I had no idea that in South America it’s a rarity to have a dryer. Our AirBnB booking indicated there was a drier – there is not, unless it meant the drying rack. But of all the little things that have surprised me, this has been the least impactful. We’ve done a good job of […]

Every Sunday in Santiago, 30,000 people turn out with their bikes, rollerblades, skateboards, and running shoes to enjoy a five hour block of time in which certain roads in Santiago are shut down for recreation. We live within a few blocks of the route, and we had a chance last Sunday to participate. We cycled […]

We’ve mentioned how everything in Chile seems to be a multistep process. Even going to the grocery store requires parking in a deck and getting a time stamped ticket. They you have your temperature taken and hands sanitized before entry. You complete your shopping, sometimes having items unlocked or brought to you. Sunscreen and makeup […]

Katie has shared a bit about our early struggles with grocery shopping, ingredient selection, and homemade cuisine while living in Santiago. She’s leading the way to figure out a rotation of home cooked meals that are both healthy and tasty, and she’s scratching together a MacGuyver-like cookbook that makes use of the best inputs available […]

We’ve had some great outings in Chile so far. Our hikes have been challenging physically but really delivered as far as views and feelings of accomplishment. We’ve gone to some fun museums and what feels like every park in a five mile radius. Our bikes have brought exploring and smiles, but there are for sure […]

Earthquakes are not a frequent occurrence at home in North Carolina. Every few years, we might hear about a barely perceptible earthquake in the American south, and once I felt one in Raleigh in 2011, reported to be strongest earthquake in Raleigh since Columbus arrived. Based on my quick research this morning, looks like earthquakes […]

Our home here in Santiago is fenced. It’s walled actually. An eight foot masonry wall surrounds the property, and there are spikes atop the wall. There are barred gates for entry and exit into the courtyard and driveway. I’ve yet to see a house without a similar wall and fence. Many homes have electrified wire […]

The roof in our house leaks in heavy rains. The leak is in an unheated space in the home, though it’s where the laundry room and a spare bedroom are located. The owners of the home are aware, and they seem to have very little concern. I thought perhaps our landlords were simply neglecting their […]

When we traveled to the National Parks in the US, we always got a chuckle out of the foreign tourists that were constantly taking pictures of and trying to befriend squirrels. You might remember that this behavior lead to crazy squirrel attacks at Zion National Park. Well, here in Chile there are wild parrots / […]

We rose early for a day trip our first Chilean national park, La Campana, about 90 minutes from the house. We hiked 10km on the out and back trail called Sendero Los Peumos. The trail was lightly trafficked, as most hikers opt for the trail that leads to the top of mountain La Campana, from […]