Well, now I'm finally here. In the airport at Dallas, someone asked if I could speak English, which was slightly encouraging. However, he was from Texas, so maybe Chileans can identify gringos more easily. When I arrived in Santiago, the shuttle driver left me off at the apartment without explaining how to call up to the room, so after pressing incorrect buttons for several minutes, I called el concierje (the concierge), and he let me in. As soon as I entered the apartment, my host mother (or mama chilena, as she said) gave me a huge hug and a cup of tea. In the course of the day, I met my 18 year old host cousin who speaks excellent English, my 30 year old host sister, my 22 year old host brother and his girlfriend (who came in for about 15 minutes and left with a lamp), and a man who was either a friend or a relative (I couldn't quite tell).
Lunch is the big meal here, and dinner, which is served at 8:30 or 9pm, seems to consist of bread and cheese. The metro lines are amazingly straightforward, with maps that show exactly where you are and where you are going. There is no voice over the intercom asking you to mind the gap (as in London), but there practically is no gap. Unfortunately, the metros are also extremely crowded, especially during the hours when people are going towards or leaving work.
Note: The host brother and his girlfriend left with the lamp.
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