Introduction to Santiago or YO ESTOY AQUI!

So, after every drama (or patchka) that I had in planning my trip to Santiago, I am finally here. Many of you may recall my many frantic days and nights in the weeks before my trip. It seemed as if every move I made in the process there was another issue. I had visa troubles, including lost fingerprints, a notary public (who even knows what that is?), housing issues, I didn’t even know where I would be living a few days before my flight! Thankfully though, all is mostly resolved and after a short nachos-from-Jose-Cuervo’s-Tequileria-in-the-airport filled connection in Miami I arrived in Santiago!

My first introduction to Chile was the way that the people in the airport were handling our luggage. Instead of letting the bags sit on the belt, they were taking many of them off and leaving them on the side. So instead of just waiting for your bags to arrive on the belt you would also have to walk around to see if your bag was on the floor somewhere else. Thankfully I was able to snatch BOTH of my bags before they were haphazardly placed elsewhere!

My first few days here have been like a whirlwind. Firstly, the weather here is so fantasmicallyfabuloso that it needs a ridiculous word to describe it. It is cool in the mornings and gets hotter during the day but it is never humid. There is a wonderful breeze that passes in the air and it is hard not to smile when it hits your face. At night it cools down as well; I sleep with the window open and it is just lovely. Time also seems to move quickly as it is obviously summer here down in the southern hemisphere (note rhyme). It does not get dark until 9 o’clock, so until I get used to it I think it is 2 o’clock in the afternoon until I ask for the time and it is already 7 o’clock.

This whole trip is sort of like an experiment for me. How would I react when put in a new place, with a language I do not speak, without any friends from before, with challenges in terms of what I can eat (as this country and South America in general is super into meat and bread). As far as the language is going, it is honestly not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I actually surprising speak enough Spanish to get around! Words like “donde esta” (where) are so incredibly helpful! I also have been saying “yo voy a tratar hablar/practicar Espanol” (something to the effect of I am trying to speak/practice Spanish) and that makes people laugh and smile at me. So far the Chileans have been very patient with me and helpful when I mumble questions in broken Spanish.  I have not encountered anyone who has been condescending to me for not speaking/understanding the language. I have had many conversations with strangers on buses and in other places and they are very willing to talk to me even through my mediocre-at-best Spanish. They are mostly curious to hear about where I am from, what I am doing here, and how I like it so far.

It may sound a little silly but I think this experience is giving me a new appreciation for words in general. There are SO MANY OF THEM! For example, the only verb in Spanish that I remembered that had to do with the eyes was “mirar” (to see). But think about how many other words there are that are similar to “to see” but are subtly different, like to search, to view, to find, to look, to notice etc. This is just a random thought that I am having while exploring a new language. Chilean Spanish also has a lot of slang that they use that other Spanish-speaking countries do not use. They say “po” at the end of everything. It does not mean anything; I think it is a word similar “like” in English, it is just something to say. They also say “ya” the serves a lot of purposes meaning “ok”, “right”, or “enough”. It is very common for people to say “si po” or “ya po”. I want to bring it back to the states! Also, everyone says “ciao” when they say goodbye which sounds very glamorous.

As far as the food, it is actually very delicious! The fruits and vegetables are so fresh and amazing. Costco avocados have nothing on the ones here. I have guacamole coming out of my ears and I keep saying I want to bathe in them. The peaches are so juicy and fresh and the cherries are sweet, each one more flavorful than the last. Yes the meat looks delicious, but I do not feel deprived. They also put eggs in/on everything! There is this one dish called bistec a la pobre, literally “poor man’s steak” that looks amazing. It is French fries, covered in fried onions, covered in steak, with a fried egg on top. Perhaps soon I will get it sans steak! I have been eating fish which is huge for me. So far I do not totally love it, but maybe it will be an acquired taste. There are also many opportunities to find cheap, very delicious food which is refreshing. There are so many adorable restaurants and outdoor cafes to choose from that offer fantastic food at fantastic prices. I am looking forward to many meals to be eaten outside in the wonderful breeze!

The style here is very interesting and I am trying to figure it out. There are a lot of women who are dressed fairly western, but then others who are surely not as was to be expected. Gaucho-Aladdin type pants are very popular both in basic colors and in crazy bright/patterned ones. Many women are NOT dressed conservatively as I thought they would be; I have seen lots of very short shorts, belly shirts, tight and backless dresses and shirts. As for the men I have been seeing MANY mullets and rat-tails, super cute. Also there are a lot of guys who wear longer shorts, and thumb rings I noticed. I am excited to get myself a pair of the gaucho pants and I heard there is also Topshop here!

There are many cultural norms here both distinct to Chile and also South/Latin America. Everyone kisses each other on the cheek when saying “hola” and “ciao” no matter how close they are. Cheek kissing is also something not restricted to adults. Everyone my age does it as well. I really like this custom. I think it makes me feel more comfortable with the people I meet automatically, and generally creates a more open friendly atmosphere. Another norm is that everyone shows up late to everything! Plans are not very well kept here. You could have plans with a Chilean and they may show up two hours late and not think twice about it! So far I have not experienced this but I am preparing myself to not be surprised if it does!

I am making a lot of new friends here. They are from all around the United States and I am excited to have people to visit when I travel around the country. I really like everyone a lot. The group is super nice and many share similar interests to me.

This post is getting a little bit long so I am going to stop here after introducing you to the general aspects of Santiago. Feel free to post any questions in the comments and I will answer them as best as I can! Next I will write about what I have actually been doing and also post some pictures!

Ciao!