Thursday, February 28, 2008

Shrill voices and Sahne-nusses

Since I´ve been living in Chile, I swear I´ve often noticed myself talking in a higher pitched voice than I do in the States. It's the strangest thing. It doesn't get annoyingly high pitched like some chikas I've heard talking...I once saw high-pitched voices combatted, these shrill talkers were told to "bring out their inner bear" when they talk. It was absolutely hilarious and their voices really did change. The memory still makes me laugh. But it's soo weird. Like I feel like I have to be more female here in Chile and not so androgynous in the way I act... like fullfil the roll of "la mujer". Not too many ambigously sexed "Pats" in Chile. (Like from SNL, not a guy, not a lady, just Pat). Though now with the new generation of young adults, there are guys who dress sort of androgynous. According to this article, the tribu urbano is called "el visual" http://www.zona.cl/historicos/2007/11/30/corrientemagnetica%20.asp.

Another random thing I´ve noticed here in Chile is that when shopping at the grocery store, buying in cuantity isn't a good value. For example, in the USA the larger cuantity of a product you buy (like 24 rolls of toilet paper instead of 4) the better discount you get on the product. Here in Chile I find it's rarely like that. (Though I don't shop at the big box stores like Lider and Jumbo). But generally like a small to medium sized product is the best deal in terms of cuantity of product for how much you pay. For example, the Sahne-nuss chocolate bars at the two grocery stores I shop at are like 1.800 pesos for 250 grams and 1.000 pesos for 180grams. Unexpected. The 250 gram bar looks bigger and, in both stores, there are lots of stacks of them, but the 180 gram bar is often sort of hidden and you have to look for it, you have to know it exists. I´m not the only one who knows, because this lady ahead of me in line at the Bandera Azul asked for it the other day. Tramposos los weones.
But I have my priorities and I know how much decent chocolate should cost. Mil pesos los 180 gramos. Así de simple.

2 comments:

Mamacita Chilena said...

I looooooooooove Sahne-nuss. It's pretty much the best chocolate in the world. I do shop at Jumbo and Lider and buying in bulk doesn't convenir por el precio tampoco.

Chilean women who talk so shrilly drive me batty! I've only heard you speak English so I guess I don't really know your Spanish voice, but you sound normal to me ;)

Mama in Chile said...

I can't stand the shrill voices either...huuugely annoying.

But I have to say that I prefer Cadbury's chocolate, good old English chocolate!