Teaching fun beneath Chilean sun
Before she left for Chile, Carol Tyson was ‘‘just another primary school teacher overwhelmed and frustrated by the system’’. Three years after qualifying, she was on her second fixed-term contract, with no job security, and close to burning out.
‘‘I worked day and night for my students and school and, as an active member of the
New Zealand Education Institute, was fighting the Germs [Global Education Reform Movement] and highlighting challenges for beginning teachers,’’ Tyson, from Whanga¯ rei, says.
‘‘My friends and family hardly ever saw me because I was always working or too exhausted.’’
Rather than give up the career she nevertheless loved, Tyson moved to the city of Antofagasta in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert, attracted by the promise of a better work-life balance and a chance to save.
She says her role there as a grade-four teacher is similar to the roles she held in
New Zealand but having just 18 children, her class and two free hours each day makes all the difference.
‘‘I have a fantastic work-life balance here. I can get all my marking, planning and preparation for lessons done at school during school hours. I leave between 4pm and 5pm most days and don’t take any work home.’’
Tyson earns about the same as she did in New Zealand and her accommodation costs are covered, meaning she no longer has to devote nearly half her income to rent.
The weather is great year round, there is very little rain and her weekends are her own again. She even has time to travel.
On the central west coast of South America, Antofagasta is a great base for exploring other parts of Chile and the wider continent, Tyson says.
‘‘By air, it’s less than two hours’ south to the capital Santiago, and three hours’ north to Lima, Peru. The intercity buses offer a very comfortable and affordable option to travel anywhere in the country as well as across the borders to Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.’’
As Chile’s copper-mining capital, Antofagasta attracts people from around the world – and particularly large contingents from Peru, Ecuador and Colombia – making for a cosmopolitan vibe.
Weekends are typically spent going for walks along the city’s extensive waterfront, to the beach, shopping at the many fish, meat and produce markets, hiking in the desert, and brunching or going out for drinks with friends.
After nearly two years in the city, she still feels an immense sense of relief that ‘‘there’s no great list of school-related jobs hanging over my head. It makes for a far more restful sleep’’.
As a seafood lover, Tyson has been very impressed by the food.
‘‘You’ll find pulpo (octopus) on nearly every restaurant menu, as well as ceviche (raw fish marinated in melon juice with diced onion and fresh herbs).’’ She’s also a big fan of seafood empanadas, especially deep-fried, but recommends visitors check out pino – the most common variety – stuffed with seasoned ground beef, raisins, boiled egg, and a black olive.
The proliferation of bars, restaurants, live music and theatre, and a cheap and efficient public transport system, also make it an easy and enjoyable place to live, she says.
On the downside, groceries other than fresh fruit and vegetables are expensive, all milk and cream is UHT-processed and the bureaucracy can be frustrating.
‘‘No process – including going to see a doctor or dentist, updating a work visa or trying to get a Chilean driver’s licence – is easy. You can wait over an hour past your appointment time to see the doctor and visiting civil offices for paperwork sometimes requires trips to several offices before you find someone who’ll give you accurate advice.’’
Tyson recommends visitors put La Portada (The Gateway), an enormous sea arch north of the city, and the Tropic of Capricorn Monument at the top of their to-do lists.
‘‘It’s also a very easy walk around the central city, through the plazas and along the waterfront, past old Spanish colonial buildings, cathedrals and museums reflecting the Antofagasta saltpetre and mining history.’’
For the ultimate selfie, Tyson suggests taking a day trip to Mano del Desierto: an 11-metre tall stone hand reaching up through the sand of the desert as if it belongs to a buried giant.
As much as she appreciates her new life though, there are things she misses about home.
‘‘I miss the natural landscapes – trees and grass are scarce up here, the white sand, east coast beaches, nature reserves and national parks. Sometimes I even miss the rain.’’
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