30 July 2012
I must speak a bit about the service industry of Chile, because elements of it just don't sit quite right with me.
It appears this country is quite fond of "outsourcing" the most minimal chores, paying to have someone else do the simple tasks. Some economists might call this a good thing, as presumably it creates additional jobs while freeing up those in higher-earning positions to spend their time on other things. Others might argue that these jobs are demeaning and take advantage of an over-supply of labor (fed by immigration from neighboring countries) looking desperately for work.
Case in point - the supermarket. Usually when you take your things to be checked out, the person scans them and passes them along to a second person who then bags them (pardon me if this sounds rudimentary, but in many parts of Europe you do the bagging yourself). Don't even think about bringing your own re-usable bags to fill up instead of brand-new disposable plastic bags they distribute, as this only confuses the bag person. The key difference in the situation in Chile is that it is customary to tip these baggers for this simple service (I still haven't figured out the appropriate amount), since I am told they are not fully paid by the store.
The problem appears to be more systemic. Maids, housecleaners, nannies - we have these in the U.S., and they are becoming commonplace in more of the homes of the 99%. Still, I think of them as something of a luxury, and I feel that that perception persists. In Chile, I learned that it is quite common in most middle and upper class households to have someone who cleans the home, does the dishes, and handles the general house chores. Last year one of the students from my program had a maid that cleaned her summer apartment, as it was simply part of the lease she signed.
My apartment has no cleaning service, but my office does. Of course, all offices have some form of cleaning crew, but here it seems to work a bit differently. Our "senorita" comes while we are still at work towards the end of the day in her blue smock, greeting us as she begins to clean up. I feel very uncomfortable for some reason as she begins tidying my desk and cleaning. Sadly, I feel that our office treats this woman as simply a maid. Many people don't really clean up after themselves, just piling dishes in the sink or leaving items on their desk for the "senorita" to clean up. I regret to say I am falling into this pattern along with the rest, though in the U.S. I feel as though it would never fly to leave dirty dishes uncleaned in the sink. What gives?
Monday, July 30, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
A (work)day in the life
25 July 2012
Today is a day at work worth recounting.
The excitement started last week, when my boss came to me with an important assignment - certainly more pressing than the line-by-line document translation I had assigned myself. As it turned out, a far more intriguing assignment as well.
Overseas representatives from our organization were visiting Chile, and they needed to learn about our newly developed Sustainability Code - my bread and butter. As they were all English speaking (Canadian, British, Australian, American), the presentation would have to be in English. My boss, busy with other things, asked me to craft a powerpoint presentation and write a script which she could follow to present the Code - a decent amount of responsibility which I appreciated. She did not have much confidence in her English, and also figured (correctly) that by this point I knew the program fairly well.
I put the presentation together over a few days and sent it to her at the end of the week, waiting for some feedback on the first draft. This Monday she came to my desk, excitedly explaining in a mix of English and Spanish that the powerpoint was very good, but that she would be unable to give the presentation on the scheduled time Wednesday. She had a conflicting meeting - would I mind doing the entire presentation on my own? I agreed, as it made sense and I felt up to the task, and I relished the opportunity to do something quite important. Then, as though she needed to sweeten the deal, my boss explained that the presentation would be integrated into a day-long visit to a local winery in which the representatives would be toured around, wined and dined - literally. I would just have to accompany them on the visit.
Believe it or not, I agreed.
Any minor butterflies in my stomach from having to give this big presentation were swarmed by an even larger buzz of excitement about actually getting to spend a day of work on a winery - my first all summer/winter. Fortunately for me, my presentation would occur early in the day, right upon arrival, and I was able to relax and enjoy myself afterwards. After stiffly guiding the audience through the basics of our Sustainability Code and fielding a few questions - on the whole I'd give my presentation a B+ - my assignment was done.
Once another hour or so transpired with the important folks discussing dull things like market share and export trends, the work was done and play could begin. Our hosts at the winery invited us into the palatial main estate quarters for a wine tasting specifically tailored to our expert guests. I must admit I was somewhat intimidated by all the professional wine-tasting practices - swirling glass vigorously held by the base, inhaling deeply, sucking the wine through the teeth, and spitting it out into custom-made receptacles which sat alongside a cheese plate. It was like eating an oyster for the first time amidst residents of Martha's Vineyard. Nonetheless, I was able to enjoy myself - even if I couldn't bring myself to spit out any of this fine wine I was taking in (I did manage to leave some drops left in the glasses, like everyone else).
Mixing things up, our hosts then invited us outside into the glorious midday sun - for sparkling wine. They served us flutes of a pleasant bubbly wine that they continued to refill as we sipped, and then provided appetizers of freshly baked empanadas (a Chilean specialty). After lazily sipping and soaking up some rays on the front porch, we were invited back into the manor - for a full lunch accompanied by more wine.
This meal consisted of several fresh vegetable / salad plates, and a choice of premium meats that had just been grilled in front of our eyes (and noses) on the patio. The chicken and beef were particularly delicious, and I had several helpings. To wash it down, the winery kept our glasses full with their Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - my favorite of the wines we had sampled. Oh yes, and dessert a la mode followed.
By the time we made our way back outside, the sun was on its way down. There was no use trying to add on to an already perfect day, and so we climbed back into the van and said our goodbye's to our hosts (to give due credit, the winery was Vina Tarapaca). I dozed pleasantly on the drive back to the office, where the workday was wrapping up by the time I sat at my desk.
A hard day's work indeed.
Today is a day at work worth recounting.
The excitement started last week, when my boss came to me with an important assignment - certainly more pressing than the line-by-line document translation I had assigned myself. As it turned out, a far more intriguing assignment as well.
Overseas representatives from our organization were visiting Chile, and they needed to learn about our newly developed Sustainability Code - my bread and butter. As they were all English speaking (Canadian, British, Australian, American), the presentation would have to be in English. My boss, busy with other things, asked me to craft a powerpoint presentation and write a script which she could follow to present the Code - a decent amount of responsibility which I appreciated. She did not have much confidence in her English, and also figured (correctly) that by this point I knew the program fairly well.
I put the presentation together over a few days and sent it to her at the end of the week, waiting for some feedback on the first draft. This Monday she came to my desk, excitedly explaining in a mix of English and Spanish that the powerpoint was very good, but that she would be unable to give the presentation on the scheduled time Wednesday. She had a conflicting meeting - would I mind doing the entire presentation on my own? I agreed, as it made sense and I felt up to the task, and I relished the opportunity to do something quite important. Then, as though she needed to sweeten the deal, my boss explained that the presentation would be integrated into a day-long visit to a local winery in which the representatives would be toured around, wined and dined - literally. I would just have to accompany them on the visit.
Believe it or not, I agreed.
Once another hour or so transpired with the important folks discussing dull things like market share and export trends, the work was done and play could begin. Our hosts at the winery invited us into the palatial main estate quarters for a wine tasting specifically tailored to our expert guests. I must admit I was somewhat intimidated by all the professional wine-tasting practices - swirling glass vigorously held by the base, inhaling deeply, sucking the wine through the teeth, and spitting it out into custom-made receptacles which sat alongside a cheese plate. It was like eating an oyster for the first time amidst residents of Martha's Vineyard. Nonetheless, I was able to enjoy myself - even if I couldn't bring myself to spit out any of this fine wine I was taking in (I did manage to leave some drops left in the glasses, like everyone else).
This meal consisted of several fresh vegetable / salad plates, and a choice of premium meats that had just been grilled in front of our eyes (and noses) on the patio. The chicken and beef were particularly delicious, and I had several helpings. To wash it down, the winery kept our glasses full with their Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - my favorite of the wines we had sampled. Oh yes, and dessert a la mode followed.
By the time we made our way back outside, the sun was on its way down. There was no use trying to add on to an already perfect day, and so we climbed back into the van and said our goodbye's to our hosts (to give due credit, the winery was Vina Tarapaca). I dozed pleasantly on the drive back to the office, where the workday was wrapping up by the time I sat at my desk.
A hard day's work indeed.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Valparaiso: in pictures (and verse)!
23 July 2012
Valparaiso
How funny you are
Put up a hostel on every one of your 40 hills
And opened your tourist spots even on Sundays
But couldn't be bothered to pick up the dog poop.
That was my homage to Valparaiso, Pablo Neruda-style. He lived there and wrote a lot about it (although it seems like every corner of Chile claims the same about its national poet).
Either way, if I didn't have these photos below to communicate Valparaiso, I think this anecdote pretty well sums up the place: I was so captivated by the spectacular views, colorful facades, and provocative street art when I clambered through these hills that I neglected to notice stepping in dog poop three separate times.
In the spirit of more photos, less words, I completely skimped on captions this time.
Valparaiso
How funny you are
Put up a hostel on every one of your 40 hills
And opened your tourist spots even on Sundays
But couldn't be bothered to pick up the dog poop.
That was my homage to Valparaiso, Pablo Neruda-style. He lived there and wrote a lot about it (although it seems like every corner of Chile claims the same about its national poet).
Either way, if I didn't have these photos below to communicate Valparaiso, I think this anecdote pretty well sums up the place: I was so captivated by the spectacular views, colorful facades, and provocative street art when I clambered through these hills that I neglected to notice stepping in dog poop three separate times.
In the spirit of more photos, less words, I completely skimped on captions this time.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Death by 1000 napkins
20 July 2012
Entry #2 of 1,954 regarding food.
It's hard not to notice the system of napkins in Chilean eateries. In fact, most people probably never consider the notion "system of napkins" unless they are obsessed with all things food like me. Or unless they have a cold, which I have had twice now down here. But I'm telling you, if you eat out in Chile, you will notice the insanity that is...Napkins.
In Chile, the napkin system is slowly and surely pushing me off my rocker. In essence, an eater is usually handed a small paper napkin with their silverware, which is in addition to a dispenser of paper napkins. Now this silverware napkin is pathetically thin and small, but it is a holy shawl compared to what comes out of these dispensers. These little hombres are smaller and thinner and of cheaper quality than what you might find on an airplane or cocktail bar. You'd think there would be shame in such pathetic excuses for napkins, but many restaurants proudly arrange and display these little things in arrays words cannot describe. [hope to get a picture added here soon]
Perhaps this would not be such a big deal if the food in Chile were simple, precise, and sauceless that forks and knives could handle with little leftover mess (for some reason I'm imagining Scandinavian cuisine to fit this description). But generally Chilean food requires napkins, lots of napkins. As someone constantly moving, I find myself in many bus stops and travel areas, where eating is quick and often hand-based (but to be fair, even my lunch-hour cuisine is not much different when I eat out at work). The standard fare in Chile in such situations are "completo" hot dogs or saucer-shaped churrasco sandwiches (another entry for another time, my love/hate with these green bean-filled sandwiches), which overflow with tomatoes (+), guacamole (+ +!), and gobs of mayonnaise (big minus). Even after wiping half of this gloop off, the "sauce" still gets all over your face and hands. Then you are left plucking these mini waxpaper napkings from the dispenser as fast as it allows in a comically endless stream, using about one per finger. Honestly, a thick roll of toilet paper would probably be more useful (in fact, I feel like I've seen this in some other parts of the world).
I want to make one final point so I can sound like a total grouch: This system creates so much waste! With composting non-existent in Chile (or anywhere else, as my research has unearthed), all these used napkins become waste headed to landfills or incinerators. The absurdity is that I am almost certain that if the restaurant provided a single napkin that was larger, thicker, and stronger - even of the paper variety - it would probably suffice and I would likely use less paper in the process. Harumph.
Entry #2 of 1,954 regarding food.
It's hard not to notice the system of napkins in Chilean eateries. In fact, most people probably never consider the notion "system of napkins" unless they are obsessed with all things food like me. Or unless they have a cold, which I have had twice now down here. But I'm telling you, if you eat out in Chile, you will notice the insanity that is...Napkins.
In Chile, the napkin system is slowly and surely pushing me off my rocker. In essence, an eater is usually handed a small paper napkin with their silverware, which is in addition to a dispenser of paper napkins. Now this silverware napkin is pathetically thin and small, but it is a holy shawl compared to what comes out of these dispensers. These little hombres are smaller and thinner and of cheaper quality than what you might find on an airplane or cocktail bar. You'd think there would be shame in such pathetic excuses for napkins, but many restaurants proudly arrange and display these little things in arrays words cannot describe. [hope to get a picture added here soon]
Perhaps this would not be such a big deal if the food in Chile were simple, precise, and sauceless that forks and knives could handle with little leftover mess (for some reason I'm imagining Scandinavian cuisine to fit this description). But generally Chilean food requires napkins, lots of napkins. As someone constantly moving, I find myself in many bus stops and travel areas, where eating is quick and often hand-based (but to be fair, even my lunch-hour cuisine is not much different when I eat out at work). The standard fare in Chile in such situations are "completo" hot dogs or saucer-shaped churrasco sandwiches (another entry for another time, my love/hate with these green bean-filled sandwiches), which overflow with tomatoes (+), guacamole (+ +!), and gobs of mayonnaise (big minus). Even after wiping half of this gloop off, the "sauce" still gets all over your face and hands. Then you are left plucking these mini waxpaper napkings from the dispenser as fast as it allows in a comically endless stream, using about one per finger. Honestly, a thick roll of toilet paper would probably be more useful (in fact, I feel like I've seen this in some other parts of the world).
I want to make one final point so I can sound like a total grouch: This system creates so much waste! With composting non-existent in Chile (or anywhere else, as my research has unearthed), all these used napkins become waste headed to landfills or incinerators. The absurdity is that I am almost certain that if the restaurant provided a single napkin that was larger, thicker, and stronger - even of the paper variety - it would probably suffice and I would likely use less paper in the process. Harumph.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Atacama Desert: in pictures!
17 July 2012
Less talk, more pictures.
It was hard to trim my 500+ photos down to a dozen for this blog. I've featured about 60 total that chronicle all the highlights of the trip and have posted them on picasa. If you'd like to see more and want the link, send me a message.
Thanks!
Less talk, more pictures.
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| Iconic church in the central plaza of small town San Pedro de Atacama (my base for my day trips). Roof is made from cactus wood and leather straps were used instead of nails - folks are pretty resourceful out in the desert. |
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| Valle de la Muerte |
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| Who feels salty!? This whole area is full of salt deposits, in some cases just layered onto the rocks. |
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| Here I am just one of the many dazzled (and burnt) by the sun setting over Valle de la Luna |
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| Salar de Atacama, an immense and gorgeous salt flat in the middle of the desert where natural springs created an incredible ecosystem, with three species of flamingos (in the background) and a nimble avocet in the foreground. |
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| Same day, same tour, just a few hundred meters up in the Andes and we come across a pack of vicuna, awesome creatures related to llamas that were never domesticated. |
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| I was running out of poses, here in one of the altiplano lakes, a body of half-frozen water trapped where volcanic flows blocked the snowmelt and retained it high in the mountains, a breeding ground for rare birds (way in the distance). |
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| Domesticated members of the camelid family (in case you couldn't tell by their technicolor earings), I'm going to say these are alpacas. Their wool is beautiful and famously cozy, as my new sweater can attest to. |
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| My last day (barely), around 6am anticipating sun rise over the geysers at Tatio. |
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| A nice shot of our noble tour guide and the brave members of our expedition, as we braved minus 14 degree (Celsius!) weather to experience the glory of these high-altitude geysers when the sun broke overhead |
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| Steampunk. |
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| Steampunk. |
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| Driving back from the geysers, we passed this herd of alpacas (or llamas?) in the desert |
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| On my bus ride out of the Atacama Desert, I took this "parting shot" |
It was hard to trim my 500+ photos down to a dozen for this blog. I've featured about 60 total that chronicle all the highlights of the trip and have posted them on picasa. If you'd like to see more and want the link, send me a message.
Thanks!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Work environs
10 July 2012
Fellow urban nerds, this one's for you. (Also, I telepathically determined that those reading this blog enjoy entries with pictures, so I will try to incorporate photos more regularly, as you can see below).
It's about time I described where I work. As an urban planning student, I'm far more intrigued by the community around my office than my actually building. Counter-intuitively, my office is located in the suburbs (though still technically Santiago proper) while my apartment is an hour away in the city center.
In a sentence, Vitacura - the "communidad" in which I work - is a wealthy surburban community undergoing schizophrenia, as it rapidly develops in a haphazard and contradictory way, leaving calm and quiet a distant memory. Or, it would be like watching San Marino experience a boom of development while all zoning regulations and building restrictions and area plans were thrown away.
The community obviously had a plan at one point, as it is composed of small residential streets, wider avenues, and a few broad boulevards with pleasant parkways running down the middle. The wide avenues are now incongruous mixes of building types - corner shopping plazas, moderate office towers, car repair shops, single-item specialty stores, posh restaurants, high-rise apartment complexes, and mansions converted into art galleries or boutiques. My office, a moderate and unassuming 4-story structure, sits next to a couple specialty (i.e. arts; French-language) schools on one of the main streets. But once you turn the corner, the area suddenly gives way to sprawling, fancy single-family homes on large blocks that wouldn't be out of place in wealthy pockets of Southern California.
What might be amusing, if my urban planning instincts weren't screaming in frustration, is witnessing the chaotic development transform this community. Towering condos are presently going up alongside one-story single family homes on quiet side streets - surely infuriating the original residents. (I could go off on this matter for a while, but I'll save that for another entry, or maybe different blog entirely). Small parklets have been carved out on corners or edges of city blocks - a welcome change for Santiago, though I'm not sure for whom these parks are intended (probably not the pairs of smooching teens on lunch break from the nearby high schools). Vitacura, like all of Santiago, sprawls with a car-first mentality, yet strives to provide a first-class transit system to serve a large number of commuters. Thus there is an impressive bus network that blankets the whole city, supplementing the subway, yet the streets are congested with too many cars and buses have no dedicated right of way, creeping sluggishly along and packed with passengers. Likewise, certain street designs appear to suggest that THIS IS A PEDESTRIAN ZONE where cars should slow down and take heed, but actual pedestrians like myself are befuddled or frustrated because the streets have few, inconvenient crosswalks and make us resort to darting across traffic lanes.
I suppose my morning walk - after I take the stuffed Metro to the crammed bus to my office's street - sums up the neighborhood well. After riding along a pretty parkway with sculptures scattered throughout it, I am dumped into a bus stop in front of a gas station. I pass boutiques as well as a bike shop operating out of the first floor of an apartment tower (this baffles me since I see only a handful of frightened cyclists careening down sidewalks - there are no bike lanes to speak of). I pass a fancy new office building for Lexmark and a charming corner park - both with fountains flowing in the middle of winter. I pass a megadevelopment furiously under construction, and then I pass my favorite, a former mansion now transformed into "Museo de la Moda" - featuring cars parked vertically IN its lawn and currently featuring a Back to the Eighties exhibit. Volver, indeed.
Fellow urban nerds, this one's for you. (Also, I telepathically determined that those reading this blog enjoy entries with pictures, so I will try to incorporate photos more regularly, as you can see below).
It's about time I described where I work. As an urban planning student, I'm far more intrigued by the community around my office than my actually building. Counter-intuitively, my office is located in the suburbs (though still technically Santiago proper) while my apartment is an hour away in the city center.
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| My office building in Vitacura |
In a sentence, Vitacura - the "communidad" in which I work - is a wealthy surburban community undergoing schizophrenia, as it rapidly develops in a haphazard and contradictory way, leaving calm and quiet a distant memory. Or, it would be like watching San Marino experience a boom of development while all zoning regulations and building restrictions and area plans were thrown away.
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| Broad boulevard with parkway (and sculptures) in the middle. |
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| Swanky modern residence in Vitacura (or is it Santa Monica?) |
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| How upset are these residents watching those goliaths go up behind them? |
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| Street design unfriendly to cars or people. Cars must slow down for the speed bump, while pedestrians are hemmed in by railings and can't actually cross at the corner where they are trying to go. |
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| Pleasant corner park, with fountain |
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| Museo de la Mode |
Monday, July 9, 2012
I miss my Rosalind
5 July 2012
Chile's got a lot of dogs. One might even say it has a dog problem. There are stray, unclaimed dogs roaming around every city and town I have visited, so many that it is hard to walk down any street anywhere for more than a minute without encountering a stray.
Now whether you perceive this as a problem may be more a matter of perspective. Having just spent time in Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama, one might say the dogs here have it pretty good. And if you have spent any time in Southeast Asia, you'd say these dogs are in great shape.
And they are in pretty good shape, for the most part. They don't seem to have any nasty scars or visible diseases or missing fur - as I saw plenty of in Thailand. They aren't starving, like many of Cuba's strays. And they aren't all a generic mid-sized mutt like the ones I saw in Panama, but have clear pure breeds in their recent lineage (and many seem to be straight Chow, German Shepherd, or Yellow Labs themselves). A lot of Chilean strays wouldn't look out of place in a U.S. yard. In fact, there are many dogs which recall the brown and black Rottweiler/Labrador/Doberman/Shepherd mix I call my Roz-the-dog (pictured above).
What's interesting is the fact that Chile is fairly cold, especially from Santiago down south, making it harder for homeless animals of any kind. This has brought out the best in Chileans, though, as many stray dogs trot around the capital in custom-made dog sweaters. They are well-fed too, with none displaying protruding ribcages as is all too common elsewhere. In fact, on more than one occassion I have walked past a stray dog sleeping outdoors, with a whole bowl of leftover grub set deliberaletly next to it, untouched. My dog would snap out of her deepest squirrel-chasing dream to devour that.
Oh Roz, I miss you so.
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| One of my favorite photos of my pup, Rosalind, aka Roz-the-Dog (currently being cared for by my wonderful parents, thank you very much) |
Chile's got a lot of dogs. One might even say it has a dog problem. There are stray, unclaimed dogs roaming around every city and town I have visited, so many that it is hard to walk down any street anywhere for more than a minute without encountering a stray.
Now whether you perceive this as a problem may be more a matter of perspective. Having just spent time in Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama, one might say the dogs here have it pretty good. And if you have spent any time in Southeast Asia, you'd say these dogs are in great shape.
And they are in pretty good shape, for the most part. They don't seem to have any nasty scars or visible diseases or missing fur - as I saw plenty of in Thailand. They aren't starving, like many of Cuba's strays. And they aren't all a generic mid-sized mutt like the ones I saw in Panama, but have clear pure breeds in their recent lineage (and many seem to be straight Chow, German Shepherd, or Yellow Labs themselves). A lot of Chilean strays wouldn't look out of place in a U.S. yard. In fact, there are many dogs which recall the brown and black Rottweiler/Labrador/Doberman/Shepherd mix I call my Roz-the-dog (pictured above).
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| How many stray doggies lounging in the central park of Chillan can you count? (Look close) |
Oh Roz, I miss you so.
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