Follow the jump links to learn more about Chile:
Lifestyle and Family Living
Teen Life
Dress and Appearance
Diet and Meals
Educational System
Geography and Climate
Population
Language
Government
Religion
Spending Money
Safety and Support
Fun FactsLifestyle and Family Living
Like Latin Americans in general, Chileans are friendly. Chile is a vast mixture of races and nationalities such as Mapuches (the native Chileans), Aymara, Palestinians, Jews, Italians, Asians, Yugoslavians, Greeks and Germans. Because of this great ethnic diversity, Chileans are open to many different types of people.
Even so, with the partial exception of the indigenous groups, the Chilean population perceives itself as essentially homogeneous. Despite the configuration of the national territory, regional differences and sentiments are remarkably muted. Even the Spanish accent of Chileans varies only very slightly from north to south; more noticeable are the small differences in accent based on social class. In fact, social prejudice in Chile is based primarily on class. Chile is currently the largest middle-class nation in South America.
Life in Chile is very family-oriented. Although the father is the primary breadwinner and decision maker, the mother has considerable influence in the family. Parents tend to treat boys differently from girls; boys are likely to have a much more liberal curfew than girls, and girls may not be allowed to go out alone in the evening.
Children accept parental authority, and exchange students are expected to do the same. Parents expect to know when the children are going out and where they are going.
Host families are usually middle- or upper-middle-class Chileans who live in small towns and have an interest in other cultures.
Chilean host families, like all AFS host families worldwide, are volunteers and are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives.Teen Life
In their spare time, young Chileans like to get together at friends’ houses or go to movies. They also like to gather in the town square, go to parties, or just hang out in the local café.
Your local high school and community organization may offer several activities in which you can become involved. These may include sports, language or science clubs, drama, etc. Getting involved in these activities is a great way to learn more about the community and to make friends.Dress and Appearance
Chilean students dress much the same as young people in other western nations: casual clothes, jeans, T-shirts, sneakers, etc.
Chile’s seasons are the reverse of those in the northern hemisphere. Many homes lack central heating, so bring sweaters and a warm jacket.
Students are encouraged to bring one or two nice outfits for special occasions: dress shirts and ties for men, dresses for women.Diet and Meals
Lunch is the main meal of the day. The main course usually includes meat (beef, lamb, pork or chicken) or fish with rice or pasta and vegetables.
Food is mostly steamed, fried in vegetable oil, or barbecued. Fruits are varied and abundant in Chile throughout the year.
Between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. most people have a meal called onces at which tea or coffee is served with bread and butter or marmalade and possibly cakes or some other kind of pastry. For some families, this is the evening meal, and they may add cold cuts, avocados, or other foods to make it more substantial.
Other families have dinner between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. and serve basically the same types of food as lunch but in smaller portions.
It is considered inappropriate for individuals to request special foods, to prepare separate food for themselves or to raid the refrigerator. Vegetarians are very difficult to place.Educational System
Chileans view education as the way to a better life. You are expected to attend school and to participate fully during your stay in Chile. School is probably the best place for you to meet people and make friends while you are on the program.
Seventy percent of Chilean schools are private, and most AFSers are placed in private schools. The grade in which you are placed will depend on your age and grade level at home.
There is a fixed curriculum that includes about 10 subjects per grade. Required subjects include Chilean history and geography, economics, science, math and a foreign language. Art and music are offered as electives.
You will study all subjects with one group of students, probably in the same room. It is likely that this group has been classmates throughout their education.
The Chilean school year begins in late February or early March and lasts until early December. Schools require students to wear uniforms that cost approximately US$170.
While it may be possible to obtain academic credit for the coursework you successfully complete abroad, AFS cannot guarantee this. Please discuss your plans with your school before you go abroad.
Geography and Climate
Chile is a land of diversity, wonder, and great beauty. It is a very long, thin country that is located in the extreme southwest of South America. The closest neighbors include Argentina to the east, and Bolivia and Peru to the north. The entire country at its widest point is only about 480 km (300 miles) wide with an average width of 170 km (about 100 miles), but its 4,000 km (2,500 miles) length makes Chile the longest country in the world.
Chile is geographically diverse. To the south, Chile reaches into the cold and inhospitable Antarctic zone. To the west, the shores are pounded by hundreds of miles of the great Pacific Ocean. In the north, Chile is home to the Atacama Desert, one of the most arid lands in the world. Finally, to the east, the huge Andes mountain range, running nearly the entire length of the country, serves to isolate Chile from the rest of South America.
Except in the north where there is almost no winter, Chile has four well defined seasons that are typical of the southern hemisphere (the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere).
Population
The population is about 16 million. Santiago, the capital, has a population of around 5 million. Chile is made up of a rich mixture of mestizos (people of Spanish and Native American descent) and immigrants from Germany, Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Asia and the Arab nations, among others.
Language
Spanish is the official language of Chile. Mapudungun, German, and English are also spoken.
Government
Chile recovered its democratic form of government in 1990 after 17 years of rule by a military junta. With its political and economic stability, Chile is considered one of the strongest countries in Latin America. Today Chile is divided politically into regions, provinces, and municipalities. The elected leader of the nation is the Presidente. The provinces are headed by the Intendente, or governor, while the municipalities elect a mayor, or Alcalde.
Religion
More than 70 % of Chileans are Roman Catholic; the rest are Protestant or other.
Spending Money
The Chilean Peso is the official currency in Chile.
Your program and country information packet (provided in the months prior to your departure) will give you an idea of how much spending money is appropriate and whether you should arrive with any amount of the local currency in hand.
Host families pay only for ordinary family events in which you are expected to participate. When you do such things as shopping for yourself or going out with friends, the expenses are your responsibility. Depending on the cost of living in your host country, we recommend you budget about $100-$300 per month.
Remember: never travel with large amounts of cash. Instead, bring travelers checks or follow the advice in the country and program information packet. Another option for obtaining money while overseas is to use a debit card linked to a checking account back home (but try not to use a debit card for daily purchases since there are ATM and currency exchange fees). Or, you can transfer money using wiring services such as Western Union.
You and your parents should determine a budget and preferred money transfer plan before you depart so that you are not caught without spending money while abroad.
Be conscientious of your spending since conspicuous consumption may not be viewed favorably and spending more than your peers and family may create a distance between you and them.
Safety and Support
AFS has the utmost concern for the welfare, safety, and security of our participants. We’ve been exchanging participants throughout the world for 60 years—that’s six decades of history and experience in international education with an exemplary record of safety, security, and service.
AFS maintains a network of experienced staff and trained volunteers who provide support in each country. In the event of an emergency, 24-hour assistance is available to students, their parents, and the host families. Furthermore, your AFS tuition includes comprehensive medical insurance coverage to ensure that medical care is available to our participants anywhere in the world and at all times.
While we have the above support structures in place, we also encourage you to take responsibility for your own safety and we give you the guidance to do so. Many of the AFS orientation activities, both at home and abroad, are intended to give you the tools to stay safe. We also provide country-specific safety tips to each participant prior to departure.
Learn more about the AFS safety and support network.
Fun Facts
- Chile has two Nobel Prize winners:
-1945:Gabriela Mistral (Nobel Prize for Literature).
-1971:Pablo Neruda (Nobel Prize for Literature). - Penguin colonies exist in southern Chile.
- Northern Chile is home to the world’s driest desert: the Atacama.
