As I opened the gate for Mark to back out of our driveway onto the street, I was stopped by the street sweeper. No, not a machine that drives around washing the street. A man, who is actually one of a team of four who work every day in our neighborhood sweeping the leaves off of the sides of the streets. I wonder how much a street sweeper gets paid...

Today he wanted to remind me that it is Fiestas Patrias, Chile's national holidays. Somehow this means that everyone expects a bonus. Even the street sweepers. I don't usually have to pay them, I suppose the city does. But so far the mailman, the trash collectors, and the gas pumper want their bonuses, too.

I guess it's a good thing that Chilean employers give bonuses for Sept. 18th - you spend them giving everyone else theirs!