Mural in San Miguel
Mural in San Miguel
I’ve decided that my goal is really take in as much of the culture of Santiago that I can. I was talking with Sergio today asking about “po” and other colloquialisms of Chile. As he taught me some I started to really become elated. I said that these are the things you can’t learn in class or through pictures or being a tourist. It’s when you ask questions and take 45 minute train rides when you start to really gain a glimpse of what the culture is like. Asya, Shelby, and I went out to the Museo Cielo Abierto de San Miguel. The murals were each unique and beautiful and complex. It made me think of the complexity of Santiago and the history and the culture. The murals were on social housing in a lower income neighborhood. And I’m going to this neighborhood I saw a side of Santiago I hadn’t seen. Sometimes as a tourist you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city with all the flashy architecture, but it’s nice to see the other side of things. A man coming off the train in a suit helped us find the murals and a woman with her son waved to us from across the street. It’s these personal interactions that excite me as much as the architecture. Going to the universities the last two days has also given me an idea of what it would be like to be a 21 year old college student in Santiago. I still can’t fully understand what it would be like to live at home all through college or to take the super crowded train to class everyday but I understand better now. And that is the goal to understand parts of the culture from multiple perspectives a little better by the end of the trip.
I agree Serena, there are so many things you can’t learn about the culture and the language until you go to that country and experience it for yourself. The people here in Santiago are very friendly, and I have been able to have conversations with a few of them. Not many people speak English, but they always try to help me as I try my best to speak Spanish. I have a few comments about what you said about seeing a different side of Santiago when visiting lower income neighborhoods. I think it’s really important, no matter where you travel, to visit the slums or poorer areas of the city you’re in. It really gives you a reality check and makes you appreciate your own situation. Also, it gives you an idea of how a large portion of the population lives on a day to day basis. So when traveling places, there needs to be a balance of seeing all the beautiful architectural sites and just seeing how people live and interact. I really like seeing your, Aysia, and Shelby’s posts about the street art you see! It looks like you guys are visiting some really awesome places during your free time.