Chilean culture

May 7, 2013

Today we had classes all day.  We had breakfast and took the bus to Valparaiso, crushed as always.  The class for today covered a ton of topics, and lasted from 10am to 6pm.  We had breaks, including one for a disappointing lunch, but class was long nonetheless.  The lecturer for the class was excellent, though.  He made the topics fun and continually got input from all of us about our thoughts on the subject matter, and on Chile in general. 

The lecture itself covered a lot of topics, including culture, history, geography, business, art, disasters, and dance.  The lectures were really interesting, and he did a really good job of tying all of the topics together really well.  I found it really interesting how much the colonial mindset is still a part of Chilean culture.  Chileans have a tendency to be more comfortable with others having authority over them.  We also saw conclusions from a study that showed that there was some validity to certain stereotypes about Americans and Chileans.  These things included that Chileans are much less likely to plan ahead, and they are more likely to say yes to things that are offered to them. 

I was also really intrigued by the way Chile has not fully utilized its extensive natural resources.  For example, the Chilean coast is the longest in all of Latin America, but they don’t use the sea to produce any real revenue.  I think that may change in the future, but it’s interesting to me that the colonial influence has had such an effect.

I’m a bit shocked that there isn’t more of an artistic presence here.  There are open sky museums, and there are always craftsmen selling their wares on the street, but I would expect a much more heavy influence of art on the culture.  I think I’m surprised because it is so beautiful here. The landscape, the beach, and the colors of the buildings definitely inspire me artistically, so I am surprised others are not inspired as well.

After lecture, we took the bus back to Vina.  It took us forever to get on a bus, and even then, we were PACKED.  

I like it here, but I would not survive living here with my claustrophobia.  Oh well, we won’t be taking the busses for much longer, so I’ll be fine.