Apr 18, 2009

WEEK 1: WHERE?


WHERE is Chile?

The country of Chile is located in the Southern Hemisphere on the west coast of South America. You will notice on this topographic map that the Andes mountains divide the two countries of Chile and Argentina. I live in the capital, Santiago, at the base of the Andes.

As you can tell from the map, Chile is a very long, narrow country. (The good news is that no matter where you are in the country, you can never be more than 2 hours from the beach!) However, because Chile spans such a long distance from north to south, there are several different geographies and climates that comprise the country.



The northern region is very dry with lots of deserts. The Atacama
desert is located here, and it is technically the driest desert in the world as it receives the least amount of rainfall of anywhere on earth! I loved visiting this desert because it is composed of salt basins. Here in the north you can find interesting animals like flamingos and vicunas.




Santiago is located in the central region of Chile, which is green and fertile. 80% of Chile's entire population lives here because of its agreeable climate and beautiful landscapes. (The climate is very much like North Carolina's - hot summers, mild winters.)




The South of Chile is chilly! But in my opinion, the south has some of the most striking and gorgeous landscapes on earth. Here you can find immense glaciers, huge native forests, crystal lakes, and looming mountain landscapes. I recently visited the famous Torres del Paine National Park where I had the opportunity to hike and camp in this beautiful terrain.


WHERE is Santiago?

I have been in Santiago for about 14 months now, and I really love living here. Santiago is a huge, modern city with approximately 6 million inhabitants (about one-third of the entire population of Chile). Santiago is divided into different neighborhoods, called "comunas;" some are very quiet and tranquil with lots of trees, while others feel more urban with modern transportation and tall buildings. Two years ago, Santiago opened its subway system so it still feels very clean and new. I either get around the city on the subway or on my new bicycle!

I am currently living in an apartment in the center of Santiago. I love my neighborhood because it's full of art, culture, and life. There are several cafes, stores, and even a small independent movie theater on my street, but I also have nice parks and green space close by. I live close to the center of the city and therefore I can walk or ride my bike almost anywhere I need to go - to school, to the grocery store, to friends' houses!

















I have class at the University of Chile three days a week three hours in the evening. While the school is located in a busier part of town, the school building is surrounded by a gate and the inside has lots of trees and outdoor areas for students to socialize and study. Here is a photo of the building where I have class every day. There is a lot of student-created art around the campus, like the drawings you see here on the walls.

5 comments:

  1. Hola Shepard,
    Thanks for taking the time to skype with us last Wednesday. It was nice to get a chance to see you. You mentioned you enjoyed seeing the salt basins; what did they look like? How many flamingos did you get to see?

    Gracias from your 2nd period amigos

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  2. Hello Shepard,

    We have enjoyed looking at your blog, especially the pictures. It makes us want to go there. The glaciers looked "cool"; was it really cold while you were camping? Did you get to climb the glaciers?
    Thank you for skyping with us last week, and we hope to talk to you soon...

    Your Friends, 3rd period

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  3. Hey Shepard! We liked reading/seeing your travels. Could you tell us a little bit more about the animals? For instance, how do you think animals survive in the Atacama Desert? What animals are common in Santiago? Thank you for taking the time to skype and blog with us.
    From 4th period :)

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  4. Hola Shepard,
    Thank you for skyping with us last week, it was nice to see you. We were curious about your travels to the Atacama Desert. Have you been back since last year's visit? Do the flamingos live in an oasis in the desert?

    We also were wondering if you have a job, and if so what do you do?

    Thanks, 1st period

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  5. Hi 2nd Period amigos! The salt basins are incredible, just because they're such a unique landscape. I saw dozens of flamingos, although I was far away. I was just surprised by the sight of them, I guess because I had always thought of flamingos as tropical - which is certainly not the case here. I don't have the pictures of the flamingos on my current computer, but I will post some salt basin pictures in my next post.

    Hello 3rd period :) It was quite cold while camping!! Good gear is essential. They say that in Torres del Paine, you should always prepare for the worst and hope for the best, because the weather is completely unpredictable and can turn on a dime. I did not get to climb the glacier, unfortunately. It was an option to take a boat out to it and hike on top of it, but I opted not to because of time and money. It must be awesome though!

    Hi 4th period, Chile has lots of unique animals. How anything survives in the Atacama desert is a mystery to me. I'm sure the species have been adapting for years to the scant amount of rainfall... but in the areas where there is basically NO rain, I'm sure there are hardly any animals at all. The guanacos are llama-like animals that live in the north and the south that are adapted to harsh climates. The Heumul (looks like a reindeer) and condor (HUGE bird) are also very symbolic animals in Chile. In Santiago, there aren't many animals aside from pets... but in the towns outside of Santiago it's common for people to hunt birds and large rodents.

    Hi 1st period! I have not been back to the Atacama desert. In fact, I am much more familiar with the south of the country than the north. The one place that many people visit near the desert is San Pedro de Atacama, which I have never been to, but it is known for it's unique landscapes with a cool mix of colors and beautiful skies and sunsets. Many astrologists work in this area because the stars are supposed to be incredible.

    I do work part time in addition to my studies. My work involves editing an English language magazine for a company down here. I help them to find content and then edit and proofread the stories. It's a great job and nice to feel like I'm finally putting my translating and language skills to productive use.

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