la familia

A thousand apologies. I have had internet access problems lately, and have not been able to update the blog. This is probably the most inopportune time to not update, because I'm sure you are all wondering about the family....

I am living with an abuelita named Nora. She is a woman in her late sixties (I would guess, anyway) who lives alone in an apartment in central Santiago. One of the first things she told me was "I may be old, but I'm not stupid. I'm a modern woman." One thing decidedly not modern about her is her decorating style. The whole apartment is very elaborately decorated with heavy draperies, porcelain figurines, chandelier light-fixtures, and wall-to-wall white carpet. Even my room has a chandelier and a lacy bedspread. It's not the most masculine room in the world, but upon removing the comforter I was pleased to discover a masculine-print sheet set on the bed.

Nora is an excellent cook. She won't stop feeding me. The first night here she made pastel de choclo, which is a very traditional Chilean dish. The best way I can describe it is diced meat with onion, chicken, olives, and pieces of hard-boiled eggs covered with a cornbread-like layer, cooked in a wooden bowl. It is delicious. She has also cooked tortilla española and porkchops, and her side dishes have included tomato-and-avocado salad, fruit salad, and homemade chicken soup. I think I have gained a few pounds since last Friday already. I had to tell her to ease up on the amount of food she cooks. The funny thing is, she drinks tea and eats crackers all day (except at lunch) while she prepares huge dishes for me.

The apartment is on the second floor of a thirteen story building. It has two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a dining room, a kitchen, and a living room. My window looks out towards the back of the building and other apartments. It is very ideally located. I have been walking to the special class the program is putting on for us every day while the other participants have to ride buses and take the Metro. Some of them said they have to leave their houses an hour early, but I have just a 15 minute walk.