What started with "I am thinking of doing an extended stay in a Spanish-speaking country for six months to learn Spanish," got to "I am going to live and work in Viña del Mar, Chile for four months" fairly quickly.
Chile or Argentina...Chile or Argentina...
 |
| Getting to the southern part of South America was the easy part |
Neither country would have been the wrong choice, so I spent a few weeks contemplating this decision. I talked to as many people as I could find, read country profiles and travel books, searched for work and places to live, and kept up with my South American multireddit.
When I thought about increasing vocabulary and developing fluency in Spanish, both countries appealed to me. When I thought about understanding people so that I could do things (like find work and a place to live, or get a cell phone or a bus ticket), Chile won. The Argentine Spanish accent is beautiful to listen to, as it is heavily influenced by the Italian language. However, when I watched Nueve Reinas, an Argentine movie, I couldn't make out the words that I knew. When I watched Gigante, a Chilean movie, I could make out the words that I knew, and could at least spell or sound out the words that I didn't know. I've heard that Chileans speak very quickly, that Chilean Spanish is not necessarily similar to the Spanish I encounter in Minnesota, and that I should be prepared to not understand anything for awhile. I'm hoping that it won't take as long for me to understand the language in Chile as it might have in Argentina. I'll find out!
I didn't have many contacts in either country while I was exploring the options, but once I decided on Chile I have met or been introduced to many people who are either Chilean, have lived/worked in Chile, and who have been willing to put me in touch with the Chilean people in their life. That has been fun - and helpful!
Beyond the language barrier, I also considered geography, comfort, and where I might stand a better chance of immersing myself.
When I thought about increasing vocabulary and developing fluency in Spanish, both countries appealed to me. When I thought about understanding people so that I could do things (like find work and a place to live, or get a cell phone or a bus ticket), Chile won. The Argentine Spanish accent is beautiful to listen to, as it is heavily influenced by the Italian language. However, when I watched Nueve Reinas, an Argentine movie, I couldn't make out the words that I knew. When I watched Gigante, a Chilean movie, I could make out the words that I knew, and could at least spell or sound out the words that I didn't know. I've heard that Chileans speak very quickly, that Chilean Spanish is not necessarily similar to the Spanish I encounter in Minnesota, and that I should be prepared to not understand anything for awhile. I'm hoping that it won't take as long for me to understand the language in Chile as it might have in Argentina. I'll find out!
I didn't have many contacts in either country while I was exploring the options, but once I decided on Chile I have met or been introduced to many people who are either Chilean, have lived/worked in Chile, and who have been willing to put me in touch with the Chilean people in their life. That has been fun - and helpful!
Beyond the language barrier, I also considered geography, comfort, and where I might stand a better chance of immersing myself.
- Chile is not nearly as big as Argentina, and has well maintained highways, making it easier to see more of the country by bus (which is cheaper than flying everywhere!).
- Buenos Aires (13.5 million) and Santiago (5.5 million) are too big for me, and while Argentina has more smaller city options, the small cities are still close to or over 1 million people. The Valparaiso-Viña del Mar region (about the same size as Minneapolis-Saint Paul) appealed to me instantly for its size, relatively central location, and proximity to Santiago. (Also, it translates to "Vineyard of the Sea." That works for me.)
- The cost of living in Chile is higher, but it seems to be more stable (politically and economically).
Random thoughts that occurred to me along the way, but that didn't really factor into my decision-making:
- Malbec (Argentina) is my favorite wine. Carmenere (Chile) is quickly catching up.
- Argentina has more opportunities for whale watching. When I'm at an ocean, I look for whales. It's what I do.
- My childhood impression of the counselors at El Lago del Bosque (the Spanish camp I attended). The Argentines were gorgeous. The Chileans were nice. I want nice.
No comments:
Post a Comment