Chile Forum

by **Asean** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:46 am

Hi mates,

After 911, there's been reports targetting at moslems that's committing mayhem especially in Europe.But what the news always said due to PC is that
they are asians, it did not specify their ethnicity and religion.

Being an Asian and non moslem, will I run the risk of being misunderstood in Chile?Many Asians are non moslems , just like many Europeans are not Anglo saxons.Thanks

by **eeuunikkeiexpat** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:05 am

Asian according to you is what?

A person of South East Asia or South Asia (India, Pakistan) ???

Chile generally discriminates more on social class than race. Though of course someone not from Spanish/German/British/etc. stock will find it virtually impossible to tap into the highest echelons of Chile's power elite.

Remember that one of the largest overseas Palestinian populations resides in Santiago, Chile. Don't know how many are Christians vs. Moslem but that issue doesn't seem to concern the authorities here.

by **Asean** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:33 am

Thanks mate,

I'm from singapore and looking for a home away from home..maybe learn some spanish..the island state has become as crazy as hong kong materialistic culture..

by **Chuck J 3.0** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:54 am

Not so much for religion but being Asian, yes there will be discrimination. Chile is a materialistic country too, or I should say certain elements are, mostly it's a poor country that probably wishes it could be as materialistic as Singapore or Hong Kong.

by **Asean** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:42 am

hmm...guess racial background still counts in our century even in Chile

by **JHyre** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:31 am

Racial background counts everywhere, less in some places, negative or positive in others. Chile is pretty good about it overall. They are not politically correct and more open about judging, at least to a degree, based on things like ethnicity. I remember a discussion, the Chileans I was with were slightly negative in that they viewed Chinese as being poor employers - lousy pay, very demanding. They were surprised when I said US view of Chinese tends to be hard working and intellectual & didproportionately good at math & sciences, with high earning power as a result. So there is a stereotype, but it does not strike me as very deep seated....no more so than the view of gringos, etc.

John Hyre

by **RWS** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:18 am

Asean wrote:. . . racial background still counts . . . .

Regrettable (say you and I, products of twentieth-century Western educations, even if you received yours in the East), but hardly surprising, is it? Human nature always has gone to stereotypes when dealing with the little-known: "Moslems are fools", "blondes are idiots", "Republicans are heartless", etc., etc. etc. Look, that'll change as people come to know you; and Chile is not a difficult place in which to cultivate friendships.

by **eeuunikkeiexpat** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:09 am

As a USA person of 4th generation Asian stock, I still notice the stares. Staring in Ibero-America is not considered rude and 8 out of 10 times is more out of curiosity and ignorance than malice or bad intent.

What you will want to do is make sure you give the impression or convey that you are from a top-tier developed country and not a poor immigrant.

Lastly, the Chileans who can differentiate Asians place the Japanese at the top of their conceptual hierarchy and then the Koreans (the largest Asian immigrant population in Chile) and then the Chinese.

The stereotype that JHyre mentioned is based on the experience Chileans have had working in Chinese restaurants.

Chile for me has passed an important test as my pareja is Chilean and I'm fully accepted by her family.

by **RWS** on Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:31 am

Stereotypes change, too. Until after the First World War, for example, most Americans considered Jews to be not only avaricious but also to be possessed of subnormal intelligence (this stereotype may have been fostered by the immigrant flood of Eastern European Jews who learned English poorly if at all); now, the stereotype is that Jews are possessed of supranormal intelligence! So if you come to Chile and comport yourself well, you may help to dispel any negative stereotype about (for example, as I imagine your ancestry to be Chinese rather than Malay) Chinamen: just be generous and patient, remembering that you, I, and most AllChileans are simply guests -- for the long term!

by **admin** on Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:48 am

It is like everywhere. Got money no problem? There is a massive population of Asians of all types across Chile.

Here in Temuco there is a Chinese family that has run a series of Chinese restaurants in town for like three generations and are highly respected. The kids have married in to the community with a Chilean family that also runs a series of restaurants (a real family empire ). One of the mixed daughters was the tourism spokes model for the region.

Still Asians in general will be referred to as Chinos generically. Also the perception of China has changed radically now that China has surpassed the United States as Chile's number one trading partner. Got money, no problem? As the executive class in Chile has turned to learning about Asia for business, and it is constantly on the front page of the business sections, the overall desire to know about Asia is a big deal. It is kind of status symbol that you have visited or are studying about Asia.

by **eeuunikkeiexpat** on Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:01 pm

I have only been here seven years but in that time I have seen the shift.

Especially within the joven set where things Asian are seen as cool.

You now see chileno chinos and coreanos in television commercials and programs.

Such a noticeable turnaround in such a short time period in a conservative culture like Chile is quite promising.

Also, I think most heartfelt ant-Asian sentiment in Chile now resides in the lower class-bohemian-leftist and criminal types.

by **Asean** on Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:47 pm

The whole thing about China as a emerging power is overplayed Staying here in singapore, I can tell you there's a vast difference between overseas chinese and mainland chinese way of doing things.
China if wants to be a leading power like USA needs to put more than money on the table unfortunately decades of communism has eroded the cultures of the mainlander making them unlikely candidate to be heirs of japan descent from far east, if china was more like japan perhaps there will be less chinese diaspora.

If America alone by mark steyn is true then China could be even worse by her lack of softpower:( you can buy all the oil but can you buy real allies in our world??

by **huincacara** on Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:05 pm

Well here is me.

I do not think somebody care about your race in Chile (at lease if you are not one of our neigbors). Chile is about class if you do not look upper class you will be discriminate. That happen to me I grow up poor, I could get my first girlfrins in the last year of callage because do body like my getto accent (I had others girlsfrins

gil no soy.

so that is the key, most of the asiatic people that leave in Chile have a good life most of then business owners, so Chilean look high on them.

by **zulu789** on Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:21 pm

huincacara wrote:I grow up poor, I could get my first girlfrins in the last year of callage because do body like my getto accent (I had others girlsfrins Smile gil no soy

Ok, let's try that in English...

by **huincacara** on Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:32 pm

huincacara wrote: I grow up poor, I could get my first girlfrins in the last year of callage because do body like my getto accent (I had others girlsfrins gil no soy.

What I was saying. jajaja any way secont try.

I grow up poor. I could not get a girlfriens in callage until last year becouse nobody accept me for my strong getto accent. In especial if you go to an school in Las condes and you live in Pte. Alto.

Hope sound more clear

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Will asians be discriminated?

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Need Help In Chile? Spencer Global Consulting Chile, South America Legal, Investment, Real Estate, Relocation, Construction, and all your Problems in Chile, South America Call Us: 56-45-985207 (56)-45-720-995

Need Help In Chile?

Spencer Global Consulting Chile, South America
Legal, Investment, Real Estate,
Relocation, Construction,
and all your Problems in Chile, South America
Call Us:
56-45-985207
(56)-45-720-995