CHILE NEWS: Drs. Robert and Michele Simon of Bradford, who
hosted an exchange student from Chile a few years back, visited
their adopted “daughter” in Chile in recent weeks.
The Simons spent nine days in Rancagua, Chile, visiting the
Isabel and Victor Gonzalez family and their daughter, Macarena, who
is now 20 and a student at Adolfo Ibanez University in
Santiago.
You may remember reading in The Era about Macarena who was part
of an exchange program sponsored by Bradford Rotary during the
2004-05 school years.
After a 10-hour flight from Atlanta, the Simons landed at the
Arturo Benitez International Airport in Santiago.
“One of the largest cities in South America, Santiago is home to
nearly 6 million residents. Approximately 37 percent of the
population of Chile resides in this capital city,” they write.
“The rapid economic expansion in Chile is giving rise to many
modern skyscrapers mixed among well-preserved buildings several
hundred years old. Santiago is situated in a valley surrounded by
mountains including the towering Andes to the east.”
Adolfo Ibanez University is just one of many universities in
Santiago. Macarena is studying industrial, civil engineering.
“The Gonzalez’s live in a modern gated neighborhood with several
new homes under construction nearby. Their youngest daughter,
Paulina, 17, attends one of several private secondary schools in
the area.”
“Mr. Gonzalez is an agronomist with one of the many fruit and
vegetable companies located throughout the area.”
“Chile is divided into 13 regions, including the metropolitan
region of Santiago. Located on the western side of South America,
its Pacific Ocean coastline is 2,600 miles long.
“The city of Rancagua is about 50 miles south of Santiago and is
located among the fertile valleys of the Sixth Region.
“The Southern Hemisphere is currently in the summer season. The
Rancagua area rarely receives any rainfall in the month of January,
and temperatures consistently range from 60-85 degrees
Fahrenheit.
“… January to March is harvest season, and 60- to 70- hour work
weeks are common.
“In the Andes Mountains, just east of Rancagua, is the El
Teniente mine. It is the largest underground copper mine in the
world.
“Roman Catholics constitute about 85 percent of the population,
and Spanish is the official language of Chile. Most of the
automobiles in the country are small imports from Korea and
Japan.
“Gasoline is nearly $4 per gallon.”
