Shunning la Selección Colombia

@wwaycorrigan

[For an audio/vlog version of this story, click here.]

Sports fans — as in those who faithfully support a team — and a balanced, unbiased stance rarely play well together.

Many of la Selección Colombia's supporters are insufferable. (Image from Facebook.)

'My team, good. The team we're playing against, bad.' That's generally how it goes. Facts get discarded or are at least explained away by some intricate, yet utterly ludicrous, verbal gymnastics.

Departing from the faithful

It is fanaticism after all. Displaying doubt or accepting criticism means one is not a true believer. Once one takes that leap of faith, the only way to stay suspended is to fully buy into the creed.

Of course, sport deals predominantly in the physical and the here and now, unlike religious faith, which is very much metaphysical and independent of time, until Judgement Day, that is.

What's more, facts, stats, and delivering something tangible and understandable in the moment play significant roles in sport.

Thus, being a 'see no evil, hear no evil' blind sports fanatic is more difficult to justify. Or at least it should be.

Many, though, enter into what I consider to be Faustian-esque fanaticism, particularly with football, or soccer if you prefer. It certainly has evil elements to it.

Insufferable Selección support

Now, while the uncritical mass support for the Colombian men's national football team, la Selección (or la Sele for short) as it's affectionately called, rarely results in acts of violence against non-believers, it does get rather nauseating all the same.

Rather than being something to be admired, it often comes across as immature. The media not only fans the flames of this football fawning but also engages in it itself.

OK, I've never been a, um, fan of the contrived impartiality some other national media outlets try to implement but refusing to see any faults or shortcomings in one's own team is a worse trait.

Such behaviour ensures many la Selección fanatics are both bad losers and bad winners. There's no sense of perspective.

For sure, this isn't exclusive to Colombia. I've unfortunately been in the presence of some Argentineans when their football team is playing and they're arguably more insufferable. And many of my fellow country folk can be the same, just not usually with soccer.

'I can more readily get behind Bogotá's Millonarios football club because I know not everyone in the vicinity will be backing my side.'

The thing with Colombia and most other South American countries is the intensity of fanaticism. I'd wager that about 95 per cent of Colombians enthusiastically support the national team and of that number, perhaps three out of every five are insufferable fanatics.

In the likes of Ireland, a range of sports vie for the nation's undivided attention, so there tends to be fewer insufferable fanatics of any one pursuit. In addition, in Ireland, cynicism and indifference are commonplace, particularly amongst the older generations.

Blind indifference

Thus, Colombia's all-behind-la-Selección approach is a little too much for me. OK, when the team advances in a competition the giddy excitement is understandable, but even in rather meaningless friendly games the enthusiasm is usually excessive. It's why I find it hard to support them.

Well, also at play is that I'm usually uncomfortable when I find myself siding with the majority. For example, I can more readily get behind Bogotá's Millonarios football club because I know not everyone in the vicinity will be backing my side.

It must also be noted that I can often be more critical of those who I want to see do well than those for whom I care little.

Plus, as I age, I question myself more as to why I waste my energy and time supporting individuals or teams who don't know or care about me, something I touched on in Bogged down in Bogotá.

The default mode for many foreigners who make Colombia their home is to mimic the masses and go all in for la Sele. I, too, have played that game. It's one of the quickest ways to win the favour of the locals, ephemeral and shallow as that will most likely be.

These days, however, I'm more comfortable declaring my indifference. This stance is made easier seeing how some of my more respected Colombian acquaintances are also quite indifferent to the team's fortunes.

Bet on Colombia

Now, I shouldn't need to refute here the idea that my indifference to la Selección means I dislike Colombia in general. Some more immature, myopic types will, however, draw that conclusion.

In Loving Colombia, Seventh heaven: Seven benefits of living in Colombia, and many other posts I've given various reasons why I like Colombia. My more than 12 years being based here also shows that I have much time for this country.

Also, I'm not completely immune to all the hype and carnival atmosphere that surrounds a Colombian football match, particularly the kind that comes when the team plays well and progresses in tournaments, as it is at Copa América 2024 as I write these lines. (And no, I'm not trying to jinx them.) One would have to live in solitude in some isolated outpost not to feel the fervour

It's just that I can't get that emotionally involved in the games without a blood connection or something to that effect. And nowadays I'm less inclined to feign fanaticism just to get along. I do, though, still like to watch the games in a public setting. Doing so with less intense, more learned Colombian supporters is a help. Such types do exist.

One way I could force myself to be a more enthusiastic fan is by betting money on the team. Become a fool and a fan in the one go, so to put it.

Although, I think it's best to stick to my intelligent indifference for now.
__________________________________________________________
Listen to The Corrigan Cast podcast here.

Facebook: Wrong Way Corrigan — The Blog & IQuiz "The Bogotá Pub Quiz".

'We can do better on visas for Colombians' — Irish Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar

@wwaycorrigan

Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste), Leo Varadkar, has said he wants to make the visa process easier for Colombians who want to study and work in the country.

Leo Varadkar at the Irish ambassador's residence in Bogotá, with Colombia's Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez (top left).

Speaking at a St Patrick's Day reception at the Irish ambassador's residence in Bogotá, the Tánaiste stated that he would 'love to see more Colombian students coming to Ireland to study in our universities, to learn English, to work if they want to.'

However, he acknowledged that the current visa regulations are rather restrictive for Colombians compared to those from other South American countries such as Argentina and Brazil.

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Colombia's Ministry for Education aimed at greater collaboration in higher education, Varadkar admitted that Ireland 'can do better' on visas but it is something he intends to address. 'Colombians need a visa to come to Ireland, (they) have to pay for that visa, that's not the case from a lot of other countries in Latin America, so that's something I'll try and improve or change and I've been in contact with Minister McEntee (Ireland's Minister for Justice) about that already.'

The Tánaiste, who also serves as Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said that while trade between the two countries is small, 'there is scope for expansion'.

Deputy Prime Minister Varadkar officially opened Ireland's embassy in Bogotá this week, an office that began operating in 2019, the same year that Colombia opened an embassy in Dublin.

Before visiting Colombia, Varadkar was in Chile where Ireland also has a new embassy. During his stay in Santiago, he attended the inauguration of the country's new president, the leftist Gabriel Boric. 'Potentially, he represents a new generation of left-wing leaders in South America. Even though he comes from the student protests, the radical left, he has been very clear on Venezuela and Nicaragua. To a certain extent that gives me some encouragement,' Varadkar said of the Chilean president.

Click on the following link, https://youtu.be/3XgauTqKJOw (or see video below), to listen to the full interview with Leo Varadkar where he also speaks about Russia's war in Ukraine and the cocaine trade.

 _______________________________________________________________
Listen to Wrong Way's Colombia Cast podcast here.

Facebook: Wrong Way Corrigan — The Blog & IQuiz "The Bogotá Pub Quiz".

Colombia's not-so-magical realism

Back in the heady days of the Republic of Ireland's "glorious" run at Italia '90 — fair enough, the team reached the last eight but did so without winning a single game in 90 minutes — it practically amounted to treason to question the side's approach or not to be fully supportive of the boys in green.

Relax, la Selección is winning, everything's fine! (Image from fcf.com.co.)

The one pundit who did go against the national zeitgeist, Eamon Dunphy, was temporarily banished from his role with the state broadcaster RTÉ. He dared to criticise the Irish performance after a drab 0-0 draw with Egypt.

He wasn't really wrong with what he said but the country didn’t want to hear such harsh truths in the flood of bonhomie and giddy excitement that a first-ever World Cup appearance swept in.

Don't rock the boat, baby!

This was pre-Celtic Tiger Ireland. Much poorer and, it could be said, more innocent times. The nation badly needed a pick-me-up and Jack Charlton's heroes delivered that (some people have even attributed it to playing an important part in the economic boom that was to follow). Clear-headed, unbiased analysis wasn't wanted.

Nowadays, however, it's pretty much a national pastime to be critical of the Republic of Ireland soccer team. It could even be said that some of it is over the top.

Nonetheless, as a nation matures, its people, in most cases, are better equipped to carry out some introspection, as difficult as it may be.

Looking at Colombia from a self-governing perspective, it is older than the Republic of Ireland. Yet, in many aspects, it hasn't quite mastered the art of self-criticism.

This can be seen clearly enough in the soccer (or football, if you will) world, for the beloved Selección.

Now, I've never really believed in the impartial reporter malarkey, especially when it comes to sports commentary, but you'd like to think that such professionals could at least try to bring a semblance of balance to proceedings. Not here in Colombia.

The lads and lassies commentating and analysing on Colombian games see things solely through yellow-coloured (or blue or red when the side is playing in its alternative strip) glasses. Their heavily biased approach only adds further fuel to the fire of an already highly strung watching public. Win, lose or draw, all sense of realism is lost.

"It was the euphoria that led me to stab you. Que pena!"

Take the opening, and fully merited, Copa América win over Argentina. Yes, the Argies have a number of individuals of truly world-class standard. Yet, the reality is, the collective has been much less than the sum of its parts for a couple of years now.

Their form of late against fellow South American teams, for one, has been patchy to say the least. That should be factored into any proper analysis of Colombia's victory. However, on the whole here, it's not.

This isn't to say that it was a "nothing win" for Colombia, not at all. You can make a case for them to go far. Colombia's performance was as solid as what we've seen thus far. But let's just take it game by game for now, keep things in perspective.

Going backwards, at speed

Of course, a country losing the run of itself over football "success" is harmless really, save for the odd violent incident that happens post-match. ("Oops, it was the euphoria that led me to stab you. ¡Que pena!").

In politics and the general running of the country, on the other hand, overlooking facts, ignoring certain obvious signs that things may not be as you're saying they are, that's a recipe for disaster. 

For more balanced commentators on Colombia, there's a feeling that the country's on the slide (two years ago, in Colombia's comedown?, I touched on some of these challenges).

The right-leaning president, Iván Duque, not quite a year in the post, hasn't done much to steady the ship. On the contrary, for many observers, things are in reverse.

There is a theory that keeping the country on the precipice suits certain powerful interests. One wouldn't want to unlock Colombia's great potential for the masses or those of a different ilk. A jobs-for-the-boys kind of approach. Considering this land's history, you'd have to say there might be something to that.

But hey, as long as La Selección keeps on winning, everything's wonderful, isn’t it?
_________________________
Facebook: Wrong Way Corrigan – The Blog & IQuiz “The Bogotá Pub Quiz”.
Listen to The Colombia Cast podcast here. 

'Look pretty darling, the camera's on you'

I recently had to write an article for another publication looking at a new movement, centred in Argentina and labelled on social media #NiUnaMenos (#NotOneLess), calling for an end to violence against women.

More than just objects ... (Photo from Facebook.)

Many of the protesters involved in this have spoken about how they believe that many men see women as mere objects, nothing more, with this being one of the root causes of male violence towards them. And considering the statistics available on this crime, it would seem that it is a particular problem in Latin America.

There are many facets to it, of course, education and culture being perhaps two of the main areas where changes are needed in order to turn the tide.

Having been a keen observer of the latest Copa América, the build-up to each match, on Colombian TV anyway, has mostly consisted of shots of the prettiest women in the stands, at times in slow motion, while the presenters/commentators chat, unseen, about the upcoming game.

Now, in theory, there's nothing inherently wrong with this; and it's not like the women pictured are up in arms (well in a negative, metaphorical sense that is) about it.

The question it poses is, however, does such behaviour reinforce the idea of 'women as objects'? It shouldn't really, but maybe it does.

Now, it can also be said that there is nothing wrong with admiring the beauty of women, it's natural. What's more, it doesn't take a man behind a TV camera to give us suggestive views of women. 

A quick glance through Facebook pictures of those of the opposite sex and you'll see many do it themselves; the provocative selfie in the bathroom or bedroom mirror is a favourite for many Colombianas in any case. As a man, it can be difficult not to have a second look.

Not one less: South American women take to the streets. (Photo from Facebook.)

There is, though, and you'd like to think this is obvious to most, a difference between admiring the beauty of a person and treating them as an object or sub-human. For some men, however, crossing that divide may not be such an obstacle.

Looking at a lot of men's treatment of women in these parts from a northern European perspective, you certainly notice more, outwardly anyway, male chauvinism at play. But you have to balance that out with, as mentioned above, how some women 'market' themselves here.

The bottom line is, the much sought-after gender equality may be impossible from a natural, genetic standpoint, but that, needless to say, doesn't open the door for macho violence.

For sure, the causes of domestic disputes, one of the main areas where violence against women arises, are rarely black-and-white. But violent aggression seldom solves anything.
_____________________________________
Facebook: Wrong Way Corrigan - The Blog & IQuiz "The Bogotá Pub Quiz".

Colombia's Copa?

With the club season, both domestically in Colombia and abroad, put to bed, attention on this side of the world turns to the Copa América.

Chile provides what will be, um, the chilly venue for this year's renewal. The winter weather apart, there are solid reasons for Colombian football followers to feel warm inside ahead of the tournament. Indeed, it could be argued that things have never been better for La Selección.

Falcao: The Colombian captain has been at his best in the national jersey. (Photo: Facebook.)

Last year, they had their best-ever run at a World Cup, unluckily and controversially losing out to hosts Brazil at the quarter-final stage. The painful manner of that defeat aside, the second-half performance together with the previous four games did prove that Colombia can go toe to toe with the global superpowers. This is reflected in the Fifa (don't snigger) world rankings, where the side remains in fourth spot, with third-placed Argentina the only South American side above them.

Plus, with the proven quality players they have at their disposal, José Pékerman's side have the potential to go far. You also have the Radamel Falcao factor, who will be keen to put a disappointing loan spell at Manchester United behind him; there's a belief in some quarters that back in the comfort of the national set-up, El Tigre will be a far more potent animal than what we saw in England.

Even if he's not, his presence around the squad is only beneficial for what is already a confident, tight-knit group. (For the record, he did score the only goal in Colombia's recent friendly win over Costa Rica and looked relatively sharp.)

To keep that confidence high, a good start will be key. Yet the opener, a tussle with Venezuela, is far from straightforward. Remember, Colombia only took one point from six off their neighbours during their last meetings in the South American World Cup 2014 qualifiers. But the fact that Colombia made it to the finals while Venezuela watched from the sidelines should mean that the former is a much stronger proposition this time around.

A mouthwatering 'revenge' clash with Brazil also awaits in the group stages. However, it could be said that Colombia missed the boat 12 months ago to get one over the five-time World Cup winners. It's unlikely Dunga's men will be as fragile this time around.

Is Colombia's 2015 edition good enough to replicate the 2001 heroes? (Photo Facebook.)

Peru completes the group and while nothing can be taken for granted, Colombia should be taking three points from that game.

In any case, the way the draw is, finishing second in the group may not be such a bad thing as the likes of tournament favourites Argentina and perennial winners Uruguay could be avoided until the final, if Colombia were to get that far. On the flip side, a potential semi-final battle with hosts Chile would be no gimme, to say the least. But if you want to be the best you've got to beat the best and all that.

It certainly promises to be an intriguing three weeks of football, with at least five teams that can be considered as genuine contenders to lift the trophy on 4th July.

Whether Colombia can emerge as South America's top dog, we'll have to wait and see. It's time to let the football do the talking.

With O'Leary in Bogotá

It’s pretty much well known that the Irish are migrants. Coming from a small island, yet at the same time close to a host of the world’s old superpowers, it was pretty much inevitable that we’d wander outside our shores to see ‘what’s out there’.

The Irish-Colombians: O'Leary still stands the tallest though.

Indeed, in the early days of Ireland’s human history, its inhabitants took on the role of travellers with gusto, regularly raiding the neighbouring island of Britain. 

Subsequent generations would pay a hefty price for such daring. But before total British interference, in our early Christian days, our brightest and best traversed the European continent in what you might call an Irish-Christian educational enlightenment.

Subjugation to our English neighbours didn’t change that; the only difference was that emigration wasn’t seen as a choice for many, but more of a necessity. 

It meant the masses went on the move, rather than just the privileged few. And for most of those early movers to the 'New World', leaving the homeland didn't guarantee any great improvement in conditions. It would be a few generations down the line before those of Irish descent started being treated as equals with their superiors.

However, some of those who left did find instant success, or at least had a big influence in their new abodes.

In South America, that tended to manifest itself in the military sphere. For one, you had Admiral William Brown, the County Mayo man regarded as the father of the Argentinian navy. 

On the other side of the Andes there was Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile's founding father and the bastard child of a County Sligo man. The signs of that Irish interaction, and others, can be seen today in street names and the like across Argentina and Chile.

Yet, one place where the Gaels didn't seem, at least I had thought, to leave a mark was in the north of South America. OK, a few Irish lads had a recent, less than positive run in with Colombian officialdom in the early part of this century, but that was about the height of links between Ireland and the land that is now called the Republic of Colombia I'd known about.

Irish charm: A dapper, young O'Leary. (Image from wikimedia.)

'There's always one', though, and that more positive association comes in the face of a Mr Daniel Florence O'Leary. The County Cork-born general was an aide-de-camp under the great liberator (that's a loaded title) from Spanish rule of these parts, Simón Bolívar.

In his later years, as a historian and diplomat, he wrote important memoirs documenting what was a landmark period in South American history. He also played a part in securing Venezuelan independence from what had been Gran Colombia.

In between all that, he found the time to father nine children; that might help to explain the odd few ginger-haired Colombians knocking about.* (Now, while this writer hopes to leave a positive mark on Colombia, replicating the reproductive exploits of O'Leary isn't part of that; not right now anyway.)

It's fair to say that he doesn't get the same recognition in Colombia as his aforementioned contemporaries in Argentina and Chile — perhaps for valid reasons — but there is, at least, a bust honouring him in a Bogotá city park. He did, after all, breathe his last breaths here, as well as leaving a decent gene legacy. (For the record, his remains lie in Venezuela’s National Pantheon.)

That’s something the rest of us Irish in Colombia, 127 at the last official count, will do well to emulate. Perhaps in time, though, a bust of ‘Wrong Way’ will be erected in La Perseverancia?
__________________________________
*If anyone knows of living descendants of Daniel O’Leary, it would be much appreciated if you could let us know here.

A special thanks to the staff at Bogotá's Instituto Distrital de Patrimonio Cultural for providing me with valuable information.

'Relax, there's always Germany'

Right, I already knew a tiny segment of support existed in Colombia for, to say the least, a less-than-glorious period of German history and the accompanying beliefs associated with it. However, I wasn't aware that love of the 'Fatherland' here is much deeper and more general.

Germany's/Austria's & Colombia's finest? Perhaps not. (From Facebook.)

Or so it appears to be anyway, given the delight that greeted Germany's annihilation of Brazil in the World Cup semi-final. Fair enough, the controversial manner of Colombia's defeat to their Latino neighbours left a bitter aftertaste. Thus, getting behind Brazil, in the thinking that if they became champions you could say Colombia were beaten by the best (as incredulous as that now sounds), would have been difficult for many.

 
Yet, that considered, gleefully basking in their demise doesn't exactly reflect well on the people here. Had things been the other way round, that is to say, Colombia thrashed Brazil after the latter fortuitously beat Germany, I doubt the Germans would be celebrating the success. No, they'd wait to get their own, direct payback.

The other way to look at it is that Colombia as a team has much to learn. Yes, this has been a great tournament for them. The swashbuckling performances that saw them power their way to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history have been a big highlight in what has been a memorable World Cup in so many aspects. Colombians have every right to be proud, as they are, of their new heroes. It deserves to be celebrated, as it has been.

The challenge now, though, is to build on it, to continue the upward curve. It's a pretty decent bet that José Pékerman, the cool-headed, shrewd Argentinian in charge of Colombia, wasn't jumping for joy watching Germany dismantle Brazil. More than likely he was thinking of what might have been.

For it could be said that Germany exposed Brazil for their naivety (plus many more inadequacies) in the same way that Brazil exposed Colombia, albeit in not as near a dramatic way and with the help of some dodgy officiating. 

Against Brazil, Colombia let the occasion and the aura of their opponents get to them for a large part of the match. It was only in the final stages that the players seemed to realise that Brazil could be beaten. Alas, by then, the damage was done.

'If the hat fits ...' (Photo from Facebook.)

The great teams are at their best when the pressure is truly on, when the stakes are at their highest. Germany, the Portugal game aside, were far from impressive getting to the last four – in typical fashion, they were efficient, no more no less. They are where they want to be now, though, and you'd be a brave man to bet against them – unless, of course, you're Argentinian or Dutch.

In contrast, Colombia lit up the tournament early doors but largely froze when they faced their first true mental and physical test. OK, you can talk about the dark elements that worked against them, but the reality is they weren't good enough on the day.

Developing that winning mentality is something that doesn't happen overnight – Irish people know all about that. There are many mental barriers to overcome. Occupying yourself with the failure of others tends not to help that process.

We can all learn from the winners – and in a football sense, the present team excepted, Brazil are in that category.

No doubt they will be back to scale the heights again. The challenge for the Colombias and Irelands of this world is to reach those heights. That's where the focus should lie.

Latinos on the rise

These are, it seems, especially exciting times to be Latino. Once seen as one of the poor relations of the globe – apart from producing world-class soccer players (or footballers if you will) and some pretty tasty lady models – Latino land is making itself and its people heard on other fronts of late.

Pope Francis — bigger than Jesus.

The most obvious and celebrated of these has been the election of Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or now known simply as Pope Francis, as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. 

Not only is he the first Latino to take up this position – it’s not important that Argentina is seen by many as the most European country in this part of the world – but he’s the first from all of the Americas as well as the first from the Southern Hemisphere.

Now, as momentous an occasion as it has been made out to be, perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised considering that South America is home to what’s believed to be almost 300 million Catholics, making it the most Rome-led region on the planet (how that actually manifests itself is something different as we’ve documented before – see http://bit.ly/13VtSAZ). 

When you take that into account, it makes sense that there should be a South American native holding the top job at the Vatican – although, you’re right, sense and the Catholic Church don’t always go hand in hand.

As outwardly important that religion appears to be for many Latinos, perhaps the biggest and most significant rise of this varied group of people can be seen to the north of their homeland – North America to be precise.

As was the case for the Irish Catholic immigrants in the same part of the world up until the early part of the last century, the Latinos/Hispanics in North America, more specifically the USA,* have been looked upon with suspicion and mistrust from the United State’s founding fathers, the WASPs and,** ironically enough, many Irish and Jewish Americans who are now very much part of the country’s fabric.

The discrimination towards them might not have been as obvious as it was to other groups in previous eras, but it certainly has existed.

That, though, is rapidly changing. The similarities with the Irish Americans’ transition from social outcasts to big players in the political and economic worlds are apparent.

Crucial vote. (Picture from ivn.us)

By sheer force of numbers alone the Hispanic vote is something the traditional power holders in the States can no longer ignore – they are due to be the largest voting bloc come the next US presidential election in 2016. 

That’s just counting the documented or ‘legals’ – should some sort of a solution for the undocumented/‘illegals’ be found during President Obama’s final tenure, the numbers of Latino-origin residents in the country would rise considerably. It’s widely accepted that they make up the bulk of the estimated 11 million undocumented in the USA.

As much as we like to think differently, the politicians, or at least their advisers, aren’t stupid. Many US immigrants vote Democrat, so if the Obama administration can fix the undocumented problem, this should ensure that trend is enhanced for some time to come.

Even the traditionally inward-looking Republicans are doing their bit to find favour among the Hispanics. 

The party’s official response to Obama’s State of the Union address earlier this year was given by the Cuban American Florida senator Marco Rubio, with his speech in both English and Spanish. Indeed, Rubio is tipped by many to be a future presidential candidate for the Republicans. A Republican Latino version of JFK perhaps?

It’s not, however, just the power of numbers that have aided the Latino/Hispanic rise. They’ve also shown themselves to be more than capable of mixing it with the best that the US has to offer. 

The typical image of the Spanish speaking cleaner or nanny or general labourer isn’t fitting the narrative as easy as before. No, they’re becoming high-rollers. Again, like the Irish Americans, through hard work and perseverance they are becoming more and more accepted into US society.

The WASPs et al. fears that Hispanics would dilute the vibrant, strong work-ethic culture that made the USA the self-proclaimed greatest country on the planet are being unfounded.  

Pitbull — also bigger than Jesus it seems. (Image from Pitbull's website.)

In fact, from a Colombian American perspective – as we alluded to in ‘Colombia’s dissenters’ (see http://bit.ly/13X1AXb) – many of these immigrants adapt to the prevailing culture pretty well and actually thrive in it. 

Yes, they bring their own Latino colour just as the Irish have ‘greened’ up the place, especially around St Patrick’s Day, but they also bring an appetite for work and success – qualities the first European settlers in North America prided themselves on.

So while the Latino stock is rising outside of their original homeland, what about things inside? Being such a diverse land with many different countries, it’s not something that can be easily summed up. 

However, while many from the Western world may be flocking to the place to escape the ‘misery’ of their lives in the rat-race, a large number of ambitious Latinos still look to leave their homeland to ‘better’ themselves.

In similarity again with the Irish, a good number of Latinos still believe they have a better chance of realising their potential outside of their birthplace. That may be steadily changing, though.

_________________________
*For a more detailed account of the terms 'Latino' and 'Hispanic', see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans

**WASPs - 'White Anglo-Saxon Protestants' for any of you who were wondering.

The 'bastard' child

For those of you familiar with Chile's geography, it won't surprise you to be told that this elongated stretch of land is a country of extremes. From the driest desert in the world in the north to the bitter coldness of the Antarctic south, boxing Chile's terrain into one category is impossible. So maybe we shouldn't be overly surprised that efforts to neatly sum up the culture and people of the country prove equally challenging. 

Chile's barren yet spellbinding north.

In our efforts to simplify the world we live in, one-word summations of countries have become the norm. Argentina-tango, Brazil-samba, Colombia-coc ... ... ahem, coffee, Ireland-drink (apologies to all us Irish — sure let's have a drink and forget about it), New Zealand-rugby. You get the drift. 

But Chile-what? It's difficult, eh? Thanks to the extraordinary survival story of the trapped miners in 2010, maybe we could throw in mining there, but that's just seasonal in a sense. Yes, they’ve got some excellent wines of course, but there is much competition in that regard. 

For visitors — and indeed many locals — to this weird and wonderful land, getting Chile has and still proves to be a difficult task. It's in Latin America, but it's not quite 'Latino'. The pre-Spanish indigenous influence exists, but it's no Inca bastion à la its neighbours to the north, Peru and Bolivia. Can it match the style and swagger – or is that arrogance - of its counterpart over the Andes, Argentina? Well, we won't go there, just to say that bumbags were big in the 80s if indeed they were at all. 

When it comes to native cuisine, it seems that Chile was missing the day they were ‘serving up’ the national dishes in these parts. At best it’s a mix and match of the least attractive offerings from a host of countries, deep-fried. Although at this point we must mention the delightfully addictive street snack, sopaipilla. Cheap and cheerful, this pumpkin-based wonder is the perfect hunger-buster on a ‘chilly’ Chile evening. Heck, it’s that good it makes up for the general lack of culinary quality on offer.

Sopaipillas - yummy!

Physically, Chile is a very isolated country. Alongside its aforementioned harsh northern and southern borders, it has the world’s largest ocean submerging its western frontiers while the biggest peaks of the imposing Andes Mountains saddle its eastern extremes. Such isolation alone ensured, over the country's fledgling years, that it was pretty immune to the influences of its more — dare we say — illustrious neighbours. Furthermore, for visitors from Europe and North America, Chile was — and still very much is — the last stop on any voyage to South America, considering one even made it that far. 

What's more, while the majority of Latin America venerates Simón Bolívar as its saviour from Spanish rule, the Chileans have a different, more controversial liberator to honour – Bernardo O’Higgins. It’s surely more than just a coincidence that this unacknowledged, ‘illegitimate’ son of an Irishman emerged to become the founding father of modern-day Chile. The correlations between the man and the country — comparing both to their apparent peers — could hardly be more salient. The atheist, ‘bastard’ child in a place — and a time — where religion mattered.

'The Bastard Child' - Bernardo O'Higgins.

On top of all this, the nation is still 'finding its feet' after General Pinochet's dictatorship — a past that is proving unsurprisingly difficult to move on from. Indeed when you put all these factors together, it is quite remarkable that the country is as stable and relatively successful — in a South American context — as it is at the moment. 

Part of the reason for this may be down to the fact that Chileans are possibly the least 'emotional' of the Spanish-speaking nations in Latin America. This may be explained by the strong German influence that exists there. Herr Steffan is more noted for his business acumen than his sensitive side. This is a characteristic that has helped Chile, arguably, make much more out of the natural resources at its disposal compared to some of its, let's say, more laid-back neighbours.
 

So putting all this together, what exactly ‘is’ Chile? A ‘western’ nation trapped in the craziness of South America? Well, outwardly speaking, perhaps. But scrape away at the surface and you’ll notice a much different beat than what you get in much of Europe or North America — thankfully so you might say. So maybe it’s an example of how the rest of the Latino world would operate if it acquired a bit more order? 

Whatever it is, this baffling land has plenty to offer, from the truly amazing to the utterly annoying and everything else in between.