Fact Friday #21- Adolescence in Chile II

Curfew-

I don't really have a curfew. I just work it out with my parents before I leave. If I go out to like, El Centro or the mall with my friends, I usually have to be back around 9... so like 9:30. If I go to someones house, it's usually like midnight. Chilean once is at like 8 or 9 o'clock, so evenings have late starts.

Popular Leisure Activities-

Chilean teens enjoy watching TV, hanging out with friends, listening to music, and playing sports (especially soccer). However, unlike in my house in the US, most Chileans do not really read a lot for leisure. I think this is because books are really expensive and the libraries are really small. When there are outdoor music festivals, everyone goes. Many young Chileans spend their free time at home.

Dress-

Teenagers dress similarly to what we wear in the States. However, they typically dress more formally, because it reflects your class and social standing. So like more expensive clothing than I'm used to. But in general it's the same. Oh. Also heals and platform shoes are the norm. But I don't do them here because I'm already super tall. XD

typical winter shoes in Chile. or at least where I live.

¿Quieres Saber Más?-

Teen Life in Latin America and The Caribbean
http://druglawreform.info/country-information/latin-america/chile/item/202-chile#2
http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_cl.htm

Summer Time Gladness :-)

I find myself trying to breakup my (rather boring) summertime routine with any whiff of adventure that I can get my hands on. So, juntando con mis amigos is a good, very good, option. :) We went to Water Slide Park (pronounced in Indiana-ish as "Waad'r Slyd Paark" and in Chilean as "Wat-er Eslyde Parrk") It only costs $5000 pesos to get in, and it is worth it. It has two big slides and three pools, + the kiddy pool. Which is equally fun. :) There's a restaurant, but as broke teenagers, we brought the makings for completos (a hotdog with french bread, avocado, tomato, mayo, mustard, and ketchup). Which was even better because, completos are the best. And, extra palta (avocado), no prob. 'Cause afternoon tanning snack for Willow. :) Oh. And we ate ice cream. :) So a day at a cheap waterpark not bad. Actually, ridiculously fun. :) I recommend it. :)

This post has way to many smilies. Actually, I think it's just enough...

o falta uno :)

this is the waterpark from the top of the slide

#squad. Love you witches.

the yellow slide is longer and starts from higher.

I like to whip down them as fast as possible, but not everyone.
XD XD

the mushrooms.
which double as sun umbrellas.
but their intended purpose was definitely as mushrooms.

one of the pools...
Mr. Drop of Water, what are you doing on my camera lens?

jajajajajja I look funny in this picture
I'm really going to need to talk to that naughty Mr. Drop of Water about photo bombing...

underwater photos!!

I <3 my camera

This is a super cool picture!
gracias Kathy <3

the kiddy pool. whose says kiddy pools are just for kiddies?

the "big" yellow slide XD ;-)
igual fue divertido

Look! An elephant!!

Fact Friday #20- Adolescence in Chile

Age of Majority= 18

Minimum Age for Drivers License= 18

Drinking Age= 18: In most places, if you look like you are 18, they will sell it to you. But I've had chilean friends say that they are super strict about it. So we have our theories.

It's a lot easier because everything is 18. No exceptions. 

Penalties for illegal drug use: A new law in 2007 made the punishment for possessing any illegal drug for personal use anywhere from between 541 days to 5 years in prison.

Family Role Expectations-

Chile is very family oriented. So eating with family is a must. Chileans hardly ever get school work, and when we do, it's not graded. But we get a lot of tests, so mostly we just have to study. However, in my house we are expected to study for like a week before hand, but no one makes us. Teenagers are also expected to go to all family events, unless we have a good excuse to not go.

Behaviour with Guests-

When guests are over, I'm expected to go talk to them, like the whole time there over. It's a lot like in my house in the US actually.

Greetings-

Chileans may be very formal at first, however, they will quickly try to move toward friendship. Some common greetings are: kiss on the cheek for girl to girl, or guy and girl, handshake for guy and guy formal, or like an, um, is there a name for this? like a dude bump for informal. You should always greet the most senior person or the head of the household first.

Household Responsibilities-

I am expected to wash dishes after I use them if it's not a meal time, clean my room, and keep clean the upstairs bathroom and hallway with my host sister. Similarly to in the US. However, I am also expected to make my bed really neatly. To the right is a picture of my host sister's bed. Half the time I'm not even sure if I do mine right, but see Casa Mio en Temuco for a picture of my bed.

Mail is Fun

The simple things in life are the things that make me truly happy. Walks down the beach, bouquets of flowers, a good book, laughing with friends... and receiving letters from the people I love. I do not require giant packages, but coming home from Santiago to two packages and a letter is a pretty nice feeling. The stuff that people send me is never anything big, birthday cards, Christmas cards, chocolate, homemade stationary, thoughtful letters. But each and every one of them has made my day, and frequently my week. Thank you so much to everyone that has sent me a letter or a package. You should know that smiled, laughed and cried at receiving them. I have. If you send me (or have sent me) anything, I promise to send you at least a letter back. (It might take a while, but it'll get there. 

Um, I'm not hinting at anything here, but if you need ideas... for me or any other little traveler you know, here's the list I gave my aunt. 

1) chocolate. good chocolate is very hard to find. 

2) Reese's, almond joys, Heath bars, etc.

3) good tea

4) dum dum suckers

5) good gum. like Extra (the mint kind), trident (the fruity favours), hubba bubba, etc

6) stickers, like the big ones you (well I, he he) get in the doctors office 

7) cheetos, pretzels (with peanut butter inside... ohh yum, or just normal) and takis

8) adorable letters

9) your love <3

But seriously, I really only want number 8 and 9.  

these are the jewels I have received. + a chocolate orange and a box of candy canes... but, they were, um, busy, at the time of the photo. Oh. and christmas socks. but I'm wearing those XD XD

these are the letters that I have gotten. They are all adorable.

these are the Christmas and birthday cards

the photos

and more photos

but seriously. mail is awesome. just ask my sister who has to deal with a desk drawer full of my stationary. It's awesome for me and for anyone else you know living in a foreign country. so do the government a favour and mail something in real snail mail.

he he. brought to you by the US Postal Service. Jk. but seriously... mail is cool

La Piscina de La Reina

A beautiful view of Santiago, from a pool! Swag. A free (and fancy) pool, accessible only to Carabineros and their families? Swag. My host dad... host uncle... 2, two host uncles... and antiguamente host aunt... are Carabineros. So... let's just say, we get in to the pool. (By the way, Carabineros are chilean police officers.) There are a lot of perks to being a Carabienero. Too many to list. But like: this pool, a hospital, free food at any police station, etc.

Anyway, so we went to this cool pool, because it was really hot. It's called La Piscina de La Reina (which means The Pool of the Queen). It's a beautiful pool and you can see Santiago really well. There's a restaurant, that serves chilean fast food (like completos), which is where we went. There's another one that serves fancy food. But that restaurant was getting ready for a wedding, so it wasn't open. The food is not free like the pool is, but it's cheap. We swam all day and I got rather tan, and a little burnt. It was a fun change from the other pool. And I really did feel like a Reina swimming in it. :)

this is the pool from where we were sitting. It's beautiful and gigantic

like most things in Chile, the pool is on a mountain (well... hill) so you can see the city.
 It's a tad bit smoggy, but it's still beautiful. 

these are some pictures I took of the pool with my bácan water proof camera.
They're rather random, but I think they're kind of cool.

The square building in the background is the restaurant,
I wish I had taken a better photo though.

that's my little cousin. You may have seen him in other posts.
the water goes up to his chin, in the shallowest part, so he hung out by the ladder.

Me and my host mom. <3

in order from left to right: grandma, sister, me, and little cousin. 

we took this this photo outside the apartment of my grandparents.
I can't believe that my little host brother is actually smiling for the picture.

these are porotos granados. It's a typical chilean dish for summer.
The beans look like green beans but with blotches of light purple,
and you take the beans out of there shells for the soup.
I'm pretty sure it also has corn, and some other veggies, but I'm not sure what.

and... I'm done.
8 hour drive home, time for a nap. ;)

Mid Año Funk

They say that after the holidays, it's all smooth sailing. All down hill, at least until you go back. But, my holidays weren't that hard. When I'm doing stuff, like hanging out with my friends, riding horses, and visiting cool places, I can bury myself in the task of making new memories and laughing. But when I'm hanging out in Santiago, and trying to not cause trouble, I'm basically just a sponge of sorrow. Like that thing that Spongebob does where he squirts water out and then reabsorbs it. But with me, and the water's polluted. I'm making fun of this situation because I've been feeling really shitty lately. But seriously, this is a good analogy. The water started out just a little bit dirty. But every time it washes out of me and onto the floor, it's even dirtier than when it went in. You get me? So although my current situation isn't the best, it's not that bad. I'm the one making it suck.
     So, what would you prescribe to Spongebob if he kept absorbing and spewing polluted water that just kept getting worse? I know what I would do. I would squeeze every last drop of the dirty water out of him and then stick him in a bathtub of clean water. But sadly, I'm not a sponge. And it's just not that simple.
     So last Sunday I made an oath not to drug myself with dumb internet games, or to spend the whole day watching halves of made for Disney Channel movies. Which eventually forced me to leave the house and go to the pool. Where I laid in the sun for a while getting tan and reading a very fat english book. Eventually I got to hot to continue becoming a summer goddess, so I switched to swimming in circles and pretending I was a mermaid. So yeah... since then I've been spending my long, long days debating Netflix peliculas with my host sister, swimming, doing yoga, running (actually running :-D ), eating hallulla, and getting tan. I also made arrangements with Rotary clubs in Santiago to go and visit them. Hopefully I'll get involved in a service project or something. I feel better, but I still. I've been having a fairly shitty January.
{sigh}
Ok. wait. That sigh was supposed to be the end. But I re-read it and hanging out in a pool and watching Netflix doesn't sound that bad. It's not actually that bad... for a normal summer. If I were chilean, I would be very content. But this isn't a normal summer. It's my ONLY summer. They only summer I will ever spend here. So the thing that is really sucky is just my regret. I feel guilty not doing anything all day. I feel like I'm not doing something right.
{sigh}
ok. that's the end

Fact Friday #19- Government II

Social Services-

Many of basic social services in Chile have been privatized. These include the pension fund system, the health insurance market, and the education system. The few public ones that remain are poor. This creates a problem for the lower class members of Chilean society.

Voting-

The voting age in Chile is 18. Up until the 2013 elections, voting was mandatory. Chilean employers are required to give their employees at least two hours off so that they can go vote. This is a nice service that we do not get here in Indiana.

Embassies-

The Ambassador from the U.S. is Michael A. Hammer. The embassy is located in Santiago. There are no consulates.

The Ambassador from Chile is Juan Gabriel Valdes. The Chilean embassy is in Washington, DC. There are also consulates in Chicago, Houston, Las Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco.

Drug Trade-

Chile has recently become a transit route for drugs from its neighbours, especially Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. This is because of Chile's large unprotected borders, and also because  of its bank secrecy laws, which make it easy to launder drug money. Cartels have begun to use Chile as part of their new routes to the United States and Europe to avoid the government crackdown. Consuming drugs have also become an increasing problem in young people and the upper classes because of Chile's growing economic prosperity. On the good side, as of yet the cartels do not have a foothold in the government.

Sources-

http://santiagotimes.cl/bachelet-releases-policy-platform-21-days-ahead-election/

http://www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2013/12/chiles-presidential-election

http://www.as-coa.org/articles/explainer-elections-chile

http://www.photius.com/countries/chile/government/chile_government_regional_and_local_g~479.html

http://www.eldis.org/go/home&id=21068&type=Document#.VZsrVRtViko

http://chile.usembassy.gov/hammerbio_eng.html

https://embassy-finder.com/chile_in_usa

http://www.usembassy.gov/wha.html

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/27/world/prosperity-in-new-chile-nourishes-drug-trade.html