Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago

August 20, 2007

Since people constantly ask me about how my husband and I met, I thought I’d clear things up for once and for all on this blog. No, he was not a mail order bride. We were actually introduced by mutual friends while I was in my first semester of study abroad in Chile. With no further ado, I present to you, My Study Abroad Romance:

When I arrived in Chile I was not at all pleasantly surprised by the quantity of hot men. Maybe it was the fact that I’m taller than a lot of them. Maybe it was the fact that they’re all waaaaaaay too hairy for my taste…I don’t mean furry chests or back hair sprouting out of their shirts, I mean they all had long hair on their heads and lots had facial hair. I’m just not into the straggly, wannabe rock star look.

When I first laid eyes on S., he was like a breath of fresh air. His head is shaved, so he’s like a sexy, small version of VinDiesel.

The first time I saw him was at a birthday party. His 24th birthday party to be precise. I had been invited to accompany a girl on my program who had been invited to the party by S.’s best friend. When she called me and practically shouted, “I’m going to a Chilean’s birthday party and he and his friend are actually hot!” I was into my hooker boots and out the door so fast I didn’t even have time to hang up the phone.

I arrived at the fiesta and my friend introduced S. as the birthday boy. He seemed a little shy and thanked me for coming. Throughout the rest of the night I noticed him staring me down and I tried to smile and look inviting so he would come and chat me up, but it didn’t work. He later told me that he was completely intimidated by me. Well, the whole night went by and nothing other than eye flirting was going on. I got bored and put on my coat to leave, and he ran up to me. He asked for my phone number. I didn’t understand him. He tried again and I still didn’t get it. I just laughed. I was tipsy and I couldn’t understand the crazy Chilean kid at all. Finally in English he asked, “How will I find you again?” and pointed to his phone. BINGO! I understood. I gave him my number, he hugged me goodbye and promised to call the next day.

TWO WEEKS PASSED and I didn’t hear from him. I was pissed and a little shocked, to be honest with you. I usually have a pretty good radar and can tell if a guy is into me or not. S. definitely seemed to be in to me but he hadn’t called. I gave up hope of ever seeing the only hot guy in Chile again.

Then one day I was walking at my Chilean university when I heard a voice calling my name with an accent. I thought that was really strange since at that point I had zero Chilean friends. So I figured the mystery voice wasn’t talking to me. But, lo and behold, the hot bald Chilean ran up to me. The first thing he said was, “Please tell me now if you gave me the wrong number on purpose and I will just leave you alone.” Ooops, my bad. Like a true, dumb gringa, I had gotten my own phone number all mixed up. But, people, cut me some slack…seis and siete sound kind of alike. We corrected my error and the rest is history. S. and I were pretty much inseparable from then on.

I began staying over at his house constantly (I’d say I moved in, but I still had to go back to my own apartment every couple of weeks to pick up more clothes and stuff). We had only been together for about a month when I had to make the decision to stay another semester in Chile or return to my university in the US. I had been considering staying anyways, because my Spanish hadn’t improved as much as I thought it would (obviously… seis and siete, yeah, DUH) but the fact that I was madly in love weighed in on my decision pretty heavily.

I moved in permanently with S. and his family that second semester. It was about that time that I began to ponder the perplexities of Chilean life.

For instance, why don’t Chileans believe in screens? The pollution in Santiago has not yet killed all living things, including bugs and rodents so it just doesn’t make sense NOT to use them. Why were my 24 year old boyfriend and his 27 year old sister still receiving monthly allowances? For that matter, why were grown adults living with their parents and not hating every second of it? Why are the people of this country so obsessed with blonds, palta (avocado) and terrible, cheesy 80′s rock music?

When I lived with my first Chilean host family, I attributed any strange customs in their household to them being weirdos. When I moved in with S. and his family, it became clear to me that all Chileans are weirdos.

And by that, I only mean that they do a lot of things that seem strange to somebody who is not part of their culture. No offense meant to any Chileans who might happen to be reading this. I know they think gringos are weirdos too.

So I moved in with S., stayed in Chile for three semesters, he came back with me to the US for three months (which was as long as his visa would allow), while I finished school he went back to Chile and found a job and when I finally came back to Chile, we got married.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

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11 Comments

Awwwwwwwww…love at first site!

An American man would have most likely thought you DELIBERATELY gave the wrong number. He would have probably cursed you and then vowed never to speak to you again! Or maybe that’s just the guys I ACCIDENTALLY give the wrong number to. lol

Comment by BigLoser — August 21, 2007 @ 5:49 am

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Very cute! And really the best way to learn a language is to start dating someone in the country who doesn’t speak too much English.

Also, I am pretty sure when I lived in Stgo that the smog tried to kill me, although it left all those pesky bugs that kept getting in our screen less window alone.

And– I love the cheesy 80s music and the palta.

Comment by Clare — August 21, 2007 @ 7:25 am

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Is it common for Chilean girls to give the wrong number?

A German friend told me the difference he found between US and Germany was that in the latter country, when a girl gives you her number, it means she means business. But that his experience in the states was it could go either way.

That’s a US culture thing, people are usually very agreeable and pleasant up front, but their real feelings are less obvious. Case in point, in La Serena we saw a group of gringas at a bar-restaurant, and a bunch of Chilean drunks partying at the other table came over and essentially performed a “toma” of their table. Classic Chilean maneuver, to the point where when a plate came to their table that nobody had ordered, one of the guys who felt he was having the most success with the girls called over the waiter and said, “Excuse me, but WE didn’t order this.” Fresco de raja

Anyway, the whole time the blond girls were smiling, nodding, etc, completely helpless before the frescura, but obviously uncomfortable (understandably), they eventually cut short their stay at the restaurant and took off, leaving those dudes in the dust…Quite an entertaining episode.

Comment by Chileno — August 21, 2007 @ 8:53 am

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That was a great story. And yeah, I have to admit I was a little curious. I wasn’t sure if you met him on your study abroad or back in the states (since you had mentioned he was in the states once).

People thought I was crazy to move halfway across the US to live in the same city with a man I’d met in person twice (we’d been gaming together online for over a year). But, seven years later we’re still together and very happy.

Comment by ordinarygirl — August 21, 2007 @ 9:19 am

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What a great story. Now you are Mrs. Weirdo. I appreciate you telling this story on my anniversary, by the way. What foresight you have. Either that, or you are psychic.
By the way… I think that you should write about your brother and you. Your comment about your relationship was amazing. I had goose bumps. Your story is exactly what I pray for when I think of my kids as grownups. You guys must have had a nice stable home. I never had one so having a stable home for my children is my form of rebellion.
By the way…I wish that we were in Chile too(or that you were in Oregon)so that you could take pictures of my daughter. I would love to see what your artistic eye (and non-crappy camera)is capable of.

Comment by Rachel — August 21, 2007 @ 10:15 am

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I’ve always felt kind of sorry for chilean girls-they are far, far better looking than the guys they’re supposed to be going out with and marrying. It’s probably why so many chilenas cheat on their partners-the % is really high. there was an article in the paper last week about an agency that helps people cover the tracks of their lies and the owner said he has as many women clients as men…

the cheesy 80s pop doesn’t seem as popular now as it did when i first arrived in chile back in 2003. It was played on every single radio station all the time then. Now it seems it’s only on every third station all the time.

Comment by Matt — August 21, 2007 @ 2:55 pm

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BTW: I would hold off on the adsense, Kyle, unless you don’t wanna build traffic to your site. Contextual advertising takes people away from your site, when they might otherwise bookmark it and come back. You lose those people and it’s not worth the $0.03/click you’re making. Nice placement though, but I’d wait till 1000 or so visitors daily.

Comment by Chileno — August 22, 2007 @ 8:32 am

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It’s a good one. And I’m glad you shared it. It’s nice to know the story behind the blog.

Comment by shauna — September 2, 2007 @ 10:00 pm

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Hola! I just stumbled on your site thanks to the Lost Girls and just wanted to say I really enjoy it! I'm in a similar situation but several years later, and in Spain. Saluditos!

Comment by Sarita — September 7, 2007 @ 7:16 pm

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Wow, I'm stunned that there weren't a plethora of hotties in Chile. The whole Latin lovers bit …Cute story!

Comment by Maurey Pierce — October 16, 2007 @ 5:44 am

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cool story! I’m about to move to Santiago and marry my Chilean too, can’t wait x

Comment by michelle — November 21, 2007 @ 2:04 pm

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