I just read Leigh's blog entry Adventure on wheels and was reminded of various experiences I've had here dealing with/related to public transportation. This one has to do with going to the end of the bus 1 line in Playa Ancha.
After living in Viña for a few months back in 2004, I decided it was time to move out of my host family's house and find an apartment or house or something. I wanted to live in Valpo, an artsy, edgy, bohemic University city. So I saw a bunch of apartments, many of which I found ugly and overpriced. I'm sure they were giving me the gringo price. I saw a couple holes, I swear to God. But one of the stupider, funnier, scarier experiences was when I went to see an apartment in Playa Ancha. There was one for rent for 40.000 pesos ($80 dollars) a month and it was two bedroom. I'd been to Playa Ancha. My host father worked at the University of Playa Ancha. Cool, I thought, I'll be near la Universidad de Playa Ancha. The 40.000 peso figure was really surprising to me and I wanted to see the apartment as much out of curiousity as real interest in living there. So I called the number and the guy said to take the micro 1 and to get off at the Rodoviario. Okay, easy enough I thought. I caught the 1 and sat on it and we went on and on and on. Like 40 minutes into the trip I already knew I would not be renting the apartment because it was so far from the U. I had no idea how huuuuge Playa Ancha is. So I decide to call the guys and cancel, because they were waiting to show the apartment, but I no longer had cell phone service. So I thought, well the apartment is in front of the Rodoviario so I'll just go anyway and tell them I'm not interested. I was already on the way. We finally get to the end of the line, and the place is absolutely beautiful. The apartments are on a cliff right by the ocean. It kind of reminded me of Ireland. I imagine its a sort of ghetto-style Laguna Verde. (I've never been to Laguna Verde, but would like to go some time.)
So I get off the bus, and the driver asks me what I'm doing there..I said I'm going to look at an apartment. I got halfway across the street, totally freaked out and ran back and got on the same bus to head back home. Although the neighborhood didn't look too creepy, it was. It was like 45 minutes before I had cell phone service and I called the guys and told them I wasn't interested, that I'd been out there to the Rodoviario, freaked out and headed back to Viña.
But these liminal experiences are useful to get clear what a gringa should and should not do when in the "third world". And going to see a 2 bedroom apartment that costs $80 dollars a month in urban Chilito falls in the second category.
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3 comments:
Wow...That is quite an adventure! I've never been to the Rodoviario area (or anywhere in Playa Ancha, for that matter), but if it made you turn around that quickly, it must have been pretty damn sketchy!
I'm kind of conflicted about the whole "should gringas go to sketchy places in other countries?" issue. I'm inclined to say yes, just because I feel like too many people come to Santiago, stay in Las Condes and think that's what the entire country's like. On the other hand, I do think there's such a thing as being reckless (which I think my pride makes me guilty of occasionally).
Maybe a solution would be to undertake such journeys in the company of Chileans, preferably big, intimidating ones.
And thanks for the link, by the way!
Hmmm..good question..whether gringas should go to sketchy places in other countries. I personally try to stay away from sketchy places like the Rodoviario. That was an error on my part. I thought the apartment was much closer than it was. Best not to go to the rodoviario of Valpo bus 1. That was a mistake I won't repeat.
But there are also different "shades" of sketchiness. Lots of people think the Plaza Echaurren in Valpo is sketchy and I lived there for almost a year. Yes it was a bit sketchy, but not that bad. I found that part of Valpo very pretty. And I was always aware of what was going on around me, just in case. But I met some of my best friends in the house I lived in there.
Perhaps if I were volunteering with a Chilean charity organization...like techos para Chile or something like that, it would be okay.
But it's a good question to ponder before actually doing it. And it depends on how sketchy the place is too. I am curious to know how people might live in poorer areas, but not enough to actually go there just to see how it is, because I think its too dangerous. And, if I were to do it, like you suggested, it would definitely be in the company of big, intimidating Chileans, ones who hopefully know the area!
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