Noticias

Rosita, the girlfriend of my housemate, is the first Chilean I met upon arriving in Santiago. Unfamiliar with the conventional Chilean greeting, I was startled when she, a lady whom I have known for no more than thirty seconds, leaned forward and gave me a peck on the cheek after the customary “Como estai?” Do I hug her? Do I pat her on the back? What do I do? The peck on the cheek was my introduction to Chilean culture – a simple yet affectionate gesture that succeeds in conveying the warmth that resonates throughout the Chilean society. Needless to say, it became an integral part of my two and the half months in Santiago where I worked as an intern in Endeavor.

During my brief stint in here, I had the opportunity to analyse Endeavor’s impact on its selected companies. I dealt frequently with statistics and figures. I soon came to realise that the impact of Endeavor extended beyond the numbers. Endeavor was matching demand and supply, meticulously pairing up selected entrepreneurs with appropriate volunteers to achieve the best outcome, and as any economist will tell you, it was efficiently allocating resources. What I enjoyed most about my internship was the brilliant team working behind the wheels of Endeavor Chile. Each and every one, with their strong personalities, brought something distinct to the table, but more importantly, they strived to bring out the best in each other and I have been very fortunate to be part of it.

As I make my way back to Sydney, I take with me gobs of invaluable experiences, a whole new perspective on entrepreneurship and a bagful of warm Chilean memories that will keep me nice and snug until my next visit.