Another thing that I will always link to Chile is the ant population they have... in the beds.  I just now have no visible signs of the ant bites that I got while sleep-talking in my comfy little bed.  I didn't notice them at first... maybe it was because everything was so new and exciting I was a bit blind to the small neuances of the city, but this became a huge source of irritation.  There were ants everywhere... in the kitchen, in the bathroom, on the patio, in my BED.  [Toward the end of my semester in Mexico, I know there was this type of bug with pinchers that I started to see around the house, but my Señora said that it was a seasonal thing...  and they really were manageable.]  The ants were just out of control... and I, after questioning some of my fellow study abroad companions, was not the only one that was experiencing midnight munchings.  I don't know if it is a good thing to admit, but the fact that I had partners in my misery made it a little easier to bare.

The micros were an aspect of wonder in Valparaíso and Viña.  These in-town buses each had at least 3 numbers on their windows or doors and I was told the first day not to decide to get on a bus just because of what it said on the signs (there was an insane amount of writing on the front windshield and door-side of each micro).  These buses slowed down only when you waved at them and never really came to a complete stop while you hollered at the driver to see where he was going and then jump on quickly if you wanted him to take you there.  I thought - at first - that this kind of attitude from the chauffeurs was just because I was, so obviously, not from there... but I learned almost immediatly not to hold myself in such high esteem... everyone is treated equally in that situation.  Kids, Chileans, older people, and foriegners alike all had to yell and jump to get on the right micro... but wait! the adventure doesn't stop there!  Once on the bus you had to ask the chauffeur how much it was and I never understood why (still don't), on the same bus route -and I thought the same bus- I would pay with in the range of 250 pesos to 500 pesos.  Sometimes I got a discount when I showed my student ID and then once I got yelled at... another time he did actually stop the bus to examine my ID and then ask me where I came from and why I was here.  Thank goodness there were only about 10 people on the bus... most of the time they were so full that people were squished and squeezed so much that it appeared as if they were bonding to one another.  Only rarely did you see courtesy shown to the elderly or women with babies but only then did you really have the chance of scoring a seat.

I got to go to the congress building.  Pinochet moved it to Valparaíso in his last years of his dictatorship to further remove them from and diminish their power in his decisions.  They continue to meet there today and still don't have that much power... and to add to that sad fact, the building in which they meet is very ugly.  The senate and the representatives meet there and we got to visit one day during class.. inside it has alot of art work and sculptures... there is this huge door with a hand on it and when we asked whose hand it was the tour guide said that she didn't know... we all assume it is Pinochet's.  His death only a month before my visit didn't really affect me in any way when I was there.  We were required for one of my classes to interview people about their position and opinion of the politics in Chile... many replied "no estoy ni alli po" meaning I don't care one way or another or I have no interest at all... basically saying that they don't care.  Alot of people in ther mid twenties don't really want to get involved because they witnessed the end of the dictatorship and how their parents had been so involved without truly seeing the results they wanted.  Everyone I spoke to immediately responded with this phrase but then we went on to talk for over an hour about their opinions and their desires for the future of their country. 

The education system in Chile is set up in an interesting way... and the attitude for higher education is just as intriguing.  Children remain living with and as dependants of their parents until they are up to 27 or 28 years of age.  This is not seen as weird or that they are slacking in any way.  (Although I imagine the parents find it quite demanding on their pocket because the young Chileans that I met did not work and went out every night... granted it was summer, but still!) If a student picks a career that only takes 3 years of courses in order to graduate, and it doesn't matter what it is (even if it is the same career), it not viewed with as much respect as a career that took 7 years to complete.  This is one of the main reasons universities are unable to the typical US system of 4 year colleges.  For example: Two students are studying to be lawyers.  One goes to a college that has a program of 5 years and the other goes to one with a 7 year program.  Well, obviously the one who was in school longer knows more just because he was in school longer.  Also, there are no tests like the  LSAT that are required before continuing on to become a lawyer.  Once graduating from your university you are able to set up your own practice wherever you see fit... this creates a huge amount of lawyers and not enough clients... there are highly educated people who are sitting around without clients and who are not making very good money.  This, one of my professors said, is very common in a wide range of fields.  He said that he finds it incredibly comical that Chile is considered one of the most advanced and economically stable countries in Latin America.  (All I know is that it was no cheaper there than in the US.)