Travel and Volunteer Teaching English in Chilean Schools

English Opens Doors volunteer with students. 

© This is Chile

 

By Marcela Torres

One of the best ways to experience a local culture is volunteering and spending quality time with the host communities. That’s what the English Opens Doors program, a joint initiative of Chile's Education Ministry and the UN Development Program, offers native English speakers at schools all over the country. Applications for 2012 are open until December 15, 2011.

So, what’s this all about? The Program is currently looking to recruit qualified native and near-native English speakers between 21 and 35 years old to teach English in Chile under the direction of head teachers in public and semi-private schools. Since it began in 2004, English Open Doors has recruited more than 1,300 volunteers from several countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Volunteers can select from a broad range of programs lasting from five to 11 months, with start dates from February through July. Full-time volunteers are expected to spend 25 hours a week in the classroom with an additional 10 hours of activities - six hours for classroom planning and four hours participating in extracurricular activities such as public speaking and debating clubs. Part-time volunteers have a teaching load of four to 16 hours per week, perfect for exchange students at Chilean universities.

Orientation and Spanish lessons

If you’re not familiar with Chile or are not fluent in Spanish, don’t worry! Upon arrival in Santiago, you will receive a comprehensive orientation before moving in with a host family in the community where you will be staying. You will also be given free access to health insurance, transportation and teaching materials. They also receive a monthly living allowance of US$120 (CLP 60,000).

Long-term volunteers can also choose to enroll in a two-month Spanish course before undertaking their volunteer work. The course costs US$1,000 with classes catering to beginners, intermediate and upper intermediate students.

Want more information? Check out the National Volunteer Center's website. There’s plenty of information and testimonials from previous participants that will surely inspire you. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience Chilean culture in-depth and give something back to the communities and places that you enjoy!

Going Local in Chile!

 People enjoying a "mote con huesillo" at San Cristóbal Hill, in Santiago.

© Marcela Torres

By Marcela Torres

Traditional tourism, sitting on a comfortable bus and taking pictures of the main landmarks of a place can certainly be fun and interesting. But there’s nothing better than going in deeper into the local culture of a destination and exploring off the beaten path. At least that’s what I try to do whenever I travel and what my company offers people who sign up for tours with us in Chile.

After years of working for several large inbound tour operators in Chile, first as guides and then in other office roles, my sister Paula and I realized that these companies all offered pretty much the same itineraries and destinations, including the same attractions (wineries, museums, etc.). But people were eager to try something different.

The first thing we learned was that most tourists were annoyed when we took them to a fancy jewelry store at the end of their city tour because they could tell that things were overpriced and they felt a pressure to buy. Now, we were forced to do this by the company, but since we were the ones with the angry customers, before we got to the shop we started asking them whether or not they wanted to go. Most of them said “no” and we learned that they preferred to visit a handicraft market where locals usually get their jewelry and where they could see the artisan at work.

Another thing we learned is that they really wanted to taste local food. So we started taking them to the places where we would go to with our families to have some “mote con huesillo”, for example, a traditional summer drink/dessert made of boiled dried peaches and barley, usually with molasses. Everybody loves it!

Once I had a group of British travelers that was worried because we would be visiting the Chilean-Argentinean border at 2,800 meters (9,186 feet) and they had never been at such altitudes. I told them that Andean peoples chewed coca leaves to avoid altitude sickness but that usually a coca tea would do the trick. Guess what? All they wanted was to taste the coca tea! So the driver and I arranged everything. We prepared a thermos with hot water and bought the coca tea bags. When we were half-way up, we stopped to drink it with the Andes Mountains as a backdrop and everybody enjoyed the moment. And no one got sick!

So, these unique experiences are what we try to offer in Chile. We love to take visitors around Santiago on the subway and they like getting a sense of how Chilean people move throughout the city -even if it’s on a packed train during the rush hour- and doing things that local people do.

With our tours to the countryside and the coast, as well as to other regions in Chile, we take visitors to places that are not usually on the radar for foreign tourists. Trekking with llamas in the Atacama Desert, enjoying a traditional meal cooked in a solar oven in the Elqui Valley, learning to make typical Chilean pastries in the Curacaví Valley, seeing how an artisan works with lapis lazuli and copper or just spending quality time with locals from north to south are all part of our offer.

That’s why we’re so thrilled to be part of The Local Travel Movement. We believe it makes a big difference to get a sense of what it’s like to move around, eat and live in a place like a local. It’s certainly enriching for both hosts and tourists and helps people better understand each other’s culture while also having fun and sharing an unforgettable moment. What more could you expect from a trip? Happy travels!

Observing Whales and Dolphins

Whale watching at Francisco Coloane Marine Park.

© Feel Patagonia

By Marcela Torres

As the summer season approaches, the fascination for whales and dolphins attracts many tourists in search for a close encounter with this charismatic fauna. The activity has benefits and risks, however, and it is necessary to take some precautions to enjoy it responsibly.

Throughout Chile there are 18 dolphin species. The Chilean Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia) is found in shallow coastal waters, while the Bottle-Nosed Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the most popular and easiest to see, particularly in the surroundings of the Damas and Choros islands in the North.

Whales can also be seen, mainly in southern Chile, where you can find Rorquals, Southern Right Whales, Sperm Whales and Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). This species, one of the most fascinating, has an important feeding site in the waters surrounding the Francisco Coloane Marine Park, in southern Chile.

 

To ensure that a cetacean observation experience is fun and safe both for the animals and tourists, the following measures need to be in place:

• Keep a minimum distance of 100 meters (328 feet) from the animal that is closest to the boat
• The speed of boats while approaching and leaving the area should be constant and not exceed 4 knots
• The time of observation for each boat should not be more than 30 minutes
• Don’t ask your guide to chase the dolphins or whales and don’t try to touch them
• When the observation is over, the departure from the site should be carried out slowly and in the opposite direction of the movement of the whales or dolphins

It is important to keep in mind that dolphins and whales at sea are wild animals and we should not modify their way of life or behavior. That’s why it’s so important to avoid stroking them or establishing any sort of unnatural contact and that contributes to modifying their behavioral patterns, for example, getting used to close interactions with humans.

If we follow these guidelines, we will probably live an unforgettable responsible tourism experience.

May I Take a Picture of You?

Quechua weaver in Cusco, Peru.

© Marcela Torres

By Marcela Torres

Meeting people from other countries and cultures is part of the magic of traveling. We often encounter charming people that share their traditions with us and we can’t resist the temptation of capturing that moment with our photographic cameras. This enthusiastic impulse, however, may sometimes cause an unexpected negative reaction.

Several authors warn against the danger of the “tourist gaze”. What are they talking about? Sometimes people from the local community may feel they are being seen as objects; something weird or amazing that must be observed.

In addition, it is no myth that several tribes and indigenous cultures in Latin America reject photographs for several reasons, including the belief that these would steal their soul. From northern Mexico to southern Chile there are many accounts of communities that fear or distrust cameras and the intentions of the people that carry them.

A professional photographer remembers the time he arrived unannounced with some friends at a small town in the Sierra Central in Mexico and was suddenly surrounded by children who were attracted by their “curious” garments and attitudes. But the party ended the moment he took out his camera and aimed at the children, who ran away terrified.

At Ciudad Perdida (Lost City), in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, due to religious and cultural reasons, people of indigenous origin avoid having pictures taken of themselves, their homes and their objects. Tourists are warned not to insist in order not to make locals uncomfortable by invading their privacy.

The Mapuches, who live in southern Chile and Argentina, also reject photographs. To them, an image has a spirit and if someone captures it that person takes something away from them. This belief has presented a challenge to documentary producers, who always must give signs of respect in order to gain their trust and obtain their footage. Nevertheless, artists often just shoot photos or videos, promising to come back and give a copy, but never show again. It is important to understand that the Mapuches will always ask (and sometimes demand) a token of the time they gave away a piece of their soul. On a few occasions, people have been so offended by being photographed that they have broken tourists’ cameras.

The case of Italian scientist Guido Boggiani is, no doubt, the most extreme. Boggiani lived many years with the Caduveo tribe in Paraguay and was obsessed with body paintings and tattoos, shooting more than 500 photographs that he developed in the middle of the jungle. He was murdered in 1902, when he was 40 years old, and –although it is not really known for certain- it is believed that the motive was his photographic activity, since the expedition that went looking for him found his remains buried with his camera in pieces. After his death, a colleague of his published a series of 100 postcards of this Paraguayan tribe, which included a selection of 12 nude photos especially captured for scientists.

Of course, nowadays it is highly unlikely that anyone will threaten you with death just because you took a picture of them, but it is still worthwhile to avoid an unpleasant situation and show respect for the other person by asking a simple question: “May I take a picture of you?”

Help protect endangered species!

Souvenirs made with embalmed Many-colored rush-tyrants (Tachuris rubrigastra rubrigastra).

© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

A recent communication by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, and the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) urges Chinese nationals living in Africa not to carry ivory and other illegal wildlife products into China.

The damage caused to elephant populations in the world due to ivory trade is well known and most people understand why it is important to comply with the prohibition of selling and buying these products. There are, however, other species in danger of extinction whose situation is not common knowledge and tourists may be damaging them without suspecting. Unfortunately, souvenirs made from endangered species are often very openly sold, making it hard for tourists to know they are doing any harm.

Besides promoting hunting of endangered species, tourists coming back home with such products in their luggage sometimes risk expensive fines or even jail time. Each year, Customs agents throughout the world confiscate thousands of souvenirs made from endangered species, which are protected by the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

CITES signatory countries, which include Chile, forbid the import and export of products made from species that may be endangered in any part of the world, including ivory, tortoiseshell, coral and many fur, skin and feather products. If you buy a fur coat, bone carving or alligator-skin boots, you may have to show a certificate when you enter and/or leave the country that states your goods were not made from endangered species.

In Chile, in the 1970s, CITES warned the country about its reduced populations of Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), a South American camelid species -distantly related to camels- that was heavily hunted because of its fiber, which is highly-valued in international markets. The Chilean government carried out a successful plan to ban and control hunting to recover the species’ numbers in the northern parts of the country, and now we can enjoy seeing them run freely in the High Andes.

When in doubt, your best bet is to simply avoid buying any animal products as souvenirs. That way, you will not be harming any endangered species and you will also reduce the risk of being detained by Customs agents when you fly back home. And, of course, you will be an example of a responsible tourist!

Recycle, recycle, recycle!

Recycling bins at San Cristóbal Hill, in Santiago, Chile.
© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

One action we can take as responsible tourists and citizens is to avoid leaving garbage lying around in the places we visit. The best thing to do is take the garbage and recycle it. In Chile, it is not always that easy to find recycling containers, but some hotels are already including them in their facilities and some tourist attractions, such as the San Cristóbal Hill, have them as well.

The good thing is that in Chile recycling has been linked to social projects for a long time. For example, the San José Foundation provides boxes to companies in order to recycle paper and they also have bins in some supermarkets. The money obtained from recycling allows them to fund their adoption centers.

The Corporation to Help Children with Burns (COANIQUEM) recycles glass bottles to fund their centers to assist burnt children. The Committee for the Defense of Flora and Fauna (CODEFF) also recycles glass to support environmental projects, such as their wildlife recovery center in the Maipo Canyon.

Empty Tetra Pak containers are recycled by the A Roof for Chile Foundation to obtain funds for their campaign to build houses for families without a home. And the National Family Center (CENFA) recycles plastic soda, juice and mineral water bottles to fund their initiative to support families in conflict.

Therefore, by recycling we are not only helping care for the environment, but also supporting non-profit organizations carrying out important social projects in Chile. What better benefits could there be?

The final message, then, is: Recycle, recycle, recycle!

La Tirana Festival bets on cultural tourism

Dancers in front of La Tirana Church, in northern Chile.

© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

This Saturday, July 16th, marks the celebration of La Tirana Festival in Chile, in honor of the Virgin Carmen, patron of the country. The town La Tirana, with a population of 560 people, prepares to receive approximately 250,000 tourists, of which it is estimated that 70% are Chilean and 30% are foreigners coming from neighboring countries, such as Peru and Bolivia, as well as other faraway places like Spain, Germany and Belgium.

During this festival, the place transforms as dancers and merchants flood the town where believers praise the Virgin with music, dance and offerings. Among the folk dances, the more traditional ones are the “devil dances”, called that way because of the devil mask and suit worn by the male dancers. The dance represents the clash between good and evil, mixing elements of the Catholic religion introduced during the Spanish conquest with ancient Andean rites.

The town of La Tirana reportedly marks the burial spot of an Inca princess known as the tyrant of the Pampa del Tamarugal because she inspired terror amongst conquerors and converted indigenous people of the area in her fight against Spanish rule during the 16^th century. According to the common tale, she fell in love with one of her prisoners, a Portuguese man who converted her to the Catholic faith, and both of them were killed by her Inca warriors while he was baptizing her. Her last words were a request for a cross to be placed on her tomb. A Spanish monk is supposed to have found the cross, where La Tirana is now located.

The July 16^th festival represents the mix of both cultures and is one of the most popular typical events in Chile. Although the people who live in La Tirana anxiously wait for this day, both for its religious significance as well as its increased visitor flow, the activity also presents risks such as tourists surpassing the locality’s carrying capacity.

Another challenge is to avoid having La Tirana depend economically on one specific date per year. That's why a women’s association of the town got together and obtained government funding to create a tourism information center, which opened in May 2011, betting on the fact that La Tirana has enough interesting places and activities to attract visitors all year round.

It is important to promote a sustainable development of tourism so that the festival does not have more costs than benefits and so that the local community can have the necessary tools to create high-quality tourism products and to market them efficiently in order to increase these people’s income. Festivals are an important element of cultural tourism and can, no doubt, contribute to preserve ancient traditions.