FURIOUS!!!!

I just got assaulted in the street.

I am HOPPING MAD right now.

I was walking home from what was an otherwise pleasant night at cafe Taino with Sarah. There are approximately four blocks that I have to walk by myself, blocks that are usually deserted and otherwise unthreatening.

Tonight, around block number two, a guy on a bicycle rode past me and as he coasted past, he grabbed my left breast. "Son grandes," he said as he sailed past. "I know," I replied in Spanish, apalled. I was so stunned, but I continued walking toward my destination. He slowed down, and as I passed him, he grabbed me again in the same place. "Fucking stop, asshole!" I yelled at him, disgusted. Then, he rode past me and stopped right in front of me, grabbing my ass and left breast again as he passed. This time, I punched him swiftly in the jaw. This clearly upset him, and he heaved his bicycle at me, which I caught mid-air and shoved back at him, causing him to lose his balance. I quickly crossed the street, watching him as he rode away, concerned he would be waiting for me at the next corner, but he wasn't.

It already feels like a dream. I can't remember his face. I have probably danced with him before at the Balmaceda.

This retelling is not to alarm anyone. I have always said if I got assaulted, anywhere in the world, I would be so mad that no one would want to mess with me. Luckily, I am a good size larger than most Chilean men, with the added strength of my adrenaline.

This episode only serves to remind me that, to most, I am nothing more than an object here.

Fiestas Patrias, Day 2

The second day of Fiestas Patrias found me in Pinto, a town about 20 kilometers outside of Chillan, which we refer to as the campo. I can't really figure out what makes something the campo and what doesn't...but the common element of "campo" seems to be if roosters are running around free instead of being cooped up. Anyway, we went to a house in Pinto where Maritza, my host-brother's wife, and her extended family were gathering. We arrived in the afternoon and promptly started drinking wine and eating meat. I drank and drank and drank the red wine offered, and apparently, as Maritza told me the following day, I was wandering around with "my teeth black from the wine" telling everyone that this was my best day in Chile! Ha! That sounds like something I would do after copious amounts of vino tinto. Felipe was really irritated with me when we got back from the campo, because I had told him I would go out with him, and then I proceeded to pass out in my bed at like 10:30. Oopsey!

A Diez y Ocho reveler passed out on the edge of the plaza in Pinto.

Cata and me in the plaza at Pinto, with some other small girl.
My host mama Ema and her sons Lito, Felipe and Reuben. I have the cutest family ever!
Maritza in the campo.
Playing another typical Diez y Ocho game, I don't remember the name, but you throw these steel balls that are actually shaped like wine barrels into a pit of mud, and whoever gets theirs closest to a line of string over the top of the mud pit wins.
Watching the game and drinking wine. In the campo.
Maritza's brothers Gustavo (left) and Pablo (right) with the mud and string game trappings (and wine, of course!).
The theory is the more wine you drink, the better you play. When someone explained this to me, I was so delighted that I spit my mouthful of red wine out while I was laughing!
Pablo, the resident drunk of the day, wandered around dispensing red wine to everyone, and drinking his share as well.
More carne asado.

As night fell, we were treated to some live campo music. This led to dancing the cueca and the eventual chanting of "Gringa!" until I participated.
Pablo shows us his cueca moves. He kept a handkerchief in his back pocket and kept busting it out at inappropriate times to dance the cueca. Perhaps it was the wine, but I found this hilarious!
Reuben enjoying the fesivites.
This baby really liked me. Here we are playing peek-a-boo with a huasa hat.

Musica del campo.
Spectating. The gentleman in the blue hat is the one I danced cueca with. I loved him!
So I prettymuch loved the campo. It was a fun day, the night sky was beautiful, and it was interesting to see Maritza interacting with her side of the family, since I had only really ever seen her at our family get-togethers. They definitely know how to have a good time! Fiestas Patrias ended up being an amazing holiday, and I was sad to see it end, especially since after four days of meat and drink, I felt that I needed another four days of vacation to recover! But no, it was back to work.