6 UnChilean Things: Home Edition

1. Drinking Water
Chileans don't drink water. This isn't strictly true, but it's almost funny how much other beverages are favored. Specifically, "juices" which are water mixed with aspartame flavoring. Or soda. Or coffee. Or tea. Several people have mentioned how these liquids "have water in them" and I'm fairly sure they were somewhat serious. I mean, that's kind of true, but definitely not the same, especially given that SODA DEHYDRATES YOU and Chilean food is salty to begin with.
My host mom always gives me weird looks when I reach for some plain old water from the tap. "Are you sure you don't want something else? Juice? Coffee?" When I was sick, she brought me tea and fanta, which I found culturally amusing.

2. Milk
Drinking milk: also weird. I usually try and do it when no one is around. Also, milk comes in boxes but is liquid and isn't refrigerated until opening. Pretty sure there are lots of chemicals in it.

3. Eating Alone
This one is pretty universal outside the US, I think, but it's generally considered anti-social. Same for eating while standing around. I usually end up bringing a lunch because its less awkward to eat at school than to eat an early lunch by myself.

4. Not Wearing Shoes
My family is big on shoes in the house. The other day, I slipped down the stairs while only wearing socks. Thick woolen socks. "That's what happens when you are barefoot!" I was told. My (real) mother loves to yell at my siblings and I for not wearing socks or slippers, so I find it extra amusing. In another annecdote: My friends host family calls her "Indiancita" (little Indian) because she likes to go around barefoot. Shoe obsession and awkwardly un-pc nicknames: very Chile.

5. Air drying your hair
My host mom is big on me using the hairdryer, especially when it was winter. "So that your wet hair won't get you sick." I am not, since more often than not it results in an interesting 1980s throughback, which despite mens hairstyles being mulletlicious is not the fashion for women. Coincidentally, my real mother also yells at me about this a lot too.

6. Tupperwear Lids in the Fridge
Unlike America's obsessive compulsiveness about germs, it's totally normal to just leave a bowl or container uncovered in the fridge. Generally, Chileans eat their lunch leftovers for dinner though, so things hang around for less time.