cachai? and a little about calor

not to be overzealous or anything...

I know I said I'd be more active in terms of blogging (cause there's no way I'd promise being more active physically haha), but I didn't think I'd be writing more than once a week. But I guess sometimes I'm inspired by little things. Things I'd like to share about my life here in Chile.

Part one: "cachai?"

Chilean slang is pretty much the same as English slang in relation to how it doesn't make sense and it's littered throughout conversation. I would have to say that the two most common slangs I've heard here in Chile (both of which people feel the need to continually teach me...even though the meanings are quite clear after almost a year of hearing it).

The word "cachai" is a verb. it means "get it?" or "ya know?" it is used at the end of almost every breath full of words describing something.

This couple is basically saying "I love you, cachai?" (ps this is really how Chile looks in terms of making out on the street and the fashion. I found this picture online)

This word can be used in the past, as a gerund and I've noticed that most people explain the word by saying "es como, me entiendes, cachai?" (it's like, do you understand me, get it?). Thanks for using the word itself in the meaning Chileanos.

The other extreeeeemely common word I hear daily is "weon" (pronounced way-on). it has many meanings. it can be an endearing or offensive term describing a person (dude or jackass), it's also a verb meaning something like fucking around, and its also another way of saying 'thing'. The Urban dictionary has these 3 phrases in spanish to help describe the meaning of each word:

a) Hola weon como stai? (hey man how are ya?)
b) estoy weando no ma (I'm just fucking around)
c) Que chucha es esta wea? (what the hell is this thing?)

This couple could be saying "Estamos weando pero te amo weon, no necesitamos tener un titulo por esta wea...cachai?" (We're just messing around but I love you boy, we don't need to have a title for this thing...ya know?)

My theory about these words is that they are useful. However, I'm not Chilean and have always hesitated to use these words and other Chilean slang because of that. I think I would feel much like how I look at Americans when they try to use "eh"....like and idiot.

So

back to the inspiration that led me to this blog post. I taught a new private student yesterday who knows NO English whatsoever. She has been practicing some verbs and so on herself but we started at the beginning of a text book I have that begins with:

'Hi I'm Jacqueline'

'Hi Jacqueline, I'm Maria. Nice to meet you.'

'Nice to meet you too'

.................you get the point.

So as I was teaching this, I was helping my student translate the things we were learning just to make it a little easier for her. Throughout our 1.5 hour class I had been blurting out little English words like "yeah, great job, maybe like, and get it?". "Que es 'get it?'" she asked. And then came my perfect moment to use 'cachai'. I described the meaning of get it by first saying "me entiendes" (do you understand me) and then I thought I'd just go for it and use the damn word. "Get it...es como cachai". I said it...I felt like such an imposter but also such a good teacher at the same time. I was so proud of myself and by the end of our class she told me that she thought my spanish was really good considering I knew nothing a year ago. So proud.

Part two: "a little about calor"

Calor is a spanish word meaning heat. Saying literally "I am hot" in spanish means that you're feeling frisky. So instead they say literally "I have heat". Which at this time of year basically takes place of the question "how are you?" when people say hello. Because its obvious dammit...everyone has heat.

Right now at 6:00pm it's 33 degrees C. It was 34 yesterday. I was outside with sunscreen on earlier today with a friend by the pool at my apartment for no more than 30 minutes and had to come inside. I didn't have class today and I'm quite happy about that...not only because today feels like a one-day-weekend but also because I don't have to walk around this city in the heat.

Of course it's nice to have sunshine and summer and all the wonderful things that go on with this season...but frig...this southern hemisphere sun is fuerte! (strong). So those of you reading this in winter...just remember how unbearable the sun can be sometimes...but then remember how much you'd like to experience that with me and come down here already!

love love

-jac.

out with the old.

.in with the new

it's time to put 2009 to rest.

great year, interesting year, tough, rough, happy, painful, hilarious and very spanishy year.

my dad asked me an interesting question today about the past 6 years of my life. "what would you change?". "nothing" i quickly replied, "I don't believe in that stuff". so although this year was tough at times..I wouldn't have changed a thing about it.

I think we spend a lot of time going through pain and wishing that things were different. But what we don't realize in those moments is that, that pain brings us to the happy moments we have after. I had some really embarrassing, painful (emotional and physical), sad, upset, and downright angry moments in 2009-but I got through it and it brought me to 2010.

I can already feel the ways in which I've change and I'm going to continue making those changes in the ways I'm living my life. My wish for those of you reading this...and even those of you who aren't is that you too have a fantastic year this year.

With that said here's an update:

I spent the last month of 2009 in Canada visiting with my family. It is always nice to return to home base to see my home change and grow and to see the things that have stayed the same and to experience those things with the people that know me best.

But I decided in September of 2009 that maybe one year in Chile wasn't going to be enough for me and so when I realized that I had the choice to stay, that's what I did.

So on January 7th I made the long journey back to Chile with a lengthy wait in the Mexico City airport...and place I had also experienced on my way home from Chile. I met an interesting man there who offered to help me find my way around the airport. Once he had my trust, he revealed to me that he was "only a taxi driver" but that he knew his way around this airport and that everyone who worked there knew him. He proceeded to tell me that he thought I was beautiful which is something a Chilean man would have said in his first breath to any foreign girl. After waiting a while and being convinced by false information on a flight info board that my flight had departed 4 hours early...I ended up on my 8 hour flight back to Chile.

Upon arrival, I felt a similar feeling to when I had arrived in February of 2009....amazement. Only this time I was amazed at things I had already seen, the sun, the mountains, the palm trees. I had seen these things for almost a year but it seemed so new again. I hope I don't lose those eyes that saw those beautiful things when I arrived....like the palms.

. . My first weekend back, I spent in the sun by my pool with Alvaro. This is just the beginning of my second week here and I've been to a couple BBQs and even helped host one at my apartment. I've gone swimming in the pool at my apartment a couple times and I feel like I've eaten an avocado almost every day. I've started some classes with my school and I've picked up about 4 or 5 private classes. I'm already making more money that I had last year.

I've been very happy being back. I've really enjoyed spending some time with my boyfriend, my friends and myself. I think I can reflect in this place..maybe it's because I'm free. I really don't know but it's a lovely place to be and I'm happy to be "home" again. Some things really make this place feel so special...namely, the guy below, the beautiful and colourful houses and the friends I've made here...even if they aren't here anymore, the laid back feeling, warm breezes, and the food :)

. . . .

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I hope to be more active when it comes to writing on my blog this year. I`d love to keep you updated and it`s fun for me too to look back on my experience here.

I wish you all the best this year.

love love.

jac.