Chile SSLC - July 2011

WorldTeachChile July 2011

“Algún día en cualquier parte, en cualquier lugar indefectiblemente te encontrarása ti mismo, y ésa, sólo ésa, puede ser la más feliz o la más amarga de tus horas.” — Pablo Neruda“Chile is at least a place where one can find oneself and find other people with acompass which is that of real life.” —Victor Jara

I s s u e 3

[] First Impressions…………...….…..4[] Placement Profiles…………..….....5[] La Vida Chilena……………….…..6[] En la Sala de Inglés…….…….…...9[]La Casa de mi Familia……...…….12[] Comida Chilena…….……….……14[] On the Road…………….………...16[] Final Thoughts…………………...18

Letter from the Editors

We are excited to share with you the third edition of

Short Stories, LongCountry

– WorldTeach Chile’s biannual newsletter! As editors, we had a greattime compiling these stories and photos that share our experience as World-Teach volunteers. We can safely say that the finished product is a compilationof three type-A control freaks, all hoping to put forth another successful issue ofSSLC! Writing this letter alone resulted in many “heated” discussions!We would like to thank our families, friends, fellow volunteers and World-Teach support staff (especially our amazing Field Director, Heather Tang!) for making this experience possible. And of course, Chile, the country we havebeen lucky enough to call home for the last few months. Chile’s rich culture,diverse geography, and welcoming people have shaped not only our experi-ences but changed the way we see the world.We hope you enjoy this issue of SSLC – Feliz Leyendo!Your SSLC Editors,Eva, Monica & Lindsay

WorldTeach is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based at theCenter for International Development at Harvard University that pro-vides opportunities for individuals to make a meaningful contribution tointernational education by living and working as volunteer teachers indeveloping countries.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A MESSAGE FROM OUR FIELD DIRECTOR

FUN FACTS ABOUT CHILE

▪

Chile is home to world’s driest desert: the Atacama. In onespan, no rain fell there for 40 years.

▪

Chile claims 1,250,000 square kilometers of Antarctica.

▪

Chile’s length, 2,650 miles, is about 10 times it’s averagewidth.

▪

The official national dance of Chile is La Cueca.

▪

Over 1/3 of the world’s copper production is produced inChile. Other top exports include; fish, fruits, paper, and wine.

▪

In May 1960, Chile experienced the largest earthquake inrecorded history, measuring at a 9.5 magnitude.

▪

Chile is home to the southernmost village in the world: PuertoWilliams.

Chile. If this mysterious land comes up in conversation, mostwould know it as “that long, skinny one down in South America thatmakes great wine.” True, that it does produce an abundance of delicious

vino,

but it is also home to so much more. From the vibrantly colorfulsand dunes in the Atacama Desert, through the ripe vineyards of thecentral valley and the lush forests of the south, to the awe-inspiringpeaks and valleys of Patagonia, Chile’s people, culture, and magnificentlandscapes are open for all the world to discover. And discover them weare!Up and down Chile, you can find

gringos

from all over the English-speaking world, here to share their language, customs, and vivacity,while living and breathing the life of a Chilean. One day they are teach-ing how to dance the hokey pokey, the next they are learning how todance the

Cueca

, make an

empanada

, or that

beso

-ing everyone upon arri-val at a party is a must whether you know them or not. They are rolemodels in their schools, cultural representatives in their communities,and most of all teachers for their students. Their motivation to contrib-ute to Chilean education is rivaled only by their creativity and dedica-tion in their classrooms. So as you turn through the following pages,know that you are about to be immersed into the worlds of these

gringos

,often confused, sometimes frustrated, but always positive and open-minded. Here they share their experiences, thoughts, observations, andwhat it means to be Chilean.

Viva Chile!

Heather Tang, WorldTeach Chile FD

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