Trembles and Trabajos

These days, the earth trembles little beneath our feet. Yes, we are rocked to sleep from time to time, but we return the china to its pristine place upon the shelf and let the ties lie loose that once snugly restrained the cupboard knobs. Instead, resounding hammers and fresh plywood are our reminders of the earth’s strength. Fragrant sawdust betrays our thinly veiled wounds and sweat falling contains the remnants of tears -but the beams and scaffolding carry us up to a broader, brighter horizon. May the children be the first to scamper up and kiss the earth’s brow, their fear dissipating as they witness a nation on the mend.

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I have a difficult time deciding which Chilean profession I adore most. There are so many to choose from! (Above all within the informal sector!)

Is it the Clown that plays to the crowds on the bus, bringing a few quirky smiles to the faces of otherwise straight-faced folk?

Is it the Night Bus Assistant who informally aids the driver by herding around the drunks as peacefully as possible? (The night-bus ambiance is quite distinct, incorporating black light and loud music as a sort of continuation of club atmosphere. Its quite a public transportation party!)

Or is it the Car Parker that stands on his designated street, directing cars, and rolling them around if need be? I have to admit, the sight of a random man in a jumpsuit rolling around cars that obviously don’t belong to him is something that made me stop and stare the first time I came across it. I was so pleasantly surprised by the novelty of his profession that I had to laugh aloud.

But then there’s that one girl who spends her days doing cheerleader before busy traffic at red lights. Were you to ask her, she would tell you that she does ‘los semaforos’ -the streetlights, receiving small change from her amused traffic audience as payment. She gets thrown into the air time and time again over hard pavement, only to be caught after her striking performance by three pairs of strong, muscular arms. I have to admit, I wouldn’t mind filling her shoes from time to time! (And not because of the arms either; who wouldn’t want to do gymnastics for pay?!)

Ultimately, it does no good to choose a favorite; each of these odd professions brings me amusement and joy in turn, drawing to my attention the nuances of a country that holds so many subtle, unique qualities. Looking back on Chile in years to come, I’m sure my mental image will depict an array of rainbow houses upon myriad hills, all of them gazing amusedly over the clowns and car-rollers beneath them.