Dear Mom and Dad,
I'm
fine, even though I miss you all. It is hot here, even though it is autumn. The
summer in Chile is between December and March. I didn't get around to choosing a house
yet, since you might want a specific type and location for the house. When we do choose
though, we have to be careful because, Chile is subject to earthquakes. I think, we should
choose a house in northern Chile. Down south, it is freezing!
You chose a great place to move to! Chile is sometimes called the Switzerland of South America, because of its natural beauty. Chile, even though it is 4,022 miles long, is not very wide. The average width of Chile is only 100 miles across. Even though it is so long, altogether it is only slightly larger than Texas.
In my opinion, there are a lot of people in Chile. In July 1997, the population was 14,508,158 people!! Some of the people here are white and white Amerindian, (95%,) Amerindian, (3%,) and any others (2%.) 89 % of the people are Roman Catholic, and 11% Protestant. The life expectancy of females is 77.95 years. The life expectancy for males is 71.5 years.
The government here is Republican. Their president is Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle. He was elected in 1994 and, is the Head of State and Government. The National Congress has 2 houses The Senate, (which has 46 members,) and the chamber of Deputies (120 members.)
Good manners, respect and, courtesy are important to Chileans. For example, you make eye contact when you greet a person. You also suppress a yawn, or conceal it with your hand. A man must always stand to greet a woman entering the room. During a conversation you must stand with correct posture and use the person's title, such as Senor (Mr.), Senorita (Miss), and Senora (Mrs.)
Chileans are also very smart. They are among the best-educated people in Latin America. Their literacy is 93%. The Chileans greatly value education. The capital of Chile (Santiago) has 8 universities. Some of the major universities and colleges are The University of Chile, The Catholic University of Chile, The University of Concepcion, and The University of Valaparaiso. Mom could very easily find a job here.
Did you know that, Chile has a free trade agreement with Canada? Chile's economy depends on copper mining, fishing, and forestry. It also has a free-market economy.
The cities in Chile are Antofagasta, Licon Ray, Pucon, Puerto Montt, Vllarrica, and Santiago(the capital.)
The Chileans' health is remarkable. They eat many healthy, and well-balanced meals. They also have effective health care in many ways.
From,
Veronica G.