Poco a poco

I've taken a little bit of a step up in the last few days. There's still a great staircase stretching up ahead of me, but at least I'm on the next step.

• All the unfamiliar things have stopped accosting me, and are beginning to become commonplace. I'm feeling more comfortable in this space.
• I can understand some of the unanticipated things that shopkeepers ask me, can catch occasional details when Chileans are talking amongst themselves, and I finally understood a few things that abuela said to me in the last couple days she was staying here.
• I've worked out how to use the ATMS (though I still don't understand why they will only accept my Mastercard).
• I'm no longer confused by all the different notes and coins and their many zeros.
• And I'm feeling more relaxed about speaking Spanish, and managing to get a few more endings right before they're out of my mouth.