study chile

Escuela Bellavista. Learning Spanish is easier among friends!

2009-10-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

Why study Spanish in Bellavista?

- We are certified professionals

At Escuela Bellavista all of our professors are certified and specialize in teaching Spanish as a foreign language! Lidia, Boris, Yuri, Vanessa, Cathy, Catalina, Jenny, Italo, Sebastián, Cristina, Mauricio, Piedad, Fernando and Jarka have worked together for more than 21 years.

- You are part of our Family

At Escuela Bellavista we want you to feel like you are part of the family. We strive to create a warm and friendly environment in every classroom. We are known for our small group classes of no more than 6 people per group. This allows us to offer personalized attention to each student ensuring their understanding and success in the language.

- Our personalized teaching method

Our classes are adapted to the student's level and his interests. We prepare our own lessons so that we can bring additional personalized materials to our students. Our teaching concept incorporates both written and oral exercises to help the student understand and learn more efficiently.

- Free Activities to practice your Spanish

If you are practicing, you are learning. Our courses include weekly extracurricular activities that are free of charge for all of our students. We offer salsa classes, excursions to different points of interest in Santiago, and after school grammar courses all designed to provide the student with opportunities to connect what they have learned in the classroom to real life situations in Chile.

- Spanish conversation policy

The classes are in Spanish and Spanish only. Students are encouraged to practice their conversational skills by speaking only in Spanish to each other and to their teachers. The extra curricular activities and the mid-day break are oriented to practice Spanish in everyday situations. This policy has been proven to be an excellent method.

Keep reading about this school at Escuela Bellavista.

Escuela Fronteras to learn Spanish. Check it out!!!

2009-10-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

About the classes

Max 6 students

Curriculum created by teachers with a degree on Linguistics from Univesidad Católica de Chile and a diploma of Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language.
Standard Spanish classes, beginner to advanced. 7 levels
Private customized courses (Latin American Literature, Chilean poetry, Business Spanish, Medical Spanish, Latin American Culture, Latin American Music, Arts, etc.)
Group + Private (30 hours per week)
All class materials included
Authentic course books (not photocopies)
Help sessions

Your course schedule follow either the morning or evening schedule and will look like the following:

Schedule	Classes Monday - Friday
09:00	First period of class
10:30	First break
10:45	Second period of class
12:00	Second break
12:15	Third period of class
13:00	Lunch
14:00	First period of class
15:30	First break
15:45	Second period of class
17:00	Second break
17:15	Third period of class

Basic level students:

Although students can start any Monday all year long, we recommend lower level students start at the beginning of the three week program.

2009
1-Jun, 22-Jun, 13-Jul, 3-Aug, 24-Aug, 14-Sep, 5-Oct, 26-Oct, 16-Nov, 7-Dec, 28-Dec

2010
18-Jan, 8-Feb, 1-Mar, 22-Mar, 12-Apr, 3-May, 24-May, 14-Jun, 5-Jul, 26-Jul, 16-Aug, 6-Sep, 27-Sep, 18-Oct, 8-Nov, 29-Nov, 20-Dec

Flexibility

Evening and Saturday classes. If you are studying, working, volunteering or doing an internship and cannot attend 4 hours of class per day we offer evening and Saturday private classes. We are open until 9 pm during the week and from 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays so you can make the best out of your experience in Latin America.
Out of school study. We know that sometimes you do not have the time you would like to study Spanish. Therefore we have teachers available to visit you in your home, hotel or office and bring the class to wherever you are.

Learn more about this school at Escuela Fronteras.

Study Chile. Language programs in Chile

2009-10-23T17:35:00.000-07:00

Study Chile is an educational agency who provides educational services in Chile to students from all over the World. We provide immersion cultural programs, language programs, volunteering programs and any other tailor made programs at the most important universities in Chile.

Study Chile owners have a high respect and interest for education, cultures and languages. They have had the opportunity of living, working and studying abroad where they didn't just learn a language but also different cultures, a deeper knowledge of themselves and what they were capable to do or not. They have had some local experience in hospitality and tourism for international students, too. All partners truly believe in providing high quality standard services for every one interested in living an unforgettable experience abroad.

Why choosing Study Chile?

Study Chile is operated by people who have lived, studied abroad and extensively traveled many countries. We know what it feels like being away home. We are a professional team whom will assist the students throughout the whole study abroad experience, since they first contact us until the last day of the program when they get back home. Our staff will assist you in all cultural, academic and living aspects and continuously encourage you to go beyond your goals.

Check it out on Study Chile.

CUECA CHILENA. Traditional dance video!

2009-10-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Check out more videos of Chile on Youtube.

Fun, dynamic, and effective Spanish lessons. BE review from Facebook

2009-10-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

by Caroline1

I've tried a whole slew of resources to maintain and improve my intermediate-level Spanish - magazines, private tutors, group classes, self-learning CDs, Spanish podcasts - but this is the first method I've tried that actually keeps me engaged and motivated. The characters Jimena and David are so charming, you are practically transported right to Buenos Aires with them. The visual component makes it about five times easier to learn and remember new words and grammar (versus most rich media language applications which are audio only). I'd strongly recommend this app to anyone looking to boost his/her beginning to intermediate level Spanish.

More reviews and stuff from Bueno Entonces on facebook.com/buenoentonces

Get your chorrillana right, La Chorrillana!

2009-10-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Do you believe variety is the spice of life? If so, then La Chorrillana (also known as J. Cruz) restaurant in Providencia is not for you. The popular local hangout only really serves one dish - (surprise, surprise) - chorrillana. Not for the faint of heart (literally and figuratively) chorrillana is a traditional Chilean dish consisting of a mountainous base of greasy french fries topped with fried onions, egg (either single-fried or scrambled) and finished with an abundance of chopped up steak and sausages. Although it is said to have been invented in Valparaiso only a few decades ago, chorrillana can now be found in every city and at every neighborhood, greasy spoon in Chile.

Photo by Mauro Tapia

La Chorrillana’s parent restaurant, J. Cruz (called Jota Cruz), in Valparaiso is widely believed to have invented the chorrillana, making the 60-year-old restaurant a famous landmark there. In light of J. Cruz’s decades-long success in Valparaiso, the owner’s son expanded the family enterprise to Santiago, renaming his version to La Chorrillana.

Read more about La Chorillana at Santiago Magazine.

Chile in a glance from Flickr

2009-10-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

Check out more pics at Flickr.

Chilean Spanglish Spoken Here: A Rooster from the Glue

2009-10-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Spanglish is a funny language. Spend enough time here in Chile and you end up pretty fluent in the Chilean variant, which I call Spangli-shilean!! (Get it?) See? Right there you need to be on the inside track to cachar la onda…

At our most recent Chile spouses’ dinner, our resident comedian Eileen Shea had the Spanglishilean speakers roaring with laughter—and many of the newcomers scratching their heads—with a story about a guy from work.

I asked her if I could post it here at Cachando Chile, and we ended up getting our chuckles while playing linguistic ping-pong with it for a few days until we finally came up with this version. Test your own level of Spanglishilean (and have a little bad translation fun) with this doozy:

****************

There’s a rooster of the glue who told me his worse-is-nothing had improved herself and brought a baron to light at 3 in the morning.

The uncle said his creature may not have arrived with a hard roll under the arm, but he waits he was born standing up, like he was. What it will be, always that he doesn’t convert to a bad duck or a spear. He hopes he will finish at least his medium learning and perhaps make himself a frog, like his co-father, helping the microphone operators who drive like testicles.

The wedding was very happy they had a man for the end, since they already had 3 women. His wife doesn’t have any hair on her tongue and said that now that they have a man, she’s going to close the factory and go back to selling broken underpants on the microphones in the center of James, where they live in their half water.

Maybe it was big-footed of my part, but I asked the crazy man what wave, and he said his half orange and the snotty were passing it pig. I’m going to take her some cardinals—they enchant me because they are meat dog.

****************

So, how’d you do? ¿Lo cachaste al tiro? Congratulations!
Consider yourself a fluent Spanglishilean speaker (I dare you to put that on your resume!).

To read full article, go to Cachando Chile.

The Original 911: Once de Septiembre in Chile

2009-10-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

For most people in the world, September 11 is remembered for the bombing of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in 2001. For Chile, however, the memory of that day goes back much farther and much deeper.

On September 11, 1973 Chile’s military forces overthrew the government of President Salvador Allende, the world’s first democratically elected socialist president. The military, led by General Augusto Pinochet, would remain in tight control for the next 17 years.

I wasn’t here on Chile’s Once de Septiembre—nor was I, by the way, in the US for its September 11. I arrived in Chile in 1991, a year after it had returned to democracy, to learn Spanish in preparation for anthropological field work that would take me into the world of the families of the detained and disappeared. My experience with the women who used folklore to protest the disappearance of their loved ones, who danced the Cueca Sola and who sewed patchwork arpilleras will wait for another time.

Today I will concentrate on September 11, 1993, twenty years after the day that changed Chile forever. A day that I was in fact present. The following is the entry from my field notes for that day… as is, without further interpretation or benefit of the 16 years that have passed since that date:

Saturday: 11 de SEPTIEMBRE de 1993: 20 AÑOS DEL GOLPE

What a day! The (in)famous “Once de Septiembre” marked the 20th anniversary of the golpe militar, and there has been a lot of commotion over the event. Things do not feel stable here, although no one believes that there will ever be the possibility of another coupe. There will be presidential elections in November and all the various factions are battling it out in many diverse ways. Pinochet has been doing and saying very strange things, which riles up the left and incites them to violence, which is scorned by the right, and the majority in the middle are rather confused.

I had every intention of participating in the various planned activities for the 11th:

•Ecumenical Liturgy in the San Ignacio church downtown near Los Heroes metro stop and just 1 block off Alameda
•March past La Moneda in homage to Allende, with plans to lay a wreath beneath the window of the room in which he died.
•Romería (March) to Cementerio General up Avenida La Paz
•Memorial Service in Cemetery at Allende’s tomb and ‘Patio 29′

To read complete article go to Cachando Chile

Healthcare in Chile and the USA

2009-10-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

In Chile, you have nearly Universal healthcare including a thriving private sector-ISAPRE-and FONASA-the public plan. Chileans pay 7% of their income and then make a choice to enter the FONASA or ISAPRE system-and have further choice to elect greater coverage in private plans.

I'm not saying Chile has the best system in the world but it does seem odd and a bit sad that I am less likely to die here because of a needed operation. A friend of mine recently had an operation, a much needed femoral bypass. It cost about $12,000 usd cash, no insurance-that includes everything and a 5 star room to boot.. The average "list price" in the US is $50,900 according to this website. Apparently it can be done as cheaply as $18,900(huh?). Perhaps that's a good place to check before your next operation in the USA folks.

What I know is that the US is falling in status from a number of lists.

The World Health Organization's ranking
of the world's health systems (Top 50)
In 2000, The US was still barely ahead of...Cuba. Chile beat the US by 4 places (and has improved its system under Bachelet while the US has deteriorated. The US also beat Slovenia by one place. The U.S. spends 16 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on health care, compared with 8 to 10 percent in most major industrialized nations. According to the World Factbook
(which is suspiciously updated only to 2005) The US was #2 in healthcare spending by GDP so i would guess it's now easily in 1st place(yay!!!)

Read full article at usexpatinchile.blogspot.com

CHILE - In Close Contact. Check out this video!!

2009-10-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

Nice pics of the country!! Many tourists show Chile is alive!

Go to Youtube to watch more about Chile.

Public transport in Santiago de Chile

2009-10-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

For tourists, it is very important to have the information on how to move from one place to another in an unfamiliar city. In this article there is general information of the transport system of Santiago - the capital of Chile.

From the main airport of the city there are several companies that offer shuttle bus, minibus or taxi, more info here: http://www.aeropuertosantiago.cl here you will find prices and the different options for how to go to the city.

Taxis: All taxis have meters and charge from a base rate, that increases as the number of meters traveled. They run 24 hrs.

Metro de Santiago: The city of Santiago has an extensive underground network, consisting of 5 lines. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 06:00 am to 11:00 pm. Saturdays from 06:30 am to 10:30 pm., Sundays and holidays from 08:00 am to 10:30 pm. The tariff system is buy ticket Unitarian Multivia Card or Card Bip, whose value changes according to time travel. These can be purchased at all ticket offices of the metro network. (www.metrosantiago.cl)

Urban Buses: There is a large interconnected network of public transport and with these you can access all sections of the city of Santiago. (www.transantiago.cl). The ticket is paid in automatic collectors with a special card (tarjeta Bip.) The automatics collectors are mounted on each bus. This card can be loaded at the box offices of Metro de Santiago, Servipag and Centers and authorized locations. In the center of Santiago has stops properly marked, and its hours of operation are:

Normal Hours: 5:30 to 1:00 pm., Monday through Sunday.
Evening Services: 1:00 pm. until 5:30 pm. (At this time are kept in operation night services only).

More info on public transportation, visit Total Chile.

Spanish immersion classes with Bueno Entonces. Check out this video

2009-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

More videos of the Pizarra Magica on Youtube

Chile, Chile Lindo. Beautiful Country

2009-10-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Check out these images on a video!!!

And more videos of Chile, go to Youtube.

Vibe won a trip to Argentina thru a Bueno Entonces contest. Check out her experience and reviews

2009-10-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Day 3 in Buenos Aires

I’ve had an AHA moment today. My teacher is very cute. His name is Martin and he’s 're-argentino'. That means REALLY Argentino in Argentino. He spent a year in Ireland teaching Spanish last year and he missed Buenos Aires a lot.. We talk a lot about Argentina and about the culture, about the crazy chaos of it all, the subversive attitude of the Argentines towards politics, finance, all that jazz. The Bulgarian likes to talk a lot about the Argentine girls, I don’t blame him. They mainly have very very long hair and are very pretty.

Martin says Bien, Entonces.. a lot. Or Muy Bien, entonces... I ask him why doesn’t he say Bueno, entonces (like the name of the course of course) and he explains that “Bueno,” often is something you say when you’ve had a enough of talking, or have had enough of talking about a particular subject. He explains that when somebody starts going, bueno bueno bueno on the phone, basically they are telling you that the conversation is over and they’ve had enough.

Read full text at beadventuresinba.blogspot

Websites for an overview on visas and work permits in Chile.

2009-10-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

The embassies and consulates listed below will be able to provide more detailed information:

U.S. Embassy in Chile, www.usembassy.cl
Av. Andrés Bello 2800 - Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
Tel: (56-2) 232-2600; Fax: (56-2) 330-3710

British Embassy in Chile, www.britishembassy.gov.uk/
Avda. El Bosque Norte 0125, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
Tel: (56-2) 370-4100

Canadian Embassy in Chile, www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/chile
World Trade Centre Building, Nueva Tajamar 481, North Tower, 12th Floor, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
Tel: (56-2) 362-9660 ext. 3340 and 3341; Fax: (56-2) 362-9393; stago-cs@dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Embassies of Chile in English speaking countries:

Embassy of Chile in the USA, www.chile-usa.org
1732 Mass. Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 785-1746; embassy@embassyofchile.org
Consular Section: Tel: (202) 530-4106 and 530-4107; Fax: (202) 530-4145; consulado@embassyofchile.org

Embassy of Chile in the UK, www.echileuk.demon.co.uk
12 Devonshire Street, London, W1G 7DS, U.K.
Tel: 44-20 7580 6392; Fax: 44-20 7436 5204
embachile@embachile.co.uk

Embassy of Chile in Canada, www.chile.ca
50 O'Connor Street, suite 1413, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6L2, Canada
Tel: (613) 235-4402 ext.117; Fax: (613) 235-1176

Check out more embassies at Transitions Abroad.

Only 134 Tickets Sold For Decisive World Cup Qualifier Between Colombia & Chile

2009-10-07T17:58:00.001-07:00

The fact that Colombia will be playing for their lives when they face Chile in a crucial World Cup qualifier on Saturday hasn't helped ticket sales.

With the importance of the match, the Colombian Football Association expected to sell all 40,661 tickets available for the match at the Atanasio Giradot stadium in Medellin. However, only a mere 134 tickets have been sold up until now.

"The sale of tickets has been extremely slow but we are hopeful that it will improve, there are only four days left until the encounter," Alicia Torres, the leading press officer of the company in charge of distributing the tickets, told AP.

In an attempt to increase enthusiasm amongst fans, Eduardo Lara, the coach of Colombia, allowed fans to attend his team's training session on Tuesday, but fewer than 100 people turned up.

Colombia will need to claim the three points against Chile if they want to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

By Gregory Sica.
Read more on Goal.com

Review: Learn Spanish with Bueno, entonces...

2009-10-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

Prior to moving to Argentina, I spent several years working at an investment firm in Los Angeles. After the financial market collapse, I decided that it was time for me to try something different and accepted a consulting job in Buenos Aires. I set off for this new experience knowing only basic Spanish.

The first few weeks were very frustrating. This was the first time that I was living and working in a city where I did not speak the native language. I was not prepared for how difficult it was going to be to learn Spanish! My biggest hindrance in learning the language was finding the time. With a full work week and the time required to adjust to a new city, I just didn’t have the time to take classes.

I found out about “Bueno, entonces” through a friend who heard they were organizing a focus group to test the product. I joined so that I could try the program in exchange for writing a review.

I was very pleasantly surprised with how great the program was and how quickly my Spanish improved. While some of the beginning classes were below my skill level, I still found it helpful to have them reinforce basic grammar and conversational vocabulary. As the classes continued, I found myself getting pulled into the story line of David and his teacher Jimena, and also learning more and more Spanish.

More of this review at buenoentonces.com/blog

Map of Chile

2009-10-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Check out this and more maps at national-anthems.net

The General Linguistics Method for Teaching Foreign Languages

2009-10-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Created by linguists, teachers and students from a half-dozen countries, General Linguistics developed Bueno, entonces… to incorporate all the best elements of the software and audiobook language learning methods like Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone that have been around for decades.

We mixed the comprehensive learning material of the audiobook courses with the addictive, fun and universally beloved format of a television show to create the Bueno, entonces… series. Each of the 30classes is 30-40 minutes long, proven as the perfect length for a language course - long enough to cover vocabulary and grammar topics but short enough to keep you interested the whole time. The challenging fast pace and edgy, entertaining style of Bueno, entonces… will keep you coming back for more.

Learning Spanish doesn’t have to be boring and monotonous. Bueno, entonces… infuses a witty, engaging storyline into the learning process - and by following along you absorb more Spanish, morequickly than you ever thought possible. By the end of the 5-week, 30-class series, you
will be speaking and understanding native conversational Spanish!

Bueno, entonces… incorporates the following 5 principles to make learning Spanish fun, painless and effective:

1. Make The Classes Interesting & Engaging With Wit and Charm.

If you are not engaged, you are not going to learn or remember anything. Learning doesn’t have to be boring — remember your favorite teachers? Well, wait until you meet David & Jimena…

Read more about the Method at buenoentonces.com/blog.

One semester of Spanish

2009-10-02T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is so much fun. Check it out!

Visa for Chile

2009-10-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

As regulations are subject to change at short notice it is advisable to check with the Chilean Consulate for the latest information. At present, a visa is not required by the following:

(a) nationals of EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan and US for a stay of up to 90 days (except nationals of Greece, who can stay up to 60 days);

(b) nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Grenada, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, San Marino, Slovenia, South Africa, Surinam, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) for a stay of up to 90 days;

(c) nationals of Peru and for a stay of up to 60 days;

(d) nationals of Costa Rica, Honduras, Indonesia, Singapore and Zimbabwe for a stay of up to 30 days;

(e) transit passengers continuing their journey on the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding required travel documents for onward destination and not leaving the airport transit lounge.

Note: Nationals of the USA, Canada and Australia entering Chile for touristic purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival and in cash only. For nationals of the USA the fee is US$45, for nationals of Canada, the fee is US$55, for nationals of Mexico, the fee is $15 and for nationals of Australia the fee is US$30.

Continue the article at Allo Expat

Work Permit Chile

2009-09-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Just in case, you need to work when you stay in Chile, here are some of the requirements to stay legally!!! Check it out.

In most circumstances, a foreign national who wishes to engage in employment in Chile must obtain a "Labour Contract" visa. The basis of the application is a comprehensive labour contract, prepared according to Chilean procedural law and executed by the employer in Chile.

In most circumstances where there is a transfer of foreign personnel to a Chilean company, the Chilean Ministry Foreign Affairs will require that at least 85% of the Chilean company's workforce are Chilean nationals; however, this requirement is only in those companies where there are over 25 employees.

"Regularization" of immigration status from Visitor status to Work Status

It is possible for a foreign national employee to convert his or her immigration status from a Visitor status to Work status while remaining in Chile; however, this process may take months to conclude. If the employee elects to be present in Chile while the work visa application is being processed, the employee will not have authorization to work until he/ she is granted a special work permit, which will allow him/her to work on a limited basis until the visa has been approved.

In most cases, it is discouraged to regularize status in Chile, as the consular application process is usually much quicker.

Types of Work Visas

Labour Contract Visas can either be adjudicated via the Chilean Ministry of Affairs by filing the initial visa application with a Chilean consular post, or by filing an application with the Chilean Ministry of Interior while the applicant is physically present in Chile.

Read more at Allo Expat

Spanish Programs in Chile

2009-09-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

Spanish Programs
As a pioneer in language immersion, BridgeChile offers a practical, proven and communicative approach that will have you speaking Spanish from the very first day. Our professional teachers are qualified, dedicated, enthusiastic, and know how to make classes fun and effective. At BridgeChile, we also know that your experience abroad is about more than just class; it's also about getting to know the local people and the culture. For that reason, we offer a rich program of activities, excursions, and special courses that allow you to make the most of your time in Chile.

Location
BridgeChile is located in the neighborhood of Providencia, a combination of modern, high-rise buildings and quiet, tree-lined residential streets. It is just a few blocks from the main avenue 11 de Septiembre, where you will find many sidewalk cafes, plenty of shopping opportunities, as well as the metro stop "Los Leones." Just a five-minute walk from the school is one of the city's most popular night spots, Suecia, where there are some 50 restaurants and nightclubs located within a five-square-block area. For more detailed information and directions, please visit our page.

To finish reading, go to Brigde Chile.

Universities in Chile

2009-09-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

• Bio-Bio - Universidad del Bio-Bio

• Diego Portales - Universidad Diego Portales

• La Frontera - Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco

• Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano - Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano, Santiago

• Universidad Adolfo Ibanez - Universidad Adolfo Ibanez

• Universidad Advenstista de Chile - Universidad Advenstista de Chile, Chillán

• Universidad Alberto Hurtado - Universidad Alberto Hurtado

• Universidad Andrés Bello - Universidad Andrés Bello

• Universidad Arcis - Universidad Arcis

• Universidad Arturo Prat - Universidad Arturo Prat

• Universidad Austral - Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia

• Universidad Autónoma del Sur - Universidad Autónoma del Sur

• Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins - Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago

Find more info at Brain Track.

Tips you need to know!!!

2009-09-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

Safe, efficient and friendly, Chile is perhaps the easiest South American country for travelers. Still, there are a few things that are helpful to know before you arrive.

Plan ahead

Most importantly, decide when to go depending on where you want to go. Chile stretches from the tropics almost all the way down to Antarctica, so when it’s lovely in the north it can be miserable in the south, and vice-versa.
If you want to explore Southern Patagonia and hike in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, visit in summer (December - February), or in the shoulder season (November or March) to avoid the crowds. Warning: by end of March, many services and attractions in Patagonia close for the season.
Middle Chile is best in spring (September - November) or fall (late Feb - April). Ski season runs June through October.
The Atacama Desert in Northern Chile can be explored year-round but summer (December - February) is very hot and rainy.

Bus stop

The best way to get downtown from Santiago’s airport is by bus. Buses Centropuerto and Tur Bus Aeropuerto leave from right outside the arrivals hall. They take about 40 minutes and are more dependable than taxis, which often overcharge tourists.

Wine tours

Chile’s wines are among the best in the world, and winery tours are a highlight; check out the Colchagua Valley wine tour at Santa Cruz. Carmenere is Chile’s standout varietal.

Check out more tips at Lonely Planet.

Money & costs

2009-09-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

Costs

Chile is not cheap by South American standards, but is more economical than Europe or North America. Prices can double during the late-December to mid-March high season, but travel just before or after the official season and you'll most likely score bargain accommodations. Internal flights devour travel funds at any time of the year.

Shoestring travelers should budget around US$25 per day for food and lodging, though with determination - camping or staying in hostels, eating in markets - you could cut that to below US$20. Surprisingly cheap and ridiculously filling set lunch menus are served by most restaurants - even expensive eateries have very affordable lunchtime deals.

From about US$60 per day you can wine and dine well and sleep in cozy accommodations. Families can enjoy excellent deals in fully equipped cabins wherever Chileans like to spend their summers. Spend more than US$100 per day and you can enjoy luxuries that would commonly cost you double that in North America or Europe.

Tipping

It's customary to cough up an extra 10% of the bill as a tip in restaurants, except in family-run places, which rarely expect a tip. In general, waiters and waitresses are poorly paid, so if you can afford to eat out, you can afford to tip, and even a small propina will be appreciated. Taxi drivers do not require tips, although you may round off the fare for convenience.

Keep reading at Lonely Planet

About Chile

2009-09-28T11:53:00.001-07:00

Chile is a country of startling contrasts and extreme beauty, with attractions ranging from the towering volcanic peaks of the Andes to the ancient forests of the Lake District. There are a multitude of very good parks here, and plenty of opportunities for fine adventure travel. Chile is justly famous as the location of Torres del Paine, considered by many to be the finest nature travel destinations in all of South America.

Location, Geography Climate
For anyone who has ever been fascinated by geography, the long, impossibly thin line of Chile has always produced a tiny moment of astonishment. Chile stretches over 4,300 km (2,700 mi) along the southwestern coast of South America, a distance roughly the same as that from San Francisco to New York, or Edinburgh to Baghdad. At the same time, its width never exceeds 240 km (150 mi), making the country more than eighteen times longer than its widest point.

Read more about Chile at Geographia.

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2009-09-28T11:33:00.001-07:00

Study Abroad Chile!!!

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5.2-magnitude earthquake shakes center of Chile. 10/27/09

2009-09-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

An earthquake measuring 5.2 magnitude on the Richter scale shook on Friday the central zone of Chile without reports of victims and material damages so far.

The Seismologic Services from the University of Chile reported that the earthquake was registered at 11:47 a.m. (1547 GMT) on Friday and its epicenter was located in the sea, 87 km north to Valparaiso and 25.8 km deep.

Meanwhile, the National Office of Emergency said the earthquake had an intensity of 2 degrees in Mercalli Scale, which has a maximum of 5.

The earthquake affected regions of Coquimbo in the north, Valparaiso in the center, Metropolitana de Santiago and O'Higgins in the south.

Be updated with People's Daily Online.