Howdy kids. I was having a heck of a time yesterday and today trying to put together a report at work. In another country, everything is different. I normaly use a spanish keyboard setting on my personal computer, but the actual keys on my Chilean computer are slightly diferent. They make room for some additional characters on the hardware here. Check out my last post for a pic of that tricky รง button that keeps getting in my way. Today´s issues weren´t just with the keyboard, but with the software too. All the key codes are different. Here, it´s B to search, N to bold an item, K for italics, S for underline, G to save, A for file, etc. It had been awhile since I had used Excel to make special graphs and fun things like that. It didn´t help that everything was in spanish with some new, unusual words. Along these lines, here´s our vocabulary lesson for the day. Eje- axis (as in on a graph).
I played around with Excel for some time before I figured out why my graph wasn´t looking the way I thought it would. Latin cultures use a period where we use a comma and a comma where we use a period when dealing with numbers. I knew this before, but hadn´t previously considered that it would screw up my Excel graph. When I inputed "6.5%", it read it as either "6,500%" or null. Either way, it would display on the graph. I know this is boring stuff but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up. Don´t say I didn´t warn you. Next time you use a computer in South America and read or input anything number-related, keep this in mind.
Speaking of "next times", next time someone suggests you make the metro change at the Baquedano station during the morning rush hour, run away! For those of us with no previous experience in a metro system, the severity of the Baquedano issue is very hard to believe. I really wish I had a video to show you guys what I´m talking about.
I have been staying in a place that requires I ride one subway line for a couple of stops and then switch to another line to complete my journey. It went well the first day. Perhaps this was because I left well more than two hours earlier than normal. Since then, it has been terrible.
There have been two times when the metro security guards trapped a group of 200+ people in a small area of the metro station because the train was so behind. On Tuesday, we all piled up in this area and waited uncomfortably for at least 10 minutes. Someone started a slow clap, and half the crowd joined in. People begain yelling and pushing. I thought was going to get to see my first riot. It would have been better had I not been physically stuck in the middle of it. A bit later, the guards let everyone go at once. I don´t see what the point of holding people at a station is if they are just going to let everyone go at once. We were all heading to the same train. I think a better ERP system is needed here.
Anyway, I thought I was home free when they let us go. Wrong! Then began the process of trying to board the train. I honestly don´t know how to even explain this. There is no suggestion of a line on the platform. The only rules are that you have to stand behind the yellow line until the train gets close and pregnant women get help from someone to push people away in front of them. Apart from this, it´s pretty much a free for all.
The train arrives seemingly completely packed. People are smashed against the glass like a cartoon character. As the train slows to a stop, people huddle around the doors and plan their entrance. The best method, I´ve learn, is to literally jump directly in front of the door with your back to the crowd and push back against them. The ensuing panic when the doors open will almost force you into the train. It´s very hit or miss though. I missed 6 times Tuesday and probably a little more today.
At the same time that extra people are piling into the train, a couple of brave souls try to fight their way out. For every 1 person that exits, no less than 3 people hop on. There wasn´t enough room on the floor of the train for my feet this morning. I had to stand on one half of one foot. As you can imagine, it´s quite hard to keep balance in a moving vehicle standing on only part of one leg. Luckily, people are so packed into the space that no one needs to hold on. We become more like a liquid at that point. We just slosh back and forth as the train speeds up and decelerates. There has been a couple of times in which the train stops suddenly between stations. I always fear that we´ll be stuck their indefinately in our current positions. If that were to happen, I think I would try to take a nap. At least I know I wouldn´t fall over and hurt myself.
In the middle of all this, the fella next to me was reading on his kindle as if he were sprawled out in bed. There was no way I would have been able to move my hands an arms to hold a device. He had adjusted himself among the other riders to be stuck in a comfortable position. I´ll have to learn that trick. I bet it´s much easier if you start out in a less full train.
Luckily the ride home isn´t so bad. There enough room to stand with two feet planted firmly on the floor a little more than shoulder width apart. Sometimes I am even lucky enough to be able to lean against a pole or a wall to support myself. While riding the metro home, I had the opportunity to check out some people here. Apparently we have dopplegangers all over the world. I saw someone who acts like my brother. I saw the jolly latin guy from Good Morning Laramie. I saw an old coworker. I would have taken their pictures, but that is a bit frowned upon here. Maybe I´ll sneak up on one one day. Until then, I`ll just look with my eyes. Stay tuned.
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