Chile Forum

by **patagoniax** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:30 pm

john wrote:
Red wrote:
Skraeling wrote:Chile has a foreign legion?

Indeed it does. Of sorts. Allow me to explain.

Astride the Southern Cone in Patagonia Sur stands a colussus. A lone individual- yes, a foreigner, has single-handedly repelled thousands of starry-eyed invaders: dreamers, greenies, wannabes, builders, entrepreneurs- it runs the gamut. All done by purely electronic means- no bloodshed or forced marches! His services in securing the borders of the Chilean Republic from the hordes have not gone un-noticed in either Santiago (or Fruitillar ) .

And if that ain't a Foreign Legion, I don't know what is!

Indeed! However, Px's safari (pith) helmet has to go in favour of a French Foreign Legion cap similar to the one worn by Gary Cooper in Beau Geste.

The Legion's cap is called a kepi. If there were a Chilean Legion - and there of course isn't - it would be spelt quepi. That will be on the final.

For the rest of it, I had to laugh. The work of that particular legionnaire is strictly humanitarian, and has doubtless forestalled a great deal of suffering in this country by the chronically hapless and the perpetually unprepared. And BTW, the bloke in the pithy hat is not Px but one of the many authors he admires.

by **Red** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:04 pm

patagoniax wrote:That will be on the final.

No tests for me thank you; I'll remain the kid shooting spitballs from the back row.

patagoniax wrote:The work of that particular legionnaire is strictly humanitarian, and has doubtless forestalled a great deal of suffering in this country by the chronically hapless and the perpetually unprepared.

And humorously done as well! Pax, I'd salute you, but, clumsy soldier that I am, I'd probably knock off my quepi and earn the wrath of Sargeant Major :twisted:

Dagineau.

by **no country for young men** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:18 pm

Red wrote:
Skraeling wrote:Chile has a foreign legion?

Indeed it does. Of sorts. Allow me to explain.

Astride the Southern Cone in Patagonia Sur stands a colussus. A lone individual- yes, a foreigner, has single-handedly repelled thousands of starry-eyed invaders: dreamers, greenies, wannabes, builders, entrepreneurs- it runs the gamut. All done by purely electronic means- no bloodshed or forced marches! His services in securing the borders of the Chilean Republic from the hordes have not gone un-noticed in either Santiago (or Fruitillar ) .

And if that ain't a Foreign Legion, I don't know what is!

i'm one of his victims or I'd vote for him.

by **john** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 8:08 pm

[quote="Red

And humorously done as well! Pax, I'd salute you, but, clumsy soldier that I am, I'd probably knock off my quepi and earn the wrath of Sargeant Major :twisted:

Dagineau.[/quote]

I'd salute to Px too if I were able to project an image of him wearing a quepi.

BTW, the 1966 version of Beau Geste was not very good although Telly Savalas gave an excellent performance as Sgt. Major Dagineau. I prefer the 1939 Beau Geste version with Brian Donlevy (Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor) giving a memorable performance as the sadistic Sgt. Markoff.

by **patagoniax** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 8:48 pm

john wrote:I prefer the 1939 Beau Geste version with Brian Donlevy (Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor) giving a memorable performance as the sadistic Sgt. Markoff.

by **john** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:09 pm

patagoniax wrote:
john wrote:I prefer the 1939 Beau Geste version with Brian Donlevy (Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor) giving a memorable performance as the sadistic Sgt. Markoff.

But Donlevy is smiling and Milland is frowning. :shock:

Is this an outtake?

by **rocksana** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:59 pm

WhatSayYou wrote: PX said it was 18-24, but the CIA factbook claims you can volunteer between the ages of 18 and 45.

Probably you are thinking about the 'reservistas':

http://www.ejercito.cl/reservistas.php

by **patagoniax** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 1:50 pm

rocksana wrote:
WhatSayYou wrote: PX said it was 18-24, but the CIA factbook claims you can volunteer between the ages of 18 and 45.

Probably you are thinking about the 'reservistas':

http://www.ejercito.cl/reservistas.php

It is my understanding that the Chilean "reservistas" programme, for all practical purposes, is usually limited to those who had previous Chilean military training prior to age 24 and to qualify for that training one would have had to be a Chilean citizen. Unlikely that the OP would qualify. It was probably assumed that mil pers in Chile would have to speak the language of the realm for any mil affiliation and it wasn't clear that the OP had that qualification either.

BTW, in southern Patagonia there is a bit of another meaning for "reservistas" when it is understood to be outside the literal military meaning. Down here the term is sometimes used in an ironic sense to refer to the little bands of unemployable drunks who wander about the towns.

by **rocksana** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:06 am

patagoniax wrote:It is my understanding that the Chilean "reservistas" programme, for all practical purposes, is usually limited to those who had previous Chilean military training prior to age 24

Oh, ok, in the link reads:
" de los requisitos de ingreso

Ser chileno, mayor de edad, con o sin valer militar....."

I thought it meant with or without previous training, but I don't really understand the meaning of the word 'valer' in that context ,to be honest :s

by **patagoniax** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 11:20 am

rocksana wrote:
patagoniax wrote:It is my understanding that the Chilean "reservistas" programme, for all practical purposes, is usually limited to those who had previous Chilean military training prior to age 24

Oh, ok, in the link reads:
" de los requisitos de ingreso

Ser chileno, mayor de edad, con o sin valer militar....."

I thought it meant with or without previous training, but I don't really understand the meaning of the word 'valer' in that context ,to be honest :s

A friend of mine in Natales is a Chilean reservista, an officer, and he said that while in theory someone who is a citizen and did not complete formal CL military training might be legally allowed to apply, it was unlikely that such a person without special qualifications would be accepted into the ranks, and likely no one who was not a native speaker. Those without formal military training who may be considered as reservists are those with special professional skills and titles such as doctors, attorneys, etc. Or so goes the explanation here on the ground.

The use of the word "valer" as a noun is practically anachronistic. It is recognised in the DRAE as meaning "valor" -- or value. But Chilensis being Chilensis and not contemporary Spanish, it seems to have taken on a different meaning related to training. "El valer militar es considerado el conocimiento que se ha adquirido exclusivamente durante el servicio militar obligatorio."

A related note on the language: I have a friend in Coyhaique who was born in Spain, and sounds like it, with theta and vosotros and all. I asked her if there was an expression such as "Peninsular Spanish" (which we used at University) to distinguish Spain-Spanish from the variants spoken in the bastard stepchildren countries. She became a bit irate and said, in essence, Spanish is Spanish, as spoken in Spain. Those other [paises y regiones comemierdas] are the ones that need to provide their own modifiers.

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Who is online

Need Help In Chile?

Phone From Outside Chile: 1-917-470-9653 ( USA to Chile) In Chile Land Line: (56) 65 421 024 Cell Phone 747 97974 (From a Cell Phone in Chile dial with no other numbers)

Phone From Outside Chile: 1-917-470-9653 ( USA to Chile)
In Chile Land Line: (56) 65 421 024
Cell Phone 747 97974 (From a Cell Phone in Chile dial with no other numbers)