Understanding Santiago Chile

They say it’s wrong to judge a book by its cover–but sometimes it’s hard not to. We grow up knowing that we shouldn’t stereotype others, and yet we find ourselves wanting to use labels and categories to easily understand people.  It’s not a fail-safe system, but sometimes it’s necessary.  Perhaps you’re planning your trip to Santiago and you’re wondering what to expect from the locals.  Or maybe you’ve been here for a bit, and you still can’t seem to understand the inner workings of this enigmatic society; in these situations, a bit of categorization can go a long way in aiding your understanding of the city’s culture.

First off, Santiago consists of very distinctive social divisions–there’s no two ways around this.  There is a yawning gap between the richest and poorest people in the city, and any Santiaguino could quickly identify where someone belongs.  There isn’t a great deal of social mobility–generally, you’re born into the class that you’ll stick with.  Of course, there are always people who “work their way up,” but the pituto (the idea that your place in society depends on your familial connections) is an element of the culture here that can’t be ignored. Upper-middle class citizens tend to use their social network to further their career–you’ll often find childhood friends working together in law firms, banks, or other high-powered positions.  Of course, this is a sweeping generalization, but if you spend a few months in Santiago, you’ll see that it’s rooted in fact.

The difference between the classes is all the more apparent when it comes to the real estate of the city. Generally speaking, Las Condes, Providencia, and Vitacura are the upper-class (or at least upper-middle class) neighborhoods, while the center is considered to be less upscale.  It’s not to say that poor people live in the center–there are plenty of middle-class families or motivated young professionals living in this area.  But ask any Santiaguino and they will tell you that the first three neighborhoods are much more reputable, safe, and desirable.  Of course, there are richer and poorer areas surrounding the city in the suburbs.  However, as a tourist, you’ll probably stick to these zones.

It’s interesting to see the way people from Santiago regard one another based on class.  Once, a Chilean friend said that Santiago was actually like two separate cities–the one that the rich people inhabit and the one for the poorer people.  The rich people live in well-manicured areas full of upscale cafes and boutiques, while the poorer people live in areas with street vendors selling random things laid out on blankets.  The rich people drive their cars or take taxis, while the middle and lower class wrangle with the crowds on the metro and bus systems.  The wealthier people tend to shop at large supermarkets like Unimarc and Jumbo, while the less-moneyed half of the city buy their food and home goods at street ferias. One isn’t necessarily superior to others–they’re just different.  But the important thing to remember is that one wouldn’t exist without the other, and both of these classes make up the diverse and dynamic Santiaguino culture.

You may be wondering how these people will regard you–the tourist, the extranjero, the gringo.  The truth is simple: mostly, they won’t.  It’s not to say that they will ignore you entirely, but they won’t be fascinated by your otherness.  You have to remember that Santiago is a big city, and people are generally going about their day and rushing from place to place.  Most people in Santiago are unimpressed by the presence of foreigners.  There are travelers from all over the world in Santiago, hailing from Europe, Asia, Australia and the USA. The gringo community is small but strong, and you will likely meet other foreigners in bars or via Facebook groups (one particularly impressive extranjero group, FindinChile, boasts a whopping 2880 members).  Women will experience lots of catcalls (especially in the center), ranging from the mildly complimentary to the incredibly offensive.  Men in general will be fine.  Beyond this, you should know that you’re not likely to make loads of Chilean friends.  Of course, many people are friendly and open, but when it comes to their social circles, Santiaguinos are notoriously closed-off.  Don’t take offense–it’s not you, it’s them.