Live: Banking and Finance in Chile (it´s gottta be done)

Now, I know this topic may be a very boring for some, so i´ll keep it short and sweet (and mostly as informative as I can)

The Cost of Living

Santiago is also one of the most expensive cities in South America. Although travel is fairly cheap $620 pesos (1USD) to enter the metro! Food and luxuries such as restaurant meals, travel abroad, clothes can be very expensive.

In an average week, I would spend:

$10.000 pesos on travel

$20.000 pesos on food

$20.000 pesos on going out/social

Excluding rent, I would spend…. $80.000 pesos (100 USD). Santiago is actually an incredibly expensive city, especially when you take into consideration that the average chilean wage is $250.000 pesos per month (300USD). With my wages, If I was careless I easily went over and had to use my backup debit card with my student loan on it. But Chileans don't have this luxury so I´m not really sure how they manage.

Banking

I really don't get on well with banks in Chile. They open at 8am and close unbelievably early in the day at 2pm. And if you are a foreigner with a visa like I am, an account with BancoEstado (the state bank) is your only option. As the only state bank in Chile, every Chilean is entitled to an account there. So of course, whenever I went to the bank it was always crammed full.

My day trip to the bank: It was a wednesday in the last week of the working month. I had just been given my paycheck by the institute so I went to cash it before the long weekend we were about to have (thursday to sunday). As I casually strolled into the bank, I bumped into some people waiting in a line at least 60 people long. I thought to myself ´it must be awful having to wait in such a long line like that, I wonder what it´s for´. I arrived at the reception desk and explained that all I wanted to do was to cash a check.

They uttered three dreaded words... ´espera en fila´ (wait in line)

Oh god, please no! The idea of having to join this queue gave me the horrible realisation that I would not be leaving this bank any time soon. And guess how long I had to wait in that line just to cash one check? 4 hours… it felt like the whole day.

Definitely not my idea of fun!

Love: Weekend breaks away from Santiago

If you live in the city, you will know how clustrophobic it can be to spend all your time amongst the noise, the traffic and the pollution. Sometimes we just want a weekend away from it all and to relax in a different place, preferably close to a beach. So here are some suggestions for great places to visit by the beach and very close to Santiago.

Valparaíso

                 

    

With some of the best street art in South America, this quirky town is bursting with colour, great seafood, and picturesque views, especially from the tops of the hills (there's a funicular you can take). What's even better is that this bohemian paradise is only a short two hour bus ride from Santiago, which makes it perfect for an easy weekend getaway with no travelling hassle! 

Isla Negra

                   

If it's beaches you love, don't miss out on the beautiful golden sands of Isla Negra (warning: the sea in Chile is pretty cold). As it's only one/two hours away from Santiago it's a great place to spend the  weekend relaxing. It's also the location of one of the three houses of famous Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. Definitely worth a visit if you're interested in Chilean history and culture!

El Cajon del Maipo

         

You don't particularly need a whole weekend for this, but the Cajon del Maipo is perfect for a day of trekking and then camping in the evening if you do want to make it into a weekend break. It has lots of beautiful trails to choose from, where you can walk amongst waterfalls, vaolcanoes and flowing rivers. Reach the end and you will find the stunning El elmbalse El Yeso (see photo). Surprisingly, you can find this natural oasis still in the city boundaries, as it's only an hours drive from the centre of Santiago!

Viña del Mar

Viña del Mar is a seaside city with all the charm of Santiago. It's the fourth biggest city in Chile and only one hour away from Valpariaso and three hours from Santiago. This makes it a great place to relax and enjoy a quieter city life. With lively nights out, good restaurants and some cute tourist attractions such as the flower clock and wulf castle, there's enough to see and do in a weekend here.