Hi! My name is Karina (she/her), I’m a Spanish and Linguistics (BA) student, and I’m currently completing my year abroad in Santiago, Chile. Having been in Santiago for more than eight months, it now feels like my home away from home.
When I applied to study in Chile last year, I felt like there were no other students I could turn to for advice, considering the last student to go to Chile for their year abroad was prior to the pandemic. Now, I am more than confident to take on the role and share my advice.
NAVIGATING CHILEANISM
So, you have just travelled halfway across the world to South America, a completely different hemisphere, language, and culture. There is no doubt you will be overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions. However, there’s a reason you chose Chile, and that will keep all those doubts at bay. You will soon start to notice how different it is from any other South American country.
Chile is known in the Latin American world for its distinct accent. Forget what you learned in your Spanish lessons at school because it will definitely be different here. It took me a good few weeks to understand what the professors and my fellow classmates were saying to me. Luckily, they are very patient and won’t switch to English but instead try to help you. This wouldn’t be a top tips guide if I didn’t explain some Chilean slang:
- You will often hear the phrase ‘cachai’. This is one of my favourite Chilean phrases, which translates to ‘did you catch that?’. It is used as a question at the end of a sentence to reinforce that you understood the point. It is purely rhetorical, and it would be too exhausting to always reply ‘yes, I understand’.
- You will also hear a lot of ‘weon’. This is very popular among young people and students, and it could either mean ‘mate’ or ‘dumb’, depending on the context it’s used.
Before I arrived, I made sure to look up Chilean slang so that I wouldn’t be caught off guard.
CHOOSING WHERE TO LIVE IN SANTIAGO
Santiago is located right at the base of the Andes mountains, and there are three main areas where you will find students living: Santiago Centre, Providencia, and Las Condes.
Santiago Centre is a historical and busy area. The La Moneda Presidential Palace is located there, and it is known for where the 1973 Chilean Coup D’état took place. Just like any capital city, the centre is very busy and is usually a hotspot for petty crimes to occur. In my experience, I found it to be very noisy because of the many protests. However, it is also the location of the biggest international student accommodation: LivinnX. In my experience, I felt that the price for the area was unjustified, and it felt like a bit of a let down.
Providencia is a very residential area, but it is also filled with restaurants, markets, and bars. I am currently living here with a company called Chilean Way Houses. It has definitely been a change from Santiago Centre since it is a lot quieter and cleaner. I feel a lot more relaxed walking around at night since I got to know my neighbours. In addition, many of my friends have stayed with Santiago Exchange, which also offers a lot of good house locations within Providencia.
Lastly, Las Condes is the business area. Here you will find a lot of banks, offices, and shopping centres. Although it is further from the universities, it is very safe and full of gorgeous parks, making it a great area if you want to work during your year abroad. Some of my friends have found student houses or host families to live with through CompartoDepto.
EXPLORING SOUTH AMERICA
My biggest tip is to take advantage of where you are. Sometimes living in Santiago feels like you’re in a bubble, but it is surprisingly easy to explore the rest of South America. I have been lucky enough to explore Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, in addition to exploring the different regions of Chile. Fortunately, Chileans love a good long weekend or a bank holiday, so use any chance you get. This is also a great way to really immerse yourself in the Spanish language.
I hope that my guide has helped you understand life in Chile more and has made it a bit easier to decide where to go on your year abroad!
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