We scoured the listings for cultural events this month. There were few options available for the day we had already selected, until we came across one. Danza Barata Natyam. Classical Indian (East India, not Western Hemisphere indigenenous) dancing. The interest in this event seemed largely one-sided, but it has as a motivating factor that it was available the day we wanted, in the schedule that was open to us, and was free. So we went.
We met up at the metro station closest to the theater hall. Since we were considerably early, we had time to walk around and see the other things that were nearby. This included a Lagoon (which seemed much more like a small lake) for rowing boats and expressly not for swimming notwithstanding the several dozen people doing precisely that. There were museums, a football field, a Catholic chapel, and lots and lots of very tall trees. Outside one of the museums, close to the Lagoon, were some columns. These were ideal for the creation of statues, hence the two statues that we created ourselves. See the pictures for yourself.
We almost couldn't find the building for the dance. We saw an outdoor theater that had been erected and heard music emanating from it, so we directed ourselves towards it to see if that was the proper location. It was not, but the gentleman who was standing guard was able to point us in the proper direction. We arrived in time to find a nice seat and all that, but the doors didn't open until the time that the dance was supposed to begin. As we waited outside, we saw the other people who had come to see the dance. Whoa. This is what we both thought. Neither of us were dressed like they were. We aren't the artsy sort, apparently. We felt somewhat out of place, like this wasn't our social niche. Which it isn't. We stayed just the same. We found some decent seats and watched as the program proceeded.It was awesome! The ladies who danced were all very modestly dressed, which we noticed. In addition to that, the dance techniques focused deeply on rhythmic movements and facial gestures. The dancers smiled for most of the dances, and moved their eyes a lot. The dances were all part of prayers towards Hindi gods, all of them a part of adoration towards higher beings. It was quite beautiful. We felt out of place clapping, so we didn't until after the program ended and the dancers came out. It just felt weird to clap after someone's prayer. 
Tamra, you'd have liked it. It was awesome. Not quite the Baliwood style, but still very neat.
Here are some pictures that we were able to take after the dancing, when the ladies came out to receive their applause.
Come see how we Bustamantes have fun with our friends!!Vean como la Familia Bustamante pasó un día con sus amigos!! Photo List
1. take a group picture in front of Boston College (school)2. go into an Evangelical church and take a picture of the preacher3. ask people in the street for 5 dress shirt buttons and take a picture4. take a picture of a "pokemon" girl with a tongue piercing [Pokemon refers to a style of dress... somewhat similar to the human characters in the series of the same name]5. take a picture of a citroneta [a car model, of debate in the game]6. "cut" 5 red roses and take a picture7. take a picture of the Chilean flag8. take a group picture on the bus [transantiago is the system]9. three members of the group take a picture at the same time holding a 100-watt bulb each10. get 20 plums from a street tree, put them on the ground and take a picture11. get together 10 people in the street and make a train and take a picture12. go to a neighbor's house, who isn't participating in the game, wash dishes and take a picture13. take a picture of two pregnant women14. take a picture of the ID of a guy named Rafael, without showing his SSN 15. the whole group must paint their faces like Rambo with brown shoe polish and take a picture
Lista de fotos
1. sacar una foto grupal en el liceo "Boston"2. entrar en una iglesia evangelica y sacar una foto al predicador3. pedir a la gente de la calle 5 botones de camisa y sacarle foto4. sacarle una foto a una pokemona con un pircing en la lengua5. sacar una foto a una citroneta6. "cortar" 5 rosas rojas y sacarle "una" foto7. sacar foto a una bandera chilena8. sacar foto grupal arriba de un transantiago9. que tres integrantes se saquen al mismo tiempo una foto con 1 ampolleta de 100 watts cada uno10. sacar 20 ciruelas de un arbol de la calle, ponerlas en el suelo y sacar foto11. juntar 10 personas de la calle y hacer un trencito y sacarle una foto12. ir a la casa de un vecino que "no este en el juego", lavarle la loza y sacar foto13. sacar foto a dos embarazadas14. sacar foto a un carne de identidad de un hombre que se llame "Rafael" sin que se vea el Rut15. todo el grupo debe pintarse a lo "rambo" la cara con pasta de zapato "cafe" y sacar foto
