Everywhere I went, people would say, hey, this country's really different. But I kept discovering that's not true. People all over the world are fundamentally the same. Yes, there are some cultural differences, but those are relatively minor in comparison with the main values. People like to be fair, they like to be treated with respect, they appreciate honesty and all the other things you might put on the list of good virtues.
Some cultures are more reticent, some more outgoing, some more suspicious of foreigners.
But the deep soul of humanity remains the same. Chile did have its idiosyncrasies, and I certainly arrived there with mine. But there are a lot of things I like and admire about Latin culture. I can identify with it. It's not that far away from my own view of the world.