Futbol!

            Tonight we all got to experience our first real futbol game.  It was really exciting and you can tell that the Chileans take it very seriously. Upon entering the stadium there were very heavy police vehicles that looked more like military vehicles along with a SWAT team that had plastic shields. Seeing this I assumed the games got really wild, however it never actually did. I am sure that specific games sometimes do get out of control depending on what teams are playing though. I found that when it came to responding to things that took place in the game that the Chileans were much more reserved than Americans. For instance, when they scored a goal everyone clapped and stood, however there was not nearly as much screaming as there is at any American sports game and for not as long. We celebrate a score much more. Also when their team screwed up there would be an “ohh” but there wasn’t crazy shouting where everyone stood up and was screaming like we do in America. Also, they clapped when their team made an attempt to score but missed the goal. I feel as though Americans would get angry and shout because we missed. On top of that, for being so passionate about the game, they hardly stood up during it. At our sporting events people are constantly standing up throughout the game, especially if it gets to an intense moment. However, there was a lot of support for their team as the stadium was filled with banners and flags. On top of that they had a whole entire section that stood the entire time that screamed and sang fight songs NON-STOP throughout the whole game. I have no idea how they were able to chant for that long. In that section there was also a group with drums who played through the entire game, not stopping once. Again I have no idea how this section kept this up for so long. Tonight was definitely a great experience as this is a very important thing to Chileans and is a major part of their culture.

            Earlier in the day we had the time to walk around Viña which was really nice because it was a Saturday. As a result there were a lot of people out and all the shops were open. It was also nice because there were only four of us walking around so we didn’t stand out nearly as much so we felt like we fit in more. This was the first time where I really felt as though I really got a real feel for what Chile is actually like. Viña is a really cute place and I liked seeing all the vendors on the street selling their products. Although in a city, it felt very personable. One interesting thing that I’ve noticed here is that outside restaurants there is always someone trying to get people on the streets to come in and eat. They have one of their menus and talk to the people who walk past. This is definitely something that you do not see in the U.S., but almost every restaurant, and many of the clubs do it here. It is interesting to see differences in small things such as this.

Fail

Where to even begin with today. It was definitely interesting to say the least. We started off with the idea that we would be visiting the poet Pablo Neruda’s house, then have lunch, see the world’s largest pool and return to Valparaiso. Although this is what we did end up doing, it was most definitely not that simple. We arrived in a closed up town at around 11 where we then found out that our tour of the poet’s house (which turns out not to even be in this town) was at 4. This was confusion numero uno of the day. First off none of us knew why we were in this town and second why we left so early. So from there we ended up driving around the town in the bus at least four times to the point where we knew which buildings were coming up. Having nothing to do in this random town we headed for lunch in a town thirty minutes away. I guess I am still just beyond puzzled why we ended up in this first town to begin with.

            After lunch we went in search for the world’s largest pool. We found it, but with the news that it is empty. This was disappointing because we finally thought that something good was going to happen. Having accomplished absolutely nothing, we decided that we still wanted to see it anyways. Although empty, it was still miraculous. However, being on the beach and looking at the empty pool can give some insight into business, although not the best. For instance it shows the effect that seasons can have on certain industries, the tourism/hospitality industry being a prime example. The beyond massive hotel appeared deserted, although I am sure some people were still staying there. If many people were there I do not think they would have an empty pool as that would look quite poor. I am sure those who work at the hotel have to accommodate for the lack of demand in the off-season during the rest of the year and plan strategies around it. The empty pool also shows how companies must compare costs versus benefits. Apparently the pool costs at least a million dollars to maintain every year, and therefore the hotel may benefit from draining it in the winter. After the pool we finally saw the poet’s house which actually turned out to be really neat. To be honest, I do not understand how he had time to write poetry because he seemed to have so many other hobbies and interests that he partook in. However his house was gorgeous right on the ocean with unique architecture. 

Company Visits Day Two

Today was a really enjoyable day as both the companies we visited were very interesting. We started off today at Vina Indomita, a winery. It was really neat to learn about how they make their wine and see their bodega, however I really wish we could have learned more about their company itself and its business practices. For instance I would have liked to learn about how they do their pricing, marketing, and things they are looking to do in the future. Yet the lady taking us around did not address anything similar to this and I wasn’t able to ask the questions I had hoped to. She did give us a little bit of information relating to their business practices, although it wasn’t much. We learned that they export 95% of their wine and prefer to export. On top of that they informed us that they do not make sparkling wine and will not in the future as it would require a whole other production system. This was a concept that we had addressed in our MCE class and is one that businesses often have to face. What is produced is limited by the company’s production system. It was really nice to see the winery as it was gorgeous.

          

                 After Vina Indomita we went to LAN Airlines which I found fascinating. It was interesting to learn about their expansion and how they have successfully managed to make a profit while American airlines have been struggling in the past decade. While there they allowed us to view a plane they were prepping for Madrid. By looking at the plane you could tell that they take pride in their high quality. I personally thought that their planes were nicer than the U.S. airlines’ planes for international flights. I asked the man showing us around if this happened for all international flights, and his response was “with our company yes.” I found this very interesting. I wonder if the quality of their service has something to do with their profitability in the past few years. In Marcoeconomics I learned that people prefer lower prices to quality, but I personally don’t know if I believe this is always true. I’m guessing that their quality is a feature that differentiates them from other airlines. It was really neat to see how they maintenance their planes and to learn about their company. It was really awesome to be able to see the airplanes up close as well.  

            

Day One of Company Visits

I think it is safe to say that today definitely started out interesting to say the least. The first thing on our agenda was seeing Bosque de Mauco, a mushroom factory. The start of the tour was rocky as we were outside where they keep and maintain their compost for growing the mushrooms, which smelled beyond horrible. I don’t think there are words to describe it. I have to admit I was thinking at the time how am I going to be able to survive this for two more hours. Yet as we moved inside where they actually grow the mushrooms it got much better and actually quite interesting. I am apparently ignorant to the whole mushroom growing process. I assumed that they grew outside in a field and people then picked them when they were ready. However, they are instead grown inside in crates filled with the compost. The crates are located in dark rooms that are kept at specific temperature that vary according to the particular stage in the process the mushrooms are at. We got to see the room where the mushrooms were fully grown in their crates and ready to be picked. As we were in the room workers were in there actually picking the mushrooms. I remember thinking to myself that has to be one very long day and couldn’t imagine doing that myself day after day. The guy who was showing us around told us later that they all get paid the minimum wage. However, how much they actually earn is based off of how much they pick. At the end of the day they weigh how much each worker picked and the workers can earn two or three times the minimum wage. I thought this was a very good idea as it might provide an incentive for the workers to stay motivated.

One of the really interesting things to hear at the mushroom factory was that after the earthquake, their two competitors shut down due to damage. Thus Bosque was able to raise their prices. However in the next few months one of their competitors is re-opening and as a result, Bosque is going to lower their price so that the other company can enter the market. This was just something that I found particularly interesting. I’m sure that this is part of their business/pricing strategy.

After our tour of the mushroom factory we then headed to Centauro, a canning factory of mainly tomatoes and fruits. I was interested to learn that the factory is not fully operating all year round. The only products they make all year are their tomato products. The canning of fruits is only done in the summer. I really enjoyed the visit at the factory because the owner was very into it and was very helpful in actually giving us information about how they do business, not just how their processes work. He mentioned how they are looking to move their products to bags rather than cans in order to reduce costs. In addition to that they brand a certain tomato sauce for Jumbo, a grocery store. Because Jumbo is an upper level grocery store, they also partook in product extension and made a cheaper sauce under a different name that they can sell for less to lower income families. Although they are both tomato sauces, they are different in tastes because the composure is different. The higher quality tomato sauce is made up of much more tomatoes than the lower end one. The lower end tomato sauce is not nearly as good because it is made in a way such that production is cheaper because it sells for less. The company is also looking to make more ready to make meals. The company is a pull system, meaning that they distribute their products when they get an order. All in all it was a really great experience and it was really nice to see the owner so enthusiastic.

Later in the night we spent time with a lot of the Chilean students which was really nice because I feel as though we finally had an opportunity to really talk to them and get to know them. In our lecture earlier in the day we had learned about their 8.8 earthquake that occurred last year. I do not feel as though I would feel safe living in a place knowing that it could happen any second. I asked many of them how they felt about it and they were all very chill, not worried in the least bit about one occurring. I really enjoyed talking with them and getting to know their perspectives on certain things. 

Different Perspectives

             This morning after breakfast we headed back over to the university for our day-long lecture on Chilean business. However, as we waited a half hour for the professor, there was a group of students socializing in the hall where we were waiting. It was kind of awkward because we felt like we were intruding on their socializing, yet it was fascinating to watch. Yesterday we had learned about a customary tradition at the school where when a student passes their final test and receives their degree, they are thrown into the school’s outdoor pool, clothes (which is a suit on that day) and all. On top of that they cut off part of the mens’ ties. We all looked at the student who was showing us around as though he was crazy when he told us this. At first I don’t think any of us understood this, nor would want to do it. However, within the group that was socializing, one of them had just passed the final test to get his degree. He was wearing his suit and everyone was congratulating him. You could tell it was a very big and exciting deal. And that’s when it hit me. This is a very meaningful tradition. If you have been studying at the university for six years and throughout your time there seen others thrown in the pool for completing their degree, it must be exhilarating when it is finally your time. It symbolizes completing a huge accomplishment. As I thought about it I realized it is kind of a honor. Now when I think about it I think it is a really cool tradition to have.

            Another idea I really thought about throughout the day that came up during our lecture (and I don’t quite remember how it came up) was the fact that when we see someone speaking Spanish in America we automatically assume they are Mexican and that is that. We immediately identify them as that which is actually extremely unfair because there are many people from South American countries who come to the United States. It is unfair to group them all together when they are in fact different in many ways from one another and have their own unique culture. I began thinking about how I would feel if I were in another country and someone marked me off as another culture just because we spoke the same language and look somewhat alike. I would be really upset because I am American and that is where I come from.  

            In the evening we had yet another dance class, but this time it was reggeaton. It is fun but it is also kind of weird because it is just nothing that would ever be done in the United States. I love seeing the differences in the cultures though. I feel like seeing their dancing gives us insight into them as people. Tomorrow we get to go on company visits which will be exciting because even in the United States we do not really get the opportunity to talk to business professionals about how their companies actually run and the details surrounding them. I am looking forward to having these opportunities. 

La Universidad Tecnica Santa Maria

We started our first full day off in Chile with a breakfast in our hotel. Beforehand I had no real idea of what to expect. From what people had said I assumed that it would be a lot of food that we have never seen before, but it was very simple and was all food that we have in the U.S. such as cereal, yogurt, fruit, and rolls. From there we caught the bus to La Universidad Técnica Santa Maria. The city buses here are a lot smaller than those in the United States and tend to go fast at times when they probably shouldn’t. The bus let us off right at the University which is on top of a hill overlooking the ocean. We first took a tour of the school which was nice because it gave us an opportunity to see it. The school itself is very pretty. I love the landscaping with all the palm trees and flowers and of course how it has an ocean front view.

It was clear that Santa Maria provides a very good education, as their curriculum seems to be extensive. For instance, mechanical engineers start out by learning the operations portion of their area, and then as they progress they take classes in the administrative side. They have labs for the engineers with many machines in them where they learn to build things as part of their classes. The students all seem very knowledgeable as well. On top of that many of their tracks are six years in length which is very different from the universities in the states. It was weird to be mixed with 23 and 24 year olds on a college campus because in America we begin to work at that age. At the universities here they have a much larger age range than what we are used to. Another major difference is the fact that none of the colleges in Chile have dorms. To me living in the dorms is a major part of being in college and is what makes the experience. It’s hard to picture all of these students driving here everyday. It’s funny though because I think to them the concept of dorms seems weird yet it is so normal to us.

After our tour we had a lecture on Chilean culture at the university led by José who was very engaging in his lecture. He brought up some really good points that really got us thinking. One thing he pointed out was that when you think about it, there are many similarities between what has happened in United State’s history and Chilean history. One thing that really got me thinking was when he said how they do not like that we call ourselves Americans. To them, they consider everyone who lives in South America and North America Americans, not just those who live in the United States. I guess they see it as selfish of us.  As a result, they refer to us as United Statsians. At first I was annoyed by this thinking “Of course we are Americans, we are the United States of America.” However, the more I thought about it I began to understand. I always assumed we could be called Americans because with Canada it is Canadians and with Mexico it is Mexicans, hence that leaves us to be Americans. However, I never once thought about South America. This was something I found really interesting to think about. It was definitely a different angle that I don’t think we have ever really considered.

After our lecture we had lunch in the cafeteria which was nothing like Market Central in the least bit. Instead it was comparable to the cafeterias in our high schools. After lunch we headed out on a tour of Valparaiso. It was great to be able to go through the city and see all the different parts of it. Before coming here I had no idea that Valparaiso was a big port city. The city itself is very beautiful.

Later in the night we had a salsa class which was very interesting. As Americans we don’t really dance, particularly in this kind of way. I’m actually kind of jealous that they grow up dancing and are able to do it so well. You could say we were definitely thrown into their culture in that hour dance session. It was very fun though and I wish we had signature dances that we were good at in the United States. Just from spending time with the students in this one day I could tell that they are a very fun society who knows how to have a good time. I feel as though the social lives of the Chilean students in high school and college are quite different from ours. I can’t wait to experience more aspects of their culture as the week goes on.

            

Day One in Chile

This morning after our nine and a half hour flight from Atlanta we arrived at the Santiago Airport. It was completely hazy upon our arrival, and after talking with a Chilean, he seemed to indicate there is haze every morning but it burns off by noon, similar to the marine layer in California. Once we successfully went through customs and picked up our luggage, we boarded a bus to Valparaiso. On the way much of the land was very dry and there were also cactuses. It reminded me a lot of certain parts of western United States. One thing that surprised me along the drive was all the billboards along the way. For some reason I just didn’t expect them to have them here. As we approached Valparaiso the view was absolutely gorgeous. The city is built into the hills and overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

After checking into our hotel we went out to find a place to have lunch and we got our first glimpse of the city. I really enjoyed seeing the different kind of stores and restaurants. Most of them were a lot smaller in size compared to those in the United States. One thing I noticed however was that almost all of the stores were closed. I realized that this is probably because it is Sunday and the Catholic religion has a heavy presence in Chile. It was interesting to see throughout the day the other affects this in turn had. For instance, when we went to explore later on we passed a park and there were many families out spending time together. Most of the Chileans seemed relaxed and appeared as though they were having a good time. My guess is that they still take the day of rest pretty seriously, and as a result I feel as though they are less stressed and have more time to spend with their families. In the United States we are constantly focused on work and do not get much of a break from it. As a result we do not have as much time to spend with our families. It was nice to see a lot of Chileans out with their families having a good time.

Later in the night we went to a nice Mexican restaurant and it was nice to have more time to get to know one another better. I’m very excited for tomorrow when we get to go to the University and meet some of the Chilean students. I can’t wait to get a better feel for the city and culture throughout the week and to learn about the different companies.