The Art of Living

by Bethany Hertrick

Charles Morgan, a British novelist who lived during the early 1900s, once said, “The art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mood of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form without being disappointed by the change, for happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up.” As one might assume, living in Chile is very different than living in the States. There are numerous cultural differences of which one must be aware. For example, people in Chile dress up every single day. Athletic clothing is considered appropriate only for athletic events (imagine that!).  Another cultural difference is that Chileans are, in general, much quieter than North Americans. You won’t hear Chileans shouting, yelling, or laughing obnoxiously as is common practiced in the U.S. (no offense to any reader who may participate in said practices). When faced with these cultural differences, you have two options: cling to your own culture or embrace the new one. Every student in our group has chosen (either consciously or subconsciously) to either complain about how “weird” the culture is and resist the changes, or face the changes head-on with an open mind and the belief that maybe our way isn't the best way. It is only after we have chosen the latter that we can truly master the art of living in a different culture.