Business Travel to Chile (Part 2)

(1) At an airport in Santiago

I am currently at an international airport in Santiago, Chile, waiting for the departure time of a flight to Japan. This time, I will be in transit through an airport in Atlanta on my way from Santiago to Narita, Japan. The flight takes about 10 hours from here to Atlanta, and I have to wait for about 5 hours for in Atlanta, and finally I can get back to Japan after taking about a 14 hour flight from Atlanta. My current physical condition is good, but I do not know how I will be when I get to Narita. I hope that I will also be fine even at the arrival time in Narita.

(2) At an airport in Atlanta

I arrived at an airport in Atlanta, and am waiting for the flight to Narita. The flight from Santiago to here took about 10 hours, but it was not so bad. I could have a sleep, and finish reading the novel “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. The novel was good. People say that Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four are the two best novels by George Orwell, and I have no doubt about this evaluation.

Both books illustrate a society governed by dictatorship. Animal Farm depicts how the dictatorship is developed, and Nineteen Eighty-Four illustrates how the dictatorship maintains its power. Logics of the development and maintenance of the dictatorship prevailing in the two books are clear. The two books imply that our society (at a community level, at a business operating unit level, or at a national level) always have possibilities to go to socialism or dictatorship.

(3) The business performance in Chile

I was working in Chile for about one week, and I realized that my consulting skill is not at a satisfactory level. I could have contributed more to my business mission in Chile.

Chile has many mining sites, and my mission in Chile was to evaluate whether or not one of the mining activities in Chile causes environmental impacts. I visited a mining site, and conducted several interviews with relevant people to the mining activity. However, I am not satisfied with my performance. I could have obtained more precise information if I had prepared what items I should have asked about in interviews, if I had known what points needed to be clarified during the mining site visit, or if I had had better verbal communication skills in English. Knowing my weak points is a good opportunity to improve myself, but I need energy to shine the light on my weak points. No-one wants to see one’s faults, honestly speaking.

(4) Impression of Chile

I visited Santiago, the capital of Chile. Although some garbage was scattered on streets and beggars could be seen here and there, Santiago was an ordered and developed city. I visited Mumbai, the financial center of India, last spring, and I can say that there is more chaos in Mumbai than in Santiago.

Chilean people wear western type clothes, equivalent to American people. As far as I have seen, few people wear traditional clothing. On the other hand, many people in Mumbai wore saris. Clothing makes a visual difference.

(5) On the train from Narita to Tokyo

Although the departure time at the airport in Atlanta was delayed for 5 hours, I finally arrived at the airport. The15 hour flight from Atlanta to Narita was tiring, and I spent most of time sleeping and watching movies. I am now a little tired, but not too bad. I have finally completed my long journey. From tomorrow, I will restart my Japanese life with my family, friends, and colleagues.