(From Santiago: A Very Warm Welcome)
It was about 85 degrees today. And not too dry, not too humid. Cool and breezy in the shade. Pasé mi primer día muy lindo (I spent the day very nicely). As I spent a good portion of the late morning looking out on my balcony, I would get smacked by twinges of the reality that I'll be here for four months.
It's the end of our first day and here are some of my primary observations:
1) The people are incredibly caring. My good friend Theja (find her blog here) and I got super duper lost. We ended up making our way back only because a kind gent approached us and sent us in the right direction. He could smell the confusion from miles away--and he politely laughed in joy, not in disdain.
2) The food is fresh, everyone walks, and they put avocado (or 'palta') on everything. Everything. It's looking like staying healthy shouldn't be terribly difficult. So long as I can avoid eating completos (hot dogs with mayonnaise and avocado) too often.
3) When the food and drinks come out, the phones and iPods go away. Everyone seemed to be so caught up in conversation. This concept is comforting--given the technological determinism I've become accustomed to in the U.S.
4) I know just as little about the U.S. as I do about Chile. Most kids on our ISA trip are from the mid-west, south and the west coast. Their accents are as much culture shock as the Chilean ones.
It was about 85 degrees today. And not too dry, not too humid. Cool and breezy in the shade. Pasé mi primer día muy lindo (I spent the day very nicely). As I spent a good portion of the late morning looking out on my balcony, I would get smacked by twinges of the reality that I'll be here for four months.
It's the end of our first day and here are some of my primary observations:
1) The people are incredibly caring. My good friend Theja (find her blog here) and I got super duper lost. We ended up making our way back only because a kind gent approached us and sent us in the right direction. He could smell the confusion from miles away--and he politely laughed in joy, not in disdain.
2) The food is fresh, everyone walks, and they put avocado (or 'palta') on everything. Everything. It's looking like staying healthy shouldn't be terribly difficult. So long as I can avoid eating completos (hot dogs with mayonnaise and avocado) too often.
3) When the food and drinks come out, the phones and iPods go away. Everyone seemed to be so caught up in conversation. This concept is comforting--given the technological determinism I've become accustomed to in the U.S.
4) I know just as little about the U.S. as I do about Chile. Most kids on our ISA trip are from the mid-west, south and the west coast. Their accents are as much culture shock as the Chilean ones.
Our main trip today was to El Palacio Presidencial, which is called La Moneda, or the coin. It once was used as the Royal Mint facility (where bills are printed) but is now used as the official office space for the two main federal miniseries: El Ministro de Educacion y El Ministro del Interior. The president also has their office here, but does not live here.
And since we're all new to the country, we tried copying what other locals were doing. How they ate, when they ate, what they wore. Scoping things out.
It was a pretty stimulating day all in all, despite the general lack of huge events. We walked, talked, walked more, had fruit smoothes--and I mean REAL fruit smoothies--and walked plenty more. It took damn near all of my energy just to remember peoples' names and schools.
One last thought before I pass the hell out...there's a lot more to people than you think. This country and their people are warm in so many ways.
This is the new normal. Bienvenidos a Chile.
And since we're all new to the country, we tried copying what other locals were doing. How they ate, when they ate, what they wore. Scoping things out.
It was a pretty stimulating day all in all, despite the general lack of huge events. We walked, talked, walked more, had fruit smoothes--and I mean REAL fruit smoothies--and walked plenty more. It took damn near all of my energy just to remember peoples' names and schools.
One last thought before I pass the hell out...there's a lot more to people than you think. This country and their people are warm in so many ways.
This is the new normal. Bienvenidos a Chile.