Category Archives: Uncategorized

Yesterday we went out to dinner at a bar in our town and tried to order a cheese and Hawaiian pizza. The waitress said, “We don’t have cheese.” Interesting. We ordered the margherita pizza without the ham and basil. Apparently, they have that. I felt like I was Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces whenContinue reading “Mallsport”

It feels so strange to celebrate Halloween when it is 80 degrees and sunny. And I definitely felt nostalgic about missing trick-or-treating on High Street in Ipswich, attending the party at the town fire-station, and cheering for all of the creative costumes at Brookwood’s lower school parade. I stalked Facebook for updates, ‘liking’ everyone’s quintessentialContinue reading “Halloween in Chile”

Here is an exchange on my Facebook page between Rich and our friend, Joe, after I posted on the recent events in Santiago.  No school again tomorrow; this is our third consecutive school cancellation. There is a call for a general strike on both Wednesday and Thursday. Though a quip, is this the beginning ofContinue reading “Conversations with Chileans”

Tomorrow there is no school due to the violent protests initiated by high school and college students in response to  proposed metro hikes. Though I had heard about the protests last week, it seemed more about disrupting traffic and jumping turnstiles until Friday night and into Saturday when I began to hear about protesters vandalizingContinue reading “Protests in Santiago”

A number of people have reached out to me that I have not written my blog in awhile. I looked up the stages of culture shock. There are four stages. The first is the honeymoon or initial euphoria. This is when I was like “Yes, I will write a blog every week about all ofContinue reading “Culture Shock”

In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan was the first European explorer to arrive in Chile. Other explorers followed in 1535 searching for gold and silver. Though unsuccessful in finding these precious metals, Chile did offer enough other valuable agricultural resources worthy of Spanish conquest. For nearly 300 years, Spain reigned over Chile despite numerous violent insurrections. Finally, Continue reading “When in Chile….”

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. -Barack ObamaContinue reading “Striking a Balance”

Last weekend we went to a market, and I tried to buy just a few kiwis, mangoes, and a fruit that I cannot name. I handed over my $20,000 peso bill, and then Rich said to me, “Honey, that fruit is like 30 bucks.” The woman gave me some change.  Then I said, “Espera. CuantaContinue reading “In Defense of Ignorance”

As my colleague said most eloquently this week during a coaching team meeting, “It just feels like you all have been taking such excellent care of a puppy and are now passing it onto us. I just do not want to kill it.” Oddly, this is exactly how I had been feeling, too. Tom andContinue reading “Coaching at Nido: A New Role and a Perfect Fit”

You know you are in Chile when… …as a greeting you kiss friends, acquaintances, and people you are meeting for the first time on the check; well, actually, it is more of a kiss in the air past your check, as your cheeks touch.   ….in an open market, you can purchase food that you haveContinue reading “You Know You Are in Chile When…”