So many things!!

Well let's see since the last post we have been still settling into the house and getting ready for Christmas, which has totally sneaked up on us this year.

We have had a trip to Santiago for an extra long weekend Fri-Mon. It was a good break away and great to see somewhere else in Chile and not just Antofagasta. We went to the Zoo with Alyssa- she loved it and also went into the centre of town. We should have taken the stroller though as she got very tired out and shopping was not at all like we had planned.





Sebastian's work had their family Christmas party which Alyssa enjoyed- although a daytime event may have been a little easier on us all.





We went down to the beach area yesterday and Alyssa had a little ride on her bike. She loved it. It was the Presidential election here and so nothing was open really so the beach ended up Packed in the afternoon, thankfully we went in the morning.




We are getting into the Christmas spirit and decorating the house. I have some things on the way back to Oz for presents but did not post them from here as it was WAY too expensive!!! more then from Oz to here. So a friend is heading back there and is going to post them for me. Hopefully some things get to people before Christmas Day.





I have been feeling very isolated lately and I think a lot of the issue is I don't have things happening like I did in Oz. I was busy with my sewing business and Alyssa also had one day at daycare and swimming on Saturdays. Now I have no business and Alyssa is in no activities, I am sure she gets bored too. I am getting to some Expat activites but they are not all the time

Well that is all I can think of to update at this stage.

Visiting a Landmark.

So we decided to drive out to see the somewhat famous
Mano del Desierto
Here is what Wiki says about it.
"The Mano de Desierto is a large-scale sculpture of a hand located in the Atacama Desert in Chile, 75 km to the south of the city of Antofagasta, on the Panamerican Highway. "
"Description
The sculpture was constructed by the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal at an altitude of 1,100 meters above sea level. The work has a base of iron and cement, and stands 11 metres (36 ft) tall. Funded by Corporación Pro Antofagasta, a local booster organization, the sculpture was inaugurated on March 28, 1992.

It has since become a point of interest for tourists traveling Route 5, which forms part of the Pan-American Highway. It is an easy victim of graffiti and is therefore cleaned occasionally."

And yes it is 75km away but we had nothing to do (this is before moving into the house). Oh and Alyssa fell asleep on the way to it otherwise she would be in the photos too. There is NOTHING near it at all and yes there is graffiti on it. Here are some piccies.

We are in the house

Yep we have moved in. It has nearly been one week since the movers came to unpack all our things. And what a busy week. We still have unpacked boxes- but had them in SA too (you know the ones that just never seem to be unpacked).

It is a great house and with a few minor improvements will be even better. One such improvement will be a playground for Alyssa- will make my life sooo much easier.

So here are some piccies of the house- thanks to our maid for making it so liveable!She powers on and gets soooo much done!

Moving day is fast Approaching.

We pick up the keys to the house tomorrow YEAH.
Then we have the VTR people coming to connect phone, internet and Pay TV.
On Thursday we have the ADT (security) people coming in to set up the alarm system.
Friday is the BIG day, movers arrive and start the unpack, we also have our new stove being delivered OMG it is awesome.
Saturday is also a move day (who knows how long it will take)
Sunday- will be sorting and shopping for some things we might need (will need).

Cannot wait to be out of the apartment and have all our things- really starting to go a little stir crazy. Oh and cannot wait to start sewing again. I have been busy doing some Photoshop designing whilst waiting to have all my stuff back.

Here is a link to my other blog
http://skipchaseydesigns.blogspot.com/

Oh and a we've moved card that I made.
Hopefully next post will be from the new house.

A little trip away

We had our first little trip away last weekend (it was a long weekend in Chile). So we chose to head off to Iquique. It is 4 hours from here driving so not too bad. That morning before leaving we had an Interview to see if Alyssa would be accepted into the international school here for next year. She is in.

So we headed off- the drive was not too bad and the scenary was pretty good, the contrast of being in the desert by the ocean is truly remarkable and strange at the same time.

All was going well until we had to stop to go into a different region (they have regions like we have states in Aus)- you have to stop to get the papers on your car checked to ensure you are not stealing the car across the border. You always must have the car documents in your car in Chile- because the police will ask for them if you are pulled over. So anyway we look in the glovebox where the papers are always kept- no papers. Rang the car dealership- they have them, took them out when they were putting the reversing sensors in the car and never put them back oh and this was a week down the track with no phone call either!!!!!
So we got talk to the police- really nice one too and he looked up on the computer to see the car was under my name (using my RUT- see a good thing to have a national ID number). So he prints off a piece of paper and goes with Sebastian to talk to the border people and we are allowed through- this is after a very very long wait where I was getting totally frustrated- if this police did not care we would have had to turn around and head back. We still should not have been driving the car. But we went on to Iquique. (the papers were to be sent to Iquique for us to get- then told they wern't then told they were on Monday where we were already back in Antofagasta- yeah Chile).

It is very nice in Iquique much cleaner then in Antofagasta. Alyssa loved the playground and the Radisson was nice to stay at. Most people head to Iquique as it is a tax free zone and there is even a shopping centre for all imported goods (was really not that great). But yes some things are cheaper there and you can have up to $1200 US per person (this gets checked at the border control people on the way out).

So here are some piccies from our very eventful trip

Well things are moving along

We have a few updates.
---All our things should arrive in Chile next week but not here. So that will be a little bit longer.
---We have signed a lease on a house- it is big enough for our things and has room for Alyssa to play- the owners are happy enough for us to do some improvements too.
---Alyssa has an interview with the International school on Friday so that we can get her in next year- which will be great for her and for me.
---I am learning more and more about the language and the way things work here.
---I am also getting used to the incredibly poor driving and the way that people park and do not take any notice of the road signs.

But all in all we are going okay- and this surprises me sometimes too.

We are heading off to Iquique this long weekend- it has a tax free shopping area- it is 4 hours from here and Supposedly has SO much more then here- we will see.

Hello Old friend.

Well it almost seems that way. It has been a while since my last post. I suppose a few things have happened, we are now in a 2 bed apartment and have received our airfreight stuff (which Alyssa thought was fantastic- almost like Christmas for her).

The Apartment is in the same block as the 1 bed one and is right across the road from the beach. Having Alyssa in her own bedroom is great although she is really struggling to go to bed by herself at the moment. We think she is and has been going through so much that we have kind of just let her have us there to fall asleep. She is also cutting all 4 of her 2 year old Molars- not too nice :(.

I am getting around okay in Antofagasta, still know very little Spanish but I am starting to know what I will be asked and know how to answer. I will start some Spanish Lessons just not sure when- Sebastian still needs his Friday's off to organise a few things like getting a local drivers licence- he needs it to be able to drive on site. I will have to get one too but I will see what I need to do to get it first.

We are looking at putting Alyssa into school next year- kids start around 3 in playgroup (like kindy) it is the 5 days but only 1/2 days. I think she needs it she is a total sponge at the moment and is picking everything up so fast.

We still are not sure about the house we looked at. So many security issues and it is expensive. We have even discussed living in an apartment- some 4 bed apartments here are bigger then a lot of houses. So the hunt continues. Our sea freight stuff does not even arrive in Chile until next month anyway.

So last Friday was dieciocho (18th September) Chilean independence day. We watched the parade, went to the Ramada and the rodeo- I think it is important for Alyssa and myself to immerse into these cultural events and activities. Alyssa loved it and was trying to dance at the Ramada.

For all you interested in my crafting stuff- I have some yummy yummy fabrics coming from the US. Thanks Steph for letting me use your postal address. In the mean time I have been playing around with Photoshop- which I am totally enjoying.


So here is a list of observations that I have made so far- some are silly :)

1. When driving those signs that have a number to tell you how fast to go, are really only there because they look nice.
2. Crossings and waiting for the Green walk man are only for foreigners or those who want to be like foreigners
3. Prams are either very expensive or people really like to carry their kids. Small little newborns with huge blankets are commonly seen being carried by mums and dads.
4. Rubbish bins are like speed signs- they are only there to look nice.
5. I am an alien- well it feels like it with everyone staring- especially when I talk hehe.
6. There are more Aussies here- the school we want to put Alyssa into is an International school where everything is in English- a few of the teachers are Aussies.
7. I really should stop going to Maccas- like I have said before Port Augusta Maccas is SOOOOOOOO much better. Oh and when I ask for no onion on a burger I would still like sauce!
8. When the people pack my bags at the grocery store (you give them change to do this-it is their way to earn money- not paid) expect them to look over every single item as if they have never ever seen it before.
9. it is dusty very very very dusty- my poor car is sooooo dusty but I would need to wash it every day to keep it clean.
10. Groceries, especially produce is sooooooooooooooo cheap. The other day 2kgs of lemons for 80c (AUD)...Bananas are usually under $1 and so are Apples.
11. You can still get sunburnt here- I did hehe
12. I am still trying to get my head around carrying 10,000 and 20,000 CLP notes- I mean it sounds huge.
13. Banks are useless- I won't say more it would end up being a HUGE post.
14. Everything is later here- things start open later but then they close later too.

So all in all- I can't get my twisties and some of the sauces and Tuscan seasoning (can someone give me the ingredients list off the label-maybe I can make my own) I am surviving and not hating being here. I think this surprises a lot of people- I am just doing what needs to be done and experiencing a whole new world (without the flying carpets hehe).
Until next time Chao.

What's new??

Well lots is new actually. So much has happened since my last blog post. I am not even sure where to start.

Let's start with the great stuff. WE HAVE A NEW CAR. We bought a new Jeep compass Limited in Silver- it is soooo pwetty. It has leather seats and a sunroof. But we bought it for all the safety features it has. I love driving it around and feel very safe in it which after this week is pretty important.












So the not so great stuff- I had a truck run into the hire car. Not massively bad but still, and he did not stop grrrr. I was not in the wrong but we will still have to pay out the insurance- not a good thing. I had actually said to Sebastian that I really did not want to drive that day and told him to take the car but he was stubborn and made me have the car.













What else has happened. Sebastian's parents came to visit- Alyssa LOVED it. She loves her Omi and Tata. It was great because they were able to help me out with things in Spanish (I am still to have Spanish Lessons organised). I took my MIL to the seafood market to have some seafood empanada's they were not as good as last time but still nice.













We move out of the Radisson this weekend and into a one bed apartment- that part is not so great but it has a kitchen. I really really need a kitchen. I need to be able to cook and not buy food out all the time- I have put on weight and HATE IT.

Everyone is getting geared up for the 18th of September- the national Independence day. You have to put a flag out the front of your house, it is illegal if you don't.

On the house front we have found one but there is a lot of security that is needed to make it safe and it is having renos done to it. We are waiting to hear back about this one. Hope fully we get it as it will fit all our stuff.

Oh and I have been fumbling through buying things at stores- I need to get better at it I think and have a note pad to get things written down to work them out.

Anyway that is it for now...Here are some piccies from around town