Odeliza Life of a US Expat in South America

Mahalo Chicos,

Sureno Plata 925 is a little store on the second floor of Punta Caretas Shopping. The items sold are real silver and some fancy rocks and fancy glass. I like to purchase their silver because I hate fancy rocks and glass. I prefer the real thing.

The manager informed me that they purchased their silver from Mexico and their stones in South Asia.

Check em out if you are in the mood.

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza

Common Phrases in Spanish:

(if you live in Uruguay or Argentina, or planing a holiday in either of these two countries, just a warning: the ‘ll’ and the ‘y’  in Spanish is pronounced differently in only those two Latin countries. For instance, instead of pronouncing the ‘ll’ as if your saying ‘yay’ you would say ’shh’ like ’shh be quiet…’ Get it?)

My Name is: Me llamo…

Do you speak English?: ?Habla ingles?

I don’t speak Spanish: No hablo espanol

I speak a little Spanish: Hablo un poco espanol

Do you understand?: ?Entiende?

I understand: Entiendo

I don’t understand: No entiendo

Yes, of course: Si, claro

Just a moment, please: Un momento, por favor

I think so: Creo que si

I agree: Estoy de acuerdo

I hope so: Espero que si

Okay: Okay or Esta bien

I don’t know: No lo se

Don’t worry: No se preocupe

That’s all right: No importa

I don’t mind: Me da igual

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza

Chicos,

When my other half and I first arrived in Uruguay we lived in a rather spacious home on one of the most ‘busiest’ streets in Montevideo, Uruguay. Artigas. Now we live right off of the same street and a smaller place that is some what secluded from the noise level of cars and pedestrians.

Punta Caretas is a much more quite zone of Montevideo, Uruguay. Montevideo is divided by ‘zonas’, there is Pocitos, Centro, Tres Cruces, Punta Caretas, Carasco, Prado, and other zonas I forgot the names of.

Pocitos is a much more younger area and is jam packed with row after row of ‘high rise’ apartment buildings. Centro is the down town area and its a bit dangerous at night, Tres Cruces is a mixture of age groups and sizes of family members, Carasco is mainly ‘larger’ homes and very minimum apartment buildings, Prado has allot of the vintage homes that are very grand with several floors, and Punta Caretas is a mixture of apartment buildings and beautiful vintage homes.

The photos that are attached here are from Punta Carteas on a sunny fall day. I don’t have any pictures of the other ‘zonas’, but will take some shots as soon as I can.

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza

Mahalo Chicos,

One of the ‘perks’ of living in a small and tranquil country such as Uruguay are lazy Fall days. One can take a stroll at Parque Rodo and people watch, read a book, or even listen to really obnoxious imitation rap music.

We live a few blocks from a park named Parque Rodo in Montevideo, Uruguay. Its a nice place to take kids during the warm months because it boast a small carnival. Where youngsters can ride; Haunted House rides, bumper cars, spinny-wheeling-rides, and so much more.

The park also offers a much calmer ride for the adults-pedal boats on their man made pond-. Or one can just occupy a bench and people watch. On Sundays the park hosts the ‘Ferria Domingo’ Sunday Market, where one can purchase ‘what not’ and vegetables.

We like to walk over there with our 7 month old puppy and create havoc. Or at least that’s what happened the most recent time. Midori-our puppy- is so friendly-a trait for Labradors- that she goes up to anybody and wags her tail, says hello, gets a pat on the head, and then walks to the other person. We’ve been lucky with the people she charms her way too, except for this one time.

An Ice cream dude wheeling a cart saw Midori approach him and bolted for the street. Of course Midori thought it was a game, as I like to place chase with her myself. And the ice cream dude freaked out. Like totally!

It was funny, I was laughing cause little Midori was just playing with the guy and the person almost popped in his pants. I know it could sound cruel, maybe the man got attached or something, but in my defense I was not the only one laughing. There were three park security people and one of them approached me and asked me in Spanish; “Can you watch your dog better it scared the ice cream man”. She said it with a sort of laughing tone, I had to laugh again. Then the other security people were laughing too. Midori went over to them and got a pat in the head.

I digress, during the Summer time in Uruguay which is December through February there is always some sort of event, groups gathering around to practice yoga or some kids playing a rough game of Futbal.

There is something for everybody. So if you are ever in the area on a nice warm and sunny day, stop on by Parque Rodo and please don’t run away from a puppy.

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza

Mahalo Chicos,

Midori, my other half, and I took a little walk around our ‘zona’ Punta Caretas. Its was such a wonderful day that we could just not resists. Sooner or later the weather is going to be miserable in Montevideo, Uruguay. So if you are thinking of vacationing during your summer time-May-July- bad news for you. It’s WINTER in Uruguay and the weather can be brutal.

Of course I am a Pacific Islander and the closets I’ve ever experienced to winter is in the East Coast of North America. So, my gage may be different from snow birds out there. Go on ahead and think you can wear that tiny winy bikini in the middle of winter in Uruguay. By all means!

We keep on delaying the inevitable by hanging around to see if the weather is going to be as cold as it was in 2007. Since gas prices have sky rocketed so much, I’d hate for my other half to purchase plane tickets to where ever and then find out that it was not cold in Uruguay during the winter.

Though some might say; “tough it out” I say, if one can one does.

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza

Mahalo Chicos,

When you go grocery shopping in South America; Brasil, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay to speak of, the cashier clerk would ask you if you have a ‘tarjeta puntos’. This is basically a card that allows you points every time you shop at their store.

You have to fill out a really simple form written in Spanish - which someone that does not read Spanish so well, ME- can easily do. Then return in a couple of weeks and ask the customer service for your card - you have to show them your formal identification; Passport and or some country issued identification.

Once you’ve accumulate some points you can get ’stuff’. Like a cell phone with some minutes, some basic kitchen appliances and the like.

So, if you have not done so already and you are planning on hanging out in South America, get a card, there are no attachments and you can pile on more stuff on top of more stuff.

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza

Mahalo Chicos,

We live right around the corner from a junior high school and every time Midori and I would go for walks there’d be a crowd of teens smoking gawd knows what and drinking a liter of beer. Mind you, this is around 7:30 in the morning on a weekday none the less.

Now some might think its the area that we live, but I must say we live in one of two zones in Uruguay that is considered to be expensive and affluent.

The school mentioned is a private school not a public school -though I have nothing against public schools.

I suppose the point I am trying to make is drinking and smoking is not enforced so heavily as a law here -at least none that I am aware of-. Kids even younger smoke, I’ve seen it. I’ve even seen women with child smoking so freely.

Now I have to admit I did smoke for a bit and stopped, if there were circles of people that smoked around me, than its a circle of people I don’t care to hang out with. And that is that.

These girls, while wearing their pleaded skirts and large sweaters look so innocent, yet when they pull the cigarette in their mouth they seemed so seasoned its really scary.

Midori is Uruguayan by birth and she seems to take a liking to smoking as well. I caught her red handed and she had the slightly sleepy gaze about her which alerts me we may have a problem.

Now I have to be super strict and make sure she does not get any ideas while I or my other half is not with her.

The parents should take better control of their kids not the other way around.

If I make other people angry about what I said, than stop reading my website. And kiss my Pacific Island tush!

Ciao,

Odeliza Jacoba

Odeliza