Food and Family

This past long weekend was full of both.

Thursday evening Antonia had a show at school not unlike our old Variety Shows in grade school. The show was in celebration of the holiday Dia de La Famila. She attends an English emmersion school about 20 minutes away and timidly asked if I would like to see her performance. Obviously. (A word that I recently taught her that she says with an adorable inflection). So we drove to Traiguen to her school watching the sunset among the mountains. We arrived in the town that seems to be stuck in the 1950s (tuxedo clad men standing outside the Club Social de Traiguen among diner restaurants, etc) but charming nonetheless. The show began with introductions from faculty and as I tried to keep up with the quick speaking tendancies introducing the first act, I heard a familar sound. Party Rock Anthem. Yes, 5th and 6th grade boys in white t shirts doing a gymnastics routine to the LMFAO hit. I smiled internally knowing that they likely had no idea what all the words really meant. Other acts included adorable little girls speaking English, a mock Food Network type show describing the recipe for Family. Everything was cuter in Spanish. Antonia performed a great little song with musical instruments played by the class. The finale was the best as the entire school sang a rehearsed version (with hand motions) to Bruno Mars song Count on Me. Tears welled.

Following the performance (again similar to what we would do after variety shows and performances) the four of us went out to eat. We drove around the corner to a little diner type restaurant and I enjoyed my first churrasco. The best way to describe it would be a combination of a gyro and burger. It was shaved meat, avocado, tomato, mayonaisse (not being a fan, I did my best) all on a bun. It was delicious and very filling.

 The family dynamic here is notable. The extended family (which includes friends and neighbors and really everyone) is so welcoming, curious and patient. We went to Temuco on Saturday around 530 for an uncles birthday party. We stopped first at the mall in Temuco. As we entered, Juan exclaimed CIVILIZACION! Joking about the lack of life in our small town. I bought a few things and scoped out what people wear here. After the mall we went to the family´´s home and greeted about 20 more people with excitement. Not five minutes into me taking off my coat was I offered a homemade Pisco Sour (which I gladly accepted). I was then brought into the garage area where 5 more men were tending to pigs and other meats roasting for the asado. I was honored and embraced with many SALUDS as Juan cut off a piece of the pig´´s ear for me to eat. We closely settled inside around a large table and shared the enormous bounty of food and wine. The hosts are so attentive and lovely. The guitars were brought out and traditional music was played, the table moved aside and everyone danced and drank more. Before we knew it we were all exhausted and it was 330 AM. We arrived back home around 5 and needless to say slept most of Sunday.

Everyone is so gracious and the culture of sharing and inclusion has been made very apparent to me.