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I need to thank so many people for the opportunity of a lifetime. These are the words I heard from all of my fellow classmates as we finished up our 3 week study abroad program in Santiago, Chile with the IPDS program offered through Buffalo State College. With my many travels in the past I never expected to feel so humbled to have had this opportunity. As a group I feel we all grew individually and now see the world through different more appreciative eyes. The organization and education provided by our instructors throughout the semester more than prepared us for our journey. Dr Del Prado Hill and Dr. Raquel Schmidt both accompanied our group and were supportive and went out of their way to insure all were safe, on task and happy! I will surely miss my friends not just acquaintances as I head home soon. The smiles in the picture above are real and from the heart. We were so lucky to enjoy the opportunity to assist the U Mayor students with their classes where they were student teaching and even offer a few lesson plans. They were also there for us with many informative tours of landmarks in Santiago and of course a few late nights at the nightclubs. I now love Reggaeton music, ( of Puerto Rican origin that combines rap with Caribbean rhythms) and am happy to add this lively sound to my reggae collection. My last night with Dr Schmidt was celebrated with a cheeseburger. Both of our instructors participated with spanish classes that were offered at ECELA. I thought their spanish was spot on but they shared with me there is still so much more to learn. Congratulations with your certificates of completion as well. I am sure to continue to work on my spanish and just got a new app on my phone to help me study. I am so proud to share with you my Jerkalicious sauce made it to Easter Island. Vera a classmate from ECELA visited this Island and their most dramatic claim is the almost 900 giant stone figures. These face towards the villages to watch over the people. The exception are these in the photo that face out to the sea to help travelers find the island. Her next trip was to travel to Atacama Desert to experience the spectacular Lunar eclipse on July 2nd. Thank you Vera and I hope to visit you sometime in Holland. The horseback ride up the Andes Mountain was the highlight of the trip. We were served a Chilean style BBQ. The view was spectacular and menu amazing. Pumpkin is very popular in Chile and is the main ingredient with the Sopapillas ( fried dough) and of course the Cazuela (a simple thick flavored stock obtained from cooking several kinds of meats and vegetables. This menu item was delicious pumpkin ravioli. Peumayen Ancestral Food, one of the most unique restaurants in Santiago. The focus is on Chilean food, but not the food you might expect. At Peumayen, the focus is on the ancestral cuisine of some of the Chile’s native people – the Quechua from the north of the country and the Mapuche and Huilliche tribes from the Andean plains around Santiago and Patagonia. We chose the tasting menu which consisted of 25 different items. The chef took us on a journey through dishes and flavors that are unfamiliar to most. With each course served we were told about the ingredients, origins and and stories behind each menu item. A starting plate featured eight bite-sized pieces of bread, arranged geographically by the source of their ingredients. The grains used in each are native to the respective regions. From there on, the journey continues with an assortment of interesting dishes, broken up with sorbet palate cleansers infused with native plants from the Atacama Desert. Smashed potatoes cover a wooden dowel and then are placed by the fire to toast. When the dowel is removed a tasty cylinder is left and this was filled with a creamy crab mixture. Presentation of each was not only educational for me but a celebration of the ancestral cuisine of Chile. We were served horse meat tartare. The story behind this item was the anger the Mapuche tribes felt when the Spaniards attacked on horseback. Horses are not native to Chile. When the opportunity was there they would slay the horses and eat them raw for revenge. One of the many highlights of our trip was my daughter Lianne joining me for an extended stay. We headed to Valparaiso, and had the pleasure of staying at the Winebox. It was built from 25 recycled 40' shipping containers and 100's of wooden pallets. Grant the owner was inspired to build this after visiting his home in New Zealand after a terrible earthquake. He was so surprised to witness the use of containers to act as a temporary businesses, restaurants and grocery stores, while they rebuilt the city. As the work was done some of these containers were simply moved to another location. Camila a recent graduate from Architectural school designed the project. They are a beautiful hardworking couple and I wish them all the best! Our stay was wonderful. I loved having the kitchen to cook in our room. Breakfast was fascinating!! Very well done. All choices were so perfectly prepared and displayed on the buffet. Perfect poached eggs, smashed avocado, red wine artisan toast and a sprinkle of Merquen was my daughters go to breakfast. Merquen a spice blend of indigenous Mapuche people of Chile, consisting of dried and smoked ahi nacho de cobra (goat's horn red pepper) cumin, coriander seeds and salt. Grant was a perfect host and I would highly recommend the Winebox when you visit Valparaiso. Espirito Santo was another wonderful restaurant we discovered. Take a look at the bread service. The cold sweet butter was coated with fresh crushed peppercorns. Ceviche served with passion fruit was the best! I bought these crabs for my daughter at the seafood market and cooked them in our room for dinner. Look at the funny seagrass growing on top. It looks like hair! Our final day included a champagne sunset. I am forever grateful for this opportunity to travel abroad! Thank you Buffalo State IPDS Program!!
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Our placement today was at Colegio Lorenzo Sazie with Francisa Santander our UMayor teacher candidate host, and her mentor teacher Miss Scarlet. We were scheduled to see 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades. We arrived a bit early and were lucky to have a moment to talk with the teachers. Their approach with assessments pre-K to 4th is not to give the students grades at all. They teach in a communicative style, using games, songs with a lot of movement. The beauty of this is that the students are not even aware they are learning! I also found it very interesting that the highest mark given was a 7 throughout Chile. As we approached the class I noticed the students formed two lines at the entrance of the classroom and one by one were greeted by Miss Scarlet in English with a handshake or a hug. This gave her the opportunity to quickly assess each student as they entered class. I loved how each class began with such a positive gesture. When all the children were seated, together, and with enthusiasm they greeted Miss. Scarlet in English. Karly and I introduced ourselves and the children were allowed to ask us questions. The students used questions from their previous lessons. I was shocked when a student asked me if I liked David Bowie, but later found out his dad was really into music. I laughed when they asked me my age and wondered if they had learned to count that high yet. There were several occasions when the children got a bit restless and loud. They were quickly quieted with a song, and together they used hand movements in such a way it focused and calmed them in seconds. Miss Scarlet taught with such a loving and kind manner but at all times had control over the class. I was not sure at first why it was so important for us to interact with the students but later was told the students enjoy listening to us speak English and have very little opportunity to use their english in home or in the community. I did ask the students if they had a family meal together and was pleased to hear this is important to them. Miss Scarlet said that she doesn't even want to eat if she is alone. They linger over dinner and enjoy the company of one another ,solve problems and build relationships. That is what a meal is about! The food is secondary. Chile has adopted Carmenere as its country's signature grape and is the worlds largest producer of Carmenere. It is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, in that it has a deep red color with aromas of fruit and pepper. The completo (Spanish for complete, total) is a hot dog eaten in Chile, usually served with ingredients such as chopped tomatoes, avocados, mayonnaise, sauerkraut, sauce americaine (ketchup and mayo), Chealian chile and cheese. I will be sure to offer this for our 4th of July celebration.
How can something we worked and planned for, for so long just pass me buy in a blink of an eye? I just want my study abroad program here in Santiago Chile to slow down. I am sure the fact that each day is jam packed with activities has something to do with it! I came here with an agenda to learn and taste the food of Chile, immerse myself in the educational system and compare and contrast our worlds that seemed so different at first. I have found a culture that is hospitable like no other. Having meet the students while they were in Buffalo set us up to feel so welcomed upon arrival. We proudly shared our local attractions such as Niagara Falls, Buffalo chicken wings, our elementary and high school classrooms and and of course our nightlife! We have been given the same treatment here in Santiago, Chile. My takeaway is we are all so similar in so many ways! I would recommend that any student take the opportunity to experience studying abroad because it opens our eyes, hearts and souls to other worlds, ideas and of course the tastes and traditions of the world around us! Watch out Buffalo! I am ready to share some of my favorite Chilean recipes at the Taste of Buffalo's Culinary stage, Erie county fair Cooks and Happy Hour, and America's Grape County Wine Festival this summer. Today I have an opportunity to tour the wineries of Chile. Concha Y Toro is right here in Santiago! Can you imagine at my age climbing this. I was inspired by a fellow classmate to attempt this! We A proud moment for Karly! This was back in February at my home. We were welcomed by Valentina's family with an amazing spread of the traditional Chileans foods including incredible desserts. Sopaippila (Pumpkin Fritters) were served with Pebre Chileno, very similar to a fresh made salsa in the states. The Pan Amasado was fresh made and done with love and skill. Pastel de Choclo which is a corn casserole with meat stuffing finished with a bit of sugar and torched much like a creme brûlée! Lemon Meringue torte with a Swiss meringue. The Tres Leche Cake was moist and beautiful! Empanadas fried and baked filled with meat, hardboiled eggs, and olives. Some even have raisins. They are called Empanadas Pino. Just one of the many different fillings here. I loved this idea of a permanent alleyway for food trucks! I enjoyed a sausage called Choripan. Much like a Chorizo but without spice. I love this VW food truck. I want one!!! Move over Poutine! Make way for Papas Fritas supreme. Topped with meat, onions, cheese, sour cream and chives. The dish Chorrillana is this plus a sunny side egg on top! The potatoes here are very different then ours in the states. Even the Lays potato chips sold and made here are so much better than ours. In the past I have imported Peruvian potatoes and understand the remarkable difference! Also notice the Pisco Sours in the background. I am a fan of whiskey sours but Pisco Sours rock my world!
My afternoon at Colegio Saint Maurice’s elementary school located in Santiago, Chile was everything I hoped it would be and more! The class management style of the teachers working with 40 or more students was my focus. As we entered the classroom the students stood up and together and with conviction greeted their English teacher with respect and enthusiasm. My classmate and I were introduced and welcomed by the students. The class was told that we were visiting and their homework the day before was to prepare questions English and bring in their dictionaries. We were given the entire 90 minutes to share our lessons and present a powerpoint about the Estados Unidos (United States) and our hometown of Buffalo. Of course my lesson plan had to relate to food and I taught the class how we taste and the location on the tongue for sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. We identified foods for each using the individual whiteboards which the students loved working with. These were purchased with a grant my professors from Buffalo State received and we left them as a gift for the teachers, along with books, and flash cards to name a few. I commend the effort and organization with the IPDS program to work so hard all year long to pull this study abroad program together. The highlight of my lesson was having the students taste sweet with candy and sour with warheads. This was a favorite back in the day with my children. The students never expected this candy to be so sour, and boy did they pucker up! They jumped up and down with laughter and surprise. . The question was to identify the taste using their whiteboards. I was so impressed with the proper use of english and cursive handwriting. The powerpoint was a huge success and when given the opportunity for questions the students were engaged and did not want the class to end. For the ticket out the door I had the students write one thing learned in class. Also I need to mention all questions and answers had to be in English. This is where I felt the students frustration. They wanted so bad to ask questions their arms were raised high but when I chose them they froze. Some just said nothing and the disappointment in their eyes hurt me so bad. I knew exactly how they felt. I have been struggling with that very problem with my spanish lessons at ECELA daily. I was patient and understanding and had empathy for them. I was struggling so bad with my spanish lessons I have anxiety just going to school. I worry what people will think about how I sound. I am a student that needs extra time with my tests and when is asked questions I know the answer but can’t verbalize it! The experience of wanting to be right and the fear of humiliation by my peers is something I understand. I was able to help the student with my patience and the ability to assist the student just by giving them time, comfort them with my words and questions and direct eye contact. The funny thing is today in spanish class my anxiety was lessened after realizing I don't care how I sound speaking Spanish, and who cares if I answer wrong. I also realized I need extra help, and when the response from my instructor was "I will not only give you a hand but will offer you both my hands! " I was asked the strangest questions like Do I like seaweed? After class I did find out from their teacher that seaweed was from a prior lesson. I am looking forward to my next opportunity in the classrooms next week. I will also be sure to include more of my favorite culinary discoveries here in Chile with my next blog. Thank you for your time spent reading my blog! After class the students did not want to leave! Each of them said goodbye with the traditional Chilean hug! This was a gift from a student. Feeling the love!! The students expressing the extreme sour of a warhead candy. We were so happy to leave the whiteboards behind for the teachers. Thank your for my new words Spanish words! The seafood market was wonderful! Ceviche, crab, salmon and fish frys all fresh from the sea! Pastel de Jaiba was the Chileans version of a crab cake done with king crab and stone crab. The parmesan cheese finish made my day. Here is the recipe if you would like to change up are traditional crab cake. I see a French influence with this dish. https://youtu.be/Jfg6RdwUY8o Beautiful Santiago!
Hello from Santiago Chile. It is now my second week and my only thoughts are "How lucky I am to be here! I have traveled and worked abroad for years but never on a study abroad program. Monday thru Friday we are in Spanish classes at ECELA from 9-1 . ECELA offers us day trips including trekking the Andes, walking tours through Valparaiso, a seaport in Chile known for the freshest seafood amazing street art, salsa lessons, cooking classes, and wonderfully orchestrated fiestas throughout the week. The tours are all spoken in Spanish and I struggle but I am hungry to understand. With each event offered the lessons learned in class come alive! Students are also from all over the world and with many interesting reasons for wanting to learn Spanish. Similar to the Trevi fountain in Rome we were sure to throw our coins in the fountain to be assured we will return to Chile someday. We all made a secret wish as well. Santa Lucia Hill, which is the remnants of a 15 million year old volcano provides one of the loveliest views of the city. The backdrop of the snow capped Andes Mountains is magnificent. This was a lookout point for the conquistadors and where Pedro de Valdivia declared the founding of Santiago. The estimated 2.5 million street dogs in Chile are feed by the locals, and campaigns to spay and neuter them are implemented regularly. Carmen my roommate is a teacher candidate for Secondary Mathematics. We both enjoyed our time at Valparaiso and ended the evening with this beautiful sunset. The Tesla exhibit was interesting, especially with having Tesla in our backyard in Buffalo. Loving the street art of Valparaiso. The street food in Chile is incredible. Sopaippila is a fried pastry which include a pumpkin puree and traditionally served with Pebre, a mild sauce with pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro. They also can be served with avocado, cheese, or manjar (Dulce de leche). For some reason they are most popular when it rains. !The South Amercian Churros are a very popular street food and stuffed with my favorite, Nutella. Be prepared to pucker up and enjoy a Pisco Sour. The craft cocktail revolution in Buffalo gave me the opportunity to try the Pisco Sour. There is a constant battle between Peru and Chile with who makes the best and where it was from. The battle still continues. A Pisco sour is made with Pisco which is a colorless brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile finished with lime juice, egg white, angostura bitters and simple syrup. I am sure my friends at the Black Iron Bistro or Ballyhoo would be happy to offer you a Pisco Sour. I have a fascination with doors and I was not disappointed here in Chile. They are as magnificent as the many I found throughout Europe. Monday will be my first day in the classrooms of Chile with 3rd and 4th graders. There are 40 students per class and I look forward to learning the teachers classroom management styles.
I have found empanadas throughout Santiago and cannot believe the numerous varieties and shapes. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. The stuffing can consist of a variety of meats, vegetables, or even fruits. Here in Chile I am looking forward to the seafood filled variety. I must remind you Chili has the second largest coastline in the world. Antarctic (Chilean) King crab meat is delicate and sweet, and one of the most attractive with its snow white meat and scarlet red membrane. The species Lithodes santolla refers to all crab King Crab caught in the southern half of South America. 90% of Chile’s king crab is exported, with South Korea the largest trading partner. 4,300 tons of King Crab was harvested in 2016. My fascination with empanadas has been my time spent working in Jamaica. Meat patties, with again, various fillings including seafood are sold throughout the Island. I find them spicer with the use of scotch bonnet peppers and they are bright orange with the addition of turmeric. We find these lovely and easy to grab and go patties around the world featuring the flavors and spices of their cuisine. It is winter here in Chile and I have no desire to stop for ice cream! The temperature varies from 38 to 68 degrees depending on the time of day. Unlike Buffalo the sun shines often! The topic of our presentation at the Universidad Mayor was Education in the United States. We all participated but Dr. Schmidt and Dr.del Prado were the hit. Their talks were passionate and from the heart. They were so informative I took notes.
This was my partner tonight while preparing my blog. I have no idea why he continued to sit with me but I must say he kept me on task! I am looking forward to my next two weeks here in Santiago and am so grateful for this opportunity. My trip to the “end of the world” as Chile is often fondly called has begun. I just realized how close to Antarctica I am and Chile actually owns a piece of it. The IPDS study abroad program at Buffalo State College included months of research, planning, and preparation and has prepared me for this journey. Upon arrival I am looking forward to reuniting with the Chilean students that visited Buffalo State College in February. It feels so good to have been welcomed with so much excitement and enthusiasm into a country I have never been to. My goal as a culinary instructor is to incorporate the Chilean cuisine into my syllabus at the Statler Dining Room at Erie Community College. My past experiences with work and travel abroad has brought me such success as a restaurateur in the past. When caribbean cuisine is mentioned in Western New York many people think of Curly’s Grill as a go to place for my award winning Jerk Chicken and still enjoy my Jerk and Hot sauces sold locally at tops and many other retail locations. I can not wait to have the opportunity to share my new culinary specialties when I return. Our 3 weeks include daily spanish lessons at ECELA. This is sure to help me with my annual trips to the Dominican Republic for the dental missions I have volunteered with for the past 21 years. My spanish at the moment is nothing more than dental terms including open and close your mouth, spit and be strong! Shame on me for my lack of effort to learn nothing more than what was needed to assist the dentists. Our first day at school was amazing. Students come from all over the world attend ECELA. All with different reasons and many to ski the Andes which is only one hour away from Santiago. My eagerness to experience and learn the cuisine of the Chileans is what drives me. Today I was sure I had a baby eggplant in my hand and when I cut into it to my surprise it was an avocado. I then found out there are over 500 varieties of avocados and in the states we find two, one being Hass and the larger and less expensive ones from Florida. My first exciting dish was Chorrillana which is a dish consisting of french fries topped with meat, sausages, caramelized onions and commonly scrambled or fried eggs. The now so popular dish Poutine is very similar. Chile has an abundance of seafood as one would imagine seeing that it has the second largest coastline in the world. Ceviche a Southern American dish of raw fish, cured in citrus, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with peppers, onions and cilantro was exceptional! Here is a link to a Ceviche recipe I would highly recommend https://www.forageddish.com/blog/2015/7/15/chilean-style-ceviche |
AuthorI am a Career and Technical Education major at Buffalo State and will be graduating in 2019. I have been an adjunct culinary instructor at Erie Community College and Niagara Falls Culinary Institute for the past five years. ArchivesCategories |