Chilean food

I came here with so many expectations despite my efforts to ward them off. One was that I´d love the food. So far, no good. The (unofficial) national food of Chile is the completo which is a hot dog smothered in guacamole and other condiments. Ugh. We learned today that Chile ranks among the world´s highest per-capita consumption of mayonnaise. I don´t mind some mayo now and then, but not glopped onto every entree. Most people in the group have learned to say ¨sin mayo¨(without mayo) whenever they order something. So far, I´ve never heard any of us told that it doesn´t come with mayo. Also, fried and über-processed foods abound.

Fortunately, the bread is delicious, fresh fruit juice flows like water, and we found a vegetarian restaurant near where we´ve been having training meetings. I nearly cried for joy as I wolfed down a big plate of broccoli and stir-fried veggies! And tonight, I went to the grocery store for the first time and got nectarines, bread, and butter for less than $2. Sweet! I also bought laundry detergent because laundry service here is very expensive. However, after washing some shirts in the sinks, I discovered that I only have room to dry four at a time, two on the headboard and two on the footboard. Live and learn is my new mantra.