Santiago - Post Report Question and Answers
Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
No. Chileans appear to make their friends in middle school and stay with that crew their whole lives. Those who have lived or studied abroad may be more open, but they are few. - Jun 2026
It is difficult to make friends with locals here. - Dec 2020
It is not easy. Chileans have been isolated (geographically) and this seems to have rubbed onto their view of foreigners. Migration to Chile is relatively new, so outsiders do, unfortunately, stand out like a sore thumb. This is no melting pot, no matter how big a city. Chileans socialize among themselves and with families. It is important to understand the social dynamics brought about by the military coup in 1973. Long-life friends and neighbors snitched on each other, so distrust of others seems to be woven into the social fabric. At least a little. The we versus us factor is there. - Jun 2019