Space, the final straw

People have left some pretty interesting comments about their relationship with Chile. Perhaps because it's clear from the blog that I'm from New York, or maybe because it's a city that many people have been to, there have been a few comparisons made as far as rudeness/crowdedness/etc. that I'd like to address. In rant form.

The absolute, without a doubt, worst thing about living in Santiago is the in-your-face lack of etiquette on both the transportation system, and in the street. If you are not pregnant, you deserve to be pushed, shoved, and otherwise manhandled at any time. As I've mentioned before, personal space not a thing here. It makes me absolutely crazy. It makes me hate everyone and everything, not leave my apartment, and give up entirely. When I get to the Metro during rush hour, get shoved in with the crowed and actually make it on the train, and then some man in the doorway puts out his arms and pushes everyone even further onto the train just so he doesn't have to wait for the next one...let's just say, if I could move my arms, there would be violence.

I want to make something clear: This doesn't really happen in New York. I've lived in the city for almost my whole life, and have commuted from both the UES and the Bronx. Sure, some idiots push themselves onto trains, but generally people don't want to spend their half hour-to- an-hour on their way home after a long day pressed up against a stranger. I'll just say it: that's really strange. I admittedly also find it strange how much people make out with each other in public, but that's because I'm not much for PDA. Culturally, people have very different notions of physical boundries in this city, and it is that mentality, combined with the "big city get ahead" thing, combined with lingering memories of scarcity and oppression under Pinochet that makes walking down the street, or getting on a micro, sometimes unbearable.

So I understand. I sort of get the why. But please, for the love of God, let people off the metro before you get on. Wait for the next train, since it's coming in 2 minutes anyway. Wait in line for the micro. Walk to right in the street. That's what we New Yorkers do (except for the last thing), otherwise the entire city would implode.

Oh Giants....

I never doubted you. Ok, maybe I did. But just you Eli. And I'm sorry.

What's Up?

We invited some friends over tonight to watch the game. A big game, because it's my team and they're doing pretty well. As well as one can when their QB is so hit or miss. The wrong sports metaphor, I know.

Because I've screwed up the schedule so many times, I made sure to check espn.com to make sure that MNF would in fact be gracing us here in Chile. Even with the recent time change. Anticipating a 9:30 start, I was horrified to see baseball highlights, and began to assume that the Sox had bumped my beloved Giants. I checked again, this time in VIVO! my trusty cable revista.

The game would be shown at 1:30am. For no reason that I can currently fathom. I have very real memories of watching MNF at Hooters, Publicity and the Geo Pub. In fact, once the Geo pub closed IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME I WAS WATCHING. What was different today?

Pablo tells me: It's Chile. Everything is different.

And so it is. We're trying to pick a new Program Director, and have to ask ourselves if an American, or Holander (?) or Mexican can adjust to life in Santiago, without the luxury of integrating with a class of volunteers like all the rest do. None of the current admin, save Luke who came on a fellowship, have come out of class. So many come for a very "latin" experience. The kind that you simply don't get in Santiago, at least not right away. I've struggled recently, especially with my impending exit from VE and Chile, with the fact that I can't say that I enjoy life here, outside of the volunteer and VE experience. Like so many expat bloggers, it gets increasingly difficult to enjoy life in a city where people don't appear to enjoy their lives.

So I ask the Chileans reading this blog (and I know that you're out there)....what do you enjoy? Do you have the same love-hate relationship that I have with New York? Is it hate-hate, or love-love?

And will I be able to stay away from NFL.com until 1:30am....

The best laid plans

I always have these really lofty goals for when I fly. I assume that I will have my laptop open for eleven hours and will tirelessly tip-tap-type away, studying for the GRE, maybe writing a whole grant and a first draft of my grad school applications. I've never really done this. In fact, with all of the flying I've done in the past few months, I've gotten very little done int transit. I'm a big fan a the "board plane, pass out if possible" method of flying.

And yet, I'm a compulsive email checker. Both of my jobs are largely email dependent, and I have supervisors who email me and expect an response immediately. This is largely their problem, and unless they one day decide to provide me with a Blackberry or some other leash, I can't promise that kind of turnaround. But I try.

So I'm appalled to report that unlike I previously assumed, there are no airports that have free Wi-fi for passengers. Pretty much all of they are affiliated with some sort of pay service, which generally charges a minimum of $7 just to check your email. Which meant no blogging, and no working. Even if I'd wanted to. So maybe we'll scratch that whole first paragraph and say "I really wanted to be blogging for the past three days, nonstop. Damn expensive Internet."

My hero...

...is this man...for today anyway.