EMBA International Trip to South America: Travel Journal, Day 4

2010 Travel Journal » Day 4 - September 7

This was a long but interesting day for our group. Most days we’re up and on the coach very early, but today we didn’t have to leave the hotel until 10:15 a.m. Our first site visit was to a Farmacias Ahumada S.A. Distribution Center located in Cuidad de los Valles, about 45 minutes from our hotel. Roberto Becerra, the Director of Logistics for Chile, did a wonderful job with his presentation. It was obvious they had worked very hard to put together the slide set in English. They even had a professional photographer there taking pictures during the presentation. Afterwards, the group donned hard hats and took a tour of the warehouse where we learned how FASA handles their distribution and logistics operation. The facility was huge, modern and immaculate. It was impressive, and we were made to feel like very welcomed guests. It is always amazing the way so many companies will go out of their way to prepare for a visit from students at our university.

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After our FASA briefing and tour we drove back to the suburbs of Santiago where we had lunch at Divertimento Restaurant. We were seated and immediately offered a choice of 5 different types of fresh juice, including mango, strawberry or coconut. Small crusty dinner rolls seem to be the norm here at most meals. They are quite tasty and most tables also have small bowls of a spicy vegetable relish in an olive oil base. This is a standard condiment for the bread, and several of us have become very fond of this delicious relish. The first course was plates of several different appetizers delivered to each table. The appetizers included baked beef empañadas , salmon carpaccio, and an onion and tomato salad. This was followed by three different entrée choices, one of which was a typical Chilean casserole with layers of ground beef, chicken, eggs, olives, raisins, mashed corn and sugar. The other two entrees were salmon and skirt beef- much more standard fare. Dessert was Chilean flan and another sweet described as “typical Chilean dessert”. It consisted of wheat and baked peaches in a sweet juice.

Our afternoon site visit was at a Tom James manufacturing plant. Tom James is a US based company that makes custom business suits for both men and women. Suits are made at the plant in Santiago and shipped back to the U.S. The visit to this plant was a unique experience for the students.

We then went to the top of one of the smaller mountains adjacent to Santiago and enjoyed a spectacular twilight view of this wonderful city. Being in the Andes is such an exhilarating experience. After taking lots of pictures we boarded the coach again and went down the mountain about half a mile to another wonderful restaurant, Camino Real. The restaurant was at one time a winery, then it became a private estate to a very wealthy family.

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Here’s a link to their website:

http://www.eventoscaminoreal.cl/


Even though there is not an English option on the site, a picture is truly worth a thousand words. We sat at tables in the large back windows overlooking Santiago at night- you’ll see them and the view on the home page. The meal was exquisite. It was the perfect ending to a very wonderful day.

Now, here are some personal observations about Chile and the trip from Dudley, a member of the Class of 2010:

"Well it’s my 4th day in Santiago, and needless to say I have a newly found appreciation for the Chilean people. Any preconceived notion I had about third world countries has certainly been washed away by seeing the size and majesty of this city. Santiago has culture, education, and some unbelievable architecture. There are views from the city looking at the Andes in what seems like all directions.

Today we visited two local firms on completely opposite spectrums. One was a CVS type pharmacy company and the other, a US company that specializes in custom suits for both men and women. What I took from both places was the ingenuity and drive to succeed that everyone displayed in their respective businesses. This place is a small US, and all that we aspire to be the Chilean people want as well. This country will be a power in years to come. I sure am glad they are a trusted ally of ours.

One, final note… trains pull into the station, and trains pull out. It's up to us to decide if we’re going to get on the train or stand at the station. Life is short. Take every opportunity to make a memory and find enjoyment in all that is offered."