Growing up in a small Midwestern city, I always dreamed of moving to a place like New York or Chicago after graduating from college.
I wanted to be at the center of everything that made these places so appealing, from the endless entertainment options to the seemingly abundant career opportunities.
Yet after studying abroad in Santiago, Chile, during college, cities like New York no longer appealed to me. I chose to study in Chile’s capital to learn Spanish and explore South America. I had no idea it would change my entire life trajectory.
I loved certain aspects of living there, such as the climate and easy access to the outdoors. The city’s size, though, was too big for my tastes.
Ultimately, the five months I spent there reshaped my idea of an ideal place to live. I looked for mountains over skyscrapers, sunshine over clouds, and small cities over metropolises. A year after returning from Chile, I settled in Reno, Nevada, where I’ve been ever since.
Moving to Nevada never crossed my mind before I went to Chile, but living there gave me entirely new perspectives.
Proximity to nature became important to me
Jenna DeLaurentis
I’ve been to over 40 countries, but Chile is, without a doubt, among the most beautiful.
I traveled up and down the narrow country during my time there. In northern Chile, the Atacama Desert amazed me with its Mars-like landscapes. Further south, regions like Araucanía and Patagonia offered lush rainforests, snowcapped volcanoes, enchanting mountain towns, and immense glaciers. The Andes Mountains tower over Santiago to the east, offering outstanding outdoor adventures just a stone’s throw from the city center.
After living so close to the Andes, I could no longer imagine living in a flat city like Chicago. When I returned home, I wanted to be within minutes of the mountains.
Reno, Nevada, checked that box. The Sierra Nevada Mountains and Lake Tahoe are just a short drive from my house, offering easy access to spectacular outdoor opportunities like hiking, backpacking, and cycling.
Santiago changed my mind about living in a big city
Jenna DeLaurentis
Santiago is the capital of Chile and home to over 7 million people — about 40% of the country’s entire population.
Living in a large metropolis came with perks. There was never a shortage of things to do, and the city’s public transportation network was extensive and easy to navigate.
Despite the perks, there were also some drawbacks. The sheer size of the city meant I spent hours on transit to get around. Santiago is also prone to low air quality due to its geography, as most of the city sits in a “bowl” surrounded by mountains.
I preferred the atmosphere of smaller cities I visited in Chile, such as Viña del Mar and Punta Arenas.
So, once I returned home, I searched for small to midsize cities in the US that offered plenty of convenience, but on a more down-to-earth scale.
Around half a million or so people live in the Reno metropolitan area, making it the perfect size for me.
I loved Santiago’s sunny climate
Jenna DeLaurentis
For my preferences, a climate like Santiago’s is ideal.
The city has a temperate Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and somewhat mild winters. Temperatures rarely rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, and winter days reach highs around 55 to 60 degrees.
Living in Santiago was the first time I lived in this type of climate, and it blew my mind. Having grown up in the cloudy Midwest, I couldn’t believe how much more lively I felt with the constant sunshine.
I soon realized I could never live anywhere with regular cloudy, rainy, and gray weather. Reno averages over 250 days of sunshine a year, but still experiences all four seasons. I love the consistently great weather here.
Living in Chile helped me find a new home in the US
Jenna DeLaurentis
When I told my friends and family that I was moving to Reno after graduating, I got some peculiar looks. It was a drastic departure from my previous plans of moving to a city like New York.
Living in Santiago, however, helped me find what I really wanted in a city: sunshine, mountains, and a small-town feel.
Sure, Reno might not be as exciting as a city like New York or Chicago. It’s far from a global hub of entertainment, dining, and business.
For me, though, the smaller city is home, and living abroad helped me find it
