I have been in Chile for exactly one month now, and I thought I should provide a list of things that Chilean society has taught me so far:
1) Flushing toilet paper is a cardinal sin. Instead you throw it in the wastebasket next to the toilet.
2) Nescafé is a perfectly acceptable substitute for real coffee. This is something I will never understand. South America is a huge producer of coffee; why isn't real coffee more popular than the disgusting cup of boiling water that is chock full of instant coffee particulate?
3) Boxed wine is just as good as wine in a bottle.
4) Chile really does control a part of Antarctica, no matter what that silly Antarctic Treaty says about no country owning any part of the continent.
5) Public displays of affection including anything short of actual intercourse are perfectly normal ways of sharing how you feel about the other person with the rest of the world.
6) Chileans do not speak Spanish, they speak Chilean. This only superficially resembles the language of the rest of Latin America and Spain.
7) No matter how hot, sweaty, or dehydrated you might be, Coca-Cola is better for you than water. Again, I will never get used to this idea.
8) Identity crises are highly desireable. Chile as a nation could give seminars on how to develop one.
9) Any kind of food that is not heavily salted and starchy is "too spicy". Spiciness in general is not a desireable characteristic in cuisine.
10) Women in bikinis are an effective way of advertising anything from Doritos to telephone services. Women in bikinis are also good co-hosts of morning television shows.
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The chronicles of studying abroad in Santiago for all of 2007.
6 comments:
I got a chuckle out of this. The toilet paper one sounds like here in Bear Wallow. I wonder if everyone there has septic tanks. Also, are you having any difficulty with communication, since they speak "Chilean." More pics please! Shelia
Matt,
What I learned in China:
1. The rolls of toilet paper only have about 100 sheets. You need a new one every day.
2. They don't have real coffee either. As soon as you sit down at a resturant, they bring you green tea.
3. There is no central heat in most public places. They burn wood stoves.
4. Men and women will walk arm in arm in public and they are not gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
5. Yak have more respect in the middle of or crossing a street than people do.
6. You can buy a skinned and gutted dog on the street. I don't think I had any that I am aware of...
7. The people are great and I wish I was still there watching everything going on outside the hotel window.
Take care.
Dick
Are you sure you are in Chili? It sounds a little like Pine Knot, other than the women in bikinis and the public displays of affection. However, I haven't lived there since 1975 so things could have changed. Enjoy yourself. You will have lots of stories to share when you are an old man. Love, Anita
I think I am ready to visit Chile, however I will bring my own coffee. I will also being sunglasses to indiscreetly view the bikinis.
It's only been a month? ugh
Your observations are interesting and are somewhat reminiscent of some other Latin American countries.
I agree with Shelia - more pictures!
Also, please be advised that upon returning to the states, we will ostracize you if you become a Nescafe drinker.
Thank you Mateo for providing an interesting insight of us chileans. As an English teacher I find your comments extremely useful and they allow me to teach my high school students the way you portray us. I would like to know how do you deal with cómo estay, no poh, si poh,and our vast slang.And also I am a little curious if you have heard about the word "patudo", is it correct to say "you are being a little forward"
Good vibes from Quintero
Euge
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