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Buenos Aires or Santiago

post #1 of 21
12/28/11 at 1:42pm
Thread Starter 
I am double majoring in English/Spanish and have an opportunity to spend a semester abroad in either Buenos Aires or Santiago. From the SF perspective it seems like BA has more to offer than Santiago, but does anyone have any experience/advice with either? The caliber of school in Santiago is also a bit higher than the school in BA.
Shopping?
Dining?
Snowboarding/Skiing?
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post #2 of 21
1/4/12 at 2:34pm
I would totally go to Buenos Aires. BA definitely has more to offer. From a Spanish speaking perspective, I would also recommend going to Argentina. Chileans use a TON of slang, it really is insane how much slang they use. The Argentinian accent is a bit different from what you may be used to (Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Cubans in the US), but I'm pretty sure they use less slang than Chileans.

If you want Skiing, go to Santiago. There are mountains everywhere.

Shopping and Dining... Definitely Buenos Aires.

I live in Santiago. If you have any more questions, shoot me a PM.
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post #3 of 21
1/4/12 at 2:49pm
The emphasis that the modern male places on the quality of "shopping" is facepalm.gif The Eloi are arising.

I'd go Santiago and it's not even close.
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post #4 of 21
1/4/12 at 2:50pm
Buenos Aires without a doubt.

In fact, Argentina > Chile in pretty much every way.
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post #5 of 21
1/4/12 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FLMountainMan View Post

The emphasis that the modern male places on the quality of "shopping" is facepalm.gif The Eloi are arising.
I'd go Santiago and it's not even close.

You don't know how shopping is in Santiago... It's shit. Well, unless you have money to spend on full retail + 19% tax on Zegna or Hermes. I haven't tired bespoke, but am planning to this year. Bespoke is quite cheap here though, as it is in AR.

Hrmm, if you know BA, perhaps you're right. I've never been and the people who've told me BA is great for clothing wouldn't be considered SF style icons. Still, I have a feeling it's better.

Food must be better as food sucks in Santiago.
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post #6 of 21
1/4/12 at 4:39pm
NEver been to either but from what I've hear BA by a country mile.
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post #7 of 21
1/5/12 at 11:39am
I'd go to Santiago personally - just more fun to be in a city that is rapidly developing and has an amazing young vibe than the pseudo-Euroness of BA. Who the hell cares about quality of shopping as a metric for picking some place to live for just a short period? What are you going to buy in BA that is so special? Etiqueta Negra or that gaudy La Martina crap?

I mean, if you plan on hanging out and eating steak and drinking Malbec and that is your idea of spending a semester abroad - then I suppose BA might be better. But I definitely thought the people were more fun in Santiago.
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post #8 of 21
1/5/12 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicguy View Post

You don't know how shopping is in Santiago... It's shit. Well, unless you have money to spend on full retail + 19% tax on Zegna or Hermes. I haven't tired bespoke, but am planning to this year. Bespoke is quite cheap here though, as it is in AR.
Hrmm, if you know BA, perhaps you're right. I've never been and the people who've told me BA is great for clothing wouldn't be considered SF style icons. Still, I have a feeling it's better.
Food must be better as food sucks in Santiago.

BA has a 21% VAT, no?

Santiago is big and sprawling and apparently quite poor air quality. It's cheaper than BA though.

Frankly, you need to think about what kind of person you are, your resources, and then look at the advantages of each.
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post #9 of 21
1/5/12 at 8:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GQgeek View Post

BA has a 21% VAT, no?
Santiago is big and sprawling and apparently quite poor air quality. It's cheaper than BA though.
Frankly, you need to think about what kind of person you are, your resources, and then look at the advantages of each.

Don't know where you got the idea that Santiago is cheaper... Santiago is more expensive than BA or so all the locals tell me here. It's not NYC by any means, but it's not cheap. I average around 10 bucks for lunch out. Rent is cheap, in my eyes, but electricity is really high. Air sucks in winter, I mean it's really terrible, but it's fine the rest of the year.

Anyway, op told me he's going to Santiago, so that's that.
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post #10 of 21
1/5/12 at 9:12pm
Thread Starter 
My Hand's been forced and Santiago it will be. I will be able to take regular curriculum classes (as opposed to a watered down spanish track in BA).
While in South America I am going to run the Buenos Aires Marathon, so hopefully that will afford me the chance to see Argentina!
Thanks for the advice all.
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post #11 of 21
1/5/12 at 9:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicguy View Post

Don't know where you got the idea that Santiago is cheaper... Santiago is more expensive than BA or so all the locals tell me here. It's not NYC by any means, but it's not cheap. I average around 10 bucks for lunch out. Rent is cheap, in my eyes, but electricity is really high. Air sucks in winter, I mean it's really terrible, but it's fine the rest of the year.
Anyway, op told me he's going to Santiago, so that's that.

was basing it on rent because when i was looking santiago looked cheaper to me.
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post #12 of 21
1/8/12 at 12:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by samblackbones View Post

My Hand's been forced and Santiago it will be. I will be able to take regular curriculum classes (as opposed to a watered down spanish track in BA).
While in South America I am going to run the Buenos Aires Marathon, so hopefully that will afford me the chance to see Argentina!
Thanks for the advice all.

A shame. I'd say Buenos Aires by a mile, and then down to Bariloche for winter sports. Food, culture, nightlife, architecture, sports - everything is better to the east of the cordillera.
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post #13 of 21
1/8/12 at 6:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by El Argentino View Post

A shame. I'd say Buenos Aires by a mile, and then down to Bariloche for winter sports. Food, culture, nightlife, architecture, sports - everything is better to the east of the cordillera.

going in a month!! A week and a bit in BA, a week in patagonia, and a couple nights in iguazu. icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif
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post #14 of 21
1/8/12 at 7:32pm
they both have their advantages.
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post #15 of 21
1/8/12 at 7:48pm
Hmmmmmm I studied in Santiago, and it left me craving style and cool shit. There was like 1 indie boutique in a city of 7 million, and I went and it kind of sucked, but this was August to December 2007. No good coffee either. Pretty rough. It has awesome skiing rather close by however, and I went once. Santiago is good for partying, but Chilean women are heinous looking. It's a delicate balance.

I know for a fact that people in BA are way better looking and the food is better. Chilean food stinks. The chilean accent is OD nuts as well, and you will hear people end all their sentences in weon po cachai. Let that be a warning.

Chileans are smart, though, and I heard that class in Buenos Aires can be a complete joke. Chile has really good outdoorsy escapes. Fuck Pucon, hit up Torres del Paine and weave your way through the back roads of the Lakes Region from bus to bus. There are busses that go everywhere and it's outrageously easy to go to all the remote places if you keep enough small change in your wallet. Don't let the jaded australian back packers and their wining ruin your semester! haha.

I wish I had looked into bespoke stuff while I was their... SHIT.

Also just reread your post... If you're a lit major, then BA has the more baller legacy, unless you really get down with Gabriela Mistral!
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