If you are interested in hiking the GPT but you never have been to Chile or Argentina than start with getting a good understanding and knowledge of these two countries. I’m not attempting to eliminate this necessity provide a comprehensive introduction to the Chile and Argentina with the following paragraphs because . I only provide mainly focus on a general introductionfew trail specific aspects that you probably do not find in guide books.
If you are white a European or a white North American accept that you are called a “Gringo”. Sometimes this term is used for all foreigners regardless from where they come. In the Southern Cone this term has no negative intonation (unlike in Mexicoand Central America). It may only presume that a The label "Gringo" may only imply that his person is bit ignorant of the local culture and customs what needs to be treated with leniency. Try to surprise your counterpart with with good Spanish skillsand knowledge about his country!
If you are from the Far East, you will often be considered a “Chino” no matter if you are from China or actually from Japan or Korea or any other country of this region. And please, don’t take it as an offence if you are i.e. of Japanese origin and called a “Chino”. Your part of the world is simply too far away from Patagonia and only few know the complicated and conflictive history of a so distant place.
The same applies to all Turks and Arabs and other Middle Eastern Muslim nations may be up to Pakistan. In Chile they are often all labeled “Turcos” no matter from where they are exactly. If you are affected you may try to explain but don't get frustrated if these differences are irrelevant in a mountain hut in the Andes. Just enjoy that you are first seen as person that came from a far away place without being classified by your nationality.
<!--Only Israelis get distinct out of this group of the "Turcos" because they Israelis 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 any anti-Semitism but occasional some annoyance with young Israelis. They travel after a long and tough military service and try to get as far as possible with the least amount of money necessary. 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 often travel in groups of their own without seeking much interaction with others. If you are an Israeli hiker on the GPT than please don't bargain for a discount if the asking price is reasonable. Take it or leave it, in particular if you are in an remote place along the route and a settler offers you some food or accommodation. I experienced these locals on the trail as generous and reasonable and haggling would be in most cases rude. Be a good ambassador of your nation and be generous where you are treated with generosity.
-->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 (living mainly in the cities) tries hard to keep up and many simple living people (often living which make the majority 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 owners (Spanish: "patron") of these large properties (Chile: often "fundosfundo" and , Argentina: often "haciendashacienda" ) are rarely there themselves but hire caretakers (Spanish: "cuidador") to maintain their property and . Sometimes the "patron" instructs the "cuidador" to not let anyone pass. … How to be continued …deal with such a situation I will explain later.
