Surfing the September nostalgia

There is a strange phenomenon that affects a bunch of us Chileans Expats during the month of September. It’s a sweet mixture between feeling homesick and getting a strong sense of patriotism.

Now don’t get me wrong, we always carry our Chilean identity almost like a second heart. But in September we become drawn to all things Chilean, even down to the music.

Of course we can’t deny that at a core level it also involves our palate. Getting a huge craving for our typical food and drink. Not just empanadas, but the whole shebang. Humitas, sopaipillas, pastel de choclo, and the list goes on and on. And don’t even get me started on the booze element.

But I guess at the end of the day it all comes down to family. Sitting around a big table. The beautiful aromas of a well prepared asado. The carefree laughter alongside traditional music. Looking at the stars at the end of the day and being thankful for being alive (okay, that last one was a personal tradition).

Besides, who doesn’t have a funny childhood memory of getting dressed in a folklore costume to do an elaborate dance at school alongside a display of Chilean flags in the background. 

Remembering that our country is very long but not that wide. That we have so many contrasts in climate and vegetation. All bringing to the table such a beautiful array of a landscape that we call Chile. Sorry I don’t mean to sound like a clip from “Recomiendo Chile”. 

There is also something really cool about having a flag where a big white star takes the center stage. Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but in my books a star means hope.

Before I finish, let me leave you with this image. Did you hear about the time Ewan McGregor was passing through Chile? He did it with his best friend whilst filming a motorcycle diaries type documentary using their electric bikes. It happened to be during the “dieciocho” in a small southern town and they had a mini fonda. The party feeling was so welcoming. Ewan was surprised everybody was so happy and friendly. I guess he said this in contrast to his Scottish pub experience where nasty fights could be the order of the day.

All this to say: our roots define who we are and we are mini ambassadors wherever we go. Even at a subconscious level.

Did I tell you I come from a generation where we grew up singing the national anthem every Monday at school? But school shenanigans and other stories are a totally different arena that probably deserve their own entry.