Tidbits

Both China and Chile have Kids’ Day, just like Mothers’ or Fathers’ Day. Presents are involved.

 80 percent of cars are stick shift, mostly because automatic transmissions cost more to replace

No one resents giving change like they do in Italy. How refreshing.

 Tipping 10% is customary.

 From what I can tell, expensive backpacks are what make gringo students really stick out, besides the pasty whiteness.

Chileans are the masters of Tupperware – in all the families I’ve heard about, there are simply cupboards and cupboards of Tupperware and the fridges are packed. ¡Vive los restos!

 Argentineans are even touchier than Chilenos, apparently. Grown men kissing each other hello is a recent development here, but quite old in Argentina. Argentineans also respect their elderly more, according to my host mom.Chileans are still pretty touchy.

 7 million people= population of Chile, and the majority is concentrated in Santiago

No one is shy about kissing quite passionately in public, and no one else seems embarrassed when a couple, young or old, starts making out in the street.

 A high tax on books = land of photocopies. It’s great, I didn’t have to buy a single text book!

Homeschooling is illegal here. That makes me quite the rebel, I guess.

 They have the same sirens here as in the US - none of the European wailing, they've got screaming sirens.

 I am having big people problems here. I bonk my head in the kitchen on all the cupboards, on the stove hood, and on the shelves. I'm the same height or taller than a lot of the men here, and I'm kinda huge for a woman. This, plus not speaking well and being cold, has led to me hunching my shoulders more than I ever have in my life. I'm going to be a hunchback when I come home.

 Red lipstick is popular here. Looks good with dark complexions, but I think I'm going to get into the groove despite my pasty whiteness.