This little man really touched my heart. He's probably 40 or so--a little short guy with flat eyes a body quick and sharp.I heard his clap clapping to the music a block before I saw them. He dancing and slapping two seas shells to the drum beat of a happy song, his sister standing...watching fondly. She was coating his face with sun block when we walked up and her tenderness towards him drew me to them. I asked if I could take some pictures, Bob tossed in som...

The warmth. The noisy connectedness of the Latino family. The shared-ness of it all. Big and laughing and talking all at once. That was dinner tonight. A usually pretty quiet affair with everyone tired from the day's doings turned into a gathering straight out of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.WE LOVE IT! With Tere usually not getting home from work until 8 or after most nights, everyone's pretty tired by dinner time, but today we had company. Her 2 month old ...

Our friend in Santiago said we had to try pastel de choclo, a dish made of fresh corn layered with meat and baked in the oven. It sounded enough like humitas, my all time Argentine favorite, that when Carmila and Tere said they'd make it I jumped in and asked if I could help.There are so many steps to this dish it's a good thing there were three of us. With the Beatles cranked up and Bob hiding out in the back room, we went after it. First you have to hu...

Finally after being here a week, we made it to the beach, la playa. It was a long walk but thankfully, all downhill.We were all set to be in a crowded mix but when we got there it was nearly deserted. The fog that blankets the whole town each morning didn't burn off until 3:00 yesterday and it was 5:00 before people started pouring onto the beach. But suddenly groups of 20 or 30 appeared out of nowhere like the whole city had been turned on end and everyone ...

Last night we're sitting on the bed studying with our books spread all around and the place starts to shake. The bed's a rocking and Tere comes down the hall, tranquillo, she says. Be calm. It's only a little one.Okay, but it's big enough to make the bed feel like a cheap hotel.It lasted quite a while, one after another, and we laughed at her because she was so calm. Oh, they happen all the time.After all, this is Chile.