Things about Chile I may never get used to…
Milk comes in a box and yogurt in a bag.
The aisles in the super market are dedicated to specific meals…there is a whole aisle filled with vegetable oil, mayonnaise, salt, and lemon juice. Chileans skip the Hidden Valley Ranch and throw these babies on their salads.
Avoiding cold at all cost. Everybody worries about you getting sick if you aren’t bundled up. My poor friend Lisa gets chewed out every morning for not drying her hair. I can’t walk around the house barefoot without somebody in my family telling me that I’ll catch a cold if I keep up such risky behavior. Maybe if they all got a chance to experience a Spokane winter they would chill out about the 40 degree weather.
I still haven’t figured out the greetings here in Chile. Girls kiss on the cheek while the hombres exchange manly handshakes. But here’s the catch…I think you’re supposed to kiss EVERYBODY hello and goodbye EVERYTIME you come and go. A wave to the group just doesn’t cut it.
The lack of toilet paper. Almost all the girls carry toilet paper in their purses. Even if there is toilet paper in the bathroom, you have to grab a bunch before going into the stall. Avoid awkward situations and examine what the facilities have to offer before you sit down!
Fleas! I blame the stray dogs and crowded public transportation. It really grossed me out at first but now I realize it’s about as common as mosquito bites during the summer. Sometimes you just get bit.
Smoke everywhere. Everybody, and their dog, and the stray dogs smoke. I haven’t been to a single restaurant or pub with a “NO FUMAR” sign.
Not being able to use a credit card. You know those commercials that show everybody happy and dancing in the supermarket until some idiot tries to pay with cash and messes up the whole flow of things. Yeah…it´s like that, only backwards. I try to use my credit card and everybody has to wait as the manager of the supermarket comes to verify the purchase for the dumb gringa. ¡Qué vergüenza!
Welp. That´s all for now folks. As always LOVE LOVE LOVE!
