End of day 2

We left, Valentin, Sylvain and I, the apartment at 3:30, they were going to box, in what is the most primitive 1960's boxing gym in the world, I am sure. I checked out the gym next door for myself, it was a carbon copy without the boxing ring and the Jean Claude Van Damm posters; but later on, on my way home I found a gym only a few blocks from our house that was at least semi-modern. So I will have a peek tomorrow.

After dropping Sylvain off at the gym I went to Paris, a sort of department store, here I bought probably the most expensive pillow I've ever owned, but frankly I'm ok with spending $49 on a goose down pillow, I will bring it home with me, and sleeping without neck pain for the next 3.5 months is more important to me. Besides the only other expense I have here is food. What I found interesting was the other pillows available, mostly the type I described, regulation size airplane pillows, but the other goose down options were thin 1/4 size (as in flat) pillows, at first I planned on purchasing two of them, but in the end I thought, nah.

I also bought a new bath mat and then headed to the adjacent JUMBO grocery and everything else store. Sylvain wanted me to get a new rug, but instead I got a small waste basket and bought some food. Jumbo had better options than SUPER LINDER, but still isle after isle of olive oil and pasta. Chile's products by and large come in plastic pouch type packaging, the type of stuff that is highly compactable and in the states you find it when you're purchasing refill stuff. So the mayonnaise and ketchup is in a bag with a spout instead of a bottle. I bought stuff to make homemade pizza's a la John and Annie Campbell, thanks for the recipe guys, they were even better in Valporaiso, and fish tacos with a chicken substitute because I didn't recognize the fish. Still that all ended up costing me $40 and with a boyfriend who eats for three there aren't a lot of leftovers at the end of the day. It takes about 30 minutes to walk home and I still had to get an extra key made and post a couple English tutor flyers at Sylvain's University. In the end I only posted one, because I noticed all the other flyers had highlighter all over and I thought mine might get more traffic with some bright colors. Walking home with 7 or 8 weighty, cumbersome bags was a real workout. Screw the gym, I should just shop everyday. We live up atop a trying hill which is quite a hike, I am no longer sure regular workouts will be necessary.

I finally arrived home and got into bed to read some emails with my new pillow to support me. Sylvain came home an hour later and he did dishes while I made dinner and we finished our bottle of wine from the night before. I'm feeling a bit guilty, so far I've had to ask my mom to send me my glasses, which, actually I really need, I have a definitive limit on how long I can wear my contacts everyday, and it does not extend to a full day. Tonight while making dinner I was horrified to find that not one kitchen knife could break the skin of an onion, much less a sausage; I nearly had to resort to using a scissors, or even worse my own teeth. Those sexy high heel boots I brought, useless, I asked mom to send me an extra pair of sneakers, since, that is about the only useful shoe in Valpo, and after today being chili in Chile I figured I better ask for another long sleeve shirt or two. However, anyone whose ever lived with me, which is in all likelihood everyone thats reading this blog, knows my mom is an amazing woman, who no matter where I have lived, and no matter how much she has vetoed that living arrangement, she has sent me her love, through the air, via all the things I have forgotten at home and quite often her homemade jam.

Tomorrow I will continue to work on Rosetta Stone (2 lessons down and many many more to go), hit the post office, the potential gym #2 and maybe try to find Plaza Victoria where the sales lady at Paris, kindly told me I might find an appropriate rug. Plus I've got to get out my colored pencils and highlight my English tutor posters, and then post them all over the city! Tonight we're going to watch my Netflix video, The Flight of the Concords and with my new pillow, I know at least I, will sleep like a baby.

This photo is right at the corner of our street Calle Galos, hiking up, tired and sweaty no matter how cool the air is, I can see from below, that's where I will finally get to turn the corner and be home. The street art here is amazing, vibrant, colorful and as far as art in Valpo art scene goes, the talent all lies here. I know people often find graffiti an aspect of urban living they link to crime and vandalism, but for me, at least in Valpo it makes climbing hills an artistic experience as important as any architecture tour or museum visit.