The Chilean culture is like ours in some ways, yet is quite different. This has pluses and minuses. One of the striking things about Chilean culture is the contrast between the use of high and low technologies. Another striking aspect of Chilean culture is the importance of building relationships with people. We frequently experienced two hour lunches during which there was continued talking.
Family is very important.
Even when I couldn't communicate with others I was able to build bridges by showing pictures of my family. Often I was greeted with reserve but left feeling close to my hosts. Chileans drive and speak very fast, often clipping the ends of words. We saw new techniques used in our farm visits. It was intriguing to see the use of various species interplanted in forests.