by Sally Rose | Feb 18, 2018 | Chile, Expat, Teaching, Travel
The Chilean school year will be starting soon, so I’m taking this opportunity to post an excerpt from my memoir, A Million Sticky Kisses. It’s about my first day at school in Santiago, Chile. From A Million Sticky Kisses: “Peter, who had picked me up...
by Sally Rose | Feb 10, 2018 | Chile, Expat, Travel
When I was a child, I had a little jewelry box. It had a wind-up music box in it. When you wound the key and then opened the box, a plastic ballerina danced around in a circle and the music box played a waltz entitled “Fascination.” I had no idea of the...
by Sally Rose | Jan 28, 2018 | Chile, Customs, Health
Recently, I saw an old friend for the first time in many years. I don’t know when our next visit will be, so before we parted, I made sure to give him a good, long hug. Have you been hugged lately? A quick touch and go? Most hugs are like that. A fast embrace,... by Sally Rose | Jan 14, 2018 | #Food, #funny, #localcustoms, Chile, Expat
When is lunch not just lunch? When you’re in Chile, of course. The custom here is to eat an enormous lunch. And if you’ve been invited to someone’s home, it’s never just lunch. There is always sobremesa, after-meal table chat, which can last until...
by Sally Rose | Dec 25, 2017 | Chile, Christmas, Customs, Holidays, Traditions
In Chile, Christmas Eve is known as Noche Buena. This is the night that Christmas is celebrated with family, usually with a big meal and gifts for the children brought during the night by St. Nick, who is known as Viejito Pascuero. In years past, I’ve had...
by Sally Rose | Dec 18, 2017 | Chile, Christmas, Expat, Holidays
I have rarely spent Christmas in Chile. One of my neighbors has hung a Christmas wreath on the apartment door, but I can’t get into the spirit in 90º+ heat. When I think about it, I grew up in and spent a lot of years living in places where it was warm at...