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(12/04/09 4:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s always difficult to regain focus after Thanksgiving break and push on through the end of the semester. Fortunately, here in Chile, the semester is already complete.Well, it is complete for most students, anyway. My last two classes of the semester took place on Thanksgiving Day. It was the only time in my life that I have had class on Thanksgiving. However, I suppose it is understandable because it is obviously not a Chilean holiday. That week in November concluded the last week of class for the university. The following week was for final exams. Luckily, the policy on final exams here is different than at home as well, the general rule being that you only have to take the exam if you are failing the course. Failing, in Chile, means getting a four or lower in the course. The Chilean grading sc ale is out of seven, not out of 100 percent. Of course you can still take the exam if you are not satisfied with your grade and you think the exam will help you improve. However, many students choose to start their summer vacation early rather than take unnecessary exams.One of the greatest aspects of being below the equator is that the seasons are the opposite of at home. So while normally Christmas is in winter, here in Chile summer has just begun. Now that exams are done, everyone is headed to the beach to begin their vacations. It certainly doesn’t seem like December when you can spend every afternoon swimming in the ocean.Chile has its own holidays in December, including one very important one before Christmas. They are currently preparing for the celebration of the Immaculate Conception, a celebration of the Virgin Mary. The festivities last the full week up to Dec. 8 and often include parades and other events. However, the main portion of the holiday includes people visiting their churches and filling the altars with flowers to honor Mary. Dec. 8 completes the celebration, and this is when children receive their first communion. This religious holiday is just the beginning preparations for the next holiday, Christmas.Even though it is summer here, Christmas is still coming. It can be seen throughout the city as stores begin to fill with toys and holiday decorations. Some families have even begun to put up Christmas trees, while others have put up holiday lights. Yet in many houses it still cannot been seen at all. It is more and more visible every day, but I still cannot quite believe it. How can the holiday season have begun already? Yet, I look forward to experiencing Christmas in a foreign country and being able to compare the holidays celebrations between my two homes.
(11/19/09 5:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>SANTIAGO, Chile - The countries of Chile and Peru have had issues in diplomatic relations for many years. However, just recently they were confronted with the most serious offense in decades. Peru officials claimed that two Chilean military officials were found spying in Peru. This accusation made the relations between these two countries even more constricted. Even though Chile has denied all allegations and states that they are not involved in any way, Peru is taking action. To deal with this issue, the Peruvian President Alan Garcia decided to cancel his meetings with the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet as well as quit a regional summit a day early to return to Peru. The president of Peru said he would wait until he returns to his country and learns of all the aspects of the case before making a statement about these accusations. Meanwhile in Peru, they are working on completing the court proceedings against the accused Chilean officers. The officers, Daniel Marquez Torrealba and Victor Vergara Rojas, were allegedly working with Victor Ariza Mendoza, an officer in the Peruvian Air Force. Along with these accusations, it has been stated that Mendoza has been charged with money laundering, espionage and revealing state secrets. He may face charges of treason, which include 25 years in prison as the minimum sentence. Reports have also said that there is the possibility that another Peruvian officer is involved in the case. Peru Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde stated that this case of espionage was an “offensive act” by Chile, and he additionally requested a full investigation as to “who in Chile gave the order.” He also stated that Peru’s ambassador in Santiago would return to Peru for consultations during this time. He also clarified that this movement did not signify that they were breaking off international ties with Chile at this point. They will continue to look for more information in this case before making any major changes.Peru has decided to hand over all the evidence connected with these allegations to Chile so that officials can explain the suspicious circumstances. The Peruvian President Garcia stated that the spying was a result of fear and the feelings of inferiority from Chile. But the foreign minister of Chile, Mariano Fernandez, has continued to say that Chile is not involved in the case.This case has caused even more conflict between these two countries. They have had difficult relations since the War of the Pacific in 1879. In this war, Peru lost access to valuable land and some of its ocean access. They almost went to war again in 1975 when Peru wanted to invade Chile during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet but ended up calling it off. Because of these and many other past issues, the countries have had difficult relations for years. This most recent case has only continued to escalate the negative feelings between these two nations.
(11/03/09 5:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>SANTIAGO, Chile - While many people might think that a desert does not have much to offer a country, the Atacama Desert proves this is certainly not the case. Northern Chile features the Atacama Desert, which is the driest desert in the world. There are some areas of the desert where rainfall has never been recorded. The desert, while scarcely populated, has been very useful for Chile.This desert is located in the Northern part of Chile and offers many incredible resources to the country. It is rich with nitrate deposits, especially sodium nitrate, of which Chile has the world’s largest supply. These deposits are found mainly in the central depression of the desert. Chile had a world monopoly over nitrate until the early part of the 20th century. Another valuable resource of the desert is its salt fields. The Atacama Desert is home to the world’s third-largest salt field. Yet, the most revenue in this area comes from the mining of copper. Chile supplies more than 30 percent of the world’s copper. The desert is also useful for astronomical studies because of its high altitude and distance from air-polluting cities. There are several observatories here, including two that are operated by the European Southern Observatory. There is also an observatory that operates the strongest telescope in the world available to non-astronomers. A new telescope called ALMA is now being built in Atacama. The project is being completed by Europe, North America, Chile and Japan. This is only one of many radio astronomy projects currently operating in Chile. While the desert has proven very valuable to the country, Chile did not always own these resources. In fact, most of the desert originally belonged to Peru and Bolivia but was lost in the war of the Pacific. The war over the Atacama Desert was fought from 1879 to 1883, and the treaty at the end of the war gave Chile permanent ownership of the whole Pacific coastline. This was a great win for Chile but a terrible loss for both Peru and Bolivia. This was especially harmful to Bolivia’s economy, as it became landlocked. Even though the country is rich in many valuable resources, it has had many difficulties with exporting its products since the creation of this treaty. These countries have poor relations even today.Obviously the Atacama Desert has proven to be a very valuable resource for Chile. It has greatly contributed to the continued success of this nation, making it one of the strongest and wealthiest countries in Latin America.
(10/22/09 8:13pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>SANTIAGO, Chile - Chile, like every country, has some of its own unique, popular dishes. Chilean cuisine includes a combination of Spanish influences with later influences from Europe and the Middle East.One of the most popular options available is the empanada, dough wrapped around different food combinations cooked within. It can be baked or fried and filled with almost anything. The most popular empanada in Chile is called pino. It includes beef, onions, hard boiled eggs, raisins, shortening, peppers and exactly one black olive. Other common empanadas are made with cheese, meat or shrimp. Another popular Chilean dish is the pobre, which means “poor man’s dish.” This dish includes a small portion of meat with french fries and a fried egg on top. It can also be served with fried onions on the side.Besides these dishes, fast food is also abundant in Chile, but not the familiar American fast food. For Chileans the best thing after a night out is to order a completo. A completo is a hot dog – well, several hot dogs, usually – that are served in a fresh-baked bun. The most common completos are covered in mayonnaise, avocado and tomato. These are called Italian completos because they have the colors of Italy’s flag. They can also include sauerkraut, mustard, ketchup or anything else a person might desire. Plus, they can be up to half a meter long.Besides these popular Chilean dishes, the country is also known for its alcohol, especially its wine and pisco. The countries of Chile and Peru are both known for the alcoholic pisco, made from Chilean and Peruvian grapes. In Chile, pisco is 30 to 50 percent alcohol. It comes in many flavors, as there are a variety of grape types that are combined with other fruits, including mango and papaya. Pisco can be bought very cheap, so it is popular among students.Finally, there are the desserts of Chile. Dessert is usually served after a large lunch rather than after dinner. Many of the desserts in Chile include manjar in some format. Manjar is a very common treat in Chile. In other countries it is known by the name of dulce de leche or milk sweet. It has a texture similar to caramel but with a distinct flavor. It is full of sugar and is used in many pastries and desserts, including pies and ice cream. While Chile has a variety of food to offer the world, many countries do not know anything about their cuisine. However, as globalization continues, these and many dishes from other countries will finally become available and known in other areas of the world.
(10/16/09 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 12 years on Sept. 10, Chile played its last game of the season Wednesday against Ecuador.I was lucky enough to have a ticket. Chilean soccer games are an experience you cannot forget, especially when you stand out in the crowd. The culture shock hit from the moment we walked into the stadium. I was with a group of eight other girls from around the United States, and when we entered the stands to walk to our seats everyone started applauding. At first we thought that something must be happening on the field, but the game did not start for hours. Then we listened to the cheers and the whistles and understood. They could see that we were not Chilean, and they were cheering for us. They were intrigued, especially by some of my friends with blonde hair. We could not make it down the stairs without being stopped by countless Chileans wanting their pictures taken with us. Some would even push their children in front of us to take photographs. It was quite the start to my first professional soccer game experience.While that experience was quite shocking, there were, of course, many other interesting occurrences throughout the day that none of us could have expected. As we waited for the game to start, we witnessed many common activities that normally occur before sporting events, including the usual cheers and attempts at making the wave successful. However, we also saw a few rag dolls that were wearing Ecuador’s colors being thrown about around the stadium, some the size of small children. Also, people were lighting flares, which I found especially strange. We had all gone through security, and they did not even allow water bottles because they could be used as a weapon, but apparently flares were completely acceptable, as security did nothing to stop them. The food available was also surprising because even though hot dogs, alcohol and ice cream are extremely popular in Chile, they were not offered at the game. The only options were soda and sandwiches – not even water was available. The actual game seemed to be one of the only things that went as expected. It was like many other soccer games with the ecstatic crowd and lots of noise. The final score was 1-0 to Chile. It was definitely a great game and another fascinating day in Chile.
(10/09/09 3:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As a student studying at a Chilean university, I have discovered many differences between the lives of American students and those of Chilean students. One of the strongest distinctions I have noticed is that Chilean culture is less focused on work and more centered around the family. In America, when students start college many leave home and move into dorms. This experience teaches them how to be successful living on their own. But in Chile, universities do not have dorms; students either live at home or find apartments. Most students end up living at home with their families. This, however, is not because students don’t want to be independent. It is because many can’t be. While Chile is currently one of the leading countries in Latin America in many aspects, it is still developing. Chile has a strong and steady economy with a low unemployment rate, yet most students do not work and therefore can not afford their own place. This is mainly because the minimum wage in Chile is so low that many students do not think it’s worth the time to work at all. The minimum wage was just raised this year to $300 a month, which is the highest in Latin America after Argentina. Unfortunately, that wage won’t even cover a month’s rent here in Valparaiso. Instead, most students choose to focus solely on school and their social lives rather than work for such a poor wage. But there are a few other college students that need money, so they have to come up with more creative ways to make it. These students often do not work traditional jobs, but instead perform on the streets around town. They will do anything from acrobatics and juggling to dancing in amusing costumes. Many students also sell different things – from sandwiches to envelopes. They also sell many different types of art throughout the city. Some make art just for tips as people walk by. One of my favorite types of art here are the massive sand castles along the boardwalk. They change weekly and often depict cartoon characters or other popular icons. So while many students here don’t have jobs, those that do find work invent ways to entertain themselves and passersby while making a living.
(10/05/09 2:36pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>SANTIAGO, Chile – The history of Chile comes to light in the month of September. The month has great significance to the people of Chile. Chileans celebrate their independence from Spain on September 18 with barbeques and carnivals that last all day. These celebrations are mainly spent with family and friends and include the traditional foods and dances of Chile. However, these celebrations are sometimes overshadowed by remembering another important day in Chile’s history. Many citizens can not help but recall the day of Sept. 11, 1973. This day has great significance in Chile’s history and will not soon be forgotten by the citizens of Chile.On that day, General Augusto Pinochet led a coup d’état against the President of Chile, Salvador Allende. The coup was supported by the CIA in an effort to reform the government of Chile. The plan for reform was to rotate leaders between the heads of the Navy, Air Force, Carabineros (Chilean police force) and the army. However this plan was never completed as the Army general Pinochet soon took full control of the country. Under the rule of Pinochet, chaos ensued. Thousands of Chilean leftists and suspected leftists were killed or disappeared in the first few months of his dictatorship. Some of these were citizens of the United States, the UK and many other countries. Many of Chile’s citizens were imprisoned, tortured or exiled. The current president, Michelle Bachelet was among those imprisoned and tortured in a detention center during this time. Protests also became a daily occurrence as families searched desperately for their loved ones.These memories are recalled by Chileans throughout this time. During the past two weeks I have heard the stories of several people directly affected by the dictatorship of Pinochet. The topic is always mentioned with caution and as Americans we have been told to be very careful in discussions of this time in history. During the dictatorship of Pinochet some families chose to avoid the conflict completely by leaving the country. One of my professors spent the first twenty one years of her life living in Venezuela as her parents decided to move just after her birth for their safety. My host mother lived in northern Chile until her brother was murdered at the age of twenty-one by the Chilean military. Everyone in Chile was affected under the dictatorship of Pinochet and the memories still bring grief to many today.Fortunately the government has greatly improved in Chile since then. After Pinochet’s rule the government returned to democracy under the leadership of Patricio Aylwin. Today the government of Chile is led by President Michelle Bachelet who is working to improve many aspect of the country. While Chileans will never forget the dictatorship of Pinochet, they now have hopes of a better future for their families.