Santiago

This post mainly serves to update family that I'm alive:

Yesterday I arrived in Santiago,  made it through customs without incident, but the customs agents did not tell me to pay the tax for importing $3000 in weather stations, despite the fact that I checked the box for 'more than luggage' on the form. Had I been in a clearer state of mind (>24 hours without sleep), I could have just walked away with the box. But being a stupid gringo, I made the mistake of telling the customs agents that I was carrying $3000 in weather stations, and then spent the rest of the day attempting to pay the associated tax with every official telling me something different: 'there is an office on the third floor' 'try down the block' 'try the office building in Santiago' etc. After an entire day of negotiating, I was finally able to pay the tax, take my weather stations, and go. Lesson learned: honesty is not rewarded in Chile.

I was so tired and frazzled by this point that I took the first taxi that offered me a ride (apparently I learned nothing in Venezuela) and paid $50 for a ride to my hotel, finding out afterward that there is a shared ride service that would have cost me $20. Trying to think of it as another customs fee at this point...I shouldn't complain too much as this trip is very well-resourced, with both the Fulbright and another grant paying for the weather stations and more. Also remembering that Venezuela was only so cheap because of the illegal exchange rate we enjoyed, and that I shouldn't expect Chile to be quite as favorable.

I presented my project along with about 12 other Fulbright students today, we were treated to a fancy lunch, and now I'm catching up on work in the hotel (I've become so lame!). Tonight I will likely grab a drink with other Fulbrights (I have a food stash in hotel room to soothe my sore wallet, still munching on flax loaves). Tomorrow, the Fulbright commission is taking us on a winery tour, and then I fly out in the evening to Puerto Montt, after which I have an overnight layover (boo!), and then I fly to Balmaceda Friday morning. Dr. Brian Reid, my advisor in Chile, offered to meet me there, and we will head to Coyhaique from there. Woohoo!

(yes, that is smog...nearly 8 million people in Santiago!)