The 33 group

On August 22th, just a month ago, a big notice was shown by every TV channel: The 33 miners were alive!! I was in my grandmother's house, and all my family stopped their conversations because the notice about the miners was one of the most important for those days. I traveled this Sunday from Rengo to Santiago and the people spoke about the notice in the bus and subway. Many peoples lefts in their cars, showing flags of Chile for the cars' windows.

I think that the miners' life is very hard. They work for very long time in the mine, without opportunities to see their family, with low wages and long working days. The 33 miners are men very brave, who work in the mine because is a familiar tradition or because is the only option of work at that place (and this must be the most likely option). Their actual "life" in the mine must be very hard, although the authorities have been everything possible for help them. A lot of people visit their families (artists, musicians), but I think that the most important people are Psychologists in this moment, because they are very sad and tired and need their professional help.

Their return at the surface will be dangerous, because they must travel 700 mts in an uncomfortable possition. I hope, like all chilean people, that they can be rescued without big problems, and they will be the most importante gift for their families at next Christmas.

Bicentennial Celebrations

I love this month, because starts the spring and we have days in which we can eat, dance and rest, if it is posible. This year is more important, because Chile celebrates 200 years from it Independence (or the First Goverment Sesion) and there is a special ambient. In some places, all houses have a chilean flag, which is not habitual another years. At the school, childrens are preparing dances or representations about tipical zones in Chile, which they will present next week.

There will be many celebrations in Santiago, like National Stadium inauguration this sunday or a big light show in La Moneda next week. I won tickets for the musical "La pérgola de las flores", in a mall, which is considered one of the celebrations of the bicentennial. I think that will be a lot of different parties and events along the country.

In Santiago, a tipical place to eat, dance and drink (for whose who are interested) are the "fondas" in Parque O'Higgins. In my case, last two years I was to San Fernando, near of Rengo, at the official "ramada" with my sister, friends and cousins. It was very entertaining because is a place where you can go with your family and friends without problems. It's probable that this year we'll go to San Fernando again, to continue the tradition.

Now, the question is: Who know what we celebrate on September 18? This is not the problem in this moment, because the people is interested in to celebrate, and in to say "Viva Chile!"