Today is the World's Carfree Day. Yeap, 22nd of September. Nevertheless, the traffic in Sao Paulo is as intense as usually. For today being Monday, it actually seems even heavier than normally in the beginning of the week.
I know that because I take a bus every day for at least 45 minutes to work and depending on traffic, minimum 1 hour, maximum 2 to get home. My work is about 40 km from home.
Well ... at least it's a bus of about 50 people in it, not a car, right? and runs on biodiesel, not petroleum. So a bit better? And the company neutralizes carbon emissions. Should be alright then?
Yeah, I guess that's a pretty good option for commuting. Just that ... there's NO MORE SPACE on the streets! And even if someone wanted to choose a public transport or a bicycle, then ... the public transport is crowded, and for the second option - you'd be suicidal, if you wanted to bicycle in SP!
Quick fact: in a city of 13 million (with Grange Sao Paulo about 18 million) there's about 4,5 km bicycle roads outside of parks.
AND...here come some Sao Paulo traffic stats:
- more than 6 million cars on the streets, which, when lined up would almost reach around the world (40 000 km)
- 48 571 new cars in March alone (64% increase compared to the previous year)
- in 12 month period the number of cars increased 6,7% compared to the year before, which is 16 times more than the rate of population growth in Sao Paulo (0,41%)
- Daily, 1000 new cars are bought, in March the number grew up to 1500
- Average speed at the peak hour is 27 km per hour for cars and 12 km/h for public bus
One of the strategies the city implements is "rodizio": depending on your plate number, you are not allowed on the streets on certain days or hours (to alleviate the burden on the streets to accommodate the cars).
When I asked my friend, what would he do if the "rodizio" became tougher, he simply said, he'd get a second car.
Well, can't really blame him. Depending on a route, to cover a distance of 1 hr car ride, it could sometimes take up to 3 hours by public transport!!
They say, the metro system has been under financed for the last 28 years... as well as the bicycle roads ... and I think, there's quite a work to be done for responsible consumerism as well.
I wonder how much would the mainsteam ways of working change in the future due to traffic conditions (home office, flexible working hours etc.). It is already happening, I am just wondering about the mainstreaming effect...
I am curious about the future of our Sao Paulo.
Showing posts with label brazil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brazil. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Back in Sao Paulo
Sunday 06/07/08
at 5.40
Day 1
After a 11 hrs flight from Paris I had a soft landing in Sao Paulo, my home for the time coming.
"Soft" was the landing as far as it goes for the plane. I myself had quite a re-integration 'awakening' :). The 6 months in Estonia had left its marks and the contrasts stroke more vividly than about 2 years ago when I first came to Brazil.
It was still dark in the morning (at 6 am), when I arrived since it's a winter time in Brazil. Though, it ain't during summer neither that the paulistanos can enjoy the 19 hrs daylight that the nordics can enjoy.
The air smells sweet of pollution (never knew that CO2 smells sweet!!!), there's a chaos in traffic (I'm still not able to block out that noise, since it's sooo vivid, it's like as if I was in the boiling pot), and from my 24th floor window I can see kilometers of stone and glass - the skyscrapers!!
It is such a contrast to my home or even to Holland where I had a 2 day stop over before changing the continents.
All in all, day one was a bit shocking - part of it because home had got deeper and stronger under my skin within these last 6 months of waiting for the visa, and secondly, for the contrasts really being huge.
Only relief was seeing some Brazilian friends at night for a beer - Marcio, Monika, Dea, Guga, and Zoe, of course - helped a lot to ease the re-integration hurdles.
Day 2
It's a night of the day 2, and I'm content. The weird sort of shivering anxiety that I had yesterday due to the initial "shock" is almost gone. Or I have found a way to handle it. It has turned into a positive movement in me...
I spent a whole day in the company I'm going to work - and got assurance regarding the decision to stay in Brazil.
Also met up with Pioneers of Change at night - many special people I had not met for a while, and good, deep conversations. Good energy that I would need more time to write about...
Now off to sleep...my new start in Brazil will require a total lifestyle makeover :) - I'm a night person, but need to somehow turn into a morning person (that's basically cos my work starts at 8 and it'll take an hour at least to get to work...so you can only imagine :).
Boa noite queridos!!
at 5.40
Day 1
After a 11 hrs flight from Paris I had a soft landing in Sao Paulo, my home for the time coming.
"Soft" was the landing as far as it goes for the plane. I myself had quite a re-integration 'awakening' :). The 6 months in Estonia had left its marks and the contrasts stroke more vividly than about 2 years ago when I first came to Brazil.
It was still dark in the morning (at 6 am), when I arrived since it's a winter time in Brazil. Though, it ain't during summer neither that the paulistanos can enjoy the 19 hrs daylight that the nordics can enjoy.
The air smells sweet of pollution (never knew that CO2 smells sweet!!!), there's a chaos in traffic (I'm still not able to block out that noise, since it's sooo vivid, it's like as if I was in the boiling pot), and from my 24th floor window I can see kilometers of stone and glass - the skyscrapers!!
It is such a contrast to my home or even to Holland where I had a 2 day stop over before changing the continents.
All in all, day one was a bit shocking - part of it because home had got deeper and stronger under my skin within these last 6 months of waiting for the visa, and secondly, for the contrasts really being huge.
Only relief was seeing some Brazilian friends at night for a beer - Marcio, Monika, Dea, Guga, and Zoe, of course - helped a lot to ease the re-integration hurdles.
Day 2
It's a night of the day 2, and I'm content. The weird sort of shivering anxiety that I had yesterday due to the initial "shock" is almost gone. Or I have found a way to handle it. It has turned into a positive movement in me...
I spent a whole day in the company I'm going to work - and got assurance regarding the decision to stay in Brazil.
Also met up with Pioneers of Change at night - many special people I had not met for a while, and good, deep conversations. Good energy that I would need more time to write about...
Now off to sleep...my new start in Brazil will require a total lifestyle makeover :) - I'm a night person, but need to somehow turn into a morning person (that's basically cos my work starts at 8 and it'll take an hour at least to get to work...so you can only imagine :).
Boa noite queridos!!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Ask a Brazilian!
I realized the other day that I hadn't written much about the life in Brazil in general. So having that in mind, here's a quicky - www.gringoes.com (gringo = foreigner in Brazil) to learn more about Brazil.
There's a special section - Ask a Brazilian - which has Brazilians answering the questions foreigners have had about Brazil, Brazilians, cultural differences (dating for ex) etc.
There's a special section - Ask a Brazilian - which has Brazilians answering the questions foreigners have had about Brazil, Brazilians, cultural differences (dating for ex) etc.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
My life in Brazil, vol 2 - OUT SOON!
Yeap, my Brazilian work visa was approved (after 5 months waiting, and, of course, enjoying Estonia, my dear home, family and friends meanwhile:).
That means my life in Brazil, vol 2. will be out soon :). More about it shortly!
BEIJOS!!!
That means my life in Brazil, vol 2. will be out soon :). More about it shortly!
BEIJOS!!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
A small victory!
Ohhhhh!! I just have to put it here!
I was chairing an AIESEC conference this weekend in Curitiba and I did it all in portuguese!!! Yeeeaaayyyy, that´s one of the really really tangible things I´ve learnt this year!
Nowadays, at meetings or listening to some presentations, I remember how a year ago being in a similar situation I barely got an idea of what was going on! And now, I actually get it and I am able to actively participate in more or less similar terms with others! You can´t (or maybe you can) imagine how good it feels right now (and how challenging it was in the beginning)!!
And about the AIESEC conference - was really really great to be there with a new generation of members. I told them there in the closing plenary that I probably will stay involved in AIESEC forever - this crowd (and people alike) just really inspire me!
I was chairing an AIESEC conference this weekend in Curitiba and I did it all in portuguese!!! Yeeeaaayyyy, that´s one of the really really tangible things I´ve learnt this year!
Nowadays, at meetings or listening to some presentations, I remember how a year ago being in a similar situation I barely got an idea of what was going on! And now, I actually get it and I am able to actively participate in more or less similar terms with others! You can´t (or maybe you can) imagine how good it feels right now (and how challenging it was in the beginning)!!
And about the AIESEC conference - was really really great to be there with a new generation of members. I told them there in the closing plenary that I probably will stay involved in AIESEC forever - this crowd (and people alike) just really inspire me!
Monday, September 17, 2007
The update
This one will be shortly to cover what I've been up to in the last month or so! Just figured if I don't write it now, it might take a while when I get to it again!
So firstly, I'm still in Brazil, and will still stay a bit ;), which is exciting news from my personal point of view since I totally love what I'm doing!
- Therefore, one of the key things this last month, I guess, was going to Uruguay in the end of July/beginning of August to apply for a new visa. I got an offer from the company to stay until January, so just one thing missing was the visa.
Huh, crazy stuff! You might already imagine (especially if you are from any 'exotic' country like India, Ghana etc), but the visa process really is a pain! For the type of visa that I have (trainee visa) it's a bit easier, but still. In the end, persistance and a lucky star (Felipe!!! who mentioned me the Uruguay-option) proved to work out well and I returned from Uruguay with a new visa!
- And since I was already in Uruguay, I stopped in Buenos Aires for a weekend! Magnificient! You have to go there!!!
- After coming back to work, everything got kinda a new start, except for me on an whole new level. I can actually feel myself more or less equal with others and comfortable with working in Portuguese, which is a conquest, really!! And comfortable with working in an organization that has in just our building 4000 people (it took me a while...I honestly was rather lost in the beginning).
Have got a few new projects started, and it's really really exciting. Some days staying in the office 12 hrs, but mmm...it's great stuff! Check out some of our sustainability action in the latest report. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!
- Outside of work, I've got involved with the Pioneers of Change network, and should you be interested in going through a great learning experience on sustainability and visit Brazil, keep in mind the dates of 1st - 8th of December this year, when the Global Journey of PoC will take place.
- Oh and another great great experience has been building the Hub with Pablo and Henrique and many more people involved. It's pretty much the first stage of action right now and we are literally building it ourselves... or should is say de-building :))
Right now it's the destruction phase of 500 sqm space, which then will procede to a design and actual construction (by proffessionals :)) phase. We've been out there quite a few weekends alreay. The work is about clearing the space, breaking walls, tearing down ceilings and taking all the trash out - um tabalho bem pesado!! But it's really fun!! I want to write more about it!
- After Uruguay/Argentina I moved to live with Zoe! It's been great, not only as I get faster to work and have a nice view from the balcony :)), but mostly and more importantly because the similar experience we share here in Brazil and the opportunities we have to learn from each other. The discussions we have had so far, have already helped me personally a lot. So I'm really satisfied and excited! And at the same time I would like to say thanks for Pir, my previous house mate, the year together was great! I still get a few good smiles thinking back to that time :))
- Related to moving and the fact that our building has a gym (and a pool!) downstairs, I'm trying to go to the gym more regularly, at least twice a week is the goal. I was guite good on this for about 6 months, until in May my old gym pass expired, so I kinda stopped, but there I go again ;).
Actually, this week I went just once, but I think the 2 days working in the Hub will do for gym this week!
- Some travels (other than the Uruguay trip) have been exciting snapshots out of the daily things. Last weekend we went to Belo Horizonte (8 hrs by bus!) to visit some AIESEC friends there. Was really really nice...heheh especially the Zeze and Luciano show in Pará de Minas!
And next weekend I´ll be travelling to Curitiba to chair a local AIESEC conference there, thus things to look forward to!
- Oh and I went to see an astrologist. A friend recommended. And it fact it was really interesting experience, I never really ... hmm.. how to say, trusted these kind of things, but I was surprised to recognize how many things actually made a good sense to me.
I came out more secure about a few things and more clear about others, so yeah I think it was a good and interesting experience. Not sure I'd necessarily go again...One thing I realized that if I trust myself and take these necessary moments to put things in the right perspective, then I make pretty "right" decisions (if such thing as right or wrong exists at all, in this sense).
I think, that's all for now. I still have many things in mind to write about, but I hope to keep posting these as I go along.
I'm happy and content regarding the way things are going and have gone so far. Come to think about it, I meant now more of the professional things, work, also friends. On the personal level, regarding relationships and all, it's been quite "interesting", quite some things happening for me personally, just not sure how that end turns out in some time. Let's see.
So firstly, I'm still in Brazil, and will still stay a bit ;), which is exciting news from my personal point of view since I totally love what I'm doing!
- Therefore, one of the key things this last month, I guess, was going to Uruguay in the end of July/beginning of August to apply for a new visa. I got an offer from the company to stay until January, so just one thing missing was the visa.
Huh, crazy stuff! You might already imagine (especially if you are from any 'exotic' country like India, Ghana etc), but the visa process really is a pain! For the type of visa that I have (trainee visa) it's a bit easier, but still. In the end, persistance and a lucky star (Felipe!!! who mentioned me the Uruguay-option) proved to work out well and I returned from Uruguay with a new visa!
- And since I was already in Uruguay, I stopped in Buenos Aires for a weekend! Magnificient! You have to go there!!!
- After coming back to work, everything got kinda a new start, except for me on an whole new level. I can actually feel myself more or less equal with others and comfortable with working in Portuguese, which is a conquest, really!! And comfortable with working in an organization that has in just our building 4000 people (it took me a while...I honestly was rather lost in the beginning).
Have got a few new projects started, and it's really really exciting. Some days staying in the office 12 hrs, but mmm...it's great stuff! Check out some of our sustainability action in the latest report. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!
- Outside of work, I've got involved with the Pioneers of Change network, and should you be interested in going through a great learning experience on sustainability and visit Brazil, keep in mind the dates of 1st - 8th of December this year, when the Global Journey of PoC will take place.
- Oh and another great great experience has been building the Hub with Pablo and Henrique and many more people involved. It's pretty much the first stage of action right now and we are literally building it ourselves... or should is say de-building :))
Right now it's the destruction phase of 500 sqm space, which then will procede to a design and actual construction (by proffessionals :)) phase. We've been out there quite a few weekends alreay. The work is about clearing the space, breaking walls, tearing down ceilings and taking all the trash out - um tabalho bem pesado!! But it's really fun!! I want to write more about it!
- After Uruguay/Argentina I moved to live with Zoe! It's been great, not only as I get faster to work and have a nice view from the balcony :)), but mostly and more importantly because the similar experience we share here in Brazil and the opportunities we have to learn from each other. The discussions we have had so far, have already helped me personally a lot. So I'm really satisfied and excited! And at the same time I would like to say thanks for Pir, my previous house mate, the year together was great! I still get a few good smiles thinking back to that time :))
- Related to moving and the fact that our building has a gym (and a pool!) downstairs, I'm trying to go to the gym more regularly, at least twice a week is the goal. I was guite good on this for about 6 months, until in May my old gym pass expired, so I kinda stopped, but there I go again ;).
Actually, this week I went just once, but I think the 2 days working in the Hub will do for gym this week!
- Some travels (other than the Uruguay trip) have been exciting snapshots out of the daily things. Last weekend we went to Belo Horizonte (8 hrs by bus!) to visit some AIESEC friends there. Was really really nice...heheh especially the Zeze and Luciano show in Pará de Minas!
And next weekend I´ll be travelling to Curitiba to chair a local AIESEC conference there, thus things to look forward to!
- Oh and I went to see an astrologist. A friend recommended. And it fact it was really interesting experience, I never really ... hmm.. how to say, trusted these kind of things, but I was surprised to recognize how many things actually made a good sense to me.
I came out more secure about a few things and more clear about others, so yeah I think it was a good and interesting experience. Not sure I'd necessarily go again...One thing I realized that if I trust myself and take these necessary moments to put things in the right perspective, then I make pretty "right" decisions (if such thing as right or wrong exists at all, in this sense).
I think, that's all for now. I still have many things in mind to write about, but I hope to keep posting these as I go along.
I'm happy and content regarding the way things are going and have gone so far. Come to think about it, I meant now more of the professional things, work, also friends. On the personal level, regarding relationships and all, it's been quite "interesting", quite some things happening for me personally, just not sure how that end turns out in some time. Let's see.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Family weekends
Meet my roommate Piret!! In fact there's 8 more of them: Filipe who works with Piret in the SSGN, and 7 members of the national team of AIESEC in Brazil. I shall introduce them to you later!
Wanted to share about nice weekends we are spending with Piret and the others here! The following was supposed to come out on my blog already 2 weeks ago, but never really got that far :), here it comes now!
Family weekend at home 23.-24.09.2006
Piret has now been back after almost a month in Europe, she participated in the International Congress in Poland as she’s working in AIESEC, she’s the Social Entrepreneurship Talent Development Coordinator in Spanish Speaking Growth Network (eheh sounds fancy eh!!). So now our family is complete :)
During the weekdays we don’t see that much, I leave home at around 8:30, and get back around 20.00..depending on the schedule and social program in the City :D, the work finishes officially at 18.00, but usually people stay a bit later, for example staying until 19.00 wouldn’t be unusual at all. Paulistas work hard!
Some things about our family life :) - after realizing that since the food here in Brasil is sooooo good (and thus „dangerous“ for anyone who tries to get ready for the beach season), we started our sports program :D, going running at least twice a week! We thought of taking it easy for the beginning.
There’s a park nearby our house, called Aclimacao where we go in the evenings. It’s open until 20.00, so we have to leave at least 19.15 to get there. Sometimes Gabiru from the MC joins us as well.
This weekend we had a „family weekend“ with Piret :). On Saturday we first went jogging, then did laundary and cleaned the house! We also wanted to go to churrasco at Alexandra’s, but since we got soaking wet in the rain, we turned back to the house, ordered pizza, watched TV in the upstairs TV room, and enjoyed a bottle of Argentinean wine Piret brought along from her trip....mmmm....was delicious!! (ooo I love red wine!)
Today we kept on the same spirit :D (I mean the family weekend not the wine), after jogging and swimming (Piret went swimming), we went to Ana Rosa to do shopping for our house: a frying pan, bed covers and sheets, floor cover for bathroom (a green fish...hehe you should see that one!), some tableware were some of the things we got...we came back like camels! and as we walked by a shoeshop, we both got a pair of black shoes for just 25 R each...hehe we really needed these ;))))
Family weekend in Curitiba 29.09 - 01.10.2006
That weekend we travelled to Curitiba, 6 hours away from Sao Paulo. Left on Friday nite and got back on Monday morning, went pretty much straight to work!
The afternoon with feijoada and wine, the eye museum and Japanese exhibition there, the tower (Torre do smth) for grasping a sight across the city in lights at night, bar with Brazilian music, visit to Maria's house, the fair on Sunday morning in the city center, visit to the movies... It was all soooooooooooooooo perfectly niiiccceeeee and relaxing weekend!!
Thanks Lizi for that!!!
Some pics here!
And another one, family weekend in Sao Paulo 7.-8.10.2006
On Saturday we went to Ashoka event: it was meant for young entrepreneurs, I think about 16 to 24 years old youth that want to contribute to the society. Ashoka usually works with older people, but that was the first event they had for the youth, more than 100 selected people attended. What was really really good was that there were people from different social backgrounds, even from favelas. It amazed me how socially aware the youth were!! They had all their own ideas what they wanted to do, what to change in the society, in the community around them: projects for people with special needs, educational projects on how improve the literacy rate, awareness of sustainable development in their community, how to market handicrafts made by the poorest in society, how to improve the use of recycled materials, and these are just a few examples!
Amazing, and really really inspiring!
Sunday, that is today, was a total sports day...heheh if we continue like that we can soon run a marathon :D
After getting up at 10 in the morning, me, Piret and Rod went pretty much straight to Ibirapuera, which is a huge park 45 minutes walking distance from our house. So we walked to the park, me and Piret went running and Rod played basketball. And we run for 1 hour non-stop!! whiew..I think I am beating my personal records soon. After that we were exercising and streching for another hour!! oooh it was very very relaxing and it felt amazing!
The park is packed with people running, walking, cycling, playing basketball or soccer, having picnic etc etc. It has perfect trails for running and walking - I think even the least interested person in physical excercises, would become a sports fan there (eventually at least :).
After 3 hours in the park, we headed back to our house - yeah another 45 minutes walk!! - actually it took more, since we walked "a bit" further to have dinner together.
Ohhh soooo perfect eh!!
Footnote: I look at myself from aside and it's amusing to see myself getting into the sports again. I've always loved sports, but after being one of the top atheletes in my high school I went to 1-excercise-a-month-if-I-have-time kinda person some time later, just didn't prioritize regular physical activity that much...mmm...now that I do it again, feels great!!
And doing it with Piret helps! If one feels lazy, the other kicks ass!
Wanted to share about nice weekends we are spending with Piret and the others here! The following was supposed to come out on my blog already 2 weeks ago, but never really got that far :), here it comes now!
Family weekend at home 23.-24.09.2006
Piret has now been back after almost a month in Europe, she participated in the International Congress in Poland as she’s working in AIESEC, she’s the Social Entrepreneurship Talent Development Coordinator in Spanish Speaking Growth Network (eheh sounds fancy eh!!). So now our family is complete :)
During the weekdays we don’t see that much, I leave home at around 8:30, and get back around 20.00..depending on the schedule and social program in the City :D, the work finishes officially at 18.00, but usually people stay a bit later, for example staying until 19.00 wouldn’t be unusual at all. Paulistas work hard!
Some things about our family life :) - after realizing that since the food here in Brasil is sooooo good (and thus „dangerous“ for anyone who tries to get ready for the beach season), we started our sports program :D, going running at least twice a week! We thought of taking it easy for the beginning.
There’s a park nearby our house, called Aclimacao where we go in the evenings. It’s open until 20.00, so we have to leave at least 19.15 to get there. Sometimes Gabiru from the MC joins us as well.
This weekend we had a „family weekend“ with Piret :). On Saturday we first went jogging, then did laundary and cleaned the house! We also wanted to go to churrasco at Alexandra’s, but since we got soaking wet in the rain, we turned back to the house, ordered pizza, watched TV in the upstairs TV room, and enjoyed a bottle of Argentinean wine Piret brought along from her trip....mmmm....was delicious!! (ooo I love red wine!)
Today we kept on the same spirit :D (I mean the family weekend not the wine), after jogging and swimming (Piret went swimming), we went to Ana Rosa to do shopping for our house: a frying pan, bed covers and sheets, floor cover for bathroom (a green fish...hehe you should see that one!), some tableware were some of the things we got...we came back like camels! and as we walked by a shoeshop, we both got a pair of black shoes for just 25 R each...hehe we really needed these ;))))
Family weekend in Curitiba 29.09 - 01.10.2006
That weekend we travelled to Curitiba, 6 hours away from Sao Paulo. Left on Friday nite and got back on Monday morning, went pretty much straight to work!
The afternoon with feijoada and wine, the eye museum and Japanese exhibition there, the tower (Torre do smth) for grasping a sight across the city in lights at night, bar with Brazilian music, visit to Maria's house, the fair on Sunday morning in the city center, visit to the movies... It was all soooooooooooooooo perfectly niiiccceeeee and relaxing weekend!!
Thanks Lizi for that!!!
Some pics here!
And another one, family weekend in Sao Paulo 7.-8.10.2006
On Saturday we went to Ashoka event: it was meant for young entrepreneurs, I think about 16 to 24 years old youth that want to contribute to the society. Ashoka usually works with older people, but that was the first event they had for the youth, more than 100 selected people attended. What was really really good was that there were people from different social backgrounds, even from favelas. It amazed me how socially aware the youth were!! They had all their own ideas what they wanted to do, what to change in the society, in the community around them: projects for people with special needs, educational projects on how improve the literacy rate, awareness of sustainable development in their community, how to market handicrafts made by the poorest in society, how to improve the use of recycled materials, and these are just a few examples!
Amazing, and really really inspiring!
Sunday, that is today, was a total sports day...heheh if we continue like that we can soon run a marathon :D
After getting up at 10 in the morning, me, Piret and Rod went pretty much straight to Ibirapuera, which is a huge park 45 minutes walking distance from our house. So we walked to the park, me and Piret went running and Rod played basketball. And we run for 1 hour non-stop!! whiew..I think I am beating my personal records soon. After that we were exercising and streching for another hour!! oooh it was very very relaxing and it felt amazing!
The park is packed with people running, walking, cycling, playing basketball or soccer, having picnic etc etc. It has perfect trails for running and walking - I think even the least interested person in physical excercises, would become a sports fan there (eventually at least :).
After 3 hours in the park, we headed back to our house - yeah another 45 minutes walk!! - actually it took more, since we walked "a bit" further to have dinner together.
Ohhh soooo perfect eh!!
Footnote: I look at myself from aside and it's amusing to see myself getting into the sports again. I've always loved sports, but after being one of the top atheletes in my high school I went to 1-excercise-a-month-if-I-have-time kinda person some time later, just didn't prioritize regular physical activity that much...mmm...now that I do it again, feels great!!
And doing it with Piret helps! If one feels lazy, the other kicks ass!
Friday, September 29, 2006
One month later!
Actually I intended to post this piece already a few days ago, but for various reasons, it got delayed :))), in any case it's more or less update of my first month in Brazil!
Precisely, on the 13th of September 1 month passed since I arrived in Sao Paulo. Whieww time flies, really!! Hehe I already feel 1 year sill go wayyy too fast. But well, just need to take the max out of it I guess...
Just to put down, short and simple, the highlights of the first month:
- getting settled in my new home! Piret was away for almost one month (attending IC, going home), so I was on my own in our downstairs apartment of the MC house. Good that the MC gang is just a few staircases up, so whenever I’d feel toooo alone (which actually happens quite rarely, but still), I’d have the chance to go upstairs, where the TV room is the most common place for gathering in the evenings, sometimes through the whole night as well :D
- getting settled at workplace - it’s amazing! I know I am really really lucky to have been selected for the job in eduction and sustainable development department here in Banco Real. I believe it’s one of the leading companies globally in integrating CSR/SD in the daily practice. And to part of it, is amazing! Of course the company has a long way to go still compared to ideals, but it’s so inspiring to be part of the process. The first month went pretty much on meeting with all my collegues about their projects, attending some trainings and lectures, and project meetings, also getting myself assigned to one particularly intesting one on the business case of CSR. Good stuffs! Oh, and my collegues are super, I really enjoy being part of the team there!
- Learning portugese is another big task of mine. I haven’t been as tough on myself as I should be, meaning that I don’t try to speak Portugese in any possible moment (huuh I know I know, I should!!). I’m particularly lazy about that in our house, since everyone here speaks perfect English! Huh, I shall try to improve! Me and Diana from Canada started to take Portugese classes twice a week, have had it for 2 weeks now, surely helps! Gustavo – our teacher – is really cool guy as well!
But imagine that, all the meetings at work are in Portugese! After day full of meetings, my brain is really fried! Havent experienced learning a new language in a while, so I was wondering how it would feel :))), frustrating sometimes, but exciting at the same time.
I am persistant in a sense that I keep attending all possible events even if I don't understand much. I shall do that in some time for sure! Right now it goes with ups and downs, sometimes I feel I understand almost everything and the next day is as if I didn't know a word!!! huuhh!!!
- AIESEC involvement :), hehehe I still (after 7 years of being in AIESEC) feel very very motivated about number of AIESEC stuffs, discussing national and local strategies and their implementation, participating in meetings etc. Like always there’re are some issues related to exchange management, but I haven’t seen an LC that doesn’t face these challenges, and my conduct with the LC GV here has been really constructive, I like the AIESEC people here.
A week ago I was participating at TREMN (seminar for new members), where I also gave a session on CSR (no surprise eh :D), I really enjoyed. Got additional motivation to give my contribution in AIESEC in Brasil. I think it'll be more or less around CSR though.
Since I live in the MC house, I am still in the middle of it all!! Oh and one of my tasks at work is to support the delivery on ABN-AIESEC partnership :P
- Paraty. 7th of September was an independence day for Brasil, so it meant a long weekend for the working people ;). So 10 of us (mostly trainees here in Sao Paulo) went for a 4 day trip to Paraty, a wonderful small town by the beach near Rio...mmm....we went by 2 cars, rented a lovely chalet just by the beach 5 minutes from Paraty, enjoyed the beaches, the town, took a whole day long boat trip to the nearby islands, went trecking to cachoeiras (waterfalls) with Gerardo and Alexandra etc! Was really really relaxing and enjoyable weekend! I shall get some pictures up here as well!
- Social life in Sao Paulo - the city here never sleeps! One could go clubbing every day of a week here, not to mention numberous restuarants of all sorts of cuisines from all around the world, museums, shows, concerts etc. That all naturally means we cant stay in the house either – Tuesday nights in Buena Vista dancing salsa with other trainees, occassional beers in Opcao with collegues or trainees, clubbing with friends, b-day parties of friends of friends’, churrascos etc etc.
mmm...so that's shortly (but really shortly though) it, I promise to improve with updates on my blog!
oh and some great news!! Taavi and Kadri are coming to visit!!! Yehuuuu!!! on 25th of Feb they shall arrive!
Precisely, on the 13th of September 1 month passed since I arrived in Sao Paulo. Whieww time flies, really!! Hehe I already feel 1 year sill go wayyy too fast. But well, just need to take the max out of it I guess...
Just to put down, short and simple, the highlights of the first month:
- getting settled in my new home! Piret was away for almost one month (attending IC, going home), so I was on my own in our downstairs apartment of the MC house. Good that the MC gang is just a few staircases up, so whenever I’d feel toooo alone (which actually happens quite rarely, but still), I’d have the chance to go upstairs, where the TV room is the most common place for gathering in the evenings, sometimes through the whole night as well :D
- getting settled at workplace - it’s amazing! I know I am really really lucky to have been selected for the job in eduction and sustainable development department here in Banco Real. I believe it’s one of the leading companies globally in integrating CSR/SD in the daily practice. And to part of it, is amazing! Of course the company has a long way to go still compared to ideals, but it’s so inspiring to be part of the process. The first month went pretty much on meeting with all my collegues about their projects, attending some trainings and lectures, and project meetings, also getting myself assigned to one particularly intesting one on the business case of CSR. Good stuffs! Oh, and my collegues are super, I really enjoy being part of the team there!
- Learning portugese is another big task of mine. I haven’t been as tough on myself as I should be, meaning that I don’t try to speak Portugese in any possible moment (huuh I know I know, I should!!). I’m particularly lazy about that in our house, since everyone here speaks perfect English! Huh, I shall try to improve! Me and Diana from Canada started to take Portugese classes twice a week, have had it for 2 weeks now, surely helps! Gustavo – our teacher – is really cool guy as well!
But imagine that, all the meetings at work are in Portugese! After day full of meetings, my brain is really fried! Havent experienced learning a new language in a while, so I was wondering how it would feel :))), frustrating sometimes, but exciting at the same time.
I am persistant in a sense that I keep attending all possible events even if I don't understand much. I shall do that in some time for sure! Right now it goes with ups and downs, sometimes I feel I understand almost everything and the next day is as if I didn't know a word!!! huuhh!!!
- AIESEC involvement :), hehehe I still (after 7 years of being in AIESEC) feel very very motivated about number of AIESEC stuffs, discussing national and local strategies and their implementation, participating in meetings etc. Like always there’re are some issues related to exchange management, but I haven’t seen an LC that doesn’t face these challenges, and my conduct with the LC GV here has been really constructive, I like the AIESEC people here.
A week ago I was participating at TREMN (seminar for new members), where I also gave a session on CSR (no surprise eh :D), I really enjoyed. Got additional motivation to give my contribution in AIESEC in Brasil. I think it'll be more or less around CSR though.
Since I live in the MC house, I am still in the middle of it all!! Oh and one of my tasks at work is to support the delivery on ABN-AIESEC partnership :P
- Paraty. 7th of September was an independence day for Brasil, so it meant a long weekend for the working people ;). So 10 of us (mostly trainees here in Sao Paulo) went for a 4 day trip to Paraty, a wonderful small town by the beach near Rio...mmm....we went by 2 cars, rented a lovely chalet just by the beach 5 minutes from Paraty, enjoyed the beaches, the town, took a whole day long boat trip to the nearby islands, went trecking to cachoeiras (waterfalls) with Gerardo and Alexandra etc! Was really really relaxing and enjoyable weekend! I shall get some pictures up here as well!
- Social life in Sao Paulo - the city here never sleeps! One could go clubbing every day of a week here, not to mention numberous restuarants of all sorts of cuisines from all around the world, museums, shows, concerts etc. That all naturally means we cant stay in the house either – Tuesday nights in Buena Vista dancing salsa with other trainees, occassional beers in Opcao with collegues or trainees, clubbing with friends, b-day parties of friends of friends’, churrascos etc etc.
mmm...so that's shortly (but really shortly though) it, I promise to improve with updates on my blog!
oh and some great news!! Taavi and Kadri are coming to visit!!! Yehuuuu!!! on 25th of Feb they shall arrive!
Monday, August 21, 2006
One week after & intro to SP
It's been a week since I arrived here in Sao Paulo, but really feels as I have been here for a while already. I feel at home in our house, the other guys that live here - the national team of AIESEC in Brazil and Filipe and Piret from the regional board - are great, I know already a little bit around the city. The basic places like my work place, local AIESEC office (AIESEC Getulio Vargas), way home, where to buy food etc.
Today I even managed to find my way to the Ibirapuera park alone; met up with other trainees and enjoyed a jazz concert there. Finding the place was fun :D...I had the directions and bus numbers and everything, but still I had to practice some Portunol (the mix of Spanish and Portugese) to find the right bus stop, to take the bus to the right direction, to get off at a right place...etc...I could make myself more or less clear to the person I was talking to, but the challenge was to understand the response...was funny :D, I enjoyed :D:D
A few words about Sao Paulo:
It's grreattt!!
It is huge cosmopolitan city, with more than 10 million (probably a way more) people from all shapes and sizes - you can see here people with roots from Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas.
While in Ecuador I stood out as blond European, here's not much of a significance - you can see many blond people here as well as people from all other places!! Mixture of nationalities!! One can never know if a random person on the street is Brazilian or not, because their looks vary greatly and even I myself could pass for a Brasileira (IF I spoke Portugese...with proper accent of course!!).
Everyone seems to love it here - the trainees, the AIESEC people, everyone else I've talked to.
They say it's the best place in terms of food: you can find better Italian food here than in Italy (no offence Italians, that's what I have heard)!
Life never stops here, one has enormous opportunities here in terms of entertainment, going out to clubs, museums, shopping etc.
It's the heart of business of Brasil, and maybe even in the whole South America. It surely is the largest city in South America.
People say that SP is not Brasil :) - it's soooo huge, diverse, cosmopolitan...like a NYC...and people here have respective life style.
Paulista Avenue is one of the main streets - they even call it the Wall Street of SP -, and that's were I am also going to work. Most other trainees also work in the neighbourhood. Imagine, how the surroundings of my work look like at day time: endless number of skyscrapers, 4 lines of cars on the streets (at least, or maybe 6, havent counted actually), businessmen and -women on their daily tasks rushing somewhere, holding a briefcase/laptop, wearing nice suits, dresses...I guess you can imagine!
Banco Real office is 17 storeyed building on Paulista, they say there's around 4-5000 people working in this building alone!!! Beats the largest companies in Estonia.
Earlier I thought I'd like to try living in a huge city like SP, and here it is - all open for me to discover. I am happy that I ended up in Latin America, so far (Ecuador, Colombia, a bit of Panama and now Brasil) I love it!!
Today I even managed to find my way to the Ibirapuera park alone; met up with other trainees and enjoyed a jazz concert there. Finding the place was fun :D...I had the directions and bus numbers and everything, but still I had to practice some Portunol (the mix of Spanish and Portugese) to find the right bus stop, to take the bus to the right direction, to get off at a right place...etc...I could make myself more or less clear to the person I was talking to, but the challenge was to understand the response...was funny :D, I enjoyed :D:D
A few words about Sao Paulo:
It's grreattt!!
It is huge cosmopolitan city, with more than 10 million (probably a way more) people from all shapes and sizes - you can see here people with roots from Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas.
While in Ecuador I stood out as blond European, here's not much of a significance - you can see many blond people here as well as people from all other places!! Mixture of nationalities!! One can never know if a random person on the street is Brazilian or not, because their looks vary greatly and even I myself could pass for a Brasileira (IF I spoke Portugese...with proper accent of course!!).
Everyone seems to love it here - the trainees, the AIESEC people, everyone else I've talked to.
They say it's the best place in terms of food: you can find better Italian food here than in Italy (no offence Italians, that's what I have heard)!
Life never stops here, one has enormous opportunities here in terms of entertainment, going out to clubs, museums, shopping etc.
It's the heart of business of Brasil, and maybe even in the whole South America. It surely is the largest city in South America.
People say that SP is not Brasil :) - it's soooo huge, diverse, cosmopolitan...like a NYC...and people here have respective life style.
Paulista Avenue is one of the main streets - they even call it the Wall Street of SP -, and that's were I am also going to work. Most other trainees also work in the neighbourhood. Imagine, how the surroundings of my work look like at day time: endless number of skyscrapers, 4 lines of cars on the streets (at least, or maybe 6, havent counted actually), businessmen and -women on their daily tasks rushing somewhere, holding a briefcase/laptop, wearing nice suits, dresses...I guess you can imagine!
Banco Real office is 17 storeyed building on Paulista, they say there's around 4-5000 people working in this building alone!!! Beats the largest companies in Estonia.
Earlier I thought I'd like to try living in a huge city like SP, and here it is - all open for me to discover. I am happy that I ended up in Latin America, so far (Ecuador, Colombia, a bit of Panama and now Brasil) I love it!!
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