What tourists are afraid of before arriving in Santiago de Chile

Before moving to a new country that you don't know anything about or that you don't have friends that can guide you, some doubts or rather fears arise from what you have seen in the news or what they have told you. But do not worry, this has happened to all of us and that is why we have decided to write about the main fears that foreigners have before coming to Chile to live for a few months or a year.




An earthquake will occur when you are in Chile.

It is very likely that there are movements in Chile, and even more likely that you will not even feel it... Leave this fear behind, since buildings have strict standards of seismic stability, and Chileans are used to this type of movement, so it may be that a 6th grade does not feel it and does not stop doing what they are doing; Even a grade seven doesn't even call it an earthquake as such and it won't cause any kind of disaster. So don't worry about this point and if it trembles, find a Chilean and watch his reaction.

They will steal from me

Maybe yes, if you put the phone on the table in a café in the historic center, you would walk with an open bag through busy areas or shake a wad of money in front of a group of dubious-looking people. In the capital, you must be alert, especially in some communes such as Santiago center or sectors such as Bellavista, Forest Park, among others. The best areas of Santiago are Las Condes and Vitacura, but you should always walk alert; Although Santiago is a safe city, being alert is essential to be safe.



Wild animals will eat me

Don't expect this to happen. because with luck you will see a small brown fox or hare in hills close to the city or maybe llamas and alpacas if you travel through Chile. There are no poisonous snakes, of the big predators there are only cougars, but try to find them in the mountains and you will see that the cougar avoids meeting people.
You should be careful with a spider called "Rincon's Spider". His bite is not only painful, but also dangerous; one in ten cases ends in death, if medical attention is not provided in time. In Chile, this spider lives in dark corners and crevices where nothing bothers it. You can find them in abandoned and old houses, as well as in those where cleaning is not carried out regularly, if you get bitten you must put it in a bottle and show it in the hospital, since the antidote is obtained from the spider itself. I have never met someone who has been bitten by a corner spider, but it is good to know, and I have never seen a cougar in the wild.



Then a shark in the ocean will definitely eat me

If they were here, possibly !!! . . . But even ice sharks don't want to swim in icy waters like Chile's (they're not stupid). Exhale and bathe in the Chilean sea, nobody will eat or bite you.



I don't speak Spanish

Don't worry ... Many universities teach their subjects in English, learning a language is always easier being in the country where it is spoken. Also a good App is Translate Google, which can help you at least for the first moments in Chile. Generally, tourism or gastronomy workers have at least a basic level of English. We recommend that you take private classes if your interest in learning Spanish is important. At International Students Santiago we meet various private teachers eager to help you improve. You can send us a WhatsApp at +56963727468 if you need a teacher.



I need vaccines

The answer is NO. In Chile there are no tropical climatic zones, nor are there dangerous viruses, epidemics or an unfavorable humanitarian situation. It's just that in the collective mind Chile is often confused with other Latin American countries.



The police must be corrupt

For your sake, just DON'T try to "come to an agreement" in which case with a Chilean police officer. They will not blink and you will be taken into custody immediately. The police in Chile are called Carabinero and they are the most reliable in Latin America, they are not corrupt and do not try to prove otherwise.



A road trip must be dangerous

Travel Risk Map placed Chile in the group of the safest countries in the world to travel. The roads in the country tend to be very good, you will only find yourself in rural areas with dirt roads, but they are very few.


And to finally dispel all fears and doubts, I advise you to send us a message to our different platforms, by instagram you find us as @iss_chile and by facebook www.facebook.com/internationalstudentssantiago