Improving the World... One Interaction At A Time.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
As an actor at a major motion picture studio, and theme park in Hollywood, as well as a magician I frequently get the opportunity to entertain for from all over the world. A year ago or so a document was released within our entertainment department that outlined different countries, and some good information you can use to create meaningful, lasting encounters with their people.
I immediately saw the advantage of this information for the magician community because what are we if not entertainers? We can use just about any tool at our disposal to help create that one magic moment with our audience that can make it even that much more memorable. So I got permission to share the information with you. Of course this project will take some time to post up, so I'll be updating this based upon two factors. The first being how well received, and appreciated it is from you the community, and the second how relevant the community feels this information is as applied to their lives. That is to say if not encouraged, I won't keep it up. Otherwise, I'll post new threads titled: "Improving The World: {country name}" that that specific file relates to.
Without any further delay, I bring you our next country: Chile
Country: Chile
Continental Location: South America
What They Call Themselves: Chileans
Primary Language: Spanish
Secondary Language: German
Prominent Cities: Santiago [capital]; Valparaiso, Concepcion
Well Known Historical Sites: Easter Island, Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego
Currency: Chilean Pesos
Starter Phrases:
Hello: Hola
Goodbye: Adios
Thank you: Gracias
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/Celebrities: Michelle Bachelet (first female President of Chile); Pablo Neruda (Nobel prize winning poet, deceased).
-Chile’s capital Santiago is situated between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean on the western side of South America.
-Nicknamed “The Jewel of the Pacific”, Valparaiso was declared a world heritage site based upon its improvised urban design and unique architecture. In 1996, the World Monuments Fund declared Valparaiso’s unusual system of funicular elevators (highly-inclined cable cars) one of the world’s 100 most endangered historical treasures.
-Chile is a former Spanish colony that was also part of the Incan Empire.
-Easter Island, located in Polynesia but controlled by Chile, rivals Stonehenge in archeological importance and uniqueness. Easter Island is famous for its monolithic statures. Called the Easter Island Heads, the 50 foot tall “Moai” were carved between 1000-1500 years ago. Based on distance, Easter Island is the most “remote” inhabited island on Earth.
-Soccer a.k.a. futbol is the most popular sport. Chile hosted the World Cup in 1962.
-Rodeo is the national sport of Chile. The National team won the Polo World Championship in 2008.
-The Andean Condor is the national bird.
-Chilean sea bass is a very popular seafood dish.
-The southern end of Chile nearly reaches Antarctica and features many Glaciers.
-Patagonia is the southernmost end of the continent (located in Chile and Argentina). It is home to the glaciers and penguins. Tierra del Fuego is the archipelago that extends from Patagonia.
-The Strait of Magellan is named after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan the first European to circumnavigate the globe by going around Cape Horn.
-Punta Arenas, Chile is the southernmost city in the world.
What To Avoid:
-When dining out in Chile the customer must usually ask for the check, otherwise it won’t be brought. Also it’s considered proper etiquette to pour wine with the right hand holding the glass by the stem.
-Chileans tend to use a lot of rude words in confidence that could be offensive. Don’t take this as offensive, as it is meant to endear. However, don’t attempt to use these words yourself as it might be highly humorous to them.
- Avoid discussion about politics (in regards to a history of democracy with civil unrest), authoritarian leaders (i.e. Pinochet), and comments on Chile being backward (even though many Chileans will agree with such an observation). Similarly, avoid other third-world references such as the high crime rate, and the deplorable state of public education and prisons in Chile.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
As an actor at a major motion picture studio, and theme park in Hollywood, as well as a magician I frequently get the opportunity to entertain for from all over the world. A year ago or so a document was released within our entertainment department that outlined different countries, and some good information you can use to create meaningful, lasting encounters with their people.
I immediately saw the advantage of this information for the magician community because what are we if not entertainers? We can use just about any tool at our disposal to help create that one magic moment with our audience that can make it even that much more memorable. So I got permission to share the information with you. Of course this project will take some time to post up, so I'll be updating this based upon two factors. The first being how well received, and appreciated it is from you the community, and the second how relevant the community feels this information is as applied to their lives. That is to say if not encouraged, I won't keep it up. Otherwise, I'll post new threads titled: "Improving The World: {country name}" that that specific file relates to.
Without any further delay, I bring you our next country: Chile
Country: Chile
Continental Location: South America
What They Call Themselves: Chileans
Primary Language: Spanish
Secondary Language: German
Prominent Cities: Santiago [capital]; Valparaiso, Concepcion
Well Known Historical Sites: Easter Island, Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego
Currency: Chilean Pesos
Starter Phrases:
Hello: Hola
Goodbye: Adios
Thank you: Gracias
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/Celebrities: Michelle Bachelet (first female President of Chile); Pablo Neruda (Nobel prize winning poet, deceased).
-Chile’s capital Santiago is situated between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean on the western side of South America.
-Nicknamed “The Jewel of the Pacific”, Valparaiso was declared a world heritage site based upon its improvised urban design and unique architecture. In 1996, the World Monuments Fund declared Valparaiso’s unusual system of funicular elevators (highly-inclined cable cars) one of the world’s 100 most endangered historical treasures.
-Chile is a former Spanish colony that was also part of the Incan Empire.
-Easter Island, located in Polynesia but controlled by Chile, rivals Stonehenge in archeological importance and uniqueness. Easter Island is famous for its monolithic statures. Called the Easter Island Heads, the 50 foot tall “Moai” were carved between 1000-1500 years ago. Based on distance, Easter Island is the most “remote” inhabited island on Earth.
-Soccer a.k.a. futbol is the most popular sport. Chile hosted the World Cup in 1962.
-Rodeo is the national sport of Chile. The National team won the Polo World Championship in 2008.
-The Andean Condor is the national bird.
-Chilean sea bass is a very popular seafood dish.
-The southern end of Chile nearly reaches Antarctica and features many Glaciers.
-Patagonia is the southernmost end of the continent (located in Chile and Argentina). It is home to the glaciers and penguins. Tierra del Fuego is the archipelago that extends from Patagonia.
-The Strait of Magellan is named after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan the first European to circumnavigate the globe by going around Cape Horn.
-Punta Arenas, Chile is the southernmost city in the world.
What To Avoid:
-When dining out in Chile the customer must usually ask for the check, otherwise it won’t be brought. Also it’s considered proper etiquette to pour wine with the right hand holding the glass by the stem.
-Chileans tend to use a lot of rude words in confidence that could be offensive. Don’t take this as offensive, as it is meant to endear. However, don’t attempt to use these words yourself as it might be highly humorous to them.
- Avoid discussion about politics (in regards to a history of democracy with civil unrest), authoritarian leaders (i.e. Pinochet), and comments on Chile being backward (even though many Chileans will agree with such an observation). Similarly, avoid other third-world references such as the high crime rate, and the deplorable state of public education and prisons in Chile.
