1. There is a chart in this blog post. I know it is scary and looks boring, but push through.
2. If you are not my parents, you have no obligation to read this post.
3. I have not written in a while so I apologize if my thoughts are a little cluttered. I feel like I tried to shove a bunch of ideas into one post. I prefer to blame any grammar, spelling, or other mistakes on the late hour at which I am writing this.
4. I’m sorry, Mom.

During my Chilean Culture class, the professor lectured about the poverty rate in Chile. I don’t know about you, but when a bunch of statistics are being thrown my way, they don’t really sink in or have any meaning for me unless I have some sort of context or basis for comparison. Well then the professor put the data for poverty rates in Chile next to those of the U.S. Guess what. The United State poverty rate is higher than that of Chile. What really hit me was when he showed this graph:

This graph is not mine. I’m not saying it’s mine. It’s just not mine. It was taken from José G. Díaz’s lecture at Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile for the class Seminario de Cultura Chilena on November 2, 2015.

So take the median income of someone living in the U.S. We will call this person Mel Median. Half the country is making more than Mel and half the country making less than her. Now take Mel’s income and divide it by 2. This is the income of Poor Pete. Poor Pete is living on the poverty line. Anyone with Poor Pete’s income or less is considered poor like Pete. This graph shows the Poor Petes of 34 countries plus what the OECD thinks Poor Pete’s income should be. Now you would expect that U.S. Poor Pete would have an income similar to Poor Petes with whom U.S. Poor Pete can relate – for example, New Zealand Poor Pete, British Poor Pete, and Canadian Poor Pete – other Poor Petes from “developed” countries. Well guess what. They don’t. U.S. Poor Pete’s income isn’t even close to the other Petes with whom he thought he could relate. U.S. Poor Pete on this chart is snuggled right between Turkish Poor Pete and Chilean Poor Pete. Turkish Poor Pete and Chilean Poor Pete hail from countries which U.S. Poor Pete considers “developing.” I as well as U.S. Poor Pete were quite shocked by this data in class the other day. Now, I’m not saying that this rule is perfect. This method for determining the poverty line definitely has its flaws. And I’m not saying that countries surrounding the U.S. don’t have other problems (for example in Chile, a high income inequality) that can affect their positions on the chart. However, it does portray a basic picture of where the U.S. stands among other countries.

So why do we call other countries “developing” and ourselves “developed” when we share many of the same issues. Why must we put other countries below us? Why is U.S. Poor Pete any better than Chilean or Turkish Poor Pete? Why are we going to “save” Latin American Poor Petes and other Poor Petes of the world through volunteer work while we ourselves need saving? (Disclaimer: I think volunteering in foreign countries is a great opportunity as long you realize why you are doing it. You are helping yourself to an experience of traveling and living abroad just as much, if not more than you are helping others.)

When my friends and family think about me studying abroad in Chile, many of them think I’m living in another world. Chile is classified as a developing country, which I think causes many of them to believe that I am indeed living in another world. Developing countries are “dangerous” and “scary.” While I am definitely a culprit for thinking this way, especially when I first arrived, you have to realize how many people are terrified to go to the U.S. because it is dangerous. One of my peers recently expressed her fear to go back to the U.S. because of racial tension at her school which she fears could lead to gun violence. That is right. She is scared to go back to the U.S. I can guarantee her biggest fear in Santiago is getting her wallet stolen. Yeah it’s a pain to have your money and credit card stolen, even your passport. But when your options are passport versus life, I think most people would chose passport. So once again, how is the U.S. any better than Chile or any other country for that matter?

I bring these points up not just because of my class, but also because my mom will not allow my sister to come visit me. Yeah that is right, Mom. I am calling you out. I found a super cheap, direct flight from the U.S. to Santiago and wanted my 16 year-old sister to visit me because she is studying Spanish in high school right now and seems to really enjoy it. She could be dropped off at the airport in the U.S. and I could pick her up directly at the Santiago airport – no connections, just my Mom’s hands to mine. But my Mom said no. Her reasoning is that she cannot send my little sister alone and cannot take off work to come with her. But why can’t my little sister come alone? If I were studying abroad in Spain, I feel like my mom would be much more inclined to let her travel by herself.

It is easy to focus on the differences between the U.S. and another country, but I ask you to look at the similarities because there are many. Look at ourselves, the United States, before judging another country. My mom might see this as a last ditch effort for her to allow my little sister to come visit me, but hey…can you blame a big sis for wanting to see her little sis.

P.S. Just to summarize everything you just read because it is late and I don’t exactly know what I just wrote:

1. I’m not saying that you can go prancing around Chile without a care in the world. But I’m also not saying that you can go prancing around the U.S. without a care in the world.
2. Mom, let Lanie come to Chile.
3. Sorry for being your obnoxious middle child. I want you to come to Chile too, but one is better that none.

Location: San Joaquin, Santiago, Chile