often the default language for international travelers, making it easier to communicate with people from diverse linguistic backgrounds. It helps you interact with locals, ask for directions, order food, and handle various travel-related situations.
There are pages that allow you to know about interesting places to visit in Chile, also where to eat and stay.
Maybe you may think that there are topics that are not
important in English for tourists, but what if they connect with people who do
enjoy those topics or have specific events and/or meetings, it is better to be
prepared,
It is also interesting to interact on a variety of topics in
other languages, with people from different countries, I experienced it and
that has allowed me to specialize more in English
Reasons to Teach and learn English
in Chile!
1. An Adventure-Seeker's
Paradise
Chile has been selected as the
World’s leading adventure tourism destination for the third year in a row. They
say that when forming an argument, you should hit ‘em with the brick
immediately, so I’m going to lead with what is potentially an instant sell on
the longest country in the world. This year, at the World Travel Awards,
described as, “the Oscars of the international tourism industry.” Chile took
first place, yet again. This is the result of years of work to make the country
more navigable for tourists and more conscious and protective of its renowned
natural beauty. In 2017, Chile began work to add roughly 10 million acres of
national parkland.
2. Please improve my English!
I’ve had the good fortune to
visit areas all over the country, and without fail, there are always people who
desire the chance to learn English or give that opportunity to their children.
English teachers are in highest demand in Central Chile (Santiago, Valparaíso,
and Viña Del Mar), but I was able to find a job just as quickly in the South.
Wherever you are in Chile, the English language is recognized as the
international language of business, and as a key to improving one’s life dramatically.
3. Food and (more importantly) Wine
Admittedly, Chilean cuisine is
not quite as world-renowned as some of its South American counterparts. Spice
and variety are often somewhat lacking, but luckily the country has managed to
create its own sort of South American melting pot and offer the delicious grill
options of its neighbor to the East and the ever-sought-after seafood of Peru
to the North. Furthermore, what Chile may lack in terms of in-house cooking, it
makes up for in wine! Worldwide, Chilean wine has the reputation of matching
quality with affordability and that accolade is well-deserved. If you’re a fan
of the reds, you’ll never be without options, regardless of your “fun” budget.
4. Living the Good Life
Chile is the richest and most
expensive country in South America. People are shocked to hear the level of
similarity between the standard of living in the States and down here.
Obviously, no country is without its hardships and Chile is no exception.
However, an English teacher certified by ITA can absolutely expect to live a
comfortable life surrounded by beaches, lakes, forests, mountains, or
skyscrapers!
5. Living the Kind Life
The following is a short story
about one of my more difficult nights in Santiago which will hopefully highlight
the generally warmer class of individuals you’ll meet in Chile. I was spending
the night in the Capital (about two hours from my home city) for a brief
two-day orientation for my new job at Adolfo Ibañez University. I’d booked an
Airbnb for the night and as I hadn’t been in the country very long, I still was
using a phone without any data (the reality is that I’m cheap and wouldn’t buy
a newer, unlocked phone). I took the metro and then walked to the address I’d
been given by the host only to realize as I was walking down the streets at
10:30 p.m. that the apartment was nowhere to be found. I was lost, without
internet, and my grasp of Spanish was still fairly poor at the time. I went
into a local pizza place and asked if I could use their internet to contact my
host for the evening and they instead introduced me to a shop owner across the
street who spoke English fluently. The owner was about to close, but rather
than turning me away, he invited me inside to use his personal computer and
helped me locate the Airbnb and get in contact with the host. The whole process
took over forty minutes as the host had gone to bed at this point, and I was
naturally embarrassed. Mauricio (the shop owner) however, could not have been
more gracious and gave me food, water, written directions, and even ordered a
cab for me. This has been a really longwinded explanation, but I feel it’s
important to highlight the genuinely altruistic nature of so many Chileans.
That night was Mauricio’s final night working that shop before he rented it out
and he undoubtedly just wanted to get home. Instead, he stayed with me for
about an hour and saved me from what could’ve been a much more miserable
evening.
As I stated above, Chile is
far closer to the U.S. in terms of lifestyle than many people realize. I’ve
felt no more at risk walking the streets of Santiago or Valparaíso than I would
back in the States. That’s not to say it’s a haven of total ease. As a
traveler, you must still guard your possessions and personage, but you can
often count on the locals to help you in this regard. When walking the streets
of Valpo, the elderly will often call out to you if you’re nearing areas deemed
unsafe for tourists. Listen to the locals and your own common sense and you’ll
remain secure as I have.
7. Every City is a Snowflake
The level of variety in
Chile’s different cities is astounding. From German-inspired Puerto Varas, to
Valparaíso’s gritty San Francisco vibes, each city is its own design and the
denizens will be proud to tell you as much. I have never seen such distinction
between cities in terms of architecture, geography, and size. The one constant
is that you can usually assume that any city you’re visiting will afford
gorgeous views of mountains in the distance.
8. Fútbol Culture: Goal, Goal, Goal!
Despite a somewhat rocky
standing on the international level, soccer is very much engrained in Chilean
society. The sport is watched, played, and debated in every corner of the
nation. As an exciting new development, women’s soccer is slowly but surely
gaining footing as the national team qualified for the World Cup for the first
time in history! This is a remarkable step forward for a team that had largely
been scrapped about three years ago, and while I’m still going to cheer for the
USWNT, I’ll be sporting La Roja jersey as well.
9. Beaches, Volcanoes, and everything in between
I’m beating a dead horse with
this variety theme, but it’s just undeniably true. Whether you’re a hiking
fanatic, beach bum, stargazers, nature enthusiast, island hopper, or any other
pet name I can’t think of for people who go outside, Chile delivers. I mean,
the country’s quintessential nature paradise, Patagonia, inspired an entire
clothing brand that’s now worn across the United States by Fraternity brothers
everywhere.
10. Gone Green!
Whereas the US appears to
still be dragging its feet over protecting the environment, South America’s
powerhouse is fully committed. As I mentioned before, in 2017 the national
parkland was massively expanded, solar energy is being pursued with a vengeance
(especially in the North where entire cities glean portions of their energy
from the sun), and just recently Chile began unveiling the largest electric bus
fleet in Latin America. Additionally, the country invests hundreds of millions
(US currency) in wind farms and geothermal energy. This trend only appears to
be growing.
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