El Cuida Autos.

Today is Aneya's last day in the country, and we won't be seeing posts from her for a while, but I still have two weeks in the country and I intend to continue to share all the things I find interesting/different about Chile.

The cuida autos is one of these things. The job of watching over other people's cars in suburban neighborhoods is a common job for homeless people, and I find it totally fascinating.

Car theft or vandalism is very common here, people will take the mirrors off your car and sell them back to you at La Vega (a place that really deserves a post of its own). I actually know someone who had the tires taken off their car during the day while they were in church (in church!) for a few hours.

Usually after dark, someone will come up to your car and slip a little piece of paper under your windshield wipers and you pay them when you return. And it seems that the service isn't optional. You cannot refuse the cuida autos. If there is an homeless person there, you will have to accept these services if you're parking in their area. In suburban neighborhoods! Fascinating.

-- Lauren