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About Chileans and gringos

When you describe the way Chileans or any people are, you will always end up generalizing and giving a personal interpration. I myself see Valparaiso and Chile through Belgian/European eyes. However, I read the Chile edition of the ‘Culture smart’ series, edited by Kuperard, and discovered there findings to be very similar to mine.

General findings about Chileans

Chileans are not your typical ‘extravagant’ and warm latinos. They are more reserved but very helpful and extremely friendly after the first contact. Here in Valparaiso porteños say that people from Santiago and the south tend to be more distant.

The people here are very interested in your culture and background, especially if you are ‘gringo’ or european. So don’t be surprised if they ask you a lot of questions. Chileans love to talk about Chile too, so here’s an oportunity to get interesting travel information. If you speak negatively about Chile you may hurt people’s feelings and get a strong reaction (or no reaction at all).

You will not get anywhere being impatient or rude. Chile is bureaucratic, everything takes time and people you address in an impolite way will turn their back on you (in a friendly way but they will).

Chileans will not easily say they are not interested in the subject or your proposal. Do not insist if people are not really enthusiastic or exited.

Chile is still recovering from its political past under Pinochet. Many people suffered and others adored Pinochet. Be careful talking about politics and do not try to be (too) wise about the subject.

Act as a local

1. Ask for permision if you enter someone’s house, office or space – even if they invited you. Just say ‘permiso’. It will be considered as polite.
2. Say hello to a woman by kissing her on the cheek (once, not twice as the Spanish do). In a more formal situation a handshake would be more apropriate. Greet a man with a handshake. If you are somewhat more familiar with a Chileno here’s how the greeting goes: shake or pad hands, give an ‘abrazo’ (hug), shake hands again.
3. Always bring something to eat or drink to a party. If you bring flowers for an older lady, make sure they are not yellow as this was traditionally believed to be depreciating. Nowadays, people don´t live by that tradition anymore and yellow roses for example indicate friendship.
4. Be patient, if you get upset stay calm. Avoid arrogancy.
5. Address important people with ‘Don’ or ‘Doña’ and their first name. Or use their title (eg Señor Doctor)
6. Be punctual. If a bus is to leave at 10am, it will. Respect apointment hours, most Chilenos do too. It’s OK to be late at parties.
7. Don’t be surprised if people call you a ‘weuon’. Everybody is a ‘weuon’ (it means lad, bloke, mate, man). In Mexico for example you would not apreciate it since you would be a lazy bastard. If you are called a gringo it only means you are from the US or Europe.
8. Praise Chile and the Chileans, but make sure you mean it.
9. Don’t click your fingers at someone. Don’t hit the palm of your left hand with the right fist.

Stay a gringo

1. Fear body contact and people standing close to you.
2. Avoid colectivos (shared taxis) because it’s a sweaty and too personal experience.
3. Get very upset if things don’t work out as planned.
4. Tell it as it is. Doesn’t matter if ‘they like it or not’.
5. Insist on having a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ as an answer.
6. If you’re an independent woman, insist on paying the bill.
7. Wear shorts when it’s freezing cold.
8. Initiate state of the art political discusions