Sunday, July 24, 2011

Hostels in Chile

For the past few years I have worked in the Canberra City YHA, a backpackers hostel. I was reading a little about the drama in Valparaiso where a US exchange student fell into the street and suffered brain injuries.

I have not made a particular plan for what I will do for work once I arrive in Chile, but working in a hostel is something I would be happy to do again. It is clear though that the regulators are not keeping up with the ever expanding hostel scene and a lot of shonky operators are getting away with running unsafe places without having to do anything.

There is a big difference between things that need a slight bit of work, or dated buildings, and when railing collapse any you fall onto the street from the second story. It is also not good enough to say "in a year, the regulations will be compulsory and not voluntary", hopefully nobody else falls out onto the street in this time.

There is a little bit more on the Southern Cone Travel website.