DISQUS

I think that the movie is cool butt i cant wait till twilight new moon comes out.

This makes sense to me. I don't usually have this problem, but then again I at least have brown hair. Although as you and Robespierre touched on, I can tell the difference between a blonde gringa and and blonde Chilena, so I'm sure that being brunette doesn't completely Chilean-ize my look (at least I hope not, considering how I feel about fashion here!). That said, the one time it's happened was when a guy picked up on my accent after we'd already exchanged a few sentences back and forth and suddenly asked "wait, you don't speak Spanish?" Although I'd been speaking Spanish and he in fact asked in Spanish, I think his brain realized I wasn't Chilean and couldn't figure out how a non-Chilean would speak Spanish. I also find that when I expect Rodolfo to speak Spanish and he instead says something in English I have to ask him to repeat it, and on a Swiss Air flight between Chile and Switzerland with a stop in Brazil I was expecting any combination of Spanish/Portuguese/French/German and therefore did not even recognize the language the flight attending was using when he spoke to me in English, to the extent that I asked him if he could please repeat it in English!


And for the record, I am not racist and slightly prefer Obama...woo hoo!

I FINALLY posted! Yay!

Too perfect for words. If you could figure out a way to make it send the video to somewhere you could see it online, then you could see what Papi's up to while you're on your trip!

Interestingly Penelope Trunk (thank you for introducing me to her!) wrote about this just yesterday: http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/04/21/8-reas... her post isn't quite as positive as yours, she basically says that all these people who're trying to become bloggers via their own blogs becoming huge (she's not talking about freelancing) are kidding themselves. So I guess you have to choose who to believe...but it doesn't hurt to be ridiculously funny and marry a developer.

I like the sharing a travel story idea...and I have a good one already! My second place choice would be the language topic.


I'd rather not talk about favorite restaurants since several of us do that already.

Great post. I pretty much agree with what everyone's said. I don't think you can say that you've really and truly lived immersed in a culture if you have no friends who are natives of that culture. Day-to-day interactions give you a good idea of a culture, but you're probably not having in-depth discussions with the cashier at the supermarket, and those discussions are, in my view, are essential to really having as full an understanding as possible, which contributes to the whole "real experience."


I think a lot of us, myself included, use "La Dehesa" as shorthand for people - often from the US - who are sent here by their companies or governments and don't really integrate into Chilean societies. A lot of these people are career expats, always on the move, and it's somewhat understandable that they're not going to make the same effort with language/relationships/culture knowing that they'll be on the move again in a couple years as someone who's independently choosing to make a life here might do. That said, it's important to remember that just because someone lives comfortably doesn't necessarily mean their experience is less Chilean or real (I touched on this in a post at some point as well). I mean hell, I live a far cushier life than the majority of Chileans, and I would say that I have a pretty authentic Chilean experience! I especially liked Matt's point that purposely living in squalor because "it's Latin America" or "it's a developing country" isn't particularly authentic either. Few Chilean would live like that if they had the money to do otherwise!



And yes, expat friends have a very special role, whether it be reminiscing over shared childhood memories (I did not grow up watching El Chavo), cracking jokes (although I am proud to say that after 2 years I am at least a little funny in Spanish) or sharing the occasional frustration with this country.

Maybe I'm being cynical or morbid, but I wonder if part of it is to allow for an early 1st trimester abortion if you don't get the sex you wanted. You can't abort after the 20-week ultrasound, you can when you're only 10 weeks. Hopefully it won't be used for that purpose. =(

Woohoo! Congratulations! Wow I voted for like, half of those people, haha.

well if he wants a new golf bag a new golf bag it is...

i like the "AUSLEUCHTUNG" row 2nd picture -- Reflexion im Gesicht. i'm tempted to translate it to no oil-shine, buy a better face wash before you take your picutre :p i think it is more so that the facial recognition program can run correctly :)

Ding, ding, ding! Psicometodos wins the award for "best statement of the obvious" as well as "best reading comprehension". Kyle has said repeatedly that she will leave soon to go on a trip around the world - are you just reminding us of that? Or are you trying to suggest that it in some way makes her observations less valid? I don't really understand the point of your comment.


Fned, really interesting points. All of this is swirling around in my mind and making me think about things...we'll see when/if a post of my own comes of it. Thanks for the inspiration, guys!

Just to confirm, over 1/3 of Chileans live in Santiago.


I've been following this post and the comments all day and finally have a chance to respond! In short, I agree with you. I remember writing that the hardest part of living in Chile for me was the fact that as a society, people don't think of others (and Matt actually wrote a very similar comment to the one he's written here). In California I feel like there's not much of a disconnect between how people act one-on-one and how they act on the streets or when they're just part of the herd. Here, however, there is a big difference! It goes back to a lot of topics that you've written about before, such as the distrust issue - as Amanda mentioned, once you're in you're really in, but until you get a connection to a group you're seen as an outsider. And there's not much of a community feeling extended to outsiders.



I can see how to a certain extent, these guys we've got aren't typical Chileans, just as girls who up and move to the literal end of the world probably aren't too typical! We're perhaps a little more adventurous and open-minded than someone who's never left home and has no intention of starting now. But you're right that just because our boyfriends/husbands are amazing doesn't mean that they're somehow un-Chilean - it's just that we've gotten to know them.



Honestly, I think worse than the Chileans who show up late/push/cut in line are the gringos who, after living in Chile for a while, do the same thing because they can get away with it. I mean ok, I'm not quite as punctual as I used to be, but there are times when it just seems pretty clear that an expat is doing something he or she knows is "wrong" just because he/she can get away with it.

Hahahaha So true!! However, after a year and a half, #4 hasn't really worked out for me :/

Congrats! I know you were disappointed with what you thought was your time, so I'm really happy that you did better than you thought. I just calculated that while I didn't break 2:50, I did break the 13 minute miles that I'd been training at, so I'm going to decide that I'm happy. And then never run again. I don't know if I'd go quite as far as thanking you for making me do this (ask me in a few days when my knees have stopped throbbing), but I'm glad that we stuck to it and are now half marathon runners!

they better be in this film. if they aint they will wind up missin.

Jane (who has run the London Marathon) gave the same "start slow" advice...I'm not too worried about that one, since slow is my only speed! And don't worry, you won't be last, at the worst you will be second-to-last with me limping in behind you.


I think the word "terrified" might give an accurate picture of how I'm feeling about this ridiculous idea of ours.

This was hilarious!! I've seen the joke before, but not with all the country ones. I think your take on Chile is DEAD on!! Although I would just add that if a foreigner is in line, Chileans WILL cut in front of them/form a clusterf*** instead of a a line.

Plus I HATE the photos. I know, not the point, but I just think they took a pretty woman (Tonka Tomicic) and made her look old and tired...seriously there are bags under her eyes in some of the photos.


Hopefully this whole mess with the pharmacies helps people wake up and demand consumer rights here, although I'm not expecting an overnight change.

I completely agree with you! Every once in a while I go out shopping but come away with nothing because I never find anything that would be good quality for the price. Also, I really don't even care for much of fashion that is popular here. I would love a Target here. *snif*

Congrats!! You have such and interesting blog, I really enjoy reading it!

Loved this story so much I shared it with my office. It makes me really happy to think that I'm part of a whole group of people rooting for Marcelo.

That's a serious resemblance. I like that you have such a tangible reminder that your life could have been very different and that you are lucky.

I totally agree with you and My Way. I want more of things that aren't available in Santiago (ni decir en regiones!). That doesn't necessarily mean that Chile is wrong or bad, just that it's not my style for the long term. Of course there are certain things that I think are objectively better in other places, but there are also things that are objectively better here and things that are just subjective (Psicometodos, listen up!). If anyone reads your blog and thinks Chile is a bad place, they aren't paying attention. You often clearly state that Chile is fine, it's just not for you - it's the same as saying that you don't like broccoli or you don't like to wear high heels, that doesn't make those things bad.


As far as other countries/governments hiding their problems with money...well it's not that direct, but of course I'm willing to put up with one disadvantage if in return I make 3 times as much money at the same job in the US as I would in Chile. Our world works with money, it's a factor that is important to a lot of people - especially those who need to plan international travel - and to recognize that makes you realistic, not shallow or materialistic.

I can only speak for myself, but many of the reasons you list for hating Chile are many of the reasons I gave for not falling in love with Argentina immediately--specifically Buenos Aires, as I'm sure many of your accusations are limited (for the most part) to Santiago. But in the end, you miss it. It wont be just Chile, as I traveled around Argentina, Uruguay, and a little of Chile (Puerto Natales), but spent 6 months studying abroad in Buenos Aires, and as long as it took me to learn to love it, I didn't fully appreciate it until I had left. And now I would give anything to go back.


Living in South America taught me to appreciate so many blessings that we have here in the U.S. (namely, dog poop-free sidewalks!), but I would give up the good paying jobs for Argentina anytime. There's something about the spirit of South American people that you won't find anywhere else, and that alone is enough for me. Sure, the piropos are annoying, the subte could use some AC (I would even settle for fans!), the moneda situation in BsAs needs to be remedied, and women could certainly be a little nicer to the gringas. I could live with all that if it meant more time with the fabulous friends I made, the culture, the awesome over-night buses, and being surrounded by what I think is one of the most beautiful languages in the world. The countryside is what ultimately made me fall in love though, I have to admit. ;)