For instance, there are no pick-up volleyball games in Chile. Normally, one must join a club and attend a class at a specific time where volleyball is being played. See the previous post on "Take a number in Chile and weigh it."
When one visits a bureau to get something accomplished he will be given a list of things to do (and that list might differ depending on where one lives and who one asks--even within the same bureaucracy!). To succeed, one must do everything on the list with considerable precision.
Social norms and customs are also expected and enforced by moral suasion. Young people should get married around 25 to 35 years old and have two children, spaced by four years so that the parents only have one college tuition to pay at a time. While one cannot say that all Chileans follow this rule, especially not the handful of old-line Roman Catholics or the many Evangelicals and Mormons, one does see an underlying current in this direction throughout Chile. And Chileans love to follow their group or class. Being a maverick or even an independent thinker are not admirable traits in Chile.
Chileans are innately rules-followers and rebellion or breaking the rules is generally not accepted, other than perhaps breaking traffic rules at times. Chileans do like to lie and cheat but they also like to keep order--sort of a strange mix. Things simply cannot be done out of order. All must be ready, established, and fixed in order to proceed with anything. Chileans like Americans but in terms of following the rules they relate far more to Canadians and New Zealanders.
Remember that before you go to Chile so as to avoid that part of your culture shock!
Sir could you please tell me what about the anti-establishment scene.. does it even exist? Punk rock, alternative clubs, marijuana activism etc?
ReplyDeleteI'd appreciate your insights into the possibilities in this area..