Overall Thoughts

I learned how to navigate through a foreign town while speaking a second language. I learned that Spanish is like a muscle that you need to keep training in order to have it ready to use. I knew a lot of things but it became very evident that I was not as familiar with a lot of words and phrases in Spanish as I had thought. Now don't get me wrong I knew that my Spanish was lacking, but I say that I knew most things but did not have the basic language rules and skills down in order to properly speak Spanish. I also learned that traveling is not as scary as one would think and I am very greatful for that. I often stay home and only stick to the routes that I know because it is very easy for me to get lost due to my forgetfulness. So to be able to walk to my host home and even take a completely different I also learned that anti-blackness is not as rampent as I had originally thought in Latin America, but this could be wrong. 

This leads me to what stood out to me in Chile. I was very surprised to receive the amount of attention I got in general but also to receive 'positive' attention. It was not odd for me to be stared down or a compliment to be said or shouted to me. People would call me "Black princess" or "Black Queen" and other things like this which was very shocking. I was more ready to face some negative comments or looks and not the opposite. I said that I could still be wrong about this because a lot of times people will see Black women, especially, as a sex symbol. It is not uncommon for people to think or say that black women are good for the bed or even prostitutes. I never thought that this was what was happening to me while I was experiencing it, but it could have been the case. 

Another thing that really stood out to me was the food. The food itself was not weird or anything to me but the fact that it lacked, in my opinion, a lot of flavor or spice was new to me. I thought that the food would be very flavorful and even feature some spiciness. But that was rarely the case. A good amount of the food that was cooked at home or even i restaurants was very lacking. The food was still pretty good, and i find myself missing some of the dishes, but overall I was not very impressed or blown away by the foods in Chile. 

This trip helped me to grow by taking away a lot of crutches I would usually rely on. This forced me to step outside of my comfort and engage with people and in situations I would not normally do with great ease. The fact that I was able to comfortably walk the streets and even go on little adventures alone with little to no fear of getting lost or having a bad experience was great! I had to become more aware of myself and my surroundings to successfully navigate through the town on my own when needed.

If I had a similar opportunity in the future I do not think I would do anything drastically different. The only thing that I can think of is that I would go out with people more. I passed up a lot of opportunities to hang out and explore, so if I had the chance in the future I would be sure to take advantage of every thing possible.

Lastly, my impression of Chile did not change but was expanded. I honestly never really gave much thought to Chile or even knew anything significant about the country besides its location. My time in Chile helped me to realize the great geographic diversity it possess and the amount of culture that is embedded there. Chile showed me that people, no matter the language barrier, are nice and willing to help someone in need. It's modern in a lot of respects but also traditional and unique in its own Chilean way. I never really thought of Chile prior to the trip and have sense said that if my Spanish was up to par I could see myself moving to Chile. Chile left a great impression to say the least.

Victor Jara

I love the life and music of Victor Jara. I love that he was not afraid to voice his views and disdain of the Chilean government and the interference of the U.S. government. It is incredible that he was unrelenting in his loyalty to the communist party. You rarely hear of artist that are willing to do the same things or that are supported. It reminded me of Bob Dylan who did not want ti be labeled as a civil rights artist because they were often killed. The drastic difference in the two is what is most shocking to me. The legacy of each artist is so different and I think Victor Jara has the better legacy, especially in his death. I admire his courage to taunt guards through their torture towards him and firmly standing up for his beliefs even in the hardships and face of certain death. He is truly inspiring.  It was very cool and almost eerie when we would listen to certain songs where Victor Jara had predicted events that would eventually come true further down the timeline. For example, when he predicted the death of Che Guevara. That was truly amazing and scary all in the same breath.

The markets

The tour that took us to the markets was very interesting. There were a lot of variety of very fresh and great quality fish, fruit, and veggies. It was great to see how much food yo could get for such reasonable prices. It reminded me of the swap meat markets from back home. They were usually populated by Hispanic people. These were the largest and most extensive markets I had ever seen and walked through. There were a ridiculous amount of people in the markets but that is to be expected in any market.

However, my experience and view of the markets were clouded by all of the unexpected attention I received from the people in the markets. I was stared down and addressed by men and women of all ages. I am not new to being cat called or having this sort of attention but I was not expecting that in Chile for some reason. It obviously added to the experience overall. I am not bothered by it but it definitely dominated the event in and of itself. I was also surprised to see a bunch of restaurants, sit down restaurants in the markets. The markets were literally that huge.

the markets in Vina Del Mar were also very crowded but the holiday was partly to blame. They were very nice though and seemed more relaxed compared to the ones in Santiago.

Interesting and Frustrating

My host mother and I were talking and I was trying to explain to her how I usually celebrate New Years at home. During my explaining I would often pause the conversation to open my phone and search for the missing word I needed  or check to see what the plans were with my friends for that night. I would then continue the conversation with my host mother.

Looking at the entire situation, it could have been viewed as sad or pathetic by my host mom because I needed to rely so much on my phone and the translator in stead of using my host mom or actually knowing more like I should. Also it could be viewed as rude for me to constantly use my phone at the dinner table.

Evaluating the situation based upon what I know of my host mother and her actions throughout the experience, I see how she tried to help through my struggles without passing judgement it seemed. If I was her I would not judge and would also help because I know that effort was being put forward to communicate and that this is a learning experience.

Chilean Politics

Video One:
I knew that there was European interference but I had not known to what extent or how it was done. I found it interesting that Allende did not call for a general strike when election results suspiciously favored his opponent after an earthquake. I did not realize how much the United States government was involved in Chile. The fact that Kissinger coined the idea of Latin America being an infant that needs to be taken care of by the U.S is shocking but also not shocking at the same time. My field of study has exposed me to the reality of U.S interference and how the Global North plays with and benefits from the Global South. I am horrified to learn of the terrible things the Chilean military had done to get their way.

Video Two:
I had never heard of the Dignity Colony prior to this video. It amazed me that a few place that tortured, controlled, and hurt so many people and children existed. The abuse and control of families and children is astounding. I am curious as to why many people who followed the colony even believed the leader as they had. Perhaps the timing was right with his background as a Nazi doctor who became a self proclaimed pastor. It is very easy to see through the act. Also, I can shocked at the Chilean government for supporting and turning a blind eye to the horrors coming from Dignity Colony. I am also curious as to why German immigrants were allowed and welcomed to come and build this community in Chile. I may see some common ground the two country could have; but over all I am very confused as to how things allowed for this to even take place. I would. Ever think that Chile would have such a dark past.

Video Three:
I had not known about this event either prior to watching this video. Everything was a shock to me. 

Movie reviews

I watched the film "Bear Story" which has absolutely no words but told the story of a bear in a lonely house that rides his bike to town in order to set up his little story telling box. A young boy pays for a show and the bear cranks his machine which unfolds a story of a bear family who very obviously loved one another. However, due to a military raid the family is then separated from one another. The father ends up being taken away to perform in a circus for the entertainments of others. He misses his son and wife everyday and dreams of escaping to be reunited with them. Finally the bear his able to break free and ride his bike as fast as he could to get away. He eventually ends up being reunited with his family.

The story was very touching to watch because you realize that the story of the family is actually that of the bear who shows this story to others. The films leaves a lot of things up to the watchers imagination with its lack of dialog. However, with the descriptive story that is laid out it is not very hard at all to piece it together. I personally wondered what the reason was behind the raid of the military and why they had captured the father bear and taken him away. Overall I think the film has a very interesting story line that pulls on the heart strings but gives you a decently happy ending also.

Native Persons

The Dakota Access Pipeline has been an ongoing struggle between the Sioux Nation and big oil companies backed by bigger banks. There is a pipeline that these companies want to run through North and South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois to make profit from. The problem is that the pipeline runs through Sioux land that was not discussed with their leaders to be used and it has the potential to cause water pollution to the sacred river. There have been ongoing peaceful protests by the Sioux people and others who stand in solidarity with the protesters. These peaceful protests have been met with extreme violence like stun bullets, tear gas, or even spraying the protesters with water hose in freezing temperatures.

The Mapuche people have a very similar issue to the Native Americans because both groups face economic struggles and desolate environments. They have had to adapt to modern ways to survive; yet they still face ridicule. They are also faced with losing their precious land and facing violence when voicing their concerns or speaking against those in power.

Native Americans and the Mapuche people share hardships that are unjust but they will find ways to overcome.