, the company I am working with. They gave me a very broad task of coming up with new ideas and methods to improve the customer experience that the companies we work with provide. It’s been a bit of a challenge taking on such a broad project, but at the same time it’s been great to use my own ideas.

This week has also been full of amazing food. On Friday I went with the Guajardo family (who I’m staying with) to Ramón Páez’ house to make tacos. I have never eaten so much good food, and ate about eight tacos. It’s easy to keep eating when there is an endless supply of fresh guacamole, beans, salsa, meat, chicken, and cheese. I also experienced more of the Chilean culture I hadn’t known before as a missionary. Apparently it is typical to stay out really late with friends. We got home at about 2:30 AM!

Tacos con los Páez

The following day we fired up the mud oven in back and cooked up some ribs, steak, potatoes, chicken, and fresh bread (pan amasado). Despite the fact that I ate enough to carry over until the following day, I am still just as thin.

Pancito amasado, goat cheese, butter, and ají pebre (salsa)

On Friday I put some shops skills to practice in cutting about 50 PVC pipe pieces for an activity we will be using this week as we train the regional managers of a pharmacy called Cruz Verde.

Cutting with Pablo using a little table saw

My greatest accomplishment this week was finally breaking a light bulb with my head. I liked to think that it was something that only happened to my old man, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t think this day would one day arrive. It was the classic stand straight up right into a light fixture. 

In Santiago last week

The golden hour in Limache 

This video shows some clips from a stake primary activity I helped out with a couple weeks ago. Not the most exciting video, but you get the point.

It's Raining, It's Pouring (And Other Stuff)

I feel that bloggers should always have something profound and eloquent to say. I don’t, sorry.

I have wanted to be back in Chile ever since I left in 2010. The time is flying by, but I feel fortunate that I am able to enjoy every moment. I wish you could experience every sight, sound, smell, taste, and feeling. Above all, I wish you could laugh and visit with all the outstanding people who have become my good friends. Let me know if you want to make the trip down, and I will be more than happy to make accommodations. I might also be open to the idea of paying part of your ticket, depending on who you are. 

Monday was a national holiday so we didn’t have to work! I had an awesome lunch with the Diane family and then went up to their cabin in a rural area called Olmué. (You should be able to see what I’m talking about in the video below. Also, you can see the video better if you click on the youtube button. The video also shows some shots when I dropped off Elder Daine at the airport with his familia.) That night we did our own little FHE with just the three of us before I switch houses back to the Guajardo family.

This past week I have spent a lot of time putting together a lot of my resources along with collecting other materials in order to put together a presentation for my bosses. We are working with a new client, which is a Catholic University and organization called Duoc. My experience should (hopefully) come in handy in putting together a strategy to offer to their management as a consulting project we are working on. I am excited to contribute, but the language continues to be a frustrating barrier in business language. At least I should be able to come home and shoot more the breeze with latinos at home. The video below shows some travel to Santiago and also a brief shot of a convention seminar we helped put together for el Banco Ripley.

I didn’t get out too much this weekend because of all the rain that hit the area, but I did get to go to an awesome ward activity that the sister missionaries put together. They turned off all the lights in the church, added all sorts of obstacles, blindfolded us, and then gave us an iron rod (a long garden hose) to follow to the chapel where they had covered everything in white and had a little tree with lights. The fruit given to us was an American marshmallow! It was a blast and also turned out to mark everyone in the ward in some way. Small wards are the best.

It was a lot harder than I thought it would be

Some of the other highlights of the week were getting cozy on the Guajardo’s master bed to watch Rudy together, eating lunch with South West (Elder West) in Santiago with Ramón and Helgi (my “bosses”), winging a musical number the day of for a baptism on Saturday, visiting a convert in a small farming area known as Lliu Lliu (“jiew jiew”), eating lunch with Ramón’s family today, and then going to the Campos’ house in Quilpué for hermana Campos’ birthday.

This is a Mormon dog named Bermutus. He followed my companion and me every day in the mission while I was here in Limache, and he still follows the missionaries. I laughed so hard when I walked through the lobby today at church and saw him sitting inside! He has followed me a few times when out and about. He does a good job at being who he is. 

Igualitos 

Birthday party for hermana Campos. We all sang a different song for her.

Last Sunday I dropped in on an old investigator I taught here in Limache. His name is Alejandro and he treats me like his grandson. I think he goes overboard a bit, but I’ll let you be the judge. As I mentioned before about the “besito,” I haven’t specifically mentioned that it doesn’t typically happen between men unless it is a very close family relationship. Well when I said goodbye to Alejandro, he kissed me one the check, twice on the neck, and then once on each hand. I’ll leave it at that without further comment. 

Abuelito 

This photo was on his wall in the living room (photo taken in 2008)

Making sopaipillas on a rainy day with Rocio

Casuela Chilena

Hanging with my girls on the weekend