Ryan's Blog

Hundreds of ants--maybe thousands?--we're behaving like someone had dumped a truckload of Pixie sticks on the concrete. The sight whisked me back to Chile, to my first year living there when I had to contend with the Summer of Ants. (525 words)

One of my favorite parts of walking through Chilean cities was the eclectic street art and graffiti. Some of the specimins I found were so entirely whimsical or strange that it was hard not to be charmed by them. (227 words)

Fast-forward two years: I get home, open my closet, and I'm shocked by how much clothing I have. I made a quick count of T-shirt in my room and I found 51. After getting by with just six, having eight times that just seems ridiculous. (529 words)

Last year Tom and I talked about making a compilation of the best Chilean folklore songs from our favorite groups. Here’s a little story and a 30-second samples for each song. (1646 words)

My writing affair with my one-time, long, thin home is over. So where to from here? (324 words)

There used to be a little counter on this site that kept track of the days I'd been gone. It has stopped at 818 days because after more than two years outside the U.S., I finally made my way home yesterday. (506 words)

Since the Associate program is coming to the end of the current chapter, our goodbyes also involved a somewhat different twist. Instead of just leaving our house, we had to close it. (840 words)

When I was packing to leave home I put two unopened 8-packs of Hanes socks in my suitcase. I planned on rationing them out over the years. That turned out to be a stroke of genius because after several dozen handwashings socks start to feel less like cotton and more like paper towels. This past weekend I put on the last new pair. (694 words)

The signs went up in the Lider supermarket: The 18th is here at last! The Chilean national holiday centered on September 18 was in the air. The only peculiar detail was the date. It was August 18, not September. (1215 words)

Forget Virginia: Chile is for lovers. Let me break down the reasons for you. (624 words)

A _guatero_ is a hot water bottle, and pretty much any Chilean who's not (a) rich or (b) dead uses one in the winter. Like just about any word in Chile, _guatero_ can be shaped to have a double meaning. (137 words)

The most recognized new year celebration is January 1, but for a select group in Chile the year begins on September 1. The cold Chilean winter reaches its peak in August. It's a dark month in nursing homes and senior citizen groups because August is when most elderly die. (271 words)

At least twice a week I find myself working in a pretty remarkable place: the kitchen. Specifically, the parish kitchen. That's ground zero for Br. Donald Kutchenmeister's meals-on-wheels-style program, known here as Comida Sobre Ruedas. (1533 words)

I got off the subway at Plaza Egaña a couple months ago and dodged a handful of people passing out fliers. Despite my best efforts, I ended up with one. (102 words)

In 1973 the Chilean military overthrew the democratically-elected president Salvador Allende in the September 11 coup. If you visit downtown Santiago, you can still see some marks of that historic day. (326 words)

"It hasn't snowed like this in 30 years!" "It hasn't stayed on the ground in Plaza Italia in 50!" Could it be? Snow in Santiago? (29 words)

I think I could teach a geography class based solely on shocking people. I'd call my series Geo 203: It's Not Where You Think It Is. Cue the slides. (445 words)

Every time it rains in Santiago it gets cold and overcast, the streets flood, and it stays generally miserable for as long as the water falls. The reward is the clear, smog-free view of the snow-covered Andes when the clouds clear. (187 words)

Simple questions can have complicated answers. That said, there's no worse time for complicated answers than when the police are asking the questions. (325 words)

Last week I wrote about pervasive English in Chilean Spanish. Here are a few more comical examples. (128 words)

Gender agreement in Spanish is a giant pain in the butt. (621 words)

In 20 years, I swear Chile will be speaking English. To be honest, I'm not sure that they have that far to go. (1010 words)

In the U.S. would you ever see a 12-year-old buy a bottle of wine for his mother at the corner store? (100 words)

When you get on a bus in Chile, you're not just going for a ride; you're going shopping. (553 words)

In any event, NASA can relinquish the most-stunning-loss title for now; moon-walk video tapes aren't the only thing missing. (206 words)

There are so many pictures of the man on the subway that I occasionally envision him as a kind of transit Big Brother, monitoring my every move. Jorge, however, is not the most depicted man in Chile. (229 words)

Last year Tom and I spent some time dreaming up slogans for the country of Chile that poked fun at some of the quirks we had noticed in our time here. A fave of mine that Tom came up with was "Chile: Our carrots dwarf yours." (157 words)

A different language and a different culture can make even the simplest of things difficult. In Chile saying where you're from isn't a simple matter. In English, I'm American. In Spanish, saying _soy americano_ is as likely as not to upset someone. (779 words)

Here in Chile we're gearing up for winter. That means that, instead of complaining about the heat, they now complain about the cold. I am trying to fit into the culture here so I complain about the cold too. You know, just to fit in. (123 words)

The other day I saw one guy pull some running, flying, WWF elbow-drop on this grandma, though it turned out he was just trying to get on during rush hour. But at least people are waiting and letting others off before they pull their tricks. (815 words)

Today is the world premiere of _Pirates of the Caribbean 3_ and as our community event for the week we're going to see it. Check out these posters from all the Santiago subway stations. (93 words)

I'm no stranged to Chile's beloved triple-window system in stores, but until last week I had only experienced my slow-lane, countryside version of the triple window. Last week I got a taste of the big-city version when I did some electronics shopping in downtown Santiago. (566 words)

I began work this week with an NGO called Fundación Contigo. Contigo, which means "with you" in Spanish, is an organization that works with microcredit and job training to improve people's quality of life. (591 words)

I knew it was undeniably fall in Chile when leaves kept dropping into my laundry. The seasons are changing, and so is my program. Monday ended a decade of volunteers living in my house. (492 words)

A single slip of the tongue, one misplaced letter, and you are back in Dumbsville. (434 words)

Two weeks ago I was busy catching up with Percival and Kate, two friends from college who I hadn't seen since graduation day. When arrived, we had to squeeze as much as possible into seven days. (739 words)

Caitlin ran the Santiago half marathon yesterday, so we turned out to cheer for her. I don't know much about being a marathon spectator, but Emily is a seasoned pro so we teamed up and hit the course at 8:00am. (528 words)

When the Chilean summer sun shines on you, if you pay attention, you can actually feel your skin burning. It feels like each photon carries its own personal flame thrower to torch your body. (638 words)

I went to my first book launch last Friday in my 1,000-person town of Pocuro. The small location makes sense once you know the title of the book: _An Oral History of Pocuro_. (599 words)

Amanda and I made it back from Torres del Paine National Park alive. It was incredible. I'm preparing a series of articles to recount the trip day-by-day. (125 words)

Upon arriving in Puerto Natales we booked our next bus to Torres del Paine, rented our stove, bought some last-minute food items, and ate lunch. At 2:30pm we hit the road again, There's no updates from here on out, but if you want you can look up information about the park and imagine us doing the W-trek over the next several days. (298 words)

Take out your map and look for the southernmost city in the world--Punta Arenas--and that's where Amanda and I will be. (203 words)

I was in Castro for two hours, but here you can see it in six photos. (261 words)

This January I spent 10 days in Agony, but it was actually quite pleasant. On Jan. 2, I took a bus south with 100 high school students from Saint George on their annual missions trip. (778 words)

This is the front page of _La Nacion_, a local newspaper on the day of Pinochet's death. (101 words)

I am running my white flag up the mast. I am placing my hands on my head and stepping away from the car. I am crying uncle. I am cutting and I am running. Let it be known in no uncertain terms that, when it comes to my name, I am giving up. (747 words)

This evening we're taking our night bus 20 hours south to Chiloé for the summer missions trip with Saint George. (170 words)

After 10pm Mass next door in the Pocuro chapel, we sat down for our Christmas Eve dinner at 11:30. It was shockingly perfect. (728 words)

This Christmas tree stands in downtown Santiago's Plaza de Armas just in front of the city cathedral. Merry Christmas! (19 words)

The small road in front of my house is a peculiar one. Or more accurately, it guides peculiar traffic. During the summer months, I'm as likely to hear the clip-clop of horses' hooves pulling carts as the noise of a passing car. Just the other day I saw it again: something that caught me completely off-guard. (172 words)

Here are some photos of Pinochet supporters gathering at Escuela Militar, where Pinochet lie in wake earlier this week. (251 words)

At 2:15pm yesterday, Augusto Pinochet, the military dictator of Chile for 17 years died. Every year the Sept. 11 anniversary of the coup d'état that brought him to power sparks riots in the streets of Santiago. His death had a similar effect. (666 words)

After living a year together in Chile we brought Maureen, Meg, and Tom to the airport on Saturday to send them home (175 words)

Sharpen your No. 2 and read closely: You have selected a product to purchase in a drugstore and you approach the cashier who is behind the counter. (424 words)

For one of our last weekends together before Meg, Maureen, and Tom go back to the U.S, Emily had the idea to plan a horseback riding trip (280 words)

This year in Chile we were celebrated with an amazing dinner prepared for us at Saint George, the Holy Cross school in Santiago. (271 words)

It takes confidence to speak a foreign language and more confidence still to paint it on a sign. (66 words)

My mom and Dave arrived last week to spend some time in the world's thinest country. (310 words)

In September I went to a concert in Santiago where the Chilean folklore group Illapu played my favorite song, "Lejos del amor." When I told people about the concert, I also wanted to explain the Spanish lyrics. The only real obstacle was that I didn't understand them. (1066 words)

I may never master Spanish. (269 words)

Every now and then, I get a glimpse of what I imagine parenthood must be like. I had one this past Saturday, and it came courtesy of my dog, Memo. (640 words)

Tuesday night, Maureen and I were at home reading when we heard a bunch of kids outside. She went to check on the situation and came back with the report: trick-or-treaters. (254 words)

When I visited Valdivia, I was anxious to see a sight my housemate Emily told me about. Shortly after arriving, I saw my first wild sea wolf. (265 words)

Though I check ESPN's post-game summary after all of Notre Dame's games, I haven't seen a football game in over a year. Last night I turned on the TV in our hotel. ESPN Latin America was showing Monday Night Football. I watched the last two quarters of the Cowboys vs. the Giants fascinated. (406 words)

Here's a broad generalization that I have little support for: It takes more words to say some things in Spanish than in English. (199 words)

For our community night, Emily decided that we would make jam. Strawberries are in season, so she bought a good looking quart. (413 words)

It took me some time to locate the associate houses in Google Earth. After becoming familiar with the area, I searched for Los Andes, the nearby city, and then traced the bus route visually until I arrived at our house next to the chapel. With Caitlin's help to navigate the Santiago street plan, we did the same to find the associate house in Peñalolén. (341 words)

A grammar lesson from a girl's dresser. (63 words)

El Quisco is a small town southwest of Santiago that sits on the Chilean coast. (89 words)

At the school where I work Alejandra and I trade translations. One of my favorite things is swapping sayings because the ideas cross cultures, but the way of expressing them differs. (186 words)

Just a month ago, I very nearly destroyed my back when I cut the grass with a pair of hedge shears. You can imagine my discontent when the grass continued to grow. But yesterday, I had what I modestly call the best idea that I have had in the last couple of months. (248 words)

If you buy things in Chile, you're likely to encounter the infamous multiple-window system. Its motto should be, "No, you pick it out here, pay for it there, and pick it up over there." (405 words)

"Give me your hand. Look me in the eyes." Satisfied that my wallet and camera were wedged tightly in my front pants pocket, I tried to humor the lady--anything to get rid of her. "Two people want to hurt you," she told me. "They don't want to kill you, just hurt you badly. I can do something about that, though." (527 words)

The spirit of September in Chile is defined by September 18, the _dieciocho_. This is the month when Chile becomes extra Chile. (635 words)

There are some rumors around our community about the gringos who come to Chile just to have a good time for a couple of years. It's frustrating to hear about. If I had the chance, I would ask these people a question. (369 words)

For decades before September 11 was a day in infamy in the United States, it was in Chile for a different reason. (282 words)

Saturday night I went to a concert put on by the University of Santiago, Chile. I placed all my hopes for the evening on hearing my favorite song by Illapu, "Lejos del amor." (164 words)

At Pascual Baburizza today, I didn't have to help with the afternoon class. The reason is that my seniors are attending a workshop on sexuality. (233 words)

Last week we hosted the new Chile associates, Katie, Michelle, Natalie, and Patrick. As my group did last year, they visited Chile for a week to see the job sites and people before heading to Bolivia for language school. (240 words)

We don't have a lawn mower, and it turns out that nobody around here seems to have one either. It's typical to use hedge shears to cut the grass. Laugh all you want. In the end, I got the grass cut. (354 words)

Here is a manageable account of my past year in South America at the rate of one word per day. (442 words)

The almond tree in our yard bloomed last week. I think it may have been fooled. (143 words)

I enjoy comparing sayings between English and Spanish. The other day I heard an adage that seemed like an invitation to a more literal comparison. (355 words)

People took to the streets for a procession through ten different stations at community members' houses for various prayer intentions. The parish priests lead the procession. In the rear, Chilean _huasos_ dressed in traditional garb followed. (320 words)

To figure out the number of combinations of items, you just multiply them all together. In the Chilean winter, however, I have recently realized something that just may revolutionize combination theory. If I were John Forbes Nash, this would be my great idea that will win me a Nobel Prize. (335 words)

I said, for example, that it was 40°F, you would probably say, "40°--that's nothing! Why in (your preferred cold place) we routinely hit 20 below zero!" In response, I pose this question: is it the same temperature inside your house as outside? (609 words)

In Chile, money is a whole order of magnitude different. This can give you a good scare when you arrive: $100 for an ice cream cone, $200 for the city bus, $1,500 for lunch, and $20,000 for a pair of pants? (486 words)

For many Chileans, picso was made for one cocktail alone: the pisco sour. A well made one is almost reason enough to visit the thinnest country in the world. (760 words)

Give yourself a little test. Pronounce the following words aloud. (398 words)

On June 27 at 8:30pm, I asked for $500 to help with fundraising for our trip to Peru. On July 6 at 10:30am, we reached our goal. (159 words)

Chileans call Valparaíso a national treasure that belongs to the world. Technically, they are correct. (802 words)

There are plenty of interesting and humorous happenings within the mundane if you look out for them. Here are couple of my gems. (745 words)

Normally when I write here, I am happy just to have visiting readers. This time I need your help. (498 words)

Chileans are wildly creative with their language. I am continually surprised by clever Chileanisms. (308 words)

Listen to what the kids are saying. (152 words)

I dial the tour agency with a singular goal: to get information on visiting the Islas Damas, where I have read that there are penguins to be seen. Ricardo answers, but penguins aren't in the cards. (1194 words)

I recently visited La Serena, the capital of Chile's fourth region. (345 words)

In Chile high school students are striking or taking over schools and refusing to attend classes. (403 words)

Today when I walked into the cafeteria at Pascual Baburizza, I noticed immediately that something was different. (189 words)

The local weather during April and May was somewhat unusual for the area. Instead of falling temperatures and heavy rains, we had, well, not falling temperatures and rains. (259 words)

Over the last few days I've had a chance to see a few parts of Chile outside of my usual routine. (87 words)

These are the kind of things you don't see just anywhere. I think someone should warn the poor sap about the dangers of that kind of activity. (150 words)

Sometimes words can only convey so much, so I'm lucky this week to be able to show my first visitor Elizabeth some of the realities of day-to-day life in person. (319 words)

I'm at the Arturo Merino Benitez International airport in Santiago. For the first time in this airport, I'm not going anywhere. (200 words)

This week I did a whirlwind tour of some of the different places where I work in Chile. For those of you who blinked, here's a summary. (432 words)

You can’t pass cars on a bicycle, but tractors are fair game. This is the fifth article in the Work Week series. Friday morning I make the same morning bike ride that starts my Wednesday. Due to the gentle... (373 words)

After working with eight-year-olds girls on Tuesday, I swing to the other end of the spectrum on Thursday. At 2:00pm, I arrive at the _hogar de ancianos_. (731 words)

I start Wednesday morning on my bicycle, riding to the high school where I help with English classes. (853 words)

I ring the doorbell at Sagrada Familia and appreciate a few last quiet moments on the outside. Then the door opens and I'm in. And my time at the hogar begins. (974 words)

I work Tuesdays at the _comedor_ in Calle Larga. After I arrive, I greet the trio of boisterous women who run the operation, Adela, Terecita, and Graciella. (567 words)

Despite the fact that readers are probably most interested in what I do here I have written very little about that. That ends this week. (185 words)

Last August we met people on their way to a mind-boggling number of different countries. I've been following Ted and Mona's blog from Zambia, Africa. (190 words)

Sometimes I get frustrated because people here can't say my name. Of course I shouldn't. (377 words)

We made it to the top and saw that Memo was proudly guarding the summit. (172 words)

We hung out at a typically overpriced mall CD store. The expense aside, the store had some intriguing categories for its music. (143 words)

You can't satisfy everyone: I write too much for some people to keep up and not enough for others. For the first group, I don't have any good solutions; for the second, I do. (489 words)

I have lots of conversations, but there are only about six topics. When new ones come up, it's a welcome change of pace, though that presents its own problems. (559 words)

We don't have is a traditional water heater. What we do have is a clever thing called a _calefón_. (290 words)

Today in the Catholic Church is Quasimodo Sunday . As a Catholic, I must admit that I had no idea. (218 words)

Three fundamental human needs are air, water, and food. I am generally good at satisfying two of those three. (687 words)

After a trans-America journey, Emily's parents arrived last Friday to visit and spend the Easter celebration in Chile. (247 words)

If you ask me where I live, you're like to hear any one of three answers: Pocuro, Calle Larga, or Los Andes. Let me explain. (599 words)

I completely identify with the title of that Oscar-contender movie from a couple years ago, _Lost in Translation_. Not the movie itself, mind you--I don't think I understood it. (149 words)

Today's topic: say año, not ano. (317 words)

A month ago, Chile was two hours ahead of eastern time. Three weeks ago, Chile was one hour ahead. Now Chile and the East Coast are on the same time, which is where they will stay until October rolls around. (261 words)

Countries down here are always fighting about who invented what and what comes from where. These arguments, however, have reached all new levels of silliness. (297 words)

Dog blood comes out of clothes with hydrogen peroxide, just like human blood. I know this because of Memo. (398 words)

We recycle in our house. All of this cardboard goes outside in a storage bag until we can take it to the recycling center. That is my job, and the recycling center isn't next door--it's in Santiago. (365 words)

You only get one each week, so you have to put it to good use. How to do that while sticking to simple living and participating in the local community can be tricky. (756 words)

Just two months ago, Michelle Bachelet was elected president of Chile. This past weekend was inauguration weekend and it was filled with festivities. (453 words)

Thanks to blogs and Flickr, the Holy Cross Associates in Chile have pretty much created a media company with diversified holdings that rivals other industry players like Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (774 words)

We've been waiting a long time to _do_ something. I may come to regret those words, but for now, let the work begin! (367 words)

Laundry is one of those never-ending chores. In Pocuro it's complicated by one additional factor: as my housemate Maureen explained, "You are the machine." (547 words)

Some views you can't capture very well with a single shot, which is why it's nice that digital cameras make it so easy to take panoramic pictures. The scene is sunset over the harbor at Puerto Montt, where we visited a few days ago. (79 words)

When we finished working with Habitat for Humanity in Temuco last Friday, we found the buses back to Santiago booked full. That left us with a four-day gap to fill. (520 words)

I just posted a batch of photos from Habitat on Flickr to browse. In some of the pictures we even try to look like we know what we're doing on a construction site. (90 words)

Yesterday afternoon we ended our week with Habitat for Humanity in Temuco. Our sum total of finished houses was zero. Now I understand more about how the program works and the number doesn't bother me. (507 words)

For the last three days we have been working with Habitat for Humanity here in Temuco. It has been much different than I expected. (373 words)

Tonight at 10:30 we're boarding a bus for southern Chile. Yes, again. The reason: we're building a house with Habitat for Humanity. (217 words)

Through the years that associates have come and left out house in Pocuro there has been one constant: Memo, our enduring house dog. And what a dog he is. (425 words)

One of my chores this week was doing our fresh foods shopping at the local market. So Monday and Friday morning, I saddled up one of our bikes and make the 10-minute ride to the market. (269 words)

The price of gas is always a conversation item back home. Right now a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. costs $2.35. Here's a little international perspective. (333 words)

As I walked through the supermarket the other day I noticed a back-to-school display. I'm used to seeing those things in August, not February, but you can't deny the signs of the times: it is summer in Chile. (796 words)

With cuts, scrapes, a sunburn, and general exhaustion, I finished my first CEVA last Saturday after a week of long days with kids. It was great to be working with all the kids. Even through some bumps, they were a good bunch. (612 words)

As the sun set on my birthday, the sky lit up with a spectacular array of color and light. (35 words)

It's not every year that the entire town turns out to celebrate your birthday, but that's exactly what happened this year. If today was any indication, year 23 looks promising. (482 words)

We're halfway done with our week-long summer camp. We're also pretty much all the way done with our energy. Playing with kids all day long isn't exactly rocket science, but bring me five rocket scientists who can play for nine hours a day with 40 kids in 95F sun for six days and then I'll be really impressed. (207 words)

Today marks the first day our CEVA, a week-long day camp for kids around Chile. We're greeting 40 children this morning, ranging in age from four to twelve. I'm a leader of the thirteen nine- and ten-year-olds. (236 words)

I recently wrote about my missions trip with Saint George to southern Chile. One detail I neglected to mention is the amazing scenery we were treated to. For example, at a rest stop during the bus ride, I looked towards... (223 words)

Missions are something very common in Chile and uncommon in the U.S., so I should explain. During summer vacation (December, January, February) high school students go to towns throughout Chile on mission trips. The philosophy behind the trips is called "re-evangelization." (1288 words)

Humor in another language and culture isn't easy. I don't think I'll be mastering it in Spanish anytime soon. (219 words)

Today I got back from my missions trip with Saint George to Southern Chile. There's a lot to say and I can't write it all until I take a shower, my clothes out of my backpack, and some time to think. (228 words)

When we Sucre back in December, Emily said there was just one thing she really wanted to do: see dinosaur tracks. Fortunately Sucre is just the place to do that. (172 words)

With our professor Teresita, Roy and I went back to Hogar Nuestra Casa in December to decorate gingerbread houses. (276 words)

Starting early in the morning today, Emily, Caitlin, Roy, and I are headed 12 hours south with high school students from St. George. We're going on a missions trip and we'll be back January 13. (161 words)

Starting early in the morning today, Emily, Caitlin, Roy, and I are headed 12 hours south with high school students from St. George. We're going on a missions trip and we'll be back January 13. (161 words)

Strangely, as midnight drew closer, more people disappeared to their bedrooms to sleep. Little did I know... At around 2:00am, I began to really understand the difference between the typical Chilean New Year's celebration and the typical U.S. celebration. (230 words)

This year I celebrated my first Christmas away from home and family in Chile. I am now the proud owner of a pair of giant female bear slippers. (360 words)

We left Cochabamba, Bolivia on Sunday afternoon. After making our way through Paraguay and Argentina, we finally arrived in Santiago, Chile Monday morning. (474 words)

What do The Netherlands, South Africa, and Bolivia have in common? All three have separate capitals and centers of government. While most of Bolivia’s government has its headquarters in La Paz, Sucre is officially the country’s capital. Many people... (148 words)

We saw the silver mines and refineries in Potosí so it made sense to finish the cycle and visit the Casa de la moneda (the Royal Mint) too. Once the Spaniards started mining silver, they also wanted a nearby... (264 words)

While we were driving in Potisí I saw my first Bolivian llamas. They were everything that I had hoped they would be. (179 words)

Silver and mining are a significant part of Potosí's history so we decided to take a tour of the mines. Here's a sneak peek at the highlights: silver, dynamite, toxic chemicals, and the black lung. (1197 words)

Caitlin brought an article about people who live off the garbage dumpsters to our conversation class. It provides some provocative details, so I tried to translate the article to English. (940 words)

Starting tonight we're skipping classes and leaving the town for a little sight-seeing. We're boarding a bus tonight to visit Potosi and Sucre. (214 words)

Show me a city with 1,000,000 people where cows graze in the streets and I'll show you a city that's not in the U.S. (65 words)

Today marks my one hundredth day here in South America. In recognition of that I'm celebrating the non-event of passing from two-digit days to three-digit days. (234 words)

This afternoon I met up with Kimberly at the Salomón Klein orphanage. I arrived at 4:00pm, which is one of the times that they feed the babies. Since I was around, I thought I would lend an inexperienced hand. (316 words)

We faced a torrential downpour Saturday here in Cochabamba. Many streets became rivers. The normally tranquill canal that runs down my street raged. (95 words)

I went to class today because, believe it or not, Thanksgiving isn't a national holiday in Bolivia. When it comes to traditions, though, what you do is more important than where you do it. This year some of the U.S. students at the Institute decided to have a potluck style Thanksgiving. (346 words)

National, prefectural, and local elections are just around the corner here in Bolivia. Evo Morales is the candidate for MAS, one of the socialist parties here. There is a lengthy article about him and MAS in the New York Times. (271 words)

Here in Bolivia every letter you get is exciting. Today we received a package that shattered any previous postal expectations we might have had. (338 words)

Today ended the Institute's volleyball tournament that started just a couple weeks after I arrived. Our team fared moderately well. In the end, I think we came in second place, though it's tough to tell. (112 words)

I'm making fewer mistakes, though they still rear their ugly head from time to time. If there's anything that will make you feel better about your own mistakes, it's hearing about worse ones from other people. On that note, here are three Spanish faux pas related to me by my professors. (319 words)

On a daytrip with the Maryknoll Institute today we visited some smaller towns around Cochabamba. It was a nice chance to see pueblo variety and its interesting twists. How often do you see a church with a neon sign behind the altar? (185 words)

My friend Ryan Brown emailed me and asked, "What is it like there? Do you see things like leaf cutter ants?" Strictly speaking, no. But yes. (114 words)

Friday Roy suggested that we climb one of the nearby mountains. I said it sounded like a good idea. Caitlin suggested that we start at 6:00am. That sounded less like a good idea, but I was still onboard. (511 words)

Today, instead of class, we went on field trips in small groups. I visited Hogar Nuestra Casa, a new foster home for girls who have been raped or sexually abused by their families. (384 words)

Wednesday here was the Day of the Dead. It is a mix between Halloween and Memorial Day infused with religion and local traditions. I was fortunate enough to be in the thick of the celebration. (659 words)

Patrick Fairbanks, a Jesuit priest from the U.S., is one of the many people I met here at the Maryknoll Institute. Patrick writes in his blog, "I am gawking at hawkers when all of a sudden I am confronted by a young man wearing a ski mask." (186 words)

I am, without a doubt, the most intrigued person in Bolivia when it comes to power lines. It's like Spiderman flew through the city shooting power lines instead of web fluid. (125 words)

Another Saturday meant another morning at Salomón Klein, the orphanage by my house. Playing with 45 five-year-olds for about 3 hours isn't exactly exactly what you might call tough work, but when noon comes, I'm always exhausted. (426 words)

This past week in the Flickr churches group, my photo of this cathedral in Concepción, Bolivia won the "church of the week" award. No, it doesn't really mean much, but it's something fun. (144 words)

First the obvious: life here in Bolivia is different than in the U.S. The United States is among the wealthiest countries in the world; Bolivia wrestles with Peru for the title of the poorest in Latin America. As a result, you see things here that you won't see in the U.S. (947 words)

Roy got bit by a dog; Caitlin got bit by amoebas. (143 words)

When we visited the workshop where Juan Vaca restores the decaying sheets of music, we also saw a woodworking school where men were studying the art. Of course, I took pictures. (137 words)

Traffic here is Cochabamba is exciting. Not infrequently, I see cars driving down the wrong side of the road for no apparent reason. My question is _why do people drive on the wrong side of the road?_ (350 words)

Roy finally succumbed to peer pressure and signed up for a blog. Now, if want to read more about the experiences of a Holy Cross Associate, you can also visit his new site. (38 words)

A few decades ago, someone unearthed some decaying, bug-infested sheets of music. These sheets now total more than 5,000 and Juan Vaca is the only man who cleans them. (257 words)

Earlier I wrote about toucans in my post about the unusual sights of Chiquitania, but this monkey was so interesting it merits its own mention. (186 words)

In the decades and centuries following Columbus's "discovery" of America, conquistadors invaded and destroyed various Latin American empires. While most people know about these conquests, few know about the Jesuit Reductions missions that took place roughly at the same time. (496 words)

We returned today from our five day trip to Santa Cruz and the Jesuit missions in Eastern Bolivia. Our visit was filled with all sorts of unusual images and experiences. (407 words)

When you write something, there's nothing better than knowing that people are actually reading it. My traffic logs for the month of September say I had more visitors than ever before this month. (184 words)

This past Sunday my Bolivian dad Nestor spent the afternoon sewing new curtains for the living room. The living room is looking good now. (82 words)

As of late, I have peppered my stories with tales of my Spanish successes. Lest you think I am having delusions of adequacy, it's fair to tell some failures too. (271 words)

If you arrive at 10:45am for the 11:00am Mass, no matter where you sit, that woman is going to find you and ask you to read. Now, if you had the good sense God gave potatoes, you remember what happened last time and arrive at 11:15am or 11:30am like everyone else. (438 words)

As I was walking home the other day, I was stopped by a small boy sitting on the sidewalk in front of a closed gate. Our conversation wasn't terrible. (132 words)

With help from my stepbrother Jon, I was able to piece together this panorama of the city of Cochabamba. This is the view from my Bolivian family's living room. (29 words)

I'm no artist, but I found that it's easier for me to learn words if I draw a picture with which to associate the word. Here are a few snapshots from my miniature word notebook. (151 words)

Here at the Maryknoll Institute classes operate on a two week rotation. Each new rotation brings a new schedule with a new classroom and new teachers. (245 words)

This morning I went with Caitlin and Emily to an orphanage just around the corner from my family's apartment. We arrived, I saw the basic setup of the place, and then we jumped into the fray. (576 words)

Yesterday I took another baby step in language acquisition: I walked up to a store, asked if they had a specific product, how much it cost, and then bought it and thanked the saleslady. (303 words)

Yesterday was something of a rollercoaster. If I was writing this yesterday afternoon, I would write about what a sad and difficult day it had been. But instead I'll start with the ending and say that the day turned out pretty good. (461 words)

What would you do if someone gave this to you to drink? What if you knew that they eat gerbils and hamsters here? (66 words)

In the afternoon, though, as I was walking home, I saw that the statue of Cristo de la Concordia was illuminated in the distance. It makes for a nice picture, though it looked better in person. (45 words)

As is to be expected, I have been making my fair share of Spanish mistakes. Here are a few of my recent best. (197 words)

As time goes by, I have been able to upload more of my digital pictures to Flickr. I organized some of them so you can view a slideshow of some of the gorgeous scenery in Chile. (37 words)

The results are in: after my first week of language class, I am still alive. Granted, several nights I have been so tired that I went to bed at 10:00pm and slept for 11 hours, but that's to be expected, right? (429 words)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so get ready for a few thousand. Here are a few snapshots of my home in Cochabamba. (207 words)

Today was my first day at the Maryknoll Language Institute. We had a brief orientation this morning, followed by my afternoon classes. (178 words)

And so, as if I didn't stick out enough as a six-foot-tall gringo, I became the six-foot-tall gringo who read the second reading very slowly and with an American accent. (254 words)

I arrived at the Cochabamba airport yesterday where I was greeted by a large sign that said RYAN and my host mom and dad, Juana and Nestor. (483 words)

In summary, it went something like this: "Thanks be to God". Then I said, "You're welcome." (161 words)

What is it about 4:00am? When we left the U.S., we woke up at 4:00am to drive to Chicago. The next day, we arrived in Santiago at 4:00am. This morning we woke up to go to the airport again at, of course, 4:00am. At least we have some consistency in our lives. (360 words)

On Monday afternoon we visited two hogars. Hogars are something like group homes for children who can't live with their families or who don't have families. (121 words)

It has been raining pretty hard for the last three days. It's cold, the roads are muddy, and the irrigation streams that run along the streets are flowing fast. All the rain has brought the town more or less to a halt. (473 words)

I have been keeping busy these last few days. On Thursday, Meg took us into downtown Santiago. Friday evening we took a micro to the city bus station and caught a bus to Calle Larga. (493 words)

Some of the people I'm traveling with are blogging too. If you want to read more about our travels, check out some of these sites. (31 words)

Emily, Caitlin, Roy, and I arrived in the Santiago airport at 4:36am today. Our flights through Miami and Bogota were uneventful, and all our bags arrived here! (398 words)

It's hard to believe, but today's the day. Let the adventure begin.... (158 words)

Roy and I put together a short list of things to make sure we appreciate this weekend because we won't have them for a long time. Some of the things are pretty obvious, others not. (249 words)

I thought you might be interested in seeing the people I'm going to be traveling with and living with for the next little while. From left to right, there is Roy, Caitlin, Emily, and me. (54 words)

Today we got a break. Roy, Emily, Caitlin, and I, along with Christina who is going to Ghana with Catholic Relief Services, took a day trip to Chicago. (111 words)

Last Friday ended our orientation with all the Holy Cross Associates, domestic and international. During the next two weeks, we'll be attending more seminars and doing activities geared specifically towards people involved with international service. (196 words)

We've been hard at work here at orientation for Holy Cross Associates. Often we go to sleep at 1:00am and breakfast is served at 7:30am. (270 words)

Each house went on a digital picture scavenger hunt across campus. For 90 minutes, Caitlin, Roy, Emily, and I ran back and forth trying to take 20 specific pictures. Here's the scavenger hunt list and a glimpse at our digital film roll. (236 words)

I woke up at 5:45 this morning. Dad, Erin, Michael, and I went to the Salt Lake airport where I checked 76lbs. We said our goodbyes and then I was on my way. (158 words)

Each associate with Holy Cross is asked to raise $2500 to help defray the cost of travel, language school, and living expenses. I'd like to thank all of these people who have helped me so far. (324 words)

Yesterday I got a call from Holy Cross Associates, which would have been more eventful if I had been around to receive it. Instead, I got a voice mail asking me to call them back. That meant one of two things: either they wanted to ask follow-up questions, or they had an answer for me. (175 words)