Get Real

Hey, I've been reading your blog since you went to chile... my friend, nicolas (he's chilean, met him in sweden), told me to take a look at it and now I know why!

Let me explain myself... right now, you sound just like what you're, a tourist in a foreign country. Santiago and Valparaiso isn't Chile, far from there actually... those 2 cities "do not" represent the whole reality of the aforementioned country. What I realize when I was there is that you see only what you expect to see. Homeless dogs for example, is kind of shocking when you see it for the first time, but if you try to think like a chilean citizen you'll realize that people there love those animals... that's why you will always see the same dog on an specific street, because the people that lives there feed them and in some way take care of them. So in the end, stray animals aren't such a big problem to chilean people (and they don't throw them in a hole just to kill them a few months later as many "modern" countries do it).

Now, you said before that chile isn't a third world country because "Every home has a computer, every teenager has a cellphone, and all the newest movies are in theatre". Gosh, girl! have you seen how many hours they work per day?! it's amazing, of course, they're not as productive as european people, yet that doesn't really matters, cause at the end of the day the work has been done properly. Politicians aren't corrupt... they also got an incredible high and firm economy. I think that chile isn't a third world country because they know their situation compared to other south american countries, they like that and work their asses off to keep it that way and improve it if its possible. That's why some people get angry at you I think. Chilean people love their country to death, so to them your analisys may sound "superficial", and to be honest, I think that's true in some way. Obviously, some people take it too seriously.

If you want to see how chile is, try to see beyond what you think is fine or wrong with you. It seems that you are in a burble right now, of course there are poor people living there... I've been in the states before (in LA) and I saw lots of helpless and poor people... the difference is that being you an american, you know where you can and where you can't go while you take a walk. I didn't, and after I read your articles, I feel like I met a part of your country that you seem to know that exist only because TV shows it... So, don't worry about things that most chilean people take for granted. Don't expect to see anything, just live the day and you will realize how cool the country is.

I remember the south of chile, so beautiful I felt I was back in my town in germany while I was there. In santiago there is some kind of neighborhood filled with universities that is also really cool and is plenty of interesting people (and most of them speak english)... so that's my advice, If you want to enjoy and learn from the people, don't care about random things, it's a diferent culture, accept that and you will be fine.

Oh, yeah! you need to go to another places, I think... from what i'm reading in your blog (or wherever it's called) haha, you are in like a shock, haha, it's funny the same happened to me when i came to USA and then when i went back to Chile and then again when a came back to USA. haha. it's really different but i love it.

I invite you to see much farder, too see the thing like a Chilean. Oh, in my mom's home, in CHile, i can put toilet paper in the WC. so it's good if you don't generalized. My husband when he went to Chile for the first time, he thought was different about the "calefont" and the dogs and the people selling stuff in the streets, but. hahaha I love all that, it's so ... diferent than here in US. I think people here in the States are in a burble, and i'm happy for you, because you have the opportunity to see other things, another reality of the world. Good for you.

Take care.

Estimada Tara:

Hace algunos minutos tuve la oportunidad de leer el articulo que "Las últimas Noticias" publico respecto de tu experiencia en este pais y, en relacion a los comentarios exhibidos en la nota de prensa quisiera expresar que, si bien resulta evidente para muchas personas la diferencia entre dos paises como Chile y Estados Unidos (entre las cuales te cuento, ciertamente), para mi estas no parecen tan claras o marcadas y, en ese sentido, me llama poderosamente la atencion la impresion que de Chile estampas en tus opiniones pues, desde mi punto de vista, Chile y Estados Unidos no son paises muy distintos uno del otro.

En el documento bajo analisis haces alusion a la marcada polaridad entre ricos y pobres que exhibe Chile y al hecho de "sentirte" minoria cuando paseas en Metro o en las calles de Viña o Valparaiso. Pues bien, al respecto puedo acotar que, para tu conocimiento, en Gringolandia las diferencias socio-economicas de su poblacion son igualmente escandalosas que las ostentadas por Chile y, para ser mas precisos, de existir un "cerro San Cristobal" en la gran mayoria de las grandes ciudades norteamericanas verias desde su cima, al igual que en Santiago, las mansiones de los ricos coexistiendo a pocos kilometros de distancia con las casas los "sirvientes" que trabajan en ellas. En esa misma linea, los detalles de la distribucion de la riqueza y el desarrollo de la poblacion arrojan mas sorpresas al comparar Chile con Gringolandia y es asi como, por ejemplo, Chile exhibe una red de alcantarillado que cubre mas del 97% del territorio habitado de la republica, en contraposici--n al 75% que registra tu pais natal y, por otro lado, en Estados Unidos 11 millones de estadounidenses no pueden leer o escribir en ingles y 30 millones apenas pueden firmar un documento, mientras que en Chile se redujo sistematicamente el analfabetismo en las ultimas 2 decadas hasta casi extinguirlo (bordeando cifras en torno al 1%). Del mismo modo, Estados Unidos y Chile arrastran un conflicto irresuelto con las comunidades indigenas que habitan sus respectivos territorios y ofrecen sistemas de salud pública dignos de finales del siglo XIX.

Ahora bien, en relacion a tu apariencia fisica y las reacciones que entre las personas genera, puedo acotar que, si te subieras al metro en el Bronx, probablemente las personas te mirar'an del mismo modo que lo hacen en el metro de Viña y, a contrario sensu, si te paseas por Santiago Oriente o cualquier ciudad del sur de Chile, verás como no le llamas la atenci--n a nadie (al menos no por tus rasgos, mas si, probablemente, por tu belleza).

Tara, recuerdo que siempre me llamo la atencion el comentario que un profesor de mi colegio realizaba cada vez que uno de sus alumnos iba a salir del pais. El decia: "Querido alumno, conozca bien su pais antes de salir a recorrer otra tierra", y esa misma frase te la transmito. Es evidente que las calles de Valparaiso son muy distintas a las de San Francisco, asi como las de Viña a las de New York, pero, si te detienes a mirar con mas detalle y escarbas un poco en el terreno, veras que debajo de tan distintos trajes se esconden cuerpos muy similares.

Atte.

hectorbravoz@hotmail.com

Nota: Los tildes han sido omitidos de las correspondientes palabras porque la pagina no los reconoce.

Tara, Perhaps if people new more about the rural area you are from, they wouldn't be so apt to miss judge your intent. Some are assuming you are from a big city. Some of your comments have a whole different meaning to a city dweller than to a country dweller.

hello Tara,

Very nice to read your blog about Chile.keep on writing more!

greetings from The Netherlands,

Paul and Veronica

JULI--O... LEE CON DETENIMIENTO, ENFOCATE EN LA IDEA CENTRAL DEL COMENTARIO. NADIE DICE "CHILE ES MEJOR QUE GRINGOLANDIA"; SI ESO ENTENDISTE POCA CAPACIDAD DE ANÁLISIS MANEJAS... Y AQUELLO RESULTA LAMENTABLE.

TE DARE UNA PISTA PARA QUE RELEAS EL TEXTO Y PUEDAS DESCRIFRAR SU REAL CONTENIDO: "CHILE NO ES MEJOR QUE GRINGOLANDIA, PERO GRINGOLANDIA NO ES PRECISAMENTE UN JARDIN DEL EDEN QUE TENGA TODOS SUS PROBLEMAS SOCIALES RESUELTOS COMO PARA QUE, TARA, SE MARAVILLE TANTO CON EL POBRE NIVEL DE NUESTRO DESARROLLO PAIS"

A VER... CON MANZANITAS GUEON: "NO VENGAS A MIRAR LA PAJA EN EL OJO AJENO..."

JULI--O, LO UNICO INSOLITO AQUI ES TU LIMITADA CAPACIDAD INTELECTUAL... SI PRETENDES SER IRONICO ES REQUISITO SER INTELIGENTE.

Hi Tara, I was a pleasantly surprised to read on one of the Chilean papers online of your "visit" to our country. I must tell you I am a little bit concerned about the impression that you are having about Chile.

I realize you've only been in this country for very short period of time and your first impressions are not too favorable. You have to be a little more realistic about the way you are describing your early experience here, especially when you are trying to learn the field of reporting (I guess your major is Communications?)

Obviously you are not being objective enough, you are obviously in a bad situation where you are living now and you are letting yourself be taken by first impressions.

I happen to know the area where you are writing from and I tell you, in no way, shape or form it represents your typical Chilean life (especially in Vina del Mar).

You talk about not having a dryer or hot water or some of the basic necessities that you take for granted in the states; well, if you went and visit some other states in the United States you would also find yourself missing all those necessities that we all too often take for granted back home. I understand you are very young and perhaps haven't been to too many places in the States but I assure you that the same conditions that you describe in your piece can be found in the States in a lot of the poorest cities and neighborhoods throughout the country. I know this because I am a Chilean who has lived and still do, in the United States for 38 years, with 2 kids your age (my youngest is the same age as you).

My 19 year-old visited Chile for the first time last year after graduating from High School, we live in a beautiful state here in the U.S. (as I'm sure you do); he doesn't speak any spanish at all (I'm sure you do more than him) and stayed in Vina near where you are now (that's why I know you are in the wrong neighborhood and also the wrong season, specially in Vina) and his opinion of this country, as opposed to yours, is way different. He can't wait to go back in December for an extended period of time (planning to do a semester at one of the many universities in Vina).

I guess what I'm trying to tell you is not to judge a book by its cover, wait a little bit until you have an educated opinion of this city (by the way, this is only "one" city you are visiting not the entire "country"), you need to move out of that area and go to a better situation, meet people, go places like malls, attend events, universities, where you can talk to people your own age and perhaps also meet some exchange students (you'll be surprised how many American students there are in Vina) and then perhaps you'll give a more fair description and opinion about this beautiful country you are in.

Think about it and make this a great experience. You shouldn't be depriving yourself of the simple things in Chile because they are there, try to find the comforts you have at home, it's not difficult to do this, Chile is a very up-to-date country, I am sure you'll find this out if you have patience and give it a little bit of time.

Good Luck!

I think the title of this post pretty much sums up what my fellow Chileans should do: get real. You don't have to apologize about anything, Tara. You have every right to state your opinions about our country. Sometimes it's just harder for people to understand things from the eyes of an outsider. Ironically enough, that seems to be the only way to really see things the way they really are. People who were born and raised here can be biased, and you seem to understand that, so thank you for taking it into consideration.

I hope you enjoy your time here in Chile and that you can take valuable lessons back home with you.