That One Time with Family I Didn't Know Existed

Just as I expected, I've gotten behind in my updates. Thankfully I'm taking pictures all the time so that I can remember the order everything happens. Friday night, Paul invited us all out to eat sushi. I was ecstatic. That same day I was starting to miss all the variety of cuisine in my home town. Don't get me wrong; I love the food here and my aunt has a good touch for cooking and fast. We went to a place called Gohan. My aunt and uncle knew the owners of the place just how they know everyone else thats worth knowing in Temuco. They both have so many friends and acquaintances through their customers. I don't know how they manage to remember everyone's names or what they do. The best part of the night = tempura ice cream. How glad am I that a nearby Japanese restaurant has good tempura ice cream? You will never know.

 This weekend the family celebrated Tia Sandra's birthday party. It was a huge event that lasted two full days. The first day she had about twenty friends come over while the rest of us scrambled in the kitchen making sure the hors d'oeuvres didn't run out, that they all had a drink, and while I tried not to suffocate in the giant cloud of smoke that started to fill the entire house. Man these women could smoke. Think Cruela de Ville times ten. 

Not everyone could stay until "once," which was a good thing because I'm not sure how all the ones that were left managed to fit around the table. Tia Sandra had two birthday cakes and received a giant amount of presents. It was a good day.

Watching her open gifts

Tia Lali and Jean Pierre never stop bugging each other

She doesn't like his shirt. Can't say I do either.  haha.
(Actually he's just bugging her and sh'e complaining)

 While the "viejas" all hung out and celebrated in the dining room, the rest of us sang karaoke in the kitchen. It was loads of fun, especially when I got them to attempt singing songs in English. The highlight of my night was hearing a version of "Angel."

 The following day we all got ready to celebrate again, but on Tia Sandra's real birthday. It all started at lunch. We began preparing for the night and started redecorating the house all over again. This time the boys made themselves useful and I got pictures to prove that they are capable of helping out. They won't be able to deny it ever again. We had the neighbors, which not so coincidently is all family, come over for some yummy beef and potatoes. 

 At night, Sandra's closer relatives came over. I met so many women in these two nights that I have no hope in remembering most of their names. There were way too many sister's and nieces and aunts. We brought out the third cake of the week (no Natalie, I didn't eat all three. I will not get fat) and sang one more time. The weekend was a total success! We finally finished cleaning everything up today, at 2am. Going to bed at a normal time seems like its never going to happen...