I am back at school!
I started my classes of French language this week. However, I am having problems with mixing it with my Portuguese and of course, my Spanish. But I love French, I like how it sounds like, especially in music and movies.
Hope to be able to understand a bit more after this module.
I am training my brain to a new sequence of repetitions,
vocabulary, sounds, grammar rules, etc.
My principles for this new learning adventure,
écutez. listen
répétez. repeat
observez. observe
lisez. read
réspondez. respond
complétez. complete
reliez. link
cochez. select
écrivez. write
and my favorite phrase so far:
Encore une fois!
(one more time!)
{But, I must confess that I would prefer that my brain was a Mobile phone, therefore I would buy tons of SIM cards even with international roaming } :)
Principles of learning
My sister and my best friend got engaged!
I almost screamed... well, I did! :P when Ivan told me -in a really casual way- what he was planning to do for the 1st of January. We were in a shopping mall and my sister was trying some clothes for the Christmas dinner.
At the first moment, I thought he was kidding...
I met Ivancho like 6 years ago. Both of us were part of AIESEC and then we were colleagues working for the national team for one year. We became a really close friends with the passing days, especially when he started to hang out with my sister and he was sharing his adventures to see her in any part of the world. Ivancho has been my colleague, my mentor, my boss, my friend and now my family :)
That's the reason why I knew he was really serious when he got blush and just smiled!
-OMG! are you serious??? OMG OMG!!
I almost cried.
But,
how come did I know it first than his fiancee? :P
Well, the situation was that Ivan invited my family to his family's house in Paipa, Boyaca, (his hometown in Colombia) for a BBQ on the 1st of January. (In Colombia is traditional to have a BBQ with your family and friends the 1st day of the year to welcome the new year eating, drinking and partying, as a good luck!) :) He was planning to propose during the BBQ in front of all the families there.
However, unfortunately the only date when I could return to Belgium, -in order to be back at work on next Monday-, was the freakie 1st of January! Ivancho was insisting me to move my flight in order to go to the BBQ. His last argument was the BIG NEWS!
I did try everything but I couldn't move my flight tough. I was in Cali waiting my connection to Madrid when my Mom and my sister call me to share me the news. I cried of happiness :)
I am pretty sure that my sister is very happy, I can feel it.
At this moment, I can say that the "twin's stuff" of shared feelings is true. I can feel how happy she is to be engaged. I can see it as well.
We are already thinking in small details for the wedding. How she sees the ceremony, the dress, the food, the place, the photos, the guests lists... the expenses of the weeding!!, which is a big project by the way.
and... I will be in Colombia this year again!!
7th September, 2010 - the BIG DAY! :)
These two special guys together make me believe in love.
That true love exists and make you crazy to be with THAT person. awwwww :)
New technologies and social media in the Inclusion movement
DE: Inclusion Europe a aussi créé une chaînesur ‘YouTube’ où vous pouvez regarder nos vidéos. Informations technologien ändern sich ständig. Heute, können wir zum Beispiel Facebook benutzen,um mit Freunden zu sprechen oder neue Freunde zu treffen. Inclusion Europe hat jetzt eine Facebook-Seite, auf der man andere Menschen mit Interesse an Inklusion treffen kann. Inclusion Europe hat aucheinen Kanal auf YouTube mit videos.
Do we have a presence on important social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter?
Do we plan how information is being distributed on the Internet?
Do we communicate through videos, photos, blogs and other popular media?
Inclusion Europe is already present on online social networks. If you are a Facebook user (Facebook is the world’slargest social online network), become a “fan” of our Facebook page to receive updates, to see our latest photos and events, and to stay connected with friends and supporters of the Inclusion movement.
Una mirada a la Antártica como ejemplo de cooperación internacional y el cambio climático
Con motivo de la Conferencia sobre el Cambio Climático de las Naciones Unidas, globalmente conocida como #COP15, que se lleva a cabo desde el 7 al 18 de Diciembre de este año en Copenhague, quiero compartir algunas de las principales conclusiones de la única colombiana participante en la Expedición a la Antártica IATE 2009.
La expedición, liderada por el explorador polar Robert Swan OBE, acaba de regresar de la expedición a la Península Antártica en la que se conmemoró el 50º aniversario de la firma del Tratado Antártico, el cual protege a este continente del nocivo potencial de la minería y la excavación de sus superficies para la explotación de sus recursos y que además manifiesta que el “Continente Antártico es un territorio de paz y ciencia”.
Un total de 45 expedicionarios, provenientes de 16 naciones (entre ellos, Jennifer Trujillo, colombiana y única representante de Suramérica) se unieron a Swan en una travesía por la energía limpia enfocada en el liderazgo aplicado al tema del cambio climático y la creación de soluciones estratégicas necesarias para preservar nuestro planeta.
Los miembros de la expedición piden a sus respectivos líderes aprender del ejemplo que hoy es el Tratado Antártico y explorar las posibilidades de aplicar este mecanismo como un modelo del tipo de acuerdo de cooperación
El acierto del Tratado Antártico
El Tratado Antártico, firmado el 1 de diciembre de 1959 en Washington DC por las naciones signatarias (Argentina, Australia, Bélgica, Gran Bretaña, Chile, Francia, Japón, Nueva Zelanda, Noruega, Sudáfrica, Unión Soviética y Estados Unidos), es un ejemplo brillante de cooperación internacional que busca preservar una parte de nuestro planeta solo para la paz y la ciencia.
En su momento, la Antártica fue sitio de intensos conflictos económicos y comerciales, siendo el Tratado lo que permitió a las naciones sobrepasar lo que parecían desacuerdos irreconciliables y moverse a favor de un propósito mayor para privilegiar el objetivo de la preservación.
Aunque los problemas relativos a la soberanía aún existen, el Tratado Antártico permite que las naciones que lo conforman se enfoquen en la protección del Continente Antártico al mismo tiempo en que protegen sus intereses nacionales, suspendiendo el tema de la reclamación territorial.
De la Antártida a Copenhague
Jennifer Trujillo Obando, es ingeniera mecatrónica de la Universidad Autónoma de Occidente y actualmente está trabajando en el área de la generación de energía a partir de basura sólida municipal.
“No se trata de la belleza innegable de la Antártida, ni de su potencial para el desarrollo científico; ya en este punto, hablamos de la supervivencia de la humanidad y de lo crucial que es preservar la Antártica prístina para que siga habiendo un ecosistema que ayude a mantener el equilibrio del ciclo climático global", comparte Jennifer.
"Si este Tratado funciona para este territorio, entonces vale la pena explorar posibilidades de aplicarlo a otros escenarios, también de conflicto, en los que el mayor reto sigue siendo la cooperación para contrarrestar los efectos del cambio climático.” Concluye.
Para leer toda su experiencia en la Antártica, super recomendadísimo su blog: http://jenntoiate2009.blogspot.com/
Y los videos en YouTube de la travesía:
Parte 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7K55EAZqKE
Parte 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38PN7jUY5jQ
Agradecimientos a Jenn! por compartirme tan lindas experiencias! :)
Rationallity (?)
I had planned to spend Christmas this year with all my family -re-united after 3 years- in Colombia. That was the reason to book that ticket since June.
This week, I had to cancel the plane ticket, because I cannot take 1 month of holidays (obvious reason: I just started my job). Therefore, I tried to move the dates to my holiday break, but the prices are ridiculously expensive, thus was much better to cancel the trip and ask for the reimbursement back to my account.
I look for many other options.. but again, time, work and money are in front of me as a big rock that doesn't want to move away!
I have the hope, but also I am starting to think rationally, pasted on the pavement... that rationality makes me get upset, sad, confused... dot!
Reflections in cold
Brussels is becoming colder.
I remember one conversation that I had with Juan once, when he told me that the people become more reflective and sensitive during this period of time. He thinks the European people are more aware of their feelings and thoughts just because they experience this “winter syndrome”. I agreed.
To be cold is something I can’t control because I feel colder than the usual. My hands and fingers –literally- stop moving, even if I have gloves. My body shakes more than the usual; sometimes, I end up with strong headaches and when the temperature is really low, I can’t breath properly. Doctor told me it’s an allergy of “cold weather”. Well, I have friends with allergies of sun, dust, grass.. It cannot be that weird, right.
The thing is that I don't like cold weather because I cannot control it easily, a coffee, a tea, a bar of chocolate, an extra jacket or a hug sometimes is not enough to be Ok. It frustrates me a lot, to be honest, specially when people says the usual "Come on! it's not THAT cold!" and I am doing a big effort to smile and be nice with that appreciation.
Anyways, continuing with my reflections in cold, I am stabilizing my new life in Brussels.
Well, I am trying to.,,
I got the work permit which means I can start officially my job. It gives me the financial stability I was looking for to stay longer in Europe as I wanted. This is a really dynamic job that everyday surprises me. I am getting used to a totally different environment, audiences and projects. So far is going ok.
I already have a flat, which includes my new own bed, closet, studio, fridge, owen, tv, dvd and a big window with terrace. ;-) Though I will move in at the end of the month as soon as all the legalization process is ok.
Not sure if my French lessons will start soon and looking forward to re-start my Gym routine, but I am afraid that the weather will be a big obstacle.., I will do my best to do it, I need it.
My social life is going ok as well. I am so lucky to have many friends here. I can go out to have a coffee, beer, watch a movie, party. I always have someone to hang around with and it’s impossible to get bored.
However, I sometimes think it would be great to have someone close to share these moments, these reflections and specially to see the “nice face” of Winter. I think, I need to pay more attention to my emotional stability, anyway I won’t put so much pressure on this, I will wait until to find the “one”. With someone that I feel happy, calm, simple... just be me. Hopefully, also living kinda similar life and looking for stabilization as well. I need to share some experiences on this field :P
Let’s see how it goes ;-)
another great example of collaborative work in the Web
In Bb 2.0 is a collaborative music and spoken word project conceived by Darren Solomon from Science for Girls, and developed with contributions from users.
The videos can be played simultaneously - the soundtracks will work together, and the mix can be adjusted with the individual volume sliders.
Visit: http://inbflat.net/
and enjoy it! :)
