BareFoot in Bureaucracy

So I had the great idea to have my parents send a package to me here in Copiapó.  I had ordered a Kindle Fire (great investment for travelers and those on the go), because I NEED to read and Copiapó has no real bookstores.  I also needed some essential hair stuff, both homemade and store-bought that I did not have the foresight to bring the 1st time around (shame on me).  And since my family was gracious enough to be willing to send all of the above, I figured why not throw a couple more things in that box for good measure.

So to  make a long story short, with the help of my 2 parents, 3 DHL employees, 4 colleagues (both here in Copiapó and in Santiago) and countless phone calls and emails; my package was finally able to bust out of Santiago Customs, where it had been held captive for almost 3 weeks.

I had not realized the extent and rigidness of Chile´s policies in regards to bringing ANYTHING into the country, especially products deemed ¨natural¨.  Anything from wooden earrings to natural essential oils to dried fruit is up for grabs and may be confiscated by Customs.  Chile admirably protects its borders, and prides itself on not importing harmful critters.  And due to the Andes and its remote location, it has been able to remain unscathed by insect-borne diseases other countries suffer from.  Even going through Customs at the airport in Santiago can be nerve-wracking if you´re like me and are always carrying food with you.  Those dogs are trained well, and will even smell the hint of a vegetarian roti that you had in your bag several hours before.  #truestory!

Lessons I´ve learned from this ¨harrowing¨ordeal:

1)  Don´t ship anything to Chile.

2)  If you ship anything to Chile, knowing people who know how to navigate a confusing and bureaucratic system is priceless.

3)  If you fly into Chile, declare your goods and hide them in “plain sight”.

Blessings y Besos,

Jeder