More Similar Than You Think by Daniel Walker

As I embarked on my first trip outside of the United States, I knew I faced many unknowns.  What was my host family going to be like?  How will I stay afloat in a foreign land with a surface level understanding of the Spanish language?  How will I be able to relate to my Chilean friends and find common ground on which to build relationships?  My love for music of all kinds puts me at a great advantage for making almost instant connections with new people, but I knew it wouldn't change the fact that there would still be a lot of things I have to find out on my own once my feet hit Chilean soil.  Now, a week later, the valley of the unknown grows increasingly shallow and I have a much clearer understanding of the similarities and differences between me and the people that surround me.  First, a few differences that really surprised me.

Chilean food really shocked me with how good it is.  I was going in blind other than the fact that the Chilean people really like mayonnaise (it's okay to love it and don't try telling me otherwise), and I really didn't know what kinds of food I would be eating over the course of my stay.  The fruits and vegetables are so much better than what I usually buy in the U.S.  everything down here tastes so fresh.  It could be confirmation bias, but the palta (avocado) is so good here that I'm considering starting a church after it.  My first Sunday in Chile, my host mother took me to a huge farmer's market to buy some fresh produce.  She's a chef, and she tells me that the local farmers markets are the place to go because the food is cheaper than in the super markets which means more profit for her when she turns raw ingredients into finished product for her customers.  She also says that this is where you find a true slice of Chilean culture:  farmers and citizens on the poorer end of the socioeconomic spectrum hustling about, discussing current events, sports, and petting the occasional dog that strolls by.  It was really interested to be surrounded by new smells and colors, and I was instantly recognized by the regulars as "the gringo that looks like he's never been in the sun before."

Vendors at a market in Concepción, Chile put produce of varying smells and colors on display for prospective customers

The difference between U.S. and Chilean culture that, after a week of being here, is most apparent to me is the fact that Chileans are more social and affectionate than people in the States.  Here, women are greeted with a kiss.  Here, it's not uncommon to see men greet each other with hugs and kisses.  Friends in school are always hugging and rough housing like brothers and sisters, making their affection outwardly apparent.  Here, you say hey to the bus driver because if you don't he will think you don't like him and be upset (speaking from personal experience)!  I'm used to giving good friends at school a firm handshake (something I would call common practice in the United States), but here it seems oddly artificial and distancing when juxtaposed to the hugs and kisses that most people around you are dishing out.  Not to mention the weird looks I get from people after I accidentally stick out my hand for a shake out of habit whenever I meet someone new.

However, there are many similarities between our cultures; more than I thought I'd find.  Here, most people my age are infatuated with two kinds of music:  Trap and Reggaeton.  Reggeaton is essentially U.S. popular hip hop infused with Latin elements and counterculture lyrics.  

Link to a Reggaeton track I was shown during my first week at school

Trap here in Chile isn't like trap in the U.S., where harsh electronica meets remixed rap tracks.  Chilean trap is very similar to rap in the U.S.  Students have told me that "U.S. Trap" includes artists like A$AP ROCKY and Travis Scott.  Chilean trap is largely just nonsensical lyrics laid atop a pleasing, syncopated drum track (Like I said... Rap in the U.S.).  The main takeaway for me, here, is that popular music trends in both countries are very similar and students are in the know about their two biggest genres of music as well as the States's [arguably] biggest two genres of music.

Another similarity that is surprising is the prominence of meme and social media culture down here. A lot of young kids have smart phones like in the States, and social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram are huge.  This leads to a lot of students being meme connoisseurs.  The first night at my host family's house, my new siblings asked if I liked "mey-meys."  I was confused until they showed me a picture with text on the top and bottom borders;  oh, they meant MEMES!  Students in the schools have asked me about Harambe, video games, popular movies.  This sounds kind of obvious, the fact that most kids enjoy similar things, but I had no idea that 9th grade ESL students would be asking me about Overwatch, Quentin Tarantino, and Netflix shoes.   It was really comforting to experience waves of familiarity in the midst of a wildly new experience.

I think I'm done.  I'm not checking for typos and I hope everything makes sense.  See you in a week!

Daniel