YESTERDAY

I saw Paul McCartney in concert! One of the best nights of my life....

... sort of a strange week, since I spent the first few days in bed with food poisoning, then went to the ER, then saw a Beatle in concert...

How Mature...

but at least they are insulting each other in English!

Seen on the board and the remains of a Jeopardy! review game.

Famous Person

I was on my way to class today, and saw this person on her way into La Moneda - lots of press, and reporters asking who it was... I have to ask a Chilean!

Another post about gender

So, in Chile, gender norms are much more strongly defended and maintained. For example, I have gotten in trouble for using the men´s bathroom in a Starbucks, even though the women´s was out of order, because it was too extremely out of bounds. I have bought men´s socks and athletic shoes, and been warned not to every time by Chileans who were shocked that I would even consider it, even though my feet are size 40-41, and women´s sizes only go to 40 in Chile. This is something I´ve done countless times in the states, with no one blinking an eye.

A lot of the time, to (especially older) Chileans, it is inconceiveable that anyone would go outside the unwritten boundaries gender gives us.

Which is why I appreciated the fact that, when I went to buy hiking boots, the assistants in the store asked what size I was, and whether I had wide feet, and immediately recommended buying a men´s boot, not a narrow women´s boot. Score one for comfort and sense and gender neutrality!

I could write a book on how gender roles and gender norms and sexism in Chile drive me nuts and negatively affect how nearly every interaction I have goes, but here was a bright point, sad that it takes so little to give me hope!

To add to that, I now have boots to wear while hiking Torres del Paine with Joan!

Will and Kate on the Santiago Metro

My morning commute today.

Job Application Break

I was in a cafe, applying for job after job, and this girl comes in and just starts singing.

Not only is she great, but her English is amazing! (As you see at the end, she´s Chilean.)

These cafes are pretty neat - they have free internet, and all the big newspapers and magazines are free to read here, just for the asking. And you don´t even have to buy anything to drink or eat to study there! There is a whole system of them throughout the city, which is an excellent public service.

How to refill your cell phone minutes

...Find one of these teenagers on the street, give them a few mil, and your phone company and number. Tada!