Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago

July 24, 2009

The LAN Chile flight from Santiago to Miami was smooth as a baby’s butt. We had virtually no turbulence and upon arrival the landing was so gentle, I hadn’t even realized we had hit the ground — I was still bracing myself for it.

But, two minutes later, wow did it ever hit me hard that we were in the U.S. The pilot announced that we had landed and that everyone was to remain seated and buckled until the aircraft had come to a complete stop. I, of course, immediately unbuckled my seat belt.

The click of the metal of my seat belt sounded throughout the plane…a solitary noise. I peeked up and a flight attendant was glaring at me. I clicked it back on.

After we arrived at our gate and the captain turned off the fasten seat belt sign only then could the universal noise of seat belt unbuckling be heard.

Then after our second flight, in Chicago, once we were safely landed and unbuckled, we all got up and filed out in the most orderly fashion I have EVER seen. Not one passenger out of place, the first rows stood and left and then the next and then the next, the line behind them always stopping to let out those whose turn it was. We eventually got off the plane, shopped on Michigan Ave., drove home and met some of my siblings’ new boyfriends and girlfriends. We shook hands.

Yes, that is the difference between a flight within in Chile and a flight in the U.S. Chileans are rule breakers and Gringos are goody-goody-two-shoes. When that flight attendant threatened me with her eyes YOU BETTER BELIEVE I put that seat belt back on as fast as my little hands could buckle it. Because, dear lord only knows what would happen to me if the big bad stewardess got mad. At The End of World most of the time the pilot will say the obligatory, “Please keep your seat belt on until we come to a complete stop,” but even HE sounds like he doesn’t believe himself. Before the words are out of his mouth, people are unbuckled.

Chile is often chaos. Chileans don’t necessarily walk off a flight without stopping to let anyone off because they are too rude to notice that the folks in row 16 haven’t been able to get out yet as everyone pushes past them. They do it because that simply how things are often done in Chile. Other bloggers have written about this same subject before — orderly lines aren’t a Chilean forte. And that’s fine — it’s nothing more than a cultural difference. Gringos aren’t always orderly, nor are Chileans always chaotic, but I’ll tell you one thing — on the way off the plane in Chicago, S. and I both stared at each other with our mouths agape and then began laughing uncontrollably. We couldn’t even comprehend all the crazy organizational skills of the gringos.

And when we got to Grandville and met my sister’s boyfriend and my brother’s girlfriend we had to shake both their hands. It was icky. I wanted to do the cheek kiss like in Chile, but that would’ve been snooty. People in the Midwest don’t do that. But a hand shake seemed so far away, so distant, while a hug would’ve been awkwardly intimate. The U.S. and Chile — too much personal space versus not enough personal space.

All those differences feel so incredibly foreign yet so familiar at the same time.

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This has made me laugh – it's just like that when I fly from Spain (where my parents live) back to England. And whenever they come home, the whole kissing/handshake thing gets far too confusing!

Comment by elizaclaire — July 24, 2009 @ 1:07 am

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Even after being in Chile for 2 weeks and coming back to Gringoland I found the whole hand shake to be awkward and cold. As a Gringa working for a multi-national corporation I come into contact with the kiss greeting often with people visiting from other countries and I actually find it very cool when they greet this way (as long as I can quickly figure out if it's one or two or three and we don't bump heads). I think you should start a revolution in your hometown with the air-kiss greeting. I think people might actually like it.

Comment by Aimee — July 24, 2009 @ 5:06 am

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What did you do with Papito??

Comment by Joy — July 24, 2009 @ 9:05 am

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The first time I went home after being in Chile for 6 months, I walked into lunch at a friend's house 20 minutes late (Chilean influence!) to find all my friends sitting down already. I made my way around the table kissing everyone, including one's boyfriend who I had never met before, and it was only after I kissed him that I paused and said “wait, we don't do this here, do we?” Luckily he took it well!

I feel like now that I've gone back and forth a few times it's a bit easier, but I do still have little missteps or get confused about the right thing to do. And I agree, the handshake feels strange to me now!

Comment by emilyinchile — July 24, 2009 @ 9:36 am

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Forgot to say, I think it's funny how a lot of Latinos (from many countries, although I don't know enough to say from all countries) clap when the plan lands. Umm, the pilot is just doing his job – a rather crucial part of it, in fact – not something extra or special!

Comment by emilyinchile — July 24, 2009 @ 9:38 am

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haha, the whole, go in for a kiss then get a handshake/hug can be the epitome of awkward!!!

Comment by kyleracine — July 24, 2009 @ 10:21 am

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There are definitely times though in Chile when I don't want to do the kiss thing though. In the U.S. if we meet anyone greasy I'm sure I'll be thanking my lucky stars for the handshake

Comment by kyleracine — July 24, 2009 @ 10:29 am

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Staying wtih my in-laws. I miss her so much. But we web-cammed last night LOL.

Comment by kyleracine — July 24, 2009 @ 10:30 am

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I have to admit that I have been part of the clapping on occasion when it's been a scary flight!

Comment by kyleracine — July 24, 2009 @ 10:31 am

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OMG love this!! The flight experience and the handshake vs the kiss. Whenever I get here (Chile) I am shaking people's hands left and right like an idiot. Then I'm here a few weeks and would go back home (US) wanting to kiss everyone hello and goodbye!
Ha!!
Oh this tightrope of tendencies in the Chilean vs US culture.
This blog is so spot on – love it!

Comment by dregonzrob — July 24, 2009 @ 1:22 pm

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Omg, clapping! My husband, from Brazil, claps at the end of movies in the theatre, and while dancing to any kind of music!

Have an awesome vacation.

Comment by Mei — July 24, 2009 @ 9:01 pm

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LOL Too cute. I MISS YOU KYLE RACINE!

Comment by Joy — July 25, 2009 @ 9:16 am

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LOL Too cute. I MISS YOU KYLE RACINE!

Comment by Joy — July 25, 2009 @ 4:16 pm

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