In Spanish it is pronounced CHEE-LAY. Not like the hot pepper or the cool temperature "chilly" (CHILL-LEE). Of course, when speaking American English, it is perfectly acceptable to pronounce it that way. Only, if you think you are saying it the proper Spanish way, say it CHEE-LAY. Not half way , like CHILL- LAY or CHEE-LEE. Spanish is not that hard. It is not like trying to say China in Chinese (subject of another post).
Some people try to say Chile the right way but often get lazy or uninformed and it comes out half-cocked, which is a pet peeve of mine. Anyway, beyond the pronunciation of the place, there is the place itself. As long as we are talking about the same land called Chile, this long time neighbor of Argentina along the Pacific Coast, I wanted to give a primer/look at the country, the people: my perspective.
Because I have been there three times, each one provided unique opportunities to understand this part of the world. I feel like I have some special insight. And when understanding ourselves and the world we share, we might as well start somewhere. Why not the bottom of the world?
Not exactly Antarctica bottom of the world, but the Republic of Chile happens to lay claim to a large portion of that frozen continent as well, plus populates the Antarctic as much if not more than most other countries. Throw in the Easter Islands and Chile claims to a be a "Tri-continental" nation. At least that was what the radio purported back in 2005.
When I received a letter in the summer of 1989 that I would be a missionary for the length of two years in and around Concepcion, in south central Chile, I remember knowing about three things regarding this nation:
1. The capital is in the middle, Santiago. The Andes separate Chile from Argentina. They speak Spanish.
2. The musical artist Sting had a song about the widows and bereaved of those who died in the dictatorship of Pinochet, called They Dance Alone.
3. The movie Missing, featuring Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, was about the family members of an American who disappears at the time of the military coup d'etat, and they fight to locate him. Sobering film.
Not a lot, really, but perhaps more than some.
I spent 22 months in the country (the first time), observing customs and quirks, lively lives and peculiar things, of course often painted by my Mormon lenses as a missionary. But first and foremost I am a human before any other label, and by and large I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I felt like I learned a lot. Shared a lot. Lived a lot. Three observations?
1. I had close and constant contact with 9 different Chilean companions/partners for the majority of my mission. They were overall smart, kind, and good people. I benefited from knowing, serving and sharing with them. I also shared companionship time with other Americans doing their missions, and on shorter terms (we can call them splits or mini-exchanges) with other Chileans, which gave me differing points of view on the culture and its nuances. People that we got to know in and out of our faith were generally kind or even doting, which is a nice problem to have.
Miguel was energetic and zealous. Together more than two months. January to March, '90.
Manuel was smart, talented and dedicated. Together a month. April '90.
Andres was acerbic and wry. One month. April/May '90.
Pablo was funny and quiet, unassuming and a good artist. Two months. May-June '90.
Patricio was gentle but thoughtful. July-August '90
Milton was dedicated in his own way. September '90.
Sergio was smart, stubborn, a presence. October '90.
Marco was quiet but strong. March '91.
Juan was diminuitive in size but large in spirit. September-October '91.
2. There was poverty, but hunger was not a big problem. By the 1990s Chile was transitioning into the new democracy and post-General Pinochet economy under newly freely elected Patricio Aylwin, but there were obvious signs of the older less developed world of South America. But people seemed to have enough food. People were always offering me their food, rich, poor or "middle class". The economy has done better there. But they, like most places, still have a ways to go.
3. The people were looking to change. They knew, or many of them believed, that the past was not the answer. People saw our faith as a chance to move on, move up, move along.
Could I be more specific? Yes.
Should I expound on some of these thoughts?
More later.
Blog on...EMC.
Some people try to say Chile the right way but often get lazy or uninformed and it comes out half-cocked, which is a pet peeve of mine. Anyway, beyond the pronunciation of the place, there is the place itself. As long as we are talking about the same land called Chile, this long time neighbor of Argentina along the Pacific Coast, I wanted to give a primer/look at the country, the people: my perspective.
Because I have been there three times, each one provided unique opportunities to understand this part of the world. I feel like I have some special insight. And when understanding ourselves and the world we share, we might as well start somewhere. Why not the bottom of the world?
Not exactly Antarctica bottom of the world, but the Republic of Chile happens to lay claim to a large portion of that frozen continent as well, plus populates the Antarctic as much if not more than most other countries. Throw in the Easter Islands and Chile claims to a be a "Tri-continental" nation. At least that was what the radio purported back in 2005.
When I received a letter in the summer of 1989 that I would be a missionary for the length of two years in and around Concepcion, in south central Chile, I remember knowing about three things regarding this nation:
1. The capital is in the middle, Santiago. The Andes separate Chile from Argentina. They speak Spanish.
2. The musical artist Sting had a song about the widows and bereaved of those who died in the dictatorship of Pinochet, called They Dance Alone.
3. The movie Missing, featuring Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, was about the family members of an American who disappears at the time of the military coup d'etat, and they fight to locate him. Sobering film.
Not a lot, really, but perhaps more than some.
I spent 22 months in the country (the first time), observing customs and quirks, lively lives and peculiar things, of course often painted by my Mormon lenses as a missionary. But first and foremost I am a human before any other label, and by and large I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I felt like I learned a lot. Shared a lot. Lived a lot. Three observations?
1. I had close and constant contact with 9 different Chilean companions/partners for the majority of my mission. They were overall smart, kind, and good people. I benefited from knowing, serving and sharing with them. I also shared companionship time with other Americans doing their missions, and on shorter terms (we can call them splits or mini-exchanges) with other Chileans, which gave me differing points of view on the culture and its nuances. People that we got to know in and out of our faith were generally kind or even doting, which is a nice problem to have.
Miguel was energetic and zealous. Together more than two months. January to March, '90.
Manuel was smart, talented and dedicated. Together a month. April '90.
Andres was acerbic and wry. One month. April/May '90.
Pablo was funny and quiet, unassuming and a good artist. Two months. May-June '90.
Patricio was gentle but thoughtful. July-August '90
Milton was dedicated in his own way. September '90.
Sergio was smart, stubborn, a presence. October '90.
Marco was quiet but strong. March '91.
Juan was diminuitive in size but large in spirit. September-October '91.
2. There was poverty, but hunger was not a big problem. By the 1990s Chile was transitioning into the new democracy and post-General Pinochet economy under newly freely elected Patricio Aylwin, but there were obvious signs of the older less developed world of South America. But people seemed to have enough food. People were always offering me their food, rich, poor or "middle class". The economy has done better there. But they, like most places, still have a ways to go.
3. The people were looking to change. They knew, or many of them believed, that the past was not the answer. People saw our faith as a chance to move on, move up, move along.
Could I be more specific? Yes.
Should I expound on some of these thoughts?
More later.
Blog on...EMC.
No comments:
Post a Comment