News on the Chinese Adventure

This last month was a lot of fun and very crazy but this doesn't mean that I have lost the focus on China.

The first thing I want to do is to congratulate Adam Lane, he is the current MCVP CSR in Mainland of China (MoC) originally from UK, and the whole CSR Team in MoC.

Adam has come to an agreement with the UK Embassy to finance the AIESEC CSR Activities in China from May 2006 until June 2008.

The funds come from an initiative from the UK Government named Global Opportunities Fund which purpose is to promote action on global issues on areas of strategic interest for the UK:

• Counter Terrorism
• Climate Change and Energy
• Engaging with the Islamic World
• Reuniting Europe
• Economic Governance
• Sustainable Development

Currently Adam is scheduling the activities that must happen in the next year and I am trying to give some inputs and feedbacks. It is not easy since I am not 100% familiarized with the current reality yet.

On other China issues I found out that the closer Embassy of China is in Mexico. The whole visa procedure costs around 100 USD and I will get the turist visa, meaning 30 days permission... Apparently the business visa is much harder to get and it requires personal presence. We'll see about that :)

The ticket is around 1500 USD and it goes Costa Rica - Los Angeles - Hong Kong - Beijing. I am still trying to close the ballast business to be able to buy it.

I am also building some kind of Crazy about China Network - I wonder if this can be used as Issue Based Experience :) - that includes Romanians, Costa Ricans, Colombians and a funny Brazilian chick...

Anyways, I expect to get everything ready in May to be taking off the 1st or 2nd week of June, just before my B-day :)

My only worry..., I have not time to learn about the culture... please, somebody help me!!!

Thinking in Chinese!
Juan

Going to Panamá!!!

Today I bought the ticket to Panamá.

It costs 50USD both ways and it takes 18hrs from San José to Panama City...

I am ready fro the trip. They play 2 movies and in case you miss a part they repeat one.

We reach the border around midnight and you have to look fresh and trustfull.

I practiced in Colombia when I travelled from Bogotá to Barranquilla and for COCAS also.

I will be giving coaching on Intro to @ and any other tasks LC USMA can provide me with.

I am also looking forward fro some cheap beers :)

Here with Frank (LCP USMA), Nikki (Delegate of the Year) and me...

Changing the subject...

The colombians are also funny, check an extract from a mail from one of the elected VPs:

"Nota; "Fiebre Amarilla;/ Dicese de enfermedad causada por la picadura de un mosquito que habita en las zonas tropicales de cada territorio por debajo de los 1400 metros sobre el nivel del mar, un vez el sujeto recibe la picadura, la enfermedad se desarrolla seis meses después.

Léase ñoño que no puedes tener Fiebre Amarilla ahora, (como que te ibas sobreactuando Mae, Thank you Lord!!!)"

Guess who was it... :)

Nos vemos en Polonia!

Recovering from the yellow fever,

El mae

Ps: send me the pictures from the Tayrona Toilet :)

Pictures from Colombia

I am not a fan of taking pictures. Maybe because I always loose the cameras... What I did was to go around other people websites and borrow their shots.

Funny fact is that I have not many photos "working".

The best in this aspect are from the PD track in the "Heading for the Pool" session!

Facis AXLDS

PD Track

CAS AXLDS

Random Shots AXLDS

SDL in Barranquilla Colombia!!!

OjO con la maZorca!

What I brought with me from Colombia

I arrived in Bogotá on March 20th and only today, April 15th, I am back in my house sitting in front of my computer.

I used all the time from Parque Tayrona (Colombia) to San José to re-think my life and where am I leading it...

I realized that since I joined AIESEC, I have seen the most beautiful places and met truly amazing people.

But I always come back to the same place, by myself, with all this growing memories in my mind.

And in funny moments like this, I remember S speech on sharing...

I know I need to work on that, since it is getting out of control.

Right now, I want to thank AI and specially Oriana for giving me the chance to be in AXLDS, to MC Colombia for SDL Barranquilla and to all the people that shared a meal, a coffee, a beer, a joke, a session, a bathroom :), with me...

I miss many things and all of them make me happy

At Barranquilla!

Great place!

The best thing was realizing how hard is to find a place to eat and how easy to get a place to drink :)

People from Bogota is to Barranquilla, what CRicans ar to Panamenians. I miss CAS so much! Everyone is wearing CAS gear but no many maes or que xopa's around...

The funny fact:

Taking a cab from the Bus Station to the Conference Site I felt that something was very familiar..., guess what it was... a DACIA!!!! Jaja, apparently Dacia's (the old ones, not Logan) are very popular in Colombia... :)

The funniest moment of AXLDS 06!

A delegate felt sleep in the plenary!

Do you see the Chair?

And CAS was there!

SDL 2006 Barranquilla, Colombia

Another post from the PlayGround

I am in Bogotá, Colombia, getting ready to leave to Barranquilla in a 18hrs Bus Trip to Chair the Colombian LDS.

We were supposed to travel by air but we couldn´t find enough tickets for the Faci Team...

We will arrive at 2pm the day before the event.

Barranquilla is in the Pacific Coast of Colombia and it is supposed to be a warm land. I have the expectation that I will resemble a little bit Guanacaste in CR.

My only worry is that the guy in "The Funniest Moment of AXLDS" happens to be the OCP of SDL..., yep..., I think I must keep him away from the drinks :)

I am a little bit upset because some ppl from AIESEC is not supporting me to be here. I truly think that I have perform good enough to be able to enjoy this kind of events, their are in the heart of the organization and a strong element of the learning enviroment. Anyways...

The last days have been painful since I have to say good bye to many great ppl, even worst, some left without the chance to me to say bye. Great ppl I met: Elias, Gabi, Chamo, Brodie, Francesca, the Colombian MC, the PD people, my favourite ever spanish delegation :) -favourite by far-, the brazilians - so cool -...

I don't know, too many great feeling I thought I would never have again in AIESEC. I wish I had got in tough with SSGN long time ago... I hope there is still something I can bring back.

Well, a great LDS is coming, my first Chair-ing experience in Spanish, looking forward to meet Shakira's Family, do you know she was in AIESEC? or not...

besos

SDL 2006 Barranquilla, Colombia

Another post from the PlayGround

I am in Bogotá, Colombia, getting ready to leave to Barranquilla in a 18hrs Bus Trip to Chair the Colombian LDS.

We were supposed to travel by air but we couldn´t find enough tickets for the Faci Team...

We will arrive at 2pm the day before the event.

Barranquilla is in the Pacific Coast of Colombia and it is supposed to be a warm land. I have the expectation that I will resemble a little bit Guanacaste in CR.

My only worry is that the guy in "The Funniest Moment of AXLDS" happens to be the OCP of SDL..., yep..., I think I must keep him away from the drinks :)

I am a little bit upset because some ppl from AIESEC is not supporting me to be here. I truly think that I have perform good enough to be able to enjoy this kind of events, their are in the heart of the organization and a strong element of the learning enviroment. Anyways...

The last days have been painful since I have to say good bye to many great ppl, even worst, some left without the chance to me to say bye. Great ppl I met: Elias, Gabi, Chamo, Brodie, Francesca, the Colombian MC, the PD people, my favourite ever spanish delegation :) -favourite by far-, the brazilians - so cool -...

I don't know, too many great feeling I thought I would never have again in AIESEC. I wish I had got in tough with SSGN long time ago... I hope there is still something I can bring back.

Well, a great LDS is coming, my first Chair-ing experience in Spanish, looking forward to meet Shakira's Family, do you know she was in AIESEC? or not...

besos

The PlayGround is Big the passion stronGer!

After the Romanian experience I came to realize something I knew from long time ago: my passion is support other accomplishing their dreams, I am an enabler (some may remember the speech on passion at NPS 05). ThanX AIESEC!

I am not the one down in the field but the one behind those.

If you read my MCVP PD CAS aplication, you will find that one of my motivations to stay in AIESEC was bringing back to CAS the vision I have of AIESEC - a scale model of the Play Ground!

Expro made me realize I was thinking small.

It is not about CAS, it is about Latin America, It is about all developing countries, it is also about China.

Today, I am getting ready to Chair the Colombian LDS and yes, the Conference theme comes from deep in my heart: AIESEC is a PlayGround, define your role, enjoy the game!

I think Expro is what I needed back in November when I was trying to define my short term future. Later is better than never.

I enjoyed Expro as hell: the facis, the OC, the delegates!, the ladies serving food and cleaning, the longest 3hrs trip, the swimming pool PD sessions, the frustrations of the PDs and the beginning and their commitment at the end. I was so happy with the CAS delegation. So professional during the day, so dancing during the role calls and so heavy parties during the night. The culture is shaped.

I miss all my AIESEC friends, I am with all my AIESEC friends!

The Day Before

Expro starts tomorros with a CSR Day.

The event is forecasted to have more than 800 delegates and great personalities including the President of Colombia. It will be broadcasted by CNN in Spanish.

The Faci Team created the roll call. But the funniest thing was Brodie's face while we were trying to pick to song.

Imagine him looking at 10 latinamericans dancing and screaming over the different songs..., and then, when we found the right one, everyone was singing in spanish and portugues... :)

The song is great! I am sure delegates will cry a lot when they heard after AXLDS is done...

Well, back to my sessions!

(By the way, according to the new AIESEC guideline on what LR is, I had already have a LR position in Romania... OCP..., strange eh?)

Two days to Expro Americas!

Faci Meeting is going well.

Basically, I only need to work on one session about the AIESEC Identity. It was Brodie's but I guess his is a little tired of delivering it... But it's funy, because he has already gave me a ppt and it is based on a book I read for university "The Fifth Discipline"... I found it very impressive but as usual not many people have read it... Try it on. Also check Gung Ho, Sun Tzu, Goldratt, Norton and Kaplan, Goldman, Porter....

SSGN has a funny thing called Potential F**ked Ups..., an example? Well, we may not have multimedia projectors..., so I have to "translate" my ppts in flipcharts... How's that?

Two days from now we will have a CR Day and also the chance to share with the President of Colombia and 800 delegates.

Bogotá seems so nice, I wish I manage to get sometime to see it.

Well, I must go... Time to look busy!

The toilet is broken,

Juan

Day -4

I am in Colombia.

11.26pm and I decided to take a breath from the sessions review I was carry on.

Elias is there, MCP Brazil, working on his sessions. The rest of the guys left a couple of hours before after shring dinner with us.

First impression. I think they were tired, but they seem very approachable. Still, I can't deny I felt weird.

That is an interesting feeling because sometimes people tell me that they had a hard time approaching me. They told me they thought they need it to say something smart.

That's how I felt. I felt I needed to say something smart.

I said things, some smart, some funny, none 100% natural.

Maybe that is the issue. Natural & Honest.

I wish I could see the honest and natural each person that approaches me is. I wish I could avoid the capability to feel their insecurity. Approach me.

By the way, if you manage to read until this line, maybe you want to join me in a very simple game. It is call "Before they close the PlayGround".

The game is very simple, you have to think which 10 things you want to do before you have to leave the PlayGround.

You don't have to come with them now. Think about it. Realize the consequences of those 10 things. Be sure they will bring you happiness.

Those 10 things can become your guideline for life....

Are you in?

Post from the Airport

To see a post form the airport in San José, visit my LC Blog
Enjoy!

Photos from the Thesis Defense

There are more but as usual, I have none. So I will wait until my dear friends send me some.

Here I was reading the document that states that I pass the examination... I don't know why I don't look too happy. Maybe I was reading carefully...

In the next picture you can see from right to left:

Maris (EST), Maria Jo (LC UCR), Wong and Javier, Enrique (MC), Mónica (LC UCR), Maga and some handsome guy...

Tomorrow I am going to Colombia. For the neXt two weeks, AIESEC will be the only thing in my life. I hope to have access to post some memories. Last time I went to Romania didn't post in one month, my goal is not to let that happen again...

Defending a Thesis in the PlayGround

Today I woke up as an Engineer.

I feel the same.

No hat was in my head, neither a belly or hammer in my hand.

Only the memories of last day funny moments:

Evaluation Template Prints
There were so many things to take care of, that we forgot to print the Evaluation Templates where the teachers are suppossed to write down their comments and final mark. So, I had to ask the Panel for 10 mins to go and print those documents. In the mean time, I ran 4 floors downstairs, 500 meters and back to the closest printing place wearing a formal suit, tie included. In my mind, I could only think..., I wish we had an OC Logistics...

The Gum Incident
The presentation started and everyone was very quiet and behaving strictly formal. I was chewing gum.
A few minutes before I had to talk I realized it.
So, my only way out was swallowing it. And I did... or not, because it got stuck in my throat.
I was there in front of all those people, being evaluated with a gum in my throat, luckily in a place where I could breath.
But I got scared when I thought of the possibility that when I start speaking, I will cough and the gum will fly to the plenary... I freaked out.
I walked to the panel and wisely took a bottle of water. I took one zip and nothing happened!!!
I took another one and nothing happend! Shit!
I turned around and took half the bottle and the gum rafted all the way down to my stomach.
I guess today it is still there...

Mum on stage
My mum is a very smart woman, with strong criteria but very very conservative. Anyways, after the questions from the Panel, she got upset with a question regarding how to increase the retention of a key employee in the system we designed.
So she asked permission to talk and gave the teachers a speech on how retention is a matter, not only of economical perspective, but also of personal and professional development and how the crytical aspect is not how to retain the employee but how to select it in a way that will allow them to find a person which values and goals are alligned with the opportunities in the job... PAI! PAI! PAI! :)

Comment of the Evening
One of my teachers approached my mum after the presentation and told her: "I wish my daughter marries someone like Juan..."
Jaja, so fool! I can picture my mum asnwering in her thoughts: "Yeah right, you have to see his room first"

AIESEC Presence
The MC CAS was there (Maga and Kike) and also some members from LC UCR (Monica and Maria Jo) and Maris, the Estonian Trainee.
It is definitively one of the best feeling I have ever had since I joined AIESEC. Be standing there in a very important day in my life and see the people you work together with building eachothers dreams...
Also at many times during questions and speech I wanted to make AIESEC related examples, for example in a question how to manage a yearly rotation in a key position... :)
I wish we have a little tropical country named AIESECLand...

If life is hard...,

just think of the world as

a big PlayGround!

Defensa Today!

Well, this is a special day.

Acknowledgements

To my family. Because I found in it the school of the values that lead my life and the support that allows me to strongly believe in my own ideas and dreams. Furthermore, because my parents, brothers and sister are always willing to share those details of life that only make sense when you share them with the beloved ones. Thank you.

A mi familia. Porque en ella he encontrado la escuela que inculcó los valores que guían mi vida y el apoyo que me ha permitido creer firmemente en mis propias ideas y mis propios sueños. Pero sobre todo, porque mis papás, mis hermanos y mi hermana siempre están dispuestos a compartir esos detalles de la vida que solo toman sentido con la gente que uno quiere.Gracias.

Dedicatory

To whom ever had a dream and, regardless of fear and loneliness, kept walking on their own path. Even more for those that were left behind and did not have the chance to taste the joy of living.

A todos aquellos que un día tuvieron un sueño diferente, sintieron miedo y soledad, pero aún así continuaron el camino que sentían era el mejor para ellos. Más aún a aquellos que quedaron en el camino y no tuvieron la oportunidad de disfrutar la grandeza de vivir.

A chapter is closed.

Ce faci fratica!

Sunt foarte foarte fericit!

We will have a "Romanian Delegation" in Expro Americas!

Didi originally from IASI, currently in MC VEN
Irina Ciobanu from Sibiu in Bazi
and, of course, Ionut from Deva :) (CLUJ!!!!)

I am so happy, cine are tuica???

Communicate!

Tomorrow I am defending my thesis!

It is a very formal event with the jury and external guests including family and friends.

You will think it is scary but not really. The ownership over the project is so high that you are even waiting for someone to try to make a bad intentional question to make him/her look bad.

The only problem we have is that one of the guys in the team may not be defending with us. His mistake: lack of communication.

After we presented the final document, he dissapear for work-related reasons, and we had to do some corrections to the structure of the document (not even the content). Then the School stuff realized he wasn't working that much and they are refusing to let him defend.

My position is:

1. Yes, he is part of the team
2. Yes, HE did NOT show up after we presented the final document for revision
3. Yes, WE did NOT add value to the project while he was away, we only re-shape
4. Yes, he must do correctional activities
5. No, the relation fault-punishment is not fare, neither logic

And for the record, the team never presented a formal complaint.

Just Communicate!

Words, music and life

"Miracle Drug"

I want to trip inside your head
Spend the day there...
To hear the things you haven't said
And see what you might see

I want to hear you when you call
Do you feel anything at all?
I want to see your thoughts take shape
And walk right out

Freedom has a scent
Like the top of a new born baby's head

The songs are in your eyes
I see them when you smile
I've seen enough I'm not giving up
On a miracle drug

Of science and the human heart
There is no limit
There is no failure here sweetheart
Just when you quit...

I am you and you are mine
Love makes nonsense of space
And time...will disappear
Love and logic keep us clear
Reason is on our side, love...

The songs are in your eyes
I see them when you smile
I've had enough of romantic love
I'd give it up, yeah, I'd give it up
For a miracle, a miracle drug, a miracle drug

God I need your help tonight

Beneath the noise
Below the din
I hear a voice
It's whispering
In science and in medicine
"I was a stranger
You took me in"

The songs are in your eyes
I see them when you smile
I've had enough of romantic love
I'd give it up, yeah, I'd give it up
For a miracle, miracle drug

Miracle, miracle drug

A turning point

It is 10pm at I am working on the Ppts for Expro Americas.

I am in the soft part now. Trying to make the best sessions I can.

I was looking for music for one of the Ppts and I found something amazing:

A song that captured the moment of my life when I committed this period of my life to AIESEC.

NPS 2004: "My AIESEC XP" Session
Makambo - Geoffrey Oryema (Click here to listen to the song)

Memories:

Marta Sum (POL) and I after delivering that session

With Jeremy, the Chair. We share some good moments, not all to remember :)

The responsible: Pode's Head (with Salma's help?)

I have many things to say about that Conference.

But everything started when Dani and Alexa went to Antares SRL to raise a traineeship. Certain is the fact that the story is still being written. I am happy about that.

Thank you AIESEC in Romania
Thank you AIESEC in Cluj - Napoca (poca, poca?) :)

Chinese Baptism!

Today is a very special day in my life.

I was officially baptized by Dexter, the elected MCP of China.

He said it was hard, but I don´t think he tried very hard... :)

.:: Judge by yourself ::.

Spanish name: Juan Cajiao
Chinese name: Huang Kai Xiao

The Meaning Behind The Characters

Dexter AIESECerMSNaiesecchina@hotmail.com says:
"Huang" is a very popular family name in china

Dexter AIESECerMSNaiesecchina@hotmail.com says:
"Kai" is a very traditional chinese character style

Dexter AIESECerMSNaiesecchina@hotmail.com says:
"Xiao" means high up in the sky!

I want to thank Susan for all her support in this important moment of my life.

Today was a good day.

Enhance your profile!

Finally I have something good for that session.

Since I found out what was it about, I wanted to develop it about the Personal Brand Concept but I couldn't find anything strong enough. No more fluffy stuff!

I was looking for this fast, impacting, very mtv-kind of supporting material and I found it!

Actually it is an article, but it contains a lot of examples and strong remarks on how to build the brand. My favourite aspect is that makes no difference between product, organizational or personal brand...

I will not release the link yet because of the hopefully-active-learning delegates but I can tell you that everything is summarized here:

"These seven pieces form the primal (branding) code:

1. The creation story
2. Creed
3. Icons
4. Rituals
5. Sacred words
6. Non believers
7. Leaders

They are the basis for belief systems that inherently attract people who want to believe. These groups - whether it's two people in a room, or two billion on a continent - form communities of people who surround products and services like Nike, Apple, Starbucks. They surround personality brands like Oprah, Ché, or U2. They surround organizations (ie. Corporate culture). They surround social and political causes, even civic communities. They can even surround abstract concepts like global thermonuclear war, global warming, and gravity".

Hagamos un trato

I´m sorry it is in Spanish but that's how it reflects that true feeling that makes me realized many things...

Hagamos un trato

Compañera,
usted sabe
que puede contar conmigo,
no hasta dos ni hasta diez
sino contar conmigo.

Si algunas veces
advierte
que la miro a los ojos,
y una veta de amor
reconoce en los míos,
no alerte sus fusiles
ni piense que deliro;
a pesar de la veta,
o tal vez porque existe,
usted puede contar
conmigo.

Si otras veces
me encuentra
huraño sin motivo,
no piense que es flojera
igual puede contar conmigo.

Pero hagamos un trato:
yo quisiera contar con usted,
es tan lindo
saber que usted existe,
uno se siente vivo;
y cuando digo esto
quiero decir contar
aunque sea hasta dos,
aunque sea hasta cinco.

No ya para que acuda
presurosa en mi auxilio,
sino para saber
a ciencia cierta
que usted sabe que puede
contar conmigo.

M. Benedetti

An EXPRO Day

Reading mails, reviewing PDU work, looking for materials, visualizing the "state of art", furthermore.... Imagining. All those things you do when you want to develop the best sessions for an AIESEC Conferences. That has been today.

One of the sessions I have is "Enhacing your profile as MC Member"...

Firts time I read that name I thought: "Hmmm..., enhancing...; ...why me?" :)

But then, after some thinking I came to realize the truth about that session (translation to AIESEC RO-English) : Personal Brand !!!

I was very happy about it, then.

I found funny-stupid stuff. For instance, Check Here how ranked is your name in the net. Mine is bad, only 68...; Brodie (PAI) has 102; the Elected President of Costa Rica has 589 000; Bart Simpson has 2 195 000; and Jessica Alba has 10 970 000...

But also some intersting ideas:

"Your personal brand is what you are known for - the special value you provide to a team or an organization. Your personal brand lets people know you are unique and valuable. If you don't brand yourself, someone else will. It is better to deliberately create a personal brand that represents you in the manner you desire than to leave this important task to another person."

Interview on Personal Brand with Joey Coleman

So true... Guys, never let your girlfriends brand you... It could be not so good... :)

So much to learn...

Today I stopped at the Mandarin Language Learning Center in my city.

The two ladies at reception are chinese and they were very polite and nice to me.

I felt very agressive because of my matters, I mean, I am loud and I move my hands to fast when I speak. They were soft, small and quiet...

Of course, everything changed when they told me the mandarin classes are 10 USD per hour... I forgot how nice they were at that moment :)

So, I came back home and surf the net to find some free-online classes.

They were also very nice, they even gave me the first version of my chinese name:

Kong Ang Ning

-proud & peaceful-

but you can call me "Mr Kong"

I am going back to my classes now...

Seremos nosotros?

The last Costa Rican president which had a very favourable opinion was Luis A. Monge (term 1982-1986).

After him we had Arias, Calderón, Figueres, Miguel Angel and now Pacheco.

5 presidents in 20 years

Look carefully, because they were all "succesful" in their lifes before reaching the presidency but it seems for us, the costa rican people, that they were not good enough...

5 presidents in 20 years

Pay more attention, also the most of the ministers were and are very "succesful" people...

5 presidents in 20 years

Maybe is not the Government...

5 presidents in 20 years

Maybe is us...

¿Seremos nosotros?

Hairy Ionut

"And it grew and it grew..."

Isn´t that a cool t-shirt?

A girl almost made me cry....

Yesterday I hear the longest version of "Call on me". My legs were going to explote, the instructor was shouting and the song kept on playing.

Besides living diversity and playing fútbol, spinning is becoming one of my my favourites hobbies.

I take an hour to go to the spinning class where you find a bounch of trying-to-be-healthy people coming together and sharing effort, sweat, pain and music to reach a happy and joyfull end - maybe because the pain finishes with the class :)

All you need to get started is to find a gym with spinning classes, get confortable clothes and tell the instructor, which by the way are very friendly, that it is your first time. The rest is about advancing at your own rythm...

If you think you are tough, try one of this classes with a cute little girl as instructor..., your selfsteem will fall down when she keep on screaming "ten more seconds" and tears want to come out of your whole body.

I love it.

One year and one day

November 5th, 2003 February 28th, 2005

Two dates that outline the gratest experience of my life.

Yesterday I wonder about how cold that day was and how sad I felt in trip by bus to Budapest.

I am so grateful I went straight to Poland because it cheer me up and I was able to come home with a smile in the face.

One year and one day...

L´Auberge Espagnole

Lonely sundays are better with movies.

My brother and I rented about 5 movies tonight..., 3 chinese, 1 of Chaplin and L´Auberge Espagnole... I remember when Gabi (The Guy) told me about it long time ago, maybe in 2004...

I love it even if it is just a hint of what eXchange is...

Buying toilet paper in Brno; playing WOG-ball in Bansktown; reading train signs in Budapest; looking for a friendly french in Paris; farewell party; turkish bathrooms; snow; meeting ticos in the bus Cluj-Sibiu; carrying a suitcase under heavy snow in Warsaw supported by a hindi; rainy BBQ with the Erasmus; cultural shock; beer in the Sydney Central Station; loneliness; getting rob in Italy; loosing your monthly money in the Sydney casinos; kurtos kolacs; night in the Pub; getting in love; super league nights; eating fish & fries, kebabs and gogosi everyday; meditation; swimming in Cronulla Beach; pee-ing for 3 euros in Zurich; "how do you say how do you say?"; smoking for 10 US$ in Caracas; missing; "party tonight, sorry I didn´t tell you before. Love, your flatmate"; cricket in Bondie; getting a cold in Panama; missing your girlfriend in Belgrade; getting high in Manly; receiving a salary in Lei; discovering Bucuresti only after 2 years...

Missing your friends, all over the world...

But damn it!
I will do it again! :)

...the end of the day...

...development...

...challenges...

...opportunities...

...consolidate...

...risks...

...sustainability...

...travelling...

...investors...

...warehouse...

...FOB...

...improvement...

...excitment...

Everything counts..., but the end of the day is about that person that you hugh through the night and kiss good morning.

Exploring

The research keeps on going...

I started reading about the late history of China (1840-1989) and I found it very interesting and also a little bit complicate it to understand, specially because the names of the people, the cities and the social groups get easily confused in my western brain.

I read a couple of website on the internet Discovering China and History of China. And then I watched a movie that my brother brought from Asia about the story of three sisters that were daughters and married to key people in the late history of China.

The movie was a little bit long but I came in the perfect moment to me to understand better what happened there within the Revolution (1911) and the the end of the Civil War that followed WWII (1949).

More a research, more enthusiastic I get!

China Live!

The deep research has started...

Don´t be amazed if in the next months you will find many posts on China related to China, Sustainable Development, CSR, Business Environment, Culture, People and AIESEC.

To warm you up:

About the first attempt to measure the state of corporate responsibility across eighty countries:

"The ranking of eighty countries across five continents is revealing. Nordic countries convincingly outperform the rest, with four out of the five (Norway being the exception) appearing in the top five and Finland scoring highest with 2.1 (out of a maximum of 3.0). South Africa is the highest-ranking emerging economy (excluding east-central Europe), followed quickly by Korea, Chile, Malaysia, Costa Rica and Thailand. Interestingly, China came in at sixty-sixth place in the NCRI, whereas India, in other respects seeing as lagging its nearby Asian competitor, ranks a far higher forty-third. Pakistan came out worst, with Bangladesh and Paraguay, Zimbabwe and also scoring particularly poorly. Many east-central European countries also scored surprisingly poorly"

Source: http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-china/china_business_3076.jsp

Not another boring post | Sarmale is gone!

Story 1:
Today, I had a meeting with DEZ and Monica (elected MCVP PD and LCVP PD UCR) but when we arrived we realized that Barca was playing Chelsea. Of course, as the understandable MC member I am, I invested time to watch the game with them at Monica´s place.

A funny fact was that she offered us typical lebanese food (her family has lebanese background) and guess what she had... YES! Sarmale!!! I took and evil picture of it:

The Spanish name is "Rollitos de Arroz"...

Most likely the Otoman Empire bought it to Romania...

Story 2:

2 Chairs

1 Nigerian

1 Costa Rican

400 loud delegates

"Na, na, ná, naaaa; Na, na, ná, naaaa..."

1 challenge

This pictures:

Contribution of Nadya (I wonder what she does with these pictures...)

Story 3:
Cold January night..., the captive forever trainee was fool by The Evil VP and sent back home...

Story 4:

Take a look of the Central America South people and our pet Diablo Rojo... (It is a funny Bus that look if It has been taken to Pimp my ride. It even has a flat screen and dvd inside, the only difference is that your are only allowed to listen reggaeton inside...)

Coming soon...

China live!

Public Defense

Next thursday I have the "Public Defense" of my thesis.

Basically what we do is to present the investigation to anyone interested in the subject for about 20 min. Afterwards the panel will set a final mark and will propose, or not, the Honour Mention.

It is a scary moment, but after all this months of preparation we feel very confortable with the final product.

The bibliographic reference will look something like this:

Cajiao, Sánchez, Wong. "Design of a System of Competitiveness Intelligence for the School of Industrial Engineering of the University of Costa Rica". UCR. Costa Rica 2006.

The main subjects were:

• Competitiveness
• Social Responsibility
• Knowledge Management

From my point of view, three very exciting and innovative topics. Do you agree? :)

The Day after the Annoucement

How do I feel?

Hmmm, well, it is like when you meet a very nice girl and you are planning to see her. Even that you know she likes you, you feel a lot of excitement in your stomach, (purple) butterflies. That´s exactly how I feel now.

When I opened my mail today, It was very nice to find e-mails from my friends wishing me the best but I was happily shocked with the e-mails from China :) Every single one of them made me feel like when you open a Xmas gift... Thank you guys.

I chat with Dexter today and, as a good MCP, he asked me about the next steps...

Cold water! Knock, knock, Juan! Wake up! :)

Well, the first step is to think what the first steps are, of course it has to contain:

• Virtual networking with chinese LCs
• Virtual teambuilding with the MoC eMC Team
• Virtual transition with the current VP
• Deeper research on general information, business environment and SD initiatives in China
• Mandarin classes!
• Visa issue... ;)

Wow..., China, have you ever seen in the Branding Community that poster of "Are you eating fast food or dinning in Beijing?". Well ask me in a few months :)

MoC | MCVP CSR Annoucement

VP CSR ANNOUNCEMENT!
21st Feb, 2006

Hey, AIESEC Mainland of China!

Allow me to have a quick but exciting announcement.

After two rounds of interviews, we have made the final decision on the next VP CSR for AIESEC Mainland of China!

Here, I am proud to announce: the VP CSR 06/07 is Juan Cajiao from Costa Rica!

Let's give him a warm welcome for being part of this amazing AIESEC country and making things happen together with us.

Wishing a very successful year for CSR in AIESEC Mainland of China!

I would also like to thank all the candidates who are applying for this position. Thank you for your passion and effort!

If you would like to congratulate Juan or talk to him before he comes to China, you can reach him at juan.cajiao@aiesec.net

Sincerely yours,

Dexter Xu
MCP elected 06-07

Envisioning

Definitively I am in a turning point.

The fact that I will finish my career in the next weeks and that my MC period is also about to finish, set a perfect mark for a turning point in my life.

I am very pleased with everything that I have learnt and accomplished in the past years. Of course, not everything went as good as it could, for instance I neglected the relation with my old Costa Rican friends, but the overall picture is pretty satisfactory.

Consequently, I have open doors to many new opportunities. If I try to structured them I could classify them in abroad AIESEC opportunities, abroad and local working opportunities and also academical ones.

When I look into the future (15-20 years from now), it is clear to me that what I want is a family based life. I want to be with a girl (woman by then) with strong criteria and wise enough to balance my impulses that just drives me crazy when I look into her eyes ("Wisemen love the woman they married"). I see children playing in the frontyard of a comfortable house. I see myself managing businesses (undermark plural) with young people, helping them growing their own ideas... I see.

Then with all this info, I create drafts on how to achieve what I call success, which living the life of my dreams...

I think the opportunities I have access to can be easily aligned to take me there. More develop ideas can actually help me see more than one opportunity aligned. Clear example MC MoC and then running entreprenur...

BUT

I have been living life as a continuos process to achieve goals and to get rewarded as a person and as a professional. Is it driving me towards my final dream...? Apparently yes, practically not sure.

The so call meta-cognition (funny word for reflection) is helping identify what is wrong...

Daily Life

Well, today I think it is because I entered a stage of very fast development and forgot to shape certain weaknesses of my personality that are becoming more and more critical because the dinamism on the environments I am living.

Which are those weaknesses?

• Egocentrism, Sharing less, Individualism - It is not only that I love myself. It is the fact that I am not building strong relations and that I am making very important decisions without considering the people around me. Maybe I am not getting truly involved...
• Ultra dynamism - I am constantly seeking to organize and control messy things but I hardly stay long enough to enjoy the taste of peace.

My next step is to figure out ways to improve this...

Maybe I can buy a dog and take care of it :) (A street dog is better, when I was a kid I used to bring street dogs to my house and take care of them until they grew up. My mum hated this humanitarian side of me)

Well..., al menos I am moving forward...

Keep it simple, bark often

Life planning

...Life Project...

...Personal Planning Tool...

I always have a problem when I try to plan my life. Mostly because what I have as a long term vision changes as my daily life goes by but more important because daily moments catch my breath.

And I have being wondering why...

There is a strong tendency to compare life with a project. But I can´t agree that´s enterely right. The first and main reason is that in projects you have due schedule to start and finish but in life, hello! you have already started! and you have simple no idea when will it finish.

This challenges many concepts use to plan and execute a project, mostly focus on the allocation of resources (the equivalente in life is time) and the investment-return periods (in life their is almost 100% uncertainty).

As an example, you like to do hiking and your dream is to go hiking in the Andes and you meet the girl of your dreams and she tells you: let´s go! BUT the money you need to go there is the money you were suppossed to use to pay the University, that will give you long term financial sustainability and maybe you can go to the Andes later...

You can not analyze this as a project because there is not certainty on how long will you be with this girl or how long will you be alive or at least have the ability to walk and or to see...

But life is not a Systmes neither (sequence of ordered and repeatable activities that transform something into something else)

So, what it is?

How do we plan our life? How do we make right decisions? Do we have to?

Who started complicating ourlifes with such concepts?

Was it you?

I miss simple thoughts :)

Interview

In the last hours, as a part of the selection process of CSR Project Manager for AIESEC Mainland of Chaina (MoC), I was intervewed twice.

The first interview was on MSN with the current MCVP LN and the MCP. The second was on the phone with the elected MCP.

I enjoyed them as hell :)

A good thing about inteviews is that they give you the opportunity to reflect uponn the things that you have done and the things that you believe. Also, the fact that I got to have a more fluent communication with the guys in MoC made me feel very motivated to join the team.

I also "spied" a little bit the application of the guy I am competing with. He is a brazilian, a former pioneer LCP and now he is in charge of the LN at his LC. I am very impressed of his application, Brazilians are continuoslly proving the high development they reached.

I am very calm, when you compite with great people the outcome can only be good. Basically it is now up to destiny :)

I can not stop thinking how lucky I am.

The Expro Americas faci allocation table is out. I am mostly in charge of all the PD sessions together with Brodie (PAI), that adds more than 10hrs Conference. I wonder what will I learn this time.

My life goes from point from the Globe to another in a matter of seconds...

Anyways, I also think I have to invest more in my non-virtual life here in Costa Rica, tips welcome.

Qué rico el fitte!

Somethings never change...

Last niGht was crazy... and today's hangover equivalent!

We stay at home drinking beer and talking until Pelos came back from Puntarenas. Afterwards we moved to El Pescadito but the atmosphere was not what we expected.

Then we went to Raíces, The Reggae Bar, and the party started...

That place is unique, everytime I go there I have a very good time. The problem is that not many of my friends like to join me. They believe is dangerous and in some ways it is. There are many drugs. For instance, a guy sniff-ed white powder next to me in the toilet and you can randomly smell the unmistakable sweetness of the grass smog.

The mood is fresh, cool, relax, solo good vibes as the Bamaselo guy said (visit their website). Many sons of the Caribe, reggae followers and good dancers.

Three norwegians and the real underground mood of Costa Rica in one single picture.

A memorable niGht in the playground

Linked to the World

I have some visitors in my place. Three friends from Norway.

They brought back to my mind some good old memories that link me to the world...

Scandinavia - Mostly good friends, good parties, beach trips and my first girlfriend, who got me in AFS..., and consequently in AIESEC.

Australia & New Zealand - I was on exchange for one year in Sydney and of course I got very connected to the way of being of the down unders... Actually, I "learnt" English there...

Romania & Eastern Europe - 1.5 years in Romania meant something, I also spent the last three x-mas holidays there and I got to see snow for the first time...

I am in a BiG Playground,
Join me!

Work Smart, Not Hard!

I knew I wasn´t crazy :)

I found an article about one of my deepest beliefs.

"Before you read on, I must warn you: Working smart is risky. If you work smart, you'll have more free time. That means more leisure, shorter work hours, or . . . more work. If you use the free time to take on more commitments, you're just as busy as before, but now you are so tightly scheduled that a slip in one project can cascade to many more projects. Happiness happens when productivity enables a higher-quality life, not frantic overachievement"

I you are willing to work smart, go ahead: Read This!

Many things, nothing concrete

Last December, I made the toughest decision of my AIESEC life and that was not to apply for an MC position in my beloved Romania. Reasons exist but also uncertainty about the outcome of such action.

In January, I decided to apply to the MC Mainland of China (MoC) for the Corporate Responsibility Project Manager position :)

I remember making a ppt and a video in Panama to be played in the National Conference of MoC. Wanda was taping and I was trying to bring ideas together on stage. What I remember was the nice feeling of actually visualizing the chinese members paying attention to that Costa Rican guy trying to get where they are...

I think that´s the feeling that defines many things in my life. It is not about succeding, it is about trascender :)

This week, on Thursday and Friday night Costa Rican time, I will have the msn and phone interviews.

Wish me luck!

----------------------------
I just realize what a great team of Professors is supporting my project:

• José - A young bright professor (He is 27 y/o)
• Don Pepe - PhD in Industrial Engineering
• Don Carlos - Principal of the School of Industrial Engineering
• Lilliana - MSc from Harvard

----------------------------
Tomorrow, 14 FEB, should be a special day...
Make it happen :)

Juan

Save Tonight

Save Tonight

Go on and close the curtains
'cause all we need is candlelight,
you and me..., and the bottle of wine
and hold you tonight.

Well, we know I'm going away
and how I wish..., I wish it weren't so!
So take this wine and drink with me,
let's delay our misery.

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow - Tomorrow i'll be gone
Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow - Tomorrow i'll be gone

There's a log on the fire
and it burns like me for you.
Tomorrow comes with one desire
to take me away. [ ohh it's true ]

It ain't easy to say good bye.
Darling please - Don't start to cry,
'cause, girl, you know I've got to go
and Lord I wish it wasn't so!

Have you ever felt this and save tonight?

Profiling relations within Costa Ricans

Last friday we had the Miss Costa Rica contest.

Yesterday, I was out with my friends and it happened that one of the guys is the brother of one of the candidates and another one of my friends actually went out with her. She didn´t win. But she deserved more. Although, the elected Miss Costa Rica is extremly good looking and as a Costa Rica I am very satisfied :) -check the picture below-

The discussion turned into an interesting point...

Girls said:

• It takes 5 good-looking Costa Rican girls to find 1 good-looking Costa Rican guy

Guys said:

• It takes 5 air-head Costa Rican girls to find 1 that worths...
• Girls are so aware of the 5:1 proportion that build an attitude upon that

Many conclutions can be drawn from this:

• No wonder why Costa Rican guys are so shy. We are not good-looking, the girls around us are very attractive and they are evil to us...
• No wonder why other Latin Americans think we are snob, I mean, Costa Rican girls are a just little bit snobbish :) and the guys are not very extrovert..
• No wonder why the relation ugly-rich guy with "beautiful almost smart" chick is so high here
• No wonder why girls try to get married young, the competence for those few good looking guys is though, so if they get one and they should never let him go...
• If you are a good looking guy come to Costa Rica, It will be your paradaise

My personal opinion is that Costa Rica girls are extremly good looking, just take a walk around the campus and you will find the most diverse and colorful mix of good looking girls.

But we face two challenges.

The first one is the "attitude"; if the real proportion is 5:1 they think it is 15:1. The second one is this race to get married, I mean, to find a Club with single people that range between 24 to 30 is very hard and if you find it is very boring...

So, if you try your best you will find Costa Rica as a good place to build a stable relationship but if you are looking for a chill out environment you may get a little bit dissapointed.

My present to you!

Miss Costa Rica

A Great Saturday

2am Bamaselo in Concert (Reggae Roots Band)
5am Sleeping
9am Waking up
10am Fixing a Flat Tire
11am Sun bath with Roots in the background
12md Checking the e-mail, sending some documents
1pm Watching TV
2pm Playing Fútbol 5
3pm Playing Fútbol 5
4pm Relaxing
5pm Watching the National Team beat South Corea
6pm Watching the National Tean beat South Corea
7pm Relaxing
8pm Getting Ready to Party with "...calor, sudor bailando reggaetón..." in the background
9pm Dinner
10pm... Censored... or not :)

When are you planning to come by?

At the end you remember the beginning...

January 1998. Sign-in Day.
Three days after coming back from Down Under –Australia-, I left my place as an Architect and came back as an Engineer… My Dad would say…

March 2nd, 1998. 7am. Firts day, first class
The teacher came in and asked two people in the room to stand up and He says to the class: “They represent the percentage of people that will pass this class”; then he asked one of them to sit and He adds: “She represents the percentage of people that will actually get the engineering diploma from this university. Welcome to Calculus I, MA 1001, Group 1. My name is Professor Elvis H…”

7* years later… I’m still standing!

(*The program is only 5 years, but I committed 2 years to AIESEC – Best decision ever!)

Anyways, dumping was never an option to me and I actually got in love with my career since the very first day, even that I didn´t know what was it about…

The secret is commitment and perseverance, that´s it! Everything else is to make the trip lighter and funnier.

And at the end you remember the beginning and the people that walked the path with you.

So many names… I was with almost five generations (97, 98, 99, A0, A1) of some of the best people I have ever met…

I recall some right now… Javier S and our thirst to see the world, to finish the thesis and to party hard; Javier B the most efficient team ever; “Marianita” who thought me how to be a good person and a better professional - If we were back in ancient Greek times I would have to give her 1% of all my profits (but we are not there, so  ); Wong the beginning of the final success…; Diana, Jules, Eugenius, Caco, Orlando, Tey, Tan, Polilla, Beto, Luis R, Carla F and many others…

I am satisfied and yes, I keep my promise that one day I will be back in Costa Rica to teach…, about life…, and how to make some cash too  !!!

The following list contains key words you can use to get me into an intense conversation over a beer, or two, or ….

AEEG 98-99, Gente U, FECOU, Cálculo, Mosaikos, La Calle, Semana U, Combo ICE, Ingeniería, Semana de Bienvenida, Facto, Amalgama, AIESEC, Rabomoza FC, Ingeniebrios FC, Independiente F.C., Métodos, Planta, Administración, 980631, Soda La U, Donde la Abuela, El Comedor, FEUCR, TCU, Coladero, Vaca Sagrada, RI, AP, P, Matrícula, Guía de Horarios, bolitas, Vacaciones, El Chompipe, Laboratorio, Entrega, Proyecto, Avance, Contraparte, EII, RSE, Bus de la U, Copieco, Pretilear, Primer Ingreso, Hacky, Caccio´s, la Tinoco y la Carlos Monge, Raíces, El Yos, La Villa, Troskos, “Derecho Derecho”, Profe, Asistente, Compa, Chancleta, El Villano, Ali, Imprimir, Minitab, Excel, Visio, C, Visual, Tarjeta, Parqueo, Registro, Moroso, Copa Birrera, Copa Rotativa, El Sapo y la Culebra…

Memories…

Peter Pan!

...There are stages in life I refuse to leave behind...

Yesterday, I received a phone call from a friend from University who is also finishing in the next weeks and he was not asking for a favor...

He wanted to ask me if I want to take extra courses next period... And I said: "Hell yeah!"

Why?

Simple. If I sign in in the University I will be able to keep some previleges..., for instance..., I am allowed to play in the internal Fútbol Tournament! :) :) :)

So, I will go 2 hours per week to University. Take some class like "Intensive Portuguese Language" or "Arts in your hands" or maybe "1000 ways to cook rice & beans", meet some new people and play like 6 hours of fútbol per week.

I have a very good old friend, from Norway, we met like back 1996 and she told me once: "I want to grow up, not grow old".

Become a heterosexual Peter Pan 2day!

The PlayGround

At some point today, I was connected with the whole world...

I was chatting with a person from India about LN strategies, with a Nigerian living in Kenia about our professional future, with a Romanian about a position in China, with a Salvadorian about flight discounts, with a Costa Rican about the PD situation in Panamá; and reading posts about the Danish Muslim Cartoons and the Censored Content in China by Google...

The bottom line is, I will exchange all these to have the chance to push that car in the snow again :)

Life matters and it happens off line!

Is there a winner?

For the first time in our Democratic history we didn´t find out who won the Elections in the very same day...

The last update shows Arias with 40.5% and Ottón with 40.3% for a real difference of 3 648 after counting around 90% of the locations to vote.

Our legislation says that the winner is that one that gets over 40% of the votes and more than any other candidate in real numbers. So, my sister was right, every vote counts...

Another historical day I was happy to take part of.

Anita votes for the first time...

This post was written by my sister Anita:

"Today febreruary 5 was my first elections, it was really funny because I do know the importance of voting and the importance of having this privilege in my country...but I didn´t know for whom I was going to vote for, so I decided to ask my brothers, but for my surprise they didn´t know either..., so Juan and I went to the votation place that is four blocks from our house, and while we were walking we made our choice, so we arrived the place and vote.
It's interesting because everyone that votes thinks that they will have all the responsibility about the country, but at the end no one really does, or maybe everyone does...I don´t know, I just hope I had made a good decision and Juan too...because we are two votes, and it might be the difference!"

Ana and me after voting

And yes..., my hair is growing and growing...

Elections 2006!

Costa Rica is the oldest democracy of Latin America. We have lived in peace since 1948 when the army was also abolished.

Today is said to be the day when our 3rd Republic will be fund because the bi-partidisim is complety out of the picture.

The final competition is between Arias a former President and Peace Nobel awarded who stands for the traditional guidelines of his party and Ottón who represents the strongest ethical movement and value based leadership of the younger generations...

In the street, you hear people singing and honking supporting its candidate. At home TVs shows every single movement the parties do and the situation all around the country...

Criteria

• CAFTA: Arias Yes, Ottón No
• Corruption: Arias is a traditional, Ottón a radical
• Plan Fiscal (New Taxes): both in favor
• China relations: both in favor

The rest is too specific...

Check them out (Arias and Ottón):

The question is, will we have a second round? ( I hope not, I had enough of the Ley Seca which means that Alcohol can not be bought or sold during Elections Time... )

Vote!

Tribunal Superior Electoral (TSE)

in charge of managing the Elections Process

Recruting eXperiences...

I have a great idea :)

We have this Trainee, Mariss from Estonia. She is a great girl and she really wants to get involved in her LC..., she also has plenty of AIESEC XP... and her JD seems to be flexible enough for her to get involved in other activities.

On the other hand we have her LC, which is looking for an OCP Recruitment... The guys are not applying for the regular reasons... Holidays, a little fear, not understanding the relevance...

I was talking yesterday with Enrique (MCVP Finance)... Wouldn´t it be nice to have as OCP a former MCP who is a trainee now...? Being challenge by the cultural differences and the communications barriers..., get deeply integrated..., getting the others trainees in the same mood... Imagine the experience the OC members will get..., work at top level in the first year, being abroad while at home...

Mae, esta vara está en todas!

I dropped the bomb last niGht..., now she is thinkinG...

I wish I will post a second edition of "Recruiting eXperiences" very soon and very happy :)


Some picture:

Fulanito, Carla (she went with me to Australia 97-98 with AFS), Mariss, my sister Anita

and some bug... (not from the system)

Industrial Engineering School, UCR

I am a fan of my University mostly because it concentrates, in a small space, a great diversity of people.

In the same campus, you can have heated discussions about mechanics and cuantics, about socioeconomical development and environment, about medicine and health, you can join a manifestation against whatever or be in a Conference with Harvard people. Diversity.

My School, the Industrial Engineering School, has another interesting characteristic and it is the fact that teachers are young and professionals. They have a very practical way of communicating knowledge and also they create a very friendly environment. of course, there are exceptions, but we need those, otherwise we wouldn´t have stories for our grandchildren :)

My career is one of the things that makes me more satisfy and that gives me confidence to look at some bright future coming soon...(in China?)

Enjoy life, play soccer!

GoL!

Right now I should be out having a beer with my friends with University since one of them is celebrating her birthday..., unluckily I am not feeling that good...

Since I came back from Romania I have been having the flu..., not too strong but it keeps on annoying me... And of course, as soon as I feel better I go out and then It comes back... :)
I hope it will go away before AXLDS ;)

I am planning to go to the gym, I need to move my body a little bit and also get some sun playing fútbol. God I miss fútbol..., the smell of the just cut grass, the sun and the sweat flowing into the eyes, scoring, running until your legs get so tight that they don´t want to move... I thin the fútbol field is one of the only places where I feel fulfilled...

Isn´t that a simple way to make someone happy?

Me and Beto, my brother, after a fútbol game at the University...

AXLDS 2006

Today I prepared a Ppt to promote AXLDS (EXPRO and Americas LDS) within our LCs and I think it is good because when I saw it I also got motivated :)

If you have an AIESEC .NET account you can see it by Clicking Here (It´s in Spanish..., Costa Rican Spanish!)

Sometimes I wish AIESEC was more than just a preparation stage, I could make it a way of living. I have met so many great people and I have seen so many new places that I could never stop thanking the organization for the opportunities I got...

As an example, with AIESEC I had the chance to be in: Panama, France, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, Romania :), Serbia; very soon Colombia, El Salvador and if I get lucky... China!

But beyond that, it is the people what makes AIESEC special, I won´t call names because I will have to fill my blog with them, but I am sure those names are written somewhere else, where it really maters...

Now, a new group of people is knocking in my life. The AXLDS Facis..., I wonder how will it be...

Can you tell something from their faces? (They look too happy..., I wonder why?)

Costa Rica | Elections 2006: NeXt Sunday

NeXt Sunday, Feb 06, Costa Rica will elect its neXt President.

There are many political parties but only 5 relevant (PLN, PAC, ML, PUC, PUSC) and 1 easy to forecast as winner (PLN).

Many people are not satisfied with the political system and they are considering not to vote. They range from 30% to 40& of the citizens.

In my opinion, the democratic system gives you two real methods to manifest your preferences or dislikes:

1. Select the option you like the best by voting
2. Create your own option, present it to others and pray the vote you

No voting seems to me like a typical attitude of people that complains without proposing. I never like those in my teams... do you?

NeXt Sunday I will vote.

Proud to be Costa Rican!

Water falls into the ocean sunset...

Montezuma... GREAT!

All I have to say is that it was the first time since November 2003 that I get the chance to go to a real Reggae Night! God I missed it!

...Dancing people, beer, stuff ;) and the best music ever...

Being happy is so simple sometimes.

Pictures coming soon...

Juan

What if?

Have you ever got the "what if" speech?

That one when somebody tells you something like "If you don´t do it, then you will always ask yourself... what if?"

Well, life could be seen as a continuos set of decisions..., so everytime we make a choice we create what ifs...

I don´t think it is bad to ask yourself what if, actually it is good. It is an indicator for you to continually check if you are on the right path... or not. As often as you ask yourself what if as faster as you will realize if you made the right choice or not.

I ask myself many times what if.

What if?

Montezuma on Friday Evening!

Today, I am in a really good mood! Maybe because one of my friends had the great idea to make a trip to Montezuma, Guanacaste.

Montezuma is a really nice beach in the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It´s major characteristics is the feelin´in the town. It´s very relax and happy! Besides, water - falls in the ocean sunset...

In the good old times, it used to be my favorite place on Earth. Now, after many years, it is time to go back...

Also some music came back to me mind, that good old music, roots of course:

...Spap spa da dap pap spa spa...
I wanna live in your house
I wanna live in your house
To make I home
To make I home yeh
I wanna live

"Your House", Steel Pulse

Romanian Radio!

I couldn´t resist it!

I have now Romanian Radio!

The same station I used to listen after waking up, in the car to work, at work, in parties...

It makes me so happy!

The funny thing..., it is free and SIMPLE!

http://windowtoromania.org/liveradio.asp

Expro Americas!

We have Expro and the GN LDS together and we call it AXLDS...

This year it will be 2 hours from Bogotá, Colombia!

For a Costa Rican, Colombia represents two things: the most beautiful girls in the Americas (after the Costa Ricans of course) and Juan Valdez, the colombian who drinks Costa Rican Coffee ;) Jaja...

...that was "Costa Rican humour a la Cluj"...

Anyways, I am very excited about this Conference mostly because it will be the first time I will meet people from SSGN..., so far my life is more in CEE GN than here. I want to see how AIESEC works and how the fun beats... I have high eXpectations ;) I mean, do we "Basti Team" here or not?

So far, It started good. The facis seem friendly and away..., as usual :) . The Chair is something..., it is a girl! ;) AdiSor told me girls rule when Chair-ing Conferences but this will be my first eXperience, I am really looking forward to it. And she has a plus... ;)

Well, cracanatilor, sharing is scary!

Juan

CoCAS 05!

No so good looking but very smart!

Guess who?

Central America South MC Team!

Romania | SuperNPS!

Counter and photo!

Yes!

I got into the HTML Code and managed to get the counter to work and to upload a picture... Not the best but good enough for the first try ;)

Today was one of those days the will be forgotten very fast... The higlight of the day was dropping Mariss at the University for Lilli to drive her to her close future...

The rest of the day was more or less methodical... mails, thesis, aiesec... the simple life.

Looking forward for my empty bed Not for long... Apply Here! :)

From Partying to Business-ing

Palmares didn´t not change in all these years. The same Toldos (transportable clubs for about 1500 people each and several stories), the same people, the same music... I wanted more reggaeton...

The best will never change..., the nice CRicas girls :) and the pupusas (not papusilor! Pupusa is a salvadorian food!)

On the other hand, I met many old good friends and we end up talking business. I met potential partners, clients and investors. I really thing Gabi, S and me are in the right track, we just need to be patient and make it happen...

Changing the subject, PDU is talking about Trainee´s Learning... and I have had some talks with Mariss about the issue. In my opinion, if AIESEC globally wants to improve the situation with trainees some very big paradigmas should be broken... and amaXing redesign of exchange processes must happens..., just like the ones I had in mind for MC RO :)

Maybe it is not the time yet...

Ciorba de burta!

I think too much?

Lately, people have noticed me thinking too much...

It is interesting because now it is a period to make certain important decisions regarding the rest of my life. It seems natural to me that I will have to think too much to make the right decisions... The fact is that when I make me mind I commit myself 100%, that´s why I have too think too much...

Most times I see others people relations, they fail because there is not commitment, most people keep a foot in the water and the other in the land... They didn´t think too much and now they can´t swim or run...

In my personal opinion, thinking too much is ok as long as you do much more than that!

As for me, today I am going to Palmares! The Biggest National Festival in Costa Rica, as much beer consumption per person to be ranked 2nd in the World after the Río Carnivals... Ready to dress, party and drink like a Costa Rican!

Qué se venga el reggaeton!

Building the road to China!

I applied already for the position in China. Today, I officially started to look for personal sponsors.

I found a Costa Rican Board of Enterprenurs that are very interested in building commercial relations with China. Until now, Costa Rica has worked closer with Taiwan. But the business sector is upset about this relation, new opportunities can be forsee...

I am doing research about doing business in China in the commodities sector, I have the feeling the business is there. My idea is to get informed, meet this Costa Ricans guys and see what comes out of it...

On the other hand..., I miss Romania..., it is so strange, part of my heart is there...

News come and go...

Yesterday I found out the the PAI will be a Faci at AXLDS, which gives me the opportunity to work closer to him. I think it is more impressive when I think back and count only 3 years and 3 months since I joined AIESEC. As a matter of fact, only 1 year ago I was a Trainee....

On the other hand, I received the bad news that CAS did not get the UK Fund... No feedback came with the notice... I hope we will find some open doors for us to face the current situation in our beloved AIESEC CAS.

Regarding the University, today I presented the Design of our project. We got a 9 which may lead us to get a Degree with Honours... This makes me really happy and satisfied because it will prove right my decision to go in eXchange before finishing my University. We need to make the Validation wich consist of a presentation of the whole project to the University and then the Public Defense which is pretty much the same presentation but open for the public.

I am hosting a former MCP from Estonia, Mariss -or something like that-, she will work and be hosted by a NGO. I like her a lot, she behves like a little girl but big thought are in her head ;)

Take care, I will keep trying to upload pictures..., tips are welcome!

The pseudovalue... Enjoy Leadership!

The last time I posted in my blog was the day I left to Romania. Today, Jan 17th 2006, seems like a different world to me. The great eXperiences I lived during the last 43 days redefined some perspectives on my life and my future...

Definitively the last month was a "challenging my worldview" time!

I will summarize the output of this period just to inform and in the next days I will go deep in details on each issue:

My AIESEC Future

Against everything I planned I didn´t apply for the MC in the country I love as much as my CAS, Romania. It was heartbroken but I feel it was the best thing I could do.

Instead, I applied for CR Project Manager in Mainland of China (MoC). I can not belive how happy I am to be running for this position, everyday I look for some history or cultural articles on China. My excitement grows day by day... I can even visualize my MC days walking from the apartment to the MC office in Beijing....

On other departments, I will be facilitating at Expro SSGN (Spanish Speaking Growth Network, Americas) in Colombia! It is like a dream... Going to a country I always wanted to visit to Facilitate in an international conference... And now it has a date!

CAS! CoCAS overcame all my expectations! I am back in Costa Rica looking forward to start improving all our work in People Development and LNs, so many great ideas came from the guys that I can´t wait to see them happening! I got all my batteries refilled!!! Thanx USMA, UCR and TEC! Enjoy leadership!

Personal life

I missed my family and my home so much..., It was amaXing. Even that I have being abroad many times the feeling to be with the family can not be replace..

Besides, I am smoking too much, I will create the conditions too quit... again!

I came to realize something very important, maybe the most important learning point of this period... There is one important truth in life and that is that we exist here and now... So much reflexion and planning made me loose perspective on the importance of today.

I enjoyed so much an unplanned experience that made me wonder about the set of decisions I was making lately... I was very happy to smile, enjoy and live the simplicity of life and human nature, just feeling...

University
We are so close to finish that I can´t believe it. The only problem I have right now is that the teachaers are in holidays and they don´t want to meet! We expect to finish the document in February....

Well, I am going back to my physical life..., I will update this blog with more stories soon....

Lines from the Airport

I had to come too early to the Airport so my brither could drop me off before going to work...

I was luky enough to find a friend from University who is heading to Phillipines to receive some trainning with INTEL. We wonder how from University we are finally moving into the world.

I will arrive to Romania in about 20 hours and I have a lot of work to do in the meanwhile..., I hope I find a place to recharge the batteries of my laptop,

From the simple world,
Juan