When the Pavement Ends

Back in the USA

This latest post is definitely long overdue! In the time since my last entry, I left the semblance of normalcy I had grown accustomed to in Santiago and headed back to the USA for a new job.

Admittedly it wasn’t an easy decision to make—I was enjoying life in Santiago and had gotten to know a few good friends. Unfortunately the reality of life often takes hold—it had been over two years since I had a ‘real’ job and despite the numerous issues that came up along the way where I was able to use my problem solving skills, I could tell my engineering knowledge was probably getting a little rusty. I tried to find some engineering jobs in Santiago, but my luck was falling short. I could have stayed as an English teacher, but it wasn’t something that I really wanted to do.

Coming back meant finding the right job, not just ‘a job’. I decided to take a job that I felt would really fit me both as a person and as an engineer. This might sound strange—but as I learned working for Toyota—being an engineer was the only thing that mattered. I still vividly remember the time I was asked by a Japanese coordinator, ‘Dave-san, what’s more important—work or other things?’ Well, if you’re reading this blog, you can probably tell what matters more to me (but at the time I had to carefully word my response to said coordinator).

So what’s this new job that fits me better? I’m currently working as a technical service and support engineer for Loadrite, supporting the Americas. Loadrite is a New Zealand based company whose bread and butter are scales and data reporting for heavy equipment, such as wheel loaders and excavators. In a nutshell, the scales enable a company to accurately track and load trucks…. so that when they leave the mine or quarry site, they don’t need to dump the overweight portion (to avoid fines) or leave under-loaded, wasting fuel. The products help to streamline a company’s operations and increase its bottom line.

I am one of only three in the USA in this role and the company itself has fewer than 20 direct employees here. Compared to 30,000 working for Toyota, it is quite a change. In my role, I have the flexibility of working from home most of the time, but there’s a small office here in Phoenix where I go when I need to access our products for more detailed support. Other times, I hit the road to support installations or calibrations. So far I’ve done this here in Arizona, as well as Iowa, Washington, California, and have a trip planned next week in Utah. Most times, I get to use problem solving and quick-thinking skills to help resolve customers’ issues.

In short, it is far different than my 6 years spent in cubicles for Toyota. I’m actually able to meet and work with customers, as well as see good results and pleased customers. Of course I met many customers when I worked for Toyota, but to this day, no one has ever said ‘I’m so glad my foglamp doesn’t pop out of my Avalon’s bumper after a 5mph impact’ or ‘Thanks for making sure I can drive over curbs in my Highlander without the rocker panel falling off.’ Seeing the immediate satisfaction of a loader or excavator operator being able to accurately load trucks… as simple as it seems, is gratifying.

But obviously, life’s not all about work—since I’ve been back, I’ve gotten back into playing tennis, hiking, and taking photographs. I finally purchased a new camera and have been taking a few photos—but not as many as I would like. After living in Santiago where there was almost always something going on, I decided to live in downtown Phoenix—close enough to walk to restaurants, bars & café’s, as well as the supermarket.

I’m definitely not done traveling—I’m just taking a hiatus of sorts and developing my next set of plans!

What I Like Most About Santiago

Several people have asked me why I like Santiago and as a response, I thought it would be a good theme on which to base this latest post. One of my favorites is the view of the Andes ‘cordillera’ from the city. The others include green space, markets, fresh bread and good wine, bike-friendly routes, and efficient public transportation. Unfortunately, my camera stopped working so I am having to use my backup—my IPod—until I buy my next camera (I have my eyes set on the Canon S100). I really like taking pictures that stand out, so I’m more than a little disappointed with the results—I hope the followers of my blog will understand. Better to have something than nothing, though.

Green space

To me it’s ideal to have a place to relax, especially within the city. Since it’s not always possible to escape to the hills to avoid the hustle and bustle, the second-best is to have a little piece of nature nearby.

Within Santiago is a long string of parks bordering the Mapocho River, providing about 5kms of green space. It’s a place where city dwellers can go to take a stroll, jog, have a family picnic, or just relax on the grass.

Markets

In Santiago there are several types of markets; the Mercado Central which has fresh seafood as well as restaurants; La Vega which has fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and various other consumables; and numerous Ferias which sell books, antiques, clothing, and artisanal items. After all of my travels, I have to roll my eyes when I see the word ‘Artesenal’—more often than not; the items are not artisanal, rather made in some factory. In these Mercados Artesenales, stall-after-stall sells identical goods such as gloves and scarves from Alpaca, ceramic trinkets, and other kitschy items.

The market of most interest to me in Santiago is La Vega, where I take a weekly shopping run to buy all my fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s about 10 blocks from my apartment, but prices are half that of supermarkets, justifying the trip. For example, here are a few items that I buy regularly: Pink Lady apples, $0.35/pound; red bell peppers, $0.40/each; tomatoes, $0.40/pound; peanuts, $2.20/pound; lemons, $0.20/pound.

Fresh Bread

I’m a sucker for fresh-baked breads; something that is almost a luxury in the USA. Now bakeries in the USA are more of a boutique business than a staple. Here in Chile it’s an everyday affair—a friend told me that if a household doesn’t have bread, the household doesn’t have food. Bread is also sold in loaves, but it’s much more common to buy bread fresh, which is sold by weight. Warm crispy bread is about $1.00 – $1.50/pound.

Wine

Chile is one of the top wine exporting countries in the world. That being said, über snobby wine culture still doesn’t seem to have influenced every winery like in other countries. Most wineries offer a wide range of wines, from bottom shelf to top shelf. An example is Santa Carolina, who has offerings such as 1-star, 3-star, gold-star, all the way up to ‘family reserve’. Good wine is plentiful and economical and thus can be incorporated into one’s daily diet.

Bicycle Friendly Routes

I have a bicycle and enjoy riding it—having dedicated bike lanes means avoiding traffic and pedestrians alike. Santiago is a vibrant city and sidewalks are usually filled with people—sometimes even making it difficult to walk if you’re in a hurry. Unfortunately, not all areas are accessible by bicycle, which means riding on sidewalks from time to time, and avoiding people. Fortunately cops are not as anal as the Clemson University Police—who pulled me over with their police car for riding on the sidewalk on my way to class.

Efficient Transportation

By far the Santiago metro is the most efficient way to navigate the city—it’s not affected by traffic jams, weather, or marches and protests. Combining the metro with the thorough network of buses, almost anywhere in Metropolitan Santiago is accessible without needing a car. Adult fares are around $1.40 each way, but for students they’re deeply discounted to around $0.25.

The dependence on cars is something that has long frustrated me about cities in the USA—in Atlanta the rapid transit system doesn’t come anywhere close to my parents’ neighborhood. In Phoenix, where I worked last, it’s even worse. I suppose I can’t complain too much without being a hypocrite–after all my professional work experience is in the automotive industry—developing cars and trucks for the masses.