Back!

Blogger is finally working again thanks to the mastermind that is Dody, who somehow keeps this boat afloat. Lots has occurred that has gone unblogged, but i think i just hit the blogging lull in the traineeship. Or maybe it was because I wasn't able to publish.

The short of it is that I have been reading a lot. That's right, polished off three books since I've returned, including "How to Change the World." Social Entrepreneurship is extremely interesting and I love the amount of impact one person can have on the world. These people are true leaders, some may even be quite level 5. Either way, I am seriously considering working for a social entrepreneur in the next stage of my year of adventure. Ashoka also has amazing opportunities, but I'm not ready to leave this part of the world yet.

I am currently looking for travel partners to accompany me on my trip to the southern cone.
Also, if anyone is interested in climbing mountains this summer, I have decided that this summer I will become an ADK 46R. Looking for hiking buddies as well.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and will enjoy this holiday weekend.

Happy holidays

Merry Christmas to all. I will be celebrating in Bogotá with the family that I'm staying with. Today hot water was installed!!!!!!!

Powerful weekend (Circa 17/12/06)

Thanks giving came late this year for me. A lot of times these days, I feel that people celebrate holidays just because they are on the calendar rather than really feeling the meaning of special days. Today was one of these special days for me and ended a weekend full of everything imaginable.

Saturday night was the Depedida party of Dhanur, who is leaving Colombia shortly to go work for DHL in Singapore. The party was amazing, including a pre-game at Dhanur's house (unfortunately due to the forgetfulness of some, the Hobo did not make an appearance), then continued with a full night at Cha Cha (a night club on the top floor of one of Bogota's sky scrappers over looking the cit), and ended with a few of us carrying Ceasar home from the club because his birthday got a little bit away from him at Cha Cha.

Tonight was one of the most difficult yet inspiring nights of my time here in Bogota. Christian is a Mexican exchange student who was on the Executive Board of my committee here in Colombia. On Wednesday he ends his one year stay in Colombia. To say his expereince was full is quite the understatement. He experienced it all here: love, heart ache, friendship, hard work, passion, theft, devotion... the list could go on forever. As he said goodbye to all of those who meant so much to him during his time here was incredibly inspiring, but also heart breaking. It really touched me on an AIESEC level because it was this organization tht brought us all together and that gave us a worthwhile activity to do, but really the bonds in that room were much stronger than anything AIESEC. As I sat there and listened to the poetry of Christian's Spanish and felt the emotion behind every tear that was shed, I felt fulfilled. I felt as though that this intense learning experience was invaluable. I havn't felt that strongly perhaps since my first true expereince in this crazy organization, in Brazil. It's not passion towards anything other than people. I only hope I cry as hard when I leave this country and these people who are in my life right now. I only hope the words come as they did to christian about how deeply he cares for and respects those who he has spent time with here. I hope everyone who has an international expereince can leave with the same pain and the same knowledge that he or she has learned more than he or she ever thought possible.

So I am thankful for friends who care for me and those who I care for. I am thankful for those who listen and understand even if they don't want to. I am thankful everyone's tears tonight and for all of us learning together.

it has been a while

I have had so much going on these past few weeks that blogging has been deprioritized. Anyway, returning to Colombia was eventful. I had an indian dinner with Gopi and Dhanur on Tuesday night, which damn near burned my mouth out. Then on Wednesday, the trainees of Bogotá held a learning circle that was quite baller if you ask me. People came, they learned,they were inspired, and they collaorated. Also, all's well that ends with more indian food. Currently I am starting to move forward in my project. next week will be spent connecting with NGOs andafter christmas and new years, I amplanning on holding a UAID retreat to start the collaboration and redesign processes.

My work here has exposed many aspects of government that I do not like. This is why I am applying for an internship in Ayacucho, Peru, in the Peruvian branch of the global micro-finance firm Finca. If I am selected, this will give me on the ground access to some of the world's most talented and poorest people. I hope to see actual results of my labor and the labor of others in whatever I do.

I am still unsure if another development job is for me or if I want to go corporate for a bit. After reading Leaving Microsoft to Change The World by John Wood, founder of Room to Read, during my recent travels, I believe that corporate expereince is essential for success in the development sector. It's a question of timing I think rather than intent.

What do yall think?

it has been a while

I have had so much going on these past few weeks that blogging has been deprioritized. Anyway, returning to Colombia was eventful. I had an indian dinner with Gopi and Dhanur on Tuesday night, which damn near burned my mouth out. Then on Wednesday, the trainees of Bogotá held a learning circle that was quite baller if you ask me. People came, they learned,they were inspired, and they collaorated. Also, all's well that ends with more indian food. Currently I am starting to move forward in my project. next week will be spent connecting with NGOs andafter christmas and new years, I amplanning on holding a UAID retreat to start the collaboration and redesign processes.

My work here has exposed many aspects of government that I do not like. This is why I am applying for an internship in Ayacucho, Peru, in the Peruvian branch of the global micro-finance firm Finca. If I am selected, this will give me on the ground access to some of the world's most talented and poorest people. I hope to see actual results of my labor and the labor of others in whatever I do.

I am still unsure if another development job is for me or if I want to go corporate for a bit. I believe that corporate expereince is essential for success in the development sector. It's a question of timing I think rather than intent.

What do yall think?

amsterdam

short run down:
drinks at ABN-Amro
dinner with Mischa and his mom
bike adventures
Mazzy adventures
Meeting up with Kevin
getting lost on the way home and loving every second of it
day 2 time

Oddness

In Brussels. Just saw perhaps the oddest fight in the internet cafe here. It was in babbled french, but it seemed to be over a telephone. I believe it was between a young arab girl and an old man. It started to escalate and ended with the a younger guy coming into the store and slapping the shit out of the girl. It started out as one of these fights that is so stupid you just have to watch and laugh. It clearly escalated into something a bit more messed up. Brussels has welcomed me in a slightly different way than I expected, but it seems like quite a beautiful city. I remember almost no french from my 13 years of studies, which makes me a big sad. We shall see how much i can remember in 24 hours.

meeting over...tomorrow brussels

Well the strategic exchange meeting is over and I think I have learned a lot. The meeting met two of three objectives, which isn't too bad. I honestly feel that some questions in AIESEC do not have complete answers, which we were tasked to answer this meeting. I have asked myself many times all week if we were in fact asking the right question. Should there be a credit policy even if it often times counters what it sets out to do. The question is not yes or no, but why. We spend hours arguing about why yes or why no and never think why the current one is not working without making a slew of assumptions.

Another issue is that there is no clear paper trail about decisions made, which makes sense why there have been misunderstandings in the past. One thing that makes me happy is that AIESEC is becoming easier with almost fully implemented ideas and IT systems. I think AIESEC also suffers from a case of ADD where we rarely fully develop ideas because we are always looking forward. This is one of the characteristics of leadership, but implementing ideas fully takes a great deal of middle management, which nobody wants to do because they are so busy climbing the ladder on to bigger and better things.

I do not know how much life there is left in my AIESEC career, simply because I think it might be time to focus on other things. I have certainly enjoyed this meeting and am very grateful to everyone who attended and all who made it possible. Although I had trouble following people at times, I fully respect the opinion of every person in meeting, which is not something that I have always been able to say, and I hope the feeling is mutual.

This has been a great opportunity and I hope I have made a difference.

safe and sound

Well I am sitting in Mischa's lovely home in Amsterdam after a full day of sleeping and a lovely meal. This made up for my insane morning in the airport. I have always had a great deal of luck with luggage...never has it been lost before. So needless to say I was more than pissed after traveling more than 24 hours and not to find my luggage.

Anyway, all's well that ends well. In a few minutes, after my phone charges, I will go pick up my bag and head to Rotterdam. Amit has informed me that I party will await because it is Michelle's birthday and Mischa informs me that AI, while they might not eat, knows how to party and drink.

Cheers from Europe y saludos a todos. Tengo muchas ganas de habalar espanol y por eso estoy feliz que voy a pasar tiempo con colombianos de AI.

bliss

I love NY. There is no where else like it and it was great to be there for a few hours. Saw the family over breakfast. Chicken Chow Fun. Then to the MC office, which was mellow and sad. I miss JillO! Then to the airport and spoke to all my favorite people. Looks like plans with Javi and Kevin will work out. Living the nomadlife and I can't wait to discover the Netherlands.

Cheers to all.