Lesson for the Day

Yesterday as I was walking to meet a friend, a grey haired older man with a thick beard, probably in his late 60's to 70's, stopped me and asked, "Eres de Chile?" (Are you from Chile?) At first I wasn't sure I should be stopping to talk to random people in the street, normally it's something I avoid, but after assessing the fact that he not only had his hands full with groceries, but that he was also an old man with a kind smile, I decided it was safe to stop and talk to him. I then told him, "No, soy de los Estados Unidos!"... and from there he proceeded to ask me questions about my school here, how my spanish is going, what I think of the politics and the presidential candidates in the US, what I think about mormons (he was really interested in knowing more about mormons!), and a couple of other things! About 15 minutes later, we exchanged names (his was Sergio, and he couldn't say Kylee for the life of him), we said, "Mucho gusto!" (Pleasure to meet you!), kissed on the cheeks (the bushy beard felt quite weird) and went our own separate ways!

It is still such a shock to me how open and inviting the Chileans are. People are interested in people.  They want to have connections, they want to know about your life even if you're a stranger, and they always want to learn new things about other cultures. Life here isn't about working as much as you can, or always being in a hurry to get somewhere, or constantly talking on your cell phone. Here, it's about having connections with those around you and taking the time to actually have quality relationships with those in your everyday lives.  It's such an easy thing to do, yet something that so few people back home truly understand and appreciate. There is a reason that the human species is the only one with the ability to communicate our inner feelings, needs, and beliefs, yet it's something we take so for-granted.  

So, lesson for the day: Never be so busy that you can't take the time to talk to an endearing, bearded Chilean man on the street. And if you're lucky, you might get a tickley kiss on the cheek too!