Transportation Networking

Arturo, my youngest son, enrolled this semester to a high school that is far away from where we live. This has made that he develop some networking skills. He says that he didn't learned that from me... but I love to tell this story, because the parents example is then copied by the kids.

It happens that there is a transportation that takes him and brings him back from his high school, but the nearest point that the route could bring him is about a 50 minute walk, it means its about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from where we live. In the mornings, we organize ourselves to drop him in my way to work. But in the afternoon, he usually arrives earlier than me, so he has made some arrangements to solve his transportation problem.

The first thing he do, was to meet his bus peers, then he watched the ones that lived on his way, and when the mother of one of his friends offered a ride to the other bus stop, he took her word and get the first walk free.

When he arrived to the bus stop, he realized that there was a lot of people waiting, and when the bus finally arrived, it has no place to get up. That happened with 3 different buses. So one of the guys standing there say out loud: "I'm heading to Cacalote, do someone want to share a cab?", with my son, 2 more people say yes, and shared a taxi, they save some money, and get to know some other ways to solve the transportation problem.

The last time, he didn't get to board the bus, neither share a ride, so he started walking and eventually the former owner of the transportation company that give him service, ask if he want a lift, of course Arturo, get into the van and thank "Pepe" his gesture.

With this story in mind, my recommendations to do some networking are:

1.- Get to know the people that do the same activities than you, like being students at your same high school, it will give you some confidence token and you may seize the advantages like getting some free rides.

2.- When some other people need the same service than you, try to share, this will become really useful if you are on vacation, you may get the opportunity to meet people, and get some good discounts.

3.- Have some friends with people that you used to have services from, and having a good relationship, will allow you to get recognized and offer you some type of help.

Have you lived an experience that you want to share?

Concert Networking

Maroon 5 was at our city and furthermore that I'm a big fan, I couldn't help to tell you about my experience. I bought the tickets since last September, so this event was planned for about 6 months and as you may imagine, waiting for so long makes higher the expectations. So I had to do a little research so I can arrive on time to the place.

The total capacity of the Foro Sol is 55,000 people, as I could prove there should be that amount of people at that place, so we had 2 options, take the subway or take a taxi. My friends decided to take a cab, I think the next time we should consider better the first option, since we had a 2.5 hour ride. Of course you have to visualize the 55,000 people trying to get to the same place at about the same hour.

The show lasted just 1.5 hours, that was disappointing. I had waited for six months for a show of 1.5 hours? Whatever, Maroon 5 and specially Adam Levine, make a real show with their songs and the scenery. I realized that my research produce benefits because I knew all the songs, that was the best part of preparing for so much time. Personally I would like that the group had more interaction with the audience, but they perform their songs really well, and that was objective of this concert.

 

The interesting thing that happened to us at the concert was with a group of girls that were sited in front of us. When the concert started, the girls went up to their chairs, obstructing completely the stage and the screens. I had to tell them to get down so the rest of the people could watch the show. They went down and didn't get up again, so anyone had to copy that bad practice, at least in the spot we were sited.

So I share my recommendations for going on concerts:

1.- Organize with your friends, even better if you have the same taste, you will have fun.

2.- Seize the opportunity and meet before the event in a close location so you can have fun a before, during and after the concert.

3.- Do not allow other people mess up with your experience, tell them in a good way that everybody has the opportunity to have a good time and you will get some cooperation.

Vacation Networking

Have you ever spoken with your taxi, bus or tour driver? I don´t mean conversations on take me to here or there, have you take some time asking things about the city you are visiting?

I went on vacations and had the opportunity to take a city tour. On the trip, the driver ask me to get for her some water bottles that will be handed in. She told me that I was really nice to her, I just thought it should be the famous Mexican hospitality, it wasn't a big deal.

When the tour ended, the driver get us to the hotel, and she decided to "return the favor" by explaining us how the city has been planed, and the logic behind the letters and numbers on each street, that allow us to move easier on the city center.

Consideration 1: Be kind with the personnel that serves you, it could be on benefit at some point. The people will feel the need to support you on the same way and in several occasions it will be of help for your visits to the places you haven't been before.

At the end of my trip, I ask for a taxi, and chat a little with the driver, he resulted to be foreigner and he liked to speak with his clients, he thought that inside an office he wasn't getting as much people contact. He came from an African country named Eritrea, maybe there are a lot of people that know this country, but in my case I didn't knew it. I struggled a little to understand where this country was placed, the economic activities, the commercial activities and the type of government it had.

Samuel was really kind to explain and tell me about his country. Furthermore, he also shared the reasons that take him into the United States. It was a really interesting conversation, I haven't met somebody from this world region and I promised him to share this information as soon it was posted. This gave me the opportunity to know a little bit about Eritrea, because I had reviewed it on wikipedia.

Consideration 2: Ask your driver for its origins, you never know the moment when you met global regions you never imagined.

Can you tell me some anecdotes of your international trips?

Taxi-tures

I had the opportunity to travel abroad on a business trip and take some transportation. I will share with you some networking tips learned from the taxi drivers.

The first one was a Bogota Driver, that take Camila and Me to a business meeting. Both of us were chatting about our activities when Carlos, the driver, ask me if I were from Monterrey.

It take me for surprise that someone else knew where I was from, so I asked. He told me that he lived some years before there and that he was fond to that city. Also he told me that he liked our music and he played the next song in the radio.

The trip ended with us singing in the taxi and thinking about our grilled meat. "Pos como no!".

The second story was with a Lima Taxi Driver. I organised with a friend to take a city tour and the company offered to pick us up at the hotel. When we where on the taxi, Armando the Lima Driver, ask us where we headed to. Of course neither Claudia nor me knew were we have to go. We taught that the driver should know.

Eventually the driver stops in the middle of a street and ask the first person he see for the place we have to get. This person told him that he was wrong on his way and that he should go to another spot. Claudia and me look at each other, and start to laugh, we both thing that the walker will knew as much as us to where we headed.

We decided to keep on with our driver, because we were really interested on what was going on. Our driver asked to 3 more people and then decided to call the company, at the end we get there on time.

So I share some recommendations related:

1.- If you recognize the accent of a person, ask about its origins, what he misses, the food, the people. You will get an interesting conversation. If you do not recognize the accent, then ask about where he comes from and also you will have an interesting conversation.

2.- If you have the chance to share what you know from other countries do it the people will thank your attentions.

3.- If you can amuse your clients, have some fun, Claudia and me keep on the taxi because the interactions between our driver and the people on the streets was really funny.