Chile

Note: these log notes are based on emails sent to an audience and were done during each day.  The notes are often short and to the point with choppy sentences.  I have not taken the time to edit properly since they still report my observations.

Day 1, February, 2014

Its a looonnnggg way down here, but the flight went well, only five minutes late after 15 hours enroute, stopping over in Toronto along the way.  This seemed so strange to be travelling so far east in order to go so far south.  We flew over the Yacutan Peninsula, which also was surprising as I thought we needed to be further west.  I had to advance my clock four hours for the complete flight!  We also saw Belize lights at night along the coast.  Traffic chaos getting to the hostel as cars from all direction were trying to go down a street and our car scraped alongside a Mazda that refused to get out of the way.  Quite the battle put on by the driver.  

Once everyone had arrived and checked in and we were officially together as a group, we took a tram ride up a side of a hill and got an awesome view of the city and took lots of pictures.  Probably ten thousand people on the street where we ate our supper last night.  The tables were a bit grimy and dusty.  People mostly were drinking and smoking.  There is definitely an European flavor to this place.

As the next day was Sunday,  work does not start until tomorrow.  We went cycling around a vineyard in the country and did wine tasting before having dinner with Habitat Chile back in Santiago.  Very beautiful day for this.  Chile is famous for its wine quality, similar to the finer quality in Europe, due to the comparable friendly temperate climate.  Vineyards looked really healthy and well kept in the rolling hills south of Santiago.  Part of the reason for success in Chile for this industry was the illegal import of a certain grape vine plant from France that was known to produce the best flavored wine, but now is grown as well in Chile, which ticked off their European competition.

The group of 12 will be split into teams of four for three separate projects.  I will be helping to take care of a 76 year old lady tomorrow, tearing down her bedroom in a dilapidated old home and building her a new room up to building code.  Should be fun.  This area will  be in shanty town.

Miscellaneous observations and comments:

• All small cars here are European and Japanese.

• Smog over the city, dry August type of weather, 30 degrees.

• Very noisy for sleeping as we are close to two universities.  Very crowded.  People are all a generation or two younger.  Tires screeching, security alarms going off, police and emergency sirens screaming, and drunks yelling.  Not the best initial impressions.

• There is definitely a noticeable difference between rich and poor.  We are staying in a nice hostel, but in between extremes in wealth.

• People do not seem to care that much about the environment.

• Quite a safe place to live.  Surprisingly though the street vendors come out at night to pester you when you are wandering around.

• There is no grass here except in city park. 

• No multi grain bread.

• You can see the Andes Mountains, quite ominous to the west, with snow on them as they rise to 20,000 feet.

• Food and drinks can be quite cheap.  We found a really nice sandwich shop.

I will email more later as I do not trust this Spanish keyboard at the hostel!

Day 2

Our project is in Colina, Chile, 40 minutes north of Santiago.  Poverty at this place is comparable to El Salvador, except no brown stuff on the street, thank God.  Granny is the sweetest person you could ever meet.  When I think of a Granny, she plays the part perfectly with 13 kids and 12 grand and great grand kids.  The little ones in this family are really cute.  Even though she knew no English, we understood each other.  

In Chile everything is slowed right down.  For being onsite nine hours, we got in about five hours of work, but we made good progress though as we demolished  a section of the house that is to be her bedroom.  The area had spiders that are known to like to bite and they came with with their thick webs that stick to you.   So dusty was the demolition.  Metal roof came down too.  Material was basically rotten and thus causing breathing problems for Granny.  Siding probably had some asbestos in it, but we at least had masks. I would be more concerned if I was only 20 years of age as opposed to 63, thinking it takes awhile for asbestos to have an effect!   External walls were made out of 3/4 inch x 2 inch pine board.  We started framing with rough 2 x 3 pine (no spruce).  Quite solid material.

Chilean food is not even close to Mexican, but rather European like roast chicken, potatoes, corn, pumpkin, some quinoa, white bread, and lots of bruschetta, tomatoes, etc.  Rather bland generally.  The fruit is really good though such as melons (very juicy), and bananas from Ecuador.

Most sandstone buildings have graffiti.  Such a shame as it is so rampant.  Some art work though, which is good.  It can be more colorful this way.

Day 3

Progress was slow as too many people were tripping over each other and over family getting in the way.  But we did finish building the walls and mixed cement for footings.  I conveniently placed my initials in the cement.

When not working we visit and so I talked to an interpreter and she mentioned that she was 21 and married!  She looks to be no more than 15.  I told her about my Mom getting married at the same age and she mentioned she married a Frenchman that she met on Facebook (internet)!  He came over twice, then decided to marry her and settle in Chile!  Now she's expecting!  Not much point in wasting any time I suppose!

Granny's daughter in law was shocked when she found out my age as she thought I should be a lot younger (thank you).  She asked how much money I had  and I gave her a politically polished correct professional answer.

The other translator is 25 years and single and she is jealous that I can travel.  She wants to go to New Zealand.  I told her like a true father that she needed to believe in herself in that she could do it, that she needed a plan, and in her plan she needs to decide when she is going, then she needs to work towards it.  She absorbed completely what I said and she will email me once she gets there! 

Habitat Chile has a small SUV named Scorpio (made in India).  They like it as it is economical to drive (diesel).  Seems nice.

Simply ingenious!  A Chilean used a clear long water hose filled with water as a level by making a mark on one wall, then the other!  Never seen that before!

Lunch today was excellent: spaghetti with meat sauce that tasted like chili con carne.  Their onions here are really good.  Not losing any weight!  More weight gain this evening with supper, all carbs and starch.

I had to get more Chilean pesos as they really do not use the US Dollar as read.

Day 4

Our fearless leader Mary-Ellen got distracted by a Chilean this AM after setting her back pack down to make plans with a driver.  Within 'seconds' her pack was GONE!  After reporting her visa card as stolen, they had already purchased 160 US in gas.  She had some contingency cash for the group - GONE.  Camera, other stuff - GONE and she is not getting it back.

I decided to become the middle manager today to make production of the roof rafters go faster, and I kept everyone moving and doing something to speed up the process.  Good thing too as the Canadian Embassy dropped in for a visit later right after we were done.  That ended our work day, which was quite convenient for our leader Mary-Ellen I might add.

Baked corn cake at noon with a boiled egg on it, onions, ground beef, big olives.  I could not finish.  Chileans eat so much food!

We had our culture trip this PM as part of the program touring a museum dedicated to the Coup d'Etat from 1973.  17 years of dictatorship caused a lot of suffering, torture, and human rights issues.  Some people are still digging to find their loved ones in the desert to this day.  Chile is going to have its first lady leader, just elected.  They have public health for those who have not, rather crude though, and they have privatized health care for those who have.

Miscellaneous Observations:

• • They do have some new subdivision outside of Santiago.  Houses are two story and start at 600 sq ft. in size.  Quite petite, but cute.  Price is unknown.  Lumber though  is very , very expensive as little supply.  Across the street will be shanty town for those who have not.  Gas price is $1.65 per litre.

  • I caught myself saying 'ta ta' when passing something to a Chilean (that's baby talk)!  Why do I do these things?!  

  • Santiago is similar to London, UK in that there is an old city separate from the commercial centre, and a very mature efficient subway system which we took back to the hostel.  We saw some incredible canvas paintings on the subway walls two stories down.  Very big paintings.

  • Chile's drink is the 'Pisco Sour'.  I have no idea what's in it, but after one, then a glass of wine before supper and I am basically intoxicated.  Its like a very hard lemonade.

  • La Policia colors are lime green and white, rather strange.  They have some really fancy motorbikes.

I am just having some 'quiet time' now.  I swear there has to be 1 million dogs in this city.

Day 5

Very hot today, no air, as the external wall went up.  We decided it best to build another wall on the inside as some of the house is quite unstable and will lean against the new bedroom for support.  We finished the day with roof rafters up in place.  Our Habitat staff carpenter, Sebastian,  is very meticulous and it has been a challenge to drop a new bedroom into place, sawing off chunks of the old house when need be.

Lunch was two different lima beans in a soup broth with pumpkin and some onion.  They dropped three chunks of sausage in the soup after placing on the table.  At least it was a lighter meal since my tummy is growing!

So Chileans greet each other by kissing on the 'right' cheek, not the left and definitely not both!  But guys do not kiss each other, just the opposite gender.  In doing so, you aim for what seems like the left side as they are facing you, but it does not seem the 'right one' when doing this.  When introduced or meeting or saying goodbye, you kiss.  So in the case of 21 year old Fahrana in the subway, who I am sure is maybe 4.5 feet tall, you not only aim left, which is right, but you aim down, not by arching your back so much as you will be too far forward!  Its more of a melt down in height.  Now you can imagine how embarrassing it would be if I aimed for the wrong side as we could bonk our noses!  

We have two lesbians on this trip, very nice I might add, but this custom does not do much for them.  one of them could take out most Chileans if need be as she 'ain't scared of nothin' (from Atlanta).

I have a little 'twirp' who has discovered me.  Her name is Alexandra, about six years, the granddaughter.  She can take up my whole day if I let her, just full of it, like a puppy, always ready to play.  She only needs love (at least for now and hopefully always this way).  I taught her how to play patti cake.  She freely gives hugs to anyone and remains happy throughout the day.  She really clings to a young blonde named April from our group when available.

Granny is in pain today and had to go to the doctor.  I sat with her for a minute and she had tears in her eyes.

Omigosh, when I think of all the 27 inch TV's we have recycled at home when they could have used them here.  They have TV's, but very old ones.  TV's are so critical, their window to the marvels of the world, using antennas or satellite dish.  You cannot take a 27 inch TV on the plane!  Cell phones are next on the list, but quite a luxury still. 

What a contrast when it comes to clothes.  We have so many clothes each compared to what they have here, but this is the area of those who have not.  This is totally and completely insane.  Chile in itself is free, but what about equal opportunity?

Allan is a Supreme Court Judge from Edmonton, acts like one too, semi retired.  We hit it off quite well as we think alike.

Day 6

Granny was feeling better today.  I chatted with her a bit and she understood that we were leaving soon.  Habitat Chile is here next week, then a team from Belgium to finish off this project.

Richard simply refused to use metric today.  The drywall looks to be 4' x 8', but is in metric (120 x 240).  I must have used the words 'no Richard' 20 times.  Use metric, not imperial, but old habits are hard to break, but then 240 mm is much easier to work with than '92 5/8'!  I wanted to strangle him, but he does have a good heart.

I just had a 15 minute condensed management philosophy session with the Habitat Manager to give him words of advice.  I am so happy to have been able to do this, most incredible feeling of adding value as I laid it on thick on how to manage, not that you ever completely become an expert, or that you can take someone for granted, both included in words of advice.

We did a good job of putting cross braces between the roof rafters to make it really solid.  I was happy to see my drywall tools that I brought with me on the plane come to use right away as all the drywall was put in place.  They do not worry about electrical until later.  The metal roof was installed.  The room looks good.

For lunch: espanadas y ensalada!  Espanadas have cheese, some meat, olives, onions, other stuff in a crusted warm pastry similar in size to a pita pocket.  They also have espanadas in Mexico exclaims Fatima, a very slender but pretty Mexican architect from Monterrey, who is volunteering between contracts.  I have been explaining to her about Canada's building code.  For drywall as an example, they always install drywall vertically in Chile whereas we install horizontally.

Watermelon never was my favorite fruit, but I have been forced to accept since it is a main fruit of El Salvador and Chile and they cut such big chunks of it to eat.  It is refreshing though but always seem so tasteless.

Richard and i felt good about where we left things upon leaving.  The closing ceremony was a bit hard saying goodbyes.  The two interpreters (Fahranna and Carolina) were quite emotional as this was a first time and once only type of experience since they are not regular employees of Habitat. 

Tomorrow we are off to Valparaiso, a place that I have wanted to visit since high school.

Day 7

Up early to catch the bus.  Valparaiso used to be the main commercial centre for all of South America until they opened the Panama Canal.  All of the buildings therefore were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the whole city was been declared a heritage site.  The place is now laid back, but with still a million people living here.

During a tour of the older part of the city, Raphael, who works in a mine in Canada, chose to pull the bell chord of the Lutheran Cathedral that we visited at 11:43.  I don't think the local minister appreciated that.  After our tour we had dinner in a posh resort area, where all the rich people live.  I had the best prime cut ever.  Must have come from Argentina.  The 'Chile salad' is tomatoes and onions.  Pricing for a fancy meal with drink: 25 dollars.

We went to the beach after and found the water to be ICE COLD as the current comes from Antarctica.  Some were very determined to get completely submerged but backed off once their feet were wet.  One guy went under only because he ran and jumped.  What a contrast from Santiago!  I don't think it gets above 20 celsius here ever as the wind blows from the water.  The sand was nice and warm however.  All cars remain dusty this time of the year with no rain for weeks.  The beach was jammed with Chileans, being a Saturday afternoon.

This evening, back in Santiago, we went as a group to a favorite bar and pizza place by bus thanks to the persuasion of Pablo (interpreter).  For a large glass of beer and pizza: $8.  I think I am all visited out now for the next few days, specially in really noisy crowds.

Day 8

It is hard to say goodbye to all of my new friends.  There is something about Habitat that attracts the best of people with a really good heart.  You say your goodbyes to some as we choose to do different things in Santiago on our last day, then you run into them on the street later only to do it all over again.  

I went to Santiago's gem of a city park with two newfound buddies.  The park had such pretty vegetation and panoramic views this morning with a cool summer breeze blowing on me as we chugged up the stone steps.  I took lots of pictures as there was a view to take in every direction.  If only there was not so much of a humid haze over the city as you can only just make out the Andes Mountains with their snow covered peaks in the background.

Richard and I toured a historical museum this PM and it was somewhat about the indigenous and mainly about the Spanish Conquistadors/ Armada.  Some amazing artifacts on display.  So long from Chile.