Rio - Oslo

So here you go Papeira, I'm writing my post about Paris!

First of all, because I wanna show off (I was really proud of myself!!!) when I was in Paris, during Easter, without ever studying French I was able to comunicate in French well enough, without using a single word of English!! Even when Papeira got me to order our food (crepe de fromage avec salat, sans onions...)

So yeah, after that moment of feeling proud of myself I should share that it was an absolutelly amazing trip. I already told you about the Netherlands and that it was great with all the new people that I met. In Paris it was the other way round, and I might say, even better. Specially for meeting up with old friends, friends that I really care about.... Some times I feel I share too much here, but I can't help saying that just to think about specially my last day in Paris gets me quite emotional... So all my dear friends who decided or have the opportunity to come to Europe, do include Norway in your plans. After all it's not always that I have the opportunity to meet up with you elsewhere, and I can guarantee you will not regret it.

However it wasn't the only thing that made it a fantastic trip. I've told you already that there are two cities that I love at this point in my life. Rio and Oslo. But I've had a few crushes with London, Florianopolis, Prague, Amsterdam and, of course Paris. I really liked others, but in different ways. Paris is an absolutey charming city which has a point in common with some of the other cities I mentioned which are the classic, cliche tourist places (which are great by the way) but the best things are actually just around the corner.. Where there aren't as many tourist groups (or even any), where you feel a bit more of the local atmosphere, of what the city is all about. Be it at a local farmer's market, having an ice-cream, going to a hot (as in very very very warm) nightclub or walking in empty streets just two blocks from the tourist crowds.

About the tourist crowds, by the way, after being in Paris for about 5 days, I feel I understand the Parisiens a bit more... Imagine you live in a city like Paris (well, some of you do ) and you'd like to, for example, go to sunday mass at Notre Dame. Some people would say: "But why would you go there? It's always so full or tourists.. It's not a place where the locals go." Which is actually my point exactly. It's such a beautiful church, such a lovely area also, that you shouldn't have to worry or be bothered because there are too many people walking around (plus talking and taking pictures with flash) during mass! Yeah, I can't say I like that idea too much...

Another situation.. You work at a regular shop close (or in) a tourist area. You speak English and such, but it's not really necessary most of the time. However every so often a tourist comes in (wherever in the world they are from) and starts asking you several questions in English, as if they were in an English speaking country, without making the slightest effort to speak the local language. Not even a "bonjour"?? I'm a strong defender of people trying to learn the local language, or something of it, even if they spend a single day in a different country. So the lack of effort for me shows a bit of a lack of respect. Which I think is very well represented with the I <3 Paris t-shirts. At least a J' <3 Paris shirt....

Please do understand, I don't think any of these two things I'm mentioning justifies people being arrogant, disrespectful and even nasty. But from my experience in Paris, always trying to actually speak French. I didn't feel any of things I heard about Parisiens being rude or anything like that as I've heard several times before. I did notice Parisien sense of humour when I saw a t-shirt which read:

"J' <3 rien. Je suis parisien".

So that's why I thought about sharing my impression of the City of Lights. And yes, once again I must say, Paris was amazing!!! Yes, the city...

This is just a quick post. I'm still owing several posts such as:

• Parisiens and Tourists
  
• Spring
  
• Leaving home to go back home
  
• May 17th
  
• New house (not yet, but really soon)
  

But today is supposed to be the Geek/Nerd Pride Day. This is my test result from "Globo.com".



Take the test here (in portuguese).

It says I'm not a geek at all... Clearly they don't know me well enough, they just haven't found the right kind of geek that I am.. So I guess I'm "off the charts"

Beta, please don't be dissapointed at me!

Over the Easter week, through cheap tickets, I was lucky enough to get the chance to visit the Netherlands (Amsterdam and Maastricht) and France (Paris). I was also very fortunate to meet great people in Amsterdam (friends of friends) and also visit other friends in the country. It was really fantastic.

I must confess that Amsterdam wasn't in my first priorities of places I'd like to visit as soon as I could. However, I never had anything against visiting it too, even though what I heard most about it was about the Red Light District and the Coffeeshops. As it was cheaper to visit my friends in Paris going first to Amsterdam, I decided to take the opportunity. And I'm really glad I did!

Amsterdam is a beautiful city, with a really amazing history with so much that I didn't know about. The Dutch people are also a very interesting in their traditions, identity and way of being. First of all, generally speaking Dutch people are known for being very direct. They are not affraid to tell you, for instance, that it's time for you to pay for the next round of beer.. Besides that, from what I heard from Kevin, my tour guide on the New Amsterdam Free Sightseeing Walking Tour, it's a big part of the way people are in Amsterdam to be very inclusive and acccept people no matter who they are and what they do as long as it doesn't affect other people's right to be who they are too. And the acceptance of marijuana and prostitution as a part of society, and allowing both to happen in "more organized environments" is part of that.

What I'm saying here is not that I agree that both of these should be legal anywhere, just that now I feel I understand a bit more about the background for it. I still found it very disturbing to see women literally on display in the Red Light District as products for men to buy. Not that the same dynamic doesn't happen in all the other places in the world, but the way it happens there is more obvious, more "in your face".

I find it a true shame that so many people just go to Amsterdam for sex and drugs, and that this image is the strongest image that a lot of people have (was true to me before going there). Too bad most of these people miss the chance of visiting such a great city as Amsterdam is because of this prejudice from an image that really doesn't represent what the city has to offer.

About Maastricht, all I can say is that it's also a beautiful town, which from what I learned in the Netherlands can be summed up in one word: "gezellig" (for Brazilian's read it as "rassélar" or something like that).

Dank u wel!

The first time I ever heard of her, it was through a friend. I was just a teenager and this friend invited me to meet her. I heard all about her, but decided not to go. I don't know if I was scared, if I was just too young, but I guess it wasn't the moment.

I never thought about her again, I met other girls during that period, and even had some more serious relationships... But I would always comeback to my first love, who had been with me for such a long time and was always there... Waiting for me. And, of course, who knew me inside out, although I still had a lot to discover about her, and still have, by the way.

Last year, I was in really bad shape with my long term love. Things just weren't working out too well. And I decided it was time to go separate ways, to move on. It wasn't easy, I must say, but we both new it was the best thing for us to still have respect for each other.

Meanwhile, another very good friend of mine, knowing the situation, started getting me to go to different places, where I could end up getting to know other girls. And you know what, it worked. Even though all the times before I had heard about her I hadn't given her much attention, hadn't had much of a second look, when we first met last year, I knew something in me was already different. My eyes started sparkling imediately. She had something I had been looking for... Still not sure exactly what it is, though. Everyday with her is a new start, a different experience.

She has given me so much, so many incredible things that I never thought I would have. I really can't describe how thankful I am to have met her. She put me in a new direction, introduced me to her amazing friends, wasn't jeaulous when I went out to meet other girls, she even makes me feel good about myself, more self-confident, more aware of who I am.

Please, don't get things wrong. I'm still very good friends with my ex, by the way, with all of them. I still love her deeply, but in a different way for now. I even have pictures of her around my room! And I do tell everyone about how wonderful she actually is. We'll meet up soon, to catch up, see how things are going and so on.

I really don't know where life will take me at this point. As far as I know our romance has a date to finish, but maybe we can change that. I don't know if we have a long term future, but you know... I don't care that much. Being with her right now, that all I can think of, that is something I thank God for everyday (or at least I should).

I guess that's also something I love about her.. She is really full of surprises and I'm sure there are more or those coming up.. Even if I'm avoiding them for the time being.....

I know this sounds really cheesy and old-fashioned, but I guess that is how I feel about her.

Oslo, I have to say this... I think I'm falling for you...

Have I ever told all of you how I ended up here in Norway? I guess this might be a good opportunity.

So this is how it happened. I was at a bar in Rio, chatting with two dear friends of mine: Mari who is in Medellin now and Beta who is in Rio, but I met her again in Budapest and we travelled also through Vienna and Prague on an amazing trip (but that's a different story). We were chatting about basic things in day-to-day life and such, when I brought up the subject that my cycle at my previous job had been completed. It had been a good ride, but I was ready to leave. Actually, I was ready to leave Brazil too.

Then Mari told me she heard about a student organization called AIESEC which could be an interesting opportunity to go abroad. There would be a small lecture at the Federal University (UFRJ) on Monday, and I should attend it to find out a bit more about it. And that's what I did. Gave myself the opportunity to hear more about this "AIESEC" thing...

I loved the idea and everything about it. So I joined AIESEC in March 2008. It was already great to be part of that crowd, with people from a few different places in the world (Equador, UK, Colombia, Netherlands, Poland, Spain) and also Brazilians who were really open to the world.

Soon enough I heard about the opportunity to work at Opera Software (which I had never heard about... ). The initial idea was that if I was to be approved I would have to leave my life in Rio and move to Norway in about a month from that point! During the process things changed a bit, so I was invited to join Opera on June 12th and was scheduled to arrive in Norway on August 1st.

As you have read from my previous posts it has been an amazing, incredible, life changing experience for sure. The people I've met, the things that I learn at work, the things I discover about myself... I just can't put words to it.

So I'm extremely thankful to AIESEC and all the people involved in this process (in Brazil, in Norway and wherever else) for this. And as I didn't have the chance to be a more relevant part of AIESEC in Brazil (I hope I was able to make a difference to a few people there) I'm trying to do so here in Oslo.

And what about you? Are you curious about what AIESEC is? I'll tell you one thing... It's not only about going abroad. It's much more than that. But you'll only find out if you give yourself the opportunity to do so.

Here are some opportunities taking place right now in some of the Local Comitees of AIESEC in the world.

- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil



- Brasilia, Brazil


- Recife, Brazil




- Oslo, Norway



And if you are not somewhere around those Local Comittees you can still look for AIESEC in over 100 countries in the world.