La Serena, Chile
La Serena is a moderate-sized city of more than 100,000 people about 480 km north of Santiago. It is the regional government seat and also a popular beach resort. During the months of January and February the population of the surrounding beach resort areas increases dramatically with visitors from Santiago and Argentina.
There are five US-style supermarkets in La Serena and one mall. All the basics are here, though not all of the rarer things in life.
On a hill overlooking the center of La Serena, CTIO owns a private compound (the "recinto") where the Observatory's scientific and administrative offices are located, along with the library, shops, and electronics laboratories. In addition to the offices, the recinto contains 29 houses which are used by the Observatory's foreign (non-Chilean) employees during their residence in Chile, along with dormitory space for visiting astronomers.
All of the CTIO summer students (6 U.S. students and 2 Chilean PIA students) will be sharing a large house (Casa #13) on the recinto. This house is used for various important guests of the Observatory (like yourself!), and everyone expects you to leave it in the excellent condition in which you'll find it. The house has 7 bedrooms; one pair of students will have to share. You will share the 2 bathrooms, central living room, dining room, and kitchen. The house is fully furnished and comes with towels, linens and bedding for your use. The kitchen is likewise fully equipped with cookware and dishes for your use. The house also has a washer and dryer. Additional laundry facilities are available in a small landromat just a few yards from the house. On the recinto you'll also find a tennis court, a squash court, a grass volleyball court, a swimming pool and a basketball hoop. See the photo gallery below!
