Riding the micro is actually a bit expensive, costing 500-700 pesos ($0.75 - $1.00 US) for each trip, depending on the time of day. That may not sound like a lot, but it adds up quickly!
In Buenos Aires, Argentina (where I traveled to in February), you have to actually tell the bus driver where you are going because the cost of the trip varies by destination. In Santiago, all bus rides cost the same and you never talk to the driver, so it is much easier. No more trying to pronounce the names of places I don't know and having the driver stare at me in confusion as I desperately try to wrap my tongue around the unfamiliar Spanish words.
There are many different bus numbers in Santiago, with different colors based on the part of the city they travel to. I always take the orange bus number D03 to and from school. Depending on the time of day, I might have to wait a long time for my micro, so when it comes, I can't afford to wait for another one, no matter how many people are already on it. Riding the micros here seemed simple, until I had to take the bus during rush hour.
Chileans don't like waiting in lines, so as soon as the bus pulled up to the curb, the whole crowd of people waiting at la parada (the bus stop) rushed for the doors, trying to sqeeze onto the bus all at once. There were so many people that I ended up pinned against the inside of the door and couldn't even reach the machine to scan my bip! and pay for the ride. Every time the micro stopped, more people climbed in behind us and I was gradually pushed toward the middle of the bus.
