From the Inside Out: Temuco

This past weekend I went with my family to Temuco where we stayed with my host dad's brother and his family. It was a great weekend for family bonding, and of course my host uncle and his family are all incredibly nice as well.

Temuco is one of the bigger cities in Chile, and it also has possibly the highest level of air pollution in the country. It is a newer city compared to many others in Chile, and it is also one of the fastest growing cities (hence all the pollution). As a result of all this, Temuco has a very interesting dynamic. It is very much a modernized city heavily influenced by Western ideals, but it also still holds onto tradition. It is not uncommon to see carts pulled by horses making their way through the city traffic (I even saw a cart pulled by bulls. Bulls!) There are many butcher shops that specialize in horse meat. And I saw a few great street markets. Temuco has a strong Mapuche presence, and their culture is still very much alive in this city, despite the existing repression and discrimination that threatens virtually all indigenous cultures on our planet. I enjoyed the city, I think it's a very interesting place. It's also quite pretty, with the hills and all the colorful buildings that are characteristic of many of Chile's cities.