My prize purchases...

On this survery trip, I am not the typical tourist. I am looking for specific things for specific reasons, and they are definately not knick-knacks. Dad and I were downtown Santiago this afternoon with no camera and minimal ($3.00) money in our pockets (on purpose). It was such a relief to not have to worry about our pockets or backpack but enjoy the flow of the city and people. We noticed some other "gringos" (American tourists) with their full backpacks, cameras around their necks, and Chile guide books in one hand. Those are the kind of people you want to stay away from while downtown, because they are magnets to the people of the baser sort. Anyway, I digress...

Here are some of the items I was pleased to find and purchase:

-The Chapmans gave me their older edition of the yellow pages for the 2nd Region. This is helpful to look through and find out what services are avalible.

-A new Chile Road Guide

-"How to Survive the Chilean Jungle 2" (an English lexicon of Chilean slang and spanish sayings) While most of the slang that is in this book will not (and should not) be used in any future sermon or Bible lesson, many will help me in sounding more Chilean.

-A dictionary for Northern Chilean mining terminology and phrases.

-A map of the 2nd Region (which includes:Antofagasta, Calama, San Pedro de Atacama, and Tocapilla)


-A CD with all of the 2002 Census information from every Region, Province, and Neighborhood in Chile. Tom Chapman took me to the National Statistic Office in Antofagasta to get this. The office also gave me the census form that is given to each household to fill out. A wealth of useful demographic information to ponder and consider when looking for a part of a big city to live and minister.


-My favorite find was a 8x2 ft. long map of the entire city of Antofagasta (remember it's 11 miles long). Very helpful resource in memorizing the city and poblaciones (neighborhoods). In the above photo, I am coloring the parts of the city that correspond with lower class, middle class, and upper class families and neighborhoods.