Chile is a country with many different interesting places to go and to see. In Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, which are the two cities which I travel to and from daily, there are many different ways to get where you need to go! There are some modes of transportation that I have at home in the U.S., while others are completely new to me.
People use a variety of methods to get around the cities. The main ways are by using the micro (bus), the metro (subway), the colectivos (shared taxis), and ascensores (outdoor elevators) that go up the hills in the city.
The micros, or buses, are very crowded, and they drive very quickly from one stop to the next. There are also a lot of different types of buses. They have different colors and driving routes so, at first, it was challenging to learn all of the different routes. However, after a couple of weeks, I have most of the routes mastered!
My favorite way to get around is by using the metro (subway) because there are always people singing and performing live music on the moving train, which is really fun to watch. The subway also moves a bit slower and has a calmer feeling, and for that reason it is my favorite.
On Fridays, I use a colectivo (shared taxi) to get to class, because my campus is on a hill.
