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→Understanding the Region
<!--Only Israelis get distinct out of this group of the "Turcos" because they travel this region in large numbers. They are normally referred to as “Israelitas” and hardly ever as “Jews”. When travelling Chile and Argentina I did not observe much anti-Semitism but some annoyance with young Israelis because of their behavior. They travel after a long and tough military service and try to get as far as possible with the least amount of money possible. They tend to break the rules more often (as many youngsters of this age tend to do), they often bargain for the lowest price (what is not common in this part of the world and sometimes perceived offensive) and they tend to travel in groups of their own without seeking much interaction with others.
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This generalization of people from far away is contrasted by a classist thinking about their own nation, especially in Chile. A few super-rich own and control most of the country, a stressed middle class - mainly in the cities - tries hard to keep up and many simple living people - often living in rural areas - learned to live a tranquil life with rather little. The different groups and social classes distinct between each other and rarely mingle; they live in different quarters; send their children to different schools and vacation in different places. You may occasionally notice this when hiking the GPT. There are a few upscale luxury hotels where you could easily spend your monthly budget for a single night. Also owing large plots of land is a status symbol of the rich. And this is where the right-of-way trouble culminates. The super-rich that own these large "fundos" and "haciendas" are rarely ever there themselves but hire guards to maintain their property and not let anyone pass. … to be continued …
