Spanish is the main language spoken here. The accent here is distinctive and people speak extremely quickly. I'm sure you are aware of the various accents and localized words people use in different parts of the United States. Well, it is the same case here in Latin America. For example, Argentinians speak differently than Chileans, who speak differently than Bolivians! Chile is neighbored by both of these countries, but their accents are distinctive and they use different slang.
The Chilean peso (CLP). $1 is about 850 CLP, so $10 is about 8,500 CLP. It's a floating currency, meaning that that exchange rate is constantly changing.
A bottle of water costs about 600 CLP, or less than one dollar.
My roommate and I have been mostly eating in our apartment, but this week we did have the chance to visit a nearby cafe where we bought an empanada de pino for lunch (a beef empanada, which is basically a yummy fried or baked pastry filled with savory ingredients). Empanadas (especially pino) are a staple cuisine here in Chile, and they ususally cost between one or two U.S. dollars. They are such a tasty and affordable lunch, and there is a wide array of flavors.
