Tom Foolery (More SxS in S. America)

Once upon a time I wrote a sparkling piece about my experience reading a Chelsea Handler book and how it was teaching me to laugh at myself more. It was witty and sarcastic and disarming and self deprecating and endearing all at the same time, and even I was proud of it (which is saying something because we all know how harshly I like to judge myself). Anyways, I can't find it and I'm too lazy to write another one.  But let's just all agree that it exists, okay? Cool.

I wrote the post in the first place because laughing is, without a doubt, my favorite thing to do. I think that being able to laugh at yourself is one of the single best things you can learn to do in order to get through your life and maybe be happy for a little bit of it too along the way. And yet! I have a tendency to take myself too seriously at times. Particularly at times when just laughing would serve me best.

The best and most pertinent example of me taking myself too seriously is with regards to tourism. I think I have mentioned before that I used to think being a successful traveler meant that nobody could tell you were a tourist. I used to strive for that in my day to day life at the beginning of my time here, and I would even forego optimal photo opportunities and silly poses for fear of being identified. But no matter how Chilean I look or act, the second I open my mouth the jig is up so there's really no point in trying so hard to blend in in the first place. It's especially futile when you're traveling with two other unabashed, shamelessly cheesy and photo-opportunistic tourists. Allow me to show you what I mean.

Exhibit A. Nope... they don't look touristy at all. Downright cool, in fact.

Then we move onto these gems:

 The photo that sparked it all. After this photo was taken they insisted on imitating the pose of just about every statue we came across thereafter... even after I tried repeatedly to explain to them that the photos didn't look half as cool as they had convinced themselves. But alas it is my plight as the younger sister to be the accomplice in my older sister's shenanigans, no matter how pathetic. Enjoy!

(rolls eyes)(shakes head from side to side) 

Oh, believe it!

This was the third or fourth version of this photo that I took because they wanted to get it just right. 

 So as you can plainly see trying to pretend I wasn't a glaring American tourist was utterly impossible in the company of these two. But even without them in tow it's a pretty silly thing to try and pull off anyways. Returning back to our original theme of trying to learn stuff, lesson #8 that I've learned here is: You are who you are. Don't fight it and don't take yourself too seriously.

S x S arrive in South America

One of my absolute favorite things in the world is rediscovering how much you like someone you already know. Having Sydney and Sami come to visit me in Santiago I got to do just that... times two! ... on steroids!

They gifted me the suffocatory laughing fit I'd been craving for months, recharged my smile, and jump-started my appreciation for Chile all over again.

jet lag

walking up cerro san cristobal

taco night

 The other thing that's great about having people on vacation come to visit is that they're ALWAYS in a good mood, and thus very friendly/ energetic. And I gotta tell you, that is some contagious stuff. There is no doubt in my mind that my housemates (who I suspect already liked me enough because I do a lot of dishes/cleaning... mom stop looking shocked, please) got to see a more fun, sarcastic, outgoing side of me as a result of their visit.

It is a very special person that knows who they are enough to always maintain the same demeanor no matter who they're with and where they are. In my case, I'm still in the process of figuring out too much stuff to always be the funny, outgoing, sarcastic human that those who know me closely would describe me as. I still rely on my close friends and family to draw it out of me a little bit. So it is only right then that I thank Sydney and Sami for being so infinitely likeable regardless of the continent and/or language environment, and for drawing me out of my shell so that I too became easier (or perhaps, even easier [wink!])  to like.

cerveza pong.

Vinicio, the cerveza pong prodigy. Never have I witnessed such immediate raw talent. His performance was way beyond beginner's luck, you guys. I was pissed. I hate to lose.

Nayo and Sydney.

¿quién tiene problemas?

The other thing y'all need to know about these two is that if there was ever a model for what a friendship should be, it would Syndey and Sami's. Together they can laugh about anything. Talk about anything. Handle anything. Inject fun into anything. And they can even do it while including a third party flawlessly. I never felt like a third wheel with them despite their extended history and almost spouse-like closeness. Without even trying these two have managed to not only set the standard for what I strive for in all of my friendships but also hyphenate two families. Because of Sami's (and her family's) presence in my life I have not killed my sister at times when her behavior was inviting it; I have converted part-time and unofficially to judaism; And I have had the pleasure of receiving the best possible gift anyone could ever get me, a 4x6 inch brick of chocolate dubbed a "chocolate diary."

One of those NOT fun experiences that we managed to make fun. Note to all: Do not go to this restaurant if you're in Valparaiso.

typical.

The Thinker

If you want to know what it takes to turn yourself into a philosopher I'm here to tell you from experience that all you need is a new place and a metro. I can't tell you how many ideas, realizations, and questions have hit me this past year while trapped in a metro car. I'll share a few of them in more detail soon, but from here on out it's safe to assume that if I say anything remotely philosophical or profound it probably occurred to me in a metro car.