Tales of an immigrant: Tips to emigrate

Not an easy place to say Good Bye too. I hope to go back again. Venezuela.

Most people assume that because our blog is in English that we are American or Canadians or something. Actually, we are very much Latin, but choose to write in English because a big group of the international community in Chile was being left out from the interesting things the city offers.

Anyway, I left home because I no longer had opportunities in my home country. I was a 27 year old professional, with a bachelor´s degree, three languages and no future. We decided on Chile, because of my newlywed husband had a Chilean passport thanks to his mother. Without giving it too much thought, we bought a ticket and decided that we had 4 months to close up shop and leave. Nothings was certain, only that we needed to grow and find a new life for ourselves in another place.

So, after I told my story. Someone asked me, How can a person PREPARE for leaving their country?? What can they do before??

It is not an easy question. My first immediate answer was Well You Can´t. I mean in my mind, no book, no training could prepare you for the emotionally drenage that comes from saying a long Good bye. I had to let go of my childhood, of my family, my friends, my home and everything that was close to me.

But, then I gave it more thought and now I want to share with you what I feel are some of the things that helped me be prepare to emigrate.

After reading the list, I think it is helpful for many people. Whether you are going abroad for a year, wanting a fresh start in a new country, being relocated with your family, or like me having to start over.

• Invest in yourself. Study, study, study. One thing is for sure, the only valuable thing you are bringing into a new country is your mind and knowledge. Those are the only things that will help you succeed.
• Invest in learning languages. They will be an asset; they will make you stand out.
• Get some working experience. It does not matter if it was summer camp guide, first job or bartending, having past experience will give you something to say.
• Learn to let go of the material things. A car, a house, they are just things. Don´t hold on.
• Learn that home is an abstract concept, not a place.
• Become tech savvy it will come in handy when wanting to keep in touch with family and friends.
• Translate all your certificates, diplomas and important documents to English. You can always translate them again to any other language.
• Get some recommendation via letter or linked in. They will come in handy when applying for jobs.
• Be ready to disconnect from news channels, tv and media from your home country. You have a new focus now.
• Learn how to cook your favorite dishes from home. It will help you stay connected with your roots.
• Yes, your country is probably sooo beautiful (like mine) But, think about all the other places you have to discover. Some day, you might just return home.

Choroni, Venezuela. No hotels, no roads, just sand and the sea.

 

So, this post has nothing to do with Santiago, but a lot about being ready to move forward. In the ends, is also the purpose of our blog, we hope you are a happy person where ever you are meant to end up.

Cheers! 😉

 Have something else to add? Share it with us in the comments!!

What to do in Santiago?

Hello folks!!!

Ok, we have no excuses for our absence in the last weeks. But, Vacations and family visits have gotten the best of us in the last month.  Yes! The dreaded but joyful family visits that happen once or twice a year. You all know what that means, working by day, tourism by night, no time to relax.

Anyway, August is almost over, and spring is just around the corner. With the 18 of September celebrations… so hold on!!

If you want to share your event or an upcoming activity send it to us: insidesantiago@gmail.com

 

Click here for the full list >>> or visit the main menu >>> What to do in Santiago?.

Chilean Slang just got easier!

Before moving to Chile, you did your homework and signed up for some Spanish classes. Good for you! Funny thing is that on your first days around town you started noticing that the words were very different. Welcome to our world!

For example: “La Liebre” which means Hare, in Chile means the public bus. “La Guagua” which for Google translator means a bus, is actually a Baby in Chile. You will hear the word Cachay a lot, and also Weon. (They can be good or bad in the same sentence!) Easy right?!

Lucky for us foreigners, now there is a really cool App available to help us understand what folks are actually saying. The name of the App is Chilenismos, you can find it for IOs in the app store. It has over 300 Chilean expressions, with 500 different definitions. Click here to get the app.

Adam Teale, the creator of the app, wrote to us and we were interested right away. He is an expat, who came traveling to Atacama but instead fell in love and has now been living in Chile for over four years. =) =) Right away, he noticed  the constant use of slang, and in order to learn he started keeping track of all the expressions. This is how his app was born and a year after its launch it has doubled in the amount of phrases.

We downloaded the app and gave it a try. It is actually entertaining and FUN. It even has a Game to help you practice speaking like an actual Chilean (Try it with some Pisco, and a drinking game might be born!) Only downside is that the definitions are in Spanish, but with basic Spanish they are easy to understand.

Here are some of our favorite new expressions. Our minds were thinking one thing, but it turns out we were wrong…

1) A la suerte de la olla/To the pots luck: go with the flow, or let´s see how things go.

2) Bailar con la fea/Dance with the ugly one: to be unlucky.

3) Cabeza de Pescado/Fish Head:  someone who speaks non-sense.

4) Peinar la Muñeca/To Comb the doll: to be crazy.

5) Rayar La papa/to peal a potato: someone who is obsessed with one subject

6) Subir al columpio/To climb the swing: to be annoyed over something a person did.

7) Vacunar a alguien/To give someone a shot: to con a person, to rip someone off.

8) Darle con el palo al gato/To hit the cat with a stick: managed to pull something off that was very unlikely.

9) El dia del Nispero/The day of the Fig: a day that will never arrive. (No translation for a Nispero in English, OMG, what fruit is it??))

 What are your favorite Chilean Expression? Have anything to share? Leave it below on the comments!

How to Make the most of a Skiing Day Trip

Drive up early, and enjoy the amazing sunrise on the road in Farallones.

Winter Vacations are coming up, and many people take advantage of the break to hit the slopes. It is a great plan, and one of the many advantages of Santiago. It is close and almost always sunny. I mean in one day you can enjoy the mountain and the snow, and then head back home for a full calorie dinner (pizza after skiing is so deserved!)

In order to make the best of a Day Trip to La Cordillera from Santiago, these are some things you have to consider during the weekend or holidays: 

1) Wake up very early! You should be on the road up to Farallones no later than 7:15 am. We mean this! At this time the drive should be up to 1 hour and 30 minutes. If you leave later be prepared to be stuck in HEAVY traffic, and a very looong 4 hour trip

2) If you are planning of going in different Cars, a great meeting point is the last Copec before the intersection to Farallones in Av. Las Condes. It is open, and it has coffee. (No more to say)

3) Make sure to have chains inside your car. They are obligatory during skiing season; even if it is not snowing you might get pulled over by the Carabineros, which will ask to see them.

4) As an alternative, you can rent chains on the road going up. You will see the guys installing the on the right hand side. There is a small Carabinero checkpoint going up Farallones, make sure to have the chains before this point.

5) Very curvy road going up and it can get icy (Particurlaly when going to Valle Nevado) So, it is better to take it slow.

6) Once up in Farallones, you could decide to go to El Colorado, La Parva or Valle Nevado. They are three different ski centers. Our favorite is Valle Nevado because it has the most modern infrastructure (Express lifts and gondolas). But, try all of them as part of the experience.

6) You could save some money if you rent your skis in Santiago instead of up in the mountain. These places are very affordable, with average equipment. (Don´t expect fancy rentals)

– Ski Ahorro

– Da Ski

7) Try avoiding the crowds during the day. Since you will open the ski center, have lunch an hour earlier, and enjoy the slopes when everyone is at lunch.

8) Have in mind that food at the ski center is expensive and not very good. So if you don´t want to spent too much money, prepare food and leave it in the car. There are a couple of places where you can eat your own food.

9) It WILL be crowded. It is a fact, so relax and enjoy the day. Breathe the fresh air and burn some calories.

10) Leave one hour before closing! We know you want to ski until the last minute, but trust us it is not worth the heavy traffic going down. Besides a pizza, or a burger are waiting for you back in Santiago.

Hope these tips are useful =) =)

Have something to add? Share it with us in the comments!

Bars we LOVE in Santiago

The Santiago Nightlife offer has been growing, and there are now more options available to go out, have a good drink and have fun with friends. Therefore, we have decided to put together a list of our favorite Bars in the city. We don´t go out much – Guilty of too much Netflix binging, wine and takeout 😉 – so when we do, we like good drinks, great atmospheres and dressing up. 

Just, so you know there is no dress etiquette in the city, people are very relaxed when they go out. So, in most places you don´t have to worry about formality, or going out with your sneakers. 

The List, Random order:

1) Whisky Blue: Bar/Nightclub at the W. Great place to go out for drinks and some music. It is a fancier venue, so you should dress up nicer.

2) Sala Gente: Dance Club, with great parties. They hold different theme parties on Thursday Friday and Saturdays, so you have to buy tickets before or find some contact to get you on a list.

3) Candelaria: This dance club has good atmosphere and music. It plays current pop, dance and some old hits. Sometimes the bouncer at the door, gets funny and asks you to be on some list, but try talking to them so they let you in.

4) Ruca Bar: loving this cool spanish bar at barrio Italia. Favorite spot in Barrio italia for a long shot. They have great food and drinks.

5) Ky: This is a Thai restaurant with a good bar atmosphere, but make sure to sit outside in the tented terrace. When you get there, you will think you are in the wrong address, but no the creepy house and doorbell means you are there.

6) Etniko: Good Sushi! But also great atmosphere and drinks. Hands down our favorite place of the Bellavista area.

7) Bar Constitucion: This is a big nightclub bar; it has like three different atmospheres and music. Compared to others, it stays open to later hours of the morning.

8) Taringa: Great Bar! Great Atmosphere! Nice Food. So it is practically impossible finding a table, especially on a Thursday. It has a great rustic feel and friendliness.

9) Bocanariz: Best Chilean wine selection in the city, they have amazing tapas and small things to eat while you drink. It´s always full and you have to make reservations. The downside it closes earlier, has it is a restaurant also.

10) De La Ostia: Enjoy a some spanish tapas in a relaxed casual atmosphere. The food is good and it has good price value.

11) Liguria: Typical Chilean bar, with and old feel and decorations. The walls are packed with memorabilia from older times. This is a great place to take visitors out for a traditional Chilean night.

Have something to add?? Want to share your favorite bars? Leave it in the comments =) 

Restaurants we LOVE in Santiago

The food offers in Santiago have grown so much in the last five years, it´s amazing to see how many new restaurants have opened up. The gourmet scene is growing and the alternatives are vast, from anything to traditional Chilean to exotic Peruvian food and even a good old burger.

We have rounded up a list of our favorite restaurants, those that we love going back to, because of the food, the ambiance, or the wines. It was not easy making this list, we left out some new ones and some really fancy high end ones , but have in mind that the list is about the ones we just can´t get enough off, and keep going back to.

1) Hanzo: nikkei restaurant: fusion between Peruvian and Japanese food. We keep coming back for the mix of flavours, and never leave out our favorite dish: Acevichado Roll.

2) Tiramisu: Hands down the best pizza in town. Tiramisu is always full, because the food is tasty, homey and the ingredients are always fresh. Great Price for your value.

3) Osaka: Also nikkei food, it’s on the list of Latin Americas 50s best restaurants. The entire menu is delicious; anything you order will be perfectly cooked and seasoned. We love their drinks, berry caipirihnas or pisco sour aperitifs are a must.

4) El Baco: Great french restaurant with an amazing wine cellar.

5) Mestizo: Chilean cooking with a modern twist. Mestizo is one of the most beautiful restaurants in Santiago, it is inside Parque Bicentenario, and it´s built within huge rock pillars which seem to blend the building into the parks landscape. Don´t miss the traditional machas and the Entraña.

6) El Barrio: Which means neighborhood in Spanish, makes you feel like you are eating at a friend’s house. It is sort of like a French brasserie with a many alternatives in its menu. Don´t miss their truffle French fries.

7) La Mar:  This traditional Peruvian restaurant is one of the most famous offers of Gaston Acurio. We keep coming back for the ceviche and seafood planchas.

8) Bocanariz: Great Location at Barrio Lastarrias, the most complete cellar offer of Chilean wines in the city and a very innovative menu by flavor types, are the reasons why we love it.

9) Quinoa: Cozy vegetarian restaurant, ideal for a girl’s lunch. Love the vegetable wok with quinoa.

10) Coquinaria: If you want to buy a rare cooking ingredient, like pink salts from the Himalayas, or truffles salt, Coquinaria has a great little market. We enjoy their terrace, and like to eat brunch on sundays.

Did you like the post? Do you have any other favorite restaurants that you will like to add to the list? Leave us your comment. 

How to Make the Most of SMOGGY DAYS in Santiago

The air conditions in Santiago are BAD to say the least, it is normally recommended that you stay indoors to avoid getting sick from all the stuffy dust flying around. But, that does not mean you should have to stay cooped up inside, so we made a List of 5 interesting indoor activities you can do in the city. (Be extra careful with kids and elderly parents)

Visit Museo La Memoria

Learning from the past is a way to stop events from repeating, and this is exactly the objective of Museo de La Memoria, a remembering of the awful human right violations that happened in Chile. It is part of this countries dark history that in no way should be forgotten. If you have not been there, you should go with open eyes, and learn more about the people around you and there struggles.

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Go Bowling

This is nothing new, but of course we wanted to remind you what a cool plan a day out bowling with the family might be. Here are a list of the bowling venues around town:

Bowling Parque Arauco: We have been here several times, is good fun. They will have special prices during July, even on the weekend. 15.000 Pesos per hour from Monday to Sunday (6 people max)

JapiMax Bowling: located in Puente Alto this bowling venue has really good lanes.

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Take a cooking class

Always wanted to make your own Chilean empanada?? Well here is your chance to learn how to cook traditional Chilean food, and have fun while you are doing it. We found Cooking in Chile, a place where you can take a cooking class,  and learn how to make many chilean dishes. It sounds like a nice plans for visitors also. We have been meaning to take a class with them, because we are Instagram peeps and have been savoring over their pictures for a while now.

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Get some culture at Centro Cultural Estacion Mapocho

There is always an event, gallery or show going on at Centro Cultural Estacion Mapocho. But, the most interesting thing about it, is the building itself. We love this old train station with its steel beams; it is a beauty worth the visit.

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Explore the tomb of Bernardo O´Higgins

I am a history buff, and this place was very interesting for me, as I got a closer look at Chilean history. In the tomb you will find a mini museum with old artifacs and replicas of old uniforms. It is right across La Moneda, and many people don´t know it. Also, make a note when having visitors over. =)

How to Watch U.S TV Shows from Chile

Do you know how to access your favorite U.S shows or sport games from Chile? For many this is a very important topic. So for this week, we have a professional technology writer to help clarify the issue. Thanks to Thomas Ujj, our Guest Blogger for his work.

Hope it helps! Leave your questions below. 

For anyone visiting or living in Chile, it is easy to enjoy the beautiful landscape, the rich culture, and the fantastic people. It is truly an excellent place for travelers and expats alike. So you say, what could possibly make being in Chile any better? Well, maybe some HBO NOW or watchESPN might do the trick!

So, you say you want to catch up on that last episode of Game of Thrones? Or catch the World Series? Super Bowl? Well, according to most American media companies, having an IP address(a unique code that identifies where and who you are)that is not in the U.S typically means that watching these things is not allowed. So what is there to do? Thankfully, there are a few options to help “maneuver” around these silly geographical restrictions.

In today’s technological world, there are really two services that really stand out in helping users access geo-restricted content. A more traditional service that you may have heard of would be a VPN(or Virtual Private Network), while something a little more new and relatively unknown is SmartDNS. These two both have similar characteristics:  simple to setup and use, both hide the user’s identity and location well, and both are available for a relatively low monthly cost. In order to gain a better understanding, lets take a brief look at both services.

Starting with VPN’s, lets take a peek at what exactly they are. Basically, a VPN takes your computer and puts it through a private virtual tunnel where the user can choose where he/she is “from”, thus allowing users to access geo-restricted content while also protecting your identity and connection from intruders. VPN’s are relatively easy to setup and use and even the most top-rated services cost no more than 6-8 dollars a month. If you think a VPN could be the right solution for you, take a look over at Best VPN.com for more information and which provider might be right for you.

SmartDNS(or Smart Domain Name Systems) services operate in a similar fashion, but tend to be a little bit simpler and more affordable. SmartDNS services also tend to offer multiple device support, so having multiple devices access restricted content is very much possible. SmartDNS essentially “renames” your computer so that anyone looking at your IP would just see you as someone from your target country(in this case, the U.S). SmartDNS services will run you between 3-5 dollars a month, but a lot of free trials are available if you aren’t sure. SmartDNS is also definitely a newer technology, so if you want some help or want to look at some of the providers, check out SmartDNS.com.

While both services are really useful, it is important to remember that these services will only allow you to use American streaming services, but won’t pay for their subsciptions! You will probably still need a HBO NOW account to access any HBO content, or a ESPN account to watch sports. Once your VPN or SmartDNS is setup and working on your device, you can go the respective websites and access the content. (But now the computer recognizes you with a U.S location!)

Whether you are a local, an expat, or just traveling through Chile, hopefully this brief guide can help you access U.S content. Streaming media is expanding rapidly throughout the world, and becoming familiar with and using services such as VPN and SmartDNS are effective, safe and cheap ways to access digital media while traveling abroad.

If there are any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below!

Thomas Ujj Bio:

“Born in North America but living in Europe,one of Thomas’s lifelong goals is to travel the world, no matter what the cost. As a writer for SmartDNS.com, he blogs about mostly anything technology related, whether it is streaming media or internet security. In his spare time you can either catch him passionately watching AS Roma games, or attempting to master Italian cooking”

Fashion alert! Ropero Paula is here

 Hello fashionistas insiders!

Today, fashion takes place with this very recommendable option for your weekend panorama 🙂

The famous chilean women magazine Paula,  launched their new successful edition of Ropero Paula 2015 fairy! Located in Portal La Dehesa mall, this year offers fashion shows with very wellknown national and international designers, a lot of free make up, styling, cooking courses and 150 clothing, shoes and accesories exhibitors selling their collections.

Here below a glance of day 1:

For more information, and to see full schedule please check: HERE

enjoy!!!!!!!

see u

 

What to consider when receving your property (“Pre-Entrega” Checklist)

If you have been living in Chile a little while longer, you probably decided to invest in a house or in an apartment. There are many projects in the city, with different price ranges, sizes and location. So, if you are thinking of staying here the long term, it might be a good decision to buy your own property.

If you have already bought it (Congrats!!!!) and are waiting to receive your new place, then it is very important that you CHECK every detail of it IN and OUT during the “Pre- Entrega”.

What happens is that the construction company writes down all the problems you found, from bad paint jobs, to water leaks and crooked doors, and then they will fix them before you officially get your key. It is very common; we actually had our shower plumbing missing, and ended up with a pool when we turned it on the first time!!

These tips apply more for a new property. But in Case it is a used place, this process is even more important, and it should be done with an inspector before you even decide on buying the place.

Besides the finishing details, here are some more practical and functioning points that you MUST check: (Pre- Entrega Check List)

–Electrical: turn on all electrical appliances at full throttle and check that the breakers don´t fall.

-Heating: Turn on the heater system. With hot water (floor or ceiling) within an hour if it is a strong leak you might see sign of leakage. If not make a note to ask the person in charge about the guarantees.

-Water: Leave all the faucets, showers and bath tub running, to make sure there are no leaks. Fill bath tubs completely to make sure they are correctly sealed. Empty them at once, to make sure they drain properly.

– Kitchen: Check the appliances. Turn on Oven and kitchen. Check cabinet doors to see if they open properly, and if they are aligned.

-Floors: If they are ceramic floors, use your hand or a wooden stick to tap on each of the tiles to find out if they are properly placed. A hollow sound means they were installed incorrectly and they have to be replaced.

-Windows: Check that they open, close or slide correctly. With PVC window frames make sure they don´t have cracks.

-Hot water: Turn on to make sure it works. Plug in all electrical water heaters in case it is necessary to double check. 

Have in mind, that with a new apartment you have three years to claim problems to the construction company: from finishing details, to more complex facilities issues.

Hope this was useful for the new property owners! =)