While we would love to tell you about the many local activities, the diverse ways the people who come from all over the world to vacation in Chile celebrate and enjoy the summer months, the feel of the air, the indescribable (but we try anyway….) esthetically pleasing and sublimely  Read More ]]> An American Family’s Adventures in Chile, Part IV
¡Hola, Hi, Bonjour, Hej!

While we would love to tell you about the many local activities, the diverse ways the people who come from all over the world to vacation in Chile celebrate and enjoy the summer months, the feel of the air, the indescribable (but we try anyway….) esthetically pleasing and sublimely fragrant flowering trees and plants; how much WE enjoy living it up “Chile-Style,” because summer in the southern hemisphere DOES feel different in a most relaxing, no-stress, party all day way, (okay, time-out for a breath, gotta finish this run-on sentence….), we think it is high time to share a few of our personal ruminations. We are now going to spend some time writing about the emergence of Chile into the World Market. Since we did our fair share of traveling and researching the world BEFORE we decided that Chile would be our new home, perhaps in our humble thoughts and writings you will find some useful information.

It is no secret that Chile is poised for tremendous growth and there are opportunities galore for anyone with the brains and background necessary to take this thriving, economically healthy country to the next level in world economic affairs. The fact that there are corporations around the world who have brought with them a great influx of wealth into the country of Chile is also no secret, but what IS a bit of a secret is this: Chile is like a young adult looking out at its world-wide “audience” from behind the curtains on a stage. Chile, like a young adult soon to experience college graduation, has their entire future before them. Chile is the Class Valedictorian, the student voted Most Likely to Succeed AND the student with the Highest Grade point Average all rolled up into ONE, sweet, innocent package.

Chile has all the bases covered but they have had little practical experience as of yet. Chile is not the seasoned veteran in world economics and lacks some street smarts. Textbook education and hands-on education are two different animals and the USA has been raising the bar of technology and innovation for many, many years. During this time, Chile has been watching the world and the USA in particular, as it has quietly been growing and gaining its education. Chile has learned many lessons and the world is now waiting and watching to see what will occur in Chile. We think the world is in for a very BIG surprise.
While Chile really does need a bit more experience, it does lack street smarts. We gringos from the USA have been in economic warp drive for so many years that the creative engines are beginning to suffer from age-related problems and could use at the very least, a tune-up. The USA has been a world leader in production, per capita GDP and agricultural output for so long that it is now simply taken for granted. The rate of growth experienced in the States, while significant over the years, pales in comparison to Chile’s when you consider what Chile has accomplished.

Try to appreciate what has taken place in Chile within the last 20 years: Chile has developed a world-class infrastructure with excellent transportation, communication and medical systems, which are all now in place. The Chilean banking system is stable, consistent and has plenty of capital to lend for worthy projects. The ports are modern and efficient. Chile also has one of the most transparent economies in the world today.

Few, if ANY countries can boast the types of accomplishments and advancements that Chile has achieved in such a relatively short period of time. Chile’s diligence and hard work has paid off. Yet, in the not too distant past, most Chileans accepted dirt roads and ferry rides across the many rivers, just to reach ONE particular town. Thirty years ago, it was an adventure to travel from Santiago to Pucón! Now it takes about eight hours and the roads are so nice it is hard to believe it could possibly have EVER been any different!

Take one moment to picture the changes that have taken place in the USA and many parts of the world in the past 30 years. Faxes, calculators, desktop computers, hand’s-free car phones and a TV/DVD player IN the car, also, just to keep the kids occupied during a last-minute business briefing, not to mention remote controls that can be programmed to turn on lights in your home, open up the garage, disable the electronic security system, if you have one and even tell your microwave to defrost the frozen dinner and voila, you will arrive home where dinner is served! There’s more though: cell phones, electronic banking, specialized inventory control systems and even real-time tracking of order shipments via satellite positioning. In addition to all of these changes which most of us have either helped develop or at the very least utilize, there are literally thousands of industrial advancements and technological improvements. No one can deny that change has been incredible and widespread in Chile.

Try to envision all of these same changes that occurred in the USA, taking place in a country which not too many years before, had trouble supplying something as simple, yet necessary, as bread to its citizens. Chile was a country with little-to-no infrastructure. We recently had lunch with a Chilean-born son of Russian immigrants. He recounted the above-mentioned drive from Santiago to Pucón, now an easy eight-hour drive. Back in his youth, and this was NOT very long ago, it did take three days to accomplish this now-comfortable journey. There were ferries needed for crossing the many rivers and the road was dusty, dry gravel nearly the entire way.

Look around your favorite US supermarket as you shop for groceries. The Vegetable department is a good place to start. As you look at the bounty of beautiful fruits and vegetables available for you to enjoy year-round, you may notice a small plastic sticker on the plump, juicy tomatoes, avocadoes, oranges, peaches, nectarines and more…. The list should probably take in almost the entire produce department, and we think most of the stickers probably will say, “Product of Chile.” Remember, while you are up North and are enjoying a winter snow- or rainstorm, down our way, we are enjoying a warm-to-hot and quite beautiful summer. This explains those stickers on the produce. You are looking at fruit and vegetables that were most likely still attached to their respective trees or vines down here in Chile just last week. It is truly amazing how fast produce can be picked, processed and packed for shipment into the USA and then off it goes to stores all across the USA and the world. This has all occurred in a relatively short period of time.

Take a walk to the freezer section of Costco, if you have one of those warehouse stores nearby. You will most likely find that the frozen salmon you just put in your cart originated in Chile. Chile is the world’s second largest salmon producer! Then there is the wood paint stirring sticks you may need. The sticks from Chile can be found at a Home Depot; or, because one third of the world’s copper comes from Chile, whenever you flip on a light switch, you can probably thank Chile for the copper wiring used throughout your house. Combine all of this with a stable, democratic society and a progressive economic system, set up by Harvard-educated pencil-pushers and you can easily see that Chile is a shining star and has, in many ways accomplished the impossible. Chile had a budget surplus last year, sold more goods to foreign countries than it purchased and kept inflation to a low and manageable level. There is a strong middle class with high home ownership figures and an excellent education system that now requires English to be taught.

As we look around the world, we view Chile as a country who has not only paid its dues but it has also formed a solid base that can sustain an avalanche of its own economic growth and prosperity. We really cannot see this type of preparation for future growth in any other country on Earth. Europe and the USA are becoming large debtor nations with huge impending Social Security problems. The primary exports from the USA, besides weapons are technology and knowledge. There is no question that the USA possesses vast knowledge and technological resources. These are resources which are much more difficult to come by in a country which has just lifted itself from the depths of poverty and are in high demand in a country hungry to feed its engine of growth and prosperity.

The volume of wine, produce, salt and other goods which Chile has contracted to sell to the world grows with each passing year and shows no signs of decreasing in any of the scenarios we have envisioned as the future of Chile. It is exciting for us to be viewing this economic growth from within this country as well, for we feel the pride that each one of Chile’s citizen’s wears as a badge of honor. Everything looks to be in place for Chile’s grand entrance into the world economic community. Chile is a country whose future is being noticed more and more in boardrooms around the world. There have been whispers in the past and these whispers have given way to investing. No one can say that Chile is a bad or irresponsible investment, NO ONE! The time is right for investments, technological advancement, diversification and most importantly the introduction of “Smart Money.”

We have recently been introduced to a whole new crop of Chile’s industrial movers and shakers. It turns out that with the many foreign investment incentives and the high number of wealthy Chilean corporations, Chile is not in need of financial capital. What the wise operators in Chile are aware of is that Chile is, in a sense, naive in terms of big business. It isn’t the Presidents and Vice Presidents per se but the rest of the organizations who need a broadening of their perspectives. We still see typewriters in use at many locations. The people of Chile DO have a newfound sense of prosperity but they are still immature and not quite sure how to handle this prosperity. People from the USA have experienced so much more in our lives. We were born into prosperity. Most of the successful in Chile have experienced prosperity for a relatively short time. They are just beginning to see heroes emerge who were able to raise themselves from poverty to wealth. People from the United States have seen and heard these success stories for almost their entire lives. McDonald’s, KFC’s Colonel Sanders, Bill Gates, Apple Computers and Sam Walton (Wal-Mart), are but a few of the many incredible success stories which are accompanied by thousands of other smaller-scale rags-to-riches stories. People from the USA now have a certain cultural expectation of prosperity. Through all of this we have seen and been involved in the creation and building of the financial and economic empire that is the USA.

So what is the point anyway? Well, what we have become aware of is that Chile is in desperate need of importing certain attitudes, procedures, and systems which have become common and everyday in the States but which escape the thoughts and expectations of the average Chilean. Chile now needs to have the bar raised. It is taking place as we speak. The window of opportunity will be short but for those who get in now, we honestly believe the sky is the limit. The financial and business leaders of Chile are infinitely aware of this and therefore the term “smart money” has been circulating around various boardrooms where the future of Chile is being mapped out. Chile needs YOUR knowledge and is willing to pay for it. Should an investor enter Chile with capital, so much the better? We know of a few opportunities for sizable investments in the neighborhood of, say, $30-50 million dollars. With that amount of money one could buy into an established Chilean company and the already-established company will reciprocate by depositing an equal amount of money back to your corporation or actually a trade of shares of ownership. The Chilean company knows that along with the outside ownership comes outside technology, systems and know-how. In addition will come visions for the future, which do seem to be a scarce commodity in Chile at the present time. Chilean companies want to hire US Vice-Presidents, Corporate Managers and Directors. They want the vision and the expertise. They also do not necessarily want “youthful” visionaries. Chile happens to revere the more seasoned Director or Manager. Youth is good, but when any growth-spurt is present, the wisdom that comes with experience is preferable.

For hundreds of years Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina have had their respective histories. International corporations from Europe and the USA have long had operations in the Southern Cone. Before the Panama Canal, a great number of freighters plied the waters of the Straights of Magellan and made the great port cities of these countries their ports of call. That was then and this is now. Now is the beginning of the new Global Age. Many of us are feeling change is in the wind as we look at the great Northern Empires in the USA and Europe. We are looking for the newest, safest and best place under the sun. We all, well some of us anyway, want a piece of heaven on Earth and maybe a little bit more than our fair share of the new prosperity.

If one comes to Chile with the desire of building a nice retirement home for oneself, on a beautiful parcel overlooking the ocean, a river or a lake and perhaps have a golf course nearby, that is one thing and it is a very viable plan for a good number of reasons. However, on an entirely different level, if those same people have families who need to work and who need opportunity, people who either own or represent large corporations or have expertise working for a progressive Northern operation, they have a whole different reason to relocate to Chile. Corporate planners should begin educating themselves regarding the opportunities possible if they invest and export their technology and systems to Chile. Chilean corporations are looking for firms to invest in their Chilean companies, not for the money but for the knowledge and vision these firms can provide. There are opportunities all over the world but few are as ripe for planting a seed and actually seeing it grow and bear fruit, as is possible, at this very moment, in Chile. The soil has been tilled, the water system is in, and transportation, warehousing and distribution are all in place. Everything is ready to simply sow some seeds and add some catalyst. This same logic would equally apply for a smaller venture as well as an individual looking for a new job in a new land. Whether one is looking for a corporate officer’s position, middle management or a position in a field of technical specialization, there should be vast opportunities waiting. If one is looking to develop their own small business and you have some expertise or you are interested in partnering with an existing Chilean firm, chances are that you may possess the special vision and insight necessary to make a success of yourself in the Southern-most country in the world.

In so many respects Chile has been hiding out while building the foundation for a new second Millennium, First World Country. The cover has been pulled off, the curtains are being drawn back, the signs are available for is now open for business! The question is, are you ready to step up to the plate? If so, look to the South, behind the protection of the worlds driest desert and the nearly impassible Andes. Hiding in plain sight, for all to see is a beautiful country named Chile. The curtain is beginning to rise, are you ready?

What a momentous and unexpectedly poignant year we have just finished wrapping up and storing away! We hope this bit of correspondence from our home in the heart of Chile finds each and every one of you healthy and happy! Hopefully you have been enjoying our commentary as we “struggle” to enjoy the beautiful summer days  Read More ]]> Feliz y Prospero Año Nuevo!

What a momentous and unexpectedly poignant year we have just finished wrapping up and storing away! We hope this bit of correspondence from our home in the heart of Chile finds each and every one of you healthy and happy! Hopefully you have been enjoying our commentary as we “struggle” to enjoy the beautiful summer days and warm nights as well. It IS a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Before we proceed any further, we have a, “We’re Terribly Sorry,” note we MUST add. Read on….

In our previous posting we had been discussing some of the differences between countries and one bit of mis-information which we THOUGHT had been trashed, must have climbed out of the tambor de basura (trash can) and made it out into cyberspace. DRAT this darned technology-stuff, anyway!

New Zealand does NOT, we repeat, does NOT have any dangerous snakes or crocodiles! To the many people who wrote to us and brought this to our attention, we say, “mea culpa.” We knew this to be true, but during our internal editing process somehow New Zealand had been entered in when it should have been Australia. We have relatives in New Zealand, who we know have been shaking their heads in disbelief and we have received more than a few snippety emails from them. Any and all bandages for our burned and blistered bodies may be sent directly to Bonnie and Gary Paulsson in Pucón, CHILE! That being said, it is now time to get back on our Chilean horses and take you on a bit of a tour this month!

All latitudes in Chile have something to offer. No matter what season/climate you prefer, there is probably a place in Chile that will charm, delight and perhaps even steal your heart. For us it was the Lakes District because it resembles the Lake Tahoe of our youth. As our kids would say, “you know, back before electricity.” Lake Tahoe was fantastic before the hoards of people came in and decided to over-run that lake’s charm and solitude with crowds, huge SUVs and outrageously high real estate prices. They came, we left.

In our particular location in Chile, it rains like the devil in July and August, but aside from a few well-timed deluges which do occur a few times in the other months (we say this because we think good old Mom Earth has an irrigation timer in this part of the world….), the Lakes District of Chile is of particular beauty from the months of November-on and this great beauty usually lasts well into the month of May. The months of April and May are filled with a canvas of fall colors that contrast with the deep dark foliage of the many evergreens in our area.

Walking into the vegetable market is an experience unto itself. It is located on the main thoroughfare in Pucón, named O’Higgins. There you may gaze upon heads of lettuce and cabbages the size of basketballs, lemons the size of grapefruit (except for the “special” lemons [kinda look like limes to us....], used to make Pisco Sours which are actually quite small), sweet, juicy cherries and ripe golden peaches just begging to be tasted. We would advise (for us this is a necessity) to shop on a full stomach or you will wind up buying more fruits and vegetables than you will be able to fit into any refrigerator OR fruit bowl, unless you wish to put bowls out in every possible room! At no time have we EVER become ill from eating any fresh fruits or vegetables in Chile. Ditto the drinking water.

The taste of the perfectly ripened tomatoes that actually DO HAVE the taste of a real tomato and are not a beautiful bit of biological mush is an adventure in itself! BTW, because I mentioned the street named O’Higgins, I feel it is necessary to warn you that in Chile, every town or city throughout this magnificent country seems to have a street named O’Higgin’s. This might be a governmental obligation, but we thought we should bring this to your attention.

We feel it is also important to mention that all of the scenery in these parts did not get here without lots of help from Mother Nature. Last winter she outdid herself, so we have enjoyed the most spectacular floral art exhibition this year, one of immense beauty and proportion. We did face a few days during the previous winter when we wondered if the magnetic poles might be shifting or perhaps a guy named Noah was going to come floating by our home asking us if we needed a ride! Still, every drop of rain brought with it one more blooming flower.

Summer in the Lakes District of Chile is a most amazing time of the year. Because we receive an annual rainfall between 75 and 100 inches of rain each year, the greenery in these parts is profoundly beautiful, diverse and quite frankly one does tend to get mesmerized by the many vibrant colors. The smallest of wildflowers looks as if it is a perfectly executed bit of artistry, perhaps painted with a brush containing but one fine hair, dipped into a bit of color so divinely rare that it is impossible to comprehend the artist was actually able to painstakingly capture the essence of such scarce beauty and not simply once, but again and again and for as far as the eye can see. Bearing witness to such notable beauty and the magnificence of our Earthly home calls for a moment of silence…..

Okay, moment’s up! Let’s get back on the road, okay?

Not too long ago we had the good fortune to take a trek up the Volcano Villarrica with a new friend of ours (and if you happen to be reading this, “Hi” Don Roberto!), in order to get up close and personal and see for ourselves the 360º panorama of what should be called “peering into forever,” since the air is clear and seems so pure. One truly can see very long distances for the many mountain ranges in this area are all on display. The word “breathtaking,” is a BIG understatement and it is not due to lack of oxygen to the brain, either! What you see is kilometer after kilometer of mountains and lakes with snowcapped volcanoes interspersed like rare gemstones on a cape of luminous silk.

About two-thirds of the way up the volcano, stands the remains of gigantic tree trunks. These trees look to be at least 30 meters tall with a diameter in excess of two to three meters! We can only assume they are the sole remnants of a large volcanic eruption in the early 1960′s. In the coming years, this particular location above and behind Pucón, will be busy with construction crews, all of whom will be actively involved in the construction of the proposed and newly funded $50 million dollar winter resort area.

This new resort complex will assuredly be an instant success! For years now, many people flock to the six chairlifts that have been in place upon the mountain for more than a few years. Many days when it is cloudy and/or raining like the dickens at the elevation of the Lago Villarrica, the sun is brilliantly shining on fresh, crisp snow that is just begging to be played in skied and/or snowboarded on!

The high amount of annual rainfall at the base of the volcano means that the annual snowfall up on the sides and into the cone of the Volcano Villarrica is just the spot for world class skiing or snowboarding. One can even collect some dried bamboo along the way up the mountain to make a couple of good, strong trekking sticks or ski poles, if you accidentally left yours back at the hotel….. Nothing is quite as nice, lightweight or fine as a strong branch of dried bamboo. Bamboo, surprisingly enough, is an evergreen. It usually grows in large clumps that spread and will become quite dense. These clumps grow and flourish for about ten years and then begin to die off. No one that we have asked has been able to tell us why this happens, but I have a feeling that someone will be telling us in an e-mail, now that we have mentioned it…. Also, while there are no tropical jungles in Chile, it does come pretty darn close to this type of wilderness in many areas but instead of jungles with monkeys they are temperate rain forests and anyone looking for a monkey will be sadly disappointed, unless it happens to be one of your children climbing in the trees or swinging from a vine.

This summer finds us becoming more settled in our new surroundings, adding bits and pieces to our new lives, finding and making many new friends, boating, attending Asados, enjoying evening cocktails on the patio and having a bit of summer fun here in Chile. Sorry y’all, but we be enjoying the high season down this way! Verano, aka summer, is in full swing in JANUARY!

Ah, the gentle breezes that make their way across the Lago Villarrica…. The extended hours of daylight…. In Verano (Summer), the fashion here in Chile is to enjoy late night dining and then head off to a private party or go out dancing afterwards. Good times are to be had by all. Everything being relative, these late evening dinner hours are considered perfectly normal to the vacationers that open up their shuttered homes for the summer. Our peaceful little town grows from it’s normal 10,000 residents, to about 50-100,000 people and that may be an understatement Sigh, we are just sticks-in-the mud and prefer to act like slugs and slowly make our way into the kitchen, do a bit of grazing and retire to our pool, but for many vacationers, the hours from eight pm to at least three am are the main entertainment hours. Mid-to-late afternoon is the time when the crowds spend their days either dreaming away on the beautiful black sand beaches of the Lago Villarrica, playing out in the sun, perhaps hiking in the forests or boating on the lake until someone decides it is now time to begin to enjoy the evening…..Such heaven, such warmth, such love….Don’t worry, be happy!

Now we will share with you a most amazing secret we happened to discover a few months ago. This “secret” is located up in the mountains about thirty kilometers out of Pucon. Our son had been picking up some spare cash by operating a small tractor, helping to build a new road on a friend’s property. His girlfriend had been keeping him company while he worked. She struck up a conversation with a local maestro (worker). He informed her about an interesting spot across the road from where they were working.

Julia and Kris told us about this kind of “cool” place and said we would have to check it out one day. We didn’t think much of that remark at the time since they didn’t make it out to be anything other than an interesting place with some hot springs which, when you live in paradise that is made up of quite a few rivers, waterfalls, hot springs, etc., one more addition is not such a big deal.

A couple of weeks later we were all driving out past this spot. Kris asked if we were interested in stopping and taking a little walk to see the hot springs. Okay, why not….

We expected to see a bunch of rocks piled up in the river, nothing special, maybe a few streams of hot water bubbling up. Anyway, we really wanted some exercise more than anything else, so we decided to make the trek. This did happen to involve crawling through a couple of barbed wire fences….and Oh, did we mention that there were signs everywhere, but NOT in English, that read Private Property? We decided if we were caught we would play the ignorance card. I was going to wear my finest Swedish accent……

As fate would have it, this was no ordinary “cool” place. WOW is all we can say! Actually Kris and Julia had “punk’d” us, but good (when you get punk’d, it is kind of like being made to look like the village idiot, just not quite so badly, well….maybe sometimes, anyway).

We have to try and explain this rapturous place, the steps carved out of solid crystalline rock, wood and clay that someone had put many hundreds of man-hours of labor into creating. We had no idea what the destination would be like until we actually reached it, because we had to watch every, single footstep. It would have been easy to make one foolish move and then it would be “chao for us!” The fall would have been brutal and quite final.

The steps that were made of wood were practically like a ladder, so we assume someone a LOT younger than the two of us had to have been the engineer of such a project! This serendipitous spot has to be one of the most fantastic and ingenious feats of handmade engineering to be found anywhere on Earth, as well as one of the most beautiful places we have EVER SEEN, IN OUR ENTIRE LIVES!!!!

This was more than a “cool” experience. This was a glimpse of a REAL primeval

Jungle, with a twist because this was not a jungle at all, it was a forest totally free of dangerous OR poisonous critters, except perhaps the wild boars, but THEY too would be hard-pressed to keep from falling into the river below.

No mosquitoes, NOTHING that could make us itch, swell up…..or worse. All around us were sheer rock cliffs filled with vines, ferns and bamboo that grew out of the cracks and every step of the way there was always a bamboo branch that was exactly where it was needed to steady oneself, or a wood railing that had been cut from the thick forest which enveloped us and had been strung between trees. There were the clay steps, looking as if they were swept regularly, MY GOD!!!! There were giant quartzite rocks with moss, ferns, vines and water that glistened as it slid silently down these gigantic rock monoliths. The river below was deafening as it echoed down the canyon. We felt as if we would go deaf if we spent more than ten minutes in that spot and we are already always yelling out to each other, “what did you say?” Also, we fully expected to see a dinosaur or a pterodactyl, we truly did. We thought this was what it must feel like to be in an ancient jungle, on the verge of finding the Lost City that held all of the answers for humanity.

The many differing varieties of ferns that were the size of cars and the dazzlingly beautiful flowers and so MANY different types of foliage, vines, trees, anything and everything you can imagine and in every color imaginable! We would be willing to bet that a botanist would find many new species of moss or ferns with every footstep. We can also imagine an archaeologist WOULD find something in that spot….just a feeling….but…..everything was just TOO perfect. On second thought, the hand of whomever or whatever has created us has shown us that we are but fools to believe that we can compete with such majesty. Mankind is foolish, indeed, except when they work to create beauty such as the small addition to the river we visited that day.

We finally reached the bottom of this sheer rock cliff to find that it was part of an overhang and underneath was…..a, no, THE most beautiful natural and manmade term, (thermal hot spring) with a few cemented-in rocks that looked as if they were jade, also a perfectly symmetrical stairway into the pool. The pool itself was built so that it could always empty itself and refill, just-so. The water was the PERFECT temperature. From a sheer rock cliff, out of a small crack flowed the hot water, seeping out from the bottom of the granite and forming into a natural pool just at the edge and a few feet above the level of the raging river. Directly across the river was another sheer rock cliff jetting up with a magnificent waterfall cascading downwards, dressed on each side by gigantic ferns and brilliant wild flowers that also cascaded down the rock cliff, like well-placed curtains. All of this was in such an unsuspecting spot. From the road, we would have expected to find just another forest access to the river but certainly not the sheer drop which was at least 200 feet straight down to the river with that slightly-enhanced-by-man, natural hot pool added to the river’s edge. The craftsmanship of such an “on the edge” trail leading down to the river was amazing all by itself. We will remember every single bit of moss, coiled baby fern….we do not know who this (these?) person (s?) is (are?), we do not know when he (they?) made this spot, we do not know how on earth they FOUND this spot, how they found the small crack in the mountainous rock cliff, where the warm water even comes out and enters the river….actually, we sometimes imagine this must have been the site of spiritual rituals held by some past native race, before the terma was “enhanced.”

We do not know HOW he/they even got supplies down that breakneck trail and WHO made the trail in the first place????? WE have seen something that only a few people will ever have the joy to see, to feel, and the absolutely perfect temperature as well….We wanted to share this experience with you and OH how we wish we had a camera, but we would probably STILL be there at this moment if we had one…..ah the earth and man….together so much is possible.

We wish we could do justice with words, to that transcendental spot, to that amazing day, but it was so much more than amazing. We wanted to leave you with this image of our Chile. We decided not to go into the technical aspects of Chile this month and/or doing business, expatriating or buying your new dream property. That can all be left to future months or perhaps e-mails. This month it was necessary for us to reflect and we also wished to give you a special gift from Chile, for the Chile we have come to know and love is made up of places like the ones above. Next month we can get back onto the E-book, our tours and helping all of you great people find your own paradise. Oh, by the way, mid-February is the start of the peak salmon season in the south of Chile for any of you fishermen out there!

Thanks again to all of the new friends who have been writing us and especially to the great people who have been actually getting off their behinds and joining us on a private exclusive tour of their own design, to show them exactly what they want to see and know about making Chile a new home or a place to invest.

Take care and until next month,

Chao for Now!

Gary and Bonnie

Gary and Bonnie, now happily settled in the Lakes District of Chile, offer Property Investment, Retirement and Relocation Tours to Chile, will happily assist with any needs involving your property acquisition/relocation and they offer an E-Book detailing their adventures in Chile. This book is packed with loads of excellent information on relocating to Chile.

The following are the previous articles that Gary and Bonnie wrote for the magazine:

A Family Affair In Chile ~ In the Beginning

Moving To Chile, Part Two ~ Chile Measured Up!

Unexpectedly, many of the people who contacted us were from within Chile who had business opportunities currently available!  Read More ]]> Hola from Chile! Our last article concerned Chile’s interest in attracting “Smart Capital.” Since that article hit cyber-space, we were once again over-run with requests for more detailed information such as how one can go about finding employment and/or business investment opportunities here.

Unexpectedly, many of the people who contacted us were from within Chile who had business opportunities currently available! We already knew of a few, but WOW! If anyone out there is interested, we just might have THE connection for whatever you are seeking or maybe we can at least point you in the right direction!

With this in mind we decided we would expand on the “opportunities in Chile” theme a bit in order to more full y support our readers. We are also going to be working on and updating our website http://chile-yen.com/chile-yen/business-opportunities/business-and-career-opportunities-in-chile/ and adding new opportunities as they become available or as we become aware of them. Also you will find some links to job search tools in Chile. We wish you “Buena Suerte!”

First, we will explain the types of opportunities we alluded to in our prior article. We will start with the high-end opportunities and move on down to the less expensive. We feel we should add that tag in case John Q. Public had a case of sticker shock with some of the first listings.

Large Corporate Investments

On a grand scale we know of a couple larger ($100,000,000+ USD) corporations who are looking for an infusion of capital, better technology, know-how and personnel. We are willing to make the proper introductions upon request and as circumstances warrant.

In this sector is a corporation that has submitted an application to the government of Chile for a hotel/casino/family entertainment business to the tune of $94,000,000 USD plus or minus. While this particular project has not been issued government approval as of this writing, it is likely it will be given to the corporation that has applied and this is a major project. The developers are interested in finding a US-based investor/operator with casino operations experience to participate in this project. Currently there is the developer and another investor with holdings/operations in four countries including Peru, Venezuela, Aruba and Slovakia. Anyone out there interested?

Another larger-scale opportunity is with an established Chilean tract home builder who would entertain the prospect of a US-based home builder willing to invest in this company and (P LEASE!!!!) bring their knowledge of home building with them. That “please” in parentheses is from someone in this family (“It’s me, your wife Bonnie, Gary!”) who misses a few creature comforts we all had grown used to up north. WHY they are not to be found here is a mystery to the both of us! This builder is seeking the expertise of a US-based homebuilder to infuse their knowledge of home building and corporate operations into this Chilean corporation. (“Por favor?” Bon P).

Land Development – $1,500,000 USD

If you read our last newsletter, you know we wrote about the Super Special Opportunity to own a fantastic piece of paradise, 142 hectares or 355 acres, depending on how much or what you would like to purchase, since the owner is more than willing to negotiate and split his parcel. The sky’s the limit on this one, folks!

Just thinking of owning a bit of this property (with hot springs nearby, mmmmmm), makes us wish we could have a piece of the action on this one. Seriously, we cannot imagine a more beautiful spot to call your own. One could subdivide, buy just a portion, there is so much flexibility regarding this particular property and we haven’t even gotten around to telling you about the perks yet! There is a lagoon, a waterfall, year-round creeks, nati ve hardwood and pine trees abound as does bamboo, ferns and the delicious Mora berry bushes!
This property is a steal, if you want the entire parcel ($4,230 USD per acre)! We challenge you to find similar acreage ANYWHERE, with utilities, a micro-hydroelectric plant, a new home, a large metal outbuilding with built-in watchman’s quarters, road access and absolutely beautiful 360 degree vistas at such a bargain-basement price along with the opportunity for a subdivision.

Fish Farming in the Lakes District of Chile + Lease for Hydro-Electric Power Generation – $1,200,000 USD

In the area of Pucon, about 6 km out of the town itself is a truly unique investment opportunity! You may or may not know this, but Chile happens to be the SECOND largest salmon producer in the entire world! Norway is the largest. Wow, we learn new things every day!

Here is a little lesson in fish farming. First the salmon eggs are hatched, fed and put in large, clean tanks where they are kept in fresh, oxygenated water. The final cycle in the life of a farm-raised salmon’s life is spent in pens in the ocean. Like we said, this is a unique business. The land where the hatchery is located also comes with water rights. All of the groundwork has been laid for this business and one of the two existing partners is a very intelligent, sharp English-speaking Chilean woman. A feasibility study has been performed and all the research for the land, water rights and the business model as well as the land and water rights themselves are a part of this investment.

The fish farm is structured in such a way that when the larger salmon-producing companies deliver a truckload of eggs along with those eggs, they bring the food as well. Several months later, the trucks come to pick up the young fish for transportation to a second farm. One of the partners has a young biologist on staff to oversee the entire project and make sure that all sanitation, safety concerns or any other potential issues are attended to immediately.

The approximate investment required for this project, including the property which is over 150 acres and the water rights (water rights are very important!), etc., is about $1.5 million USD or if you would prefer to be a partial investor, we have two existing clients who are willing to offer a three-way split with your portion of $500,000 USD as an investment. Everything is up for negotiation.

Contact us through our website if you desire more information.

A great secondary stream of income from this fish farm and perhaps another investment opportunity for the right person is a micro hydro-electric plant. You can either explore this as an investment yourself or it would be possible to lease the rights to another investor to develop and sell the hydro-based electricity.

There is so much water flowing through this parcel, there are ample resources for the fish farm as well as the hydro-electric plant. Since virtually all of the area’s electricity is generated a significant distance away, it is more beneficial for the power company to purchase its power locally. This opens up an opportunity for mini hydro-electric generation.

Hotel with a View of the Lake and the Volcano! – $700,000 USD

A main tourist location on the shores of a beautiful lake is a very nice 13 room hotel with a bar and a restaurant. This hotel is loaded with charm and character. This sale includes the real estate and you can begin making money from day one!

If it’s a Restaurant You are Looking for – $505,000 USD

Located in a major tourist town, this is an established restaurant including six rooms with private baths for rental income. Include breakfast with room or not. Convenient and popular with views of the lake and the volcano. We can refer you to the person who can provide you with more information and photos.

On the Lighter (Easier on the Wallet) Side

On a more modest scale, we have come across several opportunities for any of you small business types who may be thinking about a change of scenery but still need to make a living or perhaps you just want to keep busy. We can help you do that, oh, and with a change of address too!

Your Very Own Fishing Lodge – $380,000 USD

First up is a beautiful seven bedroom, seven bath (all ensuite) lodge south of Puerto Montt, in the X Region of Chile (all Regions in Chile are denoted by Roman Numerals. The “X” does not stand for “X-Rated!” This lodge has an established reputation for splendor and excellence because the lodge itself is a work of art and the surroundings are but a few examples of Mother Nature’s finest work! The clientele includes the former President of Chile, Mr. Lagos, himself!

Since this property has river frontage along with another great river nearby, its potential as a fishing lodge immediately springs to our minds. It is not currently being used with that thought in mind, largely because the current owners aren’t ardent fishermen/women. It is currently owned and operated by a husband and wife team but there is competent help available in the local community should you not wish to do any of the work yourself. Perhaps you are more interested in guiding fishing excursions and leaving the cooking and cleaning to some competent local help. The owners currently occupy this lodge, as well.

There is great potential here for the right investor/operator(s). The lodge is located just a short distance from a small fishing town on the shores of the Bay of Ancud. It sits (river’s edge!) on one hectare of land and the road up to the lodge has been recently widened and improved. It is also located in a NO PROPERTY TAX ZONE, YAY!

If one was inclined to turn this fully-furnished 4,000 plus sq.ft. guest house into a fishing lodge, make note that many fishing lodges in the southern part of Chile, charge upwards of $500 USD a day, all-inclusive (that means everything from fishing guides, tackle, boats and food, folks!). To also have the bathroom en suite is a luxury, as well because most lodges make you share a bathroom. The lodge has benefited from a steady stream of customers and there are many repeat customers also. It has been lovingly and beautifully maintained which makes this spot even more desirable, but we are most likely biased, since the owners are personal friends of ours!

Restaurant Along the Main Highway in Front Modern Custom Home in the Back! – $310,000 USD

Moving up north a bit, to Region IX (the Lakes District) on a main highway leading to the quaint town of Villarrica about 3.5 km outside of town, is a one-half hectare parcel. What makes this particular property desirable as well as unique is not only the new 4,000 sq.ft. building with great highway frontage but to the rear of the property of this well-built, modern and inviting building is a lovely, modern 3,000 sq. ft. two year old custom-built home complete with an in-ground swimming pool! The home is fully fenced and quite private, so there is no need to worry about people wandering over to the house after dinner or shopping.

This home was built with no costs spared and this is some spread! The graceful two-story home has everything one could ask for. There is a lovely living room, a dining room, a family room, a private office area and a guest bathroom. The maid’s quarter’s with private bath is just off the large, open kitchen with breakfast nook, island, pantry and oversized laundry room. Upstairs you will find a large master bedroom ensuite, closet space galore, a guest room also with a full bathroom ensuite, three bedrooms that share one bath and…. Well, there is simply too much to list!

This is a must-see-it-to-believe-it home. Imagine having your own business within walking distance of your fully-fenced home. Asking price? How does $320,000 USD for this entire set-up sound? Now this is a REALLY fine deal, wouldn’t you agree? The family is motivated to sell and since they would like a quick sale, this is almost too good to be true!

Cabanas on Three Acres – $330,000 USD

If its cabins you want here are eight of them on a nicely maintained three acre property. It is located close to the lake and comes with a swimming pool too!

A Nice Little Bed & Breakfast! – $200,000 USD

Also in the Lakes District, a main tourist location in a town on the shores of a beautiful sunny lake is a 12+ bed Bed and Breakfast or “Hospedaje” as they are called here. This B&B has eleven+ years worth of operating history and it has been written up in most of the tourist publications on Chile as well. The current operators say you can unplug the phone and still have a steady stream of new and repeat customers walk through the door.

This business includes the sale of the property and you can begin making money from day one. It would also be quite possible to add some additional rooms to this B&B since there is more room in the back of the property. This B&B is located in an International Tourist destination, thus it lends itself to an International (read: English-speaking) owner/investor. The asking price is just over $200,000 USD for everything. You can even live here too!

Port of Call Business Opportunity – $110,000 USD

Next up is a business opportunity we stumbled upon in the port city of Valparaiso. Valparaiso has been named a World Heritage site and is a historic port city from the days before the Panama Canal. It is also a growing port for sea freight. This business is owned and operated by a Canadian man and his Chilean wife. The man’s mother has recently become quite ill so it is necessary for him to return to Canada. Since he has no idea how long he will have to be in Canada, putting the business up for sale instead of trying to run it long-distance seemed to be a better idea for his family.

This is a combination Restaurant, Internet Cafe and International Telephone Center with a full alcohol license and it is an ideal business for a foreigner to own and operate since so many of its customers are from around the world. As a matter of fact, the owner feels it probably should be a foreigner who purchases this business. Valparaiso is one of the major shipping ports in Chile. It is also a Port of Call for the many cruise ship lines which have begun adding Chile to their itineraries in increasing numbers. This business specifically caters to the crews of the freighters and the cruise ships. As a matter of fact, after 8 pm each night, only ship’s crews are allowed inside.

Internet Cafes have become a “home-away-from-home” for many people, whether they are simply on vacation or work as crew on cargo ships or cruise liners. People DO like to stay connected with their families! Another sideline to this nice nest of businesses is they are allowed to sell (Duty-Free!) Premium for Export Only, Chilean Wines for the International sea travelers.

Come One Come All!

Now, if you have an idea for a new business, there may be no better place than Chile to try out your idea because Chile welcomes businesses of all types, labor costs are minimal and in some cases, you just might get assistance FROM the Chilean government if they feel your idea is worthwhile… NO Al Capones, please! Also, citizens from around the world are welcome in Chile and International Tourism is on the increase. Actually, the Chileans themselves are a very active tourist market.

So How About a Job!

As can be found in most countries today, if you are thinking about relocating to Chile and would desire employment, it is possible to retain the services of a head-hunter or employee search firm. Obviously a command of the Spanish language would be quite helpful but keep in mind, the language of International Business is English. It is also possible that your new employer may cover relocation costs AND arrange for your all-important Work Visa!
For those who are thinking of locating an employer or finding a job in Chile, we listed some links to get you started:

http://www.empleos.elmercurio.com/

http://www.bumeran.cl/aplicantes/a_busquedapostings.ngmf?RST=1

http://www.laborum.com/

Also, on our website we have a spreadsheet available as a free download. Go to http://www.chile-yen.com/Spreadsheet.html . A very good friend of ours created this spreadsheet. He used it to successfully obtain a new job with a large Santiago, Chile-based company. The spreadsheet is a listing of head-hunter type firms active in Chile. There are contacts listed but please keep in mind that these may be a little outdated in some cases. Also, feel free to use this spreadsheet as he did to track his progress and monitor his follow-ups.

We hope this has given you a better idea of the types of opportunities available to anyone thinking about making beautiful, wonderful Chile your new home. While there are literally thousands of opportunities from franchises to retail, manufacturing or more, all that is really needed is that “Leap of Faith,” and your first step forward. We think the writing is on the wall in the USA saying that right now is a good time to make a change while you still can and WHILE there are still many wonderful opportunities to be found!

In Chile, we see a good, strong economy, an active and upwardly-mobile population with a healthy middle class and minimal government restrictions. This too can all be yours if you and your family desire to “Just Do It!” Also, we know of a very nice young Chilean La wyer (abagado) who speaks excellent English. Nicolas would be happy to assist you with your Purchase Contract, Incorporating or almost any legal matters you may require. We met Nicolas at a friend’s Asado (Chilean BBQ) and since then we have referred a ste ady stream of new clients to him. He comes highly recommended and his father is an Architect, if you should need some help designing your new Chilean home!

For more information about these opportunities as well as any new ones we may come across, feel free to contact us through our website: www.Chile-Yen.com . We will refer you to the appropriate parties after we screen through the emails and determine the level of your interest. Serious inquiries only, please!

Chao for Now!

We are sitting in the living room of our new, custom designed and built home in the Lakes District of Chile, each sipping a glass of just one of Chile’s finer Cabernets. Gazing out at the gathering moonlight as night settles upon our small slice of Paradise we look at each other and smile. The last  Read More ]]> Dateline Chile • November 2005

We are sitting in the living room of our new, custom designed and built home in the Lakes District of Chile, each sipping a glass of just one of Chile’s finer Cabernets. Gazing out at the gathering moonlight as night settles upon our small slice of Paradise we look at each other and smile. The last light from the sun’s rays which graced the tops of the Andes just a few short minutes ago has moved farther along the earth, rapping our house near the lago in another night of silent, star-filled beauty. The quiet is broken only by the sounds of the Treile (Tray-leh) birds. We call these bird neighbors of ours “The Watcher Birds,” because they will squawk if a person down on the road so much as yawns. A family of Watchers have made a new home for themselves on the grounds surrounding our new home. Our two dogs have now begun using them as an early warning system: they listen for the Watchers and then will look at each other, as if silently reciting the canine version of Hamlet, “to bark or not to bark, that is the question.”

We have been reminiscing about our recent journey and its many adventures as we slowly savor the rich flavor of our wine and agree, “WHAT a ROAD,” what an experience, to think that it has been almost two years. We find it hard to believe the time went so quickly. We shake our heads, because maybe this is alll just a dream. Unbelievable! We call the past two years “The Paulsson’s Journey to Paradise.” Any experience in Chile deserves a grand title. In its quiet way, this country has been growing, educating itself, and so much more. Chile is coming into its own at long last.

The tail end of February 2004 was the beginning of a dramatic, grand and spectacular adventure for our small family. At that time, three of us (our daughter was not able to make this vacation with us, she was away at college) were making a mad, last-minute dash around our home in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Northern California as we struggled in vain to win “The Battle of the Overweight Luggage” a war we had been engaged in for almost two entire days. We finally realized that, no, we would not be bringing the kitchen sink. It certainly seemed as if we had packed everything else, though!

We were taking our first-ever, longer-than two week vacation and we had chosen Chile….with our two dogs in tow, ummmm….might as well tell you now, our dogs are Pit Bulls…. So, there we were, beginning a new adventure with very overweight luggage, most of which was literally for the dogs. OK, okay, we can almost HEAR the sound of muffled screaming, not sure if it is coming from our readers, friends or family, “Traveling to Chile with TWO PIT BULLS??? You guys are not only crazy, you are Certifiable!”

Aside from the fact that everyone from family members to our closest friends were questioning our sanity, we had been assured by all the people who truly mattered (government officials, and the like), that bringing our dogs would NOT be a problem. No quarantines were in effect as long as we had their Rabies Certificates and a Certificate of Health, one for each animal signed by our Veterinerian. All assurances aside, not ONE person in the US thought we were doing anything right, but heck, when it costs $2,200 to board two dogs for an eight week trip vs $400.00 to TAKE them with us….uh, YOU do the Math.

To be perfectly honest? The money was not really THE issue. We were secretly, in the depths of our hearts, hoping that we would like Chile so much that we would not be bringing the dogs back. We had been harboring a growing dissatisfaction with the direction the US had been heading for quite a while now. Many nights would find us pouring over books, websites and whatever we could get our hands on. We were looking for an escape hatch, or better yet, a place, somewhere safe for all of us, where we could live within our means and enjoy a decent quality of life. Guess what? Our hearts won and whoever it was that originally said to “follow one’s heart,” was right on the mark.

Oh, by the way, “we” are Gary and Bonnie Paulsson, our then 19 year old son Kris and our two dogs, Reilly and Bozco. We did go one step further for the dogs and had ID chips inserted under their skin, because we do look upon them as part of our family. “We” also includes that daughter, Jessica, the college student and part-time model we mentioned above.

There are so many great articles packed into the archives of Escapeartist.com. We have been reading the accounts of those who have gone before us for at least four or five years now and we have to tell you, if not for the great stories, we doubt that we would be sitting here now, over eight thousand miles away….a pretty long distance from where we began. Having the benefit of knowing that there are others out there in the world like us, people who have tried and succeeded, somehow gave us the strength we needed to follow our hearts.

We lived in our prior home for over twenty-five years, had our two wonderful children there and have many boxes just bursting with photos of friends, family and our numerous pets over the years as well. No one would consider us the sort of people who would just pack up and move anywhere on a whim and we aren’t. However, we needed to make a change in our lives.

Since we were not necessarily impulsive people but we felt something needed to change, why were we thinking about actually leaving the US? Would this be something we actually wanted to do once all was said and done? We have talked with and read about people who seemed to share a similar dilemma with the same growing feelings of dissatisfaction over their lives in the USA. We are proud to call ourselves Americans, but unfortunately, being an “American,” is now very different in meaning from what it once truly meant.

The general consensus seems to be that there is an increasing difficulty in maintaining the same lifestyle, quality of life and values that were once synonymous with being an “American.” In our case, we were not only dissatisfied with our degenerating quality of life—-having to work harder and longer hours to just keep up every year, but we were sincerely concerned about what the future would hold for our children.

A person would have to be residing on the dark side of the moon to not realize the fact that life is becoming a much harsher reality for many Americans and it is becoming more and more unlikely that our children will be able to attain the standard of living they had grown accustomed to, at the rate things were changing.

This has nothing to do with us being wealthy, because we are not! We have, however enjoyed what we consider to be an above-average lifestyle in the USA. Like all caring parents we want our children to one day be capable of attaining a lifestyle at least comparable to the one they have had while growing up, if not better.

Did this mean that bailing out of what we considered to be a sinking ship into a sea of sharks is a solution? We hope not, but while there are sharks in every sea, some seas have far more vicious and sometimes deadly varieties in far larger numbers. Maybe we did bail out of a sinking ship but we don’t feel it was into a sea of sharks. We feel we boarded a ship to much safer waters.

This very-condensed version of our motivations to start searching for a new life leads us to the next question, one we seem to be asked on a daily basis, “WHY Chile?” Good question, but after much research, soul-searching and many nights spent deep in conversation about the world we were a part of, we began to ask ourselves, “Why not Chile?”

We think the first bit of insight we gained, while broadening our own horizons was that most people are basically closed-minded. We are sure that we were once this way as well, but something happened to us over the years. We believe a part of it was the growing dissatisfaction we mentioned above which made us feel more uncomfortable and unsettled with the status quo, but more than that it was the growing anxiety in the pit of our stomachs that was pushing us to look outside of the US. Then again, maybe it was that age-thing (@#$%#) when we hit the half-century mark.

Now, if you are a non-Spanish-speaking person looking for information about retiring in or relocating to Chile, you might as well look for a magic bottle and rub it, hoping that a Genie will appear to grant your wish. Most books or on-line info that we managed to find had next-to NOTHING to say about Chile as a possible spot for Relocation, at least not information that was relevant to people like us, a family with family needs, like a comfortable place to come home to, a home with modern conveniences, a place for our animals to be happy (like NO TICKS, few fleas and virtually no mosquitoes!). Living in an apartment in Santiago, is just NOT our cup of tea. Call us spoiled I guess but we have standards. We were not looking to lower our standard of living, we wanted to secure it. Shure, we were willing to make some changes but we expected to gain more than we were giving up.

The only relevant information AT ALL that we could find was an obscure Spanish-language Internet search site. You have to understand, without the ability to speak Spanish, we did (and still do) need to depend on Alta Vista’s Babelfish Translation tool quite heavily. We were able to find what appeared to be relevant information, so we sent them an email. Oh, did we forget to mention that we spoke next to NO Spanish at this point? So, we broke with “tradition” and sent an English email to a Spanish site, in hopes that someone would be able to understand and respond.

As those Fates would have it, at first no one COULD understand our email, so the original recipient gave our email to a second person who also was not able to completely understand our questions. By a stroke of luck, our email found its’ way into the hands of “The Baron.” He was quick to reply, he answered our questions and the beginning of our friendship was in the works. We were amazed that the Baron seemed to be thinking and relating to the world in much the same manner as we did!

For at least nine months prior to our trip from the US to Chile, we corresponded with the Baron, whose land development sounded like it was right up our “looking for Paradise in a safe place” alley. The “Baron,” as we teasingly call him, is Chilean, born to German immigrant parents. His parents fled Nazi Germany just prior to WWII and he seems to have a bit of a soft spot in his heart for Immigrants. We became friends almost instantly, because we share similar feelings about the world at large and the US in particular.

The Baron had worked for a US corporation for many years and his English is quite good. Had we not found a true good friend here in Chile, to guide us, look out for us and to come to our rescue when we needed help, we are convinced our entire experience would not have been at all the same. To be very honest, we probably would not have stayed in Chile.

Now we find ourselves in a similar position as the Baron was for us. We are now able to help future Expats, people that come this way searching for their future, or simply people that need a friend in a place so far from what and where they were used to. Now we are “Barons” for a new group. We will assist when and where possible, lend a helping hand in the fulfillment of their dreams as the Baron so kindly did for us. There is nothing quite as wonderful in a strange land, as a friend you can trust who also understands you, literally and figuratively.

Working with a budget of only a fraction of what would be needed in, say, California or other premium areas of the USA, we are able to live here in a beautiful, new (designed and built to our specifications), custom lake-view home on an acre and a quarter. Our new home borders a year-round stream in a private, gated community, complete with underground utilities, cable internet and cable or satellite TV. We are very close to a popular resort town complete with supermarkets filled with the freshest meats, produce and bakery goods. We have daily housekeeping services (and WOW! can our housekeeper, called Nanahs, here, cook!) plus we have our own swimming pool along with every other amenity we could possibly dream we might need. Here in Chile, we can live a lifestyle we would only be able to dream about in California and we actually made a decent living there.

We could have had our pick of many different types of areas here, each with their own special features, like an ocean view golf/country club setting, or a horse-focused development complete with private, well-maintained riding trails and a community stable where each horse has its own private stall plus pasture rotation in the green, lush year-round pastures. But for us, we chose the beauty and simplicity of the Lakes District resort community of Pucón, a reminder of the Lake Tahoe area of years past, back when it was pure and uncluttered by hoards of people and one could look down one hundred feet and actually see the white, sandy bottom. If we moved the custom home that we have here in Chile up to Lake Tahoe, we would have to share it with about 20 families to be able to afford it in today’s market!

We feel that the Chilean Real Estate market is very much like the California market of our youth. If there is one thing we have learned in the many years we spent living in California is that the very best areas always have a market and they will always appreciate in value the most, over time. For this reason, we have looked very closely at the prime areas of Chile. Chile is the new California, it just so happens to be in another part of the world!

In the resort areas of Chile, while it does seem that Chileans are the ones that own most of the second or vacation homes, people from all over the world also own homes in these areas, as well. The most interesting factoid about the homes that are left vacant for periods that may range from six to nine months a year is that the homes remain completely untouched There is not much need for a boarded-up window or door, because no one bothers these homes. Maybe it is the Watcher Birds, we can’t be sure, but the nights around here are so peaceful. Actually everywehere we have gone in Chile, we have always felt completely safe. Our dogs prefer to guard “their” swimming pool, which is the place you will find them at any given time during the Summer months. We are beginning to wonder exactly WHO the swimming pool was really built for……

Chile is a unique country for more than a few reasons. When reading reports regarding many other countries as possible Expat destinations, we cannot help but notice a common thread in all of the advertising/articles: “Lots of Expatriots here!,” “Special Economic Incentives for Expats!,” “Growing, but Still Reasonable Real Estate Prices for Expats!,” and the list of “Expat lures” grows longer with each passing day…..

We just do not find Chile to be this way. Chile has been quietly doing its’ own thing, maintaining its position as the leading Latin-American economy in the world. Chile has held this title for almost fifteen years now and we see nothing to indicate that it will be letting up any time soon.

This has created a strong Chilean foundation, built WITH Chileans, from the inside. Yes, Chile has instituted foreign investment policies that have been designed specifically to encourage foreign investment IN Chile, but the real growth has been with the Chileans.

Chile has a lower severe poverty rate than the US and a low unemployment rate, an excellent educational system (English is now mandated in all the schools), a high literacy rate and a solid and growing middle class. Chile’s per capita GDP is over three times that of Panama’s.

With Chile’s strong, well-educated middle class, vast amounts of open space, its bounty of natural resources and low crime rate, Chile is poised for many years of growth, development and prosperity. This is something not only important to us, but to the future that lies ahead of us, our children and hopefully our children’s children.

Chilean housing and Real Estate are great bargains right now but not because the general populace is poor and Americans think they can just swoop in and grab up all of the great deals (Read exploitation). To be more accurate, housing and land is reasonable because there is an abundance of open land. Chile has fewer people than LA County, but is comparable in length to the Pacific Coast from Alaska down to the middle of Mexico. Just imagine if the Pacific Coast of North America was populated ONLY by the residents of LA County. That is more than the entire population of Chile! Also, over a third of the entire population of Chile resides in the greater Santiago area. This leaves a lot of very desirable, beautiful, buildable open land available for sale.

Furthermore, Chile is very rich in natural resources with copper being its leading export and forestry products second on the list. This means copper pipes and wiring, wood framing and siding, floors, concrete and almost every item needed for construction of a home is produced right here in Chile. I might also mention that Chile has an abundance of fresh, pure, clean water and most of the power is generated by Hydro.

There is a different attitude in a country that is neither poor nor over-populated than in a poor and overcrowded country. Also, Chile does not have a serious immigration problem, although that is changing a bit with the influx of some illegal low-cost Peruvian and Bolivian laborers. Still the population growth is well under control. I think it is interesting that very few Chileans are immigrating to the USA and there is a relatively small population of Chileans in the US. However, US Expats and Retirees are welcome here, but not as an object of money. Rather, they are welcomed as friends and neighbors from an interesting and in many ways an entertaining country. This is how most Chileans view the world’s citizens. We think we are the comic relief for our particular town. Many people smile when they see us, we even have local merchants wave at us and say, “Hola Bonnie, Hola Don Gary!” We are all still getting used to that Don Gary name….

Believe us, there is a very different mentality among the people here than in any of the many other countries we have visited. Chile actually views itself as European rather than Latin. Immigrants started settling here, from their homelands about the same time as they did in US. Also, due to a special Homestead Initiative instituted by Chile in the 1850′s, many Germans emigrated to the Lakes District of Chile. They were able to acquire rich and productive farmlands in exchange for all of their hard work developing the land. As we walk around our local lakeside town, with it’s abundance of German wood architecture, it is almost as common to overhear discussions in German as it is in the Castileano Español.

Aside from all this, the concept of a tropical location is not necessarily suitable to everyone’s tastes. For us, the tropics conjure up images of sweltering heat and humidity, numerous bug bites, mosquitoes, Dengue Fever and nasty third degree sunburns, not to mention venomous snakes. While Chile has beautiful primeval rainforests, you can scratch off the venomous snakes and Dengue fever along with most of the other not-so-pleasant aspects of the tropics. You will still need your sunscreen though.

California is very well-known for its’ temperate climate, particularly along its coast and in the foothills of the mountains. The problems with CA are the absolutely outrageous property prices and the staggering overpopulation (30 million and growing) of a once-beautiful state. Both problems show no signs of reversing. The entire population of Chile is less than sixteen million people. Chile’s climate is very similar to California and the entire North American coast, for that matter depending on where one travels in Chile.

For all of these reasons and for a million more which we will go into in future articles, we have chosen Chile as the ideal location for us to call home….then again….we could ask, did Chile actually choose us?? We are working on answering that question but in the meantime, Chile IS and will always remain a beautiful enigma.

After 50 years, Gary and Bonnie pulled up stakes and moved their family, animals and two 40′ sea containers packed with all of their worldly possessions from their home in CA to their new home in the Lakes District of Chile. They are offering Property Investment, Retirement and Relocation Tours to Chile, will happily assist with any needs involving your Relocation and are offering an E-Book detailing their entire adventure.