Gringa Shock - Seguridad

Seguridad is the word for safety or security in Spanish.

It's one of the first words I picked up when I arrived here, because you see it everywhere!  There seem to be a plethera of private security companies and schools lining the streets but you also see it on advertisements for homes, condos, schools, parking lots, gyms, etc.. just the word 'seguridad' is everywhere!  The business of 'seguridad' is thriving here!  They love it!

This is not to judge that Chile is any more or less safe than anywhere else in the world, that....I really couldn't say. I have to be honest, I feel safer here then many other countries in the world, perhaps this is due to all the 'seguridad'?  or Chile isn't that unsafe?  I don't know.
Granted, Santiago is a big city with a large contrast between the rich and poor, which leads to a lot of petty crimes and theft that you have to be aware of....but dudes toting semi automatic weapons or some such?  nah!

Chileans in general seem to have a need to feel that they are protected and safe, which I don't mind, but they've taken this concern and created a continual feeling that "you are being watched," which for me feels like an invasion of personal space....even sounds feel invasive....this feeling...definitely something I've needed to get used to.

Honk, screech, car alarm goes off, honk, hammer, hammer, honk, car alarm turns off, repeat!

Last week I accidentally wished our upstairs neighbor 'salud' when he sneezed, thinking it was Rodolfo!

It doesn't really help that Santiago just has a lot of people in a compact space, which means people live VERY close together!

For your viewing entertainment, their is also the 24 hour live reality show above the tree tops.....windows upon windows upon windows of people pretending not to look at each other, which is pretty fun, but blinds are very necessary!   I'll be honest, I'm a watcher myself....  Their is this adorable elderly man with a pot belly 5 floors down across the street that sits and reads his paper everyday at 3pm in his man chair by the window drinking coffee, it's really cute!  My buddy....sometimes I smile and wave.....but he hasn't seen me yet, I'm waiting for my invitation for once!....yes...I know it's weird, but he's so cute!  I want to bake him cookies.

La Seguridad of Santiago is based upon watchers.  Everyone pays guards to watch their buildings, their cars,their property, which is all behind brick walls and 10 foot fencing as it is!  Walking down the street, I could stop at any moment and look around and see from a window/door/street corner/car a pair of eyes glued to my every move....this is not including the security cameras perched on the sides of buildings, on fences, in the elevators, stores....anywhere and everywhere you go, you are being watched!

Seguridad!
AHHH!!!!!!!!!

There are eyes and ears everywhere and it's not just the professionals who do it.
Chileans LOVE the gossip, they love to judge what everyone is doing, wearing, saying, who doesn't?!?  It gives the old ladies something to do during the day to sit on a street bench and critique the promenaders.

I'll make a big presumption here, why not?!?  I think Chileans are very curious people but in a timid way.  They like to know and watch what's going on, but they don't like to be seen doing it...which perhaps helps explain the heightened security awareness and slight paranoia...?!?  A war of watchers!  You must hire people to watch the people who are watching you of course!

This game of big brother does have its pros!
I'll be honest, it's comforting to know that in the middle of the night while I'm asleep, their is someone awake and alert watching over us.  I sleep better at night knowing this, that is, after our neighbor turns off his car alarm.