様々な分野でグローバルに活躍する「普通の人々」が体験を語り、次世代の普通の人々のお役に立てればと思っているサイトです。

海外出張や赴任にはリスクが伴う。

個人の努力だけでは防ぐ事のできないリスクもあるが、個人でも最大限の注意を払うべきである。

現地の人でさえも躊躇するフィリピンの最貧地区に行ってしまう日本人。

スリに掏ってくださいと言わんばかりにジーンズのおしりのポケットに財布を入れた日本人など平和ボケの日本人が散見される。

最近では、危険地域からレポートする動画も散見される。

個人が注意を払うべき安全に関わる項目を以下にまとめてみた。出発準備の一環として、治安情報サイト、外務省やJETROのホームページなども活用して研究すること。

少なくとも知らない土地での夜の歩行・タクシーでの移動は避ける、宿泊先は治安の良い場所にする、訪問先近郊の治安情報を確認する、は最低限必要だ。

・犯罪・テロ・政情不安（殺人、強盗、強姦、住居侵入、窃盗、売買春、賭博、違法薬物、爆弾テロ、反政府行動など）

・自然災害・事故（洪水、交通事故、火災など）

・健康（病気‐デング熱・マラリア・住血吸虫病・HIV・狂犬病・消化器系感染症、不衛生など）

・風俗・習慣（政権批判、宗教批判、叱責など）

・ユニークな法律（喫煙、ガム、道路横断、ポイ捨て、猥褻図書、輸入制限品など）

・その他（写真撮影、旅行制限、政治活動、機密漏えい行為、宗教活動など）

このようなリスクをどうマネージするかも海外出張や長期滞在の楽しみともいえる。

「自己責任」の意味を問い直し、訪問先の国に迷惑をかけないようするべきである。

＜「いい加減にしろよ」＞

では、ハイジャックの話の最終回です。今後は、コンピュータシステムの乗っ取りがますます増えますね。

I was contacted by a movie producer in Germany that was researching the crash a few years later. I had to go to Egypt for work, so we decided to meet in Frankfurt, Germany. It was interesting, but just at that time the pilot was there from Ethiopia and I met him. We were on the same German program together.




　
The pilot of the Ethiopian Airlines plane and me in 1998

On my last trip with Isuzu Motors, I met Rani and her family finally in Bombay several years later. I met their daughter for the first time. I met her son Sanjay while I was on Reunion together, and saw him again. That was our last meeting, but I learned the daughter got married a year or two after that and moved to Lagos, Nigeria. She is now has her own children, so Rani is now a grandmother. We share pictures with each other all the time now on Facebook. I am considered part of their family, and they are part of mine.

次回からは、Ron-sanのライフ・ストーリーから私が特に気に入っている「青春時代」をお届けします。

６０代の方は、１９７０年代の米国の若者の姿から当時の自分を思い浮かべるのではないでしょうか。

私もそうです。良いことばかりでなかった青春時代。

では、ロンさんの話の続きです。



帰国するも更に6か月入院。
I returned to Japan a month later. After returning, I was in the Isuzu hospital for six months and was not allowed to work. Finally, I went home for Christmas, 1996. I met my friends in the neighborhood and finally slept in my own bed.

そしてPTSD。
At that time, the posttraumatic stress really started, and I spend whole nights just shacking. It was so bad that even Taeko couldn’t sleep which is something. Taeko can sleep standing up. Still today I don’t sleep that deep, but am very comfortable taking plane flights.

I met part of Rani Nanakani’s family in Bangalore, India on my way from Singapore to Turkey a couple years later, in 1998. I was on a business trip and decided to route it through India. I met the same brother I met in Reunion, Rani’s other brother, her sister that lives in Canada and Rani’s Mother. It was wonderful, but I couldn’t meet Rani, her husband or their children.

グローバルリーダー協会の齋藤です。

昨日、アン・ハサウェイ主演の映画『パッセンジャーズ』を見て、このロンさんの事故を思い出してしまいました。

さて、病院生活の続きです。

前回の記事でロンさんが、自分はminor injuryと言っていますが、実は、完全復帰まで1年近くかかっています。この記事は、まだほんの始まりの部分の話にすぎません。





In the hospital, I become very close to Rani’s oldest brother, husband (Ram) and son (Sanjay). I also met Pancho Huddle’s wife, but we could never meet, as we were on different floors and could not leave our beds. I tried to visit him once in India, but could only meet his staff. There were five Americans on the plane. Two had died. So, there was Pancho, his wife and me who survived. Also, there were two Italians on the plane with minor injuries. They both had to swim from a very deep position in the aircraft, and the plane’s fuel got in one of the person’s eyes (a lady). She was blind for a while.



I was in a hospital on the island of Reunion for one month. I had to have medication for both pain and sleeping disorders. I just couldn’t get to sleep without medication.

The French Medical Teamの続きです。



Video footage of the crash

事故の模様はビデオに取られていました、Y-Tubeに出ていますし、TVでも何度か取り上げられ、日本テレビも放送しました。

The crash was videotaped by people on the beach, so that made it a marketable event. It made me famous for a time. The first program was NBC's “Dateline” just after the crash (12-1-96) as I mentioned. That did not have the crash footage. The second program, on Fox in Feb. 1997 did. Also, it was on ABC in November, 1997, the Japan’s TBS station in December 1998, and also it was on German TV in 1998. In each of those TV interviews I learned a little more about the crash. I learned there were 11 Israeli commandos on the plane and 10 had died. I learned there was a sea diving program going on just about where the plane crashed. I learned who was in every seat and their fate. Very recently, 2015 the crash was reenacted on Japanese TV (NTV) and I was approached my many people who saw it.

Lizzy and Katie were in all the London newspapers and tabloids. They must have enjoyed the stardom working for MTV. Later on they wrote a book on the experience and published it.

At that time, it was one of the most deadly plane hijackings in history. I was one of the lucky ones with only minor injuries.

The French Medical Teamの続きです。

The next day, I woke up very refreshed. I had X-rays of my leg and a scan done on it. There was a worry about a second operation needed, but that was determined not needed. I must keep my leg in traction for 3-4 weeks, and it will take about 1-2 months after that before I can stand, walk and put any weight on the leg, as I did before the accident. The good thing that I learned then was that I would completely recover.

Raniさんの兄がお礼に。
One day, as I lay in the bed, a complete stranger came to my room and said, "You are an ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, sent to our family, as you saved my sister’s life". I immediately went into tears, as I have never had such a complement in my life before. It was Rani’s older brother from Bangalore, India.

報道機関も。
Then, in came the press. For the first two days I was in the hospital, the press and government officials visited me. The governor of Reunion from France interviewed me for the local press. That visit, I think, was more for him than for me.

No one knew where I was for about two days after the plane crash. Isuzu Motors staff was looking for me. Itohchu, the larger Japanese trading company, was looking for me. And, even the FBI was looking for me for a time. Once I got to Reunion, both my family in the United States and Japan knew where I was and the news spread around.

奥様ともようやく再開
Other people visited me, like the Isuzu dealer on Mauritius, a nearby island. I met him once at a conference in Tokyo. A staff member from the Itochu office (Alain) from Madagascar also visited me. Finally, two Isuzu employees (Matsui-san and Ishii-san) brought my wife Taeko from Japan to visit me. Also, Akatani-san from Itohchu’s Nairobi Office visited me.

The American Embassy staff, particularly Bonnie Bissonette from the Mauritius Embassy had given a great deal of information to me and moral support, which was greatly appreciated as I just laid there helplessly in the bed. Years later, she visited me in Japan and I should her, her sister and daughter around Tokyo one day.

長い間話をしなかった父親からも電話。
On top of that, I received telephone calls from many family members and friends (Sarie Kaplan, Sal Osagueda, Bonnie Kaplan, my Mother, Norman Grant, Roger Deanne), and even the FBI. Also, a lot of local people visited me just to wish me well. Even my Father called me when I was in the hospital. That is something he had never done before. In all my years in Japan, my father never called, but he called me at my bedside while in Reunion.

故郷のサクラメントのラジオ局やNBC DATELAINEからもインタビュー。
Also, two radio stations from my hometown, Sacramento, CA, interviewed me by telephone. I was also, interviewed on camera for an “NBC DATELINE”, which was aired on December 1st, 1996.

エチオピア近くの海に落ちた飛行機。

幸い命に別状はないものの大けがをおったRonさんたち、どこに近代的な病院があるのか、腕のいい医者はいるのか。

どの国に行くべきか移送先の選択を迫られます。

Transport Operations:

A French medical team from Reunion Island was the first on the scene. They said they had a converted military plane, which could carry sick to one of the best hospitals in the Indian Ocean, comparable with hospitals in South Africa. The problem was that it would take four and a half hours to travel in that old plane. To South Africa, if it could be arranged, would be only three hours.

The Japanese JICA (JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ASSOCIATION), wanted to take me to Nairobi, as did the Ethiopian and the American Embassy. I did not want to go to Nairobi, as I had food poisoning there once and would rather go to a more modern hospital. As the French medical team seemed the most efficient, best equipped and ready to go, I selected to go to Reunion with them. Well, I guess I made the right choice, as this hospital was excellent, and the staff, although French speaking only, were wonderful to me.

The French Medical Team:

The team of French medics was excellent. Even when there were no problems, they made rounds about every 2-3 minutes. Also, their medical equipment was much more modern than that which was used in the Comoros. I knew by their professionalism and efficiency that I had made the right decision to go to Reunion.

On a sad note, I learned there were five Americans on the plane and two had died. One of two Japanese died.

Once our converted medical plane took off, the English girls started talking again. I now knew her name, Katie, but did not know her friend’s name, so I asked and gave them my name, “Ron”. The other English lady’s name was Lizzy. Lizzy and I met in the first hospital, and she had a bad leg injury.

When I gave my name, Rani heard it. She was in one of the upper cotes, out of my view. I could not see her but she heard my name and shouted out, “Ron, are you here too?” So, once again, we were rejoined.

The plane ride was not comfortable, as it was a military cargo plane and not for injured passengers. At the end of the flight, my leg hurt more than ever. But, the medical team headed by Dr. Bernard Gavwere was excellent!

At Reunion, the American Ambassador of Mauritius, a nearby island nation, met me at the airport. He also said I would get the best of care in that hospital, and if there was anything he could do, he would. That was about 7-8 PM in the evening, and he said he would visit me in the hospital the next day.

I was sent to a hospital called Felix Guyon in St. Denis, on the island of Reunion. Reunion is like France’s Hawaii. I never saw the island though. I was in the hospital the whole time.

When I first enter the hospital, I know I would be in good care, as all the equipment was like any industrialized country. Rani, Lizzy, Katie, the American Frank (Poncho) Huddle and his wife, were all in the same hospital.

I must admit, the four and a half hours on a noisy and shaky plane made my leg hurt all the more, and I had not been given anything to eat for 48 hours.

The first doctor saw my original X-rays, and he said the leg had to be re-set within five minutes, as it will cause great problems later on. I did everything in my power to convince him the leg was set, and he soon confirmed that. So, he simply cut off the cast on my ankle, drilled a hole in the bone below my knee on my left leg, so the hip would be put in traction so it would heal properly.

Then, I ate a full meal and went to sleep, a very good, deep sleep, as the ordeal was slowly coming to an end.

今回は、救助の状況です。フランス語圏で言葉が通じず、大変な思いをしたようですが、運もありました。

幸い私はありませんが、事故には至らずとも、海外旅行中に病気になり病院のお世話になることがあるかもしれません。
携帯の翻訳機能や辞書を使って症状を説明できるように、出発前に準備しておきましょう。
それと海外旅行保険への加入と保険会社の連絡先および電話のかけ方の確認。海外、とくに米国などは医療費がべらぼうに高いです。
クレジットカードに付与されている医療保険についても、その適用範囲を確認しておきましょう。

さて、本題です。ケガの状況が生々しすぎて・・・・・

Around that time, I saw one of Rani’s ankles. It was completely broken and was only attached by skin. Finally we reached the boat, and the crew helped Rani on the speedboat first, as she was the more injured. Then, they lifted me aboard.

The boat traveled at a very high speed, and it was very painful for both Rani and me, but we could not communicate in French to slow down which was the language of the people speaking.

When we got to the beach, many people from the island (Grand Comore) carried us and others off the boat and to a 9-seat multi-purpose bus, which took us to a small hospital or doctor’s office. At that point, I lost contact with Rani. It took about 15 minutes to get to the clinic and was a very painful ride. I could not move my left leg, and it had to be kept in a bent position leaning toward my right leg or the pain would be too great. A young boy from the island helped keep my leg in place, as it kept falling outward and that created a great deal of pain for me. I was so grateful to the boy, that I gave my watch to him. He seemed to be so grateful for such a simple gift that it made me feel very good in giving it to him, and I was more assured that he would take better care of me until I arrived at the hospital. He could not believe that I was giving him the watch, and he tried to give it back to me, but I insisted that he kept it.　（子供の方からすると盗んだと思われるのが嫌だったのだと思います）

In that little clinic I noticed a lot of medical people in swimming suits. It turned out 20 doctors from France were on vacation and saw our plane crash from the beach. They went directly from sun bathing to work on us.

From the vehicle, we were taken to a slightly larger hospital in a pick-up truck, as far as I could tell.

The clinic was filled with activity, and I was told that I was one of the least injured and to please wait until more critical patients were tended to first. So, I started waiting.

Around me were two English ladies who did not want to stop talking and a greatly injured Indian lady on my right. One of the English ladies left the room, and the other lady had no one to talk to, so I started talking to make her feel better, as she did not seem in that great of pain.

The Indian lady was in a great deal of pain and was not conscious most of the time. When she asked for the doctor no one could understand her as her voice was very low, and she could only speak English. I tried to help her by calling out for a doctor on her behalf. Finally a team of doctors came and examined her. They examined her right in front of me, and I could see her from head to toe completely naked, as we laid in beds side-by-side and very close. All I could think of was her pain, as I could see her suffering terribly. It turned out she had over 17 bones broken and would have to be in a full body cast for over six months.

From a faraway room, I heard a voice calling my name. “Ron is that you?” She heard my voice calling for the doctor for the Indian lady next to me. It was Rani. I had found her again, and we were once again in contact with each other. I thought I would lose contact with her forever this time, so I had my business card sent to her. Then, she could contact me when we all recovered. She also gave me a note of her address.

Finally, it was my turn to have my leg x-rayed. It was learned that I had definitely had a separated hip and may have broken bones in the hip as well. The x-ray was extremely painful, as I had to roll over on the injured spot.

It had to be operated on immediately, as the bone would set in the wrong place, and there would be damage later. I was given general anesthesia. During the operation, I thought I was in a fairy tale with a lot of gray and white kaleidoscopic designs. The leg was set back into the socket of my hip.

The next thing I knew, I was looking up at a lot of doctors and people. They were all looking at me as if I was a newly born baby. The doctor said I was all right now, and I noticed my leg was straight again.

When I got back to my bed, I noticed that I had a cast on my left ankle even though I knew my ankle was not injured. I learned later that it was there to keep my leg straight.

The British lady across from me seemed to want to talk some more. She said her and her friend were on a world tour when this tragedy occurred. She said she worked for MTV for many years. We also shared experiences of the flight, as she was in Economy Class in the back with the smokers, and I was in business class in the front. She had a punctured lung, and I did not want to tire her too much. So, I kept my words short, simple and cute. She and that friend with her later on wrote a book about the flight.









Photograph of the crash

『FACTFULNESS』（ハンス・ロスリング、オーラ・ロスリング、アンナ・ロスリング・ロンランド著、上杉周作、関美和著、日経BP）の152ページに「テロ」の項目があります。世界全体のテロの件数は増加傾向にあるが、もっとも豊かなレベル４の国（アメリカ、日本、シンガポール、カタールなど）では減少傾向にあるという。テロの目的は人々に恐怖心を植え付けることにあるが、レベル４の国民は、国内ではテロを恐れる必要はありません。

しかし、Ronさんが乗った飛行機はレベル２の国間の国際便・・・・・続きを読んでみましょう。

Next, the pilot in a clear voice said we have run out of fuel, and one of the engines has stopped operating. We must make a crash landing in the Indian Ocean.

My partner Rani and I put on our life vests and studied the emergency landing procedures in the seat pocket in front of us. I assisted Rani where I could, as I know a little about truck barrier tests and their impact on passengers in a crash.

I looked out the window and saw the water coming closer and closer. Interestingly, the closer we came to the water, the more peaceful I felt, as I am a water lover and felt very safe. When the water became very close, Rani and I went into the crash position we had practiced moments earlier. To my knowledge, there were two impacts. The first was very light, but the second tore the airplane apart and into pieces.

I found myself in a lot of debris, like plastic and foam (more than likely insulation foam of the aircraft). It was in my face and my eyes, so I tried to clear my vision. I was above the water, which was a good thing as I could breathe easily. That was not the case for many people in economy class to my understanding.

Rani’s seat and my seat had broken away from the airplane. My left leg was caught on something, and I noticed I could not remove it, as it would not move at all. I released it by pulling it by my pant leg trousers with my hands. After that, I inflated my life preserver and disconnected myself from my seat. When I released myself, I fell directly into the water. I wanted to swim out into the sea and away from any debris that might cut me. After getting into the water, I started to swim away from the plane. Then, Rani called to me and said, “Please take me with you”. I said I wouldn’t leave without her. So, I swam back to her. When I got close, I asked her to grab my vest and pull me toward her. Then, I inflated her vest, disconnected her seat belt, and she just fell on me. I had her grab my neck, and we swam together out to sea. The buoyancy of the life preservers stunned me. Your face is well above the water surface, so you don’t even get your nose wet.

As I mentioned, I wanted to get out of all of the debris, which was all around us. The water was warm and comfortable and at that time I was in no pain but my left leg was locked, and I couldn’t move it. With Rani holding my neck, I swam backward out to sea. Rani’s asked me if anyone knew where we were and would we be rescued. At that time, I saw the beach and knew I could get to the coast. As I had no chest, arms or right leg problems, I could swim pretty well and had plenty of propulsion to get to the beach if need be.

Then, I spotted a boat nearby, and after that saw several more. Rani simply wrapped her arms around my neck in the front and held on while I swam as fast as I could to the nearest rescue boat. As she was facing forward and I was facing her, she gave me directions until I looked over my shoulder to see where we were going. While swimming I could see the pieces of the plane behind me. It was a real mess, believe me. It was split into three main sections. Therefore, my impression that an aircraft could withstand a water landing was soon shattered.

隣の席にいたインド人のRaniさんとは、今でも親交があるそうです。










Photograph of the crash

I saw another person near the plane. He said to me, “We are the lucky ones”. Up until that time, I did not see any dead persons but know they must have been around.

ハイジャックや航空機事故は、いくら自分で安全に気を付けていても防ぐことができないことですね。

以下に機内の情景が鮮明に描かれていることから、Ron-sanはその後、何回もその光景を思い出しているのでしょう。

911以降、テロ対策が強化されましたが、緩みがでないことを期待します。



A minute or two after that, the attendants started serving the welcome drinks, and three men broke out of the bathrooms and headed for the cockpit, taking one of the bottles of whisky from the cart in front of me. After that, some time passed, and there was an announcement over the intercom saying that we have had a change of directions. From then on I could only see the terrorists walking around in the front of the plane, as I was in the second row of seats in Business Class.

As you probably know, First Class is in the front of the plane, and Business Class is the second group of seats. Finally, in the rear is Economy Class. So, from my vantage point, I had a pretty good view of the front of the plane and the cockpit.

One of the terrorists seemed to be carrying something, which looked like a fire extinguisher. It was later announced that it was a “bomb”, but I did not believe it. He was holding it like an American football running back would hold the football, and he had his hand on the handle or nozzle.

The second terrorist, which I saw very clearly was a short man and wearing an “ENERGIZER” baseball hat. This man was continually walking in and out of the cockpit. Sometimes he was in sight and on other times he was out of sight. I could see in inside the cockpit if the door was open, but most of the time it was closed.

The third man I only saw one or two times and only for a few seconds or two. To me, he was an angry man with a black mask and black facial hairs. All three were of African descent. This third man seemed to have evil written on this face and was threatening the pilots and all of the crew.

I could only see this man one or two times, and I hope to never see that face again. He was harsh, thin and tall. I noticed the terrorists did not know what they wanted to do, as they were continually looking at maps and seemed very confused.

Rani seemed to notice that one terrorist seemed very relaxed in spite of this terror, and that we would probably be safe because they seemed safe. To add to that, none of us believed there was a bomb on the plane. So, with that in mind, what could they do?

As we just sit there helpless a lot goes through our mind. I also thought I might die, and this would soon be the end of my life. I reflected a lot of the experiences I had over the years. At that time, for the first time, I thought for a few minutes that it could happen that I would die, but I realized I had lived a wonderful life and maybe it was time for me to pass on.

That thought was for only a few seconds though. Most of the time, I thought we would be safe, as aircraft these days can land on water very easily, just like a speedboat or a surfboard gliding along the top of the water.

Rani, the lady setting next to me, asked if we would live and I said “definitely yes”, and the terrorists were weak. Also, I love to swim in the ocean and in waves.

In spite of that, we grasped hands and prayed together (God only knows which religion, but it seemed to work, and God took care of us.)

I had no feeling of regret if I died, because I have gone around the world teaching sales people and managers, which I loved. I had been to over 60 countries at that time, and have met 1,000’s of very interesting people. So, maybe that is enough for one lifetime.

In spite of my general confidence, Rani and I grasped hand again.

「旅の安全」は、私のセミナーのテーマの一つで、私の経験・体験をベースにお話ししています。

しかし、ここまでの経験はありませんし、絶対に経験したくありませんね。

ハイジャック、そして飛行機がクラッシュ。

Ronさん自身の経験談です。時々、テレビ番組でも再現ビデオで報道されています。Ronさん自身の解説で。

それは、エチオピアからケニアのナイロビに向かう飛行機で起こりました・・・・・1996年11月23日・・・・・24年前のこの時期です

Chapter #13: THE CRASH – BUSINESS TRIP TO ETHIOPIA & KENYA

As usual, I scheduled this trip like any other sales training trip. Originally planned, I was scheduled to go to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and then to Nairobi, Kenya. After completing the work in Kenya, I was to travel back to Japan for the holidays.

In Ethiopia I gave training on a medium-duty truck and a light-duty truck. I gave that training and was in Ethiopia for five days. I found the people very friendly, although I saw more churches than hospitals with its extremely poor conditions.

I gave my seminar in Ethiopia and found it very enjoyable, in spite of the great poverty there at that time. Ethiopia is where coffee originally came from (Moka coffee). I also spent some time in a wildlife park there.

From Ethiopia, I was to fly to Nairobi, Kenya to introduce a new light-duty truck that I just presented in Ethiopia. GM had an assembly plant in Kenya and finally production started. The model was to be launched throughout the country. I was to train all the sales people coming into Nairobi from around the country. Well, all that changed in a hurry. Three men hijacked the flight to Nairobi. They said they had escaped from prison and wanted to travel to Australia.

Well, I never made it to Nairobi, Kenya. Here is what took place.





The sequence of the hijacking from the newspaper

I boarded the plane (Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 961) on November 23, 1996 and sat in seat number 8B. A very nice Indian lady, named Rani Nankani, from Pune, India was seated next to me in 8A. She has a home in Pune and a business with her husband in Lagos, Nigeria. She was traveling back to Lagos.

The plane took off, and we reach cruising altitude. Shortly after that, Rani wanted to go to the bathroom. So, I unbuckled my seat and let her pass. I was in the aisle seat, and she was in the window seat.

She came back to her seat, and said she never got to the bathroom, because someone was in there for a long time.

さて、何が？

Saudi Arabia

This time to Saudi Arabia I had a good chance to see Jeddah. I think it is the nicest city in the Kingdom (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).

< Pick up sales training in Saudi Arabia >




The way it turned out, the 1970’s was a time for me to learn basic language skills and business concepts.

The 1980’s was a time of business professionalism and expertise that I could call my own.

The Japanese language skills were coming together, and I was rewarded both professionally and privately.

The sales skills were advancing. The training skills were being refined, and the international understanding and management know-how had become first-class.

The growth in that period paved the way right into year 2000 and beyond.

I was in high gear in those years of achieving my global goals and dreams for life, and it would be just the beginning of my journey.

Cyprus キプロス共和国

トルコの南、地中海に浮かぶキプロス共和国。トラックビジネスは、マーケットの裾野が広い。

In June of 1988, I traveled with a General Motors executive who spent his career in Buick.
He was very helpful in not only setting up training programs but taught me a lot about sales training.
We traveled to UAE, then to Cyprus and finally to Saudi Arabia to give training on a pickup truck.
On many occasions we role-played together having me be the salesman and him the customer.
That was a lot of fun, for both the participants and the two of us.

Cyprus was at that time a divided country with Turkey occupying the northern half of the island.
The island has a long history with England, Greece and Turkey.
I think it was caught up in the many Turk-Greek wars through history.
Today, the Greek Cypriot territory is mainly a tourist economy.

< Pick up sales role-playing in Cyprus, June 1988 >

Hong Kong

香港はいすゞにとって大きなマーケットの一つ。
Hong Kong was one of the big markets for Isuzu Motors. They had a very high commercial vehicle market share there. Also, the distributor there had a division, which sold into China. Interestingly, vehicles on the road in Hong Kong were very different than those in China. Hong Kong was right-hand drive. China was left-hand drive. Hong Kong’s emission laws were very strict. China’s were not. Now, with Hong Kong being part of China, the two should be coming closer and closer all the time hopefully for the betterment of both.


香港の営業はスキルレベルが高く、車の機能以外に教える必要はなかった。
With the stress of living in such a small place, the salesmen in Hong Kong are very professional and aggressive. There was very little I could teach them about salesmanship. I could only teach them the features of the vehicles, which was my greatest success there. Other than that, they didn’t need me.

< Heavy-duty truck training in Hong Kong, March 1988 >




現在、香港は中国の一部だが、元はイギリスの植民地。カナダ、イギリスなどへの留学や移住も多く、英語も堪能。
日本人よりもはるかにグローバルビジネススキルは高い。ビジネスの常識が通じるので、仕事はやりやすい。

The Canary Islands

今年、最後の記事は「キャナリー諸島」。ヨーロッパの避寒地でのセミナー。ちょっと羨ましい。

来年は、1月7日から続きを掲載します。では、少し早いですが、良いお年を。See you next year!

Off the coast of Morocco to the west are the Canary Islands. Those islands are part of Spain, and that is the place Columbus stopped on his way to discover America. There are several islands, but two main islands, Grand Canaria and Tenerefe. The economy evolves around tourism for northern Europeans wanting to get out of the cold and to get in some relaxing sunshine.

I gave several seminars there, as the Canary Islands had no European restrictions in terms of imports and safety/emission regulations. Unfortunately, only Spanish is spoken there except around the tourist areas in the south of both of those two islands. Much like Hawaii, the people are very relaxed and casual and not as industrious as their northern colleagues.

< Sales Training with a beautiful German lady who was fluent in Spanish, March 1988 >