Chile is not Switzerland

[expatinowncountry]

There's nothing like a post about how nice Chile is to get all the Argentines here posting.

Well you could try Chile+Falkland... your favorite topic. It would be a great hit among the locals.

 

[YanquiGallego]

I agree and disagree on many things mentioned here. Actually, I am considering a possible move to Santiago if the Titanic continues to sink here in Bs As, I don't want to be part of the 3 piece orchestra that goes down with the ship at the end.

The classism: Tell me that in Recoleta you don't see that in leaps and bounds. If you are in doubt, ask any darker skinned Latino or even an African American friend to stroll around Patio Bullrich or Libertador and see the types of looks they get. Porteños are known to talk down to anyone working in service industries and act like they are there specifically to help them and do not ¨mix¨ with people in service industries like we are known to do in the US/Europe. Generally, classism is an issue in all of Latam.

The culture: Chileans are more respectful and prudent than Porteños. This is also why the city is cleaner and its the second safest city in all of Latam. (Another huge selling point if you ask me) Chileans obey laws/rules because they respect the law and are genuinely concerned with fines and the legal repercussion if they do not. Not the case in BA where its a free for all for everyone's dog to go poo poo anywhere and its walk at your own risk crossing the streets.

Other: Another huge selling point at this time is the fact that they have a much more accessible free market than Argentina, if in doubt take a look at Falabella's Chile web site and compare the selection and prices to those of Argentina's Falabella. Get ready for a huge surprise.

From a business standpoint, more companies are looking to places like Chile where they are more welcomed these days and often times ¨accomodated¨ in some way, to help launch their new business/company there--Not the case here.

I DO agree that there is less nightlife and culture, however with prices soaring here in BA, we are seeing more and more of those places being pretty empty on most days except for the weekends.

 

[sleslie23]

For what matters I would rather be paid in Swiss Francs but... do you have what it takes to be paid in Chilean pesos? If YES, LAN is doing a special on one way Ezeiza-Santiago...

Ah, another version of the old "if you don't like it, leave it" response.

Wave that Argentine flag all you want, the bottom line is that Chile has a much more stable economy than Argentina. I know that is something most Argentinos can't handle.

At some point, it may come to that being a deciding factor. It would be much easier to transfer to Chile than to Switzerland, if that's what you mean by "what it takes."

 

[Amargo]

I am an expat and I wrote what I believe.

Regarding classism, yes, it is an issue in BA as well, but you really don't know how bad it is in Santiago. I know both cities quite well, I know what I say. The Chilean high society is very small and narrow-minded, leftovers from the colonial past. BA had more immigration, it is much more cosmopolitan.

Santiago is a modern sterile boring city. Other cities in Chile are much nicer.

 

[El chabon]

I had some of my best nights out in Santiago, you just know where to go and not limit you to 3 blocks from your home

 

[scotttswan]

Well you could try Chile+Falkland... your favorite topic. It would be a great hit among the locals.

yes because i write in no other threads apart from ones about Chile and the Falklands...

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

In that regards, Santiago is very much like Dubai where everyone will call you Sir or Madame because you have a fair skin.

That happens to me here in BsAs all the time! I have to brace myself every morning to just deal with all of the overly-polite people who relate to me like I'm practically royalty because of my USA face.

 

[pompeygazza]

When checking out, I always pay with my US credit card. No one ever asks to see any type of ID. I just swipe the card and go about my merry way.

You won't be so pleased about that if your credit card is stolen..

 

[camberiu]

You won't be so pleased about that if your credit card is stolen..

Indeed. But that is a signal that credit card theft is not common here. Unlike the wonder land of night life and culture across the Andes.

 

[Raymond]

Chilean people are more dishonest than Argentinians and that is a fact know by all South Americans. Try catching a taxi in Santiago and you will be thinking that Buenos Aires has the best and most honest taxi drivers in the world.