By Julian Rodriguez
Chile is a beautiful country with an extraordinarily rich and diverse culture compared to the United States. When walking around you can see vast graffiti on every block you turn. From street signs to public transportation, many different encounters of colors and signs are just a couple of things to look forward to.
Graffiti is a wonderful way of expressing emotions and bonds within Chile. Men and women both collaborate in making murals, the men share the male perspective while the women show the female.
The food is also remarkably diverse in selection as we have seen that over 30 types of empanadas have been created! Chile is next to the ocean, so many types of seafood are being made regularly every day.
In Vine Del Mar, the geography is very jaw-dropping as 20% of the land is flat, which was created by man to ensure that people had a safe living space. The rest is beautiful scenery of mountain ranges as far as the eye can see. Even so, Chile is made for all types of people. Sidewalks have been created so that blind people may guide themselves safely and be aware of where they are going.
In Chile, healthcare is provided to the homeless since they are unable to obtain jobs. Regularly, people who work take money out of their checks to put it into a fund that establishes their healthcare needs.
Since Chile is located under the equator, school starts early in March when the weather becomes warmer. School normally starts around 8am and can range from 3-5pm in the evening.
Now with the beautiful culture and the amazing scenery, Chile has had many difficulties in gender equality. Men are higher in power and establish dominance over women. From the interview with Helena, I was able to understand that women are extraordinarily strong all around Chile. Women fight for what they believe is right and try to hold a balance of equality in the workplace and living environments. For International Women’s Day in Chile, marches are being held in the streets with posters and signs that give pride to being a woman. However, men still show hostility towards women as rapes and brutality carry on to this day. In return, women stay strong and independent by helping one another and spreading love and peace amongst the culture.
Chile is a beautiful country with many visually appealing scenery and artwork, and the culture aspect only gets better. I am truly blessed to experience this opportunity to explore and learn the diversity and perspectives of this country. One day I will visit this lovely country for myself and explore the realm of new perspectives.