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 :)