76 CultureShock! Chile
Conversation
In general, conversations at dinners and parties in Chile
are not that different from those in many other countries.
Conversation will usually begin with your family, i.e.,
children, siblings, parents, etc. and their occupations. You
should show similar interest in the families of the hosts and
other guests. People will also be curious as to why you are
in Chile, your profession and where and what you studied.
Naturally they will be interested in your impressions of
their country and whether you’ve had a chance to travel.
Chileans are very proud and will wholeheartedly agree with
compliments you make regarding the economic progress and
physical beauty of the country. You may find Chileans more
critical of other aspects of life in Chile, however, and they
will be interested to know how life in Chile compares to life
in your home country. Chileans tend to be self-deprecating,
often making jokes about what a backward country Chile
is or how dishonest their fellow Chileans are. You are not
expected to agree with these claims wholeheartedly.
Chileans are not generally concerned with keeping the
conversation ‘politically correct’. When speaking about other
groups of people, whether from different cultures or of a
different sexual orientation, some comments may appear
harsh, insensitive and derogatory. Most Chileans firmly
believe that they are not racists, but then make conflicting,
sometimes shocking, statements without realising the obvious
contradictions. You’ll often hear, “I’m not racist, but...”
There is also a tendency for some Chileans to look down
on indigenous groups within the country. This attitude lingers
in spite of the higher standing these groups have achieved
as part of an overall growing interest in environmental and
indigenous issues. The terms indio and cholo in reference
to the native population carry negative connotations, and
although they are commonly used, we would suggest that
you refrain from including them in your vocabulary.
Another topic often introduced is body weight. It is not
considered rude to remark on someone’s weight gain or
loss. It is not meant as an insult, merely an observation.
In fact, this is true with many other physical attributes, for