World Cup Chile

Last Sunday we visited our own Barrio Universitario, since Marcia, one of the four daughters of a family we have been visiting, gave her final talk in church before she left for a full-time mission in Peru. She was very excited to go. The tradition in Chile is that the ward gathers together for a party to provide the outgoing missionary with everything needed. Our contribution was a good pair of shoes, since the sister missionaries often do not have adequate shoes for all the walking they do.

Following our English lesson on Saturday, Hna. Kauer from the mission office invited us to Barrio Centro where she had been invited to demonstrate how she cut up old sock, t-shirts, and white shirts to make into round rugs. She wanted me to show my projects and translate for her. Hna. Kauer is a head taller than most Chilean women. She says people often stare at her blue eyes.

 Within the hour the room was filled with happily chatting women. I ended up showing several ladies how to make crocheted roses. The cute abuela sitting next to Hna. Kauer told me to tell her that she needed to sit up straight and not slouch (hard not to do after working many hours in the mission office every day). Elder Kennington mentions this to Hna. Kauer at every opportunity to make sure she is following the abuelita's advice.

Wednesday we canceled our scheduled English class because of the afternoon World Cup soccer game between Chile and Spain. Chile made its two scores during our walk home, which was mostly quiet with the sidewalks and streets nearly completely empty. We could hear all the avid fans inside the buildings watching wide screen TV or listening on the radio. When Chile scored the second time, people came streaming out of office buildings, wearing red, white and blue hats, waving the Chilean flag, and screaming and cheering.

During half-time a group of college students sang songs and hollered and waved from the corner balcony of a newly-opened apartment building. The street was covered with home-made newspaper confetti. The partying did not go on as far into the night this time. Next game is on Monday against the Netherlands.

Our English classes went on as usual on Thursday and Saturday. Our attendance at each class ranges between six and fourteen students. Here Elder Kennington is doing word-cluster drills.

Friday the new group of ladies learning weaving came in. They are very quiet and intent on their work at present. In a few weeks, this will change.

Vanessa sent me some beautifully soft mohair yarn. I knitted this cowl to keep my neck warm. The earrings I bought on the street from a Che Guevara lookalike. The silver disks are Chilean pesos.

My new project is making a grocery bag purse, made with "yarn" from plastic grocery bags. The pattern is here: http://mimoknits.typepad.com/knitting/2008/04/grocery-bag-pur.html

Above is the Google search page for Wednesday's game against Spain.

My favorite Google World Cup search page is this one, since it reminds me of Concepcion.