Fall in Santiago

It´s back-to-school time here. Actually, I think students started back almost a month ago now. I´m a little behind. Because there are more students running around, things change in the city. For starters, you can always find a crowd of young, impressionable smokers hanging out at every one of the high school and college campus. It´s as if they don´t actually go to class but just visit the building to smoke outside of it. It can be frustrating trying to walk through the crowds of adolescents making out while a heavy smoke reduces air quality drastically. Usually I try to avoid the schools. Unfortunately, Chile likes to group the same business together so where one school can be found, there is surely to be at least  four more within sight: two across the street and one directly after. Oh well. 

Speaking of school time, I recently learned of a custom here. Freshman or "Freshies" as they are called are stripped of their belongings and given rags for clothes to wear. They must walk the street to request donations to pay for their items. Once enough money is collected, they get their clothes and have enough money to throw a party. This trolling for coins lasts a couple of weeks. Students such as the one below can be seen in busy parts of the city requesting support. Since this is a well-known custom, the general population seems to be somewhat supportive and willing to give to the cause. 

Freshman collecting funds

More on the subject of school-age kids, I also learned of a game that is played here by youngins. Payaya, as it is called, can be compared to jacks. It is played with 5 small rocks. Players sit in a circle and take turns balancing the rocks on their hands, picking them up in fun combinations, or other stunts while tossing one rock into the air. It looks fairly easy, but I found out it was actually difficult. Think "contact juggling in the stone age". At least the supplies needed for the game are cheap. 

A couple of rocks = a round of Payaya

Semi-related vocabulary word of the day:

Torpedo - a cheat sheet. 

I went to the supermarket affectionately known as "Chanta Isabel" today. The actual name of the store is Santa Isabel. "Chanta" means "a fraud".  One reason for the name is that they never seem to carry the same products. What is there one day may not be there the next day. I often thought to myself, "Oh, I´ll buy that next time." Nope, you better get it while the gettin´s good. Don´t even bother asking for something either. I get an unexpected surprised look. It reminds me of a scene from The Devil Wears Prada when Miranda asks for some skirts. Her assistant tries to ask what kind of skirts (or were they scarves?) and everyone gasps. You don´t ask these people where the dental floss is or when more oranges will arrive. You just deal with what is available. 

Moving on, I found a funny looking eggplant pictured below. I´ll call him Ralph. I just had to take a picture of Ralph so that other people would believe what I found. After taking a photo, I was approached by someone in the produce department. In the great Chilean tradition of "you´re doing it wrong," she asked me to delete the photo and not to take anymore. Ooops. Lesson learned, kids. Don´t take pictures in the supermarket. They don´t like it. 

New friend, Ralph the eggplant

Although I didn´t delete the photo as requested, I did purchase the vegetable. Hopefully they don´t come to my home and fine me.

Patroling Pacos

 Finally, I´d like to present the Carabineros of Chile. "Carabinero" is a respectful and appropriate term for a police officer. They often ride on horseback in the city center because of the impossibly large traffic jams that are likely to occur. Motorcycles are also an appropriate option. They seem to be exempt from most road rules.

Just as the word "police" has many synonyms (some more formal than others) so does "carabinero". Hooligans can be heard referring to these guys as "pacos" (don´t get caught saying that within earshot of one) or "cops".