Globalization

I was at the bathroom recently (you know that's a whole issue for me), and I casually looked at my pants' badge (I don't know how you call the thing where the size is) and I realized they were made in Bangladesh!!! I was really impressed, I mean, I barely know where that country is!! And pants actually travel half the world to cover my chilean butt!!!! And they are not exclusive pants or anything, they are from Zara (I think you should have that store in the US because the size is detailed for Mexico, USA and Europe), that is pretty popular around here.

Things like this make me realize how far have we gone in terms of globalization don't you think??

Then I got to think about stores (I do a lot of thinking in the bathroom, as you can see) that we have/don't have here, but we do know here, or stores that are absolutely a mistery for us.

U.S./Multinational Stores we have here:
- Food: Mc Donalds (of course), KFC, Burger King, Submarine, Domino's Pizza, Pizza Hut, Starbucks Cafe, Haagen Dasz, well a lot of those...
- Clothes: not very big ones, there are a few Hugo Boss's stores, Burberry's, Louis Voitton (how the hell is written that), mainly exclusive stores, well and of course ZARA, my favorite store!! MNG also (spanish brands)
- Cars: almost every brand
- Department stores: none (pretty nacionailsts! but no, I'll explain later)
- Supermarkets: none (same reason as department stores)
- Others, I can't think right now, it's easier to name the ones we don't have


Stores we know about but don't have here:
- (K's favorite) Wal Mart (well come on, it's like the biggest retail empire in the world)
- K'mart (it's like the same thing as Wal Mart or isn't it?)
- Sephora (well, I know about that)
- Wendy's
- Gap (amazing ha?)
- Banana Republic, Express, Toys'r'us (paradise for chileans visiting Miami (typical destiny) mainly)
- Macy's
- Bloomingdale's
- H&M

Stores I've learned they exist thanks to blogland: mainly Target (I would love to know more about that store!!)

Stores that were here once but due to lack of adaptation, they had to go:
- JC Penney (GREAT failure)
- Home Depot (actually this brand was bought (in Chile) by another homestore that is called Homestore (haha))
- Carrefour (same thing, brand and infraesructure was bought by a local supermarket)
- Guess Jeans (never hit it)

I think that's about it, please tell me about Target, that I'm so curious!!

Scary!!

Remember this sales-man and how I managed to confront him?

Well, today was round 2.

I spoke to our customer this morning, and she told me that she'd never apologized with him (that's what he told me) and even more, she never told him to keep that conversation "between them" (or is it "among them"), that HE has been the one to tell her that. And that she didn't like him at all, she didn't understand half of what he was talking about, because he was so complicated to talk and a lot of things I know perfectly about him.

So as you can imagine, that was it for me. Forget about assertiveness, I was actually looking forward to confront him this time, having the evidence and all.

So he came, and I told him what I'd talk to this customer and that his version was totally different to the one the customer AND the other sales person had told me, and that he was lying to me and that I was starting to loose trust in him and so on (of course I would've liked to tell him this in a much better way, but at least I managed to be very firm and clear).

Can you believe he denied it all!!!!!!! It was almost sickening, to watch him be SO calm, putting these faces that look like he was shocked about this "lier" customer!!!!! I can't believe there are people so cinical!!!!! He was like "she said that"..."pffff" (as saying what a lier) and telling me that well that now he knew how that customer was, and it was good for him to know what kind of person she was and all.

Maybe you're starting to think that there's a tiny chance that in fact he was telling the truth, but you know what? I was very aware of ANY sign that could tell that he was lying. And I found it. Even though he was very convincing and everything, for as long as he was justifying himself he never looked at me in the eye, not for a second. And this man ALWAYS look at you in the eye, in a creepy-psycho way, so it was at least suspicious he never looked at me when he was "lying", don't you think?

And anyway, what possible reason could this customer have to lie to me? She has nothing to loose, if she's not happy, she turn to another supplier and end of story. AND more than that, I could tell she was honest, and I also have a lot of previous data that this man is no person to trust.

But, even if I'm being more assertive, I'm a little scared. This man is really really manipulative, really bad, I don't know what he's capable of doing. I have some information that on his previous job he was fired because it seems he stole some money (some customers payed to him, but that money never got back to the company, and when the company called the customers to ask for the money, they said they've already payed). But that was never 100% proved (prooved? I forgot how to write that word), because apparently he had some kind of agreement with the customers.

So, we're talking about a professional here, he found this "little girl" (me), with few experience, well intentioned, so he thinks he can do whatever he wants! He's even saying to his ex-coworkers he's a sales manager in this company!!!!!

Well, at least we've already agreed in firing him, but I'm still scared that he can get back at us, I don't know how, maybe giving confidential information to the company, maybe finding a way to get money out of us, I really don't know, but I hope he gets lost soon!!!!

P.S.: I know, maybe I've watched too many movies, but it's still scary to deal with someone like this.

P.S.2: Newlwife thanks a lot for your support!

Assertiveness-less

I definitively need an assertiveness (I don't even know if that word actually exists!) course.
Thing is, I'm in charge of an area here in my company, and there's a salesman who I'm in charge of.
He's REALLY stupid and looks in a sick-pervert way that gives me the creeps (in fact, once I dreamed that he tried to rape me!). No, he's not stupid, I think he's very clever actually, but in a wrong-untrustable kind of way, you know what I mean??
I think he thinks he's more clever than me, and that I can fall on his lies or "storytelling", but I know better.
He talks and talks and talks, but doesn't say anything at all, uses words that are totally out of context (but sound "cool"), he doesn't even talk well (it's like if in english he said: i'm to going to call you, something totally not right).
Well, as you can see, I'm not very fond of him, in fact, with my boss (my uncle haha) we're talking of firing him, because he's giving the company the worst image, and we've already had some complaints from customers.

What does this have to do with me not being assertive? Well, today I had to argue with him, because precisely a customer had called to say she wanted to be attended by another sales person because she didn't like this man. So I told him to stop visiting that customer. And he sent me a HUGE email telling me basically he was not willing to loose that customer, and all this full of strange words, that this project was like a "flame", that this was a road being pavemented and once it was ready, everyone could be able to transit along that road (of course we do not build roads!!!!), and bla bla bla...but it was in a kind of defiant tone that made me really mad, so I had to tell him, and he defended and I continued being mad....

But, the thing is I don't confront people, I get too shy when it comes to tell things to unknown people (for example if a waiter takes too long to bring my order, at the most I will say him with a big smile, "hey, is my food alright?", you know??), so this confrontation left me almost trembling. I feel proud of myself to had confronted him, but the post-feeling is not nice.
That's why I think I need a course that teaches me how to say things without being affected in such a bad way!!!

Teenager weekend

Saturday evening reminded me A LOT of when I was a university girl, it was REALLY fun:
first we went to see a movie (Firewall, not very good), then we joined some friends (the same single-non-babies-relaxed friends that I posted a while ago) at a bar, laughed a lot, had a great time, and then one of these friends started to convince us to go dancing....at 4 am!!!! I don't know how he did it but he convinced us! And there we went, to a totally "not-our-target" discotheque. See, here in my country the local "jet set", meaning actors, soccer players, pseudo-reality show participants, etc, it's pretty lame and of course nothing to do with Hollywood actors or anything. So this disco it's now pretty "in" for our local "jet set", and people who want to be like them.
We went more like to have a good laugh than anything, and anyway, we were going as a group.
It was really really FUN, seeing so much different and strange people, dancing to the rythm of "reggeaton" (it's a kind of music that mixes rap, hip-hop, latin music...not my type of music!).
And there we stayed until 6 in the morning! And E and other friend decided they were hungry so we went looking for an open BK (there are some open until 6 am here, because people go out very late!), but it has just closed, so we ended up in an "tiger market" (the minimarket of Exxon), eating a cold pizza, seeing with almost "depression" how the night became day, and we were still awake!!
Yesterday we were very very tired, but we didn't regret for a minute our saturday night out, because we felt so comfortable with these friends (as opposed to some E's friends we saw on friday, they're so difficult to treat, they are always serious, talking about the latest philosophy book they read or the classes they've had in their sophisticated sociology courses around the world. They don't seem to be able to laugh about the latest gossip or discuss about traffic jams), and we felt like we were actually enjoying our current no-babies status, not only stressing because we don't have, see?
So it was a really nice weekend, of course we won't repeat it in a while (it's really exhausting!), but still we start the week with good perspectives (and, of course, we have been "making our homework" with great precision!).
See ya!

Real (but not nice) things

Even though the title sounds very misterious, it's not that big thing, but I wanted to refer to an issue that it's a little private, or a little disgusting maybe, but I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem, that is: office bathrooms.

Is it me or somebody else feels REALLY uncomfortable with everything involving going to the bathroom during work times?

For me it's really something very unpleasant and that constantly bugs me, to the point sometimes it doesn't let me work at all.

For instance, at this precise moment I'm really thinking of going home to have my own bathroom's peace, you know? go home, that's 15-20 minutes by car, go to the bathroom and come back. Sounds a little insane ha? but really I can't go to the bathroom here, I'm no way relaxed, thinking somebody will come in at any moment, and a really need some time there!!

Have anybody come to a solution to this? Please tell me about it!

Precious moments

Continuing with my happiness, yesterday after work I decided I didn't want another "routine" day: work, pick up E, go home, watch TV and use the computer, eat, more TV, sleep.

So suddenly I told E "are we going out for dinner or what?", and E looked at me totally shocked of this so-spontaneous attitude I'd suddenly gotten.

And there we went, to a really delicious argentinian restaurant (you know how argentinians are famous for their meats, they are AWESOME), and we had a really really good time. We talked A LOT, trying to "fix the world" (here we use that expression when you talk about everything and nothing, when you dream of solutions that will never come, etc: young idealists!). We had a really interesting conversation about how is it that our country is SO far away from developed countries, with that huge gap (as I've told you before) between poor and rich people, and more than that, it's the socio-cultural gap the worst problem. You have to be from one of 10 schools to be someone when you grow up, have to know the right people, even if you are the dumbest person in the country, with the right "contacts" you have your future assured.

And it's really sad, because here definitively not everybody has the same opportunities, even if politics promise us we have, but it's not like that.

So E thinks the only solution is to increase all salaries, so even poor people can live with dignity (as happens in europe and US we think). Here poor people may actually get to live in carton houses!!!

Well, the point wasn't what we talked about, but how fun is it to go out with E, I admire him so much, he's so smart and knows so much, we really have great times when we go out. And I think it's really good for a couple to do stuff like that, because at home you can't really talk, you just want to watch TV and sleep, don't you think? I totally recommend it!!

And, the best part, even if yesterday we were too full and too tired for anything, romanticism stayed with us until this morning! (if you know what I mean)

I'm so happy to have found E, he's really the best!!!!

80% nephew!

My mother called me a while ago, to tell me that SIL had a U/S today and there's an 80% chance that the baby is a boy. So that's why I have an 80% nephew!!

Strangely, I have no signs of jealousy on me, it's the most strange thing. In fact, I was telling E (by email) that I feel in a new state of "mental clarity", where I'm not affected negatively by things that happen to SIL and my brother. I feel like "oh, how good for them, now my brother will have a mini-him to teach him how to play soccer and tennis, to share all those boys' moments, etc", but I don't feel a bit angry, or sad or anything. It's curious, but well, it's not that big deal, to learn the baby's sex it's not something that could put me jealous, considering 1) I don't have any preferences in having a baby boy or girl and 2) it's the same baby she has been carrying all along, now the only difference is that we know how to call him.

But anyway, I really feel better, I'm so happy to have E as a husband, we have so much fun together, we love each other so much, I don't know, I feel very very lucky and well, the baby will come sooner or later, I hope (if not, we've already agreed that we'll adopt).

The only explanation I can find for this sudden happiness is that there's a chance that E will be able to stay in this consulting company, as they will be able to pay him a reasonable amount, so I was making some math and realized that if things actually go that way, we will be able to pay all of our debts (except the loans, because they have a pre-determined finish date) on something like 6 months, and that REALLY put me in a good mood, thinking that finally we will "breathe" in that matter. So I hope things turn out that way, because if not, you will have me here moaning and whining...a lot!! haha...

Thankful

Thank you all for your support, I really really appreciate it so much.

And Lorem I totally agree with you, bloggers that I read have gone through really tough times so we are in the same spot.

I think we all have our ups and downs, today I feel a little better, even though last night and this morning E and I discussed a little, because he felt uneasy about the way we were living. Well, not just like that, but yesterday he met a friend (to see a soccer match, E is a really soccer fan), and this friend, out of the blue, asked E if my parents had been the ones to finance our wedding, that (on E's friend words) was so classy and all. Stupid friend asking such unuseful things (hey, what do you care anyway!!), and E had to explain that no, that he had paid for his part, and the friend continued "but how on earth did you pay it!"...oh my God, what is it with this people, what do he care!! I insist!!! Well, and E explained that he had asked for a loan (I learned that word, or more like it, I remembered it!) in the bank and all.

But after that conversation, E felt uncomfortable, because according to him, he shouldn't be living the way we are, that maybe he doesn't deserve it and blablabla...so I got a little angry, because all was about that stupid "resented" (how do you say when someone is so envious of people of upper classes, that they "despise" them and talk bad about them?) friend, now he feels unsecure. So we talked a lot, and finally he calmed down.

See, as in Chile the gap between upper and lower classes is so big, there is a lot of envy, resentment, clasism, so it's so chilean to judge you for anything. You get a nice car and the comments are "ohhh so now you're all snobbish living the rich and famous life", you have a nice wedding and "ohhh how did you pay for that". Instead of being happy that the other person is doing well and all, they make you feel bad. That really pisses me off. I've come to not care about those comments (not because I'm all that high class and all, but I've heard those comments so much in my life that now they don't affect me anymore), but to E, it's still something that bothers him a lot, because he still can't believe that there's nothing wrong with living "well" and that the problem is that people are envious.

Well, but back to the point.

So now, post-discussion, we are all "love and peace", you know what I mean? So e-mails come and go "I love you so much, we have to be together in good and bad times" and things like that.
And we really mean it! At least, this discussion made me realize that we are indeed very lucky, that we have a wonderful marriage, we don't have any illness or things like that, we have so many beautiful things in our life (not material, I mean friends, family, etc.), that now I feel confident and happy...and ready to "make our homework"...in the TTC subject.

Got to go to a meeting! Thank you again for your support!

Somebody help me!

I just realized my problem is WAY bigger than I thought: I'm starting to hate everyone who is pregnant now (not my blog friends, as I commented somewhere, for some reason you bloggers don't make me a bit jealous).

I just received an e-mail from E (we e-mail a lot during the day) telling me that R, a good friend of him, is going to be a daddy. Thing is, that friend and his wife are the typical "anarquists" very "cool" in a kind of "hippie" way. Not hippie but they are anti-capitalists (not that I'm particularly capitalist, but you know what I mean, I have credit cards, drive a car, work in a private company, nothing THAT strange!), pseudo-intellectuals, who lived for more than a year in a tiny town because they were like "helping the community". I insist, I don't have anything against helping the community, but what's so annoying is that it's all a "pose", a way to demonstrate how cool they are, going the opposite way that everybody goes. Anyway, they got married (in an (of course) so cool small wedding very "humble" and all) just a week before us, and now they are pregnant.

The way they live or what they think has nothing to do with them being pregnant, but I just felt like "de-compress" a little with them because I am totally JEALOUS. Plain and simple. So I feel like talking bad about them because I'm really tired that EVERYONE seems to be pregnant these days!! At least I felt safe with E friends, that as they are all more "modern", they aren't so in the "baby thing" yet. But now, as some kind of plague, they are being "infected" with this whole pregnancy thing!!!

OK, I'm totally aware I'm being really nasty, unfair to them and everybody else in my circle of friends, but I just can't stand it anymore!! I want to be like them! It's not that I would preferr no one was pregnant, but please!! is it too much to ask if I want to JOIN them?

Well, as I told you at the beginning of this horrible post, I realize I'm pretty close to going nuts, and I KNOW it's MY problem, not the hippies-cool problem, not my SIL problem, just MY ridiculous problem!!

I hope I get through this phase, for my sake and all of you who kindly read me, hoping to find something funny, nice, not this crap I'm writing! But I know also you will understand me because you have been there too, haven't you??

I'm so sorry, and please be patient with me!!

Therapy

So we went to our first interview as to start our couple-therapy.
It wasn't very productive as it was more to know some basics about us, why were we there, what were our expectations, things like that.
Anyway, I'm hoping it's useful to solve some stuff that bugs us a little.

The only problem is that it's nowhere near our workplaces, and the therapist said there weren't a lot of hours available, so hopefully they can give as an hour near lunch time, so as to "escape" without having to lie. I really wouldn't like to tell here we are going to therapy, it would sound as we are having deep problems, and they would never believe our real reasons (I wouldn't tell them, anyway).

So that's the news for today. Not very inspired...thing is, I didn't get a chance to have lunch, and as I said I was going to have lunch outside the office, I can't eat something now, it would be too suspicious. So I'm starving and also it's pretty hot outside so I'm not comfortable at all. HA HA..
Hope my inspiration gets back soon!!

Funny thing how I trust blogland...

Trying to catch up with blogs I usually visit, I started to think it's really funny how is it that all this blog thing makes me (and a lot of other bloggers) be so open-hearted. I know part of the blog world is about expressing our thoughts and everything, but it really amazes me that I can talk here about things I haven't tell ANYONE.

There's the TTC thing (I learned today that's "trying to conceive" haha). E and I are being very discrete about this all thing, answering with evasives and trying to change the subject whenever the "and when are YOU going to have babies?" question is asked (which happens a lot, by the way). More E than me, we don't want to have the extra pressure of saying "yeah, we're trying" and then after some months people start "well, weren't you trying?" or talking behind our backs "yee, they must have some sort of fertility problem, poor them"...

We can barely handle our own pressure as to add up all that other pressure, but then it's also a little unconfortable to be always making up something, or saying anything stupid to move on to another subject. So that's where this blog comes in, to allow me to tell the absolute truth, knowing that all of you out there are in some sort of way in the same status as me. And believe me it helps me A LOT. So thank you!

The other "secret" subject I can only refer to in this blog is E's job. I haven't talked about it but will now. Thing is, E is a sociologist. Cool profession, but in Chile it's not easy to find a job outside the government (where jobs are really lousy for sociologists). Luckily, E has always found pretty good jobs, and he's currently working as a researcher in a University and also works almost as a partner in a consulting company that his co-workers at the university have. He has been very happy because besides his fixed income, he earns a % of the projects he participates in. And there has been a LOT of projects.

The problem is that a few weeks ago, the university (a private one, owned by a bunch of morons that have no clue about doing business) decided that as less students entered this year to that university, they don't have enough budget to finance the media research center my husband works in. Have you ever heard a research center that has to generate money by itself? I mean, research centers are that: RESEARCH, they're not providing products or services that people pay for. Even more, actually this center generated a lot of money, because some big media companies asked for some market studies and payed a lot for them. But for the university, it wasn't enough. So they'd rather be THE only university without research centers, than having to pay my husband and his co-workers (only 2 of them) for making the studies. Unbelievable don't you think?

Well, as you might guess, E is really upset about this. Not only because the lower income (all of his fixed income came from the university), but also because it was a good job, and he was really happy about it. So for now, until May 10th (my birthday, how ironic!) he continues with his both jobs. Then, only with what this consulting company may generate. They offered (before this whole university thing) him to be a partner, but it's a really small company, not consolidated yet, so being a partner isn't at all THE solution. Of course it's better than nothing, but it's a little like a lottery. If the company starts to grow, ok, but maybe after the current projects, there will be no more. And that's where my husband is right now: should he look for another job, that he likes less but can give him some sure money at the end of the month? or should he become a partner? or should he continue working as "free-lance" there, until the company grows enough to give him a fixed income? or until he finds another job that he likes AND gives him more money?

So, here we are, worrying about TTC, but also about our financial stability for the future. The thing is, we have some debts, so despite we get to live pretty well, we don't have any margin left, we use pretty much all of our incomes. This is temporary, while we finish paying a couple of credits (I don't know how you call it when you borrow some money from the bank, and then pay a fixed amount for a determined period of time), but that is next year!

Sorry, this was not very entertaining, but as I said before, this is the only place where I can talk about this. Anyway, we are still on the TTC (loved that!!) journey, but I know E is really worried thinking if we're going to be able to live as we have til now. Well, he's REALLY smart, so I know he won't have any trouble finding a job if things doesn't go great in the consulting company, but anyhow, it has given us a few good headaches!

Sometimes I think we should move to another country, where they could really appreciate how smart E is and where there are better jobs for what he does. But then I start thinking about my family, my friends, and I don't know if I could be far from my loved ones. Pretty selfish thinking, but of course it's not that simple. E doesn't speak english that well (thinking of english speaking countries) and he doesn't have any post-graduate degree, so I don't think it could be easy to just move to another country. Anyway, I still believe that God knows why things happen the way they happen, so there am I, hanging to my Faith and hoping this year ends with good news in the TTC AND job issues!!

See ya'!! (and thanks again for reading me!!)

And...back on the game!!

Hi, here I am, back in my office, trying to make up for the days I didn't come, lots of things to do.
I am recovered now, still a little weak, but ready to start again the "baby campaign" this week...

I've been feeling a little sad these days...specially after seeing SIL yesterday, with her BIG boops and her starting-to-be-notorious belly (according to another friend, SIL must be forcing her belly to be bigger than it actually is, considering she's so thin and shouldn't be notorious yet), and my family talking about the baby (they insist it's a boy, so they even call him by his name: Agustín (it's difficult to pronounce it in english)), but well, I hope this month we can have good news, or if not, next, or next...or next..haha....

Tomorrow with E we are going to an evaluation for a "couple-therapy". Not because we have problems as a couple, but more because he doesn't like my family a lot (because my family wasn't very nice at him when we were going to get married), and sometimes it's a problem, considering I'm pretty fond of my family and I like to be with them a lot, but he doesn't, etc.
Also, we think we need some type of counseling with all this baby thing, pressures, envies with SIL, etc. So hopefully it will help us on our conceiving-journey.

Will tell you more about it after we go there!!

Happy to be back!!!

Sick

Definitively this has not been a good week. Starting with my period, first thing monday morning.
Then my office computer got some virus or something, all because I wanted to "crack" some game. My fault I know.
Then, I was feeling pretty bad on monday, could barely talk, because of my throat that was soring like hell. So I went home early, stayed on bed on tuesday, and went to the doctor tuesday afternoon considering I was feeling worse every day.
Diagnosis: accute laringitis (I don't know how you say it in english). Tons of medicines, and the doctor's recommendation: oral rest, that means try not to talk...hahaha, me, Mrs. Talk-all-day, wasn't allowed to talk? Well, it hasn't been that bad, because my voice REALLY isn't there, so it's hard to be understood if I'm whispering.
At last, today my voice is returning, a little unstable, but it's there finally. I still have headaches and weakness, but I think by the weekend I will be alright, I hope.

So as you see, nothing to be happy about! But well, this forced "break" has allowed me to focus more on getting better than anything. Well, I confess I've been thinking a lot about the baby issue, but I'm just waiting now, to get better and then start my "campaign" next week.

See you!

No good news...

Got my period today.

No surprise anyway, despite my confidence on friday, on saturday I couldn't wait longer so I took a test...E and I almost "inserted" our eyes inside the test to try to find the damn line, but nothing at all (test was possitive when a + sign appeared, but there it was, the - almost mocking at us...).

Pretty dissapointing, but ok, never thought we would be that lucky!!

Saturday evening we had a wedding, we had a GREAT time, really I think E and I were trying to relax, so it was a pretty nice evening.

Unfortunately I caught a cold, so yesterday I woke up feeling really shetty...and no period, so I was starting to get a little confused. Anyway, considering the - the day before, I took some medicines...and today, there it is, good old period.

So now I am: without a voice, coughing like I had tuberculosis or something, with my ears close to explosion, just like my head...and with horrible cramps thanks to Mr. Period.

Nice way to start the week ha??

PD: sorry I'm feeling a little angry today: hate nature, hate feeling lousy, hate everything, thanks Mr. Period for making my hormones do this to me!!

3 more days...

No period yet.

No more spotting (never was, anyway, just a "dirtylike" fluid, reaaally tiny).

Today, I decided to do something I'd promised myself not to do anymore: take my temp HAHA (confessed it to husband later). It was high, really high for me. Not necessarily a good sign, because as far as I know, temp lowers just 1 day before period day. Considering tomorrow is day 28, and usually my periods go between 28 and 30, it would be no surprise if I didn't get it by tomorrow.

Thing is, I have HUGE cramps today (I think huge is not a correct word to put here, but you understand don't you?), really unpleasant feeling.

So, Mrs. Always-thinking me starts to think...what if???? because it's a little strange to have thes cramps if my period is not coming yet (not today, not tomorrow,according to my temp), for me, cramps ALWAYS come once my period is here...or at the most, earlier the same day, but never 2 days before.

Ok, but of course everybody know temp is not a very accurate method, so maybe it was higher because I shaked the thermometer before putting it on or because who knows.

Don't want to get my hopes up, but still I think I won't know anything before sunday..or monday....

Will keep you informed!!

Update: baby issue

I think there's no pregnancy this month.

I went to pee, and there were those tiny tiny tiny spots...not spots (sorry to be so graphic here) but where like hmmm I don't know how to describe it without being gross, but anyway it's something that happens to me everymonth, first are this tiny things, then nothing for a couple days, then comes our "dearest" period..

Sorry to dissapoint you, it would have been TOO great to have "achieved" on the first try. So next month, nothing to do but keep trying!!

Back to baby issue...

As I told you before, it's better to vary a little, not only babies, not only Chile...today is babies' day.

Today I've been thinking a lot in the getting-pregnant thing. That's because yesterday we went out with some friends: single, non-babies' friends for a change. It was a really nice and fun evening, so then I got to think I fit more with these people than my usual lots-of-babies friends.

So I started to relax, I believe I stopped worrying about my current status (of, as someone said in her blog, 25% pregnant, 75% non-pregnant) for about 2 hours and enjoyed our actual lifestyle.

But then, Mrs. Always Worrying (me) started to think that maybe it wasn't so bad if I don't turn out pregnant this month (of course, it was just a one milisecond thought that crossed my mind). But then again, I realized it's not having or not having babies what makes the difference among my friends, but the way you face things. I believe with or without children, we will always fit more among our more relaxed friends, who can talk about a LOT of stuff, not only nannies and whatsoever.

Anyway, it was good to have seen these friends, because now I feel pretty confident that I will, in fact, be patient enough to wait until I'm at least 2 days past my period day (see? I'm still anxious! told you!).

But, of course I'm very aware of any sympthoms I may get. My boobs are really sensitive (I don't think they're bigger though), I have little cramps some times, still peeing a lot (in that particular sympthom I'm trying to discover whether it's just because of the water-coffee I drink, that always makes me pee inmediately, or there are times when there shouldn't be pee, and there is haha), REALLY tired (specially today considering I went to bed at 1.30 in the morning), and I think that's about it. The "fluid" issue is not clear, sometimes there is a lot, sometimes nothing at all, so I haven't figured out that yet.

So here I am now, 12 dpo that could be only 8 dpo in the worst of the cases (my longest cycle ever has been 32 days, but on special circumstances, so this month shouldn't be the case). I think I'll wait til monday to start thinking about a test.

I still don't want to be "precautious" with the non-smoking, non-coffee stuff, maybe I'm being irresponsible, but I think it's like a (didn't find the word in english) "cábala", it's the typical thing that you do for "good luck", how do you call that? Well, the thing is I'm trying to cheat on myself, making my body think I'm not anxious, so then he (body) can relax and think "ok this girl is ok to have a baby, because she's not anxious"...hahahaha LOL (as blogger Ben told me!). Of course, as soon as I know something, I will be a good girl and follow all the how-to-be-pregnant rules, don't worry! (I'm not drinking anything though, but that's also because of a diet I'm in, a pretty equilibrated diet by the way).

More news, soon as I get something!

My beautiful little sister in one of the beaches where our house is (it's a condo, in a peninsula).

This is mom, on our lake house balcony. Actually the volcano is just left of the picture, in front of the house!

A breathtaking view of Villarrica Volcano, and Villarrica Lake (far away you can spot Pucon). We were on a beach nearby.

That's husband and me waiting for my family's boat...in Pucon! this summen (february)

My country in CNN!!

Can you believe it?
A whole news story of my country..my city!! told by an US citizen!!!
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/02/23/spanish.immersion.ap/index.html

OK. It was a really touristic description, but anyway it leaves my country very high in expectations, so thanks Sara Kugler!!

The neighborhood she talks about: Providencia, is part of the east side, but it's a very commercial-business neighborhood, and also houses and appartments (older, it was a top neighborhood around the 60's-70's. Now the city have been moving up-east (to the mountains))

A little more about Chile!!

Some more facts about my country (trying to get you to come here sometime!)

Population: 16.000.000 (REALLY small country don't you think?)

There are 13 regions, from north to south (long and thin country, with a "chili" shape, I've always thought that's where the name come from, but no, it's for another reason I don't remember right now).

Santiago, the capital, it's in the "Metropolitan Region" (13th region, even if it's between 5th and 6th region from north to south), has 6.000.000 people living here (aprox.). Other big cities: Valparaíso (5th region), something like 500.000 hab, but if you sum it up with Viña del Mar (neighbor city), they are near 1.000.000. Concepción (8th region), like 800.000 I think.
And then, smallest cities, no more than 300.000 hab. Mostly 150.000. A lot of small towns less than 100.000 hab.

PIB per capita: I think we are about USD 7.000 now, if you correct it by power-of-buy (I don't know the exact word) is like USD 8.500-9.000 I think. Not much of a rich country!

Religion: mostly catholics, lately there are more "evangelics" (methodists and similars).

Race: mixed: there are white, and also some light-olive-skin, it's because spanish that came here around 1500's, they mingled (mengled?? how is it?) with local indians "mapuches", so there's some indian characteristics in chilean bodies-faces. No black people (I understand the africans that came here as slaves, didn't survive because of bad weather conditions...or they caught some disease).

Average height: men 5.7, women, 5.2, something like that. Pretty short (giant me and giant family is an exception!).

Education: not very good. There are public, public-subventionated (ha, I invented that!) and private schools. Public schools (excepting 1 or 2) are very bad in terms of education. The education gap is really huge here. Private schools are more affordable here, middle class and higher, go to private schools. Universities: some good, some very bad. There has been a "university explosion" over the last years. Many business men have realized it's a good business, so they start a university. Really pathetic ah?

Life expectation: women 75 I think, men a little less, 73 or something.

Government: democratic, elected by popular vote. Next saturday it's the "president change" (how do you call that?). Your prime minister Condolezza Rice (SORRY she's the SECRETARY OF STATE isn't she? I just realized that) will come, they will stay at the local Hyatt Regency, but it will be closed just for them (they will use 8 floors! have the news pretty excited about that). It's a big deal the ceremony, even the prince of Spain will come (being such a small country, it's a big event to have all those people), and a lot of other presidents as well. It's pretty important, being the first woman president of our history (already told you that I know).

Legislative power: parlaments and senators, elected by popular vote also.
Judicial power: judges and stuff
Executive power: president and ministers. these powers are independent (in theory, there's a lot of lobby around, as always in politics).

Price of basic things:
Coke can: from a machine, usd 0.4, minimarket, like 0.45
1 kg bread: usd 0.6 (like 0.3 pounds I think)
Gas: USD 1.1 (always rising!)
Car: for example a ford escape: like usd 25.000-30.000. cars are very expensive here. (I didn't come up with a better example!). Chevrolet Corsa (pretty popular small car): USD 7.500 - usd 8.000
Average wage for a lawyer just out of university (best university): USD 1.500 /month.

Chilean production-exports:
Cupper: it's like most of our production-exports
Wine: rising a lot lately
Fish: specially to Asia
Tourism: not an export, but rising as well

Latest news:
Agreement with China (no more taxes)
Urban highways are the issue
Pre-agreement with India
(we already have an agreement with USA and Europe)

Think that's about it for now!! More interesting stuff later!

SIL

The other post was getting too long, so I decided to give an entire chapter to SIL! haha

Well, SIL is a really GOOD person, always worried about my brother, about my mother, etc. But that's the first view. Because when you get to know her a little better, you can see she's very elaborated (still a good person, with good feelings and all).

The thing is, we think her family doesn't treat her all that well (not that they hit her or something, but they don't pay much attention to her), so in my family she found all she didn't have in her life.

So she has always tried to be PART of my family (she dated my brother for 8 years, so we know her pretty well), even trying to steal MY place, which makes me "boil"!!

Example: my little sister tells me: hey look at my new socks, and as she starts to show them to me, we can hear SIL:"Ann Ann!! show them to me!!!". I mean, COME ON!!! she's MY sister!!! And she does that ALL the time!!! or with my mother...or when I talk to SIL on the phone she's like: "didn't you know that your mother....blabla" "no I didn't" (I say), so then she feels she's closer than my family than ME!! It's really annoying. That's why I've lectioned (does that word exist?) my mother to tell me EVERYTHING that goes on there, as to not be surprised by SIL.

You will think I'm only jealous, but no, everyone notice that. At first my husband thought I was being paranoid and he and my mother told me not to pay attention to SIL. But then they both started to notice things. And the competition is always with me!!

According to my mother, I should be sorry for her, having gotten married to my brother, who has all his problems, who doesn't (and probably won't ever be able to) work, so she has to mantain a "lying" life, hiding part of the truth to her family, to her friends, etc. On the other side, my life is much more normal, normal husband, normal way of living, we have lots of friends, etc. So my mother thinks SIL tries very hard to be "normal", and she tries to make that evident around me.

But as much as I try not to be intimidated by her, it's almost impossible. She's always like "you do that?????? no, I don't" but in a tone saying "how can you do that!!!!", making me feel crazy.
Example: there's a maid/nanny (told you is usual here) that goes to my house 1 day a week. I gave SIL her name so she could have her also. But "perfect" SIL hires her for 2 days! and if I ask nanny to prepare meat and rice, SIL asks her to prepare sofisticated meals for the whole week! It's like SIL always know better than me. The best way to keep the house, the best photographer for her wedding (better than mine at least), the better meals to prepare (nanny prepares, because SIL is totally anti-kitchen, unlike me, that loves to cook, specially sweet things, but SIL finds STRANGE that husband or me get to cook, because of course nanny prepares a thousand meals!)

Sounds stupid to you?? it is! but she always highlights those differences!!! it's almost unbearable. So when we go to our parents', I end up totally in a bad mood when SIL is there.

And now that she's pregnant???? ufffff...you should see her. In Pucón (lake house), she had something like 2.5 months, but she was ALWAYS with her hand in her belly!!! why? not a clue, just for us to never forget her condition I think!!!

I'm sorry, you're probably going to think I'm the worst person ever, poor SIL, and all that, but really please believe me that it's really difficult not to talk about SIL without making myself angry.

The ironic part of it that when we were studying, we were really good friends. In fact, I invited her to Pucon and all. But when she started dating my brother, she forgot why was she there in the first place (I mean, in my family), and instead of keeping our friendship, she preferred to conquer my family, trying to compete with me.

OK. I think you got a pretty good idea of SIL, but I suspect it won't be the last you hear about her!! haha....

About my family

Well, now you've seen them, now I can talk about them. I hope this time not to be so boring!!!!

As you can well imagine, we are really close to each other, like a "bunch". Things have started to change a little, after I got married, then my brother, so now we see a little less, but anyhow, a LOT.

See, here in Chile most people live in the same city as their relatives (because half the country lives here in Santiago, so it's not so difficult!). Also, almost everyone lives with their parents until they get married (on the last few years there has been more young adults who go to live by theirselves). So in a lot of ways, chilean youth is pretty inmature compared to those in USA.

So I get to see my family almost every weekend (well and I work with my dad also, so I see him here sometimes).

Ok. My family. Apart from being close, we are very "confronting" (it's ok to say that?), I've always thought we have italian genes hidden somewhere, because we talk loud, really loud, everyone tries to make him/herself listened to, so meals with my family are a little chaotic (have you seen "my greek weeding" or something like that? well, we are a little like them!! my father laughed A LOT when he saw that movie). My husband's family is pretty quiet, so he gets a little dizzy when he's with my family, trying to understand what on earth are we talking about. haha.

For me, my mom is REALLY important, I talk to her on the phone EVERYDAY, sometimes more than 1 time, we've always have been really good friends, it's cool to have a mom like mine.

My little and only sister is another one that's SO important, we share a bond that I think no one can understand (I mean those who have sisters can understand, but for example SIL thinks she can just "replace" me....ha haha...should know better), when I still lived with my parents, I used to go to her bedroom and we would talk for hours!!! even if my dad would come many times to tell me she had to sleep. Now my little sister has a boyfriend, who is really nice, by the way, they've been going on for almost a year now!!

My brothers ok, it's a little different with brothers I think, with my big brother we were pretty close when we were little, but also we have always fighted, A LOT. My biggest traumas are thanks to him and his "I'm ashamed to be your brother, you're SO ugly, you're SO fat". etc etc...And also, as I told you, he's a borderline, so it's really complicated to understand him.
My other brother, Frank, he's a lot like me, very responsible, he studied the same as me (and as both my parents), he now works at a huge wine company (ever seen "Gato" wine?). Joaquin is like the "hippie" one of the family, meaning he's RELAX made person, never stresses, never knows anything, most of his clothes have holes somewhere, looses everything, and he's pretty funny!! My smallest brother is adorable, only he's now entering the teenager phase, so he's a little exhausting!!!

My father, it's strange, he's not the hugging-kissing type you know? very "cold", but he has his own way of loving us, always a present father, always in some sport with one of my brothers, totally faithful to my mother, etc. He's really important to me, but in a strange way, it's like whay he says matters A LOT to me, but on the inside you know? on the outside it seems I couldn't care less...a therapist I went once told me that, that I was really close to my father, even if I didn't think so haha.

Well SIL: I think I will have to make a special post for her haha. Definitively. It was getting too long, so I copied somewhere else.

Other SIL (girlfriend) she's pretty nice. At first I didn't like her, because my brother had another girlfriend for some 4 years and we got along VERY well, so I didn't want him to change her. But now that I know her more, she's pretty cool.

Next post, SIL!!

My family!!!

This is my adored family!! This picture was taken on January 1st, 2005, so everyone is 1 year younger! (we were just coming back from our honeymoon, my parents had rented this house at the beach (we go to our house in the lake on february).

From right to left (older to younger):

1) Dad (yellow t-shirt), 54

2) Mom (looks young ha??), 53

3) Big Brother (29, just married, soon-to-be-dad), called Enrique (Henry), as my father

4) SIL (the one I envy!! she's also part of my university friends, that's how my brother met her), Carolina (Caroline)

5) Gorgeous husband!! :D:D (Eduardo, Edward)

6) Me

7) My other brother (24) (Francisco: Frank)

8) his girlfriend (also 24) (Gracia= Grace) (they've been dating for 3 years now, they'll probably marry in some 2 years I think)

9) My other brother (21) (Joaquín = Joaquin)

10) My beautiful sister (15) (Anita = Ann)

11) My little brother (14) My big brother and me are his godparents. (Benjamin, same as english, pronounced different)

Next post I'll comment on them!

Wedding picture!!

Me and my dad entering the church!!

The Baby Issue

OK, I don't want to bore you so I will not only talk about Chilean facts, but also about myself (how self-centered!!).
I want to tell you about the baby-issue: the thing is, I've always wanted to have a lot of children, coming from a big family, I was used to having a lot of yelling, fighting, laughing, in general, a lot of noise in my parents' house. Then as I grew up I got to see things were different now, and it's not easy to have that much children, but anyway, I still want 4 (my husband would prefer 3, but ok, that's not the discussing point right now!).

When I got pregnant (the chemical pregnancy), it took us 4 months. I really had started to think we wouldn't be able to have our own children, and pressure was all around us (my friends are really "rabbits" (yor know that expression? as to say they have LOTS of babies), 2 of my friends got pregnant in may (when I started trying), "but it was the one day we got risky" said one of them, and the other "I don't understand what happened, I wasn't intending to have another (yes, they both had a 1 year old son/daughter) for a while".)...gee....so envy started to fill me, anxious was more and more obvious, etc. (still think what is it with my friends that they get pregnant (and DON'T have m/C) as someone changes clothes!! no spotting, no nothing).
OK, finally I did get pregnant, but of course, I couldn't be the "lucky one" and had a m/c right away. Some friends consoled me saying maybe a lot of them had had chemical pregnancies, but as they were not so regular, they didn't ever realized. I don't think so, of course for unlucky me always everything is more difficult! Don't think I'm being the victim, but how is this: from university our "friends circle" (the big one) is of 17 girls (my real friends are about 4-5, but for big ocassions we get together, the 17 of us. Of course, I have boy friends also, but it's another group), there are 12 children!!!!! and 3 more on the way!! can you imagine the pressure??? (there are 14 married, the single ones don't have any children). Yes: 5 of them have 2 (a 6th one is pregnant from her 2nd), other 2 have 1. So of the 14 married, there are only two of us who don't have children. The other one was in Australia with her husband for 1 year studying english, and just came back (no jobs, no home, no way they are even planning on having children yet). So that leaves me in some sort of "limbo" (do you say that?) or "transition phase", where I'm:
- not with a boyfriend (because then you're in another phase: when are you going to get married? it's an issue then)
- not just married (last year our wedding was still an issue among our families, friends, etc "we had such a good time, the music was great, you looked so pretty, etc)
- not pregnant (obvious questions)
- without children (my closer university group consists of 5, we call ourselves VIP: 3 of them have 2 children, one is VERY single (she has some sort of trauma, she doesn't date, but not because she's a lesbian or something, she's just really inmature in men issues), and that leaves me...somewhere in between.
So I've started to get bored wherever I go, because my univ friends all they do is talk about their babies (specially one friend, she doesn't have time or "ears" to listen to anyone that's not talking about children), in my family, as you know SIL is the "new idol" and all they do is talk about the first grandson-granddaughter-niece-nephew. My husband's family doesn't know what to ask us anymore.

So I'm a little (I don't know the word, in Chile we say "apestada" (it's like "with the pest" the literal translation, but refers to being pissed off or something like that): SAD, ANGRY; ANXIOUS, etc.

I want so much to be part of that life (diapers, being awake in the middle of the night, big boops for once! etc), so that makes me anxious, and then my husband says don't be anxious because that affects fertility, and it's like a "vicious circle": nothing happens-more anxious-less happens-more anxious and so on and so forth.
Now I'm 10dpo (see? I've even learned that!! I'm sure I'm the only chilean person who's familiar with that!!!!), I think (10-11), and I've been googling (as someone says on a blog: TMI) a lot, to find that on 10dpo, hcg should be 25 something (uml, ml, something like that). Some pregnancy tests are sensible to that point, so I've really been thinking about testing before "period day", but on the other side, I don't want to know so soon, because of my m/c last year, so I would rather wait until 6 weeks to test, but I know it's impossible for curious-me to wait that long.
So what should I do? wait...but in the meantime I'm getting pretty aware of some sympthoms: since last week, a lot of cramping, but then, it could be digestive problems (that I tend to have, A LOT), or sicological sympthoms (I'm sure that word is not well written, sorry!!). Then my boobs are hurting a lot, but then again, that's normal PMS for me. I'm having a lot of trouble to go to the bathroom (you know what I mean, no "evacuation" in a lot of days!!not so strange in me), peeing a lot (but I'm in some sort of diet that makes me pee a lot also), REALLY tired (always tired also, but I think this is unusual, but of course, could be sicologic!!).
And then on the m/c, I remember having a lot of "discharge" you know? but now, none, so then I get dissapointed again.
I think I will go nuts with this waiting. And of course, probably nothing will happen, and next month all the same thing again... I get a little tired with all this...why can't it be more simple!!!!!!
Sorry, I got a little carried away, but needed to take it out!!!
See you!

Sorry!!

I just looked at my recent post and boy is it HUGE!!! I'm so sorry, promise to be a little more entertaining, please continue to visit!! (you see, this is like everything in the world: requires practice, specially if you're writing in english and forget half of the words, so you have to do it the "long" way: instead of saying "house" you say "the place where people live in"...get it?)...
So you can start to learn chilean-spanish: our favorite word:
WEON: actually it's not a word, it's a "bad word" (how do you call words like "shed" "fuck"), but it's like the most heard word here. (it's not written that way either, it has suffered some deformations along the years)
You pronounce it like WE (like WEA-ther, the first part)-ON (just like "on" the table), with the "accent" in the "on" part...
Means a lot of things: could be like "dude" "how'ya doin' dude" (chilean: como estai weon). It's also like "stupid" or "asshole" (q eres weon!!!!!), it also has other related words:
WEA (accent in tha A). pronounce it WE-A (like "a rat"): thing (dame esa weá: give me that "thing"), or anything that means "I can't find a better word here" (terminaste la weá? = did you finish that "thing").
OK, so start to learn it and you will conquer Chile! haha...
See ya!!

I'm starting to like this!!!

Thanks a lot for all your comments, really exciting to get some feedback!!

You see, Saturday night with my husband we had a "house-pub" (we invented that expression, meaning to have some good drinks, nice conversations, in the cozyness (sounds strange that word, I'm sure it doesn't go like that) of our home (and cheaper!!), and I was telling him about my english blog, about all of the blogs I've been reading, and really we came to the conclusion that we like USA so much, but not because big cities and development, etc, but because of the way you people live (you NORMAL people, not movie stars that is what we get here), so simple, so natural. It's difficult to describe chilean personality (not that I don't like being a chilean, but sometimes I trully feel that I'm from another planet), I will try to do an effort:
The expression I came to describe our country is: Emergent (or rising) Middle Class (as a country): it's a concept we invented with some friends to describe a big part of the middle class here...and it's totally appliable (sorry, I think I'm making up a lot of words today, but I tend to do that in Spanish also!!) to the country as a whole:
The thing is, I don't know if you are aware that we had a militar government (dictatorship in a lot of ways) for 17 years. The violation to human rights was awful (as it was in a lot of latin american countries), and there were a lot of bad things, except economy, that worked out very well...and then in 1990, democracy started again, and since then, we (as a country) have been growing at 5-7% rates each year (even more some years, excepting the asian crisis at late 90's).
So suddenly, people have more money, malls start to appear like rats, the best stores, etc. So now chileans think we are like the "creme of the creme" of SouthAmerica (we are, in some ways, haha), the "englishmen of America" they like to say...the "jaguars"...so we think we are so cool, with our newly built highways, modern buildings, etc. But at the end, we are still a little "town" you know? full of town-gossip at all levels, the local "jet-set" is so lame...people are REALLY arrogant (driving, they get "stuck" to their horns for any reason)...with my husband we laugh A LOT, because chileans think we are so cool, and then you see the rest of the world, with luck they know where we are...
OK maybe I sounded too hard, but I will try to give you more examples later. Now I want to explain our "emergent (or rising) middle class", or maybe all of our socioeconomic classes:
ABC1: upper class, in fact is A-B-C1 separated, but as they are just 4% of the country (the 3 together), they put it all together. In fact, an A-class are just a few: powerful economic groups that even appear in Fortunes' top 100 fortunes in the world. B is the tipical high class, they live in the eastern part of Santiago (rest of Chile is not very well classified), big houses, kids go to private schools, summer houses in the best places, travel a lot, and have even some "codes" different from the rest (words, etc). C1 are generally sons-daughters of B-class, starting their families, or other people with not so much money but that have a good lifestyle.
ABC1's are lawyers, engineers, medical doctors, all the traditional careers (including mine! haha), big executives, company owners, etc.

C2: something like 20% of chileans, this is my favorite: the great middle class: they have made their way into a better life-style, with a lot of similar habits than ABC1's, try to be like them but they are a little bit too obvious in their efforts (like buying the BEST cell phone in the market, but having to pay it in 3 years, just to brag about it. Same with cars, same with trips. The thing is they brag: A LOT, that's the part I find a little annoying). Live mostly in the south-eastern part
C2 in general: accountants, teachers (unfortunately in Chile teachers are not well payed, not appreciated as they should be), technical careers (in computers for example), medium employees.
C3: middle class also, but in fact this is the big big middle class. They want a lot to be C2, so they also BRAG, at another level but brag anyway (the difference with USA is that there (I think) everybody is who he/she is, they are not trying to be someone different, that's why sometimes I don't like my country very much). Live in the central-north part of Santiago
C3 are (I get a little confused here, there's a subtle line between C2 and C3) administratives, and other things similar to C2, but on a lower level.
D: low class, a lifestyle that is really embarrasing for other countries to see. Their houses are not even close to ones they could have in another country in the same situation.
D: you have here construction workers, maids (yes, we have a LOT of maids here, it's quite an issue), and things like that. South of Santiago and North.
E: indigents, mostly homeless (living under the river, or "camps" they are called here, it's a way to say they "take" some land that is empty and build a rudimentary house). They don't have jobs, only occasionally. Different parts of the city.

OK, that was the description. I will try to put some pictures of houses so you can have an idea. Please don't judge me, I'm just describing different classes here, because I know it's a LOT different than in USA, where most people are middle-class and they are educated people (meaning they respect others, they're civilized, not like here, that when someone has a liiitle more money, they become some kind of monsters of arrogancy and "king-of-the-world" attitude).
Think we are about it for now, I'm so glad I can tell you all about my country, it's fascinating!!!
Thank you for reading me!!!

A little about me...

Thought I could introduce you to my life by giving you some basics:
- I was born, raised and still live in Santiago, Chile (capital city).
- I went to a bilingual school until 5th grade, then moved to a catholic school nearer my house
- I am the 2nd of 6 brothers and sisters (brother (29), me (27), brother (24), brother (21), sister (15), brother (14)).
- My parents have been married for (almost) 31 years (march 15th is their anniversary)
- I'm a catholic, although on the last few years I haven't go to mass a lot. Still, my faith is HUGE
- I studied "commercial engineering", it's like bussiness and economy together. A pretty popular career here in my country. I studied in the Catholic University, but not because I'm a catholic, but because it's the best university in the country (they accept only the best scores in the P.S.U (in english university selection test). I'm not bragging here, just wanted to explain a little about how are things around here
- I've had a lot of jobs: first I worked 3 months in a local Nautica franchise (as a product manager). It was a HIDEOUS job. Then, I worked for a little more than a year in a big market research company. Fascinating job, good co-workers, but then I was offered a job as the "right-hand" of a human resources company of a friend of my mom: turned out to be a disaster, crazy lady, afterwards the company closed (really small company anyway). Then I worked in a media planning agency (OMD) in the finance area. Normal job, fairly satisfied, but then there was a job opening at my father's (and uncles) company. One time opportunity I couldn't reject: better salary, career prospects and possibility to have more flexibility in the future. That's where I'm at now, in charge of the "pharma" division (the company imports and distributes a lot of products, depending on the division, there are 6 divisions). Really cool job!
- I had 3 serious boyfriends and 2 "something like" boyfriends. The last serious boyfriend is now my husband.
- I married on December 18th, 2004, religously, and had a GREAT party.
- For our honeymoon we went to Costa Rica, really great country!
- I'm 5.9 (we actually use meters and centimeters, but along the years I've come to learn my "american size". In my measures: 1.75 mts.
- I have brown, long, wavy hair, that used to hate but come to love thanks to really great products. Brown eyes also. Really really white skin (well, not like the german-white skin, but white enough to look always a little un-healthy)
- I'm 5/8 german (5 of 8 great-grandparents were german), which makes me not so latin in my moves if you know what I mean (= not a great dancer for example), and also, a LOT taller than 90% of chileans (caused me a lot of problems while a was a teenager: all the boys were shorter than me!!)
- My husband is a sociologist, VERY intelligent, very cute, very funny...very everything! he's the best!!! Currently 32 (I'm 27). He works at a media research department in a university and also soon to be partner of a media consulting company.
- We bought a nice department when we got married, in a nice neighborhood (will tell you more about neighborhoods here, after)
- I had a "chemical pregnancy" last year: positive pregnancy test at 4 weeks, lost it at 5 weeks. Even though it was pretty fast, we had a bad time. Because of my job-change on december, we stopped trying, until this month (we're waiting D day: period day next week). We want VERY much to have a child.
- I've spend most of my last 17 summers in a lake-town south of Chile, called Pucon, it's the best place ever: lake, volcano, and lots of things to do.
- I've traveled quite a lot, partly because my mom owned a travel agency (they selled it to another travel agency and now works there) so she gets really good discounts
- I lived in France for 3 months, while I did a postgraduate program in european bussiness (it was in english, I don't speak french, just a little), and then traveled for a month around europe, with a friend. The trip ended with a cruise around the mediterranean sea, a REALLY fantastic trip!
- My older brother got married last november and now his wife is pregnant (jealousy from me? a lot), due in september.
- I'm an outgoing person, lots of friends, laugh a lot, think a lot, very "math" person, very impulsive, pretty nice! (very humble!)
- Love movies, love to do sudokus, love to sleep late, hate traffic jams (and a lot of other things)

OK. I think you've had more than enough. It's difficult to summarize one's life in one single post! Hope you got a pretty good idea about me, more on it later!!
See you soon!!

Getting started

OK.
So I decided to create an english blog. Could sound a little pretensious considering english is just my second language- not practiced enough. But I've been visiting a LOT of interesting blogs - mainly in English - and some really nice people have felt a little dissapointed to find my spanish blog and not being able to read it.
So to honour all those people (also practice my English AND get people from other countries to know a little more of my country, Chile), I created this blog.
I've already thought of many things I want to write about, but for now, this is all I wanted to say, and I will go to the blogs I've visited to let them know that n0w they will be able to know a little more about me.
See you around!!