Hello!

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry I've been out of touch for a couple weeks. I was very glad to hear that the Wax Museum went so well!! I'm totally impressed with the amount of money you earned; Heifer International is such a wonderful organization. Were you nervous performing in front of so many people??

Your latest questions were all very good ones and I will do my best to answer them:

1. How does Chilean money compare to ours?

Interestingly, about 500 Chilean pesos equals 1 american dollar! So my wallet has a bunch of $2000 bills and $10,000 bills, which is really funny and always took me by surprise at first! (So $2000 pesos equals about $4 US dollars and $10,000 pesos equals about $20 US dollars.) Look at the sign in this picture where it says "Pan $920."  "Pan" means bread... what would you do if you were walking through the grocery store and saw a sign that said "Bread $920"... needless to say, the difference in currency took some getting used to! (The bread in the picture actually costs a little less than 2 bucks.)

2. What kinds of homes are typical in Chile?

Just like in the States you will find houses of all types, sizes, building materials. However, I would say that some general differences are a) the fact that they mainly use more wood and cement to build their houses while in North Carolina it is more common to see bricks; b) you see less houses here with front yards. If a house has a yard it is usually in the middle or the back, like a courtyard. Also, here in the city almost all the houses have gates or walls around them.

3. What are some of Chile's most important landmarks? Have you visited any?

Some of Santiago's most important landmarks include La Moneda (the building where the president works), Cerro San Cristobal, which is a small mountain right in the middle of the city, and Plaza de Armas, which is the main square in the middle of town and the first part of the city to be built back when Santiago was settled in the mid 1500s. Other important cultural landmarks are the homes of Chile's most famous poet, Pablo Neruda. He had three houses in Chile, one of which is in Santiago, one in Valparaiso, and one in Isla Negra. Also, the most famous art museum in Santiago is the Museo de Bellas Artes in a gorgeous old building. Here are some pictures of these places:

La Moneda:

Museo de Bellas Artes:

A picture from the top of Cerro San Cristobal:

This is "La Sebastiana" which is Pablo Neruda's house in Valparaiso:

4. Can you teach us some Chilean words?

Chilean Spanish is very different from the Spanish spoken in other Latin American countries - the accent is more difficult for foreigners to understand because Chileans speak incredibly fast and often cut off part of the last syllable of a word. Chileans also use alot of slang that is unique to only Chile. For example, the Chilean word for 'boyfriend' is "pololo" and 'girlfriend' is "polola." If they want to call someone or something 'cool,' they say that it is "bacan" (pronouced ba-KAHN).  If something is boring they call it "fome" (pronounced FOAM-ay) and if someone is sketchy they call that person "flaite" (pronounced FLY-tay). 

5. Are there many movie theaters, and do they show many American movies there?

 Yes and yes! Here in Santiago, movie theaters are quite common and they are new and modern with comfy chairs and stadium seating just like in the States. American movies are popular all over the world and they typically arrive in the theaters here in Chile a few months after they come out in the US.  I just went to see Vicky Christina Barcelona in the theaters last week and the week before that I saw that new Julia Roberts movie, Duplicity. Guess what? Chileans LOVE Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers and High School Musical. The Hannah Montana movie is in theaters right now as well. 

6.Is skateboarding a much practiced sport there?

It sure is. I live close to park that actually has a skateboarding/stunt park type place where lots of kids practice on their skateboards and trick bikes. The other day I also saw a girl probably about 13 years old with her skateboard on the subway. 

7. We enjoyed the information about what kinds of stores they have in their neighborhoods, but are there malls?

There are definitely malls! Chileans LOVE malls. I think the idea of the shopping center/mall is newer here, probably just in the last ten to fifteen years. But people love to go to the mall to just hang out. On the weekends you see lots of families at the mall just passing the day together.  Chile has several department stores: Ripley, Paris, and Falabella. Here are some pictures from the most popular mall, Alto Las Condes:

8. Do pre teens and teens wear pretty much the same kinds of clothes we do?

I would say basically yes, but it is more common to see "punk" or "urban" looking clothes and less "preppy" clothes. Really casual clothes like jeans, sneakers, and graphic t-shirts are way more common than khakis and collared shirts. 

9. What is a middle school student's school like, in terms attendance, classes, requirements?

Unfortunately, I don't have a clue. I will tell you that some schools have a break in the middle of the day for kids to go home for lunch and then come back, which is really interesting. And it is more common to have school uniforms here. As for as classes and workload, I really couldn't tell you! 

10. How are you keeping in touch with your family here in the states?

We communicate by Skype. I have a webcam and so we can talk for free on the internet. Also, I can call me family on their cell phones from Chile if I use Skype. I talk to them almost every other day!

I look forward to more questions! Have a great week :)

Happy Spring (to you), Happy Fall (to me!)

Hi everyone, 

I'm glad you liked the pictures, and thanks for your great questions.  I do have facebook for anyone interested. I usually come up if you do a search for 'Shepard Daniel' and indicate under school "UNC." My profile picture is currently one of me in a striped shirt sitting on a mountain. If you "friend" me, write me a little note and let me know you are in Mrs. Hubbard's class! I would love to meet you all that way :)

As for empanadas, they ARE really delicious. My favorites are ham and cheese and spicy meat, but you can really fill them with just about anything... veggies, cheese, chicken, you name it! Here is a recipe:

12 -16 empanadas (change servings and units)

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can fresh cut corn, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 (16 ounce) cans large refrigerated biscuits (I use buttermilk, and you may only use 1 and 1/2 cans depending on how full you make them)

Directions

1. 1

   Brown the ground beef in a frying pan adding the salt and pepper just before done.

2. 2

   Let the beef cool.

3. 3

   In a large bowl mix the corn, onions, cheese, and salsa, then add the cooled beef mixing carefully so not to break up all the cheese.

4. 4

   Roll the biscuits out flat to about 2-1/2 times their size.

5. 5

   Place approx 1/3 cup filling on one side of the center of the circle lengthwise.

6. 6

   Fold the dough over the filling like a turn over and crimp the edges like a pie crust. Be careful not to tear the dough, and to seal the edges completely or your filling will come out! depending on how much filling is used will determine how many biscuits you will use.

7. 7

   Place on slightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 till lightly browned.

We are also wondering if folks there watch much tv, and if they do, what do they like to watch most?

People here definitely watch just as much TV as we watch in the States. They have these Chilean soap operas called "tele-novelas" which are very dramatic and usually about a bunch of peoples' overlapping love lives! They also show alot of American TV like Friends, Seinfeld, Will and Grace, and Grey's Anatomy. 

What do many people there do for a living? What is their economy mostly based on?

Here in Chile, you will find people working in many of the same jobs you would imagine in the States - people are bankers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers, psychologists. One major difference, however, is that there are more people who have small businesses out of their homes or who own small corner stores. While there are supermarkets and large shopping centers, the smaller store (that only sells one type of thing, like just school supplies or just vegetables, for example) is more common.  The Chilean economy is based in the extraction of their abundant natural resources. Chile is the leading exporter of copper in the world and is also a major exporter of things like fish, seafood, forest products, and wine. Santiago is also a major commercial and financial center based around big business and finance. 

4)What animals are indigenous to the area?

Chile is home a wide array of interesting animals.

The vicuña:

The Huemul:

The Flamingo (which I always associated with beachy/tropical areas, but apparently they live in many dry area climates):

Do many people there use cell phones? Are they similar to ours?

Chileans are definitely into the latest technology and they LOVE cell phones. Everyone has one, for sure, and most of them are way nicer even then what you would typically see in the U.S. In this sense, Chileans are far more modern than most Latin American countries.

Do many people drive cars? What kind?

Yes, especially in Santiago, people drive cars everywhere! Although there is great public transportation - bus, metro, taxi - people with cars are EVERYWHERE! I guess it is time to introduce to you one very sad fact about Santiago - it is very polluted and the city is notorious for the smog. Just as in many major cities that are located close to mountain chains, like L.A. and Mexico City, Santiago suffers from all the car pollution that gets trapped by the Andes mountains and hovers over the city. It gets especially bad in winter. Check out the difference among the photos: 

How was your Night at the Wax Museum??? Take care, hope to hear from you again soon!

Welcome back from Spring Break!

Hey Everyone,

Hope you all had a nice week off for Spring Break! So, you had some great questions and I'll do my best to answer them. 

1)What do children our age like to eat there? 

The food in Chile is not particularly distinct. It's alot like what your parents might cook for you... dishes with chicken, ham, and turkey, pastas, rices, lots of fruits and vegetables. However, there are definitely foods here that are particular to the country that you can't find in the States. For example, "empanadas" are a favorite with kids! People order empanadas to their houses the same way you might order pizza. An empanada is kind of like a small calzone, meat and cheese and sometimes vegetables baked or fried in dough "pockets." Other foods include "paila marina" or "curanto" which are like seafood stews! Seafood is very plentiful and delicious here! One interesting thing about meals in Chile is that the main meal of the day is lunch, so schoolkids often go home for lunch at noon and then go BACK to school in the afternoon! Lunch is an important family time and meals at lunch are normally really large. Therefore, sometimes families don't even really eat dinner but have more like a snack or tea time in the late afternoon, which is called "once" (pronounces "on-say"). Here are some food pictures: (empanda, then paila marina, then a chicken curanto....)

2)What are some things they do for fun? 

Chileans LOVE soccer ("futbol"). Kids are definitely into playing sports here, but especially soccer. There are playgrounds and sports fields all around the city. The other day I saw some kids playing on the sidewalk with these cards that you slap and try to flip over (kind of like pogs, if you know what those are). There are also many of the same afterschool activities like we have in the US - dance classes, music classes like piano or violin lessons, and art class like ceramics and painting. 

3) Photos....

 

Me.....

In Torres del Paine National Park in the south of Chile....
In Punta Arenas, Chile, one of the southernmost cities in the world!

My new home... Santiago. There are 6 million people that live here!

This is from my recent trip to the south of Chile. The next three pictures are from the island of Chiloe which is covered in green hillsides, farms, and small fishing villages. I ate a TON of seafood here! 

This is one of the classic landscapes for Torres del Paine National Park. I hiked and camped in this park for a week. 

4) What is the main religion of folks in Chile? Have you observed any religious services yet?

The main religion is definitely Catholocism. Chilean people are very conservative and religious. Many of the schools here are Catholic schools and kids wear uniforms. Most all Catholic (Christian) holidays are observed nationally. I have not been to a church service yet, but I have visited several of the Cathedrals here in the city. The one in the main downtown plaza is immense and beautiful. In fact, when the Spanish settled Chile and founded Santiago back in the 16th century, the Cathedral was the first building to be constructed!

5) What is the average temperature there on a fall day?

The average temperature on a fall day is probably around 70 degrees. It still gets very hot around noon (possibly even 80 degrees) and then in cools way down at night (around 45 degrees). I'm giving you these temperatures in Farenheight, but in Chile they measure in Celsius... it's definitely still taking some getting used to!

6) Are you finding it easy to make friends? 

I have been lucky enough to have already made several friends. One good thing about my school program is that I am in the same 5 classes with the same people, so we all see each other every day. (You all are used to that in elementary and middle school, but in college when you change classes all the time and only have certain classes once a week, there are some classmates you rarely see.) I like the fact that I am with the same people every day because, although only 3 weeks have passed, my classmates and I already know each other very well. Almost all of my classmates are Chileans, but other than me there are three other foreigners - a girl from Cuba, a girl from Argentina, and a guy from Ecuador. In general, Chileans are extremely friendly, and always willing to give advice!

I've also met some other Americans who are living here in Chile. Most of them are here teaching English in Chilean schools and universities. While I like speaking Spanish with my Chilean friends, it is certainly nice to be able to speak in English every once in a while with my American friends.

With my friend Karen who is teaching English at a community college in Chile. This is us on the night UNC won the national championship!

At a cookout with some of my Chilean and American friends...

First week in Chile

Hello all!

I'm excited about communicating with you now that I have arrived in Santiago, the capital of Chile.

As you can tell from the picture at the top of this blog, Santiago is a very large, modern city situated at the base of the Andes mountains.  Chile is a long, skinny country on the western coast of South America, and Santiago is located in the very middle.

Upon my arrival, I spent several days observing the sights, smells, and people of this big city. Santiago is divided into different neighborhoods, called "comunas;" some are very quiet and tranquil with lots of trees, while others feel more urban with modern transportation and tall buildings. Two years ago, Santiago opened its subway system so it still feel very clean and new. I either get around the city on the subway or on my new bicycle!

The seasons in the Southern hemisphere are opposite from the seasons in the Northern hemisphere. Therefore, it is still warm and sunny here as summer comes to an end and we start to have fall weather. It's very strange to think that it is just turning into spring for you all in North Carolina!

Chileans are very friendly and hospitable, and I feel very welcome here. I look forward to telling you more about the people and the culture in my next post. 

Hello to Mrs. Hubbard's Class!

Hola from Santiago de Chile!

My name is Shepard Daniel, and I will be communicating with you over the next few months. I'm an American student studying Environmental Planning at the University of Chile. I'm excited to share my experience with you and hopefully provide a window for you into Chilean life and culture.