Carlos Andres Hernandez is from Mexico City. He has been living in Japan for three years and is working with the press corps during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Carlos came to Japan to get his MBA and has really enjoyed his experiences in Japan.
The Olympics bring opportunities and also the ability to grow as people.
He hopes to contribute to the Olympics by helping photographers to have a good experience in their interactions with locals. Carlos was once a very good soccer player with aspirations of going pro. His connection to sport is one that continually draws him to the Olympics. He traded his dream of playing professional soccer for a business career as a project manager. But being part of the Olympic Field Cast will allow him the opportunity to participate in the games and be near the action.
Carlos originally moved from Mexico to Kyoto and enjoyed his time there. He found the Japanese people he encountered very diligent and hard-working. They were also friendly and made his work enjoyable. Last year, he moved to Tokyo.
Participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is a way to say thank you for my life in Japan
“I had hoped to be closer to the athletes,’’ Carlos said about the role he was anticipating. However, “Working with a lot of different kinds of people and using my language skills, I speak English, Spanish, some Japanese and understand Portuguese, will be enjoyable too.” This skill will make him a good fit for the job he will be doing, assisting photographers.
“The Olympics bring opportunities and also the ability to grow as people.”, Carlos said, and he expects to meet a handful of people from around the world, growing his network in the process. “I think that the experience will make me feel happy that I have helped to make the events successful.”
“One of my positive experiences in Japan was when I was starting my MBA and looking for a part-time job. I met a lot of Japanese people and was immersed in the culture. Seeing and understanding Japanese daily life was very insightful. For example, if you have a part-time job in Mexico, if there is not much to do. People joke and just hang out. But in Japan people find ways to keep busy and focus on how to do work. That is valuable.’
“Many friends dropped out of volunteering, I have not dropped out because I am doing this for the athletes and for Japan. I worry about the risk, but it’s a great chance to give back. When I went to pick up my uniform, the people working at the uniform center universally had the feeling that we should do our best until the end and make the games as good as we can.”
Connect with Carlos on LinkedIn, he is currently looking for his next opportunity.
First Published on Medium.com June 21, 2021
