Santiago: First Impressions

¡Buenas Noches!

Midnight has come and gone here, though chances are if you’re a friend from NY reading you’re probably still enjoying some evening T.V or perhaps starting to get ready for bed. Here’s an interesting fact about Chile- there is a time difference between the time in Santiago, and NYS right now, but this is not always the case. Why is this you ask? Three words: daylight savings time. (You’re welcome for reminding you to set your clocks ahead this weekend!) You see, when I did my Skype interview in August, there was no time difference, when Deirdre did hers a few months later there was a one-hour difference, and at the present moment, we are two hours ahead here in Santiago than our friends are in NY. When you all “spring ahead” one hour soon, you guessed it, we’ll only be an hour apart- but not for long. We will have daylight savings time here soon, too. Sort of. After the earthquake here in Chile in 2010, Chileans came to take great liberties with this procedure. They changed or kept time the same, according to how much daylight they needed to repair damages caused by the earthquake.

This loose use of time I think is pretty reflective of Chilean lifestyle. While Santiago and major cities in the U.S have many similarities (crowded subways, large numbers of people, etc.), there is a certain tranquility here that is sorely lacking in the fast paced rushed lifestyle of NYC and other metropolises. People here are very social, always willing to answer questions (and in some ironic cases, ask us for directions!) and engage in conversation about where we are from. I have a hard time picturing Americans rushing to Wall Street stopping when a foreigner asks a question, and taking the time to not only answer politely, but inquire where they are from or take the chance to practice their Spanish! But this is exactly the case here at Santiago. While I studied Spanish in high school, I am FAR from proficient in the language, and I have difficulty understanding the fast paced conversations I hear and the responses from people I receive. However, I’ve found that I can always get MY point or question across, and my partner in conversation will either explain slowly or in a different way if I don’t understand, or use the opportunity to practice his or her English at times. The latter is especially true at night. So many young people out on the town are very interested in where foreigners are from and LOVE showing off their English skills. This is perfect for me, because I can practice speaking Spanish, and if I’m not sure of their response, they are eager to attempt it in English. It’s not the best practice for listening- but I’ll get there.

Other observations about Santiago thus far:

-It appears to be sunny and warm everyday this time of year, which is just fine for me! Having said that, temperature also fluctuates greatly on a day-to-day basis. It’s usually a little chilly (that pun will never get old) in the morning, but by the time you get off the metro you’re not feeling so cold anymore. Midday through late afternoon is the warmest time by far. However, if you’re not directly in the sun or if there is a breeze the heat isn’t overwhelming. The humidity common in the states is lacking here. Night time varies- there are times when I feel very warm in my room and there are times when I pull out the long pajama pants. Layering is definitely key! Bring on the cardigans!

-Color is also key! I love bright, warm colors and this is just what I found when moving here. I saw from pictures online that our hostel was very beautiful and painted a variety of colors with vibrant decorations (pictures will come soon, promise!!). Many other building throughout the streets of Santiago follow suit. From cool turquois, pastel pink, warm yellow, and deep red, there is no wrong color to paint a building here!

-The Andes are seen from nearly every viewpoint, but they are very hard to capture on camera unless you’re quite close to the mountains themselves. They mysteriously fade dimly in the background when you try to photograph them peaking behind a building, and my pictures may reflect this, but rest assured, they are here and beautiful!

-There are stray dogs everywhere. I mean everywhere. But they seem to get by!  They are completely un-phased by humans as it is not uncommon to see them napping right in the middle of the sidewalk.

-The metro is INSANE during rush hour. But it’s really well organized, smooth, and clean overall. Anytime after 9 to about 5 or so it is relatively spacious, but try to get on at 8 or 6- be prepared. I have never been so cramped and claustrophobic in all of my life, and I’ve only ridden it for 3 days! The bright side is that many other people get off at my stop, so getting off isn’t too much of a problem, and there is such a short wait in between trains that come, that if one is too crowded, you can simply wait for the next one.

-The youth in this area are quite politically active and outspoken. I have seen a few protests and performances about issues ranging from religion to animal rights. It’s also not uncommon to see impromptu and improv performances. I don’t think fear is in their vocabulary- and I love it!

Clearly this doesn’t even begin to comprehensively describe this city or it’s people and I’ll continue to share my insights and observations as I continue my stay here.

I have two more days left of orientation, and then it is time to start teaching on Monday! Look out for a post soon about what I’ve learned so far in my training, what my expectations are for next week, and, exactly what on Earth it is I am doing here anyway!!

¡Adiós!