Job Discussion Forums

[Tio-Oso]

Moonraven,

It was a feww pages of posts back, but I noticed you got quite alot of guff for trying to hand Don Alan a way out of his apparent 'hole". While I do not believe in the things you do, YOU DO...so for that I respect you. It is always refreshing to see someone trying to help. As for me, I am a Christian...some would object and disagree with my beliefs about Jesus. It dosen't mean I would never or should never suggest Him...

Ok, so you all know I love everyone here at Dave's.. and Don Alan, I do apologise if you felt picked on by me after my last post (page 2 I believe)

Anyway tis is a great little place we have here, and I would just like to see it stay civil.


Only % weeks until I see my fiance in Santiago!!!! yay.

[moonraven]

Tiio:

I catch a raft of s--- on this forum whenever I suggest that someone think outside the box.

The paralysis that strikes most people's lives really has nothing to do with beliefs--it has to do with limiting oneself by whining instead of looking for creative solutions to problems.

[tiolee]

maybe someone could post a few tips on how to become a street mugger as some ppl seem to say they are so abundant and must be making more than us as teachers

[eileen]

there's much more pickpocketing than mugging, and men are more likely to be victimized when walking with women, because the assumption is that they won't leave their ladyfriends behind. Or when they are drunk, lots of pickpocketing or mugging of drunk people. (no statistical analysis, but lots of Chilean friends, many with good stories to tell, nearly none of whom live anywhere "top." (posh))

A good way to make money is to masquerade as a Chocopanda guy (dude that sells icecream on the bus), and walk of with people's cell phones after selling them icecream. But most of the time you're just selling melty icecream for a gamba (100 pesos), and barely making enough to squeak by, so maybe it's not a great line of work. Plus there's the whole thing of fencing stolen goods. Apparently that's illegal.

[JonnytheMann]

The best way to make $$$$ from theft is to be a total sluuuuut. Hook up with a hot, rich stranger in a bar. Go home with him. Make passionate love. After he passes out, get up, empty his wallet, nab his watch, & swipe his electronics. If you're desperate, take out one of his kidneys to sell on the black market. It's much more satisfying than mugging people. Or so I've heard ... I mean, I've never, ever done this! Wink, wink.

(For those who are slow to recognize humor, I am being facetious.)

[tiolee]

the guys who sing you a song or tell jokes seem to make a bit, nothing compared to what we earn in the west of course but they made me laugh quite a bit. The ice cold water, and i mean a block in a bottle ice cold, is just what u need on the bus after a day in santiago.

I stay with family outside of santiago approx 30-40km which is only an hour and a half which was 550 pesos in feb 2005 so i dont worry too much about getting robbed.

being drunk+at night+obviously not able to put up a fight +crap area = getting robbed i guessed but thats the same anywhere in the world.

i definetly fely much much safer in any part of chile than i have done in england, only the uae gave me a safer feeling.

first time i was in santiago i felt paranoid with so many armed cops, after growing up in the uk and only seeing the odd one etc, not like now though if ur in london i guess. When im in chile now i dont even notice the cops anymore.

[eileen]

I agree, I definitely feel safer in Santiago than I do in most cities I've been in in the states.

FWIW, I have a strict no-fightback policy on muggings. I know one person who was stabbed to death, another who was stabbed three times and has permanent nerve damage and another who was cut deeply enough to go to the emergency room and leave some nice scars on his hands.

Respectively, they were near Parque Centenario, Estacion Mapocho, and in Bellavista. All Chilean men, all three much taller and larger than average Chilean men.

To be fair, I don't run with your typical gringo crowd here, and this is by no means typical, but I just wanted to say that I don't know what it's like where you're from, but here fighting back can end quite badly.

[tiolee]

i totally agree with the no fighting back policy, unless its a hobbit trying to rob you with a carrot and he is blind . in that case fight back, otherwise give it up and live another day. Being alive has a lot going for it.

I am Chilean but I live in England most of the year with gaps in Chile and the uae.

I personally feel totally safe in santiago itself . Much safer than Manchester in england where I live. Plus i just enjoy being in chile so take things as they come. Chileans are not known for being overtly serious, apart from the periods of military coups and torture. Lapses.

Im back in Chile in a few months so will see if the swarm of bandits will get me.

I weas just reading all the other posts in this thread and the guy with the girlfriend and mother who seem to get robbed all the time, maybe they have that look about them? I read once from some former criminal that they looked for weak , vulnerable ppl to rob. I have seen some really mmeek looking ppl on the streets who cry out to be robbed. Plus some ppl walk around as if they are in a garden with nothing more dangerous than a thorny bush out there.

I am not saying this guy, his girl and her mom are like this, but some ppl are.

there are gringo crowds walking around in santiago???

[tiolee]

just for the recotd, even though a lot of chilean men are smaller and tubby - they aint hobbits. so dont fight back unless you are like the guys in the movies whpo can get the *** beat out of them, get shot, stabbed and tortured by the bad guys and STILL win the fight. If you are one of them then its fine.

[eileen]

When I said I don't "run with the gringo crowd" I meant it in the sense of hang out with, not literally walk around with. But yeah, there are scads of gringos who mostly hang out at the Phone Box pub in Manuel Montt, or at the Irish bars up in Tobalaba, and at the bagel place. Or so I hear.

I feel very safe in Santiago, as well. I've had a couple of weird situations, like a violent bottle-throwing fight on a micro in the early morning on the Alameda, and a crazy man chasing me down the street, but these really are the exceptions, not the rule.

[tiolee]

[matttheboy]

Yeah i feel safer in santiago than in my small dorset town which is full of townie chavs looking to have a fight just for the hell of it. Around Suecia can be pretty dodgy at night but why anyone would want to go out around there is beyond me...

And irish pubs...don't get me started on those. I reckon there's a factory in china somwhere making irish theme pub shi te. There's an english pub here in buenos aires that has a big sign saying "This is NOT an Irish Pub" just as you walk in. Makes me chuckle anyway.

[tiolee]

i would not be surprised if the irish were all "made in china". They make every other mass produced thing in the world. Some parts of santiago really look run downa nd the houses all have iron bars and fencing. kinda gives the "you aint gonna rob me vibe".

I only really like the city centre for the stores etc. The rest of santiago just looks drab apart from the rich suburbs which look nice. I prefer down south more and always felt safe there.

In manchester where i live in the uk we have the same sorta ppl you seem to have in dorset xept we dont call em chavs, but they all alike.

I aint ever been to buenos aires xept the airport on my connection flights but I will be going there when im back in chile in nov to check it out. My family are all military in chile so they dont like argentina much, always trying to steal land from us.

[eileen]

Really about not liking the look of Santiago? Maybe it's been a while. Barrio Brazil, Barrio Yunguay (sp?), Barrio Universitario, Lastarria, Paris Londres all look pretty nice to me (esp. during the day). I live downtown though (near Cerro Sta. Lucia), and it can be a bit drab, except for the view of the cerros. I get depressed in the nice suburbs. I feel like I'm in the states. Too many houses that look all the same and shopping malls. But that's just me.

Or maybe there's some parts of the suburbs (like Arrayan, I guess) that are really just beautiful to look at. Guess I answered my own question.

[tiolee]

yes, some parts of santiago do look nice, but like you say those areas tend to all look the same in all major cities. Gets boring. You go away to be away right, not to be away but see the same ole thing.

I guess I just dont like the city much, any city.

When in Chile I stay with family outside of santiago and the town is maybe 10,000 pop but a bus ride from santiago, well, an hour and a half.

Im back in Chile soon and I am thinking of renting a place in santiago, not sure where yet. Saw some nice places in Nunoa and La Reina and i prefer a house rather than an apartment. I might just stay outside santiago and commute as I prefer the quiet.

I only teach privates really so the work schedule is easier plus I always cover all my expenses for the whole stay while im am there so I can relax and not worry about eating etc.

Thius trip im thinking of going up north as i have never been so should be fun, less crime outside of a city .