I chose – After five months studying in Santiago, Chile, a Midwestern college student abandoned her dream of big-city life and chose Reno, Nevada—where mountains, sunshine, and a smaller pace finally fit.
Growing up in a small Midwestern city, the plan was clear in my head: after college, I’d move somewhere like New York or Chicago. I wanted to be at the center of everything that made those places feel electric—endless entertainment and a sense that careers were everywhere.
Then I studied abroad in Santiago, Chile, and the map in my mind flipped.
I picked Chile’s capital during college because I wanted to learn Spanish and explore South America. I didn’t expect it to change my entire life trajectory. But within the five months I spent there, my idea of an ideal place to live started to unravel.
I loved parts of Santiago immediately. The climate felt inviting. and the city’s easy access to the outdoors made it feel like nature was always nearby. Still, Santiago’s size was too big for my tastes. The closer I got to the end of my stay. the more I found myself looking for different things—not skyscrapers over mountains. sunshine over clouds. and small cities over metropolises.
When I returned home, I started searching for that feeling in the United States. A year later, I settled in Reno, Nevada, and I’ve been there ever since.
Chile didn’t just show me a different landscape—it showed me what I couldn’t unsee. During my time there, I traveled up and down Chile’s long, narrow country. 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. putting outstanding outdoor adventures just a stone’s throw from the city center.
After living so close to the Andes, I couldn’t imagine settling into a flat city like Chicago. I wanted to be within minutes of mountains, and when I looked at Reno, Nevada checked that box. The Sierra Nevada Mountains and Lake Tahoe are just a short drive from my house. giving easy access to outdoor opportunities like hiking. backpacking. and cycling.
Santiago also reshaped what “right-sized” felt like. As the capital of Chile, Santiago is home to over 7 million people—about 40% of the country’s entire population. On paper, 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.
But the drawbacks didn’t disappear. Santiago’s sheer size meant I spent hours on transit to get around. The city is also prone to low air quality due to its geography. with most of the city sitting in a “bowl” surrounded by mountains. I found myself leaning toward the atmosphere of smaller cities I’d visited in Chile. including Viña del Mar and Punta Arenas.
That’s why, after returning home, I looked for small to midsize cities in the US that still offered convenience—but on a more down-to-earth scale. Reno’s size fit. Around half a million or so people live in the Reno metropolitan area, which made it the perfect size for me.
Climate mattered too—more than I expected. 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’d experienced this kind of climate, and it genuinely surprised me. Growing 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—and that balance is part of what helped me stay.
When I told friends and family that I was moving to Reno after graduating, I got peculiar looks. It was a drastic departure from my previous plans of moving to a city like New York.
Santiago changed that. It 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, and it’s far from a global hub of entertainment, dining, and business.
For me, though, that wasn’t the point. The smaller city is home—and living abroad helped me recognize it.
Santiago Chile Reno Nevada study abroad mountains sunshine climate Atacama Desert Andes Lake Tahoe Sierra Nevada Viña del Mar Punta Arenas Araucanía Patagonia
Reno over Chicago? wild lol.
I didn’t even know you could just “choose” a new life like that. Sounds nice though, mountains and sunshine beats big city chaos.
So wait, she moved because Santiago was “too big” but then she goes and describes all these other places like Patagonia and deserts… that sounds like she just liked travel not Chile. Also Reno has outdoors but it’s not like there’s glaciers or whatever. Maybe the article is mixing stuff?
This is cute but I keep thinking about how Reno gets hot and everything is expensive now. Like okay mountains and sunshine, but isn’t it also kind of dry and kind of far from everything? I swear people act like big cities are the only place with careers, and small towns don’t have anything. Anyway, wish her luck, I guess. The Atacama part made me jealous.