first week in santiago de chile

I have been in Santiago for just over a week now. And here is kind of what has gone down, and how I got here.

I referenced in a picture that I got to sit in Business Class on my way from the US to Chile. This came about because my original flight out of St. Louis (connecting in Atlanta) was delayed...so I missed the conection to Santiago...so the airline put me up for the night in a hotel in Atlanta. Some would count this as an inconvenience, but in my case I will point out a few things that put me in a different camp

• I had absolutely nowhere to be
• I like free hotels
• I like free food (the airline gave me meal vouchers
• I love wierd stuff like this
• *I got upgraded to business class.......on a 9.5 hour flight

*denotes the absolute most important point, and one of the cooler things I have ever experienced

I have never flown business class before, and so I didn't really know what to expect other than it was an upgrade from coach. Maybe I am overstating it, but it was really more than I had hoped for. Champagne right when you sit down, more buttons on my chair/recliner/bed/workstation than I knew what to do with, 5 course meal, warm towels, someone trying to give you literally whatever it is you want, free drinks, 8 movie channels, little gifts (slipper socks, lotion, eye masks, ear plugs, some sort of spray thing, etc.) and the list goes on. I know people fly business all the time and people get used to all kinds of luxuries, but my long flight into a new country that was at least a little daunting turned into a real pleasant surprise that, if only a little, helped soften the landing into the unknown. So enough about the flight.

I believe I put that I stayed at a fantastic hostel -- for $18, you stay in a great place...we are talking 20 foot ceilings, a fantastic breakfast, free internet, free pool table, a bar, a tv room with cable, friendly people, etc. I palled around with 3 guys -- Stefan from Germany and Hernando & Raul from Venezuela. We walked the city for a day and all went on a cable car ride at the foot of the mountains to see some great views.

In the meantime, I had secured a place to live and figured out a language school to go to for the month of August. I am staying with a Chilean family composed of Kruskaya and Patricio, both in their early 50's. They have two daughters (who live elsewhere) and they rent out two rooms for extended periods of time. Kruskaya owns her own bakery/coffe shop (today she took me there and we ate empanadas, pizza and drank Coca-Cola) and Patricio runs a tennis club / academy in Santiago. They do not really speak English very much, but that is a little bit what I was looking for because I figure the two footed jump into a language was the quickest way to learn. So far, so good.

During the week, I am going to language school for 4 hours per day. It is a one on one tutor session and it usually leaves my brain fairly worn out. I had heard that it is exhausting to learn another language and, even though I am really just in the very beginning stages, I can see where this would be right.

Santiago is a city of 6 million, and I have not run into too many people that speak English. The city is more modern than I thought it would be. There is a subway (the metro) that is very new, clean, fast and reliable. I am staying in an apartment with heated floors. There are shopping malls with Brooks Brothers stores and TGI Friday's. But, I never walk down the street and forget that I am in a place very different than what I am used to. The hours are much different (see: later) than what I am used to with dinner regularly starting at 10pm or later. There is more poverty than I had previously been exposed to. There are lots and lots of people, period. And many other subtle differences such as customs, food, holidays, bank hours, etc.

I had heard that the hospitality in Latin America was fantastic, and my first week proved that to be true as there were random people off the street, speaking broken English, that could obviously tell I was lost or looking for something and they would try to help out however they could. A few gave me their contact phone numbers or email addresses (complete strangers just trying to be helpful) in case I needed anything since I did not really know anyone else in the city.

This week sees me trying to conjugate more and more verbs (past and present tenses are on their way), try to prepare for a conference coming up in September and see if I can't get to know the city a little bit.

Also, my friend Evan (who is over in Kuwait with the Navy) has started a blog in case anyone knows Evan and wants to check him out, or simply wants to see a man with a really, really bad moustache. It is www.big-iron.blogspot.com.

Until next time.