TEFL in Chile: teflhub's ambassador interviews teachers in Santiago
Week 1 - Santiago - Landing in Chile
I awoke with a jolt and realised the plane had finally began its descent into Santiago. What I saw through the window will stay with me for the rest of my life. It was 8am in Santiago. The sun had risen, glistening over us and the Andes, showering us both with its light and warmth. It is hard to describe the beauty of the Andes in their entirety, but maybe it will help to mention that I was covered in goosebumps with blood pumping quickly through my body.
Santiago has a bit of everything. Numerous ‘barrios’ to eat wonderful food from all over the world, a great transportation system, good nightlife, and an abundance of opportunities as an English teacher. Contrary to South American’s reputation of being a dangerous place, Chile is the safest place you can go to in the continent, whilst also being one of the most diverse. Teaching in Santiago means you’ll be surrounded by the Latin American passion for life, eating, dancing, and social, whilst earning enough money to live in a nice apartment in the city and live a comfortable life. As for travelling while you’re here, you will never run out of places to visit. National buses around the country are relatively frequent and cheap making it easy for you to get away during a long weekend or holiday break. And with all this, what could make a city even better? Nature. To me, the Andes are the best part of this city. The teachers seemed to agree with me. They all claimed it is something you never get used to, or bored of, looking out of the window and seeing such a magnificent view. Towards the end of my week I went to Cajon del Maipo, a mountain reserve in the Andean condor. It was absolutely breathtaking, if a little touristy, though admittedly I went on a Chilean national holiday. To me it was a once in a life time moment to be drinking red wine and snacking on cheese and crisps in the middle of such a place. To the locals it seemed like a normal bank holiday Monday activity. Something I also like about Chileans - they are not easily impressed.
The first English institute I visited - Smooth Talkers - was a fantastic start to my week in Santiago. After arriving the previous day, I had a few qualms about how the school and teachers may feel about being interviewed. After meeting with Daniel, the founder and Raul the consultant, I felt instantly relaxed and eager to start the process. The second institute, The Language Co., showered me with a similar overwhelming hospitality. I genuinely had such a great time interviewing the teachers at both schools in Santiago. Unfortunately I was unable to meet the founder, Joseph Williams, - who sounds like an incredible person and teacher - and so I was met by Malaika Wilson and Jacqueline Sedore. We discussed the history of the company, its teachers, and their roles within it. The Language Co. really struck me as a school that places the treatment of its teachers as one of their priorities. As Academic Director Malaika’s job is to hire the teachers and Jacqueline’s job is to ensure the teachers are dealing well with the workload, helping with any queries, and just generally offering support. It was clear almost instantaneously from meeting Malaika and Jacqueline that the friendly and warm group of teachers I was yet to meet is simply a reflection of the treatment they have bestowed upon their teachers.
Something that was a glaringly popular piece of advice across the board was the necessity to not actually forget you are actually in Santiago. In Chile. In South America. Sometimes, no matter how much serious thought you give something, and how much planning, research, and awareness of a new country you might have, it is possible you can forget the basic things to remember about said country. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE LIKE YOUR HOMETOWN. There is going to be stuff that’s different. And I’m not talking about the language, or the food, or the socialising, I'm referring to the day-to-day systems for which we live our lives by. Commuting, going shopping, going to the post office, opening a bank account, getting the bus. These tasks usually aren't anything to mention back home. But go food shopping in a rush in Chile? Open a bank account on the first try? Good luck. I remember when I first moved to Spain trying to post a letter. Overtime I went to the post office it was shut for lunch, they had popped out, or it was just generally shut. If you aren’t aware of the potential difficulty ahead of you in the SMALL things, you could lead yourself to unnecessary frustration.
Other popular pieces of advice were being aware of your belongings, picking up Spanish before arriving (although one teacher also mentioned there might not be much point until you get it here, as Chilean Spanish is a whole new language), joining the ‘Discover Chile’ Facebook group, shopping at the markets instead of the supermarkets, bringing good shoes (especially if you are a woman with bigger feet), explaining it might be easier to make friends with the opposite sex at first, and explaining that tremors (not earthquakes) are very common in Chile and actually fairly enjoyable. Something that is important for teachers coming from the UK is the extremely expensive visa that allows British teachers to work in Chile. Some institutions offer to pay for all, (or at least half) of the visa, but it is something that should be considered if you are coming over to Chile from the UK.
Santiago is an extremely charismatic city. It might be appropriate to describe most capital cities in this way - they are very rarely dull and quiet - however unlike the other South American capitals I have visited, the reminder of the Andes is never far away from the skyline. Just look up and you realise, you are on the Earth, surrounded by nature. It’s soothing to acknowledge the beauty of the world isn’t too far away, even in a bustling, polluted city like Santiago. Over the course of the week I came to realise just how much of a European influence is cast over Chile’s capital. Not only are there familiar chains, an array of nationalities, and beautiful architecture, but Chile is expensive. Having visited Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, I wasn’t quite as prepared for the expense of everything here. Admittedly a little less than the UK (at times), the Chilean economy stands apart from its neighbours.
During my week in the capital I grew attached to a restaurant and its staff - Marco Polo in Plaza de Armas. Plaza de Armas is the main square in Santiago and so you would assume over-priced, hectic, and impersonal. Acquiring none of these factors, the restaurant’s caring staff (who helped me translate some of the ‘Chilenismos’ on the menu) and fun, casual atmosphere has shaped a great vibe and excellent service. For me, and perhaps for people travelling alone, or anyone travelling at all, it is nice to place yourself right in the middle of everything and spend time just observing and soaking up the city as naturally as you can. In what other way can you really see so much authenticity at once? It is in these moments, when I am alone but with experience and life at my fingertips, when I am really conscious of my thoughts and able to acknowledge them in a gratifying way. It is in these moments that my mind is truly alive. At one point I was eating my ‘Completo Italiano’ - AKA a hot dog with mayonnaise and half a tonne of avocado, something that people are obsessed with here - and watching 10 pairs of men playing 10 games of chess. I glanced on and a family of musicians were entertaining a large group of passers-by, singing and dancing and drumming and grabbing people from the crowd to join. Closer by, a tramp strolled past with his canine friend, singing and collecting a few pesos along the way. Police patrolled the park. Children ran backwards and forwards from their mothers to a face painting stall, pleading for their permission to have it done. Stray dogs drank from the fountain. The cathedral stopped tourists in their tracks. Waiters worked, skipping table to table. Couples swooned, hours passing by in a few uneventful minutes.
And this is what I see in Santiago. There are things I didn’t like. There are things I loved. But overall, what is quintessential to the capital’s unapologetic, tough but loving image is the people. Yes, in ways the city has certain European influences. The central buildings are poised and crafted elegantly and oh so beautifully, shining a bright light over some of the darkness that is present. There are chains, and different languages and tourists. But what I like the most about Santiago is the fact that it is not catered to the tourists. I looked for 3 days to find the day trip I wanted to go on. That has never, especially in a capital city, happened to me before. There are stray dogs everywhere, on every street. But the dogs boast chubby bellies and shiny fur. They aren’t neglected, and neither are they spoilt and miserable. I like that. Of course, I’m not naive, there is likely to be plenty I am unaware of and may never be aware of. But the Chilean spirit is so obvious. It is not a country that is in recovery but their fight, for equality, truth, and prosperity is undeniable. Did you know divorce was only made legal 3 years ago here? Neither did I. They are fighting, living and succeeding. And Santiago is leading the way.
Find out more about the wonderful schools Lucy visited here:
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