We meet at 10... Chilean time

Yes, life here seems to have different time zones than in Germany and I (as a larch) still have to get used to it...

The times when people come to the lab are very flexible. Some start their day at 8 (very few), others don't arrive until around 11. The Chileans are relaxed about it and take their time for everything. Rushing doesn't help. A little chat is had with everyone and if it takes longer, so be it. From my roommate, I learned that if it's said, 'We meet at 10 o'clock,' nothing happens before half past 10 at the earliest. That's okay, you adjust to waiting for half an hour to an hour. It's just not great when you put your foot in your mouth. It's 9:30 a.m., I'm sitting in the kitchen with my roommate. Suddenly she asks me, 'Hey Frieda, weren't you supposed to meet the vet for the alpacas at 10?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, why?' I was planning to take the bike soon so that I would be in the lab by 10:15 at the latest. She replied, 'Yes, but the vet is from Argentina and gets really upset if you're late. 10 o'clock means 10 to her.' So, quickly on the bike and off to campus...

Otherwise, the whole day gets pushed back a little. Lunch is around 2 p.m. Before that, a few cookies are snacked on. In general, Chileans eat unhealthy and snack a lot. (No wonder the country has a problem with obesity.) There are countless different types of cookies or flavored milk. They also seem to really like yogurts because the supermarket has at least 2 aisles with different flavors (all naturally fat-free, with additional protein content, and sweetened with stevia). Currently, my roommate has about 25 of them in the fridge. Of course, a lot of coffee is also consumed (at least in the lab). I brought a 500g package from Germany, which lasted for about 2 days. In other South American countries, mate or guarana is said to be very popular as a stimulant. The workday ends around 7 p.m. with many small or longer breaks (but that's also due to waiting times for the samples). Some of the lab employees then go to exercise. I'm usually already too tired and look forward to a cozy evening with a cup of tea (if I finally managed to start the stupid fire).

Chileans greet each other with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, even if they have just met. The atmosphere is always good. There is a lot of talking, music playing, loud singing, and sometimes even a little dancing at work. So even if something isn't going well or it's raining, we don't let our heads hang down.

We should definitely take a leaf out of their book...

Frieda (September 5)