Dr. John Cobin is Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Universidad Finis Terrae in Santiago, Chile. He also teaches (part time) at other universities, including Universidad Catlica in Santiago, Chile, the International MBA program at Universidad Adolfo Ibaez and Universidad Martima (both in Via del Mar, Chile) plus Universidad del Desarrollo in Concepcin, Chile. He is active in public policy research and writing, and has completed projects for Centro de Estudios Pblicos and Institto Libertad y Desarrollo, both in Santiago. Dr. Cobin received his ARE from Reformed Bible College, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1984), received his BA in Business Economics from California State University, Long Beach (1985), received his MA in Business Economics from University of California, Santa Barbara (1987), took courses in theology and church history from Regent College (1988-1990), received his MA in Economics from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (1995), and received his PhD in Public Policy also from George Mason University (1996). Dr. Cobins research has focused on evaluating urban public policies such as zoning, building and fire safety regulation, and highway construction, as well as theoretical ways to reduce economic problems associated with them. In this field, he published Building Regulation, Market Alternatives, and Allodial Policy (Avebury, 1997). He has also written on applied microeconomic topics, policy issues such as abortion, and an introductory text covering public choice, Austrian economics, law and economics, and public policy themes for Spanish speakers: Ensayos Modernos Sobre Temas Modernos de la Economa de Mercado. In addition to his teaching and research, Dr. Cobin has been a successful entrepreneur and consultant, having started and operated three small businesses for several years.
Excerpted from Life in Chile: Personal Observations of an American Expatriate Academic by John M. Cobin Ph.D. Copyright © 1999. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Given the trend in the USA away from what my wife, Joan, and I consider to be strong traditional family values, the derogation of the rule of law, the dissolution of private property rights, and the increasing tendencies toward more interventionism and regulation, we began to be disillusioned with the USA. For instance, the grating comments my wife received from those who scolded her for having "too many" children, the confiscatory taxation and intrusive regulation pressuring against us, and the manifest love of most Americans for what we considered to be political tyranny rather than liberty, impelled us to search abroad. Therefore, we began searching for a country which offered stronger family values and a free market vision, where we could live, work, worship, and raise our family in peace and prosperity. This effort culminated in our migration to Chile in March 1996, along with our five children (all under the age of eight).
Before this time, I only knew Chile from what I could read. We had never visited Chile. We spoke very little Spanish. I had no job awaiting me, and just enough savings for perhaps six months of frugal living. Needless to say, our move was a bit adventurous. Yet, I had been researching various countries since 1994 and I felt fairly well prepared for the move. Despite the obstacles we faced, I was confident that we could succeed given our diligence, my professional credentials (and the relative ease of finding employment in Chile compared to the USA), and, most of all, with Gods help.
I began to apply the tools of academic analysis to our proposed move, including immigration policies, job opportunities, and the expected costs and benefits of each country. New Zealand and Chile became our finalists. I knew that it would be impossible to accurately assess the merits of each country without actually living in them. Nonetheless, I did the best I could and it appears that my early predictions were reasonable.
I faxed several Chilean newspapers in order to place ads to find a modest country home to rent. Some Chileans found this request amusing, and one paper in Via del Mar published a story about the crazy gringo and his large family who were going to move to Chile with no job and no family here. This article eventually led to our contacting Marta Ramirez Pea, a very kind and hospitable Chilean woman, who rented us her home and helped us get settled. Indeed, Marta (and her lovely family) stand out among the Chileans we have met as being truly amicable.
Things were difficult for the first several months, as we expected, but we began to make the needed adjustments and life for us continued. Being home-schoolers, moving had little affect on our childrens education. I continued to finalize my doctoral dissertation, and returned to the USA in June 1996 to successfully defend it. (I also received a contract from Avebury Press in London to publish it.) Up to that time, I had had many interviews and had sent out dozens of resumes. Many employers seemed interested in me, especially given that I had two masters degrees (in economics and business economics) and considerable experience in business. There is a high demand for my kind of skills in the professional labor market in Chile. Clearly, the biggest obstacle I encountered was my poor Spanish, which I constantly worked to improve.
Subsequently, in the southern spring (August), I received offers at three universities to teach courses in economics and public policy (in English). I also began doing research and writing for Centro de Estudios Publicos, an academic think tank in Santiago. During 1996 I was pleased to meet some important men, mostly "Chicago-boys" or their intellectual offspring, who proved to be indispensable in helping me find these positions. Corresponding with my gradual improvement in Spanish, I received a full time contract at Universidad Finis Terrae in Santiago in January 1997, where I continue to work. While my Spanish is far from perfect, it is passable now and I am teaching all my courses in Spanish, although I continue most of my reading and research in English. Rather than list all the names separately, suffice it to say that I am indebted to many men at Universidad Finis Terrae, Instituto Libertad y Desarrollo, Centro de Estudios Publicos, Universidad Martima, and Universidad A! dolfo Ibaez.
Hence, we now feel quite settled in our new country and living situation. We have no delusions about life in Chile, and do not promote it as a paradise, but we are satisfied that life for us here is better overall than life in the USA (at least at this point. We have been delighted to find that Chile has been an improvement over the USA in terms of many of our concerns. For example, when Rachel (our sixth child) was born in July 1996, we received friendly gestures and congratulations from everyone and no one chided us for being ignorant and contributing to overpopulation.
Chile is not entirely homogeneous, although it is much more so than say the United States or perhaps Canada. Life in Santiago, which has rightly been called a first world city in a third world country, is far different than life in other parts of Chile (especially outside of the other two major population centers of Concepcin and Via del Mar/Valparaiso. Nevertheless, it might be possible to make some useful general observations. We have spent considerable time living in Santiago, Via del Mar, and Ensenada (in south central Chile), as well as driving through much of the country, to give us a good understanding of Chilean life. Thus, I am confident that any generalizations I make here will find at least some useful, if not wide, application.
Economists and policy-relevant researchers often evaluate the costs and benefits of public policies, a method which in turn can provide useful information to others. This article attempts to do just that, although the focus of analysis is life in Chile as a whole rather than a single public policy. Especially when considering a country as a candidate for migration, it seems essential to be as frank and objective as possible, while avoiding personal or cultural aspersions. Like all things, we tend to remember the bad things more than the good things, and we often tend to take the good things for granted after a while. Having lived in Chile for about eighteen months now, I hope to present some useful insights and observations, especially for the benefit of Americans who are contemplating migrating to Chile.
