Soy "licen"!
September 27, 2006
Acabo de sustentar mi proyecto de graduación!!
I just presented my graduation project and I got 100/100!!
Soy "licen"!
Soy "licen"!
September 22, 2006
Of Leaves and Leaving
Every once in a while, as I sit by my window rising seven stories above the rest of mortals, I catch a glimpse of parrots -bright green, magnificent parrots- flying by, sometimes almost at arms length. I guess it has somewhat trained my eye, because I’m quick to distinguish the “u” shape their wings make as they flap and their distinct crimson patch against the afternoon sky.
Today, while looking out that very window, the corner of my “trained” eye caught a flock as they took off from a tree one or two sreets away, presumably as part of their daily quest for the best spot around. It took me a mere instant to realize they were not birds but dry leaves, pulled off the tree by a gentle wind that was suddenly blowing outside. This, in turn, reminded me of autumn, of time and seasons gone by, of chapters concluded. As I stood there, apparently trying to figure out a way of holding on to cherished moments, I somehow ended up thinking about our upcoming trip, about leaving our kids behind and about how precious time spent with them is. I thought of how Diego is learning one or two new words everyday, how he is beginning to pick up my catch phrases (luckily not the most colorful ones), how everyday he reaches higher and higher places (hence our monthly redecoration). I also thought of my little giant, Pablo, and how every week I look forward to his “Friday Papers”, filled from cover to cover with his beautiful work and excellent grades. I thought of how incredibly proud I am of his performance at school; of his enormous, noble heart; and of the many love notes he has written me.
Sometimes it’s hard even for me to trace back my line of thoughts to its exact orgin. But there I was, staring into the bare branches of a tree that now seemed very distant from where I felt I was. Seconds seemed like whole centuries (at this point Gustavo usually comes and yanks me out of my daydream and into harsh reality by telling me I need to cook lunch or even worse, that lunch is burning). When thinking of pages turned, I try to savour the moment- this sort of mental souvenir from events passed or people met - because many times it’s your only protection when ruthless solitude kicks in and, no matter how crowded your life may seem, you feel singled out and lonely. I embrace those moments of nostalgia, of longing moments and people. I look forward to turning to them now that a whole ocean will separate me from my kids, and all I’ll have to protect myself will be souvenirs, not the ones I’ll bring back, but the ones I’m taking along.
Today, while looking out that very window, the corner of my “trained” eye caught a flock as they took off from a tree one or two sreets away, presumably as part of their daily quest for the best spot around. It took me a mere instant to realize they were not birds but dry leaves, pulled off the tree by a gentle wind that was suddenly blowing outside. This, in turn, reminded me of autumn, of time and seasons gone by, of chapters concluded. As I stood there, apparently trying to figure out a way of holding on to cherished moments, I somehow ended up thinking about our upcoming trip, about leaving our kids behind and about how precious time spent with them is. I thought of how Diego is learning one or two new words everyday, how he is beginning to pick up my catch phrases (luckily not the most colorful ones), how everyday he reaches higher and higher places (hence our monthly redecoration). I also thought of my little giant, Pablo, and how every week I look forward to his “Friday Papers”, filled from cover to cover with his beautiful work and excellent grades. I thought of how incredibly proud I am of his performance at school; of his enormous, noble heart; and of the many love notes he has written me.
Sometimes it’s hard even for me to trace back my line of thoughts to its exact orgin. But there I was, staring into the bare branches of a tree that now seemed very distant from where I felt I was. Seconds seemed like whole centuries (at this point Gustavo usually comes and yanks me out of my daydream and into harsh reality by telling me I need to cook lunch or even worse, that lunch is burning). When thinking of pages turned, I try to savour the moment- this sort of mental souvenir from events passed or people met - because many times it’s your only protection when ruthless solitude kicks in and, no matter how crowded your life may seem, you feel singled out and lonely. I embrace those moments of nostalgia, of longing moments and people. I look forward to turning to them now that a whole ocean will separate me from my kids, and all I’ll have to protect myself will be souvenirs, not the ones I’ll bring back, but the ones I’m taking along.
September 01, 2006
Red Frog Beach, Bocas del Toro: Paradise in Panama?
(Note the term "Paradise", we've all heard the story of a man and a woman who managed to screw up paradise. Note the question mark.)
Click on the image to find out what happened to this spot.
Photo courtesy of www.almanaqueazul.org
For how long will we have to fight our own stupidity? Well, in case you haven't heard, looks like the whole Republic of Panama is being sold. And a tiny corner of it, Red Frog Beach in Bastimentos Island (part of the province of Bocas del Toro), is being devoured by bulldozers and chain saws as part of a shady mega-project that wants to replace indigenous communities and modest local homes with condos and swimming pools. This is not cheap fiction, my friends.
The people buying (into) this attractive little scam are not necessarily evil. Many of them have no idea that what appears on the project's website is nothing more than embellished BS. If you buy now you will in fact acquire a little piece of tropical heaven. You'll be at arms reach of Bastimentos National Marine Park (think of all the colors you know, then picture marine flora and fauna wearing all these colors). However, by the time you actually move out there, all the mud from the construction site washing out to sea will have killed the coral, there will be no tropical forest left because, well, you'll be standing on it only now it's a golf course, and the locals will silently hate you because they'll still live in modest wooden homes and you'll be living in this:
Image borrowed from the project's website
Those of us opposing the approval and development of the project (whichever happens first, corruption trickles down to even the tiniest of places) don't have a lot of money or power to step in and immediately make a difference, but we do have information, we do have a very strong will and consciences that cannot be bought. We also have contacts. I mean you, reading from the comfort of your home or looking over your shoulder at your office so no one catches you checking out a blog from some girl in Panama. You with e-mail addresses of people from around the world, you writing blogs, sharing links...
If you have time to surf the net, you have time to pass this info along. The locals of Bastimentos are powerless if compared to this huge developing company, to the governments promoting all of these "sustainable" tourism projects, to the millions of dollars flowing around, luring and hooking on more and more people like a gigantic bait out at sea.
Here's a list of links with very useful, interesting information on this. Feel free to check them out and share them!
Almanaque Azul's report, English version
Stop Red Frog Beach - the site
Comments from an Interamerican Development Bank Consultant to La Prensa (local, prestigious newspaper)
Interview to Eligio Binns, Mayor of Bocas del Toro from La prensa
Have you bought a piece of this corner of heaven yet?
Photo courtesy of www.almanaqueazul.org
Click on the image to find out what happened to this spot.
Photo courtesy of www.almanaqueazul.org
For how long will we have to fight our own stupidity? Well, in case you haven't heard, looks like the whole Republic of Panama is being sold. And a tiny corner of it, Red Frog Beach in Bastimentos Island (part of the province of Bocas del Toro), is being devoured by bulldozers and chain saws as part of a shady mega-project that wants to replace indigenous communities and modest local homes with condos and swimming pools. This is not cheap fiction, my friends.
The people buying (into) this attractive little scam are not necessarily evil. Many of them have no idea that what appears on the project's website is nothing more than embellished BS. If you buy now you will in fact acquire a little piece of tropical heaven. You'll be at arms reach of Bastimentos National Marine Park (think of all the colors you know, then picture marine flora and fauna wearing all these colors). However, by the time you actually move out there, all the mud from the construction site washing out to sea will have killed the coral, there will be no tropical forest left because, well, you'll be standing on it only now it's a golf course, and the locals will silently hate you because they'll still live in modest wooden homes and you'll be living in this:
Image borrowed from the project's website
Those of us opposing the approval and development of the project (whichever happens first, corruption trickles down to even the tiniest of places) don't have a lot of money or power to step in and immediately make a difference, but we do have information, we do have a very strong will and consciences that cannot be bought. We also have contacts. I mean you, reading from the comfort of your home or looking over your shoulder at your office so no one catches you checking out a blog from some girl in Panama. You with e-mail addresses of people from around the world, you writing blogs, sharing links...
If you have time to surf the net, you have time to pass this info along. The locals of Bastimentos are powerless if compared to this huge developing company, to the governments promoting all of these "sustainable" tourism projects, to the millions of dollars flowing around, luring and hooking on more and more people like a gigantic bait out at sea.
Here's a list of links with very useful, interesting information on this. Feel free to check them out and share them!
Almanaque Azul's report, English version
Stop Red Frog Beach - the site
Comments from an Interamerican Development Bank Consultant to La Prensa (local, prestigious newspaper)
Interview to Eligio Binns, Mayor of Bocas del Toro from La prensa
Have you bought a piece of this corner of heaven yet?
Photo courtesy of www.almanaqueazul.org
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