Cultural Differences

I’ve started keeping a list of major cultural differences I’ve noticed or experienced here in Santiago and I’ve made it my mission to share these differences (as well as the similarities) with as many people as I can. Since having my mind completely changed about Chile and South America, I want as many people as possible to make those same realizations.

            Some of the differences that I’ve found I believe are differences for the better and some I’ve found a little inconvenient but there is nothing that I truly can’t handle. For example, I think it’s great that public transportation is so streamlined with Bip! cards. It makes it so much more efficient and easy for everyone to have their little card all charged up and able to just swipe through onto the train or bus rather than waiting behind someone for 25 minutes while they count out their fare in nickels and dimes. On that note, I do find it a bit inconvenient that none of the metro stations have public bathrooms. Can I live without them? Yes. But still, if the situation presented itself, it’d be nice to be able to use a public bathroom right there instead of having to leave the station and go into a nearby restaurant. On that note, you usually have to pay to use the public restrooms that do exist. It’s a small price, about $0.50, but it’s obviously different than in the U.S. 

Top price = cost of this trip, Bottom price = remaining value on card

As far as similarities go, just walking around the supermarket makes me feel like I’m home. They have all the same sugary cereals (Trix, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more) that the US has. They have all the same personal hygiene brands. I brought enough toiletries to last me all 4 months here and upon arrival I realized I could have made my bags about 10 lbs lighter by purchasing all that stuff here. They have my Neutrogena eye make up remover, my Venus razors, my Pantene and Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner. Even my St. Ive’s body lotion! 

Finding this in Spain was like finding the winning lottery ticket

They have Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate, Peanut butter, Starbursts candy, pancake mix (even real maple syrup!) and the freshest fruit I’ve ever tasted. There isn’t a single thing here that I am missing from home, which is a big difference between here and when I was in Spain. Granted a lot of the “American” brands are a bit pricier than the Chilean brands but just the fact they have them at all is a comfort. 

            The manner in which you pay for things is also something that strikes me as a significant difference. In cabs, they don’t have credit card machines. You always have to pay in cash. No exceptions. In restaurants when you use a credit card, they bring the credit card machine right to the table. They find it more secure and personally, I do too. It also makes it 10x easier to pay separately when you are out with a group. You just tell the waiter which things on the bill are yours, he adds them up and swipes your card for that amount. Then to figure out tip, he just adds 10% of the total to each separate payment, rather than figuring out the math mentally for the total tip and splitting it. It couldn’t be easier and more efficient. 

            Even the Netflix here in Chile is different! It didn’t work at all in Spain so I pretty much went those 4 months without watching a single show. When I got to Chile I wasn’t expecting it to work here either but when it did, I was elated! Not only did it work and have all the same shows as in the U.S., they have shows that the U.S. Netflix doesn’t! Friends, Sex and the City, and a plethora of movies are suddenly a click away for me. I swear I might like Netflix in Chile better than in the U.S. 

My all-time favorite TV show - at my finger tips!!

            I’ve mentioned the differences I’ve observed in the people here compared to the U.S. in a previous blog post but I wanted to share some insight about other aspects of life. I’m sure this list will only get longer and longer as my time here continues but here is a start! Nothing earth shattering or impossible to overcome, just differences. And like I also said, a lot of them I’m actually starting like!