I went looking for a riot and I found a chess game.

It seems to me that protests are a regular occurrence in Santiago. In the 2 months I’ve been here, I’ve personally seen four, and I don’t get out much.

I witnessed my first protest walking home early evening. I first heard the chanting, and then I heard the engines. I didn’t even get a chance to figure out what the mob was protesting before a large green fire truck disguised as a tank careened around the corner and blasted this lot with high-pressure water blasters.

Where’s Brett?

My parents cc me in an email written to their new lawyer not long ago. In it they were talking about the family, and where we all are. At the time my parents were in China, one sister was in Nelson NZ with her family, my other sister was in London, England, with her family, and my brother was also in London, England. I was described as “in South America (not really certain where)”.

So Mum and Dad, and any one else who cares to know, I’m in Santiago, Chile.

I teach English during the week, which is a first for me, and considering my spelling hasn’t improved since intermediate school, pretty surprising. I also teach snowboarding during the weekend in El Colorado. It’s the name of a mountain here, I don’t commute to the States every weekend.

I’m here for the winter, and right now I’m not sure where I’m going for the summer. So best not to ask.