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Chile extends 2,700 miles along the southwestern coast of South America—imagine it as roughly the same distance as from San Francisco to New York. Chile was invaded by the Incan Empire then conquered by the Spanish Empire in the 16th century. Chile won its independence from Spain in 1817 but the new representative democracy faced many challenges including a short Marxist rule and a coup placing General Augusto Pinochet in power with assistance from the CIA in 1973. However, Pinochet was replaced after an open election by Patricio Aylwin Azocar in 1990. Since the 90’s, Chile’s political climate has been stable. Although Chile has more than 50 active volcanoes in its famous Andes Mountain range, it is also home to numerous wineries and vineyards in the center valley. The weather is as diverse as the geography, but overall, Chile enjoys a temperate climate. With Chile’s varied landscape and limitless outdoor activities you will always find something adventurous. Most of the inhabitants are Mestizos who are descendents of marriages between the Spanish colonizers and the indigenous people. There are, however, are some of the indigenous populations such as the Aymara in the north and the Mapuche in the southern Lake District who are still present today. Spanish is the official language, but Mapudungun, German, and English can also be heard. Most restaurants require a 10% tip and businesses typically open at 8 am. Shops close from noon until about 4 and then reopen until 8 or 9 pm. Also, banks are usually only open in the morning.
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In Chile, the academic year starts in March and ends in December. There are four levels starting with Kindergarten (under 6 years old), the Basic Level (6-13 years old), and the Middle Level (13-17 years old) where students are directed down two different paths, either being a scientific road or a professional-technical road. The Superior Level is higher education that comes in the form of a University, a Professional Institute, or a Technical Training Center. The grading scale is from 1 to 7 requiring a 3 to pass in Basic education and requiring a 4 to pass in Middle and higher education.
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