Chile Forum

A funny moment today. Someone actually called me and wanted to buy a house today in Southern Chile. They are in Southern Chile. It is not like they did not know what was going on. Told them I would get back to them next week when we know how the banks and everything else in the country is working.

admin wrote:Actually, as of this morning all of our clients in Chile are accounted for, and most are fine, have generators or whatever or were not in the effected area.

I had a bit of a chuckle when I read this. When that gringo bought the generator the locals were problem thinging "What a crazy Gringo".

We were scheduled to fly out Thursday afternoon, final destination Concon. Delta is giving until the 8th to make a decision to reschedule or cancel for a refund.

It sounds like Concon wasn't hit to bad. I've talked to our landlord several times and they received no substantial damage. They've kept utilities through out the ordeal.

We're completely packed, just sitting in a holding pattern. Although we've spent thousands of dollars, countless hours and many battles to get on that plane Thursday we have a big problem with the idea of taking a roof that could be used by someone in need.

Concon is fine (I live there), I have seen very little damage, unlike in Viña and Valpo just south.

I just had a look at some of my other email I have not had time to check. I have like three people wanting to buy property this morning. Obviously it is all outside the disaster area, but hay there might be life in the economy after this. It really is the best way to help Chile to recover.

We're completely packed, just sitting in a holding pattern. Although we've spent thousands of dollars, countless hours and many battles to get on that plane Thursday we have a big problem with the idea of taking a roof that could be used by someone in need.

Yes, the same thoughts here. After a lot of planning and expenses, we still prefer to let Chileans meet their families before us.
We are at this moment postponing our flights to at least next Monday and will probably do that again for one more week if the classes are postponed again.

Marcelo

admin wrote:I just had a look at some of my other email I have not had time to check. I have like three people wanting to buy property this morning. Obviously it is all outside the disaster area, but hay there might be life in the economy after this. It really is the best way to help Chile to recover.

Charles,
I`m so proud of the Chile resilience and structure as well as the people. That only confirms my move to this wonderful Country.
The damage is terrible but the Chilean economy will somehow benefit from the chaos. Infrastructure recovering means billions of spending but lots of jobs and investment too.
Tell me if you need some ftp, hosting, space or what else I can help.

Marcelo

Price4 - La Dehesa is fine, come on over! A small portion of the mall (Portal La Dehesa) is damaged, but all our friends in La Dehesa reported only minor damage, if any. Our daughter's school is in La Dehesa and the had one part of a ceiling fall in and other than that a few computers that fell of desks and so on.

Charles - we did some bank transactions today at Santander and were told that it's business as usual.

I'll be moving to Arica in August from NYC. Obviously, it's months away and way up north but regardless: NO plan changes!

For the last few days everybody's asking me about my plans now, some kind of maliciously (probably those who are jealous). Well, it's not like I didn't know that Chile is shaky and there are risks of tsunamis. I grew up in the Balkans and in the 70s and 80s we lived though the shakes from the Armenian and other serious earthquakes. Now, I never endured any looting and water shortages. But I have to say it, weird as it sounds, I have some very fond memories of togetherness, the whole city being out on the streets at midnight and all. So, on the flip side of death, destruction and suffering, there is just as much personal growth and good things that will come out this. My thoughts are with the Chilenos.

So I'll see you in Norte Grande, spending my dollars, helping local economy.

Total American Bonehead Alert:For now, Elliott Yamin is OK, but if he stays in earthquake-ravaged Chile much longer, the diabetic former "American Idol" contestant


might run into some problems. On Monday evening, almost three days after a massive 8.8 quake rattled the South American country, Yamin told his Twitter followers, "amazing outpour of support out there! ... can't thank yall enuff!! ... I'm NOW DOING OK AS FAR INSULIN GOES! ... no need 2 wrry."

The tweet came after Yamin told Fox News that he was starting to worry about his supply of insulin. "I am a Type 1 diabetic and I only packed enough insulin supplies for my pump to last a couple more days," he said in one of the many interviews he's done since Saturday's massive tremor shook the country. The quake hit just hours after season five's third-place "Idol" finisher performed at a singing competition in the city of Viña del Mar, which is about 200 miles south of the epicenter in heavily damaged Concepción.

"I don't know how long we're going to be here. This country isn't very keen on insulin pumps; supplies for my pump are running low. Hospitals here are very crowded, and as you can imagine, they are dealing with bigger things."

What the Hell? 1. Why didn't this dufus not research where he could get backup supplies before he even arrived in Chile and 2. Hey DUFUS: CHILE IS NOT A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY. They have diabetics on insulin pumps too....

atlvlagt, that post actually made me snort. Not pretty.

The poor lamb was staying in the Sheraton Miramar in Vina, so I'm sure he's been well looked after. But, oh the ignorance

And the general standard of reporting seems rather shoddy:

The quake hit just hours after season five's third-place "Idol" finisher performed at a singing competition in the city of Viña del Mar, which is about 200 miles south of the epicenter...

(emphasis mine).

So Fox has moved the epicentre to about, say, La Serena?

The ignorance is good/bad.......maybe it will prevent this charming country from being overrun with ignorant dumb asses like the d list celeb above. the media here in the states is certainly contributing by making it sound like the military has taken over and the rule of law has been tossed in the trash....they keep showing one single grocery being looted over and over and one single small span of the santiago highway collapsed and portraying this an example of how the entire country is at this moment. glad my husband and i know better.

atltvlagt wrote:8) The ignorance is good/bad.......maybe it will prevent this charming country from being overrun with ignorant dumb asses like the d list celeb above. the media here in the states is certainly contributing by making it sound like the military has taken over and the rule of law has been tossed in the trash....they keep showing one single grocery being looted over and over and one single small span of the santiago highway collapsed and portraying this an example of how the entire country is at this moment. glad my husband and i know better.

I hate the US media for the reason you just described. I'm not sure anywhere else is better, I just don't have much experience with non-US media outlets.

I agree the ignorance helps, I mean who wants to welcome in & open the door to someone who thinks your home is trash! the same way they keep showing the looting is the same way they believe so-called 3rd world countries are nothing but full of starvation & beggars. I find US-Media highly subjective...on second thought I think most media is highly subjective - what sells is what gets shown. The people who know better shall still view Chile as the haven it is & the rest well....who needs them?

P.S Atltvlagt EVEN 3rd world countries have diabetics on insulin pumps. I know because I am from a 3rd world country & my mum is diabetic

mauricio wrote:This is to wish good luck to all of those people in this forum who have just moved or are about to move to Chile. This kinda of thing is par for the course and hopefully everything should be restored to normal in a few months. Do not let it discourage you from making Chile your new home!

My only consolation is that considering that magnitude of the damn thing, only 300 or so dead is not so bad! Credit should be given to the strict building codes implemented in Chile many years ago. If a quake of this magnitude had hit anywhere else in the world, the level of devastation would be much, much greater!

I am new to this forum, a Briton who has lived a few years in the the cold latitudes of Finland and a lot of years in the sub tropics of Queensland, Australia. I am toying with the idea of spending some of my pending retirement in beautiful Chile.
Here in Queensland, constructions have to follow a code which caters for cyclones, which basically means that the roof has to be secured by metal strapping or rods from Roof to foundations with walls braced for lateral strenght as well. So, out of interest, since I am capable and have built my own home, what are in the Chilean building precautions to withstand earthquakes?