Michelle Lauer
Chile Journal
Tuesday, Oct. 16
 Today, Professor Channick, Tania Mora, and I attended a healthcare seminar for older adults. Professor Channick was a guest speaker at the seminar, asked to present an overview of public healthcare for seniors in the United States, namely Medicare.
Later in the afternoon, Professor Channick delivered a speech to the folks at SENAMA on the same subject, but in more detail. Because SENAMA is charged with the duties to establish, monitor, and promote the rights of seniors, the folks at SENAMA, especially the legal department, welcome representatives from other countries to discuss and explain their respective systems of healthcare, public retirement, and social programs concerning older adults. This way, SENAMA can compare and utilize the model systems in other countries to guide them in developing and/or modifying legislation and social programs to better serve seniors in Chile. Not only are professional relationships established between Chile and other countries, but the exchange of information from country to country also educates policy and lawmakers around the world regarding the issues that affect seniors.
It was encouraging to witness first-hand the development of a professional relationship between Prof. Channick and SENAMA because it is really simple. All it takes is connecting people in different countries who have the same goals. This particular instance, SENAMA and Prof. Channick are interested in creating a health system that will provide adequate services to elders without draining budget funds to the extent that healthcare costs adversely affect funding for other government programs. We truly are all one people possessing the same concerns and issues, but simply spreadout around the world. Prior, I understood the value of bringing various countries together to discuss issues that affect all populations, but here at SENAMA I was part of the personal professional relationship established between CWSL and SENAMA, which was pretty neat!
Wednesday, Oct. 17
A bit of a scary event occurred today. During my weekly meeting with Tania, another SENAMA employee came rushing into Tania´s office demanding that we evacuate the building because there is a fire on the fourth floor. The gentleman spoke with a somewhat nervous tone so Tania and I quickly gathered our purses and headed down the stairs. SENAMA is located on the ninth floor of a ten-story building so Tania was a little panicked about our getting stuck between floors and not being able to exit if the fire on the fourth floor got too bad. This was not a fire drill. However, what was more frightening was the fact that we heard no sirens and saw no evidence of the presence of firefighters being on the scene to contain the fire.
Smoke was actually pretty thick in the hall of the fourth floor as we passed it in the stairwell, but we made it out of the building safely. I was impressed with the swiftness in which people exited the building without panic or exhibiting the ordinary discourtesy or rude behavior I usually experience in public egress and ingress locations. If the people pushed and shoved in the stairwell like they do in the Metro, the circumstances would have been much more frightening. Perhaps the potential danger of the situation caused the occupants of the building to act subconsciously, indicating that indeed somewhere inside these Chileans are respectful thoughts and manners. Evidently, an old lamp with worn wiring shorted and sparked causing the fire.
Fortunately, the fire was contained without any injuries, although I never once heard any sirens or saw any commotion by firemen. The odor of smoke permeated the air in the elevators and halls, but the air system by the end of the day did a pretty good job of removing the smoke for being a rather old building. Though at first, the fire situation seemed a bit scary, blessedly all returned safely to the building and their respective work stations.
Thursday, Oct. 18
 I cannot shake the disgusted feeling I have as a result of the demeaning and cruel statements made by Chileans directed at the Peruvians yesterday at La Plaza de Armas downtown. The chanting by Chileans began as loyalist cheers for Chile´s soccer team as it would be playing against Peru Thursday night. However, the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd allowed discriminatory beliefs/thoughts to be vocalized. I will not repeat any of the nasty adjectives used or any of the disrespectful comments made, but I cannot help but wonder if this situation is similar to the circumstances at the border between Mexico and California as North Americans and border patrol police stand guard at the border, some with signs and banners very hostile to immigration.
Here, Peruvians are the Mexicans of Chile. Many Peruvians come to Santiago legally, but many others illegally. Peruvians occupy informal employment positions such as nannies and day laborers. As well, Peruvians work at lowly jobs and services that Chileans prefer not do to like house and street cleaning. Naturally, there are going to be immigrants that come to a country and simply become a parasite to the goverment´s social welfare services. However, the majority of immigrants flea to a particular country for purposes of establishing a better life for their family through better employment and education not available in their home country.
Why is it so difficult for so many people to understand that an individual has no choice as to the country, nationality, ethnicity, social or economic status when s/he is born? Why is difference perceived as negative? What a dull, boring, and uninteresting world this would be if all people looked the same, talked the same, were educated the same, etc. These are the differences that make our world and (God´s) people so incredibly interesting, artistic, creative, and beautifully different. Given the ill behavior toward the Peruvians, I was truly hoping Peru would beat Chile in the soccer game so Chileans would lose at least those bragging rights. Unfortunately, Chile won the game.
Friday, Oct. 19
Chile´s legal (probate) process for intestate distribution of a decedent´s estate is much more user friendly to the general public than the probate process in the States. In Chile, an heir does not have to initiate a lawsuit to commence the probate process, nor does intestate distribution require adjudication. Instead, Chile has established a process in its Civil Registry Administration where any heir to a decedent´s estate can commence the intestate inheritance distribution by filing a pre-printed application formulated by the Civil Registry Administration (Solicitud Posesión Efectiva ante el Servicio de Registro Civil E Identificación).
To fill out the application, a death certificate is required, the decedent´s information, the heir´s information, a list of all heirs, an inventory, including valuation of all personal and real property at the time of decedent´s death, an inventory of the decedent´s debts. The valuation for real property and vehicles is assessed by the government through the Internal Tax Office (Servicio de Impuestos Internos). If the decedent has other retirement accounts apart from the national retirement system such as annuities, mutual funds, etc., a valuation of the account(s) by the managing investment agency is recommended. The valuation for personal property for items like furniture, jewelry, clothing, etc. is assessed according to the market price. The valuation assessment of a decedent´s estate is, of course, for purposes of inheritance tax. Coming up with the valuations for personal and real property is the most difficult, as well likely the most time consuming, part of the application process. However, there is no need to hire counsel because the application process is self-explanatory and the employees at the Civil Registry Administration will help with questions. But for time, the cost for claiming an intestate inheritance in Chile is minimal.
This is, however, not the case in the United States. The costs of adjudicating an intestate distribution of a decedent´s estate can be prohibitive. Formal legal proceedings must be initiated and almost always an attorney hired because of the complicated probate process. This is a very interesting contrast of default inheritance systems. Chile´s system achieves the transfer of family wealth from one generation to the next without significant costs. The probate system in the United States transfers family wealth to the next generation, but does so at a high cost to the heirs and/or many times will significantly reduce the decedent´s estate.
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