My Santiago in 100 Palabras

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April 13, 2010

If you’ve ever ridden the metro in Santiago before, chances are good that at one point or another you’ve read one of the Santiago en 100 Palabras billboards. For those of you who don’t live in Chile or speak Spanish, that means “Santiago in 100 hundred words,” and is a contest where people submit their stories. The winners’ stories are then posted all over the metro for passengers to read. I LOVE reading them. Some of them are so very good. I’ve never entered but I’ve written lots of shorts that inspired by them.

This is what I wrote write after the earthquake. Don’t rip me a new one — I’m not a poet and have never claimed to be!

Esposo, mas Chileno que una piscola. “Te amo mi reina de Estacion Central.” Rie y salgo. Viejo mas rancio que fruta 7 dias podrida. “Rucia, casate conmigo! Mijita rrrriiica.” Camino y no miro. Vagabundo, mas cocido que Maradona, “Tengo hambre, dame una moneda.” Sigo. “Gringa culiada,” dice, y sigo. Tiemblo mas que…8.8. Chile no es mio. Aun asi me duele verlo quebrado.

Here’s a loose translation. Keep in mind that it sounds better in Spanish because Spanish is a generally more poetic and descriptive language. Or maybe I just think that because I don’t actually speak it :)

Husband, more Chilean than a piscola. “I love you, my queen of Estacion Central.” He laughs and I leave. Old man, grosser than a fruit that’s 7 days rotten. “Blondie, marry me! Sexy lady.” I walk and I don’t look. Bum, drunker than Maradona, “I’m hungry, give me some coins.” I keep going. “Fucking gringa,” he says, and I keep walking. I shake more than…8.8. Chile isn’t mine. Even so, it hurts me to see it broken.

I’m just posting this because I feel like too many people have already forgotten about the earthquake — and there are still far too many people sleeping in tents for that to happen. It’s getting cold.

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16 Comments

  1. Unfortunately, it's this “ADHD” society we live in – something is big news and a day later they've moved on and forgotten because of the next thing that popped up and grabbed away the attention. :( It's sad.

    Comment by capturinglife — April 14, 2010 @ 11:07 am

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  2. Love it! I hope one day they choose to publish a foreign perspective on the city.

    Here's a song for the Reina de Estacion Central:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1VgjIqFUWA

    Comment by leigh — April 14, 2010 @ 3:10 pm

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  3. they never gonna publish this if you write “gringa culiada”, so i recommend you to change that part, other than that i loved it.

    Comment by Bazinga — April 15, 2010 @ 2:32 am

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  4. Haha, no, I've never tried to publish anything and never will. I just write for me. And my blog :)

    Comment by kylehepp — April 15, 2010 @ 2:45 am

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  5. So true. I guess you just have to capitalize on people's interest while you have it!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 15, 2010 @ 2:46 am

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  6. I've always looked to see if anyone them came from foreigners and I don't think so. But I doubt many foreigners have ever entered. I will not be the first!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 15, 2010 @ 2:46 am

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  7. I've entered and know at least one other gringo who has, too. Neither of us won, jaja. I think you should submit something this year!

    Comment by leigh — April 15, 2010 @ 2:53 am

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  8. We'll see. If I write something that comes out naturally without swear words I'll think about it. Not likely though — I'm married to a former construction worker :)

    Comment by kylehepp — April 15, 2010 @ 3:06 am

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  9. Wow, photographer and poet. You´re the full package aren´t you ha ha! Very cool!

    Comment by gringagonesouth — April 15, 2010 @ 4:23 pm

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  10. Hahahaha, me gustó. En realidad es increible todo lo que te pueden decir cuando sales sola a la calle! y no he leído ninguna historia de eso.
    Por otro lado, recordar lo del terremoto, que quedó profundo en la memoria colectiva, me parece genial, y la forma en que lo haces mejor.
    Yo creo que el español te parece más poético porque no es tu idioma natal; a mi también me parece que algunas cosas suenan más bonitas en inglés y que en español se leen o escuchan triviales, comunes y hasta fomes.

    Comment by Loquenoves — April 15, 2010 @ 4:35 pm

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  11. Girl, what are you talking about you're not a poet…YES YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!! You should write some poems to accompany your awesome photos.

    Comment by GlobalButterfly — April 15, 2010 @ 10:24 pm

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  12. I agree w/GlobalButterfly. You are a poet too! Pero estoy de acuerdo. Suena mejor en espanol.

    Comment by Ritamae39 — April 16, 2010 @ 3:12 am

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  13. Noooooooot!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:38 am

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  14. Pictures are worth a thousand words. So I can't :)

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:39 am

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  15. Siempre me he preguntado si seria al reves para alguien que habla espanol como primer idioma y ingles como segundo. Ahora me aclaraste la duda!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:39 am

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  16. I'd say I'm a much better photograph than poet — I hope! And if not I think it's time for me to find a new career!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:40 am

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