Bradley's Plus 3: Chile Blog

Summary

2009-06-01T12:07:00.001-04:00

Ethical Issues in My Profession

The following paragraph was taken from a paper I wrote for Engineering 0711

“’Engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity’ (nspe.org). The first canon of the American Society of Civil Engineers Code of Ethics is this: ‘Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their professional duties’ (asce.org). Furthermore, the canon goes on to state: ‘Engineers shall recognize that the lives, safety, health and welfare of the general public are dependent upon engineering judgments, decisions and practices incorporated into structures, machines, products, processes and device. . . Engineers whose professional judgment is overruled under circumstances where the safety, health and welfare of the public are endangered, or the principles of sustainable development ignored, shall inform their clients or employers of the possible consequences’ (asce.org). These guidelines are similar to the ones stated under the code of ethics set by the NSPE, National Society of Professional Engineers.”

As addressed in the prior paragraph I believe that the major ethical for industries in the United States to be the health and well being of people as well as the development of a sustainable future. As engineers continue to develop new technologies in attempts to create a ‘better, easier’ future the fact that these technologies must be used by future generations and be safe. I believe this to me a main issue because we have failed in the past to test properly products and have created medicines and other technologies that have been proven to be carcinogens, destroyers of the ozone layer, or even deadly.

While in Chile I did not see any thing that was not typical from counterpart in the US as far as safety, environmental issues, or working conditions. But I cannot truly say this with out some further research into the matter. As far as diversity issues, Chile might have a considerable problem. Being a deeply Catholic country, where divorce in new in the past few years; homosexuality is highly looked down upon. I did not observe many other races working in any of the companies I was in but I think it was mainly because there are not many minorities. Because of these differences and similarities I see that companies in Chile would work on par with US companies.

Education Breadth as Professional Development

From my visit to Chile I can clearly see that a more broad education is needed to understand the impact of business and engineering in a global and social context. Without this visit I feel that I would be completely unaware of the needs, customs, or ideals of South American people. Any innovations that are created in the US not only benefit our people but also the people on the rest of the world. From this innovations must be made to be international and capable of use by other across the globe.

The differences between Chile and the US were not terribly different but different enough that if one tried to assimilate into Chilean culture without prior knowledge that would fail terribly. I have always believed that all students should take philosophy, religion, and global societies courses no matter what major but after this trip I see that it is necessity that this be done. US culture and perception of other cultures is very unique compared to the rest of the world. From my experiences and interactions within Chile I feel that all of the educated individuals I met were very well informed of the world and other cultures while we as students were less knowledgeable. The rest of world is more knowledgeable about us than we are of them and that is something that needs to change as we are a world super power.

Lifelong Learning, Continuing Education as Professional Development

In all of the business visits to Lan, Indómita, Codelco, Centauro, and La Bolsa Comercial it seems that all of the workers learned the basics, a foundation if you will, of their work in school and have built upon that with further education and experience. Lan pilots must learn new technology in new aircrafts and the engineers must be educated often in new materials, maintenance technology, and innovations to create more efficient travel. Indómita uses state of the art equipment in the winemaking process but still utilizes the classic barrel aging process as the majority of wineries. The winemaker graduated with a winemaking degree but I am sure he or she has developed personal techniques that help create Indómita’s unique wines and flavors. Codelco, Centauro, and La Bolsa Comercial all are businesses based on long known knowledge but the technology in these industries is constantly being updated. The need for further education and knowledge of these technologies is key to commercial success.

In several business Codelco and Centauro specifically technology has changed the industry incredibly. With the growth of technology the importance of safety has become more important and at the same time the work force is cut back. More machines, in general, equals less people. As already addressed the need for continuous education is key to success in all professions in today’s world. It is everyone’s destiny, who wishes to be successful, to be lifelong students.

The Social Environment of Professional Life

I did not truly see a connection with social and professional life while in Chile. Some connections I can imply are the issues of wages in jobs and social status from this and the professional relationships that develop into personal ones. While at Stingray I witnessed many older individuals who seemed to be business acquaintances enjoying themselves while clearly off the clock.

The students and individuals I spoke with in-depth seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about social and political issues affecting the United States while I was ignorant of many of the issues with in Chile. From looking at the media and speaking with people it seems that the major focus is the upcoming election and the direction of the government and economy in the following years, similar to the focus in the US.

It is important to have knowledge of contemporary issues related to a global economy because actions must be taken everywhere to help the growth of the world as a whole not just the US or Chile. The major political and economic issues affecting Engineering is the importance of creating a sustainable future. This does not directly affect the winemaking industry but with out a more favorable economic status the winemaking industry will possibly suffer, as it is a luxury item for many. In the US the issue of Sustainability has affected life considerable with many new technologies and trends like organic foods and solar panels.

Functioning on Multi-Disciplinary Teams

Being able to see differences and adapt to them is a key capacity to have when attempting to work in a multi-disciplinary team. As an engineering student I have had the opportunity to work with other students who have different interests than myself in Engineering 0715. This class helped in giving experience in engaging in work with people of different interests and thought processes, a difficult task. Working with business professionals for me as an engineer would be more difficult in that I am completely lost in those types of issues. While on the Plus 3 trip luckily there was not a simulated business interaction. When being a member of such a team though I attempt to be open and acknowledge individuals when they clearly know more in one area than I. The main difficulty I think in marinating functionality and effective communication within such a team would be the use of jargon and professional language.

Chile day 5-13.1

2009-06-01T02:52:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posts I got lazy one day on the trip and then I couldn't remember my password.

Chile Day 5

Okay so today we got up pretty early but I was very excited because I could get my company visit out of the way. We went to Viña Indómita and Lan. The first trip of the day was about an hour bus ride to the Casablanca valley to Viña Indómita.

The vineyard was spectacular. I have always wanted to know more about the wine making process and the operation of a vineyard. I’m pretty sure I will talk to Randy (Jim Randsdell’s dad) when I get home about the wine he makes and how he does it. What surprised me most was that the wood from the US was used for the lower quality wines and the wood from France was for the higher quality wines. Mimo and Warner showed up for the wine tasting… We tasted one white and two different red wines. I’m pretty excited for the paper we have to write, I obtained some pretty good information from our tour guide.

After Indómita we took the long bus ride to Lan in Santiago. Very relieved that my business visit was over, I laid back a little more and enjoyed learning about the company. The brief timeline that we saw was astounding in that Lan has been around for so long and has grown in enormous proportions. The most interesting part of the trip was the innovations being utilized in engineering to help generate better fuel efficiency and lighter materials in aircraft. I knew a little about how engineers were taught from living in a UPS town but for some reason I didn’t expect other companies around the world to send their engineers to the US for lessons as well.

In the evening most of us went to Huevos. The club had three stories open with live music, techno, raeggaton, and salsa, which was on the roof. While at the club I ran into the girls from Bucknell. Through them I met several other American students form various Universities and several Chilean students. They groups helped myself and a couple of the other Plus 3 students negotiate the differences in girls form the US and girls from Chile and how they react in club situations.

Pretty much everyone called it an early night because of the changed schedule and the trip to Centauro in the morning.

Chile Day 6

This is probably going to be one of my favorite days of the entire trip.

We visited Centauro in the morning. The owner and operator gave us a personal tour. This man is without a doubt one of the nicest individuals I have come in contact with. He as almost all of our guides while in Chile was extremely personable and open to any questions. The business and engineering aspects of this business trip were very clear from his presentation and tour. The new technologies and innovations in the trade of food products were all around us and because of this Centauro has become a major leader in many areas of production in Chile.

The main even of the day was supposed to be the trip to “the farm”, the spa-resort type thing. During the day we had a free empanada and a delicious buffet for lunch, played soccer with the Chilean students, learned a Chilean game, swam a little, and taught the Chilean students some games from the US.

Long story short Arturo said he wasn’t very good at soccer… that is compared to other Chileans not us. Gabby is really good at soccer, but in general, we, the Americans, were destroyed in soccer.

We played this game where you throw coins at this box with a frog on top and attempt to get the coin in the frog’s mouth. After just messing around for a while, I made it. And apparently that meant I won some hats, key chains, a cup, and a lighter.

As for the swimming Gabby pushed me in the pool.

This day was a great experience to socialize on a more personal level with the Chilean students. The whole experience helped me see that students here in Chile interact pretty much just like students in the US do.

That evening we went to Weirner’s for a cook out. This was possibly the most delicious food I had in Chile so far. The sausages and kabobs were filling, juicy, and hit the spot. Again this served as another chance in interact with Chilean students. Niko, Camillo, and Diego were some of the students we met that evening.

Afterwards some of us went to Stingray. This ended up being more of a lets go out for drinks place for older businessmen and women. Not so much fun for 19-year-old students. But this did teach us a little something about the business culture of our area of Chile.

Chile Day 7

First real free day.

Some of the students and myself took the metro into Valpo for the day so that we could take a boat tour of the port. This was my first experience getting on a subway train, well actually any train besides the little one at the Louisville Zoo or Disney World. The port was beautiful with clear water and great views from Valpo all the way to Renaca. While we were paying the boat driver some of the students saw a penguin swimming in the water, unfortunately Gabby and I missed it. While in Valpo the citizens were very pleasant and very helpful when we needed it. Some were just interested in where we were form and if we liked their country. It is easy to say that the most common question was “Do you like Valparaíso?”.

After the boat trip we shopped around the port a little and walked to the lift be the Naval Museum for some more shopping. Most people bought small pieces of art to take home. The stone Lapiz Azul is the national stone of Chile and apparently they are extremely proud of this fact. Everything made from it is so expensive, which is confusing because you can find things made from it everywhere.

Instead of taking the lift back down we decided to walk around the top of Valpo to see some sights. From here we saw many interesting houses and street paintings and even more statues of Bernardo O’Higgins. We were lost for quite awhile trying to walk down the hill but eventually found our way a random staircase. Once down we wet down to the beach and rocks where Gabby struck up a conversation with some little boys about what we like to do in the US for fun.

After all that we headed back to the hotel and I passed out for a while from pure exhaustion.

Chile Day 8

Sunday was extremely laid back. Most people were just worn out from the rest of the week and were happy to not do much for once. For the most part a group of us went for a walk on the beach and did a little more shopping before sleeping off the week a little more. That night we had a delicious Italian group dinner. This was a nice even so that we could all sit down and talk to Doreen and Jo about things that had gone on so far.

Chile Day 9

The Trip to Santiago and the Stock Exchange (Bolsa Comercial) was extremely interesting. The computer engineering that has been utilized by the Chilean Stock Exchange is incredible compared to that of the stock exchange in the US. It is easy to see why the economy of Chile is doing so well with a highly integrated system like this one. Yet again I understood what was going on in the presentation from what I knew from news and general knowledge but I feel the presentation would have been so much more interesting if I had a broad business background. The walking tour was very pleasant and we had toe opportunity to see many beautiful buildings through the city including the Moneda (the Chilean White House).

For lunch we ate at Mercado Central, a fish market. There was family style eating with all types of seafood. I never really enjoyed shrimp or other types of shellfish but for some reason that day was different. I ate squid, octopus, we think snails, clams, shrimp, some other stuff we don’t know what.

After lunch we went to Cerro San Cristóbal, which is adorned with a huge statue of the Virgin Mary. The view of the city was fantastic but would have been much more rewarding if it was not for the fog.

Chile Day 10

Okay so I was tired again today. We took our trip to La Isla Negra, one of Pablo Neruda’s houses. The house is built to resemble a ship and is possible the coolest houses I have ever seen. Pictures were prohibited but we all kind of snuck some here and there as best we could. The entire place adorned with things from his world travels. It is remarkable that some one could be so many places and acquire so many things in one lifetime.

That evening we went to the Casino for a little where I was up… then down… Up again and then lost it all. You have to learn to walk away when you are ahead. It’s a difficult thing to learn.

Chile Day 11

So we were all kind of Debby Downed by the rainy conditions for the day. The planned activities at the university were changed to going bowling. We were all excited to beat some Chileans in Ultimate Frisbee but were still happy to beat them in bowling.

On the way to the Mall for bowling we got on a micro with a crazy guy in a clown suit. He called Justin brother and Michael Jordan which was hilarious. No one played really well but we had a good time over all. After bowling we were all free again to do as we pleased. I went and bought myself a soccer jersey while time permitted and some of us walked back along the beach one last time and went out to eat.

In the evening we tried out going to Café Journal for a second time and were let down again. The atmosphere was great and the place was very nice but it was not all that we heard it should be.

Chile Day 12

Our final day in Chile was an amazing one. We all went horseback riding through the dunes and on the beach in Con Con. I had never been horseback riding before but it was so exciting going full speed on the beach, pulling this way or that, leaning into a full sprint. Everyone’s horse was a little different; some like to listen, some liked to stand still, one just decided to lie down. After riding for several hours we stabled up the horses and had another fantastic lunch that was grilled up for us. I love a Chilean Barbeque.

After we ate and said thank you to our guides we drove back to chill before the final dinner at Diego’s Pizza, which ironically was where we ate our first meal. The pizzas were all a little different but all delicious. The Hunter was covered in all types of meat and was by far my favorite.

Again socializing with the Chilean students was a fantastic experience and it was disappointing to say bye. Some of us decided to indulge in a final night out before leaving the next day. We all had a grand final time at the club with the other students. I had to leave early so that I could catch my cab to the airport for my trip to Easter Island.

Chile Day 13.1

Arrived in Bright Sunny beautiful Easter Island. Stay tuned for pictures and more info.

Chile Day 4

2009-05-07T20:51:00.002-04:00

Another early morning, more instant coffee, and another long bus ride, this time to Codelco. The factory we went to served as a smelter and refinery of copper, small amounts of gold and silver, and a factory for sulfuric acid. We ended up not being able to walk around the operation because we needed safety shoes, which obviously no one had. Arturo had himself an extremely difficult time attempting to translate the technical terminology to us. I enjoyed this business trip a lot because of the chemical and engineering aspects that were clearly present in almost the whole company.

After the long bus ride back we had some amazing empanadas at a restaurant down the street. The Picante Pollo and the Jamon pollo y Queso were so far my favorite options.

After lunch we had to take the micro to Valpo again to SMU. We had two more lectures with Mimo on art, geography, and society of Chile. All the places that can be seen in Chile is phenomenal and the fact that I will have seen two of the major ones, Valpo and Easter Island, after this trip is exciting. The Chile’s society is similar but also very different from the US. The advertisements Mimo showed us clearly displayed similar styles of marketing to the US with heavy focus on marketing to the loves of the Chilean people like, women, fútbol, and music.

After we left SMU we met some students at our hotel to see Viña’s local team, Everton, play fútbol. I was extremely pumped for my first professional soccer match. The fans were insane with both sides of the field going completely nuts the whole game. The walk there and back was pretty rough but definitely worth it. The game ended 1-1. That night I felt extremely terrible and ended up curled up on my bed with a few Tums and going to bed.

Chile Day 3

2009-05-07T20:50:00.002-04:00

Today we got to sleep in a little bit, so that was nice. Coffee and a bagel with ham and cheese at McDonalds was the best breakfast so far this week. We went off to Santa Maria again for some classes on business culture. Leslie Wheeling, a Pitt grad, who lives and works in Santiago, presented the first class of the day. Her job seems really interesting, her company is being contracted by the state of Pennsylvania to promote Pa. businesses in Chile and in turn bring foreign businesses to Pa. We also learned a lot about Pa establishes ties to help its economy through foreign interactions.

Lunch was pretty good again… some chicken, a boiled potato, and some soup.

The second and third lectures of the day were from Manual Madrid. Sr. Madrid is with out a doubt one of the smartest men I have ever met. He was very knowledgeable about our country, countries around the world, and his own. The whole discussion on economic policies, the government, the recession, and other business topics pretty much went clear over my head. I got bits and pieces and could follow here and there but it was extremely difficult for me with no business background.

After, we had ourselves another smaller, more personal salsa classes. I really like the salsa dancing. Doreen and I broke it down a little because Arturo was not up for the challenge. From my experience so far and Memo’s lectures it is completely evident that music and Dancing are a integral part of society in Chile and a lot of Latin America.

Most of us went out to dinner together at Chucaro’s when we got back to the hotel. After that Mark, Chloe, Mike, Matt, and I went to get gelato, which was fantastic. We all kind of realized we had an early morning and chilled in the hotel and went to bed relatively early. From here on out relatively early can be estimated about midnight or one because the nightlife in Chile doesn’t start till much later than in the US.

Chile Day 2

2009-05-05T09:23:00.003-04:00

We started our journey on a interesting public bus ride to Santa Maria University with Arturo. At Santa Maria we met Werner and some of the other staff and had two small classes in history, literature, and music. It's so interesting how literature and music have impact the government and the culture here in Chile and the importance it all really plays in people's lives.

After the classes we had a lunch at the University, which wasn't half bad... I mean it was university food like everywhere else... you know the basics like juice, fruit, salad, meat, bread. Santa Maria is so beautiful. The Campus is covered in trees and spaced out well. The students were very helpful and polite; many asked where we were from and why we were at the university, which normally followed in short conversation about basically anything.

After lunch we chilled in the courtyard and walked around a little before our tour. The bus tour was fantastic... we got to see many of the sights of Viña and Valpo very quickly and hear much of the history of the places we were staying in. After the tour we headed back to Santa Maria and hung out for about an hour or so. I talked with one random student most of that time about some exchange programs, students from the States that have lived with him, about Pittsburgh, and the comparisons between our country’s universities. In that time most people had some empanadas, which I wish I had because I was hungry later.

After the little break we all had a salsa class... and it was fantastic. No one knew what the hell they were doing but we all had a good time doing it. We met a couple girls from Bucknell, which was good because I felt a little less stupid when I could mess up dancing and still speak in English to my partner.

Afterwards Arturo took us out for the first night and we all had a pretty good time. Megan and I attempted to sing Karaoke and failed miserably. Most of us called it in early so that we cold get up in time.

Viva Chile!

Chile Day 1

2009-05-03T22:45:00.004-04:00

Hola!

So day one in Chile was a pretty fun time.

The flight over was comfortable, due to a vacant seat next to me. The views were incredible from my window. I woke up to the sight of the sun rising over the tips of the Andes that were peaking above the cloud line.

There was about a two-hour bus ride form the airport in Santiago to the hotel in Viña Del Mar. Most of the group and myself went for a walk down to the beach and then to get some lunch. We ended up eating at a little shop and had some pretty darn good pizza. Afterwards we all walked to the mall and looked touristy all the time. After our poor attempt at exploring we all kind of just passed out in our rooms for a few hours before dinner. The whole gang had Mexican and then we chilled around getting ready for our first day visiting the University.