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Planning to Move to Chile

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TheHamiltons
  7/5/2016 12:26 EST

Hola & Bienvenidos!

My wife and I want to live outside the US and have narrowed it down to Chile (but still are open to other suggestions). We are in our early 20's and plan on staying for at least one year or maybe more depending on how well we adjust and like it. Are questions/concerns are where and how to start this whole process.

We will have substantial starting out money to get us moved and pay bills for a year. We will want to work to have money for leisure (and to pay for a storage unit back home). I have a Bachelor's degree, will that help with getting a job? Or should I stick to teaching English (TEFL) or working in the travel industry? If all else fails I am more than ok with working at a bar or restaurant :p I speak pretty decent Spanish but the wifey is going to actively learn some before our move. Also we want to bring our dog!

We are saving now and plan on probably moving in 2018. How do we start? What city? Finding a job? public transport or get a car? finding an apartment? Getting a vise/residence/etc.?

Any help would be much appreciated!!

Terrytruitt
  7/15/2016 11:47 EST

Hola Hamtons
My wife and I are moving to Chile next month. We have purchased a place near Pucon Chile. This is in southern Chile and is a very beautiful location. I have started a web page at Chilealien.com that enplanes our plans for life in Chile and document our progress. I am now going through the processes of becoming a resident of Chile and would be happy to share my experiences with you.
God Bless
Terry Truitt

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encourager89503
  7/16/2016 17:12 EST

Welcome to the growing community of expats moving to Chile. My wife has searched throughout the world for the past 8 years for someplace in the world that we could escape the insanity that is running rampant throughout the U.S.A. We are living with an ever growing "parasitocracy" of the U.S. with more encroachment upon our founders' great sacrifices they made to gift us with those freedoms that our current ruling "elites" have given away in exchange for votes from those who want more "free stuff". The parameters that were thoroughly researched by the both of us has led us to decide upon Chile as the best of all alternatives. Our parameters were individual freedoms and liberties enjoyed by those who actually live in the top 10 countries of the world: Respect for the Rule of Law, Limited Government, Regulatory Efficiency, and Open Markets. See: http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking for not only these 4 major categories but also the 11 sub-divisions within those categories. That is where we started. Next, as we are in our 60's we are growing less tolerant of extreme cold environments. Our ideal climate is year-round temperatures within the range of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We have found the cost of living and personal freedoms, and ideal weather in Chile in Iquique. It is a very clean and safe city with a rich history and 50% overall less costly place to live for our retirement. My wife has lived there for the past 3 years and has prepared our retirement home for me to join her sometime after the middle of 2017. It will take me that long to sell everything we own to make our final break. I encourage you to do an in-depth research of your best alternatives. Look at Accuweather.com for the most accurate reporting of current and historical weather conditions of the major cities. Please understand the difference between Humidity and Dew Point to get a better understanding of the actual comfort level of the different cities. Also understand that as Chile is below the equator, the seasons there are reversed. They are in the midst of their winter season currently. Look also at www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/ for the best understanding of affordable as well as comfortable places to live within Chile. I was surprised to see that overall Chile is 50% average less expensive than comparable sized U.S. cities. For the most complete information, another site to research is https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/index
I also was surprised to learn that Chile is the Longest country in the world. It's borders from south to north are 2,650 miles long from Antarctica to Peru that's almost to the equator. For west coast residents of the U.S. a good comparable frame of reference is to imagine a single country (Chile) that runs the same length as from the Mexico/Guatemala border to the Washington state to Canada border. Imagine the variety of how many different climate zones that encompasses. Then finally, understand that the medical healthcare system in the Chilean cities of @200,000 + have excellent western-trained doctors and excellent access to medical care.

Happy hunting. My motto: Live FREE or Die

Nicollita19
  7/21/2016 10:00 EST

Good Morning,

Good luck with your move, Chile is a beautiful country with so much to offer and places to explore. You won't be disappointed.

Just wanted to let you know that I own a beautiful apartment in Vina del Mar which I currently have on the market for rent. If you decide you want to move to the area (it's a beautiful small beach town, only 1.5 hours away from Santiago and a 15 minute drive to Valparaiso) let me know. I'd be happy to lodge you at my apartment short term until you find another place or have you as a longer term tenant. I also rent out for long weekends,etc. If you would like more details feel free to email me directly at [email protected] or check out my airbnb site at https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6409771?preview

Best of Luck!
Nicolle

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