The end of January signifies an important milestone of my exchange. Not only does it mark a new year, but it is also the halfway point of my time in Chile, and the beginning of my time with my third Chilean host family.
With the Faúndez Soto family, I celebrated New Year’s Eve in Valparaíso, savoring the treat of the biggest fireworks display in Chile and one of the largest in the world. This both quaint and busy port city of Valparaíso, was once a quasi-British colony, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of a haphazard collection of hills and ravines crisscrossed by alleys and stairways. I am still unsure of what keeps the whole city from falling into the Pacific Ocean.
With equal parts of my exchange both in front of me and behind me, I can think back on when I first arrived five months ago, and I realize how much I’ve changed. From my language abilities to my general perceptions about life in South America, it really isn’t surprising that I am a much worldlier person today than when I boarded the plane at JAX. Partially this is due to my travel and experiences, but more importantly, it’s also based on observation, and understanding, of the similarities and differences in the people, environment and cultures what I now think of as my two home countries.
Consider it this way, while it is easy to count the days spent here, it is impossible to count what I have learned. My friends, family, and teachers here have shown me how to dance La Cueca, to bake empanadas, and most importantly, how to pass myself as Chilean. I’m no longer fazed by always greeting others with a kiss on the cheek, or constantly switching between formal and informal forms of speaking. I’m fully competent with the local public transportation, and can get anywhere I want in the city within half an hour. Even with my host family, I feel completely at home. Whether it’s watching medical dramas in my new language, trying to diagnose the patient before its reveal, or sharing impatient looks with my host brother as my host mom idly wanders around the mall, searching for a pair of shoes they clearly don’t sell, I am at ease.
When I first arrived, I never thought that I would to pass as Chilean; my physical appearance is foreign enough. However, it has actually happened a few times. Granted it happened in dark and loud places, but on a couple of occasions people didn’t realize I was foreign until I mentioned it. That is by far the ultimate compliment for an exchange student.
I now truly understand that many things we take for granted in the States simply don’t exist in other countries. While running water, electricity, and freedom may come to mind, nearly all Chileans have that. A better example is that most homes, regardless of the price point, don’t have central heat or air.
But it is little things that continue to amaze. On a recent trip, my classmate Victor splashed ketchup on his shirt right before leaving for the disco. Responding to his distress, I quickly passed him my Tide To-Go pen from my backpack (something I never travel without). Victor examined the little orange tube with confused disbelief and responded with the universally Chilean expression “¿Qué wea?” By the time I had finally managed to promise he could use the Tide pen to remove the stain, we had attracted a small crowd of friends, all wanting a turn with the so-called “Magical Gringo Pen.”
A noticeable cultural difference that took time for me to decipher is that Chileans eat out far less than Americans. I realize now that family mealtime is a vital aspect of home life. Not something to be readily shared with strangers, but reserved for a variety of regular or infrequent guests such as grandmothers, friends, cousins, and more, who always fill empty seats at the family table. It is customary to linger around the table for quite a while, hours even, after a meal. This practice, called a sobremesa, is simply more comfortable in your own dining room.
In the same manner, there are things in Chile that will be hard to part with when I return to the U.S. For example, a tomato and avocado sandwich on fresh bread is far better than your typical peanut butter and jelly, and paired with fresh squeezed juice, it makes the perfect afternoon snack.
But on a deeper level, my favorite part about Chile is the feeling that every day is an adventure: the game of interpreting the web of Chilean slang words, and constant new people and new experiences.
January also allowed us to welcome a new exchange student from New Zealand to my town. Observing his first week reminds me of my own: the awkwardness that comes from living with a host family, the newness associated with even the most mundane encounters, and the feeling that a 10-month exchange is endless. Fast forward five months, and half of my time is up.
My return date is chosen. Part of me eagerly counts the days until I will be reunited with my friends and family, while another part dreads the day I will leave my new country and Chilean home behind. I still have about 133 days left, so I better make them count. ¡Viva Chile!
*Also published in the St. Augustine Record
