¿Como se dice om? Actually, it’s just om. Sure, I could break down the mantra, and tell you that it’s actually made up of three sounds a-u-m, and that each letter symbolizes the beginning, middle and ending energies of all things. But before we bust out the big guns of Eastern philosophy, I first want you to know that om is always om, whether you find yourself in Tibet, some hipster L.A. yoga... 

Outsider Stories is a weekly space in The Santiago Weekly dedicated to stories about being on the other side of the looking glass -- foreigners, expatriates, observers, and non-participants recounting their experiences with the people and culture of Chile.  Each week features a different writer’s experience within this unusual circumstance. I was around 12 the first time I set foot in Chile. I...