InterNations Featured Blog

Recommended Expat Blogs: Chile

In our InterNations Recommended Blog section we let you take the spotlight! Expat life in general is, of course, a perfect breeding ground for great, user-generated reads, and life in Chile makes no exception. Take your time and browse the great blogs showcased in this article!

Everybody who has spent time in a different country knows that expat life is not quite like anything else in the world. The confusion of the first few days and weeks, the slow, but steady process of acclimation, the little peculiarities and quirks that might strike you about your new surroundings: almost any situation you encounter can make for a great story. If you are so inclined and want to blog about it, of course!

Our InterNations recommended blog section features talented expat bloggers from around the world. Their offerings to the blogosphere have been selected for their great entries and high quality, whether they may be funny, informative, interesting, deeply personal or a combination of all of the above.

Let’s hear from our featured bloggers in Chile:

Jennifer: Chica Tranquila

I came to Chile alone without knowing anyone and without knowing the language. It was difficult at first to adjust because nothing was familiar to me and I was building a new life here on my own.

Margaret: Latitude 43

I was prepared to be unprepared – I had no idea what I was getting into, but I knew that. It was helpful to read up on the country and watch Chilean films before departure, and I would recommend that to someone else.

Maggie: Memoirs of a Gringa

There is a huge expat community in Santiago. Both of my roommates are expats from Brazil and I have met expats from all over the world. It is always nice to be able to talk with other foreigners in similar situations. Enjoying the expat life in el pais de loca geografía!

Bree: Gringo(green)home

Money struggles were one of the biggest challenges we have faced here. Also the comforts of home (that I think come from living in a place you have lived your entire life) were not at our new home in Chile until we physically created them ourselves. We literally built our lives over from the ground up in every way possible and that was extremely difficult.

Jennifer: Notes from the southern hemisphere

I’m not sure you can ever be fully prepared to move abroad, even if you know the country and the language. Some things are bound to surprise and challenge you, though those are often great opportunities to learn about yourself too—in a way you just can’t when you’re home and everything is familiar. If I’d had the time (which I didn’t as a full-time graduate student), I definitely would have taken Spanish lessons before I moved because I didn’t just “pick it up.”

Crystal: Vista de Mar - Bay Essence

I moved to Chile just 2 days after graduating college and made my decision to move less than two months beforehand! If I could have done something differently, I would have at least acquired my residency visa before moving (it was long process to legalize my degree from Chile). On the plus side, I already had a place to live and I was very familiar with Chile beforehand, so the move wasn’t as drastic as it may sound.

Are you an expat blogger and would like to be featured here? Get in touch with us!