Conclusion of my Journey

In conclusion, I enjoyed my stay in Latin America. I appreciated the hospitality of my hosts who allowed me to stay with them. The trip was more than I expected it to be, and I learned much about each country’s culture, and history. Lastly, I hope anyone who sees any of these beautiful countries, that they will enjoy them as much as I did.

Chile: Day 3

My last day in Chile was spent in Temuco. Temuco is a city with a population of about 270,000. Temuco is located near the western border of Chile south of Valparaiso. The city is currently the capital of La Araucania region in southern Chile. I spent my time in Temuco with a man named Jorge and his wife. Jorge’s occupation was working for the government. Their house was very simple. It was a one floor house with a kitchen, two bedrooms. Jorge was a worker in the Chilean service industry. On the way to work he explained to me that the service activities make up a good percentage of the economy. We arrived at his government office. I was told it was common for Chileans to work in the government. My friend’s job was to organize and arrange fund raisers and gatherings. My job was to deliver files and messages to the other workers. At midday there was a short fifteen minute break. At the end of the day, I was exhausted from moving from one level to the other, but I was glad to have helped. At home Jorge’s wife had prepared dinner. We had a beef stew served with rice, in a warm broth.

Temuco

Chile: Day 2

The second day was spent in the coastal city of Valparaiso. The most recent recorded population of the city is 253,500. The city is an important port to Chile. It is important because it exports and imports cotton goods, liquor, machinery, refined sugar, and tobacco. I spent my time in a small three roomed house with a fisherman, Gustavo and his young adult son, Camillo. In the morning, we rented fishing poles and bought bait. On our way, Camillo told me about the folk tale of the chupacabra, a mysterious creature that sucked the blood of farm animals. Locals called it the “goat sucker”. He also told stories of how some of his neighbors saw the chupacabra, but the father said that he was lying. Once we got to the dock we paddled a few hundred feet offshore and fished. At the end of the day, we were rewarded for our hard work. We had a total of twenty-six fish. The day had been long, sitting on the boat for hours in the sun. Then we went into town and traded our fish for supplies and money. At home, Camillo and Gustavo had started preparing dinner. The meal was Cazuela de Ave, which is a soup with pieces of meat, potatoes, and noodles.

Cazuela de Ave

Chile: Day 1

The first city I visited was Santiago. The city has a population of 6 million. I spent my time in Santiago in a small one level house with a farmer, Pablo and his wife, Andrea. I woke up in the morning at 4:00 a.m. to walk to work with Pablo. We walked through cobble streets through the relatively flat terrain, and on the way, Pablo explained to me that most people were mestizos (people of European and native descent). On the way to work, I noticed the many Catholic churches. Pablo told me that most people he knew were Catholic, again due to Spanish influence in this country. We labored all day long, and at the end of the day we were paid and allowed to take home a few leftover ginger seeds. We then went downtown to buy a fish, which we cooked when we returned home. We divided the fish in thirds for dinner. Then we planted the seeds in the backyard garden. At the end of the day, we traveled as a group to go to church. The meaning for the celebration was the Assumption of Mary, which is a religious holiday. After mass we walked back home to sleep. Lastly, we planted the seeds in the backyard garden.

Santiago

Introduction to Chile

The third country I visited was Chile. Chile is a country known for its long skinny shape. The present-day capital of Chile is Santiago. Chile was originally a Spanish colony in the 1500s to the early 1800s. The climate depends on the region you are in, yet overall the country is not terribly warm. The country is composed of three main regions: the Northern Desert, the Central Valley, and the Southern Archipelago. The Northern Desert contains Chile’s main exports of copper and sodium nitrate. The Central Valley contains rivers that runoff from the Andes and produce the most fertile soil. Lastly, the Southern Archipelago is composed of rocky islands and is scarcely populated with sheep farmers.  The government of Chile is a republic, and the national language is Spanish. The currency is the Chilean peso, and the country’s main export is copper. Chile’s population is 17.5 million, and the main religion is Roman Catholic.

Chilean Flag 

Jamaica: Day 3

The last day in Jamaica was spent in Portmore. I spent that time with a local man, Winston, who was manager at a local fast food restaurant. Portmore is a suburb of Kingston and has a population 98,000. In the morning, Winston and I walked downtown. He told me that Portmore is more modern than other Jamaican cities, yet it still shares the same culture as the rest of the country. Secondly, he told me that in the city American fast-food restaurants and shopping centers are popular. He also said without the jobs the restaurants and stores provided, he didn’t know what he would do. Also he said that went for most of the people in Portmore. After day’s work, we headed home late to eat dinner. Then we went to the Portmore Festival that hosts concerts throughout the year. We paid the cheap fee and enjoyed Jamaican music. Most of the songs were songs made by Bob Marley, a famous Jamaican musician. Some people throw colorful beads and confetti from balconies and I was lucky enough to catch a beaded necklace. After the Portmore Festival we walked back home. My time in Jamaica was up. Overall, I felt the companionship and the friendliness of the Jamaican people.

Statue of Bob Marely

Jamaica: Day 2

The second day was spent in Spanish Town. The city was established by St. Jago de la Vega in 1534. There I stayed with a family in a two roomed house made of wood and straw. The population of Spanish town is about 100,000, and is located in the St. Catherine Parish (similar to states). I was woken up early in the morning to go to work and did not have breakfast. On the way to work, the father, Fernando, filled me in on the brief history of Jamaica. I learned that Spanish Town was the original capital of Jamaica. Also while walking I saw a statue. Fernando told me it was a statue of Admiral Lord Rodney who was in the British navy. He defeated a Spanish and French invasion. When the capital became Kingston the statue moved with it. People who disapproved of the move, followed the statue and attempted to kidnap it. In the process a hand was lost, but the statue was soon returned to Spanish Town. We spent the day fishing on a small wooden boat, and at the end of the day we had caught a variety of fish. We sold the fish at the local markets for the highest price we could get. At the end of trading we came home with 5,342 Jamaican dollars ($50), a half cup of rice and a pound of beef. At home the Fernando’s wife made beef soup with rice. Later in the night we went to the Reggae Sumfest. The Reggae Sumfest is an annual music festival in which reggae artists play their tunes. The most famous reggae musician was Bob Marley.

Alfred Lord Rodney