2. Overview
• Geography and Demographics
• Religion
• Family Dynamic
• Typical Foods and Meal Pattern
• Etiquette
• Counseling Recommendations
3. Geography
• Country located in the Southwest region of
South America
• Chile is boarded by Argentina, Peru, and
Bolivia
• Has about 4,000 miles of coastline
• Diverse geography and a temperate climate
gives it access to a wide varieties of foods.
4. Demographics
Groups:
• 95% -White and white -
Amerindians
• The other 5% is mostly Amerindian
▫ Mapuche
• Language: Spanish
• Others native languages
▫ Mapudungun
▫ Aymara
• Additional
▫ English
▫ German
5. Religion
• 90% of the population is Roman
Catholic
▫ Taught in schools
▫ Plays a role in Government decisions
▫ Saint's Day
• Protestant
▫ Pentecostal
▫ Seventh-day Adventist Church
6. Family Dynamic
• Family is the center role of life in Chile
• Extended families often gather for meals and
celebrations
• The father is the head of the house
• The mother is in charge of making decisions
when it come to the family
7. Meal Pattern
Breakfast: Afternoon Break:
• Typically light, just a piece of • Tea and a snack
bread or a role with jam and a ▫ Fruit, sandwiches, or a pastry
beverage.
▫ A more complete meal could Dinner:
include fruit, pastries, ham,
• Starts 9-migdnight
and/or cheese.
• Lighter meal
Lunch:
• Cold cuts, seafood salad, or a
• Main meal of the day
stew or soup.
• Includes appetizer, stew, and
grilled meat dish.
• Could last up to two hrs
8. Typical Foods
• Seafood is a staple
• Varity of fruits and vegetables
• Beef- typically grilled
• Beans
• Spanish, Italian, German, and Hungarian
influence
▫ Pasta is a national favorite
29TH
9. Meal Customs and Etiquette
• Women prepare meals and serve men, who eat
first
• European- style dinning is common
• Everything requires utensils
• Keep wrists on the table so that one’s hands can
be seen at all times.
• Finishing every piece of food on the plate is
considered polite
• Wine should only be poured with the right hand
10. Greeting
• Men will shake hands with men
• Women will usually pat on the right forearm or
shoulder.
• Friends and relatives greet one another the more
relaxed and unreserved
▫ Men may embrace energetically and pat each
other on the back
▫ Women will kiss once on the right cheek
11. Greeting (Continued)
• Use both their maternal and paternal surnames
▫ The father's surname is listed first /is used in
conversation.
• Use any titles they have that you know of
▫ If no title exists use "Senor“ or "Senora" followed
by surname
12. Traits to be aware of
• Direct eye contact
• Interruptions are common
• Indirect communication style
• Assertive and animated when emotional
13. Barriers and Differences for Chileans
in the US
• Difference in meal times
• Difference in time practices
• In many instances care may not be sought except
in emergency situations
• The prevalence rate for obesity in Chile was
21.9%
14. Final Tips for Counseling Chileans
• Be up front with time concerns
• Identify the person as a Chilean, not just
Hispanic or Latino
• Family is very important to Chilean people
• ASK QUESTIONS!
15. References
Bauer, K. D., Liou, D., & Sokolik, C. A. (2012). Nutrition Counseling and Education Skill
Development. (2nd ed.). Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.
CIA (2012, April 13). The World Factbook- South America Chile. Retrieved from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ci.html
Ennis, S. R., Rios-Vargas, M., & Albert, N. G. (2011, May 01). The Hispanic Population:2010.
Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-04.pdf
Kittler, P. G., & Sucher, K. P. (2008). Food and Culture. (5 ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher
Education.
Kwintessential. (n.d.). Chile - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. Retrieved from
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/chile.html
Martinez-Houben, L. (2011). Counseling Hispanics Through Loss, Grief, and Bereavement: a
Guide for Mental Health Professionals. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Torres-Rivera, E., West-Olatunji, C., Conwill, W., Garrett, M. T., & Phan, L. T. (2008).
Language as a Form of Subtle Oppression Among Linguistically Different People in the
United States of America. Social Perspectives , 10(1), 11-28. Retrieved from
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=1992197162727900863&hl=en&as_sdt=0,39
Notas del editor
Andes mountainAll of Chile's cities experience their warmest weather between October and April and the coldest from May to September
The country is very strongly rooted in the Roman Catholic faith.
Extended families are very close and will frequently congregate for major occasions and celebrations.. Family and business are intertwined to the extent that nepotism is seen as a positive concept.. Many small firms will be 100% family run.
Lunch is the main meal of the day and is consumed very leisurely with family or friends. In Chile it is typical for this meal to last two hours. (Kiwintessential) This meal may start with an appetizer like an empanada. Those filled with abalone are particularly popular in Chile. Lunch is also comprised of a meat or seafood stew or a grilled meat dish. Sides for the meal can include rice, beans, farofa, fried potatoes, or kale. Sometime after lunch an afternoon break is typical in many South American countries. In Chile tea is served during this time. Snacks for this break include fruit, sandwiches, or a pastry. Dinner occurs around 9:00pm and can last until midnight. It is lighter and may just contain cold cuts, a seafood salad, or a stew or soup.
. Spaghetti, ravioli, or lasagna can be found at Sunday dinner in homes throughout the country. Interestingly, is considered auspicious to eat some type of pasta on the twenty-ninth of every month, so this is custom that is practice throughout ChileMeals are typically consumed with beer, wine, fruit juice, and soft drinks. (Kittler & Sucher, 2008)
fork is kept in the left hand and the knife in the right and involves no switching for cutting purposes. Bread is the only food that may be eaten with the hand and is typically served without butter on the side of the plate
From the counselor perspectiver meeting a patient it is important to follow the formal greeting guidelines and then progress at the discretion of the client. While it is becoming less common, some women will not shake hands with men. Therefore when meeting someone of the opposite sex it is important to follow their lead as to make them comfortable with the greeting.
direct eye contact is important to someone from Chile and should be established in the greeting. In Chile it is common to Interruptions someone when they are speaking, so being aware of this can help one to be prepared for interruptions if they occur. Indirect with their communication style, sometimes it is necessary to read between the lines in order to identify a deeper meaning to what is being said.However, if the client was to become emotional they may become animated and more assertive base on their mood. (Kwintessential)
promptness with appointment times is not as importantFood prices are cheaper here than in chileFeel like they have to finish everything on their plate
I may be beneficial to enlist the help of the family if the client wishes to be aware of that possibility.
