Culture Class: Chilean Families

PHOTO ALBUM 1: Chilean Family (link)

So, looking at some differences in the families of Chile and United States. Families in Chile are a lot closer considering the children do not leave the house until after they have finished college. Most college degrees are 6 years so the majority of the children stay in the house until age 26 easily. Typically, the women are housewives and take care of the house as well as make all the meals. They also serve to keep the nuclear family updated on family news as well as all social happenings. Living at home provides for a much different university experience considering that you aren't surrounded by friends all the time like in the United States. Lunch is served around 2:00 in the afternoon so you return home for lunch. Lunch is the largest meal of the day. Since the Chilean family is closer, the mother is generally wants to make sure that your well dressed it's cold out, that you have an umbrella if it's raining, that you're feeling well, that everything is going well. So the involvement of Chilean parents lives in the lives of their children in the university is much greater than in the United States. Since all the family lives together in the house, it's not abnormal that 2 brothers of 23 and 25 share a room and sleep in bunkbeds. You're expected to tell the family if you aren't coming home one night or if you are getting back later than expected so they don't get worried. On Sunday, the family generally all comes together for a big lunch. The children that no longer live in the house generally come to the house quite often just to talk and see how things are. All meals are eaten the in the dining room where there is no TV. A man comes weekly to completely clean the house and give the mother a break. Water heating is controlled by turning on a heater with a match that heats the water for the house. Dinners at night are at about 9pm and are generally leftovers from lunch. Gas is expensive in Chile so central heating doesn't exist nor any system of heating for that matter. The only heating is a small stove that heats the corner of one room. That means bundling up in the house is a must. Shoes are not expected to be taken off at the door.