I Heart Choripan

Soooo my favorite food so far in Chile has got to be the Choripan. As most know, I am a big fan of hot dogs, and this is definitely similar although much, much better. A glorified hot dog if you will. It is called Choripan because it is Chorizo (a fancy hot dog) + pan (bread) and there you have it. Chorizo is muy muy tasty. Then you top it off with some pebra (a salsa like condiment) and mmmm, delicioso! I plan on making this forever and ever. And it's only an appetizer! More to come from Chile "asados" (bbqs) later...

Santa Lucia Mercado

Yay my first Chilean post! The photo above...I actually saw that building today! It was my favorite building of the day and I don't even know what it is. Unfortunately it was dark when I saw it so I didn't get a good picture of my own, but I plan on going back to get more. But it's right across the street from the Santa Lucia Mercado which was the first outing I've actually been on here in Santiago. It was just a cool open air market, similar to the Fremont fair, etc. But it was nice to get out and explore. We've mostly been doing teacher training lately so we don't have too much time to get out and about in the city so I'm glad I'm staying for a few days after the program. In a couple days I'll be shipping out to San Felipe where I will be teaching high school kids! It's right at the foot of the Andes mountains so even though I'm not on the coast, I'll still fit right in cause Seattle has coast and mountains. Maybe my family will take me snowboarding!! The internet is very available so be prepared for lots of updates about how awesome Chile is!

Adios, Seattle!

I'm leaving in the morning to head down south. I'll try to update as much as possible. Miss you all!!

MTV Movie Award Ads

So I can't necessarily say that I would watch the MTV Movie Awards (I definitely wont be this year as I'll be out of the country), but the ads for this year's show are so hilarious! Andy Samberg is hosting this year and I think he is going to be a big name in the future of comedy, if it isn't already. (Plus I love the cameos of Cera, Black, Arnett and Hader.) These are just a couple of the ads for the show. If you want to cast your vote for the winners just go to mtv.com and you can watch the awards on May 31st @ 9pm. But first, watch the ads! Hahaha!

Macaroni Salad

This is probably one of my favorite concoctions to make (and was so excited to see that my grandma prepared it for our Mother's Day feast)! It's very easy and ingredients are totally up to you, but here is the perfect combination for me:
-Elbow macaroni (cooked, duh)
-Baby shrimp
-Cucumbers, cut into fourths
-Cheddar cheese, diced into small cubes
It's super easy and simple. After mixing together the ingredients, add a plop of mayo and a squeeze of lemon juice as well as some salt & pepper for taste and viola! There you have it. A delicious macaroni salad perfect for BBQs.

3 More Days....

I am so excited that it is almost here. The release of "Angels & Demons" is coming up this Friday and I can't wait. This book had to be one of the most intense and suspensful books I've read in awhile and that makes the anticipation for the movie all the more exciting. One of my favorite things about the book was the use of ambigrams. It's sort of a small part, but adds to the story a lot. (An ambigram is a word that can be read the same if you turn it upside down.....try turning the picture above upside down and read it.) I think this book is definitely better than "The DaVinci Code" and I'm hoping the movie follows suit. Stay tuned for a review!

I Love You, Man

So I FINALLY saw "I Love You, Man" and I have to say...I loved it...man. Jason Segel and Paul Rudd are probably two of my favorite (and two of the funniest) actors ever, and them together was amazing. I'll admit it wasn't as hysterically funny as some of their other movies, but the storyline of this one was also kind of cute, which made the awkward parts even better. The best scene has to be when Rudd's character first meets Segel's character at an open house and discuss another attendant...and well, the fun continues from there. Rudd is perfect in his way that he makes quiet, ridiculous comments after you think the scene is over and Segel is just over the top crazy. Definitely a recommendation from this girl.

Valparaiso

Only 2 weeks left until I depart south to Chile! I could not be more excited. Of course it has been fun prepping (and shopping) for my trip, but I'm anxious to get things moving. I recently found out I will be placed in the city of Valparaiso which is a gorgeous coastal city in the mid-country region. It is one of the most important seaports in the country and it is full of colorful houses and beaches! I'm definitely glad I'm going to be by water so I'll at least feel a little like home. Some of the pictures actually remind me of the Port of Seattle. I don't have any set plans yet, but I definitely want to do some traveling to all areas of Chile as well as Machu Picchu, Peru and Buenos Aires, Argentina while I'm in the area. Stay tuned!