An uneventful week

A rather uneventful week (i.e. a blah blog)
Under the weather a little with a cold, I spent most of the week blowing my nose, staring out the window at the slowly rising high rise across the street, watching the leaves fall, reading (one book about the lives of Elizabeth and Robert Browning, another about a North Korean family, the other the latest Maisie Dobb's English WWII mystery), listening to my favorite Bay Area classical station, watching the news on BBC (hoping that the two Koreas' leaders can bring about a lasting and productive accord to stop use of nuclear arms) walking around the neighborhood, planning everything I hope to do this week, and trying hard not to pass my cold to all the workers and visitors at the temple. The temple was quite busy before its closure for a day on Tuesday: May 1st, "labor day" which promises possible violent/chaotic demonstrations and military parades, which we are counseled to stay away from. Fortunately Chile is a mostly peaceful country these days compared to past decades and the violence and corruption in other Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Nicaragua. We are always aware of the good people living in these unstable places and of the missionaries whom we pray are safe. It seems these regimes change but don't progress enough; but there is hope that individual lives can change for the better with education, employment, and faith in God and His love for them. The church teaches spiritual and temporal self-sufficiency, that we can weather the storms of life.

As I read today in Deuteronomy 8: 7-9, it seemed the scriptures were talking about Chile, too, not just Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey that the righteous younger generation of Israelites would inherit as long as they kept the commandments (after the older generation that worshiped idols and spent most of their lives complaining to Moses and God, died off during their 40 years of eating manna in the wilderness): “For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates (all currently in the produce stands); a land of olive oil and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. (Chile is rich in minerals, and they love their bread!)

Our missionary/English Sunday School class being taught by Norm Poulsen. On far left is Hermano Rivero (Chilean artist and church patriarch who has been living in Chile but going home soon to Australia)

 I love the shadow of palms on the temple.

 Our street, on a quiet Sunday afternoon is almost empty. During the week it is bustling with students, young and old, shopping and buying food from vendors and in the many small restaurants which line Pedro de Valdivia . I enjoyed watching the green parrots and pigeons chattering and chomping away on liquid amber tree seed pods. In the later afternoon all the families and bikers, roller bladers will be out to enjoy the last week or two before daylight savings ends. I'll be happy to see the sun before 8 am in the morning.

Friday PM and Saturday at the temple are almost always very busy times.
 There is a separate building on the right (below) where day visitors cook/eat and hang out. Many come for the week/several days and stay on the second floor of the "hostal" where they can cook and eat. I live on the first floor. The missionary training center is on the 3rd floor and senior missionary couples are on the 4th floor.

(Elsa) and Ulf Munzing, Alma Umber, Ray and Dawn Schultz, (Vickie) and Neil Hurley, Jim and Clara Downer, Lorna and Tom Atkin (Physician assistant and attorney), Scott and Nina Isaacson, Nancy and Norm Poulsen. (Please excuse the blurry photo!)

 Last Monday we celebrated the birthday of Sister Clara Downer and the Downers' anniversary at a steak/ribs/hamburger restaurant called Mahmut and had cake and ice cream afterwards at the "hostal." We don't all get together very often as we work on two different shifts at the temple.
Our German/Canadian/ US/ married to a Chilean Sunday School teacher has now gone to the US to visit his children, so we will take turns teaching our English Sunday School class. As missionaries we generally don't have "ward" callings.

School was letting out at a private institution. Just as in the US, some kids pull roller bags, others carry backpacks. I am still surprised at the homogeneity in Chile. There are very few non-latino or non-Europeans. (i.e. very few Asians, Indians, Africans, Islanders, etc., all of whom I am so used to at home in California). 

Down the street at the Providencia municipality was a wonderful "feria" of Chilean artisania.  Lots of beautiful wood and metal art objects, percussion and wind instruments (the wood pipe took a lot of wind to blow!), Mapuchu and other woolen textiles, trees of life and basketry from the "Los Rios" region made since the 1700's, from a special vegetal fiber (vine);  jewelry, nativities, bowls, and pictures of copper, and intricate jewelry and accessories made of dyed horsehair ....many beautiful and interesting things I have never seen elsewhere! Chileans love their art, crafts, and culture, and have nice venues for displaying them.

 I can't imagine having that much breath: reminiscent of alpine horns in Europe.

Many types of wool: alpaca, llama,
vicuna, sheep

The artisans of horsehair have developed this miniature basketry technique over more than 200 years. This craft mainly performed by women, is part of the local popular knowledge and has been transmitted in family settings throughout generations.

The plaza behind the Providencia municipalidad on Pedro de Valdivia is a pleasant place to spend part of a Sunday afternoon!

I love the liquid amber leaves. Are some so dark because it isn't a cold enough Fall yet?
Happy Spring to you in the northern hemisphere!
Love and best wishes,
Hna. Miriam de Schweinitz

From A (avocados and artichokes) to Z (Zapallar)

From A (avocados and artichokes) to Z (Zappalar)

Empanadas of all sorts, fried or baked, and "completas" (palto=avocado, tomatoes, onions and here a hot dog) are among the favorite Chilean fast foods, available at bus stations and on every street.

Since I arrived in Chile 4 months ago I have wanted to visit a town called Zapallar, where the elite build mansions, and where there is much construction of smaller hotels and condos. I wanted to see if it was indeed a bit like the California coast around Big Sur or Santa Barbara. Everyone had already been there or was not interested, so Sister Umber and I went to the bus station (where we were sent to another station at U. de Santiago) and waited 2 hours for the Turbus (the buses are wonderful in Chile).

Houses along the way were Chilean, but the terrain reminded us of Nevada, Arizona, Utah, or parts of California. Just like from my city we needed to cross the coast range (cordillera) going west from the Andes, and then north (about 2 1/2 hours).

We could be looking across the Golden Gate to Marin County, California, with pines, cyprus, and eucalyptus and boats. 

We had been told that we could avoid climbing over lots of huge boulders which would take too much time, by walking along the small highway south of Zapallar to the small town of Cachagua, past a park and then down a trail to connect with the famous fabulous "rambla" (a stone walkway that connects the two towns about 3 km. apart. Can you pick it out towards the left near the water?) But despite asking everyone we met, we never found the path, the rambla, never saw the Chilean penguins or sea lions, or surf crashing against granite up close, but we did get some exercise, fresh air, and the desire to go back and find it next time! It is not tourist season, so we met no other tourists except a couple from Austria when we finally reached the tiny town of Cachagua.

We did walk on the beach and among the tide pools and then to Cachagua to catch the bus home.

We found the thatched roofs of almost all the new and older homes a bit strange

There's a piece of the rambla, but the rest means boulder hopping.

Central Chile is waiting for rain. Grapes and olives grow well here, but most of the delicious produce which is very reasonable comes from other areas. I still buy lots of blueberries, strawberries, etc.

Santiago's Estacion Central. Estacion Mapocho (below) was built in France and transported in pieces, but is now a renovated cultural center after much damage from earthquakes.

I had to take a picture of these artichokes...they look like flowers!  

I hope to find more wonderful concerts at times when I can attend. Working the evening shift makes it almost impossible. I'm glad to be able to listen to my California Bay Area classical station via internet.

Most of the metro stations have murals. To ride buses or the metro we buy "BIP" cards and keep recharging them. One ride costs a little over $1 US.

Providencia (our comuna) is filled with outdoor and indoor restaurants, which look delightful, though I almost always cook my own food.

There is a pleasant sculpture  (Chilean artists) garden along the river, with changing exhibits inside.

 University education is expensive in Chile, as are the private schools (colegios). Public education (escuela and liceo) also has costs, and most children/youth wear uniforms and attend from March-December from about 8/8:30 AM until 3/3:30, many coming home for lunch, the main meal. In the evening people have "once" (a warm drink and bread, crackers, something lighter)....more like British "tea." They drink a lot of juice and soda. There are candy and other snacks sold on every street, which probably accounts for more overweight people, as in other developed/developing countries.
Most children/ students study English, but are not very proficient unless they are in a top school and continue in college. I have met few people who study another foreign language. Many of the young LDS study English in the Pathways program. which allows them upon completion of three semesters on-line and with weekly meetings, to apply for BYU Idaho classes online.

I gave up after unsuccessfully trying to order a Fodor's Chile guidebook, but found one at this used book sale in Providencia...hooray!

From our convenient laundry room (washers and dryers are free to us) on the fourth floor, I took a photo of the construction site across the small street that runs between my apartment and this new residence (apartment building) to have 7 floors. The cement trucks, and hammers, drills, etc. wake us at 7 AM and the huge crane swings back and forth over our heads. They are working on the 3rd and 4th floors now. Building codes are very strict and foundations are especially built to resist earthquakes. Most people live in high rise buildings. I'm also waiting for these young ginko trees put my window to put on their yellow leaves.

We appreciate the very hard-working gardeners, especially the Haitians, who squat in the hot sun, and start work very early planting flowers (primroses here), mowing and blowing (another way to make sure we are awake), and keeping the temple grounds immaculate and beautiful.

Worldwide there are currently 159 temples in operation, with others close to being dedicated. The fact that temples (which have existed since the time of Adam that sacred ordinances might be performed) are planned for Russia, Haiti, Thailand, India, Zimbabwe, Durban South Africa and many other countries shows that the LDS church continues to grow throughout the world, without distinction as to wealth, education, race or ethnicity.  President Nelson on a recent visit throughout  Asia and Africa encouraged LDS members in Thailand to prepare themselves and their families to attend the temple. “I bless you with love at home, success in your work and joy in your hearts as you prepare for the temple of the Lord here in this sacred country,” he concluded. I'm grateful I can participate in this work in Chile. As I enter the temple I feel a desire to be a better person, a little less selfish and focused on temporal things that matter little in the whole scheme of things.
Have a wonderful week!
 Love,
Miriam