Emigration from Russia to Chile: pros and cons of moving for permanent residence. Pros and cons of living in Chile for Russians Chile is the most economically developed country in Latin America
Maxim Bocharov once set out to travel around the world. But when he reached Chile, he decided to settle there. We learned from him how free the broad Slavic soul is in the Latin American desert.
Our guest today once set out to travel around the world. But having reached Chile, he decided to settle there. We learned from him how free the broad Slavic soul is in the Latin American desert.
Tell us briefly about yourself: what is your name, how old are you, how long have you been in Chile?
I'm Maxim, I'm 30 years old. For the last 3 years I have been living and working in Chile, namely in the driest and most beautiful desert in the world - Atacama.
How did it even occur to you to come to live in Chile? Why this country?
In fact, I didn’t expect to live in Chile, I didn’t even think about it while I was at home. I lived in Ukraine, in the small but famous and quiet city of Poltava. I always dreamed of traveling, dreamed of visiting all the countries of the world, but, like many, I put it all off until later, when the money became available. But then, after working (as part of a university internship) in Denmark and traveling a little around Europe, I realized: you don’t have to have a lot of money to get to know new countries.
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After returning to my homeland, I began to feel sad: I wanted new adventures, to discover new countries. And then my project was born trip around the world. There was little money (1000 USD), but I was determined to go. Traveled through part of Europe, Central America and ended up in South America. All this took 2.5 years. All the time I had to look for ways to earn money. I sold pancakes on the street in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), worked as a freelance copywriter on the Internet, and even volunteered at a hostel in Cusco (Peru), where I spent 6 months. During this time I earned some money, which gave me the opportunity to take a short trip around Bolivia, from where I ended up in Chile. My first stop was the village of San Pedro de Atacama, where I managed to find a job very quickly: first I was a tour salesman in the office of one of the agencies, and then I learned some training and became a guide. So I still live in San Pedro.
Difficulties in adaptation
What difficulties did you encounter as soon as you arrived in Chile? What seemed strange/unusual?
The first difficulty I encountered was the Chilean dialect, which is full of words that only locals use. Even people from neighboring Spanish-speaking countries do not understand them. In addition, Chileans speak very quickly. The lifestyle preferred by the residents of San Pedro also seemed unusual. Example: a house is built of chipboard or, at best, Adobe (brick made from ordinary mud and straw) and looks like a barn, and near this house there is a huge latest model jeep with a 5.6 liter engine.
What struck you about Chile compared to Europe?
Chile and Europe have very little in common, especially if you look at the northern part of the country, where I live. For example, there are a lot of stray dogs here, fortunately the vast majority of them are kind and usually well-fed, as they eat near restaurants.
What are you doing in Chile? How did you get a work permit?
On this moment I work as a tour guide for Spanish- and English-speaking tourists. I also organize private tours for speakers of Russian and Ukrainian. I believe that you can learn all the subtleties of Atacama only by listening in your native language, understanding every word, every expression and intonation. Therefore, I am constantly looking for new interesting little things to tell our tourists about and make their vacation unforgettable.
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In your opinion, is it more expensive or cheaper to live in Chile than at home?
In Chile, and especially in San Pedro, living is much more expensive than at home: if you compare prices here and in my native Poltava, then in Atacama they are two, three, and sometimes four times higher.
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“Chileans have innate kleptomania”
Are there many Russian speakers in Chile? What kind of people move there and what do they do?
There are quite a lot of Russian speakers in Chile. In every large or relatively big city you will find several people from post-Soviet countries. The vast majority of Russian speakers in Chile are female: the girls found their love here, overseas. But there are also those who moved for other reasons: for example, because of the unsatisfactory situation in their home countries.
Do only rich Russian-speaking tourists come to Chile? Are there many of them?
Not only, there are hitchhikers, people who bought group tours. But the cost of air tickets from Europe here is high, so most tourists visiting Chile have average or above average income.
Is Chile a dangerous country? What troubles can a tourist encounter?
Different parts of Chile have different levels of danger. For example, in San Pedro, robbery on the street is very rare, but in Valparaiso (100 km from Santiago) it is common. But the main advice I give to all our tourists is to never leave things unattended: Chileans seem to have an innate kleptomania, they grab everything that is “wrong”.
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Chile is a very elongated country. Is it possible to quickly move between locations here?
Yes, Chile is the widest country in the world. And, as I said earlier, you can quickly move here by plane. There are three domestic airlines here: LATAM (lots of flights, but prices are not the lowest), JetSmart (low prices and the newest planes), Sky Airline (usually the lowest prices).
“Chilean women are not as demanding as Slavic women”
What should you definitely try when you come to Chile?
Chile does not have such a rich cuisine as ours, but there are many dishes that will be interesting to appreciate. I would advise every tourist to try Pastel de choclo (meat, corn, onions baked in the oven) - the most Chilean dish you can imagine. Empanada de Pino (baked pies in the shape of our cheburek stuffed with meat, onions, eggs and olives. Be careful: usually the pits are not removed from olives). Pebre (tomatoes, onions, peppers and cilantro. Placed on bread before eating. Served while you are waiting for your order at the restaurant).
Homesickness is familiar to every person living abroad. There is a lot missing here: for example, salted herring, buckwheat, etc. I, of course, miss home, but I fly there every year. I think it is quite possible that I will return home someday, but not in the near future, because I have projects that I want to implement here in Chile.
Different continental conditions and rates of development, diversity of cultures and approaches to the development of their own country - Latin America continues to be one of the most unusual places on our planet in terms of diversity. Unique nature and biodiversity are under threat due to the environmental problems facing the region today.
Argentina: Scientists at the University of Washington found in a recent study that extreme rainfall and heat caused by climate change are causing population declines in Magellanic penguins on Argentina's Punta Tombo Peninsula. Over the past two years, the most common cause of death for chicks of this species has been climate change - increased rainfall during the breeding season has reduced their survival rate.
Belize: Stretching over 1,000 km along the coasts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, the Mesoamerican reef is home to more than 500 species of fish, 60 species of coral, 350 species of molluscs and other marine mammals and living organisms. Reefs are a key player in the ocean ecosystem. Due to global warming, sea temperatures are rising, causing coral reefs to fade. The color of coral reefs is given by zooxanthellae algae covering the polyps, but due to rising water temperatures they gradually die off.
Bolivia: Melting glaciers and climate change threaten Bolivians' water supplies. A 2008 World Bank report found that most glaciers in the Andes will disappear by 2028, affecting 100 million people. And that's not all: calculations show that a third of Bolivians already do not have access to clean water.
Brazil: Amazon deforestation is a huge problem for Brazil. From August 2012 to July 2013, deforestation increased by 28 percent. As the BBC reports during this time, on an area of about 3608 square meters. km were cleared of centuries-old jungle. These figures are especially striking when we consider that rainforests The Amazon is one of the world's most important natural defenses against global warming.
Venezuela: It occupies the TOP 10 list of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, but also suffers from some environmental problems. Among them are sewage pollution in Lake Valencia, the third-highest rate of deforestation in South America, and oil and urban pollution in Lake Maracaibo. Several years ago, due to oil leaks, it was filled with crude oil.
Guatemala: Lake Atitlan in Guatemala was once the epitome of natural beauty and was even described by Aldous Huxley in his 1934 travel notes. It was compared to Lake Como in Italy, but now it has lost its former charm. The blue waters of the lake have acquired a thick brown sediment and a strong odor, and scientists from the University of California have discovered toxic bacteria in it. Surrounding towns continue to use the lake as a source of drinking water. These changes include agricultural fertilizers, untreated sewage, garbage, and economic and demographic problems.
Honduras: Of all the countries listed in the Humboldt Center study, Honduras is among the countries most affected by climate change. The cause of death for many people in this country is extreme weather– hurricanes, floods and storms.
Dominican Republic: Rising sea levels pose a serious threat to the entire Caribbean, and coastal flooding and erosion caused by salt water will devastate the land.
According to a World Bank study, the capital Dominican Republic– Santo Domingo will be one of five cities that will be seriously affected by climate change. In addition to flooding, there is a high chance of storms and heavy rainfall, and coastal erosion can be extremely dangerous for those living along the coast.
Colombia: If Colombia's soil and water pollution, illegal drug crops and crude oil leaks weren't enough, it also suffers from deforestation problems. A recent study found a link between illegal coca production and deforestation. A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology cites a correlation between increased cocaine production and the loss of square kilometers of tropical forest. The trend of cutting down the jungle adjacent to illegal crops will continue in the near future.
Costa Rica: Shark fins are considered a great delicacy in Asia. About 95 percent of shark fins are consumed in China, most often in the form of a special soup. Since a shark's fin is the most valuable part of their body, many fishermen strive to chop it off from still living fish and then throw them back into the ocean, dooming them to certain death.
In Costa Rica, shark finning is a huge problem for the state and the government has banned the practice. However, according to Interpol, fishermen using "a method where only a band of skin to retain the fin attached to the spine is retained and the rest of the body is thrown into the sea."
Cuba: Deforestation, water and air pollution, soil degradation and desertification are the main environmental problems facing Cuba. Air pollution, for example, is caused by the large number of outdated car models on the country's streets. According to some observations, the increase in acid rain in Cuba is associated precisely with air pollution from motor vehicles. In addition, Havana Bay has long been filled with garbage and metal.
Mexico: Globally, air pollution kills between 500,000 and 1 million lives a year and costs governments 2 percent of GDP. Report of the International Institute clean air A 2012 report entitled “Air Quality in Latin America” states that Mexico City continues to have serious problems with air pollution. At the same time, the situation in the city has improved slightly: two decades ago, the capital of Mexico was considered the most polluted city on Earth, but there is still work to be done.
Nicaragua: Global warming has created many problems throughout Latin America. In Nicaragua, it is having a negative impact on the coffee industry. Hemileia vastatrix infection has affected about 70 percent of the world's Arabica production. The fungus, which originated from East Africa, could not survive at a temperature of 10 degrees and coffee plantations located at an altitude of 1300 meters were immune. But over the past three years, climate change has led to infection affecting most of the region's plantings, already causing coffee production to decline by 30 percent.
Panama: The mangroves of Isla Escudo de Veraguas are the natural habitat of the rare pygmy sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus), which is endangered. The number of this species is estimated at from 79 to 200 individuals per year. wildlife. The main factor in the population decline is the reduction of its natural habitat.
Paraguay: Illegal crocodile hunting is extremely common in Paraguay. Crocodile skin is used to make luxury bags high class and other accessories. Surviving crocodiles are at risk of starvation due to irrigation draining their natural habitats.
Peru: The icy peak of Mount Quelccaya in Peru has been melting at an alarming rate for years. According to experts, the glacial ice of the Peruvian Andes, which formed over 1,600 years, melted in just 25 years. Global warming is to blame for melting glaciers around the world. The Pastoruri glacier is also under threat of complete disappearance, and will melt within the next decade.
Puerto Rico has big problems with solid waste. There is only limited space for waste disposal on the island and the amount is growing all the time.
Salvador: With a population of about 7 million people, this country suffers from wide range environmental problems: from water pollution with human biological waste to the exploitation of lands rich in precious metals. There are approximately 32 unique mining complexes in El Salvador, and during operations, most toxic chemicals are discharged into water sources.
Uruguay: Waste management has become so big in Uruguay that you can even make a career out of waste collection. It has been estimated that in Montevideo at least 15,000 people make a living by collecting garbage and food, carrying and using discarded items. In turn, the quality of life of people who subsist on other people's waste causes great controversy in society.
Chile: Deforestation, air pollution, mining problems, soil erosion and water shortages are among the problems affecting Chile. The country, which is home to many of the world's plant and animal species, is also facing loss of biodiversity. At least 16 species of mammals, 18 species of birds, 4 species of freshwater fish, and 268 species of plants are already threatened with extinction. Some endangered species in Chile include the tundra peregrine falcon, ruddy goose and green sea turtles.
Ecuador: The Galapagos Islands have become a target World Heritage in 1978 because they are home to thousands of species that are found nowhere else in the world. Many species on the island are threatened by several factors: air and land pollution, an influx of tourists, overfishing and illegal hunting. Today, more than 40 species in the Galapagos Islands are threatened with complete extinction due to the factors listed above.
How comfortable will you feel in this country as a resident? Can you get used to a new culture, people’s habits, traditions? These doubts are universal when moving to any country in the world, and the choice of destination does not change anything at all: Santiago, Cape Town or Hong Kong, you will have to look for answers to these questions.
Ideal if you are in love with the country you are visiting. But it depends. My relationship with Chile can be characterized by deep sympathy and affection, which appears when you begin to look at another objectively, with all his shortcomings and advantages. I look at Chile soberly; I have never had the romantic dazzle of a newcomer, when everything seems velvety and rosy.
Ideas about Chile
As a rule, they don’t know anything about Chile. All ideas are very stereotypical and vague. Chile seemed to me like a country of prairies and gauchos, like Borges, and vineyards. The idea was vague but positive. Later I realized that I was imagining northern Argentine Patagonia. But it coincided with the vineyards.
Chile has nothing in common with jungles, coconut trees, anacondas and Caribbean beaches. The north of Chile is a dry pre-desert zone, and the further south you go from the capital, the colder it becomes, but the greener it gets; in the south, volcanoes, lakes, forests and fjords rule the roost. The country stretches along the coast, but the ocean is almost everywhere icy due to strong currents.
A universal plus of living in Santiago is its proximity to the mountains and the ocean.
Moscow-Santiago
Chile is a small country with a rather conservative way of life. Just as I can seriously judge life in Russia only by my life in Moscow, the same is with Chile - I live in Santiago, and I have exclusively capital criteria by which I can evaluate the country.
In Santiago after Moscow, I miss the active rhythm of life of the city and its inhabitants. Of course, this is a much smaller city both in area and in number of inhabitants (7 million). On Sunday, almost all cafes and restaurants are closed; in the business part of the city even Starbucks is closed.
Weekend and empty city
Sunday is considered a day to spend with family or do nothing. There is even a saying “domingo-fomingo”, which plays on the words Sunday and boredom.
Diversity
What's also disappointing is the small selection of products. In Moscow, you get used to the fact that literally everything can be bought on the Internet with next-day delivery. You can also choose from a wide variety of stores, including virtual ones, but in Santiago there is less demand and the high cost of imported goods.
Once we were looking for yarn made from alpaca wool, the original inhabitant of the Andes. It seemed completely natural that there should be an abundance of such yarn in Chile, if not locally produced, then at least produced in Peru. But no. The choice is limited to five colors of poorly processed material. Although there are quite a few stores selling yarn, the bulk of the product is acrylic. I had to buy it in Moscow, in an online store with a huge selection and amazing quality, made in Peru, by the way.
Climatic features of Chile
I am pleased with the number of sunny days a year; there are most of them on the calendar. Even in winter and autumn. But there is also a fly in the ointment - strong temperature changes (up to 20 degrees), it is impossible to go out in the same clothes early in the morning, and it is impossible to stay in them day and night.
Heating
Central heating in Santiago is only theoretically available, but it is too expensive, so few people turn it on. They are saved by a variety of heaters: gas, paraffin, electric. It is difficult to understand the essence of the problem until you experience it yourself.
Climate Features
It would seem that it is colder in Moscow. But imagine winter temperatures of plus 10 in a city-basin, surrounded on all sides by mountains, on which precipitation from the ocean also settles. I compare by clothes: what I wore in Moscow at a slight minus, here I wear at +10. And late in the evening I'm still cold. In addition, you always know that even in cold weather you can run to your home, office, car or subway. In Santiago, the temperature outside and indoors is often the same.
Smog
in winter geographical location Santiago, a city surrounded by mountains, leads to smog. Last year, for several weeks the city was suffocated in a shroud of smog. Restrictions are often imposed on the circulation of cars around the city based on license plates (cars with license plates 2 are not allowed on Monday, cars with license plates 5 on Wednesday, etc.).
Earthquakes
Just last week there was a shock with a magnitude of 6.5, to be honest, I slept through it, and, as usual, I learned about it only in the morning from the news (for comparison, a shock of the same magnitude a couple of days ago in Japan caused a disaster, and 7.5 and completely destroyed Nepal last year). If you want to live in an earthquake-resistant country with peace of mind, then Chile is for you. Even large-magnitude earthquakes here are felt as a second vibration, as if a subway car had passed underground. No objects falling from shelves or giant cracks in the roads like in disaster movies.
All buildings in Chile are built to strict earthquake resistance standards, perhaps this is one of the secrets of such prosperity. Any Chilean will tell you that walls must be flexible and move in time with the vibrations of the earth. But the most interesting thing is the reaction of the Chileans themselves to the earthquakes - they love to flaunt the fact that they did not even notice the shock, or, if they did notice, then “they continued to drink as they drank.”
Wine
By the way, about the last one. Chileans drink quite a lot. Of course, red Chilean wine. Most often the choice falls on cabernet sauvignon, from white - chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. At any holiday, you barely have time to notice how bottles of dry red replace each other. Chile has a real cult of nationally produced wine, and this must be taken into account. I can now even drink two glasses of wine in an evening, which was completely impossible before, and I have become more knowledgeable about wines. At the same time, young people prefer pisco and cola.
The most stable
Although the economy has slowed down, in comparison with most of its neighbors on the continent, Chile does differ in a number of indicators:
- low crime rate (no kidnappings or other passions, more and more annoying little things, like theft of bags and phones);
Low corruption;
- stability.
Moving to Chile also means accepting high prices. Prices in supermarkets and stores for many goods differ little from Russian prices. It's good that in Chile most food products are nationally produced, from vegetables to cheeses. By the way, a Chilean will always patriotically prefer his own, native. Except for meat. Beef national origin often more expensive than high-quality analogues from Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina.
Food in Chile
A great love for soda, which often replaces water, is combined with the habit of consuming huge amounts of white bread, meat, and local flour dishes, such as empanadas or sopapillas. The passion for bread and cola is rivaled only by a tender affection for mayonnaise. Among sweets, the favorite is boiled condensed milk dulce de leche; this product is added to most sweets - from cakes to hastily concocted magdalenkas. Moving to Chile did not alleviate my bewilderment at the sight of traditional Ligurian sweets and the like.
About meat
Barbecue, which in Chile is called asado, can be called a local religion. At any holiday, meeting of friends at someone’s home, there will always be asado. Chileans consume the most meat per capita, but they never bother – they don’t marinate the meat or prepare sauces for it. So they say: “Good meat has no use for this.” But there is an opportunity to buy locally produced vegetables and fruits (except for exotic bananas and mangoes) all year round. I always bring amazing local avocados home to Moscow, because you can’t find them in stores. Plus, Chile is home to many superfoods like chia seeds, making it easy to eat a balanced diet. There would be a desire!
Easy breath
On holidays, the host of the celebration will never bother with ready-made dishes; the Chilean solves the problem of preparation simply - he goes and buys carrot sticks, semi-finished pies, liters of cola, a mountain of chips and the like. For a Sunday lunch with the family, a Chilean housewife might indulge in a dish like fried fish and rice. Chileans (may they forgive me) rarely cook well, even the mothers and grandmothers of older generations, and even less often set themselves such a task. It is already significant that in the evening families do not have a full dinner; as a rule, it is replaced with an onse afternoon snack, which consists of sandwiches with ham, cheese, or optionally with mayonnaise and avocado. By the way, small Chilean Hass avocados, the color of ripe eggplant, are already a good reason to think about moving to Chile.
Pedestrians cross roads without even looking from side to side, cyclists calmly occupy a lane of an already narrow roadway when there is a bicycle path nearby - because in the country the first and second are given absolute priority at the legislative and social level over poor motorists, it sits in the back of their minds.
Chileans are generally about slow life. They are not in a hurry, talk about the same thing for a long time, chronically forget what they promised, do not leave the house on weekends, since it is a family day, and if they come to visit, they stay until dawn until they chat to their hearts’ content.
In speech and even advertising slogans, the verb disfrutar (Spanish: enjoy) is often used. All you hear is - enjoy the trip, the tea, the time spent, or whatever. A small nuance, but it seems very eloquent to me. So if you are planning to move to Chile, I advise you to start with meditation.
Social hierarchy
Chile also has a very strong hierarchical structure of society. There is even an official division of people into social classes by letter. Here it is customary to close yourself in your own circles, and cases of “I made myself” are quite rare, since almost everything is determined from childhood - in what area did you grow up, in what school, and then go to college, this will be your circle of friends and career growth . And the whole system in Chile is built so that a person is born and lives in the same social class. For example, the second question a Chilean asks when meeting is traditionally about “what area do you live in and what university did you go to,” although for obvious reasons this is not always asked of foreigners.
Moving to Chile was a shock for me in this regard, that in society there is a conditional division according to external characteristics (skin color, hair, etc.) among the citizens of the country themselves. No one talks about this out loud, but it is very clearly visible. They say that in other countries Latin America everything is much worse in this matter - after all, Chile has a huge percentage of the population with European roots, second only to Argentina.
Communal
Moving to Chile also has its financial pitfalls. If you live in a modern high-rise building, then an avalanche of utility bills goes to pay general bills aimed at maintaining the house - from cleaning the pool to the salaries of the concierge. This also includes the obligatory gym, swimming pool and parking in the houses. But the house is always clean, and it is difficult for outsiders to get into the house due to the fence and strict concierges, who perform not a decorative function at all, which was a novelty at first.
Ceremony
Moving to Chile made me more tolerant of otherness, but my rejection of some details remained. I still don't like the Chileans' inability to say no, especially in business matters. They will evade and ignore, but will never say a polite and reasoned “no, it doesn’t suit us.” According to the logic of the locals, it is better to ignore you in the hope that they will understand everything anyway.
In the area
A pleasant plus of living in Santiago for me was the very concept of barrio life. This is when you leave the house and wander between neat houses with cozy gardens. In some areas, high-rise buildings are replacing houses, but never completely. New small cafes, tiny yoga studios, shops are constantly opening in Santiago, all this pleases the eye and breathes life into the city. Around one corner, Germans bake bread, around another corner, Brazilians sell acai. I made a huge number of foreign acquaintances – both Latin Americans and Europeans. This is a world-sized plus that I appreciate about moving to Chile. In Moscow, I didn’t even notice how few foreigners live here.
Geography of the country
Of the enormous, universal scale, the advantages of living in Chile are the proximity of the mountains and the ocean. But if the ocean only teases, since it is very cold, then with the mountains everything is different. You can wake up on Saturday and within half an hour you’ll be climbing another hill, the local passion for trekking is exciting. Or go to one of the many national parks in the south for a weekend camping trip. By the way, to see fabulous nature, it is not at all necessary to go to or. At a distance, the choice is already huge.
About the advantages of moving in general
Every day tests you for adherence to the usual foundations. There is an opportunity to look from the outside at all the usual stereotypes, habits and prejudices with which you grew up; weed out the unnecessary and leave the useful. At the same time, you stop judging the habits of another country. Largely because you begin to understand that much is explained not by the harmfulness of the locals, but by a different environment and culture. And moving is a great opportunity to get to know them.
A detailed story about my move and life in Chile is in the book “What is Chile”
A story about moving to Chile and impressions of life in Santiago was last modified: December 12th, 2018 by Anastasia Polosina
Text: Anastasia Polosina
I moved to Chile almost three years ago. Relatives, friends, work as an editor on a fashion channel and my usual everyday life remained in Moscow - but a loved one was waiting in Chile. During the two years that we met, there were trips to St. Petersburg, where he then lived, to Madrid, where he soon moved, then naturally followed flights from Moscow to Santiago and crazy romantic dates when we met in the middle of the globe - for example, on Santorini. But at some point, reality tactfully made it clear that without one address for two, this story has no future.
For me, moving was not an adventurous step with my eyes closed: before that, I visited Chile twice a month each, managed to explore Santiago, and at the same time travel around the country. Despite this, I thought about it for quite a long time, weighing the pros and cons: my life in Moscow suited me quite well, and besides, I had something to lose professionally. At some point, I asked myself an honest question, what will I regret more in ten years: that my career expectations did not come true, or that the wonderful person I love disappeared from my life? And everything immediately fell into place. After all, when else would you decide to do crazy things, especially for the sake of love, if not at 23?
And here I am in the capital of a distant South American state, sandwiched between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. I never looked at Chile through rose-colored glasses and from the very beginning I soberly assessed its advantages and disadvantages, because my move was motivated not by love for a country, but for a person. I remember well the impression of Santiago on the first day of my arrival, then just a tourist: glass high-rise buildings, neat houses with well-groomed grounds around, shady alleys of the Providencia district and many people who look like Europeans - that many Chileans have Spanish hidden in their families, Italian, Croatian, German grandparents, I found out later. The picture was complemented by the huge lilac-blue wall of the Andes, which encircles the city - a more spectacular decoration could not be imagined. The only thing that was terrifying was the Mapocho River in the center of Santiago - a liquid coffee-colored stream, albeit mountain origin. Chile was the first Latin American country I visited, and I didn’t know what to prepare for - there were only vague associations with vineyards and gauchos. Like many compatriots, I thought in stereotyped images and had little idea of what distant and mysterious South America was like.
Chile is sometimes called "Switzerland" South America”, not without reason, hinting that it is the most economically developed and stable country in the region with a low level of crime and corruption - especially in comparison with its neighbors. The Chileans themselves sneer at this title: they love to criticize themselves, and even more so, their government. The social situation here is calm - there are no terrorist attacks, and politicians are forced to take care of their image, otherwise they will not be re-elected. Many young people come to the country, including from Russia - they are attracted by the Start-Up Chile program, which finances promising startups. The calm is only diluted by protests on the streets. As a rule, students and employees of small shops in the city center go on strike when they demand higher wages: in such cases, work stops and all the workers come out with posters and loudspeakers. And on March 8, many women demonstrated topless, showing their dissatisfaction with the ban on abortion in the country.
Chile is sometimes called the “Switzerland of South America” - it is the most economically developed and stable country in the region
I remember being pleasantly surprised by the neatly dressed policemen near the La Moneda Palace, who politely advised me how and where to go. By the way, the very idea of giving a bribe to an official looks like a completely wild and incomprehensible gesture to the Chileans and is fraught with big troubles. If you exceed the speed limit and try to pay your way, you are guaranteed to spend the night behind bars.
One of the main problems for me at first was language. I knew Spanish well, but the Chilean version is not easy to understand by ear, it takes a long time to get used to: the words are pronounced unintelligibly, the endings and many consonants are “eaten up.” Plus a rich stock of specific idioms that are not used anywhere else - half of local speech consists of them. “Cachai weon po?” If you know Spanish but didn't understand anything from this phrase, that's okay. I often hear Latinos from other countries admit: “Before we came to Chile, we thought we spoke Spanish.”
A couple of months after moving, I entered the marketing department at the University of Chile; Such courses are called Diplomado here and are considered a prestigious addition to the main diploma. The course consisted of several parts, each taught by a new teacher with applied experience - among them were specialists from Google and owners of their own companies. Education here is based on discussions, while almost no one takes the usual notes or crams the material. The emphasis is on working on practical tasks in a team - in one of the lessons we even developed a startup model using Lego.
I needed knowledge in the field of marketing to launch my project - an online jewelry store. It did not last long because I frankly miscalculated my understanding of the Chilean mentality, despite active work with local bloggers and the press. It turned out that the online shopping market in Chile is still weak, and it is much more profitable to have a traditional corner in mall. In addition, tastes do differ - it is not always worth offering minimalism in the style of Elizabeth and James in the hope of a fashion revolution, when the country is in an enduring fashion for giant jewelry in the spirit of hippies.
For the first time after moving, I worked as a regular freelance writer on the site that was my place of work before Chile, and collaborated with other publications as a freelancer. To obtain a one-year visa after a 180-day tourist stay, you need a local work contract, so I got a job with a private company that works with innovative projects of entrepreneurs and helps them apply for and receive grants from Corfo (a government organization that funds entrepreneurs), where I continue to work partly and Today. At the same time, I launched a Russian-language blog about travel around Chile, Chiletravelmag.ru, which is gradually growing from a simple hobby into a serious project.
During my life here, I traveled almost the entire country from north to south, and I gained significant travel experience. There were multi-day hikes in Torres del Paine and others national parks, trips to the Atacama Desert, to islands, to volcanoes, mountain lagoons and through all kinds of valleys. I’ve been to places that Chileans themselves often don’t know about, although they really like it domestic tourism. By the way, I also became infected with this - between a trip to Tierra del Fuego and to a distant Caribbean beach, I will choose the first. Since there is little information on travel and life in Chile on the Russian-language Internet, I decided to share my experience on the blog pages; here I also talk about other countries in South America.
Over time, it became clear that Santiago is actually a multifaceted city, and, having settled in Providencia, I naturally saw the life of only the so-called barrio alto - prestigious areas in the east of the capital. This is an artificial “bubble” where it is comfortable and pleasant, but outside of it a completely different life is seething: the majority live in more modest conditions. The thing is that the quarter in which you live largely determines your lifestyle and even status. It is important what school and institute you went to: this automatically determines your social circle. In Santiago it is considered completely normal when, when you meet at a party, one of the first questions that strangers ask you is: “Where do you live?” At first I was upset, but then I got used to it. In Moscow, not all of my friends know what district I’m from, and in Santiago, particularly conservative-minded employers may check your address during an interview. Therefore, many are ready for a small apartment in poor condition, but located in Las Condes.
When my young man explained to me the peculiarities of the local social structure, it made me laugh and irritate at the same time, it seemed like the order of the times of the colony. Over time, I myself became convinced that everything is so, tourists just don’t read such things. In Chilean marketing, there is even an official gradation of the social classes of society by letters (A, B, C1, C2, and so on), which is often used in ordinary speech, when, for example, they talk about the target audience of an establishment.
After moving, I began to face an avalanche of questions, regardless of the part of the world, and I felt the full depth of the prejudices with which we live. Having learned that I am Russian, the Chileans are very surprised that I speak Spanish fluently (and I also learned it in Russia! and on my own!) and that I freeze in winter in local houses without heating, where the temperature is on average about 15 degrees Celsius. The set of questions is always standard, so patterns can be derived. First of all, Chileans ask about your impressions of Chile. Touched by the love story that brought me to their country, they are always interested in how Chileans differ from Russians, something like this: “We are very open and friendly compared to Russians, right?” It’s especially frustrating for the stubborn ones because everything is relative, and many Chileans wear a poker face (if you haven’t met anyone like that, you just haven’t been here long). It is believed that Chileans are the coldest and most reserved Latin Americans (I felt this well after a trip to Colombia), but it is easier for a European to adapt here.
The main question that is asked with aspiration is about the Russian winter. We have to patiently talk about the wonders of central heating, unknown to Chileans, and how the same temperature feels different in the mountains and on the plain. I also often explain that Russia is too big country, to generalize from Siberia to the capital, so now all my answers begin with the honest “I can only judge Moscow.” It’s funny, but before moving I didn’t even think about it. In general, I am one of those expats who try to convey a good image of their homeland - I have no grudge against my country, I did not leave in search of better life and I come home every year with great pleasure.
I am one of those expats who try to convey a good image of their homeland - I have no resentment towards my country
I must say that I was very lucky: my boyfriend is interested in Russian culture and knows about it first-hand, since he lived in St. Petersburg for six months for work, and before that another year in Kyiv. My mentality is close to him: he reads Russian classics, loves Russian cuisine, is familiar with the Hermitage collection, and he doesn’t need to explain why it’s important for me to celebrate New Year and Victory Day, wearing slippers at home instead of street shoes, giving flowers and why Russian Post is not always the most reliable way delivery.
I noticed that Chileans show genuine interest and really want to learn about my country. They openly admit that they have not the slightest idea about Russia, and for most, I was the first Russian person with whom they had ever communicated. But many acquaintances in Russia are still firmly convinced that in Chile there are coconuts on palm trees everywhere, the Caribbean coast, round-the-clock samba on the streets and hot summer all year round - some kind of wild collective mixture from Rio and the beaches of Tulum. They are very surprised when they see photos of me in off-season clothes. Coconuts, alas, don’t grow in Chile either, and the Pacific Ocean is just a tease - the water in it is icy almost everywhere. The topic of swimming in a country with the longest coastline in the world is my personal pain, like that of many unprepared tourists. But the Chilean coast is excellent for surfing due to strong waves. Three months of the year it is cold in Santiago. Without frost, of course, but there is a reason to get sweaters and down jackets: from June to August I wear winter clothes. It’s also funny when they think that Chile is something very tropical. In the diverse geography of Chile, which has become the hallmark of the country, there is a place for desert, lakes, volcanoes and glaciers, but the tropics are observed only on Easter Island, infinitely far from the mainland.
When talking about Chile, people always ask about earthquakes: how can one live in a country where it is always shaking? Answering this question, I turn on all my Chilean training and issue a machine-gun burst: tremors up to seven points are not felt here at all. Yes, you read that right. And the stronger ones are felt like a slight vibration, but nothing falls from the shelves, and houses do not collapse according to the canons of disaster films. When I tell this, I see shock on people’s faces, which is understandable: in other countries such earthquakes destroy entire cities, and besides, the strongest earthquake in the world occurred in Chile.
For the first six months, I was often woken up by messages like “Are you okay? You’re shaking!” - it turned out that the news about the next shock, which we did not even feel, leaked into the Russian news, when the Chilean press calmly ignored it. By the way, the locals like to boast about their indifference to earthquakes (“As they sat in the bar, they continued to sit”) and they reassure all frightened foreigners with the fact that all buildings were built according to special standards, so when there are tremors, the structure of the house comes into some kind of cunning movement , adjusting to the vibrations of the earth. The only real risk is a tsunami. In general, a trip to Chile is a unique opportunity to visit a seismically active country without real risk to life and nervous system.
Life in Santiago (not to mention the rest of the country) is measured and quiet, teaching you to slow down and enjoy simple things without the cheerful bustle of Moscow. A Chilean's ideal weekend is a family dinner or a barbecue with rivers of wine, so on Sundays the city seems to die out: with the exception of supermarkets and malls, absolutely everything is closed. I, like many expats, miss interesting events in the city, exhibitions and other cultural programs.
What I love most about living in Santiago (besides the delicious avocados and wine) is the proximity to the mountains and hills. I wouldn't have signed up as a fan before hiking, but recently I decided that since I live here, I need to take advantage of my opportunities, and now on weekends I often storm the mountains - Santiago is surrounded by hills, so in less than an hour I can drive from home to the next trail. I also like that my barrio has a very cozy and quiet atmosphere. There are many private cottages with manicured gardens filled with roses, oranges and pomegranates, and I can walk to yoga studios, cafes and shops. For example, on the next street a German built an extension to a private house and bakes delicious bread there, which we go out to buy almost in our pajamas.
Sometimes you have to pull yourself together so as not to completely adopt the great Latin American philosophy of “mañana” - this is when everything will be done tomorrow, and maybe never. Would I have chosen Chile if great love had not happened to me? To be honest, it’s unlikely. But the experience of living abroad is wonderful because it expands your perception of the world and teaches you to look at it without the prism of previous prejudices - both about other countries and about yourself.
It’s time to get out, - one day a man decides for himself and leaves to live in a distant foreign country...
During my trip around the world, I talked a lot with Russian emigrants in the countries that were on my route, and was interested in their life in their new homeland. What? How? Where? What is the price?
It’s no secret that some people consider life abroad to be a real paradise and dream at all costs of “getting over the hill from this fucking R...”, while others see emigration as a real hell, drinking all the juices out of you, forcing you to live from hand to mouth, huddle in terrible conditions and wait for the next benefit without any hope of finding a job.
How is it really? Of course, there is no single answer to this question; there are only special cases, based on which one can draw certain conclusions.
Today I want to show where an ordinary guy from St. Petersburg lives, who emigrated several years ago to the capital of Santiago, Chile. His name is Konstantin, his nickname on LiveJournal is konst_vatruba
. He did not wait for benefits or try to look for work for his uncle. Taking advantage of Chilean legislation regarding small business, he opened his own small company in the IT field, can afford to live like a completely successful Chilean, and rent an apartment in a rather prestigious area of Santiago.
Let's send him to visit Konstantin.
2. This is the house of Constantine.
Ordinary residential house in good area cities. Multi-apartment, fairly recently built - an analogue of our modern new buildings. But the apartments are very different from those that are rented in our new buildings. Moreover, they are very different. Now you'll see for yourself 
3. As befits houses of this class, the house has a large spacious hall with several lounge areas with sofas and armchairs.
I asked Konstantin, why are these zones in a residential building?
“This is to meet guests,” was Kostya’s answer.
- You mean with guests? In the lobby?
- Well, yes, but where else? Not in the apartment?
- ???
- Seryoga, they don’t bring guests into the apartment here, now you’ll see everything for yourself. Either here in the hall, or in the common dining room....
Hm. In the common dining room? Suddenly. Okay, let's see what's there. 
4. We go up to the second floor. There are common areas that can be freely used by all residents of the house.
Firstly, laundry.
- Laundry? Kostya, why is she?
- Look, all apartments in new houses in Chile are rented out as standard: renovated, furnished, equipped. A washing machine is not provided or installed in them. In order to wash things, ALL houses in the city have such laundry rooms. No one would even think of installing a washing machine in their apartment. Why waste precious space in your apartment?
Ok, okay... 
5. The house is an apartment building, there are a lot of washing machines. 
6. Here, on the 2nd floor, there is a small fitness room.
- Such halls are also required in any rental apartment building. It is also free and can be used by anyone living in the house. 
7. We go further along the corridor. We go out onto the open terrace. Here is an area for a picnic and... meeting guests.
This is exactly the dining room that is intended for communication with guests, beer, etc. 
8. There is even a small kitchen wall for preparing snacks. 
9. Here, in the open area, there are barbecues and tables.
- This is also a must-have in every home. Such a terrace and barbecue. So that no one fry anything in parks and outdoors.
Everyone does it at home on their terraces. On weekends there is a full house and a big house-wide party. 
10. And next to the barbecue is a swimming pool.
- And this is a mandatory equipment for the house. In simpler and cheaper houses the pool is located on the roof, and in houses of a higher class on the 2nd or 3rd floors.
Well that's cool! The idea is simple, no complications. Why haven't we thought of this before?
Oh, yes, and in all these areas there is excellent, fast and free in-house WiFi. 
11. Now let's take a look at the apartment.
Let me remind you that Kostya lives in a decent house, which is considered expensive. This is what a standard 1-room apartment looks like.
Don't be surprised by this photo; it's impossible to make the frame wider, because... I stand with my back against the wall.
Now it’s clear why guests are not allowed into the apartment and the house needs lounges in the hall and tables on the terrace?
True, if you invite a guest, and she accepts the invitation, then everything will work out, because she understands that there is nothing else to do in this apartment) 
12. Looking in the opposite direction.
Friends, this is almost the entire apartment. 20 squares. Apartment for a successful Chilean or a young family. Yes, yes, don't be surprised! This is exactly how young successful families live in Santiago!
An apartment like this costs $500 a month if you pay for at least six months in advance!
A utility bill in the summer costs about $30-50; in the colder months in winter it can reach up to $250 a month! 
13. Tiny bathroom. 
14. An even tinier kitchen. Now you understand why they don’t have washing machines at home and no one will even think about installing one here.
The space under the 1-burner electric stove on the left was originally occupied by a refrigerator. But the owners of the apartment threw it away and bought a normal refrigerator, as we were used to, and installed it near the entrance, actually blocking it.
Chileans almost never use kitchens, preferring to eat at street fast foods and eateries. 
15. This is what the apartment looks like when viewed from the front door.
Doesn't remind you of anything? For me - a hotel room, only with a tiny kitchen. 
16. Because Chileans do not cook at home; almost every home has a cafe, small restaurant, coffee shop or snack bar.
There are rarely free tables there, and at lunchtime it’s a real problem to even sit down and have a bite to eat. Everything is just busy. 
17. Well, the second option for eating is to shop at these mini-markets.
We came in out of curiosity. To be honest, there isn't much to buy here. Snacks, doshirak, cola, water... 
This is how it is, the everyday life of a Russian emigrant in Chile, living a completely successful life and running his own business.
How would you like to live like this?
Well, let me remind you that for several years now I have been looking for the cheapest tickets for my travels on
