One Year in South America

Today is August 23, 2007: I have been living in South America for exactly one year.

Realizing that I would like to commerate this event on my blog, I sat down and attempted to describe everything that I have experienced in this time and all the changes that I have gone through. I quickly realized this is an impossible task. So impossible in fact that not only can I not find the exact words to express all I want to say, but I know that whatever I come up with will not be satisfactory.

On this blog at the same time last year (when I was writing something like 2 or 3 entries a week, haha), I made predictions and expectations about the upcoming journey I was about to embark upon. It is funny yet shocking to realize what answers still hold true and what would change if I were to write them today:

a. What are the five things that you are most looking forward to about going abroad?
1. language training/language fluency
2. experiencing a new culture
3. meeting new people
4. changing my world perspective
5. doing/experiencing things that only this opportunity in South America can provide me

All of these have happened and all of these continue to be something that I look forward to each day that I live here, although #1#5 have proven harder to acheive than expected. For my remaining time here, I am adding a #6: I am looking forward to taveling and taking advantage of surrounding countries and cultures

b.What are the five things that currently worry you most about going overseas?
1. saftey
2. homesickness/health of family
3. Loneliness
4. Frustrations in communication with others through a foreign language
5. not getting back into the country (for whatever reason - who knows!!)

#1 is something that has to always be remembered, but it has become a part of daily life. #2, homesickness, has occurred and I know it will occur, it sucks but is something that comes and goes with any experience away from home. Health of family has had a scare or two, although nothing has required me to visit home. Despite this it continues to be a worry while I am here and would remain the top of my list if I were to write this today. If I could sum up a large part of my struggles here, it would be #3 and #4. As far as #5, I guess we will have to see.

I would also add #6: people changing/friendships changing, not being "the same" when I get back home

c. What are five things you believe you will miss most from home when you are abroad?
1. mama's cookin' :-)
2. friends and family
3. life moments/milestones for family and friends
4. deep conversations with people in a language I understand
5. being involved/being a leader in my community

#1, #2, and #3 are absolutely correct and remain so to this day. #4 has not been a problem - I have had "deep" conversations in my foreign language as well as with the other Americans I live with. Surprisingly, I do not miss #5 much. Although some opportunites to take a "leadership" or "more responsibility" role have been presented, I have found that regardless of what job it is or the amount of responsibility, the work goes beyond being happy or personally satisfied at the end of the day. Sometimes, just being there is all that matters.

Eliminating #4 and #5, I would now replace it with: watching sports, especially KC Cheifs and ND football; a clear night sky in the country where all the stars can be seen

d. What are three things (people, places, activities, etc.) you believe you will miss least from home when you are abroad?
1. gluttony of America/processed foods
2. materialism and consumerism
3. America's obsession with celebrities

Yeah, too bad I didn't realize that globalization makes it near impossible to esacpe all three items on this list. Chile is a progressing country with constant influence from the United States and other "first world" countries, both in culture and in language. This is particularly true in the wealthy areas of Santiago. In the less wealthy areas, all three items on this list exists but in a milder form. The options are not as abundant as the United States (for example, they only have 8 versions of shampoo compared to our 17, ha!) and food is bought at the market and local indpendent corner stores. Yet, occassionally, a meal at McDonalds or Pizza Hut is purchased and a movie at Blockbuster is rented. All in all, regardless of where I am here in Santiago, I feel that if need something here I can pretty much find it (although it is hard to find chocolate chips for some reason...)

Chile also has their own obsession with celebrities (Chilean, U.S. and other international celebrities) with their own version of shows like Entertainment Tonight. In fact, major newspapers even have a section devoted to the latest gossip and it isn't unsual to find a breaking story about a celebrity make the occasional headline.

Despite everything, I have found that an occassional McDonald's meal or cover to cover reading a People magazine sent from the States, is not as bad as I made it out to be before. I have accepted them as a part of my culture, who I am as a person. So much so that all three the items on this list make for great cures for a good case of homesickness. :-)

Today I would replace #1, #2, and #3 with: closed minds and perspectives, particularly regarding international relations and the U.S. role in the world; U.S. obsession with competition and making judgements based on a person's status, job, or where they are going in life or what they have done; U.S. culture of fear

Many times I am asked by Americans and Chileans alike, "What is the biggest difference betwen Chile and the United States?" My answer consists of two parts. First, I tell them that I really only know Santiago and the expression "Santiago no es Chile" (Santiago is not Chile) is certainly correct. Second, I say that while Chileans place a larger emphasis on personal relationships, particularly those between family and between friends, and U.S. has a knack for efficiency those in Santiago simply have no clue about, I do not claim these to be my final answers. Right now, I do not know the answer. Looks like I need more time to figure it out.

I am concluding with a suggestion to look back at my previous blog entries, especially those written while I was in Bolivia, September to December 2006. Some are quite hilarious, some are an attempt to be insightful, and others well...just posting for the sake of posting something. In the end, while I know that the reflections above and all my previous blog posts combined do not fully describe my first year in South America, they at least make an attempt at the impossible. At least I know I can revisit this blog post next year.