...born and raised at the atomic caribbean...

Sir, can I make you a question?

2009-09-08T11:36:00.005-04:00

With this question, some guy who was randomly approaching people at Bogota's airport, got me into a survey that he along other students from the Experimental University of Bogota (Universidad Piloto de Bogotá) were doing on the relations between Colombia and its neighbors Ecuador and Venezuela.

Right from the beginning the survey got me surprised with how confused my brain was about the whole situation. You sort of have a main idea and it makes you feel you have a solid concept about it but when you start making a deeper analysis on it, it all gets more and more confusing and messy in your head.

- Who or what do you think is the responsible for the deterioration of relations between Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador?
Options:
1. Alvaro Uribe
2. Support of Venezuela and Ecuador to FARC (Revolutionary Army of the Republic of Colombia)
3. USA and its interests
4. FARC
5. Don't Know/No Answer

Just immediately after formuled, the question bombed the whole "clearness" I had on my mind about the whole situation. It all consists of threads carefully attaching us to personal interests. Personal because it seems that it is fights between personal figures rather than national interests.

When there's not a clear concept from the people on situations like this and it all falls on individuals' responsibilities it's a reflect of the immatureness of a nation. In this case, the sample can't be more appropiate for describing political immatureness: Latin America.

During the 2000s the role of Latin America has been transformed from the poorly emerging nations to the news stars of the world economy presenting growth rates over 5% in almost every country of the region. It has generated the acquisition of a more relevant place amongst the global stardom therefore feeding the ego of the people leading the region. Unfortunely, the leaders has been raised in a system not well prepared for facing a global dynamism. Presidents of Latin America just act according to political schools developed under the anarchy of 1980s and 1990s, learnings that represent a menace to the current economical "stability" and growth, leading to a desaccelerating process on the reduction of poverty, which has taken the index of it under the 35% in the last decade after affecting 50% of the population during mid-1990s. This, added to the current economical crisis from which Latin America did not escape makes the region an easy target for continuing feeding the populism and the fever on individual figures over people's interests.

The future? It requires strong opposition figures or less radical representatives of current directions. Cases like Venezuela where a single figure like Chávez represents a menace for the economy and the people's freedom constitute the hardest bone to gnaw. There's a whole political machine under it that show both external and internal interests a different panorama and mmakes the whole country fall into a rollercoaster from which only the people will be the most affected (being already).

Other, like Colombia where excellent economic results supported the policies of the president Uribe during the last 7 years along with the massive reduction of violence requires more of a brake to the populism over a well-being idea and the conception that a country can't depend on a single figure for assuring an stability. Anyways, the country has presented an increase on violence during last year and the poverty reduction was not what expected during the "good years" due to the bad distribution of incomes. All this reflecting the unmarvelousim of the current administration which seems to go for a second re-election.

The rest of the regions seems to follow one or the other block depending on its interests, but all of them falling on the dependency from each other which brakes up the possibility of permanent separation and reflecting the neeed for assuring an integration if the dream of having a solid economic block still being alive. Block like the European Union has demonstrated that political respect and following a continental regulation does not mean the disappearing of sovereignty, appreaciating diversity and specialization over difference.

Can I make the question: When will be ready and mature enough?

10 años

2009-06-02T13:23:00.007-04:00

Crecimiento económico. A eso se reducen todas las cifras que son publicadas trimestralmente por diferentes organismos nacionales e internacionales que buscan medir el progreso de diferentes entidades territoriales. Crecimiento del PIB, PIB per cápita, poder adquisitivo, capacidad de ahorro, consumo, etc. Luego vienen otros indicadores que buscan medir el bienestar general: acceso a agua potable, servicios sanitarios, tasa de alfabetismo, etc. Luego otros más complejos que definen el futuro de tal progreso: acceso a educación superior, proyección de crecimiento económico... en fin, una serie de datos que proveen una imagen enmarcada en el flujo de capital, capacidad de adquisición. Enfoque: CONSUMO.

Pero, es este el enfoque eficaz para asegurar un futuro promisorio para nuestro planeta? Es este el modelo a seguir para garantizar tan siquiera una supervivencia del ser humano? Todo apunta a generar serias dudas sobre esta concepción.

El otro día compartiendo una tarde de ideas con mis antiguos compañeros de equipo en el MC 0607 en Colombia quienes casualmente coincidimos en Rotterdam por diferentes causas, nos topamos con un video producido por diferentes fuentes de producción audiovisual global y por otras multinacionales patrocinadoras. Sea cual sea su origen este video plasmaba de manera contundente el ritmo y la aceleración que este motor consumista está teniendo actualmente y que está aumentando aun más el ya acentuado desbalance entre el punto sostenible y la real tasa de consumo global que el ser humano produce.

Para generar un kilo de carne de res, por ejemplo, es necesario el consumo de decenas de litros de agua, además de sumar que aproximadamente el 85% de la producción agrícola de cereales se destina al consumo de animales para luego ser convertidos en carne apta al consumo humano. Todos los días entra en nivel del riesgo de extinción 1 especie animal a causa de la pérdida de hábitats, los mismos que son destruídos para proveer de vivienda a miles de seres humanos. El crecimiento poblacional no se detiene y para el 2050 se calcula que la Tierra estará habitada por un poco más de 9 mil millones de personas.

Indiscutiblemente siguiendo la lógica de los eventos toda esta dinámica nos llevará al colapso de nuestro hogar: la Tierra. Una conclusión que no requiere ciencia avanzada para ser concebida. Y algo preocupante pero que nos da cierta posibilidad de cambiar las cosas es que aproximadamente 10 años es con lo que contamos para cambiar las cosas.

10 años? Sí, 10 años. 2019 sería el número clave para sentarnos y evaluar los cambios necesarios a hacer. Pero, es posible?
Bueno. Ha sido posible en muchos aspectos. Por ejemplo:

- Cuando el agujero en la capa de ozono fue detectado tomó 7 años para revertir el efecto. La colaboración de las productoras de aerosoles y el cambio en los hábitos de consumo fueron la clave para lograrlo. Actualmente el agujero en la capa de ozono tiene sólo un 6% del tamaño que tenía en 1986 cuando fue descubierto.

- La inversión en prácticas sostenible ha aumentado más de 600% desde 1992 en los países industrializados, 325% en los países en desarollo y 75% en los países pobres.

- En 1985 sólo existían 120 organizaciones internacionales dedicadas a la concientización ecológica. Actualmente son más de 12.000 en todo el mundo con un enfoque en sostenibilidad y modelos de inversión en prácticas sostenibles que suponen beneficios para organizaciones multinacionales. Más cantidad y propuestas rentables y atractivas.

- La educación superior supone un elemento importante en la sostenibilidad, ya que entre más personas preparadas con educación de alta calidad se tiene más concientización se genera y conocimiento efectivo se pone en práctica para generar soluciones. Actualmente el 30% de la población global va a la universidad. La proporción era 12% en 1985.

- 10% de las tierras a nivel global son reservas naturales protegidas. Este porcentaje era de tan sólo el 2,3% en 1990..

Es posible generar cambio. Ahora somos más en la tarea, ahora tenemos más herramientas, ahora tenemos más conocimiento, ahora tenemos más y mejores medios de comunicación para esparcir el mensaje. Hacer y compartir.

9 años 11 meses, 29 días, 23 horas, 59 minutos, 59 segundos... el reloj sigue andando. Disfrutemos de ese andar, haciendo, generando, no parando y de verdad creyendo que somos capaces de generar un cambio real.

11 months...

2009-05-23T08:21:00.002-04:00

...eleven months since I published my last post. It simply lost its priority status due to a very busy life I have lived during this last year. Going from one location to the other, this year simply reduced to a time when realizing that it's much more worthy to do what you want and love than pursuing that "professional success and wealth in my pocket".

After visiting around 15 countries during this year and 44 in total in the last 3 years I have had the opportunity to meet many people who is totally immersed in totally different cultures and that have developed a way of sense the life out there with a completely different scale of values than mine. It has helped me to enrich my perception on how several cultures based themselves in traditions, behaviours and needs produced by their environments.

I hope my blog redaction will be constant from now on, when I am certainly more in peace and ready for taking next steps. For sure, it's time to tell some stories that I have grabbed during the journey. Indeed, that will to share is shaping my future, or at least the barely clear plan on it.

it's not OK

2008-06-19T12:34:00.006-04:00

...it's not OK that there still being 2 million forced displaced people in Colombia...

...it's not OK that in Colombia 38 people are being assassinated every day...

...it's not OK that in Colombia a person is kidnapped every 2 days...

...it's not OK that 44% of the population still being poor...

...it's not OK that 12% of our population still not having basic needs covered...

Yes, we're way better than 10 years ago when these numbers used to be even 3 times bigger, but people, IT STILL BEING NOT OK!!!...

Sorry, for the sudden rush of concern, but seeing the recent numbers published by UN got me worried... and I perceived several people falling into the "OK" sense and the "Uribe solves it all" perception... nobody is Superman people! and if we don't still working on getting this country even better nobody will do it for us. We are not even halfway where we want to reach....

...let's make it at least OK...

La cumbia cienaguera Global Edition

2007-11-20T23:17:00.001-05:00

I'm back!!

2007-11-17T14:56:00.000-05:00

finally!!! thanks Dody!

testing

2007-11-12T15:15:00.000-05:00

testing if my blog is working again....

...por los desaparecidos... (...for the disappeared ones...)

2007-07-25T15:50:00.000-04:00

Primero apresaron a los comunistas,

y no dije nada porque yo no era comunista.

Luego se llevaron a los judíos,

y no dije nada porque yo no era judío.

Luego vinieron por los obreros,

y no dije nada porque no era ni obrero ni sindicalista.

Luego se metieron con los católicos,

y no dije nada porque yo era protestante.

Y cuando finalmente vinieron por mí,

no quedaba nadie para protestar.

-Bertol Brecht-

With Polish replacement!

2007-02-05T11:45:00.000-05:00

Yeah! Maciek has been chosen MCVP Exchange of AIESEC In Colombia for 2007-2008.

It's both huge news and huge surprise. Although I strongly belief in his capacity to be my sucessor at the same time I was afraid AIESEC In Colombia didn't believe in him because of being unknown by the general assembly. But, in fact, he was the only one who got the vote of confidence!

At CONAL 2007 in Bogotá, the announcement was released and know I've got replacement. Direct from Poland!

Congrats Maciek! see you in Colombia!

And.... good news don't end there. My friends Patricia and Lorena from AIESEC Uninorte were also chosen. Patricia as MCVP ER and Lorena as MCVP PD. And my friend Lucas was also elected, as MCVP Projects. What a great team!!

MCVP IS and MCVP Finance still being available... :(

Congrats to you all guys!

Not running....

2007-02-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

MCVP in Brazil
MCVP in Poland
MCVP in Mexico
MCVP in Canada

even AIVP Exchange

...all these offers running through my head!... not taken anyone of them..

...it is so fucking hard leaving them go away!...

...acting sustainably is so hard... gotta finish my studies and develop my research...

congratulations to the chosen ones in there

2006: what a year!

2007-02-05T10:28:00.000-05:00

Life changes. And if you don't change with it you are left behind. No way out.

2006 has been a year of changes. Both inside and outside. Both for good and for bad. Both big and small.

Things I will never forget from 2006:

- The UBS Award to AIESEC Uninorte to Best LC of 2005 in Colombia.
- The water falling on me as being elected as MCVP X 2006-2007
- The time outside the conference plenary, out in the cold night with the other candidates for MC 2006-2007.
- The whole experience of PEACE Project in Poland. 29 trainees from 22 countries gathered together. I will never miss you guys!
- My time in Czestochowa. As CEEDer it was cool to experiment how does AIESEC is lived in other context and country. The LCP of that LC is now my sucessor as MCVP X of Colombia!
- Transition night in Bogotá. Let's get it started! Now I was the MCVP X.
- International Congress. Back to Poland! About 1000 AIESECers from 97 countries. Speechless.
- PM-NATS in Bucaramanga. My first conference as MC.
- TDM Manizales. What a great city! Amazing time with the LC! cool, perfect.
- Carito's death. I still can't believe you're not here my Carito. I really miss you.
- XQB members announcement. I was part of a global team!! wihi!
- The call. Start of my biggest problem during this year. It has screwed up everything.
- Decission taken: forced to be back to Barranquilla. Had to leave my team. Received all their support to continuing being MCVP from up here. Thanks guys!
- AIDS knock-knock. A very close person got the news, he's got AIDS. You never know how close it is to you. One more fucking bad thing of the year.

Well, 2006: "bittersweet"

bittersweet return

2006-12-23T17:24:00.000-05:00

Although expected, is not easy to arrive home and find such a heavy atmosphere during a supposed happy season. Things are not going the best way here and sadly sometimes I just wish being back in Bogotá. But family is first and sometimes you need more strenght than what you have for helping others. Decission is taken: I am staying here... I will be missing my roommates Bee and Pipe, and my daily interaction with my team.

Now, more than before, I've realized they need me here. It's like a thousand problems decided to visit my family all of a sudden. We need some rest from it, urgently, because stress is the worst virus on family system.

That's my only wish for this season: PEACE. I want my family's peace back.

I love this band!

2006-12-17T18:01:00.000-05:00

What a performance!... definitively A Perfect Circle is one of those rock bands that surely will make you feel the music not only with the sound but with the way it is expressed by the group as a whole. Great video from the same album of Three Libras.

It's nice to remember those times.

Song: Judith
Artist: A Perfect Circle

back in my head

2006-12-17T17:50:00.000-05:00

One of those songs that all of a sudden come back to your mind. Great song, really important during that part of my life when this song just came out. Good memories.

Song: "Three Libras"
Artist: A Perfect Circle

The Dark Room & The Dark Complex

2006-12-17T17:29:00.000-05:00

Unfortunely I discovered this new obsession. Try to get out of it... the Dark Complex is fucking complicated.

Just try it and you will understand:

Wooly Thinking

Ladies first...

2006-12-09T11:45:00.000-05:00

Colombia is part of LatinAmerica, a region formerly known as a very machist part of the world. During past years the whole region has fallen in awareness of the importance of giving to women the space they deserve in the society. Deny their spaces is going against the competitiveness of the country, since women represent 50% of population and even more in most of the latinamerican countries.

On the last report of World Bank about Gender Empowerment Colombia was placed at No.21 amongst 140 countries being the No.1 in LatinAmerica and 2nd in the whole Americas after Canada.

In Colombia 36% of the chief executives of the companies are women, 4 out of the 6 ministers are women, 30% of the whole senate are women, 50,2% of the labour force is composed by women and women earn 86% of men's salary, the highest rate in Latin America.

"Ladies first"... a typical phrase denoting gentlemen moods... gender equality. Are these formalities needed when there is a long path to walk in front of us? We are the first country in LatinAmerica in gender empowerment but we still seeing the awful data about violence against women in Colombia. Can you imagine how it is in the rest of the region and in other regions where the situation of women is getting even worse day by day?...

Colombia still has lots to do. Gender equality is focused on specific groups of the society, as everything in this country. The richer woman you are, the more equal and important you are.

Let's give the woman her space in society. Equal but not the same. We are women and men, different but equal in rights. Let's make it equal for every single woman in the country. They don't need to be "first", they need to have the same chances.

Simpsons Live

2006-12-09T11:41:00.000-05:00

cool

my newest obsession

2006-12-09T11:27:00.000-05:00

I know it's not new stuff but I am obsessed with this amazing creation: Pandora!

If you have not discovered yet, you gotta to!!

http://www.pandora.com

You can customize your own radiostation based on an specific artist or song. Day by day you adpat the radiostation to your preferrences and it automatically "learn" what you like. You can create up to 100 radiostations and you can share your radiostation with other users.

Great invention!

so what's next

2006-12-06T15:53:00.000-05:00

not another leadership position in AIESEC to apply please.... all over the world things happening on this zone... I will not enter there...

taking it easy, going back to university in order to finish my career, enjoying the lifestyle of Barranquilla, being part of the day-to-day of the LC...

mmm.. feels so good...

Carito... we'll be missing you

2006-12-02T14:35:00.000-05:00

Your laugh, the way you saw life, your "crazy dances", your willing to make everybody smile even in the worst time. I can't say "I'll be missing you" because tons of people have been touched by your love.

But... I'll be missing you Carito... have fun up there... I know you will

Mmmm... getting old

2006-12-01T18:25:00.000-05:00

When you listen a song which is nowadays a classic but it does not sound too old for you... this was the Global Top 10, 10 years ago.

1. "Un-Break My Heart" - Toni Braxton
2. "I Love You Always Forever" - Donna Lewis
3. "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" - Celine Dion
4. "No Diggity" - Blackstreet feat. Dr. Dre
5. "What's Love Got To Do With It" - Warren G feat. Adina Howard
6. "Wannabe" - Spice Girls
7. "One And One" - Robert Miles feat. Maria Nayler
8. "Breathe" - Prodigy
9. "Say You'll Be There" - Spice Girls
10."Macarena" - Los Del Río

mmmm... yes, these songs are classics already and you're getting older...

Dec. 1: World HIV/AIDS Day.

2006-12-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

Check this out:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8356446

Thanks to my family

2006-12-01T15:42:00.000-05:00

While having an interesting discussion about religion and the meaning of death with my MC mates at lunch, I discovered how lucky I was having such a "not fitting the model" family. They were all talking about their Catholic traditions but Bee, and how they were taught since they were children how to pray, behave and stablish a relation with their churches. They seem to be comfortable with the fact their family is Catholic, their traditions are Catholic and in fact they are getting ready for Christmas celebrations in advance. I really like they are convinced about their believings, but I felt sort of relieved thinking about my childhood and remembering the freedom I enjoyed having the chance to choose amongst the different believings my family have.

I grew up into a family composed by four different "ethnics": English, Turkish, Jewish and Hispanics; and therefore four different ways of seeing the life, develop a history and conceptions about spiritualism and meanings of life. One side of my family is Catholic, the other Jewish and a very little part Protestant. I was never forced to go to any of the temples or cults of each of these religions but I was always invited. I really enjoyed listening to my parents, my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts, etc talking about the way they conceive life. The best part of all this was during December when the whole family gather together celebrating Christmas, Chanukah but always in a "let's get together" sense than "let's show off our believings".

Now I feel I am not religious, not because I don't like them. In fact I really like some traditions that are born from religious ceremonies. I really enjoy seeing my mother going to the church, my father enjoying the discussions around God and its logic with his temple-mates and my aunt following her traditions with her community. It's not the look cute but they really reflect their believings as a lifestyle.

I really thank my family because of giving me that freedom of decission. I grew up and now I follow always what my father said: "value the difference. The diversion is what make us unique".

The Departed

2006-12-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

Excellent film. Watch it, you will not regret...

Highlights: Scorsese direction, Jack Nicholson performance, script and Matt Damon expression.

The myth is over!

2006-11-27T17:30:00.000-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen!

we don't eat female cows! we eat male cows! YYYYYYYESSSS! most of the meat sold and consumed by humans come from male cows! Talking with a friend of mine who works on the commerce of cattle, he told me the truth: we eat male cows most of the times!...

Yes I know how does it feel: they have cheated on us during all this time.

So, basically...

we eat this:

We don't eat this: