Bye Bye Chile

It seems just yesterday. when I had arrived at Antofagasta  - and now the assignment is about to come to an end. Final presentations due tomorrow, the fact that Alfredo, Matt and I have weathered it without strangling each other (though we were close a few times), is perhaps testimony to that something in our professional DNA, which makes us work towards completing the assigned goal, no matter how challenging it may be.

A quick recap of the intervening weeks, from the last update.

The square at San Pedro

Week 3 Highlights: Long weekend at San Pedro. A tiny desert town in the Atacama desert, flanked by the snow capped Andes, under the blue blue sky. A sunny city square, where you can sit with coffee for hours, and enjoy the pleasures of idleness. The moon valley with its craters and magnificent sunset, which was a bit of an uphill hike, but we made it. The salt water lakes, where apparently one could “walk” on water, only we couldn’t get to that particular one because the travel agent took us for a ride! The handcrafted copper jewellery, in the city square, that we kept going back for! But most of all, the best memory – the night sky like a dome and the stars right down to the horizon, the countless stars and the Milky Way above you, truly, it was not difficult to imagine oneself out in space!

The ghost town

At the copper mines

Week 4 – Heads down at work, closing the last mile. Helped along by opportunities to drown sorrows (a day without internet) at a wine tasting event. A Happy Four Hours at the Mexican place, lots of bonding. The long walk by the ocean boulevard, alone, and with colleagues. A Picasso exhibition with Tanya, quite a plus at Antofagasta!  A visit to the Chuquicamata mines, the world’s largest copper mine, set in an eerily deserted town, that almost seems like a ghost town.

My time in Chile is drawing to a close, time to say Adios , but who knows! #IBMCSC Chile 3

Consulting in Spanish and Cilantro in the Desert

Antiques on sale near the Antofagasta harbour

One week has whizzed by, with its share of hilarity, madness, and moments that took one’s breath away –often literally (I am not talking about the – errrr- flavourful fishmarket smells).

Last Friday, I delivered a session on Issue based consulting to our clients I have conducted similar sessions several times in the past, but this was different. I delivered the session in English, and used suitable (I hope) body language for the predominantly Spanish speaking audience; while my colleague Alfredo Moreno, ably translated it into Spanish. At the end of the session, the participants said that the session was clear to them. The credit is all Alfredo’s.

Pelicans!

Sea Lions!

On Saturday, we went walking down the Antofagasta city centre and the ocean harbour, and fishmarket. On the way, there were a lot of stores selling “Mother’s Day” ware and flowers, and interesting copper and silver jewelry that I and some “like minded” colleagues (thirty six percent of the group, to be more precise) have vowed that we must revisit. Walking down to the ocean harbour, I thought that what the place lacked in flora was made up by the fauna! Pelicans!Sea Lions! And, of course,our own diverse team!

The high light of the weekend was undoubtedly the visit to the “oasis” on Sunday. We were driven down in a car, accompanied by our NGO clients, and two rather well behaved canines!

It was truly an unforgettable experience, The Atacama desert, the driest place on Earth, stretching  endlessly and bordered by barren dusty brown mountains that look somewhat unearthly. And in the midst of it, an oasis –lovingly and laboriously created by a handful of people. There was something about the place which made one feel restful and at peace with the world – a feeling of tranquility, where time seemed to matter not. . I could not help thinking how lovely it would be to watch the stars come out here at night.  

The bright green beds of cilantro amidst all the aridity, the story of how water was obtained for the very first time, the rustic but charming cottages built by hand, brick by brick; all symbolic of human effort in the face of adversity.

 Memorable moments.

 Walk in the desert. Check.

Experiencing a desert storm, the wail of the wind and dust in your eyes. Check.

A nap in the hammock. Check.

A desert sunset. Check.

Shivering as the temperature drops suddenly and sharply. Check,

Sitting down in the swing (something I can’t usually resist), while waiting for the ride back home! Check.
#IBMCSC Chile 3

Cool Weather and Warm People

 Pacific Sunset - from CORFO meeting room

..... And from my Hotel window

                       
 Arrived on Sunday after a long long journey … in one piece. Wonder of wonders! Contrary to my usual travel travails, had both pieces of luggage arrive on time, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes when both the suitcases, sedately glided in on the conveyor belt, and indeed, were among the first to appear!

As someone rightly said during the  Corporate Services Corps  pre-work teleconference – Antofagasta grows on you. I feel myself on warm cordial terms with the place at the moment.

In just a few days – there are so many impressions, superimposed on each other.

The grey brown hills that dominate part of the landscape may be the closest to Mars that I will get to. I learnt that NASA had tested their Mars rocket here.

Lifting my head from my laptop screen and watching the orange sunset over the Pacific – reminds me that I need to go out and take that walk by the ocean boulevard.

Listening in to long fluid conversations in Spanish, and clutching at a few words that I can understand, like islands in that ocean! Reminds me that I need to get beyond the chapters on introductions, directions, and ordering food in “Teach Yourself Spanish”!

The delicious Pastel de Papas – an instant hunger inducing , piping hot concoction of potatoes, egg, cheese, meat, onions, and raisins – I want to go back for more!

The weather is cool, occasionally chilly, with some days pampering us with lovely sunshine and blue skies.

The people seem relaxed and everybody that I have met without exception have been so warm.There is so much that one could learn here.

#IBMCSC Chile 3

On the Road to Chile

Charaivati ...The Urge to Travel.... To Not be Here but  SomeWhere Else. Wanderlust. Both Beautiful words, and perhaps an unversal human emotion. A tiny amount of anxiety and a great deal of excitement, as I get ready for my IBM Corporate Services Corps assignment to Chile. Flight leaves at 8:30 pm this evening, and I will be in Antofagsata, Chile on the morning of the day after tomorrow - el Domingo!
#ibmcsc chile