The boys invited me to drink some beer on the roof of our favorite hostel, which was exactly what I wanted to do with my time, but with the extra running around I ended up missing the last bus to the airport, which I already had a ticket for, and had to pay nearly 20 bucks to take a cab. Boo! It was so strange to see Beth sitting on a bench in the airport, waiting for me. It all felt oddly normal that we were seeing each other in Santiago de Chile. I think because we talk nearly every week on the phone, she hasn't really felt that distant, so it was just like, an extended hangout. After the stress of finding a Friday night bus ticket in the madness of Santiago's huge and overwhelming bus terminal, and four hideous hours on a stuffy bus, we arrived at my home and slept.
We spent a few days in Chillan, and Beth got to know my family very well. She especially enjoyed Zuni's cooking! It didn't take long for her to see what Chillan has to offer, but it was really nice having someone from home spend normal time with me and see how my life works. I took her to my classes and we had prepared an activity where the girls had to write questions for "Miss Beth" in English and then ask them! It was all pretty predictable. Lots of questions about if she was married or had a boyfriend, if she liked Chile, a few questions about the United States and her family. It was pretty cute seeing her interact with my students, and I was pretty proud of some of my classes. They really enjoyed seeing another gringa, and I think it was good for them to see a gringa of Asian descent, as it shows how very diverse the United States is.
Because I was working when Beth came to visit, we didn't have a ton of time to travel and explore. Also, since it was coming to my last month in Chillan, it wasn't really the right time for me to be off running around Chile. I needed to spend the quality time I had left with my family. However, we did sneak away for a two-day trip to Talca, a city about two hours to the north of Chillan. I really enjoyed looking around the city. Our first day, we took a local bus out to a huge hacienda that had been turned into a museum. The museum was okay, but wandering around the grounds was an excellent experience! There were all kinds of trees and rose bushes. Beth has all the pictures from our excursion, but it was beautiful. We passed a lazy night in our hostel eating pizza and watching Fargo on tv, and the next day we got up and took a tour to two different wineries in the campo surrounding Talca. We learned a lot, got to practice Spanish, and tasted some yummy wines! After the wine tastings, our tour took us to a strange little place where a bunch of local animals were strutting around in cages.
A baby goat! I love baby animals!
Some crazy bird that moved like a dinosaur. Jurassic Park was right! 
Male peacocks are pretty.
This snagtooth llama was in love with Beth!
Our tour ended on the top of this hill overlooking the city of Talca. It was a gorgeous day, and being able to see the city from above made me appreciate it even more. I like being able to gain perspective and look for familiar streets. I really like directions, orienting myself, arriving in a new place and discovering the lay of the land.
Little muffin is so cute!
Talca and me. 
City, river, mountains and haze. 
The top of the hill was sacred for some reason, so there were several religious statues and a little outdoor church. Very picturesque. 
I am rarely moved by religious imagery, because my emotions are more tied to the relationships I build with the people in my life. However, I enjoy looking at religious imagery, especially in South America, because it is really powerful for a lot of people here. I love how they leave messages and flowers and light candles. Also, my Catholic upbringing will always be one of the many lenses through which I see the world. Usually, if I see a giant crucifix or a statue of the Virgin, I think of those endless hours in church, as I jealously watched my brother reading books while I waited to sing my favorite songs. It always reminds me of my dad, and I think about how much peace church has brought to his life. I doubt that will ever be my path to personal serenity, but I am happy that my dad has found something that works for him. Thanks, Talca, for inspring these memories.
After our Talca vacation, we spent about two weeks just hanging out in Chillan. We did what we normally do together in the United States: watch tv in bed, giggle and gossip, drink wine and have heart-to-hearts, go out drinking and dancing. It was so fun to have her meet my Chillan friends and hear her thoughts on everyone, have her get to know my favorite hang-outs and my Chilean family. Just having her with me was so comforting. It wasn't a spectacular trip for her, since we passed most of the time at my house in Chillan, but nothing can replace the feeling of having someone from home with you for almost three weeks! Sadly, her last weekend in town, I got food poisoning after eating a bag of peas from the market, and our day trip to the beach was canceled because I couldn't leave my bed or the bathroom fro two days. I know that was disappointing for both of us, and I had really wanted to go to the beach. After growing up near water my whole life, one of the most frustrating aspects of living in Chillan has been being landlocked. Oh well. Thanks for visiting me, Bethie!
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