Born in Rýbinsk, more than 300 kilometers from Moscow, Andrei Sokolov arrived in Chile in 2016 after a frustrated intention to emigrate to China. A journalist by training and passionate about cities, in the midst of the pandemic he created the "Encyclopedia of Santiago", an audiovisual platform with which he seeks to reveal the urban, architectural and cultural wealth of the Chilean capital. In this conversation, Sokolov shares his vision as a foreigner who already feels local.
"Santiago seems to me like a box of surprises hidden in the attic, because it has so many beautiful places, so many secret corners, so many magical things, but one must always go out to explore and get to know them. It is a city that keeps its surprises and invites you to go out and walk to find them," he said.
Santiago, a diverse city full of surprises
Through your channel "Encyclopedia of Santiago" you have explored many corners of the capital. Is there any place or story that you consider a must for every visitor and why?
Santiago is a very heterogeneous city. That's what really catches my attention, because you can find very different places in the same city. The neighborhoods of Providencia are not the same as the neighborhoods of Las Condes or, for example, the historic center. The historic center of Santiago is a real architectural soup because you can find a lot of eclectic buildings and each of these buildings is a jewel.
We also have a lot of art deco and modern architecture in the historic district as well as in other neighborhoods. For example, the Antumapu campus in La Pintana seems to me a hidden gem because it is a true sanctuary of modern architecture, as well as the Parque Botánico neighborhood in Ñuñoa, for me, is a must-see place if you want to walk around Santiago and enjoy its nature, its architecture and this beautiful mountain range in the background.
I think this is the most important and unique particularity of Santiago, because how many big cities do we know with a huge mountain next to it? There are practically none. It is a real advantage, both for us, the locals who live in Santiago, and for all tourists.
Chile's image in Russia and cultural differences
What is the image of Chile in Russia?
I think that Russians in general do not know much about Chile, it is a rather unknown country, at least in Russia. We don't know in general anything about Chile, except for some basic things they teach you in schools, some historical facts, about mining, for example, but not much more than that.
So, for me Chile was a completely exotic destination, and when I arrived here I knew nothing. So I had nothing to check, just to know, to explore, and well, in my case, I loved it so much that I stayed. I have had opportunities to talk with other Russians and other foreigners as well, French, Germans who live here in Chile, in Santiago in particular, and everybody says that, well, it is a country with a lot of potential, it is a city with a lot of potential that maybe is not yet discovered, and we have a lot of work ahead, but Santiago has a lot of things to do.
Leaving aside the architectural issue, what do you think of Chileans in general, how have they treated you?
Chileans are very nice and have treated me well since my first day. In fact, I think it is super important to mention that when I arrived in Chile, more than nine years ago, I felt at home. For me it was a completely different culture, a completely different language, and I don't know why, but from the first day I felt at home. Chileans are very friendly, very open and always willing to help, even foreigners who often do not know anything about the country and do not know our way around the city. But thanks to that warm welcome I was able to discover the city, to fall in love with Santiago. And well, here I am, I stayed! thanks to the Chileans and their kindness.
Any Chilean phrase or Chilean word that you liked, that caught your attention or that you might not have understood at first?
Lots and lots of them. "Al tiro", for example, I also like the word "fome", because "aburrido" doesn't sound as fome as the word "fome". Another one can be "pal' loli", I like it, it sounds strange, sometimes it comes out like that without wanting to: "Oh, I'm pal' loli" or "estoy pal' loli", if I'm not well. And so there are many words or phrases that I use every day. In general I use Chileanisms, and not because I want to seem closer, but because it is part of my daily life, because I learned Spanish here.
Finally, what would you say to those who follow you, both at home and abroad?
A love. I don't know what to say because now so many words and nice phrases appear in my head. But I think that more than all those words, I can only say that it is a country that welcomed me, it is a country that opened for me, it is a country where I am now at home, my favorite country in the world, which I love very much.
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