La vida va y viene... y no se detiene...

Una PREZIntación personal / A personal PREZIntation

2011-05-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

I found this interesting application for doing presentations, people say that it is a really much more improved version of PowerPoint or similar software, but I believe that this comparison is not fair enough given that this PREZI tool is really outstanding.

Even the purpose is the same as PowerPoint, Keynotes and similar applications (software for making presentations) comparing Prezi to the previous ones is like trying to compare Photoshop with Paint, both are applications for editing images, but we already know that the capabilities of one are quite more advanced than the other one.

And for you to see what I'm talking about, here is the first presentation I've made with PREZI which took me just a couple of hours of learning-how-to-use, image-editing (using GIMP) and work on the application itself, I think it looks quite cool, what do you think?

P.S.1: Just click in the "Play" button and keep clicking that same button (or the right and left arrows in your keyboard) to go through the presentation.
P.S.2.: After cicking the "Play" button the first time, you can mouse-over where it says "More" and make the presentation to show in "Fullscreen"

Síguete a ti mismo, sino te perderás

2009-04-30T04:26:00.000-07:00

(Follow yourself, or you will get lost)

Click here for English

¡Hey AIESEC!

Reciban todos un gran saludo desde la República Checa de parte de este Alumni de AIESEC Venezuela

Me han pedido que cuente rápido que cosas he hecho en AIESEC y como AIESEC ha cambiado mi vida.

Pues, todo comienza cuando me uní al comité local de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, eso fue en Marzo del 2003.

8 meses más tarde fui elegido Vicepresidente de Intercambios de AIESEC Venezuela lo cual me brindó la oportunidad de trabajar más de cerca con AIESEC en el resto del mundo, en especial en conferencias internacionales como en el Congreso Internacional de AIESEC en Hannover, Alemania en 2004. ¡Fue una experiencia realmente impresionante!

Culminé mi período en Venezuela y luego fui a formar parte del equipo de soporte del comité nacional de AIESEC en Colombia en el área de Ventas y Desarrollo Corporativo. Estando allá me dí cuenta como AIESEC trabaja de formas diferentes en distintas partes del mundo, pero como de todas formas todos luchamos por la misma causa...

...El desarrollo del potencial y el liderazgo en los jóvenes

Regresé a Venezuela, y luego de ver que había mandado y recibido tantos jóvenes de todos y a todos lados, decidí que me tocaba a mi vivir esa experiencia, y así fue como terminé trabajando en Estonia para Skype.

Durante ese tiempo tuve la oportunidad de viajar y mostrarle al mundo más sobre Venezuela y nosotros los Venezolanos y a todos lados donde iba, ahí estaba AIESEC (ver fotoblog)

Luego de casi 2 años de estar en Skype, se me presentó la oportunidad de ir a Malasia para trabajar en MindValley, que para quienes no lo saben, es una empresa de Internet Marketing que es 80% AIESECa... vale la pena que le echen un vistazo...

Hoy día me encuentro en República Checa trabajando en un proyecto con el cual he soñado ya desde hace mucho tiempo pero del cual no puedo dar muchos detalles todavía... pero pueden seguirme los pasos en Twitter

Y por qué en República Checa...?

Bueno, resulta que AIESEC no sólo me ha brindado la oportunidad de crecer personal y profesionalmente, sino que además gracias a AIESEC he conocido a quien es hoy mi amada esposa Zlata Botero Vaskova... (mira mis 2 post anteriores)

Nos conocimos por primera vez en Finlandia en una conferencia de AIESEC donde yo era Chair, y nos re-encontramos casi un año después en Estonia en un Global Village organizado por AIESEC Tallinn...

Como lo notarán, yo soy un fanático de AIESEC, y la verdad luego de ver todo lo que he podido vivir gracias a AIESEC, como no podría serlo...?

Es mi historia una historia exitosa?... Esa decisión "It's up to you!"...

Por mi lado puedo decir que hasta ahora he vivido con intensidad cada momento y sé que apenas esto es el principio...

Para cerrar, les dejo esta cita de Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, la cual mi querida esposa me recuerda a menudo:

"Nada debe ser más apreciado, que el valor de cada día"

Les deseo que tengan una vida muy feliz...

Carlos

ENGLISH

Hey AIESEC!

Greetings from Czech Republic from this Venezuelan AIESEC Alumni.

I was asked to tell in short my AIESEC experience and how AIESEC has changed my life so far.

Everything started when I joined the local committee of AIESEC UCAB (at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello), that was back in March 2003.

8 months later, I was elected as the national vice president of Exchange for AIESEC in Venezuela which gave me the opportunity of working and sharing closely with more AIESECers all around the world, specially during conferences like the International Congress of AIESEC 2004 held in Hannover, Germany. It was a truly amazing experience!

I finished my term in Venezuela and then became part of the National Support Team of AIESEC in Colombia in the department of Sales and Corporate Development. Being there I found out how AIESEC works in different ways other parts of the world, but how we all strive for the same cause...

...The development of the potential and leadership of young people

I went back to Venezuela, and after considering that I have sent and received people from and to all around the world... I thought it was my turn to liev such experience, and that is how I ended up working in Estonia for Skype.

During this time, I had the opportunity to travel and show to the world more about Venezuela and the Venezuelans, and wherever I went AIESEC was there. (See fotoblog)

After almost 2 years in Estonia, a new opportunity came to my life to work for the Malaysian company MindValley, which in case you didn't know, it is very successfull Internet Marketing company with 80% of AIESECers in it... If you are looking for an portunity to grow and learn, you better check it out.

Today I'm now in Czech Republic working in a project I've been dreaming about for a while already. I can't give you details about it at the moment, but to keep updated you may follow me in Twitter

And why in Czech Republic you may be asking...?

Well, the thing is that AIESEC not only gave me the opportunity to grow internally and professionaly, but also thanks to AIESEC I got to meet who is now my lovely wife Zlata Botero Vaskova... (check out 2 previous posts)

We met for the first time in Finland during an AIESEC conference where I was the Chairman, and we re-met almost a year after in Estonia during a Global Village organized by AIESEC Tallinn...

As you may notice, I'm a big fan of AIESEC, and after seen all what I have lived thanks to AIESEC, how couldn't I... ?

Is my story a successful story?... that "It's up to you!" to decide...

On my side I can tell you that I have lived with passion every moment and I know that this is just the beginning...

To close, I would like to leave you with this quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which my wife lovely keeps reminding me:

"Nothing is more highly to be prized than the value of each day"

Wish you to have a truly happy life...

Carlos

Zlata & Carlos Wedding, April 4th 2009

2009-03-16T02:22:00.001-07:00

"When Destiny and Power of Will Meet...
...The Love is created and forever is kept..."

We will now share our lives and we would like to invite you to our wedding ceremony.

When: April 4th 2009, 10:00 a.m. Czech Republic Time (CET or UTC/GMT +1 hour)

The Story of a Belly called Edie...

2009-02-23T14:46:00.000-08:00

This post is with less words, and one video with pictures...

Welcome Edie to this wonderful world!

- Your Dad.

One-way ticket to parenthood please...

2009-02-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is correct... Parenthood is a one-way ticket...

I make this analogy based in how I was felling today... just to let you know, today Sunday 22nd of February, is the day when Zlata is going to the hospital and spend the night there before our son Eduardo Josef is born tomorrow Monday 23rd of February 2009.

So, in the morning we woke up, I prepared breakfast, we made sure we had everything we need ready, the bag with the clothes, etc...

At this moment, I just said to Zlata... "You know my love... I have now a similar filling to another feeling I had before already 4 times..."

In case you didn't know, Eduardo Josef is my very first child, so it was very curious for Zlata that I said that I have had a similar feeling already 4 times before!

Then, I explained...

"Yes, I'm having feelings right now very similar to the days I was just about to fly to a new country to move there for a longer period than 6 months..."

So, I had similar feelings the same day I was going to travel to Madison, Wisconsin when I was 19, and also I felt similar when I went to Cali, Colombia when I was 25, and when I went to Estonia a year after that, and to Malaysia more recently.

I've been in many other places also traveling for vacations, but these 4 destinations were in particular very special since I was not going for a short period, and in all of those 4 occasions I was not sure what was going to be my next destination, nor if I was ever going back to anywhere...

You might be thinking that such a situation might have made me feel unhappy or scared or nervous... but if you know me well, then you know that I was totally the opposite!

I was always very happy, even calm... but definitely looking forward to the new adventure!

Going back to the conversation I had with Zlata, I explained her then that at that particular moment I was feeling in the same way I felt 4 times in the day I was going to travel.

The curious thing is that the feeling is... like if I'm not going anywhere!

Yes... those 4 times, exactly at the day of the travel, even being at te airport just before boarding... I was feeling nothing special... It was for me just like the day before... just that I was carrying 2 big suitcases, one carry-on and my backpack...

And so far, my feelings are still very similar to those 4 moments, and they are evolving in the same way too...

Here is how it goes:

1) As I described before, at the begining I'm just calm, not feeling any special or different emotions even at the airport, even after checking my bags.

2) Then, I'm in the plane... and then there is a change... I'm still calmed, but now after I left behind all other ties I had to the day before... my mind starts to wonder in short term memories, about things I was living in the past months... then (since usually the trip is for more than 8 hours) I fall asleep....

3) I wake-up... I'm still in the plane, and there is still half way to go... emotions are now different... I'm now trying to imagine how will it be to cross the door outside of the airport, and meet new people and a new enviroment... I just try to get the feeling of been there.

4) I arrive... and I'm in a totally new world, different to any thought before, and I'm very excited and looking forward to explore every corner...

For me, I can apply this same analogy to the experience of becoming father... right now I'm already in the 3rd step...

And tomorrow I will arrive...
...to my only one-way destination to parenthood.

Al mal tiempo, buena cara

2008-10-25T03:50:00.000-07:00

(To bad weather, good face)

After reading the title of this post, you might think that I'm having a hard time and I need to cheer up.

Well, fortunately that is very far from the truth :-)

For those who have been asking me, I'm very well and I'm looking forward to be back with Zlata and also for this new great experience that is to become father! (No, no pictures of the belly or the baby yet :-P maybe in the next post).

Then, back to the title of this post, I will have to start sharing what moved me to start writing this post.

One evening I was chating with a new friend who is also a Salsa passionate. She was in fact asking about the Salsa lessons that I give, what type of style and other technicalities about Salsa and my experience teaching.

I then explained her that the Salsa I teach is what I call "Street Salsa"... she asked me "What is that? Is like N.Y. style or L.A. style?" (btw, isn't if funny for you to consider that some people labeled the Salsa N.Y. and L.A style? specially since Salsa was started in the Caribbean, not in the US...)

After showing a "wide smile" emoticon ( :-D ) to her, I just explained that the Salsa I teach is the salsa I learned at home with friends in Venezuela and later in Colombia, so if I had to put a name to it, I would just call it "Street Salsa" because I learned it "en la calle" (in the street).

So for me "Street Salsa" is the salsa you dance to enjoy, to laugh while you dance, to improvise movements according to how you feel the music. So that is what I teach, to feel the music.

At this point she was very curious, specially since she shared with me that she was a little stressed since she had to be ready for some Latin Dances Examination she was going to have. I must confess (and she might be readign to this now and might be curoious about what I'm going to say... hehehe) that when I read that comment in the chat window I just smiled and told to myself:

"Yep, that is exactly the kind of salsa I DON'T teach..."

For me dancing must be fun, must be joyable and should not cause you stress. In fact, many of my students have said that they feel very relieved and relaxed after the lessons, and not because it is easy, because it is not, but because I find that if there is not joy in dancing, then the whole purpose of it is lost.

So, back to the title of the post... from Salsa, suddenly the conversation turned more into what is life about, about goals for life and other philosiphycal stuff... then it started to rain very strongly... few minutes before I just asked her why was she online at 1pm on a saturday (in my case I have a good excuse... called Time difference ;-) I was calling to Venezuela just before).

Then she replied that she had plans to go out, but now with the big rain it was better to stay at home... then I had one of the crazy thoughts I use to have from time to time and told her to try going out and enjoy of being just under the rain...

Of course the reaction was a virtual laugh followed by a:

- "So, to dance in the rain like kids?" to what I answered
- "why not...?"
- "I don't know... why don't you go then?"
- "That is in fact a very good question... brb"

I stood up and started to get ready... I put on my swiming shorts and a simple shirt.

At that same time, one of my flatmates was playing with his new digital camera, taking pictures all around the house and the surroundings, testing the effects of the rain for the pictures and so on...

I then went out, and at the begining I was just walking around, feeling the drops of water following gently on me.

Actually, it seems that if you are not running, the rain doesn't bother you, but just refresh you, and I didn't even felt so wet or anything... I was enjoying the time... and I even decided to try to give some dancing steps on the rain.

I must say that even it was a little weird at the beginning, at the end I just felt very relaxed and callmed.

The rain stoped, and I went back home, and my flatmate when he saw me he just started t laugh, and bellow you can see why...

First just walking around ad feeling the rain

Dancing in the rain

Dancing in the rain (closer)

Now to finish this post, I just want to take a phrase from Mark Twain that I like very much:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

--Mark Twain

Of course, dancing in the rain is nothing "heroic", but just think something... if you do not even dare to dance in the rain, or to do any other little gesture that can bring you some happiness, just because is "weird" or because you might look crazy... if you are stopped on such a simple thing... what makes you think you won't be stopped in more important things later?

Once again...

"...Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover..."

.

When life bring changes, or when changes bring life

2008-07-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

It's being a while since the last time I updated this blog, but lately I've been thinking a lot about the changes in my life in the past 2 years, and the new more changes for the years to come.

Just for you to know, when I started this blog, I decided that I didn't want to make a blog for telling my experiences, but that I wanted to use it mainly to share my thoughts.

This time, I do want to share my thoughts, but I can't avoid to share also the reason of them, which is directly connected to a wonderful event that is happening in my life...

But before getting there, I will go straight to the tittle of this post...

When life bring changes...

The only constant thing in life is change, and that is something you will find out if you haven't yet.

No matter how much you plan your life, there are events that will definitely change your life, some times immediately, some times after a while.

I'm not going to give you a lecture on how to overcome these changes, but I just want to share with you my thoughts about it.

For me, these last 2 years have been a huge shift in my life, thanks to the fortune all for good.

At the beginning of those 2 years, I was still finding myself (and to do that I had to travel some thousand kilometers, you see?!). At that time I had very clear ideas on how my experience would be: I will enjoy the 1.5 years in Estonia, and then I will go back to Venezuela to continue my own business.

Now, life has changed, and I'm in Kuala Lumpur starting a new chapter in my life, full of excitement and full of expectations.

Once again, the plans are being re-adjusted, but that is what has brought this wonderful spark in my life, the fact that life is not defined, and it is ready to be explored...

When changes bring life...

This is the part when I share the big event, and for those who are intuitive enough, would have guessed already what it is about due the tittle of this post.

Among the huge shifts that had happened in my life within these 2 years, the most special one was to find happiness and love in one person, that special person that is the main reason of these words (and the words from the prior post from many months ago too).

Our hearts met, and we are now sharing dreams, goals, moments and future.

And now, this big change in my life has brought a bigger one, which is the change of bringing a new life between us...

At the moment I'm writing these words, has passed 11 weeks since this new life has started to grow... Zlata and I are becoming parents!

The happiness in our hearts can only be compared with the immense love we have for each other and for our new little human "bean" (at this point looks like a little bean :-) )

I'm aware of the shift that this post have had... it started in a philosophical mood, but now it ended up very personal... but guess what... that is part of the wonderful changes that life brought to me!

Because now my life is not only mine... my life now has meaning because of this new family we are starting...

Dedicated to the love of my live... Mi Consentida... Zlata

.

Search for reality...

2008-01-14T06:59:00.000-08:00

Time have passed, as the same as places and people I have met.

On every place, there have been those experiences that leave you marks, or footprints. Those things that start to build a little of a new yourself.

And then again comes the question after that... What is reality? or what is real? and I don't mean it in a philosophical matter, but I would say more in an emotional and mental way of perceiving life, of following your dreams (or just keep dreaming itself).

I'm a dreamer, there is no doubt of that... And some times I've been admired by that, and some others I've been warned that it is not "the right way" to live.

And when I find this kind of persons, I just wonder what kind of life they had, what kind of experiences made them just decide that it is dangerous or not wise to follow your dreams. That instead it is better to "sentar cabeza" (from Spanish, "to seat down your head") because dreams can't fit in the "real world".

Right now I'm not going to say that they are right or wrong. I will just say that they had made a decision, as the same way I made a decision.

That is how I see life, it is a path of decisions you take, that leads you to the next experience, and for some, that experience is something they had always identified in their life, and for others there are always new experiences to discover.

In here, the important thing to consider is just that... the fact that you live YOUR life, the life you choose to live, and not the life you are expected to live, the life of others.

How was it in 2007...

2008-01-12T05:06:00.000-08:00

I'm stealing this from Laurita's blog. In my case, I went through the first 9 questions and then just decided to answer them to get inspiration for my next post.

So, you can continue reading if you like, and you can also use these questions for yourself...

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Joined a Skydiving group. Danced salsa on the ice (while ice skating). Jumped almost naked in the snow/lake after being in 80 to 100 degrees sauna.

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Not typical on me, though I still have 10 passes to go to the gym that I got on my birthday. I should really give a good use of it...

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin Luisa Fernanda in Colombia, she gave birth to Juan.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandma "Pepita" and Juan.

5. What countries did you visit?
Estonia (well, it's a loooong visit), Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Egypt, Greece, England, Hungary, Spain and bought the tickets to go to Turkey in Feb 2008.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
It has been a very good year, even there has been tough moments, they are also very needed and even welcome. I would like a little more sun and chances to go to a nice beach though...

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
So far the only date I can always remember and that I can connect with some specific fact is the 24th of September (but actually of 2006) when I arrived in Estonia to start my new adventure. And the other "date" so far would be April (2008 though) since at the moment is the date that I have as an end of this experience and as a beginning of the next

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
That I have found good options for my next new adventure... stay tune for more details ;-)

9. What was your biggest failure?
To loose important people for me and to let myself go into depression due different circumstances.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
The worst I can remember was a terrible cold I got during Xmas, nothing more.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
All the airplane/boat/bus tickets to the places I've travelled :-)

12. Who made you happy this past year?
Puf! So many people I have met, it will be a very loooong list. I will summarise by saying the groups they belong to: International in Tallinn, AIESEC Estonia, friends that stay in touch virtually due distances :-) Thank you all of you!

13. Who made you depressed or left you disappointed?
I will not write down a name here, since anyway time is what will cure everything.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Go back to question number 5 and you will know ;-)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Ideas, challenges, feeling the music and the energy it brings, mentoring.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Read the title of this blog...

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder?
Don't remember how I was feeling last year on this date, but I guess it was with a lot of expectations. Today, I'm more calm, although I'm still waiting for some things to concrete.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Have more challenges. Have done more exercise also (or dancing more too :-) there is never enough dancing!)

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying about external conditions and let them influence me and my choices.

20. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yes.

23. How many one-night stands?
Those who made this questionnaire are very nosey...

24. What was your favorite TV program?
I have a TV, but I don't have cable. I use it only to connect my laptop to it and watch movies. Some really good ones: What the Bleep do we Know, Love and other disasters, The Corporation, L' Aubergue Espagnol, L' Aubergue Espagnol: Les Poupess Russes

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone, life is wonderful without hate. (I insist, very nosey people who made this questionnaire...)

26. What was the best book you read?
The 8th Habit, highly recommended.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Shantel! Disco Disco Partizani!!! hehehe... and some other Turkish artist, few songs but very good ones :-)

28. What did you want and got?
And unforgettable life-changing experience! I'm now looking forward for the next!

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Check question 24, and add to the list: Persepolis

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Friends came home, we shared a great time together and then we went to a disco. The night ended with a very nice walk to the center with nice company, then back home and yep, I became 28 :-)

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Not big changes... shorter hair than previous years though, it seems that I'm becoming a little more formal... or maybe not...

34. What kept you sane?
Patience and good friends around.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Singers, among them: Ricardo Arjona, Alejandro Sanz and Gilberto Santa Rosa.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Venezuela.

37. Who did you miss?
Family in both places, Venezuela and Colombia. Good friends, although thanks to technology we have kept in touch. My father.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Ankur and Zlata

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
For this question I will take the eight Paradoxical Commandment by Dr. Kent M. Keith because it in fact explains very well what I have learned this year...

"What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build it anyway"

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Ah! I will have to go back to the tittle of this blog... "La vida va y viene... y no se detiene..." (Life comes and goes... and it never stops)

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Thank you!

2007-12-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

Now, after finishing posting the previous stories about the Xmas trip to the Baltics, there is something very important I must do, and that is to give the propers...

THANK YOU!!!

I would like to thank all the wonderful people who made of this trip a great Xmas Journey!

I want to thank the Lovely Latvians who received us: Anda, Ilze, Olga, Baiba... who not only gave us a nice tour in the city, but who also prepared a wonderful Xmas dinner for us!

Of course, I would like to thank specially to our Brazilian friend Marcio, who hosted us and shared a really great time with us!

For the people in Kaunas! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

It was an amazing Xmas Party! Specially to Kotrina and Malvina, the lovely sisters who gave us a nice tour un Kaunas!

Hope to see you in Sinergy!!!

I would like to thank Also Ekim, hour great Turkish host in Vilnus!

Man, thank you so much for receiving us and sharing nice time with us! It was a very cool Turkish Xmas!!!

And from me, very big special thanks to my trip partners! Ankur, Gabo, Mustafa and Olga!

I want to thank you very much because without you this Xmas wouldn't have been the same!

FOR FULL SET OF PICTURES AND VIDEOS, JUST CLICK ME!!!

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Riga (2)

2007-12-30T08:29:00.000-08:00

First read: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-vilnus.html

It's Chirstmas! (25th December)

And we have to start going back home... but first, one more stop in Riga, Latvia :-)

When we arrive, a group of 4 lovely Latvian friends received us and gave us a nice tour in the center, where we even took a picture with the Latvian Santa.

Later we went to the terrace of the tallest hotel in Riga, and from there we could appreciate a nice view of the vity. The funny about this, is that the picture was taken from the toilet of the restaurant of the terrace! Of course, since it is the highest point of Riga, there is no risk to find somebody picking from outside the window :-P

After some more walking, we went back to the flat of our Brazilian host, where a very nice Xmas Dinner 2.0 was prepared.

We spent a really nice time there, and we even had some performance to earn our Xmas gifts according to Latvian traditions.

After the nice dinner and some Charade games, some decided to go to rest, and some of us decided to stay awake a little longer and had a very nice time until next morning.

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Vilnus

2007-12-30T08:06:00.000-08:00

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-trakai.html

It's the third day of our trip... some of us are not so energetic as in the begining, but just some little rest was needed (even if it was in the train going back from Trakai to Vilnus):

Next morning, what we did first was to have a nice trip in Vilnus, capital of Lithuania, and we went to the highest point of the city where there are three crusses and you "could see" the rest of the city (this day was quite foggy, so no much to see from there :-P ).

If you remember well, it is already 24th of December! So, it is time to get ready for our Xmas dinner!

For those who know about Venezuelan culture, you might imagine that in my head I was picturing an Hallaca typical food for Christmas times in Venezuela... but well, not this time :-)

Instead, we prepared something different, which for some of the europeans was not so usual... Pollo A La Naranja con Piña... (Chicken a la orange with pinapple)

And where did we spent Chistmas Eve?... Our host for this evening was a Turkish AIESECer/Erasmus friend who was in Vilnus, so we went to this place where he leaves with other 5 Turkish guys in a dormitory where there are other 30 Turkish guys!

So, this was my very first Turkish Christmas ever! It was definetly different but still was special since I was surrounded by great friends :-D

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Trakai

2007-12-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-kaisadorys.html

December 24th, 10:00 am

We are now in Vilnus after the visit we made to our dear friend Brigita, but since we are in Lithuania we decided that we could not miss some special place, TRAKAI!

Trakai is an small town, but what makes it very special is a castle that is in the middle of a lake.

The scenario is wonderful, a little could though... it was so that even the shore of the lake was already frozen, so much that even ducks could stand there. It somehow reminded me the moments skating in Riga :-P

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Kaisadorys

2007-12-30T07:10:00.000-08:00

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-kaunas.html

The sun rised next morning, and even we were very tired after so much party, we finally managed to wake up and continue our journey, now to Kasiadorys, Lithuania.

This part of the trip was in fact the main reason why we decided to go on this journey, since there we were going to meet our dearest friend Brigita Regina who was once an AIESEC intern in Tallinn.

She had no idea that we were going to visit her, and unfortunatelly we didn't take pictures of the first moment she saw us, but at least we made a short video when she finally came out to open the door:

To find her address without making her suspect was not so easy. One day just chating on the Skype I decided to ask her address since I was going to send her a Xmas gift ;-)

Then, the day we arrived I gave her a call and told her:
- Hey Birgi! Have you received your present already?
- Hey Kike! No, not yet, why?
- Well, I think it might be there already at your door... can you please check?
- OMG!!!!

Then there we were, 5 foreigners from al arround the world and a big furry Tedy Bear :-)

At this point, the Xmas spirit was starting to become stronger among us.

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Kaunas

2007-12-30T07:03:00.001-08:00

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-riga.html

So, after nice Ice Skating in Riga, we went to Kaunas in Lithuania.

The reason? AIESEC Kaunas Xmas Party!!!

We arrived and we had a very nice reception! And for our sorprise, the theme of the party was "Egyptian Xmas" !!!???

From the 3 Baltic countries, Lithuanias are known for being the most alived! At least among AIESEC Baltics :-P

For us, they are the Latinos of the Baltics, laud, fun, and always ready to party big time! And this time was not an exception! :-D

For us, they are the Latinos of the Baltics, laud, fun, and always ready to party big time! And this time was not an exception! :-D

Party was really great! With games, dances, food, drinks and really cool and beautifull people!

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Riga

2007-12-30T04:41:00.000-08:00

First Read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007.html

22nd of December, 1:45 am

After almost 5 hours of bus trip, we finally arrived to Riga, Capital city of Latvia.

At the bus station, a Brazilian called Marcio Soriano, freezing by the winterish kind of weater is waiting for us.

He is an AIESEC intern in Riga, and he will be our host for the night.

As you can guess, the weater conditions are not what any of us is used to, but that is just part of the adventure :-)

That night, they guys were tired so they stayed at Marcio's place... Me? Well, I still had some energy and also I wanted to see my friend Anda.

She was working that night in a bar that is one of the most popular places in Riga, so I went there and stayed dancing and enjoying until next morning, when we went to have breakfast somewhere in the center to later go and wakeup the rest of the gang to go for some Ice Skating in Lido.

It was a very nice time, and for sorprise of the europeans, the Latinos Marcio and me) could skate quite well :-)

Riga was the first and the last place we visited during this Xmas Baltics Tour, so keep reading to know what happened next.

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007

2007-12-30T04:10:00.000-08:00

Before anything, I should start this post with some simple but innevitable words...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

So yes, this post is to tell you a little about my last Christmas (the 4th Christmas I have had abroad so far).

It was very nice, and also very intense!

A small group of foreigners (5 in total) we decided to take advantage of the fact that the Baltic countries joined the Schengen Agreement an thanks to this, there is no more passport border control between these countries and many other in Europe.

From bottom to the right:
Mustafa Alagöz - Turkey, Carlos Botero - Venezuela, Gabriel Rico - Bolivia,
Ankur Dhami - India, Olga Kuznetsova - Ubekistan

So, on the evening of the 21st of December (the same day when the Baltics joined Schengen) we took a bus to Riga, Latvia.

Curriosly, that was Mustafa's Birthday present :-) This was the first of many new trips he will be able to enjoy now! Thank you Schengen!!!

To make this post short enough, I will just highligh the tight schedule in here and then you will be able to read more into details on next posts:

21st - 22nd: Tallinn - Riga / Riga study tour and Ice Skating in Lido
22nd - 23rd: Riga - Kaunas / AIESEC Kaunas Xmas Party!!!
23rd - 23rd: Kaunas - Kaisadorys / Visiting Brigita Regina... Sorprise!!!
23rd - 24th: Kaunas - Vilnus / Vilnus short tour and dinner
24th - 24th: Vilnus - Trakai / Visiting Trakai castle and having Turkish food
24th - 25th: Trakai - Vilnus / Having Turkish Xmas!
25th - 26th: Vilnus - Riga / Xmas Celebration 2.0 (Latvian Xmas)
26th - 26th: Riga - Tallinn / Back home...

For a full set of pictures and some videos, please go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/cboteros

If you want to know more... just keep reading the next posts :-D

Nothing much not to say...

2007-12-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

Blogging, the new way of expression.

For many the way to stay in touch (or to keep informed) people they know about their lives, about their thoughts, about their feelings.

For others, a way to connect with themselves, a way to search within their thoughts who they "really are".

For me... a little of both...

So, for those who have been wondering about me, here is a little space where you will be able to read a little of what is going on around me and around my head.

So, what about the title...

"La vida va y viene... y no se detiene..."
From the song: Corazón Partio
Artist: Alejandro Sanz

Well, there is not much to say... in part is because of circumstances that I've passing through... and in the other hand is just because, "Life comes and goes... and it doesn't stop..."