try a little tenderness

so, it's been a week here in santiago. it's really hard to believe it's only been a week, because i feel like i've had enough experiences to fill a year. and so after my first week, i make my first observations about los santiaguinos:

in this first week, i have noticed, overwhelming, that there is something of a tenderness in most chileans that is unlike anything i've ever seen. it is not just in the couples making out EVERYWHERE (pda is also unlike anything else, but it really doesn't bother me, to be honest), but it's also the greeting/parting with a tender kiss on the cheek, even between men, and the sweet affection between family members. my family may be moreso than others, but they are so affectionate, even between the brother and sister, that love just radiates. and as for the topic of couples, EVERYONE here is in a relationship, it seems. walking by a park, on the train, in a store, or at a restaurant, you are guaranteed to see couples, probably kissing or whispering sweetly to each other. it is not obscene or uncomfortable (usually) but it is also not hidden. now, i promised myself i would not "america-bash" while i was gone, but i must comment that this tenderness is something that is just not seen nearly as much in the states. of course it happens, but even in my family, who loves one another immensely, we're just not as physically affectionate. and when we meet people, we do not kiss, of course. nor do we stand extremely close to each other (i'm still getting used to that.) maybe it's the ethic of individuality that just kind of radiates into all spheres. who knows? but it's definitely different, and the chilean people are definitely endearing because of it.

until my next observation, i leave you with this stanza from pablo neruda, the famous chilean poet, who seems to me the perfect representation of this chilean tenderness. it's not that everything is perfect and happy, but still sweet and affectionate:

Para mi corazón basta tu pecho,
para tu libertad bastan mis alas.
Desde mi boca llegará hasta el cielo
lo que estaba dormido sobre tu alma.

(for my heart, your chest is enough
for your freedom, my wings are enough
from my mouth to the sky will arrive
what was sleeping in your soul.)

paz.