Jonathan Rojas (28) is another teacher living in Hospedaje Adolfo. He teaches chemistry and biology to grades 7 through 11 (we don't have a 12th grade), and has more hours than any other teacher. He is the son of a highfalutin' Pentacostal pastor who leads a megachurch in La Serena, on the coast to the north of Santiago. He has nine brothers and sisters, and loves talking about how big his houses were and are, and the nice things his parents have and how he's a momma's-boy. Jonathan is very nice and generous, and can be very funny:
Una vez un circo llegó a un pueblo y los letreros anunciaron una attración especial: el pan hablando. Cuando abrió el circo, el público estuvo lleno. Aparecieron hombres que comían fuego, pero el público no se entusiasmó. Aparecieron mujeres paradas en caballos, pero el público no se entusiasmó. Aparecieron payasos con piés grandes y narices rojas, pero el público no se entusiasmó. Gritaron, "el pan hablando, el pan hablando, el pan hablando!" Por fin, salió un hombre con un pan normal y una jarra de agua, y puso el pan en una mesa. Echó el agua de la jarra encima del pan, y dijo, "Les presento el PAN ABLANDO!"
(el pan hablando means The Talking Bread, while el pan ablando means The Softening Bread. I love puns!)
Jonathan also sings constantly. He wanted to be a cantante lírico for most of his life -- how he ended up a biology teacher, I'm not sure. As a result, we are often "treated" with surprise arias at the onces table, early in the morning, and while preparing for class.
The creepster
The aforementioned creepster was on the boat again this week in Espolón. I sat down with my headphones in and my book, next to the women, and yet he came and sat down next to me. Adelio, the man who drives both the van to the boat-launch and the boat itself, came down from above and rescued me, inviting me up to the "cabin" where I could sit and chat with him and this old man. The old man was very interesting, telling me about his sister who has lived in the US since the '60s, and who is spending her retirement traveling with her husband to places all over the world. "She's been to Italy, France, everywhere! They just got back from a cruise to the... I think Jamaica? And I've never been to the upper end of Lago Espolón!" It was really amazing to hear that, about how different two siblings' lives can be, just because one left their home. Adelio was planning to visit people in the area to see how much of a water drop they have near their house. You see, they use these turbine engines to create generators for the houses in rural areas -- if there's a stream that is on enough of an incline or if there's enough water running fast enough, they can install the makeshift generator and give the people light at night. Otherwise, they're living by candlelight, and nights are very long here in the winter. The creepster ventured upstairs later on, but with little encouragement to stay, returned below.
Adelio's van: it is red, with a side sliding door that falls off every time you open it. The windows don't close all the way, there is no back windshield, instead replaced with cardboard. About every other week, we stop along our route so they can lift up the driver's seat and throw more water in. The men have to push to get the van started -- one week they tied a rope to the van and a pick-up truck pulled us a bit until we got started, AFTER they maneuvered the van around so it was facing the right way. We also always cram about 10 people in the back every time, with animals above if there are any.
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