Epoca Nueva

I love how in a blink of an eye your whole world can change! As of recent my world has begun to move and I am quite content running along with it. Despedida La Nathalie as of Tuesday, fue quite an emotional event however it passed well. Nathalie's last week here was quite amazing, we went surfing in Pichilemu, we hiked Provencia (2750 metros), had amazing dinners and did lots of packing. She's bounding off to be a lanky snow bunny in CA and CO. I still feel as if I just arrived--its amazing how fast time flies! I'm going to miss sleepovers and I am looking forward to hiking the mountains and surfing the seas solita. My other gringos, Andy and Alex are also heading back to the homeland--I cant wait to see where the wind takes them. My Chilean life has really begun to solidify and if all goes to plan I will have my work visa by the end of the week (if not I'm hopping off to Argentina for a bit).
This last week I became staff for Revolver Santiago Online Magazine, I am overjoyed in every sense of the way! I am delighted to say that I was published for the first time yesterday http://www.santiagomagazine.cl/index.php/en/agenda/featured-events/23-agenda/542-preview-javiera-mena-at-el-clan.html! Tonight with much wind under my wings I head out to cover the event and the article will hopefully be published within the week.
Here at Casa Mujica we are preparing for our international Christmas dinner. We have over 16 people that will be joining us on Christmas eve, including our Cuban friends that are not allowed to return to visit their families (the consequences of certain political decisions). We are each preparing a dish that represents our cultural background, I will be making pumpkin pies, one with sugar and one with sacarina, due to the recent discovery of abnormally high amounts of sugar in my blood. With some small changes of diet I should be able to prevent full blown diabetes. I will also be making Mama Carmen's Mexican rice to accompany the Cuban black beans our Cuban friends will be making and the cerdo costiallar that Laura, my Bolivan housemate will be preparing. We also have a Spanish gaspacho, Chilean salad and Chilean pollo asado on the menu. I'm hoping to add homemade tortillas to our cena but first I need to locate a tortilla squisher.
Although family is on the mind often during this time of year, I am super thankful for the people surrounding me, I am being very well taken care of. Sending lots of love and cariño to all my family and friends! Besitos!!

La Ciudad

Santiago is a city where many walks of life come together, where history is living, it is in the faces of the old women on the subways and whispered in slang at the central market. I have come to love this city, the people, and my projects.
As of recent, I will begin writing, translating, and possibly editing for Revolver, a Santiago online magazine, http://www.santiagomagazine.cl/. It has been a dream of mine to write and be published, I'm so stoked I can hardly breath! Apart from that project, working at the restaurant has been great and I get along tremendously well with all of my coworkers and friends.

Somebody asked me the other day, “What do you study?”
I told them, “Life.”

Life collects
in piles
in stacks of smells
in stains of memory
and crinkled photos
It collects
on the spine between the bones
like spiderwebs
It folds
catching sand in the creases
peeling up and leaving sticky
residue behind
It softens
your ice cream
stretches your jeans
and breaks in your shoes
It builds
in scraps of paper
collected shells
and textured walls

And every once in a while
the river takes a detour
and you trickle down the rocks
and settle into a little pond
You watch the butterflies kiss
the water
the elegant skidders stride
on their magnificent little paws
You talk to the wind
and listen
meditating on the bliss
that resides in the tadpole

Life is grown
life is in everything
in the trees
and the wind
in the water
Life trickles in
and gushes out
in the full moon surges
in the taste of blood
the ceremonial dance and burning

It needs oiled and waxed
plucked, groomed, and lotioned
it needs communication, projects
love
it needs the touch of the sun's
hand upon your shoulder
the red kiss upon your cheeks

It sleeps in tears of solitude
and naps in pains from laughter
It is in scrapes and burns and chipped paint
It is in leftovers and memorized recipes
old keys and tattered towels
It is carried in the body
in the pores of physical memories
It is woken in the sleep of a child
in morning lips and swollen eyes
It comes in cycles
it rejuvenates
it dies
It pulses and vibrates
to a specific tone
it's precision is mathematical
procession lyrical
connections undeniable
It tans and leathers
then returns back to the dust
back to La Pachamama

El Dia de Acción de Gracias

This is a poem written by an old and true to spirit poet, mi viejo Alejandro Stuart, we meet at his house for a Kahuin every Tuesday night to share our poetry.

“EL DIA DE ACCIÓN DE DES...GRACIA”

En los Estados Unidos
en noviembre hay una fiesta
con una mesa bien puesta
con charrisimos vestidos
y los rosros compungidos
por la solemne ocasión
en recuerdo de la acción
de gracias por la abundancia
con pulciritud y elegancia
se comparte la emoción.

Luego le entran al pavo
con un relleno sabroso
los festejantes golosos
comen los platos colmados
con frutas aderezados
con surtidos vegetales
con pasteles y a raudales
se brindan los ricos vinos
Que vivan los peregrinos!
exclaman los comensales.

Celebran supuestamente
una fecha de la historia
escrita con falsa gloria
al inventar que la gente
nativos de este continente
les dieron la bienvenida
sin sentir la desmedida
codicia de los europeos
eso yo nunca lo creo
invasores genocidas.

Los indios todo pusieron
los pavos y las verduras
los panes ue sabrosura
todito se lo comieron
y los vinos se bebieron
hasta quedar embriagados
y ahi los desalmados
los mataron a traición
les robaron su nación
y los dejaron esclavos

Y unos gringos ya concientes
de la maldad y falsia
han tomando la medida
y lo apoyan firmemente
no come pavo esta gente
ellos cocinan salmón
un cordero o un lechón
y aunque el ave es un regalo
o una hora de salario
lo evitan de corazón.

Y latinoamericanos
que llegamos hasta el Norte
no es que a noos no nos importe
es más bien que recordamos
que el común de los humanos
nunca ha puesto en su plato
guajolote tan barato
se aprovecha la ocasión
ya que aquí por tradición
lo comen hasta los gatos
chingao...

San Francisco-1991

Alejandro Stuart

Gobble Gobble Gobble!

Hola Familia!!
I'm sitting up in my little tower-of-a-room feeling as if I'm looking out over all of Santiago. A crescent moon and Orion's belt framing my view. My kitchen counter is covered with pots and pans filled with cut veggies in preparation for tomorrow. Potatoes are diced and ready to boil, corn husked and ready to steam, artichokes washed, carrots peeled, zucchini sliced, freshly cubed bread left out to dry for stuffing, and a to-do list all laid out. My fridge is chilling dough and guarding pumpkin pie filling. The smell of fresh nutmeg lingers on my fingers.
Its spring here, the leaves are freshly green and flowers are exploding all over the city. Not a trace of a reddening leaf, Santa Ana Autumn breeze, or dry Indian summer.
I think about all of you: Brian's house with our three pointer baby Luke and the puppies, everyone gathered around the table. Auntie Vickies deviled eggs, Shannie's cheesecake, wine, Kevin and Uncle Mike's jokes and lots of laughter. Shannie and Ian's engagement and wedding plans a hot topic for conversation. Mama Carmen and Papa Red's house, with their freshly painted kitchen, Dad, Kaylyn and the boys gathered around the kitchen table, Kaylyn's fresh pies, Mama Carmen's stuffing and the boys playing music. Mom, Kurt and Sam at Gail's ranch house with our young cousins the dogs and boardgames with Grandma Gail and Grandpa Doug. Maddie in the bay area with her mom and brothers. The still newlyweds Steve and Miranda floating somewhere in between.
I think about Thanksgiving, about giving thanks. I have so much to be thankful for. I truly couldn't be happier day to day, but when I begin to remember holding back tears does not become a priority. I miss my family.
Tomorrow I have much planned to keep me busy: In the morning I would like to go to the Extranjeria to begin the process for my work visa (however it is growing late), then to La Vega to pick up the last ingredients for our Dia de Acción de Gracias feast. Then back to the house to begin cooking. Guests should be arriving around five and we will hopefully be eating by six. Our Manu Chau concert begins at nine and we would like to arrive with anticipation.
Our table tomorrow will be set with a giant turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted veggies, Chilean wines, sangria, and pumpkin pie. All of my gringos and best Chilean friends will be present: un trozo de mi familia cosmico.
You will all be with me tomorrow as I introduce my Chileans to a real California Thanksgiving. I want to send all of you my love and energy. I hope you feel my presence as you gather together and I ask that one of you at each table take the time to read this aloud before you commence your feast.
I love you and miss you all so so much!
Kisses, hugs, and laughter,
Tu hija, hermana, y prima,
Jacks

Current Time: 17:00 hours

Currently I am sitting in a hammock in the backyard with the dogs. It is an overcast day and all the green of spring surrounds me. We are discussing when we will have our Dia de Accion de Gracias Cena.
As Thanksgiving approaches we find ourselves thinking of family and friends. I miss you all so much! I will be posting for Thanksgiving and I ask that someone at each table read my post so that I may be there with you in spirit. Manu Chau is playing next Thursday and all of my American friends and a good number of my Chilean friends will be giving thanks at their concert!
Nathalie's birthday is this weekend and we will be carrete(ing) at the house on Saturday and I am very happy to have the night off work to celebrate with her!
I have finally moved back into my room and started my garden, I am also very lucky to have been lent a guitar that I will hopefully be strumming on within the week! Now that I have only one job I am taking advantage of my free time and frequenting La Vega or the central market and will be tromping through and exploring more of this fabulous city! All is well and I pinch myself several times a day to make sure I'm not dreaming! I just want to thank all of you for your support and love! I appreciate all the messages and emails that I receive, keep on sending them!!

Raices De La Tierra

I was invited to a shaman Encuentro that took place right outside of Casa Blanca not to far from the city. It was a gathering of shaman from Mexico, Columbia, Bolivia, and Chile who all met together to symbolically unite the tribes of the Americas. There were approximately 900 people at the gathering.
I met Andrea and Naty, two girls who I work with at Como Agua Para Chocolate on Friday afternoon and we immediately began to participate in the ceremonies.
That night we all took part in a temescal. Temescal originates from the tribe in Mexico, it is a type of sauna that represents the center of the earth. There were three temescal tents (round and rather low to the ground), each with a hole dug in the center. A giant bonfire is built around a pile of rocks and we one by one place a handful of tobacco along with a positive offering of the mind/spirit into the fire. Then we file into these tents and squeeze all together. They begin to bring in the red hot rocks and place them in the pit and singing commences. There are four doors to the tent that are sequentially opened and as they are opened more rocks are brought in. Water is placed on the rocks and we continue to sing, give thanks, and sweat out all our toxins. Unfortunately no words can describe the beauty and energy of the temescal and all I can recommend is that if you ever get the opportunity to participate in one, please dont hesitate.
The set up of the Encuentro was very well done, we bountifully ate delicious quinoa, salads, and bread. As a whole we produced very little waste as we had a compost area and everyone did their part to pick up trash and respect the land.
On Saturday Nathalie joined us and we participated in a ceremony of love originating from the tribes of Bolivia, we sang and danced and gave thanks. Afterward another temescal took place and we spent the evening working with Shaman from Columbia. Although difficult to explain I was able to let go of fear, fear of the future, fear of love, and come to peace with all the troubles of the past and be open for the future.
The next morning I woke refreshed and our little tribe ate a lovely breakfast of eggs and toast, sweet oatmeal with almonds and later walked out to the bluffs to soak up the sun.
We all participated in the closing ceremony, dancing and singing, and Andrea and I left to head back to the city to work at our cozy restaurant.
Although we were not able to take photos of the ceremonies I have pictures that I will upload of our time on the bluffs as soon as I get them developed (yes, old school style).
I am very thankful for the time at the Encuentro and I hope to participate in the following years. Peace and Love.

Pichilemu

This last weekend Nathalie, Kate, Alex and I took a trip to la playa!! It was so nice to feel the salty arctic winds blowing through my hair! Its amazing how the ocean can be such a powerful healer. We left on Saturday morning and spent the whole day walking up and down the beach. We rented an apartment for the four of us and spent the evening drinking red wine and watching horses and people pass along the dirt road. Good conversation, music and dancing filled our hearts. Pichulemu is a very quite town with beautiful waves and friendly people. On Sunday morning Alex and I woke up and watched the waves then had a lovely breakfast of yogurt, cheese and bread, and chocolate milk. We bid our farewells and returned to the city. Sometimes I forget how beautiful a sunset on the beach can be. Next time you get the opportunity to see one, think of me and I will receive your love!

Carnivor

We file like ants
into the tunnels
of the underworld
We push into
its orifices
like beans
cramming into
the mouth
of a starving child
We feed the belly
of the city with
constant movement
Electric exhaust
and oily railings
sticky with dirt
and microscopic bits
of dead human flesh
A slight of hand
empties pockets
A pen inscribes
its master's name
An old man gingerly
takes an offered seat
An alarm sounds
and like a tasty morsel
they are gulped down
into the bellows of the city.

Las Chincas

La plaga
Me molesta
Me comen
Beben el sangre mio
Siguan con cicatrizes
que pican
Marcas rojas
las engordan
Respiran calor

Rastrean en mi cama
en el piel de mis mejillas
mientras duermo
Mordan el division
de mi pecho
Blancita, delicada
Son mis manchas

Current Time: 21:00 hours

This Friday will officially mark a total of 5 weeks living in Santiago, Chile. When I first arrived I immediately set out to find jobs and after dropping off thirty resumes I was warmly welcomed into the city with countless interviews and as they call pruebas or a 2-5 day tryout. Due the the amazing response I have been able to be picky with my job situation, which came as quite a nice surprise seeing as how I wasn't expecting to find much. I recently quit one of my three jobs and am now working at Como Agua Para Chocolate http://www.comoaguaparachocolate.cl/ and also in Dublin http://www.dublinbellavista.com/. Both restaurants are on Calle Constitucion in the very nice Barrio Bellavista. However, I plan on quitting Dublin because the tips are horrible and I have other job opportunities waiting. One of these is at the sister restaurant to Como Agua Para Chocolate called La Perla del Pacifico (Like the Black Pearl...minus Jack Sparrow and Kiara Knightly) http://www.parquearauco.cl/restaurantes-cafe/la-perla-del-pacifico-2.html. The second job opportunity is more up my alley, although nothing is certain as of yet, I hopefully will start teaching English!!
I am living within a half hour walk from work with easy access to the Metro if Im running late or not wanting to deal with the rush hour crowds (poem soon to come). My address in 0335 Mujica (next line) Ñuñoa, Santiago CHILE. I live in a little apartment separate from the main house that is absolutamente perfecto. I live with eleven other people including La Nathalie Chardon—who I played water polo with in highschool-- and although this may sound hectic we are all quite busy with school and work and we are rarely ever all together. Nat and I have been lucky to be spending lots of time together due to a very uncomfortable infestation of las chinchas in my room (poem soon to come).
My Spanish has mejorando as they say and I frequently dream in Spanish.. Yeah!! I have come to learn many things about the Chilean language--which my friends--is not Spanish by any means. Modismo is more than half of the language and isn't used in any other Spanish speaking country, but Im picking it up rapidly.
On tueday evenings I frequent a kahuim or reuinion with a group of poets and musicians and during the week I have been attending Yoga classes http://www.yogaluka.cl/contenido/providencia-sala-yogapekes-juan-willians-noon-643-metro-manuel-montt-8946017. Chileans are very warm and welcoming people and I have made many friends here in Santiago.
In the next few of weeks I look forward to a Chilean wedding, a poetry reading, Halloween and Nat's Birthday.
I hope all is well back home and just want Mama Carmen to know that Im thinking about her and love her and Im glad her operation went well. Sending out lots of love and kisses to all my friends and family.
Se echo de menos mucho!
Un beso!
Ps. Dont let the bedbugs bite!!

Journal Entry Arequipa, Peru: Sept. 23, 2009

Soy gringa con cuella blancita
huele del sangre del humanos antiguos
civilizaciones muertos y destryos
Pero No!

Los viven viven
en la tierra de pachamama

Los comen comen
la oja de coca

Los toman toman
la chicha hecho de mais

Los siguan siguan
el mapa de las estrellas

Los sirven sirven
las montanas que respiran

Son Incas

Copacabana y la Isla del Sol

In Boliva after our three day trek across the Salar de Uyuni, I continued my journey solita after Nathalie and Adam came down with a rather unpleasant and mysterious stomach flu. I took a bus to La Paz and used the city as a home base for the rest of my Bolivian adventures. Fortunately I met up with Nat and Adam for one more evening in Copacabana, a beach town on the Bolivian side of the majestic Lake Titicaca.
A group of six of us decided to investigate a rumor about a music festival on la Isla del Sol. We began our adventure by catching a collectivo, what could be compared to as a taxi van, from the main plaza and crossed the lake to beautiful Copacabana. After meeting a lovely Bolivian Cholita and her daughter we went down to the beach were we haggled for a boat to take us to the island. Several hours later when we arrived we spent many hours searching for an open room, due to the rumor all the hostels were booked. Luckily we were able to rent a spare bedroom from a local elderly couple living off the main square. That evening as we feasted on a typical Bolivian meal of vegetable soup, fried chicken and rice, none other than Nathalie and Adam waltzed through the door! After many hugs and laughter we followed our ears to the chicito music festival and spent the night drinking beers next to a bonfire on the beach.
Unfortunately, my stay there was cut short by the same mysterious stomach illness that plagued my American friends earlier. However doubled over in pain, I allowed an odd Pringles can in the corner of the room ignite my curiosity. With a pop I uncovered a treasure I am sure was not intended to be found by tourists: a delicate headdress made of the most beautiful iridescent bright green feathers. The next morning our hostel Cholita cared for me with a mate tea concoction to put my tummy at ease before heading off back to La Paz.

Colca Canyon

Here is an excerpt from my journal that I wrote while on an epic trek through the Colca Canyon in Peru:

The crunch of rock
beneath our feet
rings in our ears
Skin, long hidden
from daylight
reaches out to
the rays of sun
A donkey grunts
A cow cries out
A faint twitter
and not the sound
of voice
of motor
of car
or television
not the humming
of machinery
Just the wind
tickling the leaves
the sound of the river
running at the base
of our mountain
crickets singing
and a soft snore
rises from
the duende's hut

La Paz

Hello friends and family!
I know its been quite some time and many many adventures have been had! Currently I am working in a night club in La Paz,Bolivia and although will be leaving within the week to check out Santiago, Chile I have several job offers to return to if it doesnt work out in the south. I have made some amazing friends and truely love it but as things move on, so must I for the time being. I look forward to the last bit of nocturnal life before heading to Peru for a few days to visit a couple friends and then on down.
I must say La Paz is a one of a kind place with the snow covered mountain crowning the city bustling with a mix of indigenous spirit and urban culture. Fireworks and "silent" protests march daily and church bells remind you that someone is always awake. I find my peace of mind on the rooftop of a 200 year old building filled with textured wall paper, velvet maroon draperie, creepy paintings, gold trimmed mirrors and contrastingly enough: mohawks. My breathing eases as I have finally adjusted to the high altitude and we rejoice to see the last couple days of rainfall. Unfortunately Bolivia is at the verge of a major water crisis and we are all doing are part to conserve what we can.
Although I would love to continue to write, the sun is rising again and that means bedtime. I send my love and thanks for reading!