Today I explored the mysteries of getting a parking spot in Chile

Parking is serious business in Santiago. Like many large metropolitan cities, parking is rare due to the large number of cars and apartments rent their parking spots out. Parking on the street is not advisable due to theft. One night we even heard the sound of someone ramming their car into a parked car, setting off the car’s alarm and the driver screeching away.
Today we are picking up our truck for the field and were hoping to work with our Chilean contact to negotiate for us a parking spot. Unfortunately, that contact called to say that today would not work, would Monday be okay?
After a flurry of emails, we decided that I would ask the front desk about visitor parking. The conversation went something like this:

I approach the front desk, where both an elderly man and a young man are behind the desk…

Michael: Hola, estoy parte de un groupo de scientificos y hoy vamos a obtener un camión por nuestro proyecto. Pero, no puedo usar nuestra estacionamiento hasta lunes.

Staff: *nod nod*

Michael: Entendí que hay estacionamiento de…

Young Man: de visitados?

Michael: Si!

Staff: *confer confer, raised eyebrows*

Young man: Un momento, por favor

Staff: *both move to a side door and poke their heads in. A serious-looking man comes out*

Middle-aged Man: *frowning* Díjame.

Michael: (I repeat my story), “…y si es solamente por las noches…”

Staff: *All three give me surprised looks* “Y, por los dias?

Michael: *a large shrug* Hay estructuras de estacionamiento…

Staff: *shaking their heads* No no no, tres dias aquí, dias y noches.

Michael: Muchas gracias!

I have bartered for artesinal goods in Guatemala and tried to order food before Mexican restaurants in California, but neither could compare to the panic I felt trying to articulate my needs like today. I found however the Chilean staff to be extremely nice, polite and they even asked me if I spoke English. Even though I found most of what they said baffling due to my inexperience and their accent, I will definitely keep working on my Spanish.

The Beginning

Hi everyone,

This is the beginning of my blog, "The Coruro Tracker," concerning my first official field research experience in Chile. I will try to update a few times a week about what I am learning about culture and natural history of Chile. Many of our group are currently making blogs, which I definitely recommend; they are all terrific writers and each of us will give you a different take on life in Chile as a visitor and scientist!