Notes from Chile - Homeward Bound

Wall grafitti from Valparaiso showing one of the acensors (elevators) that take you up in this city of steep hills.

We have no excuse for our absence with this blog. We began it with the best of intentions but once school began we disappeared under the work. Now it seems in a few short days we will wind our way back home. Thanks to all the friends who have kept up the emails and encouragements. You have helped us to maintain our sense of purpose and resilience. For both are important aspects when managing through cultural ambiguity. There has been much to learn and understand in too little a time. We have been fortunate though. Unlike tourism where you view a culture from the peripheral, employment has allowed us to be active participants in the lives of our colleagues, students and friends. The last few blog entries from Chile are our attempts to share with you some of our key learning, our impressions – right or wrong, our frustrations and our joys. Read what interest you and skip what does not.

People Make the Difference

Chile is a place of great geography: from the Araucaria forest in the high Andes to the Torres de Paine in the South, not to forget Pumalin, Chiloe, Valdivia, Valpariso, Villarrica among a few of the great places we have travelled. We have used every free moment to experience this inspirational country. But in every occasion we have been privileged to meet and to know many good people. People we will not forget. People who made our brief stay special. We hope we will meet you again and we hope will come to our country so we might return the hospitality. There are so many friends we would like to say thank you to so we made a slideshow of of a few of these great people. If we missed you it is because we lacked a picture so send us one.

The Araucaria

For some strange reason, we (U.S.) know this tree as the monkey puzzle. But in Chile and Argentina, it is the majestic Araucaria the sacred tree of the Mapuche people. It grows in the Andes, the higher the better. The trees have a characteristic drape to their limbs which when viewed along a ridgeline from afar gives the Andes an almost tropical, other worldly appearance.
The Araucaria is an evergreen and can grow to towering heights. The trees are either male or female. The female tree produce the largest cones I have ever seen. Some are up to 12 inches.
The cone is full of pinions which are the seeds of the tree and also a valuable source of food for the Mapuche Indians. The tree grows ever so slowly so a mature tree is very, very old – several thousand of years old. We had the privilege to walk through an Araucaria forest in the high Andes near the Argentina border. It will remain on the highlights of this trip for me. On the sidebar are some pictures of these glorious trees.

A Typical Day

Nothing is as you plan it and that is what makes living abroad both interesting and a challenge. I ended up working mega hours with the Teachers of English program. All teachers of English must pass four years of English before they can student teach. I taught one section of 32 third-year students. I also taught the writing to the other 58 third-year students. Blaine spent his time in research and teaching seminars on best known instructional practices. Looking back, I am not sure what we expected but it felt a whole lot like work - especially the grading.

Usually we were up by 7am and off to teach a class by 10am. The University was an easy 10 minute walk. We often walked it several times a day just to be able to come home for lunch or whatever. Everyone walks everywhere.Walking is the best part of Chile. The streets are always filled with people going about their business. It is not unusual to meet someone you know and spend some time chatting with them. Lunch is a "civilized" two hour break that often stretches to three hours for shopping or going about your personal business. The work day is generally over around 6 or 7 when we would go to the gym or shopping. Dinner is at the second civilized hour - around 8-9pm. Awfully late! We never did get used to the late dinners although I could live by the long lunches.

The best of all of this experience for me was my students. The first day I greeted them, they were timid, sotic, nervous. They had no advance notice they were getting a "foreigner" as a teacher. In reflection, I am amazed and privileged at how naturally they entrusted me with their education. We spent a lot of time interacting. They have informed me my student- centered teaching style is what confused them at first. But they relaxed and opened up. And I think, I hope, they learned a lot of good English and some different teaching practices. Take a look at them now. They are not a shy group now!

Students and Teachers Strike For a Better Education

An interesting feature of high school and university life is the “paro” and the “toma”. From the Spanish verb parar – to stop or to stand up (for something), a paro is when the students stop attending classes because of some discords with the school administration or the government over education funding or priorities. During paro, teachers must show up for class, wait ten minutes for students who are not going to be there, and then go about our business for the rest of the time. Many students would like to attend classes but peer pressure is overwhelming. Thus school might as well be cancelled until the paro is settled. Students are nonetheless expected to continue studying the class materials using as their guide the “cronograma” which is sort of equivalent to a class schedule in the U.S. syllable.
A paro is not as harsh as a toma. Toma, from the Spanish verb tomar – to take, is when the students literally take over a building or campus. During a toma, classes are officially cancelled for the teachers. However, the students are still expected to keep up with their studies. The politically active students seem to be a small but committed minority. For them, this is a time to make speeches and participate in marches. For the rest, they go back home, work, or party – but they do not study. The time of paro and toma is essentially lost for educational purposes.
Our university was in paro and/or toma for 5 weeks beginning in around May 19. We did not see students again until June 23. This was a national event. Public and semi-private schools all over Chile were on stike and some schools continue to be. The teachers even took time off to march on the national congress and show support through demonstrations in cities around Chile.

U of Catolica in toma

The debate with the government over how schools are funded continues even now. It is one of the most important issues facing Chile. As one protestor’s sign eloquently stated: “When Pinochet sold the schools, he sold our future.” We have included a blog entry on the education system and current reform efforts. And w have put together a slide show of the paros, tomas, and marches.

Education Reform the Chileno Way

Professors from around the region marching in Temuco
on the day of the national strike for education reform
Under Pinochet, almost all aspects of education from preschool through college were privatized. There still exist public schools but these are woefully underfunded. Public schools are overcrowded with at least 40 -50 students to a class including in the primary grades. Students are two to a desk and share books. Buildings are run down and often unsanitary, unheated, and depressing. Teachers are underpaid and ill prepared for the realities of the classroom. This sounds like an over-exaggeration but unfortunately it is not. The downward spiral seems to have begun in earnest during the 70’s when education was sold off to private enterprise. Now, Chile finds itself at an inflection point over education reform.
Private schools have all the benefits of money that is lacking in the public schools. But along with privatizing the standards also disappeared. Anyone with enough cash, connections, and good business and marketing skills can start a school. We noticed a department in a government building downtown that specializes in helping you start a new school. In between the two extremes, there is a mixture of semi-public funded/private school. University of Catolica in Temuco were we were based is one of the semi-private schools. The problem with public funding when it is given is there is a lack of strict accountability to how it is spent.

LOCE is the name of the new law.

This sign is saying NO! LOCE

As you can imagine those graduating from private schools have good test scores and are able to enter the better universities and to have a greater chance of success as they pursue their careers. The disparity magnifies as you travel further from metropolitan areas. It just does not pay to start a private school in the countryside. Middle class families make tremendous sacrifices to educate their children. For farmers and laborers in the countryside, they simply do not have the means to pay. If at all possible, they send their children to the city to live with a relative to be educated. Thus a subtle but pervasive class system prevails.
In many ways Chile is a developed country with tremendous international potential in the exportation of raw materials (assorted minerals, copper, wood) and agricultural goods (rice, fruit, fish). But in this one critical area – education –the country straddles between its future potential and unclear goals.
In this year the government has proposed a new law to fix some of these problems. Unfortunately, it does nothing to end the privatizing of education which many feel is the main source of their problems. Many Chilenos have objected to the inertia demonstrated by their leaders. In true Chileno style teachers and students have taken to the street in protest. It appears the battle will be a long one.

School of Social Work at the U of Catolica on Strike

Do You Have Your Boleta (Receipt)?

An interesting artifact of the Pinochet years is that EVERYTHING is privatized. Everything! For example, curb side parking along pubic streets is a concession. Every street has someone who “manages” the parking. This person’s main function is to ensure that you are charged the appropriate amount for parking. He might help you get in or out of your spot but that requires an extra tip. The parking person is paid a percentage of how much he is able to collect. He reports to a boss who owns several streets, who reports to a boss who owns several bosses, and the pyramid is built. Everywhere you go someone is collecting something for their share of whatever you are using or buying. Thus, save your boleta (receipt) because the next person might ask you to pay for the same service and you need your proof.

This is probably my most favorite boleta of all times. It is the receipt from the "Tunel de las Raices". About 80 km due east of Temuco, this tunnel cuts through the heart of the Andes between Manzanar and Lonquimay. As you travel the 4km under the mountain range, you leave the lush, wet greenness of the western Andes and encounter the barren, dry pampas range of the eastern Andes.

Imagine our surprise when we found out the interstate is also a concession section by section. Ruta 5 looks just like our Interstate 5 except that every 100 – 150 KM you stop to pay a toll of about $3.50 for a car. Now I am not entirely sure how this works but apparently the concession owners maintains their section and in return keep a portion of the fees. And you better have your boleta because there are toll booths along the way to catch people trying to slip onto the interstate from a back road. When you finally leave the interstate, your boleta is surrendered, time stamped and given back to you. Don’t ask me why; the whole process is a curiosity.

Boletas are also a way to provide employment for large numbers of people. Let’s say you want to buy shampoo. First you go to the counter where the various shampoos are kept BEHIND the counter. No touching, the sales clerk will help you. You select a shampoo and are given a boleta. Next you go stand in line to pay your boleta. Upon doing so the cashier gives you a new boleta. This you take to the area where your shampoo is being wrapped. You surrender boleta #2, are given your shampoo – and you guessed it: you are given boleta #3. It is important to plan enough time for even the simplest purchases and be sure you get your boleta.

Fullbrighter Conducts Reseach on Social Habits at Thermal Baths

I am sure some Fullbright scholar has researched the thermal activity and its potential as there are only about 500 active volcanoes in Chile. But we did make it our special mission to personally experience the hospitality industry of thermal hot springs. Our goal was to visit every thermal bath within a day’s drive of Temuco. Last count we had been to 10 thermals of the approximate 15 in our region. And these are only about half of those available in all of Chile, a country of volcanoes. Chileans have perfected the hospitality of thermal hot springs. These places are beautiful designed and managed by friendly, kind people. The guests are the same. Everyone has come to relax, to enjoy themselves, to find calmness. Bathing in boiling water does not make for loud, excitable partying. Fortunately for Chilenos there is no Environmental Protection Agency as construction of some of these places clearly required major alterations to the natural surroundings. We loved the thermal baths. On the side bar is a slide show of some of our favorite spots.

Southern Patagonia and the Southern Ocean

The Chilean Navimag ferry, Evangelistas, docked in Puerto Montt at 6 am on February 11. Hurriedly we grabbed our bags and ran for the bus station. Road weary, stuffed full of “Cruise” food, and beaten by the weather, we wanted on the first bus back to Temuco. In two weeks of travel around Southern Patagonia and the Southern Ocean we had seen enough of the wind, cold, fog, rain, and the roads – at least 50% in gravel. By 9am we were nestled in our seats, aboard a “directo” – a bus that makes only a few rural stops – headed north on Ruta 5, the main north/south freeway in Chile. As we progressed north the sky gradually cleared and the temperature rose. We scrounged our sunglasses from wherever they were packed long ago. In five hours we would be home to hot, sunny, smoggy Temuco.

As we reflected upon the privilege given to us to visit such an extreme environment, we decided to dedicate this next installment of our blog to the elements: the wind, the ice, the land and the sea. This is not to diminish the generous people we met, the moments we shared with our friends and new acquaintances, or the obstacles encountered and solved as travelers. The environment, the people, and the travel: together they blend as one to provide the texture of our experiences.

Wall art in Ushuaia

The end of the earth- al fin del mundo - is indeed a place of extremes: winds inconceivably strong, glaciers and ice fields so numerous and large that we can not mention them all , and a land dry, brittle, barren except for the impressive mountains and unique animals that have found a way to survive among the elements and with humans.

It is a solitary region, I have already spoken
of this so solitary region,
where the earth is covered with ocean,
and there is no one but some hoofprints
there is no one but the wind, there is no one
but the rain that falls upon the waters of the sea,
no one but the rain that grows upon the sea.
Pablo Neruda, The Southern Ocean

The Wind - El Viento

Blaine, Fran and friends Kate and Tito waiting to board the M/N Via Australias (Kate is the one with the camera.)

Our trip plan was to fly from Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas, Chile, stay for one night and then the fly to Ushuaia, Argentina. There were would stay for two days before boarding the M/N Via Australis (austral means southern) for a 4 day cruise of glaciers, penguins and the ultimate prize, Cape Horn. From the moment we stepped off the plane in Punta Arenas we were walking bent over. Punta Arenas is strategically located on the Straits of Magellan. It is a smallish, prosperous, industry-based city that just happens to be on the road to Cape Horn. They do a brisk – I mean that both in wind and $$ - business in international tourism from December to February. The rest of the year they act as Chile’s southern-most producer of gas as well as supplier of services and goods to points even further south including Antarctica. Docked in the city were military supply ships readying goods for transit to the South Pole.

Small boat harbor in Ushuaia. Note the boats are not on buoys.

We marvelled at how they did not break anchor - at least while we were there.

The wind did not relent in Ushuaia, it increased. Where Punta Arena hints at international tourism, Ushuaia reigns. Ushuaia is on the Beagle Canal in Argentina. Unlike cities in Chile it is not laid out around a central plaza. The theme in Ushuaia is tourist trap albeit with a European feel to it. The streets run parallel to the water front which helps to soften the strength of the wind coming off the Canal. As you rise up into the city, the first three to four streets are packed with tourist shops, restaurants, banks, and street vendors. Beyond that, were the regular folks live, are more restaurants, some hotels, and great views of the Canal. Situated at the base of a mountain Ushuaia even has its own glacier.

Work boats making way in rough seas off Isla Aguirre as we were approaching open ocean.

Rough seas and terrific vistas from the deck of the cruise ship.

We boarded the cruise boat in the evening after two days of sightseeing in Ushuaia. But the port was closed due to high winds, so we went to bed in our cozy cabins next to the dock. Thus set the tone for the rest of the trip: high winds, high seas, rain, mist, fog. We did not make it to Cape Horn. The winds were 95 miles per hour at the Cape. For this we forgave the captain his good judgment but we could not reconcile our disappointment. There were side trips to a calving glacier and to Isla Magdalena where a colony of 80,000!!! penguins live.
But always the eternally blowing wind dogged us.

The M/N Via Australis holding anchor in high wind at the Isla Magdelina.

Penguins dodging skuas and surf to fish.

The Land - La Tierra

Guanaco herd grazing on the pampas grass.

Our cruise took us within the labyrinth of passages, fjords, and islands that comprise Tierra del Fuego. It is the largest island in South America. Yes, the wind does blow as we have mentioned but there is very little rainfall. If you think of eastern Oregon, Idaho, or Montana, you have an idea of the terrain and climate.

On February 6 we disembarked at Punta Arenas where we caught a bus to Puerto Natales gateway to the Torres del Paine National Park. This park is the premier park in Patagonia with the soaring peaks of the Torres as a backdrop for the numerous glacial lakes and streams. Made of solid granite, the Torres del Paine cordillera rises in pillars 2,800 meters above the Patagonian steppe. There are numerous guanaco, rhea (ostriches), flamingos, and Andean condors within the boundaries of the park which is a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The landscapes are truly astounding and we have vowed to return to join the more than 200,000 people who visit the park each year.

A surreal as it seems, that is NOT a poster in the background. We really were there.

The Glaciers - El Glaciars

Blaine, our friend, Tito Titus, and Glaciar Ghunther Pluschow
aboard the M/N Via Australis

One featured item in Southern Patagonia is glaciers. They are everywhere and very impressive. At first we had glimpses of them from a distance. As the journey progressed, we encountered glaciers in closer proximity. In fact, one cannot get a true feel for a glacier until its winds chill your body while a showery icy, mist rains on your face.

We had to be reminded that this was indeed summer in Patagonia. While on the cruise out of Ushuaia, we visited, in Zodiacs, a very blue thus ancient glacier with steep walls overhanging the fjord water. There we witnessed the glacier calve with the sound of a gun firing and the whoosh of the wind blowing across the water. The splash sent waves reverberating in the narrow fjord from which we viewed this cataclysmic event. We were coldly stunned by what we saw and experienced.

Glaciar Piloto y Nena calving.

This is not poor focusing; it alternated rain and sleet.

The best of the glacier watching was to come as we headed north on the Chilean Navimag ferry called Evangelistas from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt from February 7 -11. This was a trip of over 1000 miles from Southern to Northern Patagonia through the inland fjords created by these same glaciers. Although the Navimag ferrys are essentially work boats carrying passengers and goods to inland ports, the captain took us to view several glaciers along the route. The most memorable is Glacier Skua. It is the most enormous glacier in Patagonia at approximately 50 kilometers wide and an incredible 140 kilometers long.

Glaciar Skua from the M/N Evangelistas about one mile away and up close.

The Sea - El Mar

Puerto Eden at dawn.

As the Navimag ferry made its way through the maze of passages that comprise the fjords and canals of Southern Chile, the inhospitable and dry terrain slowly morphed into the diverse and temperate rain forest of Northern Patagonia. A regular stop of the north bound Navimag is a very small and remote fishing village called Puerto Eden.

It is the stronghold where the last remaining group of Alacaluf indigenous people reside. With a backdrop of green foliage topped by the granite spires of the Andes, no neighbors for miles in any direction, and the only transportation by boat or sea plane, Puerto Eden is a unique community of 180 people that reminded us very much of the Alaska bush where we taught in the 1980’s.

Puerto Eden fishing boats await the tide.

Because there was no alternative, the ferry then headed out to the open ocean for a four hour sojourn on the Gulf of Pena before we could return to the calm confines of the canals and fjords. Heading North toward Puerto Montt, the last major crossing of open ocean was the Gulf of Corcovado which separates the mainland from the unique island of Chiloe. We will explore Chiloe in our next installment of the blog.

Greetings from Temuco, Chile

Welcome to our opening post and first experience as Blog publishers. Some of our readers already know who we are and why we are writing this blog. For new readers, we are in Temuco, Chile until August to teach, research, and share what we know about teaching another language. Our students are future English teachers. We are able to be here through a Fullbright Scholarship awarded to Blaine. He is the one who will conduct research and share best known methods. Fran will teach two college level credit courses in English. And did we mention we will also enjoy traveling, making new friends, learning the culture, and polishing our Spanish. How lucky can we be!


In this blog we will share our experiences, insights, and travel suggestions. Let us know what you enjoy reading and want to know more about. You can always contact us personally via our email addresses: blaineackley@comcast.net or fran.beebe@comcast.net .

First Impressions: Living through the ambiguity and learning to love Chile by Fran

We arrived in Temuco with an embarrassing 10 bags, all of them at maximum size and weight. I guess this is not bad for two people for 7 months but my mind kept repeating: too much stuff, too much stuff. Everyone was polite and never said anything harsh as in “Why do you North Americans need so much stuff. “ The biggest hassle in the entire 24 hours and three flights to Temuco was an exasperating moment in Santiago when we were unable to produce the receipt proving we had paid for the bags all the way to Temuco. (Lesson #1: Chile is a country of receipts. Everyone from the grocery cashier to the bus driver gives you a receipt - or sometimes two. Hang on to your receipts. You never know when someone will ask you to prove you paid.) After about 20 minutes of wrangling, using very poor Spanish on my part, the supervisor accepted the inevitable i.e., these people know so little Spanish the effort is not worth it. She let us through without paying a hefty charge (approx USD$300), but with the inevitable scolding: In Chile: hang on to your receipts.

OUR tiny APARTMENT

We arrived on January 1, 2008. Our friends gave us a warm greeting and whisked us off to our apartment – it took two cars for the 10 bags!! We live in the heart of Temuco in the central district. This means we are close to everything we need but it also means we are in the center of all the noise, traffic and general commotion. Anyone who has visited our house in Hillsboro knows our house is not large by American standards. Nonetheless, this whole apartment is a just little bigger then our kitchen-dining room area. However, the architect managed to divide the apartment into 5 rooms. We have two bathrooms – go figure! The kitchen is wide enough for one person only. It also includes the washer/dryer combo unit and the hot water heater that doubles as the heating unit during the winter. Check out the slide show.

Temuco - Big Little City

Temuco is a big city but not a big city. It is urban and modern but then again not. It is the regional center, full of commerce; busy, bustling, and growing but the economy is primarily agriculture with a strong tie to the land and the Mapuche (indigenous) culture. It is not unusual to see the Mapuche driving their horse carts through the streets, selling their produce at the feria (open market), visiting in the central plaza (the center of community life) or living in their unique houses in the surrounding country-side.

Like many things we have encountered so far in Temuco, commerce is full of contradictions. You can find many conveniences here with grand department stores and malls on the scale of the U.S. Each carries a full line of merchandise and offers a revolving credit card with special points, prizes and deals to sign up or purchase with their card. Yet we found only two models of an iPOD stereo player in the whole city.

There seems to be an overabundance of banks and credit offices with several on every block. Yet they all seem to be full of people at all times of the day. How can that so people have that much business to do in all those banks all day long?

Cell phones rule the day with everyone having the apparatuses tied to their ears. Distributors are found in just about every store. Yet the land phone lines are strictly controlled. You are required to have your national “Identity Card” to obtain a home phone. Additionally as foreigners, we were required to show our work contracts. If you are using a cell phone to call a land line, you must dial a special code.

Small businesses grease the economy but the supply network is incredibly segmented. One can find computer equipment for sale just about everywhere. However, one store sales the hardware, another sales accessories, another sales electronic add-ons and another sales the printer inks. If you need system administrative assistance that is yet another store. Software? You got it now: go to another store. Everyone gets a cut and the entrepreneurial spirit thrives.

The People We Have Met

Temuco is the regional hub but it is not a tourist town. We rarely see other obvious looking gringos on the streets. (Lesson #2 “Gringo” has a positive connation in Chile. It simply means someone from outside especially North American or Europe). Languages other than Spanish or Mapuche are not commonly heard. So in some ways we appear as an oddity to the locals. Our Chilean friends have been invaluable helping us to decode the culture, to learn where and what to shop, to get services to our apartment, and to find our way around.

As we stumble along with our broken Spanish everyone - to the person - has been patient, friendly, and helpful. Besides Temuco, we have traveled to the South a few hundred miles and to the east into the Andes near the Argentina border. The people we have met have been kind but serious, hardworking, and straight forward. At times people have stopped us to ask where we are from and if they can talk English with us. They are always pleasant, always polite – never in a hurry.

Travelers worry about personal safety and for good reasons. There are always places where one needs to be careful, like the crowded market or crossing the street in traffic. We have not felt the usual traveler’s anxiety over our personal safety. The harshest advice I would give a foreigner in Chile is: Be vigilant in traffic! Even the nicest person becomes a crazed fiend behind the wheel.

Travels in Northern Patagonia

The following stories are our reflections from our trip to Northern Patagonia aboard a 40 foot motor cruiser from June 6-10.

Patagonia Ecology & Eco-Activism

We learned that the Patagonian temperate rain forest is one of only four in the world - New Zealand, British Columbia, Olympic Rain Forest - yet the Patagonian rain forest is by far the most diverse and the most threatened.

For example, because there is so much rain and fresh water from the melting glaciers coming into the fjords of Patagonia, the first three meters of depth have a greater concentration of fresh water. This greater concentration of fresh water results in life forms that are unknown anywhere else in the world. Some of the pictures Fran took will give you an idea of the immensity of this land. Also, please remember we visited only one set of northern Patagonian fjords for just four days.

Yet, the pressure to develop Patagonia with dams and fish farming is relentless. If the dam projects, slated for Aysen, is allowed to go forward, it will mean roads and electrical lines spread across this unstable and thin layer of top soil that is sure to damage the unique life forms and diversity of life that is present in Patagonia now. You can go to http://www.globalresponse.org/ or http://patagonia-under-siege.blogspot.com/2007/11/chiles-anti-dam-horseback-protestors.html to learn more about the project and its effects on the human and flora and fauna of the region.

Huinay - A Patagonian Research Foundation

Situated at the confluence of a river and the sea, the Huinay Foundation is minimally funded to research on the unique bio-diversity found in northern Patagonia. Fran and I were impressed by the staff at the foundation the research they are doing. You can access more information about Huinay at http://www.fundacionhuinay.cl/

Living on the frontier

Using only the resources that are available to them a few hardy souls try to eke out a living from the sea or from the land. Working with little other than their own ingenuity, these folks seem to live their lives free of the humdrum monotony of life in the city.