Queers throw the best parties
Trip Start
Sep 28, 2004
1
14
19
Trip End
Nov 07, 2004
Valdivia, Chile
Saturday, October 23, 2004
However, after meticulously searching for the aforementioned nonexistent hostel that Lonely Planet reported as being a few blocks away, I returned to Aires Buenos. As it turns out, my prejudice was entirely misplaced, as I discovered after five minutes of conversation with Lionel the Argentine owner. And, it's got character and charm!
As it turned out, they were in the midst of some DSL trouble, so I forcibly volunteered my services as a technician, to absolutely no avail. Despite that, Lionel cheerfully showed me the last dorm bed available, and then, chuckling, offered that there was a staff room downstairs that I could have, if I wanted it.
Descending the tiny spiral staircase, I immediately knew I had to have the room - it was a dungeon, with a barred window in the door and everything. What luck that this private room also came out cheaper than the bunk dorm bed upstairs.
The luck kept coming as Lionel offered to drive me out to the island campus of the Southern University of Chile (Universidad Austral de Chile). I was quite keen to check it out, as I had considered studying there while an undergraduate at the UW. Lionel had to go there to take pictures of an event coordinated by his cohabitating significant other.
As it turned out, Francisco, the coordinator of the event, was his boyfriend, and after we checked out the proceedings and returned to the hostel, it turned out Lionel had a sizeable collection of gay friends. All of whom were very interesting, and cool, and whom knew about the hippest, most interesting places in town.
After heading out to the bars one evening, and spending the following day checking out the town on foot, Lionel invited me to a dinner party at his house. The event was attended by twelve men and two women - most of the men were gay, but a few were bisexual, and a few more were straight (all of whom, but me, were paired off with the two women).
In light of all that, the dinner party was absolutely fabulous. The conversation was spectacular, the aperetifs and appetizers were delicious, and Francisco cooked an incredible meal. We all stayed until we were unable to continue with the eating and drinking - truly an epicurean delight.
Valdivia was where I spent my first truly academic conversation in Spanish, about Cultural Studies, Deconstructionism, and historical subjectivity. Although it was conducted with a comfortable English-speaker (whose knowledge of English was occasionally called into effect), I felt rather accomplished and self-satisfied for being able to carry on such a dialogue.
As far as the dinner party goes, my name and straight back seemed to be particularly humorous points. Also, the fact that I repeatedly shoved my foot down my throat by (among other things) insisting that I hoped to never acquire the Argentine accent, was a source of general amusement, as several Argentine attendees were happy to laugh about all the night long.
