Mother Nature....

I'm amazed with the Tsunami that faced Thailand and Sri Lanka (India), 110.000 deaths and they haven't finished searching already, plus the people that is going to die because of the bad conditions of the water, food and environment. It makes no sense for me that this is only happening to poor countries; first the hurricane this year in Haiti (Also Florida but the casualities weren't as high as in Haiti), and now this tsunami in Sri Lanka and India. I know that this is nobody's fault, but for example a lot of deaths could be avoided if Sri Lanka and Thailand have had installed tsunami detectors, with just one hour people would have had the required time to evacuate to a safe zone. I make a call to the developed and rich countries to sponsor the construction of this kind of devices instead of spending their money on war (not in all the cases).
With mother nature there are some things that can be avoided if detected on time, and those posibilities exist these days, especially for tsunamis, like the pacific ocean that's very well protected but why ?? Because a big part of the United States is there, and this country has plenty of money to maintain this, but what about the rest of the world? If they have the posibility to help others that are not able to do it by themselves, why not give them a hand and avoid all of this killing ? I'm not blaming you USA, but I think that there are more important things that war right now. I think is time to stop thinking just about ourselves and think in the other people that live with us; from inside to outside, I mean, let's be proactive and don't wait for the people to change, let's start the change by ourselves.
On the beginning I was going to do my traineeship on Sri Lanka, but later on I decided to come to Switzerland, the reasons doesn't matter right now, that's life, I feel lucky, but not happy because of that.

I was thinking also that I live in a city of 120.000 inhabitants..., and it's like if I wake up tomorrow and everybody is death except me. That's a lot of people ! How many inhabitants does your city have ?.

Lots of countries and companies are giving money to help this crisis, also helping with food and other materials, which is really good, but the problem is that nothing is being really coordinated, they know that this items are comming but they don't know when, which makes it more difficult to plan and give a better management to the situation !! People is dying out there right now !! I think that it's time to create a world organization just for this kind of disasters. I think that there's not even one country prepared to face this kind of disasters, specially third world ones.

Xmas !!

At the begining I thought that it was going to be a lonely and kind of sad christmas, without my family, friends and PL. However, the last sunday (18th of december) 2 friends arrove from Cologne and Dortmund (Both from Medellin and from the same university as me), and on thursday (23th of dec) Veronica that's another friend that's studying in Belgium (Same university as me in Medellin) came, my roomate took off, Perfect!
First of all we went to make some shopping in Lorrach (Germany), IT WAS MY MISTAKE to buy all of that goods at the same time. The thing is that it was very heavy and we were only 3 guys.., also Luis forgot his passport and when we came back he got stopped by the customs.., and the normal blah blah blah.., until we manage to get inside switzerland again.
We were not even in the middle of the way and we were completely drained of energy, exhausted !! So I decided to try to go and search for a shopping cart somewhere (its very common to find them here arround the city).. I searched for 1 hour and nothing !!! That's bad !! So we started carrying everything until we arrove to the tram station, waited for it and then took it. When we got to Feldbergstrasse (tram station) we went out prepared to take another tram (of course we had to walk maybe 200 mts to get it) and as a miracle I found a shopping cart !!! We put everything there and headed to my flat. JuanE wanted to see the junkies so we went by the place where they're all the time, but we were unable to see not even one. It was difficult to drive that shopping cart because the floor was full of snow, well, it was hard ice actually..., so it was making plenty of noise. We manage to arrove at home at 11:00 PM taking in mind that we went to Lorrach at 6:00 PM it was a LONGGGGG time.
That night and the rest of them Luis and JuanE slept on the floor fn my room (poor of them, but I was going to experience the same pain in a couple of days). The next day I went to work and I met them afterwards..., it was like 6:30 PM or 7:00 PM I can't remember exactly, the fact is that we met on one of the bridges and it was near the red light district which Luis was looking forward to go to. When I met them, they were kind of "happy" (they were drinking redbull vodka). We went to Mark's computer store to get something for this pair of "junkies". They both got satisfied there, and after that we left directly to the "red light district". JuanE was always the first one in enter on those places.., I think he's a PRO on this topic..., however in one of those he went directly to one girl called "Renata", she was from Romania and she spoke spanish.., so we spent there some time talking with her.., I got treatened by the main lady (the one that keeps the business running) because I wasn't driking anything, so I ordered a beer which tasted like hell and ultra-expensive. Talking and talking with renata she told us that she used to charge 100 CHF for her services plus 50 CHF (You have to buy her some champagne), cheap, isn't her? The next thing that she told us was that she used to charge more to the old people, why ??? I've got no idea.., maybe they've to do more thing to make that "rusty machine" work !!!!!!!.
After having a nice chat we left and in our way we crashed with a "latino shop", we entered and there was some salsa music playing, JuanE started dancing inmediatly like if he were on the "tibiri", long steps, moving his head..., the guy was crazy, like a junkie !!! I got some platanos and PAID them..., then we headed to the door when JuanE extended his hand without even looking back and took a Platano and started running. Thanks god nobody in that latino shop saw him, because there was a warning where it said that if they caught somebody stealing they would take "drastic meausres". We headed home and when we were almost there, we saw a small pond with ice in the middle, so JuanE beleived that he could manage to jump on it and get on the other side safetly. The deal was that he would do it if Luis also jumped. I was toooo drunk to even try, so I just kept their wallets, cameras, etc. JuanE made the first try, he fell onto the water like a baby..., jajajjajajajajjajaja, the ice of course broke and he got completely wet !!!! After that Luis did the same... We headed fast to home.., I wasn't sure if they were able to make it.
The next day they're shoes were completely wet, so they had to use bags as a second sock to protect themselves agains the humidity.
Veronica arrived on thursday, we picked up her on the station and headed home...., later on went to Bar Rouge and had a VERYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY cool House party..., also some pretty good margaritas !! We arrove home at 3 AM.
NExt day (24th of dec) we went to lorrach again to buy the xmas food but for our sourprise everything was closed.., so we headed home again, and I was thinking on something to Improvise. When we finally got home Andrew (A gringo) and Ricardo (another guy from Colombia - Bogota) were waiting for use here..., so we came into. I prepared a yummy spaguetis with 2 kinds of delicious sauces..., everybody liked them...., it was the best thing I could do considering the contents of my fridge. Veronica got completely drunk, so we were !!!! At 3AM we headed to fame (A club) until 4 AM with no success..., later on we went to my office to make some phone calls to our parents, arriving at home at 5:00 AM. It was a very cool and different christmas..., I fell sleep.
The next day JuanE and Luis went to see Luzern and I stayed with Veronica at home watching movies all the afternoon.., we were quite tired, we also spent that night watching movies when the guys arrove.
On Sunday they all left..., and I felt alone. I missed them so much. It was very cool to spend all this time with you JuanE, Luis and Vero.

Seeing further doesn't mean seeing everything in the gap.

I saw this situation before coming, and I also saw the end, I trust 100% my intuition and I know what's gonna happen next, just don't lie to me anymore, I know it's hard to say, but sooner or later you'll have to no matter what, there's no other way to do it. I'm just waiting for you. Trust me, don't be scared.

Snowing....

It started to snow just a few hours ago, and it feels so cool, so full of magic, everything now looks white, cars full of snow completely white, there's even some people outside playing with it, trying to eat it, thats funny, there's also a small girl that just came to the street to play with it on her winter outfit. I don't know what it has, but it just feels good. I look like a kid just looking throughout the window seeing the snowflakes falling.

Is the Boxing a Sport?

Well, yesterday night I was just watching a spanish movie on "TVE (Television Espanola)" and after it finished they started with something that I did not like much, so I continue changing channels until I stoped on a sport one (thats a miracle, because I dont enjoy watching sports), well, the thing is that they were showing a boxing match and I just started watching it (dont know why....) and the next question arrove to my mind... "Is the boxing a Sport?". Dog's fights are not allowed or at least are illegal, any kind of animal fight is illegal these days.., so then, why they do allow people to fight? I do know that they wear this gloves, but it doesn't mean anything at all. The match was between a US gay and a korean one (this was the final). It happens then that the Korean one was covered with blood on his face while his wife and daughter (12 years old) were watching that. His wife was crying and you can tell that his daughter wanted to get inside the match and take his daddy away. I can't beleive how the mediums like the press, the newspapers, the television can be that NO SENSIBLE and show that kind of things. Why don't you focus only on the match? Why do you have to show the suffering of his family? Whats the point? Sell More? Gather more audience?. And then people ask why people is that violent these days, why etics and values are on the floor, why people doesn't tolerate each other and I can go on and on writing about this. When the match was over (I don't know a lot of boxing, but the thing is that none of them went to the floor, they just said that the winner was the US guy "Markus Meyer" I dont even know why I do remember his name) the TV showed the face of his wife again taking away all that stress and tears out, because her husband was now not going to receive any more hits. This was a sad image. And then is when I ask myself again: Is the boxing a sport? And then the only answer that I found is: It's all about money, like always.

Interesting Conversation.

This happened just a few minutes ago:

BOSS: Hello Esteban, how are you doing ?
Esteban: Hey, how are you doing? Everything fine !
BOSS: Yes, everything Fine.
Esteban: How's London weather
BOSS: Not as cold here in Basel and of course not as warm as Colombia.
Esteban: Jejejejejejejejejejejeje
Esteban: Lot's of work ?
BOSS: Not really, I was awy for 3 weeks, so not much.
BOSS: When are you leaving the company ?
Esteban: On the 12th of Jan.
BOSS: Esteban, you're going to let a BIG gap here in the department when you leave.
Esteban: mmmmm..... (I know, but I didn't say that).
BOSS: Ok, nice to see you again, I guess I'll see you in the beginning of the next year before you leave.
Esteban: Yes sure!.
BOSS: Bye bye..
Esteban: Bye bye.

Spin !! Spin !! Spin !!

I was just playing with a tool that create gif files, and this is the result of it:


SPINNN !! SPINNN !!

My University Schedule

It was difficult to woke up at 3:00 AM to select my schedule on the University Information System.., but I did it. It's not the best but I can't complain, I got good teachers and not a lot of "holes" (Understand hole as time spaces between asignatures).



BTW, my stalker wrote me another letter, I'll post it later.

Microsoft EULA, what a Joke !

Today, I installed the MSN Desktop Search (Beta), and took the time to read the EULA (End User Liscence Agreement), and I found it very interesting, just take a look at this part:

"...We may change this contract at any time. You must review this contract on a regular basis. You can find a link to the most recent version of the contract at http://toolbar.msn.com/. The changed contract is in effect immediately. If you do not agree to changes in the contract, then you must stop using the MSN Software. If you do not stop using the MSN Software, then your use of the MSN Software will continue under the changed contract...."

So, if it means that they can change the contract at any time they want, whats the deal then ?

Lets imagine that my company signs a contract with yours (I sell roses and you buy roses), and when wer'e going to sign it I say: "Ok, I can change this contract whenever I want without telling you, you will have to ask me if I did it or not". Think that for a minute..., will you sign the contract ?

Is this a Win-Win situation ?
It's all about money.., each day I'm more convinced about that fact !

Rest Esteban, Rest...!

I don't remeber when did I take this picture BUT the facts are:

1. It was in the night.
2. It was very cold.
3. I was in bed.
4. I was sleepy.
5. I was tired.
6. My bed was the best in town!
7. My bed was warm.

Sleep Esteban, Sleeep..... beeheeeeeehheeee beeeheeeeeee (Understand this as the sound of sheeps). Lot's of sheeps going throughout my head.

Traveling arround Switzerland..

This was my last travel here in Switzerland, also in Europe.., and what could be better than traveling with some of my old friends from Colombia ?
They all came on Friday afternoon, except for Veronica that came to my flat on thursday night.. We spent the friday doing some sightseeing (Here in Basel I even saw things that I didn't see before), we also did some shopping (supplies for the travel) and laugh as usual. The next day we woke up at 6:00 AM, got ready and then we took off from my flat directly to Grindelwald, there we spent 4 cool hours doing also some sightseeing, poveda did a nice 180° on the ice, Mario nice try !! you need more practice boy !!, later on we went to luzern, saw the most relevant places and after that we met with Mario's brother and girldfriend, did more sightseeing and later we went to Zürick, Poveda and Mario got onto their "best outfit" (You can see the picture of both of them underneath this text, they're wearing a 60's 70's outfit) and I was just and simply surprised because they went unnoticed in the masses, I COULDN'T BELEIVE THAT! People here is used to dress that crazy (Particularly on the SBB) or at least the way they do is crazy for me according to my world perception.., however this was lot of fun to see this guys wearing a long 70's leather jacket, and a hat that seemed to came from an old school train driver, lot's of fun... Later on, we met some more people from Colombia of course, stayed in a bar and then we went to Gaston's place where we slept, I was very tired after all that traveling, so I got inmediatly into bed.
The next day we woke up early and went to "La Gruyere" located on the French Part of switzerland..., it's very particular to see how the language do change in a couple of kilometers inside the country. "La Gruyere" is the place where the famous Swiss Cheese is made. I always wanted to see that.., very interesting by the way.
Later on we went to a small castle on a hill, and when we were leaving the parking place, Mario that was driving by that time thought that he was in a rally or something and he sped up, and when we were almost out of it, the police stopped us ! Now what ! A 200 CHF fine for that !! "It's a touristic place and your'e not supposed to do that here" those were they words !! I was thinking on everything that you can imagine except that Mario was going to brive a Swiss Police Officer..., and I tought that the only ones that were able to be bribed were the Colombian ones !! In the end he gave them 40 CHF and they allowed us to leave (There's a pic in the collage).
We headed then to Geneva.., and in the way there Poveda did fart on the car..., that was unbelievable !!!!!!!!!! My respects for you !!!! You're the master !!!! ..., in a matter of second the "concentrated gas" did spread in the whole car, not even opening the windows the smell went out !!! What did you eat ???? I was fearing for the life of all of us...., this "fart" was with an enormous power !! Actually, I think that is the strongest one I've smelt in my life !.
After getting "disitoxicated" we arrove at geneva, where we spent the rest of the day, saw the ONU, UNICEF, the old town and then headed back to Basel. (No more farts please!)
That trip was the best.., except for the Music of course ! But what can I do, the world is not perfect !
Also, I learned something: (you can take it as an advice as well) The next you travel with poveda buy a "Gas Mask", you'll need it !

The 86 CHF Taxi.

I've been here for 11 months now (It feels like if only 4), and still I'm atonished by the prices.
It Happens that yesterday one of the big bosses (Beleiveme, a BIG one) forgot his laptop here in the company.., so a friend asked me if I was bussy (I wasn't at the moment), so he told me what the mission was.., and I accepted.
Mission: Deliver the laptop to the big boss on the Mulhouse Euroairport.
I was the selected "courier", so I put a handcuff from my wrist to the laptop and took a cab from here (My office) to the airport, made the delivery and came back in the same cab. The Bill ? 86 CHF, what it would be something like $192.000 colombian pesos.., amount that you won't never pay for a taxi there, and when I say NEVER is NEVER.
But who cares, the company paid for it.
Mission Accomplished and I earn a free lunch today !!!!

Unplugged !

Let's assume that I'm not even 1% techy and imagine the next situation:
I arrove to my home 3 months ago, turned my laptop on, and suddenly I was connected to the web..., it's important to note that by that time (Even currently) I don't and didn't have an internet connection at home (Understand this as if I was paying for it), so, let's get back to the point of this post. I turned on my laptop and suddenly I'm connected to my virtual world.., to the network of networks.., mostly known as "Internet". Then I imagine...wow.., my computer came with free internet, so I keep using it... until 2 days ago that the signal went away..... which I would think: "..Oh, my free internet ran over...".
Then I decided to start paying for it, so I went into www.cablecom.ch and found a good deal.., I called' em and happens that to get the service I have to sign up for a 1 year contract ! And I'm going to be here for only 38 Days 6 Hours 19 Minutes and 53 Seconds !! So.., what the hell am I going to do without it ? I have to admit that I'm in a high percentage tied to the web.., and suddenly it's gone. I lost contact with my beloved PL that's the most important thing here..., plus that in winter time (Like now) there's not much to do outside.., and I'm hibernating (Remember the last post?), well..., so there´s not much stuff to do.., my tv is almost the 90% in german.., what means that I can't understand anything... I only have 3 english channels "Cartoon Network", "BBC" and "CNN"..., everntually you get tired of them, beleiveme...., you can't spend a complete night watching cartoons or the same things that they show on CNN all the time: WAR, WAR, WAR...., only showing the fad faces of everybody...., why don't they show something more "Educative" ? Interesting ??. I'm tired of watching the bad faces of every single country....., and also this kind of shit that they shown on CNN only contribute to make problems worse, how are they helping?? !! I even consider myself a victim of that ! My country COLOMBIA has been heavily defamed on it !! That's why here in Europe everybody thinks that the country is something completely diferent to what it is (Sadly a bad image) thanks to the mediums !! THANK YOU VERY much stupid mediums that the only thing that you're doing is making things worse !
Conclusions ? It's all about Politcs, and politics means money.., so by the transitive law we have: It's all about money.., great, isn't it ?

Well, getting back to my post, you eventually get tired also of BBC, it's a good channel, but the quality of it (programs, content) are not very good..., soooooooooooooooo, TV it's not an option. I was reading "The Davinci Code" which I would recomend it to you if you haven't read it yet, but sadly I'm done with it.., I was enjoying it so much.

I know this is far, very far away to be possible, but if you (the reader) are the owner of the wireless network near Erlenstrasse 49, please turn it on again and leave it unsecure..., I want to get back, to be able to broadcast again on the Internet.

People will read again !!

Earthquake

2:50 AM, I was sleeping........., suddenly everything started to move and shake..., I know what this is, a small eartquake..., it longed for 3 minutes. After that it took me a while to fall asleep again.

The Sweet is not as Sweet without the sour...

Thats something that I keep saying to people when they're sad or don't understand a situation the way they should.
Well.., today is the day to say that words to myself: Esteban, the sweet is not as sweet without the sour.
Loneliness, that's the common denominator right now...., and Christmas is just starting. Christmas is supoused to be a time to be with my family..., but this time I'm far far far away from home..., nobody close to me here..or at least nobody that I appreciate that much.., what adds more terms to the complex equation that is my life.
However Esteban, we need to say it again to ourselves: The Sweet is not as sweet without the sour.
Why sometimes is that hard for us to keep promises? I don't get it...., and I won't get it..., I guess is a natural behavior in the Human Being. When you break a promise, most of the times you're not only breaking that: The promise, you're breaking more than that.., sometimes Hearths, feelings, hopes, lifes, expectatives, desires, passions, dreams.., and I could continue listing here a lot of other things for a longg longg timeee.
It's 12:57 AM right now.., and I've been broken.., what part? It doesn't matter at all.., the time is the only independent variable that can reduce and simplify the results of the variations in this equation.

What were you thinking on Esteban ????

I don't have enough cases to pack all my stuff to travel Back to Colombia!!! So I decided to buy a new one, and today I went with the objective to just look for prices. I was walking down the street (HEading to Claraplatz) and saw a store full of cases, and some of them were on sale for just 48 CHF, I could not beleive it, they were of a relative good size, good design and colors, so I went inside and asked for the price..., she told me that she didn't speak english but that it was the price. I decided to keep checking for prices in other stores, so I took the handle of the door to open it, and I don't know what I was thinking on, or where was I looking to, the fact is that I did hit my head with the door in my forehead !! BAAAMMMMMM, what a pain !! So I was stumbled and the lady was saying something in swiss-german that of course I didn't understand. I opened the door again and took off ! I didn't buy the case and today my forehead is in pain !