febrero 19

¡Qué lío! What a mess. The hot water heating system has been malfunctioning for about a week now. In that time frame, I have taken one shower. For some reason, there was enough hot water Saturday for two showers at 5 pm in the afternoon. I’ve been heating water on the stove and filling the sink with hot water to wash my hair so I don’t look like a ragamuffin, but what I’d like to do is to turn on the faucet in the tub and feel warm water, not freezing water. Friday Ximena called the owner, José Antonio Calderón, of the apartment to advise him of the situation, and he called the repairman. This morning, I received the repairman into the apartment. He fiddled around, removed the outside panels of the heating unit, and made disapproving noises. Then, he told me that for the work to be done, he would need to be paid 100 and some euros. I had him call Calderón on my phone to talk about the price, but no one was there. No owner, no money, no work, no hot water. Hopefully the repairman gets a hold of the owner today, because all of us in the apartment want to take showers! I don’t have class until 5:30 today, so I am waiting around the apartment to receive the repairman, should he return.

I also went to the bookstore again today to try to find the two books I need to buy for my Spanish language class here. Luckily, this went a lot better, communication and everything. I am to call again this afternoon after the proprietor gets a shipment of the book, and then I will have it. Phew.
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The repairman came back at 12:30 and is working now. Clem, Ximena, and I are splitting the price (35 apiece) and Calderón will pay us back. After a week without hot water, it will be good to have it working again.
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I think that I have eaten the same thing for two weeks, but I haven’t tired of it yet. Toast with milk for breakfast; tuna with mushrooms and/or zucchini, and tomato sauce cooked together as a sauce, noodles or rice, and spices (garlic, cayenne pepper, pepper, oregano) for lunch, and fruit and bread and hot chocolate or tea for “supper”. Saturday Ximena cooked something that she eats in Chile, chicken cooked with a little oil, water, garlic, red pepper, and shaved carrots; and rice cooked with garlic and shaved carrots. Food is more important and present here than in the United States. We take an hour or more break in the afternoon to cook and then sit and eat at leisure. I suppose that most people do the same, since all the stores are closed between 1:30 and 4:30 in the afternoon.

Sunday morning I went to mass at a different church, this one just a block from my building. It was not as old as the other, and I went alone this time at 9 am in the morning. I was the only one awake, and wouldn’t have gone so early, but I received a newsletter in our mailbox from the church and learned that there would be a special group singing in the street before mass and then singing as part of mass at 9 am mass. I understood more of the mass this week than the last, and recognized when the congregation was praying the Lord’s Prayer so I could pray along, in English. I have pretty much given up finding a protestant church in this city. It makes me sad that I won’t be able to take communion until I return to the United States if I can’t find a protestant church. It is different living in a world where I don’t know anyone (personally) who actively seeks God and lives a life of faith.

I miss you all! I check my e-mail nearly every day, if you feel like sending a message. Also, if you know any “American” recipes that aren’t too expensive, and don’t require special dishes (I have something for the oven, frying pans, and pots), send them to me through e-mail if you could. I especially would like a tested recipe for pancakes. There is no syrup here either, so if anyone knows an alternative to maple syrup, I’d love to know!