I want to share the projects, musings, and clever voices of four clever ladies I’ve had the good fortune to cross paths with during my first few months in Santiago. They are all smart. They all have five-to-seven years’ experience living in Santiago. Their Spanish is scary good. Cumulatively, they are teachers, photographers, entrepreneurs–and they are all writers. I wanted to shine a little light on each of them as a thank-you for the warm welcome each has given me–a novice blogger and Santiago newbie with a thick gringa accent and a propensity for getting lost. They have taken me under their experienced wings by telling me what to read, where to catch the bus, who to talk to about submitting, what I can expect from teaching English, and where to find good Cuban food. They are, in other words, the kinds of women I hoped to meet here, but never imagined I’d stumble upon so soon into the adventure. I guess emailing every single random contact you know or may not know really pays off 🙂
 |
Bellavista inspiration to go along with
these most inspiring women writers! |
Herewith, their inspiring ventures:
1.
Don’t Calle Me Gringa: Emily writes about “20-something life in Santiago,” but also afar, as she takes you on her weekend jaunts (yes, she will fly to Brazil for the weekend), to her soccer games, and posts something new and delicious every Saturday to get your weekend started right. Emily and I went to high school together… a healthy handful of years apart, but having gone to the same tiny school 6,000 miles away sure cuts through a lot of the standard getting-to-know-you routine. She was one of the very first people I ventured out to meet on my own in my new home city. She saw that deer-in-the-headlights look in my eye, she translated my order at Starbucks (What? “Iced coffee” can be complicated!), and she didn’t balk. It’s been great for Ryan and I to get to know her and her husband down here–we’re grateful for their restaurant recommendations and their friendship!
2.
Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago: Kyle is a talented wedding photographer who has a following and reputation that belies her youth. Her photography punches sheer beauty into all her blog posts. I met her recently and definitely recommend her work to all the local brides out there. She is the kind of person who will help you before she even knows you all that well (then email you a book recommendation, then send you helpful links for your novel all in the turn of 24 hours), and there’s nothing a stranger in a strange land might appreciate more than that.
3.
Bearshapedshere: It’s not every day you’re at a party in Santiago and feel like you’re right back in New York, talking about publishing, swapping websites, editors, pitching, and the recent articles you both liked or disliked. But to meet Eileen is to meet a woman from Brooklyn living in Santiago with whom you can do just that. It was comical that we were well into our conversation before I realized she was also the brains behind a blog I first found last year by way of my women’s traveling class. (“Oh, YOU’RE bearshapedshere?!”) She writes for many travel outlets and her postings and images of the recent education protests here in Chile are not to be missed. Explore her blog and participate in what will surely be an enlightening, intelligent conversation.
4.
ProfeConnect: Through an email exchange of an email exchange, I met one of the founders of this brand new project, which will be connecting English teachers and students in Chile. Right now the blog portion is up and running and chock-full of advice for teachers, and many more features are on their way. As a brand new English teacher myself, I’m already relying on this great resource. While it’s launching in Chile, I have no doubt that teachers and students around the world will find its resources and tips useful. (Stay tuned for a guest blog or two from yours truly!)
Many writers, travelers, photographers, and wise women are making their way in Santiago. For now, I wanted to say “thank you” to these four. I could also say my go-to line that meeting them has made “home” in the sense of California/Publishing/ Academia/Friendship seem less far away. But the true sentiment is almost just the opposite: getting to know them, their unique talents, and like-minded interests makes Santiago, and all that’s possible right here, feel like the home I’m after.
4 comments