Tag Archives: life

in english

How was your 2006?

I was checking out some forums I post in from time to time, and they had a thread about your personal highlights for 2006. I have to say that it got me thinking.

This year’s gone in a blur! Below my highlights of this year that is about to end:

1. Family & friends are all healthy and doing well.
2. Still with the same girl for the last 6 years and loving every minute of it!
3. Got a lot of recognition at my job, but still went on study leave.
4. Travelled quite a bit: Chilangolandia (Mexico City), London, Dubai, Tokyo, Tel-Aviv, Berlin, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Barcelona…
5. Moved to Brussels from Helsinki to start a masters in international business. Enjoying it immensely! This city is great, and I needed a change.
5.5. I’ve found a different side of myself, and got in touch with my creative side (even started a blog).
6. Started another couple of languages (# 7 & 8). I still speak them like crap, though…
7. Met a lot of interesting people, but still keep in touch with my old friends.
8. Reconnected with some people I hadn’t seen in quite a while.
9. Learned to cook sushi! And chicharrón en salsa verde, hehehehe.
10. Discovered new music (Nortec Collective rules).

Don’t know what life will bring next year, but that makes it even more exciting. I have no idea about where I’m going to live after I finish my degree next summer, and you know what? No problem!

in english

Multiculturalism and different identities

I was talking with some friends about multiculturalism and different levels of culture identification (what do you feel part of, basically). I, for example, am Mexicano, Chilango/Sateluco, Espoolainen, Uussuomalainen and Brusselaar. I’m a North American, a Latin American, but also Europeanised and with a light Asian sensitivity. I’m the couple to my significant other, son of my parents, member of my family, friend of my friends and alumnus of the different schools I’ve studied in. I’ve taken parts of the places I’ve been to, so I eat a lot of Japanese food, listen to Brazilian pagode and read American sci-fi. I’m a techie, an engineer, a photographer, a linguist and a business person. But most importantly, I’m myself, and I know I’m all those things. I’ll use them when I need to, and depending on where I am.

As a friend of mine said: “It’s like a snowball, wherever you’ve rolled some things stick to you”. Just be sure they’re the good ones.

in english

Sunny boy or cloudy boy

A Chinese friend of mine said that I’m a sunny boy, but she prefers cloudy boys (referring to my temperament). I know I might be a little bit too annoying sometimes, but I make the conscious choice to smile as much as possible, as it makes me and others feel good.

in english

HIV drug marketing

In London we had a marketing workshop with Beaconbrands, where they showed some examples of advertising campaigns they have done about drugs that are used to treat HIV/AIDS. What really struck me is that they mentioned that HIV patients have to love life, otherwise it would destroy them emotionally as well as physically. I had never thought about it that way. These people must be tough.