Rafael - Living live a day at a time

Dentro de pocos minutos abordare mi avion hacia Nairobi y por primera vez visitare Africa o "Sub Saharan Africa", ya que estoy seguro que Marruecos y Egipto a pesar de estar en el mismo continente tienen realidades muy, muy distintas.
Esa aventura de descubrir un nuevo país y cultura me provoca incertidumbre y a la vez ese entusiasmo que se siente al lanzarte al agua, al vivir una nueva experiencia, pero como toda experiencia nueva trae consigo ese poquito de miedo y preocupacion.
Sin importar lo que pase en Kenya, estoy seguro de que este viaje me traera retos que no imagino todavia, pero ver de cerca una parte de la realidad de otro pais en "Vias de Desarrollo" me acercara de nuevo a mis raices Latino Americanas; y a pesar de los retos regresare con una sonrisa en la cara, mas pasión y energia por mi trabajo y este continente que conocere mas y mas durante este año.
Que viva la aventura y el descubrir, porque ellas te mantienen vivo y energizado!!

Labels: Español, Travel

So I know I am one of he first persons that complains about how much my paycheck is diminished each month with taxes and social security, but I must agree that the system works and works quite well.
Perla (my wife) got injured when walking from French Classes to school; we went to our normal doctor who checked her for € 27, then she recommended to get an X Ray in a clinique and get that checked. So we went, got the X Ray, reviewed by the Doctors, they called our Family Doctor and agreed to get her to Emergency and get a Cast (Plaster or POP) on her leg.

For that initial visit to the Clinique we paid € 0 NOTHING!! Yesterday we went back to check on her leg, they took the Cast out, checked her ankle, agreed not to put a 2nd one but gave her a special ankle support and instructions to go to Kynestherapy, in total € 54 and they will pay back to us 75% of it, so I must say:

The Health system WORKS!! I am not complaining about it anymore

Labels: Family

So after a couple of weeks of waiting here it is finally, the much awaited car, a Gray Volkswagen Passat TDi, it's 1 year and a half and 57,000 km old, so quite new. I have to admit that it feels very big after getting used to the Seat Leon, but it's a really nice car, it's Diesel, it has good power and it has a very comfortable inside. I am extremely happy, but it only has 1 bad thing, it's previous owner was a smoker, so it does need a full bottle of febreeze before being ready!!

Y bueno la semana pasada en un pequeño descuido Perla Metió la pata (no como algunos pensaron, sino que se torció el tobillo), así que después de unos Rayos X, revisión por aquí y por allá ZAS, un bello YESO está portando la señora de la casa!!
Por un par de semanas lo cargará, así que ya hemos arreglado cosas en la casa para que sea más facil para ella para moverse y hacer lo necesario en la casa, especialmente porque yo andaré de viaje en estos días.
El Doctor dijo que era una pequeña fisura y el 27 la ven de nuevo para revisar si le pueden quitar el yeso o no; por supuesto ya con el apoyo de nuestros amigos aquí todo está cuadrado para ir al Doctor y ayudarla con lo necesario; pero los abuelos se han preocupado tanto que hasta han tratado de buscar pasajes para venirse a cuidarlas, lo agradecemos pero esperemos que no sea necesario.
Aquí están un par de fotos del yeso y de Daniela imitando a la mamá en el sillón

Labels: Español, Family

I had seen a very funny email in Spanish about this but I did not know that there was a video made out of it, it's definitely worth to see it.

Si quieres leer el texto completo puedes hacerlo aqui

Labels: Humour

Since March 1st I have a car, it's not the final one which I should keep for some time, but rather a short term rental solution, but I have to say I am happy as a baby with a new toy (as we say in Venezuela). So until further news I am driving a Diesel Seat Leon, almost brand new, only 33 Km in the counter when I received it, but already with over 400Km ;-D and many more to come

So I have been silent for some stressful and unclear time, but now it's time to get things rolling and update the blog, so to keep it short in the last 2 months:

• My job was finally reviewed and I received an upgrade in grade, an increase, clarity in role description and also a CAR!! (more on that in my next post)
• We as a family decided to enjoy even more the time in Belgium and go and explore as much as possible, so we traveled to: Dinant, Oostende, Gent and Binche for Carnival (pictures to come)
• 4 crazy days in Morocco working my ass off, this time I didn't see anything from the city
• Had some Ajiaco (Colombian traditional soup) over with our Latin American friends in Brussels
• Had dinner with our Venezuelan friends at our place and enjoyed a Colombian Stand Alone comedy on DVD
• Enjoyed a very much deserved dinner paid by the company as part of the recognition from the hard work from last year

What are the plans for the next month?

• March 19-22 Istanbul working
• March 22-24 Dubai working
• March 25-31 Kenya (working for 4 days and 2 days off, so I will be meeting some friends from a good friend and ex International MC in Venezuela Edmund, back in his home country)
• April 9-14 Nigeria
• April 18 & 21: Have to in Belgium for sure as my wife will have her birthday and then Daniela will turn 2!!
• May 7-11: Finalize the work in Kenya

It's going to be some busy couple of months, but for sure will be enjoyable!!!

I found this article at the Coolhunter and realized I had no idea that such a known company in the present had this interesting story behind it, it's definitely worth a read. If you want to dig deeper go into their corporate website to see it from their perspective.
Some highlights:

• Nokia started in 1865 running a lumber mill in the southern Finnish town of Nokia
• It expanded slowly into rubber, making boots, cables, and phone lines
• In the early 1960s, thanks to its telecom connections, it began to dabble in early radio telephones
• By the mid-1980s, the company’s main achievements were as the chief supplier of toilet paper to Ireland and the world’s only manufacturer of studded winter bicycle tires
• In 1991 after the soviet block collapsed Nokia management considered selling off the mobile phone interests to cut costs
• The first GSM call was made in 1991 by the Prime Minister of Finland on a Nokia mobile phone
• Nokia gambled correctly on digital, manufacturing the first digital phone, and GSM, which was to become the dominant world standard
• Its brand was rated the sixth most valuable by Interbrand in 2005
• Today Nokia makes 3 out of every 10 mobile phones sold around the world

Just imagine wearing some Nokia Boots or using Nokia toilet paper, the company has definitely gone through some transformation.

Labels: Business