Pollution Problems

Because I can, keeping y'all updated on the progress here, so many factors... in a tough situation where everything is lining up in Coyhaique, except it's killing me: 

1. Coyhaique does indeed have the worst air quality in the Western Hemisphere:
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/datablog/2017/feb/13/most-polluted-cities-world-listed-region
I read about the wood stove problem beforehand, but had no idea that it is this bad. Shoot. The persistence of the smoke is due to a combination of the wood stoves and inversion effects produced by the sheer mountain faces surrounding the city. Today was totally fine because the weather was warm and less folks were burning their stoves, but Friday maxed out at 50ppm, well above the 20ppm limit recommended by the World Health Organization:
http://aqicn.org/city/chile/coyhaique/
Everyone I talk to says winter is the worst, 24/7 smoke.I think I'm young and healthy enough to get over short-term infections, but lung cancer is terrifying. I've come to value air and water quality more than anything else, so I may need to make a decision that supports my long-term health.

2. I love everything else about Coyhaique. I stumbled upon a really fantastic home community that welcomed me immediately: music, food, community, cat, everything. The wi-fi connection is solid and would provide an excellent home base for the computational aspect of my project. I'm learning lots of Spanish and relish the human connection. Despite the existence of a gas stove, some roommates choose to cook with a wood stove, which is essentially an open fire in the kitchen, generally started with burning cardboard. Ouch. 

3. Moving outside of the city would likely require transportation. While I could probably afford a truck, southern Chile is pretty expensive, and I probably wouldn't be able to afford something reliable. I have a lead on renting a vehicle from another researcher from May through November -- pursuing this option.

4. Another option is to try and move outside of the city without transportation. I'm looking at cabins in Valle Simpson -- if my advisor plans to support the field component of the project in Coyhaique Alto with his vehicle, he would need to drive through Valle Simpson to get to Coyhaique Alto. If the cabin were close enough to the Carretera Austral, I could take the bus into town for the outreach events we have planned in Coyhaique. Since he and CIEP are keeping the two weather stations when I leave (paid for by the national Critical Zone Observatory network in the U.S.), I don't think supporting me in terms of transportation is out of the question. I also have a lead in La Junta, which is five (!) hours from Coyhaique, but directly linked with public transportation. Would work if/when I finish the community aspects of the project.

5. Another option is to wear a mask (all winter long). Not sure if I could find one that would actually filter the dangerous fine particulate matter. Maybe if I drink enough wine and mate, the antioxidants will work their magic... 

In an ideal world, I would spend March, April, maybe May in Coyhaique, and focus on the community aspects of the project during this time, while also meeting folks on a personal level. And then move somewhere slightly more remote, and get into the more computational and field aspects of the project.

Internally, I've been dwelling a bit on privilege, and what exactly it means to be a U.S. researcher in a foreign country. I've come to believe that one can't serve a community with internal anxiety and stress, so I feel pretty justified in making the right call for my body... I was initially concerned that my aversion to the air quality was wrapped up in the general fear of being in a new place where I don't speak the language (fluently). This weekend, I worked through most of that fear, but am still left with the sinking feeling about the air. I can usually breathe through most issues that cause me stress, so it feels threatening to be confronted with a problem I can't breathe through (literally). So again, I need to make an intense adult decision. Grown-ass man I guess, can figure this out.