Café Chile

The World of Blogs in Chile

2007-08-22T11:47:00.000-04:00

The media in Chile is an interesting combination of a conservative newspaper duopoly - El Mercurio and La Tercera receive are, respectively, the Chilean newspapers with the biggest circulation. Catholic owned TV channels actively engage in censorship. There are many Chilean blogs in Spanish, but the vast majority of Chileans still get their news from traditional sources, which are biased and oftentimes of poor quality.

There is only one major newspapers providing comprehensive English-language news about Chile. That is The Santiago Times. Yet the English language blogosphere in Chile is also emerging as a strong competitor. That's because the Santiago Times, while well done, preserves much of the static rigidity of a traditional newspaper that expat blogs in Chile inherently eschew. While blogs provide news analysis from an intensely personal perspective, The Santiago Times does very little original reporting, oftentimes opting to source from major Chilean newspapers such as El Mercurio and La Tercera. Yes, the Santiago Times provides interesting analysis, and that is commendable. But blogs in Chile provide a much more awake, alive and interesting perspective on what life is like in Chile.

Therefore, one well-known blogger has launched a list of Chile blogs. This Chile Blogger's intention is not just to list blogs in Chile, but provide helpful, in depth Chile blog reviews. Users of the list are also encouraged to write their own reviews, in order to create an even larger consensus about the relative merits of each of the blogs from Chile.

Skype In Chile: SkypeIn

2007-08-18T23:22:00.000-04:00

Recently we posted about keeping in touch with phone cards and Skype while in Chile. Since then, there's news about Skype partnering up with a local Chilean company.

This means it will be possible for Chileans to contract telephony services backed up with Skype technology. As one blogger points out, this further cements the telecommunications freedom recently granted by Chilean non-competition courts.

For expats living in Chile and people traveling in Chile who want to stay in touch with friends and family, you can get your own Skype number and make cheap calls by downloading the service. You still don't need to go through RedVoiss, although it is probably good news for many Chileans and Chilean companies.

Claro Goes to Court

2007-08-02T05:06:00.000-04:00

One of Chile's up-and-coming cell phone companies is getting slammed for reporting customers who don't pay their bills to Chilean consumer debt reporting agency Dicom. In Chile, it's illegal to do that. Read the story.

International Prepaid Phone Cards For Chile

2007-07-23T17:47:00.000-04:00

Expats and students living abroad in Chile need to keep in touch with their family and friends back home. While email is great, there's nothing like a good, old fashioned phone cards. There are few different options for people living in Santiago or anywhere else in Chile. We've listed them here:

Skype
Nowadays, many people choose to download Skype to their personal computers. Skype is a software program that lets users make extremely cheap phone calls to anywhere in the world, from a computer. If you choose, you can also receive phone calls. The benefit is that at about 2 cents a minute, Skype is incredibly cheap. The downside is that broadband is incredibly expensive in Chile, and the ISP Telefónica is clogged up, so that Skype calls are often broken up and fuzzy. If you live in a part of town with Telefónica, you are going to want another calling method:

Phone Cards
With rates as good as 4 bucks for 70 minutes of airtime, Hellocard is the among the best international calling cards from Chile to the Us, Canada or Europe. HelloCard is sold at a number of kiosks in Providencia, Santiago de Chile.

Of course, your friends and family should take the initiative and call you from time to time, while you're living in Chile. If they're looking for online prepaid international calling cards or phone cards to Chile, then finding online reviews of Comfi cards, and a list of their international rates-per-minute, is a good idea.

Locutórios
These are phone booths that you'll find all around Chile, and in Santiago, usually inside Internet Cafés. If you're in a bind, and you need to make an international call from Chile to Canada, the United States, Australia or Europe, these will have to do, but be warned that locutórios are can be extremely pricey, at upwards of a dollar a minute.

Cold Wave in Chile

2007-06-25T23:26:00.001-04:00

The temperature recently dropped below 4 degrees Celcius. In Fahrenheit, that means really cold!. If you're in Chile, bundle up. If not, then pray for us!

Places to find a trail...

2006-03-22T01:12:00.000-04:00

While riding in Santiago might not strike all as being the best thing to do with your afternoon, there are several enjoyable places to ride. A favorite of mine is to ride down Grecia avenue, which will take you through a varied urban environment. Potholes, rough curbs, lots of cement, street dogs, micros, and too many pedestrians. However, when you hit Tobalaba, make a quick turn and everything is worth it. Long stretches of uninterrupted trail lie for those who want to use it. Sure, it isn't a nice single track trail, but it hits the spot when you just need to get on the bike and do some peddling.

For the bicycle...

2006-03-20T21:04:00.000-04:00

So I had the chance to see Chile's first film festival exclusively dedicated to the bicycle. It featured several Chilean documentaries as well as three from New York. It was a pretty good selection, from bike messengers, to hardcore tricksters who jump from rock to rock next to the crashing waves of the ocean. There were some really cool titles. Check out the sponsoring organization, Contra Pedal.

Where will the musicians go?

2006-03-15T11:42:00.000-04:00

One of Santiago's most notable characteristics is the yellow micro. Like them or hate them, they are a fundamental thread of what makes this city. It is difficult to find a place where you can't hear one, see one, or smell one. They swarm the streets, fill the air with smog, drive to fast, but yet get you to where you want to go.

The privatized system in use currently is a disaster, and the new system, though well appreciated, doesn't appear to be much better. Sure, the buses are new, run well, the drivers receive some sort of training, they are more regulated when it comes to stops, and (I hope) safety.

What isn't clear is how they will manage the quantity of traffic once the yellow micros have been phased out. One only needs to stand at escuela militar and try to get to Vitacura during rush hour to see that it is metro that needs to be extended even more before the number of buses can be reduced. However, the biggest flaw in the new TransSantiago is the prohibition against vendors and musicians on these green buses.

The vendors and musicians that ride the yellow micros are what give Santiago a nice twist of character. They provide a bit of amusement on an otherwise uncomfortable and usually boring ride. Where will these people go? Especially the musicians, where will you be able to hear some folklorica on your way to work?

On the internet...

2006-03-14T12:29:00.000-04:00

There is always a selection of expositions, plays, film festivals, concerts, and other entertainment throughout Santiago.

One good place to explore a bit if you have the chance is sitios.cl, it is definitely one of the better directories on the web for all things Chilean. Sometimes it takes a bit of poking around but there is a lot on there that can help.

The Peso....

2006-03-13T20:22:00.000-04:00

I remember once upon a time when money had real meaning to me. A dollar was a dollar, it was as natural as the wind. The only meaning that the word inflation carried for me at that point was what you did to a balloon, or maybe a tire. I didn’t give foreign currencies much thought either. The fact that money had different values in different countries didn’t enter into the equation, a dollar was a dollar.

While this concept eroded over time, it was mainly intact shortly before coming to Chile. Sure I knew that money was nothing more than some concept that some how people had figured out, manipulated and managed to use to their advantage. I had taken a variety of mandatory economics classes throughout my high school and college years, but economics was a concept and had no place in my practical world. Most calculations I made were simple subtractions, and a very few additions.

Then I met the peso, and my one dollar was multiplied to 600 something. Then things got weird and the dollar dropped, it was worth less pesos, but what does that mean? I sometimes read the economic pages, maybe nod my head a bit and pretend to understand. I’m not fooling anyone however, all I can do is recite numbers and figures without really knowing what I’m talking about.

I read Bloomberg.com and come across something like this:

"The peso weakened 0.3 percent to 532.4 at 10:13 a.m. New York time. It has gained 9.7 percent in the past 12 months, the second-best performance against the dollar among 61 currencies tracked by Bloomberg."

Now at face value it is easy, but how on earth did this Peso weaken, who decided this? Please, where are you, the economics guru who reads the business pages like a novel, hit that comment button and educate the rest of us who just try to make more additions to our financial holdings then subtractions and are confounded by that.

A new president....

2006-01-17T01:50:00.000-03:00

In a rather decisive victory, Michelle Bachelet was elected president on Sunday, the center of town was alive with horns, dancing, shouting, flags, pins, confetti, and life.

The mega circus blitz of election frenzy...

2005-12-06T13:02:00.000-03:00

With only a few days left until the election, Santiago is awash with campaign propaganda. It is a bit overwhelming, and more than a little monotonous. In Plaza Italia, there is a large building size poster of one candidate, it rivals the telefonica building, Chile's tallest building.

One can't seem to leave the house without being subject to posters lined up on every street, flag wavers on every corner, people handing out flyers, musical rallies, inaugurations of every single sort of transportation project possible.

Of course, television is also carrying the weight, newspapers run headlines detailing some of the last minute trash talk that marks the last few days before a country elects a new president.

On Sunday, we will see where we stand, many predict that it will go into a second vote, probably between Piñera and Bachelet, thus extending the frenzy a bit. I guess it is to be expected, and represents the must spend approach to democracy, and it is an important day for Chile.

But it will be nice to see some of the streetscapes without seeing the repetive faces, and names that have taken over Santiago.

CB

Why the rain?

2005-11-23T16:18:00.000-03:00

Santiago's winters are wet, cold (albeit mild compared to my home state of Iowa) and a bit depressing. Last winter it rained for days on end at times, flooding Santiago's inadequate drainage system, filling canals above their mark, leaking through people's roofs, generally making life a bit dreary.

This is all supposed to end in October, and by November blue skies (a bit hazy at times due to the smog) reign over the city. However we seem to be having some sort of relapse into a more wintery time with rain pouring down. Up higher in the mountains, peaks are covered with a fresh layer of white snow, giving anyone from the northern hemisphere a reminder of what November used to feel like.

The difference in the seasons between hemispheres has a profound effect on the sense of time. Celebrating Christmas and new years in the midst of summer heat waves is a bit confusing, it distorts any sense of time that might exist in a visitor's head. I receive emails from the US talking about the arrival of fall, and logically it seems to make sense, my birthday being in October, I was accustomed to those cold winter winds starting to blow around that time. But not now, thinks are starting to feel more and more like spring. On a recent bike ride to the Cerro San Cristobal in Santiago's central park, I found the vegetation to be in some sort of growth spurt, reaching out from their roots, showing their flowers, spurning birds to sing.

Today, that springtime sensation has been washed away by an untimely and unseasonal rainstorm. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to talk bad about the rain, it washes things clean, especially the smog, and lets me be a bit lazier than usual, guilt free.

However, winter just got over, so really, why the rain?

Colin

What beer to drink in Chile (If you can afford it)

2005-11-22T19:06:00.000-03:00

I thought that I would change pace a bit today, and look at what is undeniably one of the best Chilean beers, Kunstmann.

Brewed in Valdivia, located in southern Chile, it has a great taste, more of a body than some of the other Chilean beers such as Cristal, Austral, or Escudo.

The only downfall, it is rather expensive. You can pick up a four pack (yes a four pack, really should be a six pack in my opinion) for around 2,800 pesos. In bars it averages from 1200 to 1800 pesos a bottle, though there are a couple rare places where it goes for 1000 pesos a draft.
One of those places is Armenia, located on the corner of Chile-España and Irarrazaval in Ñuñoa.

Cheers!

When the news is a lie...

2005-11-21T09:15:00.000-03:00

I remember a time in my life when I considered the news to be some sort of deity, speaking truth to the people through a talking head. I must have been about 7 or so, it took a long time to really understand what the news really is, a story.

A story is never completely true, and rarely completely false, but stories are twisted depending on who is telling them. Someone who claims to be objective is not to be trusted, we are human beings, and objectivity isn't our nature.

We can be balanced, and we can talk about facts, rather than pass on rumours.

Chile's military regime relied heavily on a complacent, lap dog press that served as a mouthpiece for their "message." There is no better example of this complacency than what occurred in the aftermath of Operation Colombo.

On July 13, 1975, a mysterious Argentine publication, Lea, in its sole edition, printed the names of 60 people it claimed had been executed by their own comrades in a settling of political scores. Four days later, the list of 119 victims was completed when a small Brazilian daily, Novo O Día, published the names of 59 Chileans who, according to its sources, had died in clashes with military forces in Argentina. Later that month, DINA itself published the 119 names and announced that all had died in military operations in Argentina.

Read today's lead in the Santiago Times for a bit more background.

Chile caught in the middle

2005-11-09T14:05:00.000-03:00

The arrival of Alberto Fujimori really couldn't have came at a worse time for Chile. His appearance and subsequent arrest has complicated Chile's relations with Peru, where Fujimori faces charges, yet intends on returning to power; and Japan, where Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker was scheduled to travel for trade agreement talks this Thursday. Chile announced the postponement of his trip Tuesday due to issues sounding the current situation with Fujimori.

According to the Mainchi Daily News, Japan has asked Chile to allow consular officials to visit Fujimori in Chile. All of this, topped by the border dispute, makes for rough times in the Chilean government. To make it even worse, this interwoven web of international characters and claims comes as Chile moves into the final weeks of a Presidential campaign.

CB

Woman in Chile

2005-11-08T10:16:00.000-03:00

Chile is moving into the final month of its presidential campaign, and it appears that Concertacion front runner Michelle Bachelet has a very good shot at winning the election.

I am particularly excited to be in a country when they elect their first woman, especially in a country that is still very conservative when it comes to social roles and norms. Of course, the opinions of whether or not she will be a good leader vary depending who you talk to, but she seems to have widespread support.

Politics aren’t the only arena where woman are making gains toward more responsibility and respect. An article that appeared in the Christian Science Monitor took a look at the progress that woman are making in Chile’s military.

In one of Latin America's most conservative countries, women are making significant inroads into its most male-dominated institution. The increasing role of women in all levels of Chile's military is part of a larger societal shift over the past year that includes laws legalizing divorce for the first time, outlawing sexual harassment, and making domestic abuse a crime.

The transformation of the military is championed by Michelle Bachelet, who was the country's first female defense minister, and is now the front-runner in next month's presidential elections. Chile's military reforms are considered by many to be a model in Latin America.

Apparently Chile has a higher ratio of woman than in the U.S., something that took me by surprise. Women even participated for the first time in an international U.N. mission to Haiti. Another mark of change here in Chile…

CB

Fujimori arrives?!?

2005-11-07T08:30:00.000-03:00

In a strange twist to Chilean-Peruvian politics, the former president of Peru, Alberto Fujimori arrived in Chile and was arrested on an international warrant.

This comes at an interesting time. Peru's congress recently passed legislation deeming their country in control of a fish rich slot of 17,000 square KM, despite that there was an agreement between the countries made some 50 years ago.

It will be interesting to see how this influences the tone of conversation, the fact that Chile now has someone Peru wants might change some of the dynamics over this border dispute.

Overall, there have been some ongoing stories worth following. One is the Cuadra story, the former government spokesman turned university rector who revealed some interesting info in an interview recently that indicates he knew a lot more about some of the revenge killings after the attempted assassination of Pinochet than he indicated at the time.

Then of course there is the Summit of the Americas, which wrapped up this last weekend. Apart from the regular summit, there was an anti-Bush summit nearby that drew a lot of attention.
From an article in today's Santiago Times (members only):

The strong showing of anti-Bush supporters, however, seems to confirm a recent study by British newspaper “The Economist” that showed anti-American sentiment is growing in South America. The study classified Argentina, along with Uruguay and Venezuela, as one of the most anti-American countries in South America, citing President Bush, the invasion of Iraq, and U.S. economic influence as factors encouraging the strong sentiment.

Bush really has to be feeling the heat at this point, or maybe his bubble is even more insulated than I imagine.

CB

Caballero de la Montana

2005-10-27T12:30:00.000-03:00

The campamentos are another level of poverty, they make the projects look somewhat pleasant. CCC is one of two in the community of Peñalolén. CC sits along a dry canal that is prone to fill up when water rushes down from the Andes after a snow melt or heavy rains.

Life is not easy in Caballero del la Montaña, it is difficult to have hope for the future when your living in a bad situation. They vicious cycle of poverty drags many down in Chile, despite the modernity of other parts of the country, thousands live in dilapidated conditions far, far below the poverty line.

Un Techo para Chile was started in 1997 as an initiative to curb extreme poverty by the year 2000. It got many young Chileans active in the process of social change, and by 2000 more than 4000 people had volunteered in the campaign. Its mission is to eradicate the existence of Campamentos in Chile, a lofty goal.

Un Techo para Chile brings together an interesting mix of people. From the underprivileged masses in the campamentos to the more privileged class of the volunteers and staff. The staff and volunteers are the future of Chile, This has a long term effect, after having seen first hand the extreme poverty, and the families it which live day to day in its mist, maybe this generation will be more proactive in working to loosen its grip on a large portion of the population.

The Mural

2005-10-27T12:25:00.000-03:00

Volunteers painted a mural depicting Padre Hurtado as well as some of the ideas which they associate with his legacy.

His legacy is remembered differently depending on who you talk to. Was he the priest who started a successful and practical charity that benefited Chile’s poor, or was he a radical priest who stood defiantly for the rights of those left behind in Chilean society? What would have happened to him if he would have been alive during Pinochet’s Regime?

Sunset And Soccer in South America

2005-10-27T11:26:00.000-03:00

As the sun went down the fun began. The first even was a set of soccer games with prizes for the winner. I found that the woman’s game was the most exciting, they played with more passion and were far more aggressive than the men.

After the games, prizes were awarded, food was served, and the stage was lit up. From Raeggaeton dance contests to Karaoke, comedy skits, and choreographed dance numbers, it was not a traditional celebration of Padre Hurrtado’s legacy by any means. More, it was a night for those who were present, and reflected their world. Lots of laughter, and a good ambiance filled the chill night air. Coffee was served as the clock moved into the wee hours of the morning.

Chilean Saint

2005-10-27T11:23:00.000-03:00

The ceremony, rather calm compared to the rest of the night was broadcast live from the Vatican at 4:45 am. It marked the second a Chilean had been Canonized, and was a proud moment for Chile. At the Caballero del la Motaña, candles were passed around, and eventually laid in a row along th ebridge over the dry canal.

His life...

2005-10-27T11:02:00.000-03:00

Padre Hurtado’s life and influence have had a lasting impact on Chile. As a new generation struggles with its history, the deep social divisions, an uncertain world future, and increased growth at home, the memories and legacy of people like Padre Hurtado will continue to provide a compass, and a hallange for what lies ahead.

After the weekend...

2005-10-24T13:24:00.000-03:00

So Padre Hurtado was cannonized this weekend around 4:45am local time. I was at hand in one of Chile's poorest neighborhoods to help Techo para Chile celebrate in style. The night was marked with soccer games, karoke contests, dance contests, comedy acts, candle vigils, food, juice, until the wee hours of the morning. For those who have never been to a camparmento, I highly suggest going, it is a start contrast to the world of Las Condes where most foreign visitors stay while in Chile.

Padre Hurtado...

2005-10-21T14:08:00.000-03:00

Many of Santiago's streets are named after historical figures who have left a footprint on Chile's long and colorful history. Names of people from many different places, people who carried many different motivations and left distinct marks on Chilean culture. From generals to revolutionaries, presidents, tycoons and priests.

One of these figure's name can be found on a fairly busy street in Los Condes, as well as all over the city on billboards, soveneirs, and even a park carry's his name.

Padre Hurtado

What sets Padre Hurtado apart from many of the other dignitaries who have been honored with micro filled street name sakes, is that he was a champion of the poor. This weekend he will be cannonized as a saint at the Vatican. Posters abound throughout Santiago, and LAN Chile even offered an airline package to those who wanted to attend the event personally.

It will take place 4:30 am Santiago time...and we'll be at a party in one of the compartementos...

Is This The End Of The Micro?

2005-10-19T13:42:00.000-03:00

TranSantiago is gearing up to start this month, it is a plan designed to alleviate the congestion of Santiago’s hectic roadways. The idea is to better coordinate newer, larger buses that have trained drivers with the metro system. This along with the new metro line which is opening up is supposed to make Santiago a better place to drive, and ultimately to live.

I will believe it when I see it.

It isn’t that I don’t want to see some change in the transportation system, I would like nothing more than that for the Chilean capital. I just think that the micro system has gone so awry that it will take more than some bigger buses to make any sort of noticeable impact. Maybe the center of town will clear up a bit, but for the rest of Santiago’s communities, especially those that depend on the micro like many parts of La Florida, and Maipo.

So until the metro is drastically expanded to include some more communities than those who happen to lie along the central artery of the Alameda and Providencia, there will still be micros flying around the city.

The long land of Chile

2005-10-18T21:58:00.000-03:00

I remember flying over this country upon my arrival, the sight of the Andes really blew me away. I am from a very flat part of the earth (Iowa), and had never seen anything so dominating as the Andes.

They are a force that defines Chile, not a spot of the country exists without them, save the isolation of Easter Island. No matter where you might wander in this long and skinny country, there they stand, sure as a compass, pointing you along your path.

I feel that many Chileans take for granted these mammoth forms. I guess I can understand, if you grow up with something always being there, it can be hard to imagine what life would be like without it. The open expanses of the Midwestern United States became a fact of life for me. I relied on the beauty of clouds, massive thunderstorms, tornadoes and blankets of snow to connect me with the natural world that exists in the corner of my “civilized” eyes. A world that we as people often forget encompasses our powers until it boils to the point of emergency.

I suppose I am lucky in that respect. The plainness of my home can be out dune by tall hills. The tranquil rural standards of Iowan culture shattered by the bustle of a living Latin city, with its micros, crowds of people on the street.

I wonder how a Chilean would feel if they set foot in my home state. How would the robbery of one of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet settle in the soul of a Chilean wanderer? Would they be as bored with it as I am inspired by the long and monstrous expanse known as the Andes?

So begins the struggle...

2005-10-12T10:30:00.000-03:00

Anyone who has kept a blog, a journal, tried to email regularly knows that it can be a tricky task. Time is often blamed, but is rarely the culprit. For me the beast of procrastination breaths heavily, discouraging me from updating, keeping in touch, and staying ahead of the game.