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 observations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label observations. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Going to the depths of things ... until loosing sight of the measure of right and wrong, truth and false
Going to the depths of things ... breaking down of what once seemed an "absolute"
Going to the depths of things ... discovering
Going to the depths of things ... understanding
Going to the depths of things ... unlearning and relearning
Going to the depths of things ... loosening the grip of what had seemed complete and clear, setting it free, setting myself free
Going to the depths of things ... being guided by intuition (I didn't know it speaks to me!!)
Going to the depths of things ... sensing the direction, consolidating
The path feels right.
There's no hurry.
But excitement.
***
Time is a partner, not an enemy.
Going to the depths of things ... breaking down of what once seemed an "absolute"
Going to the depths of things ... discovering
Going to the depths of things ... understanding
Going to the depths of things ... unlearning and relearning
Going to the depths of things ... loosening the grip of what had seemed complete and clear, setting it free, setting myself free
Going to the depths of things ... being guided by intuition (I didn't know it speaks to me!!)
Going to the depths of things ... sensing the direction, consolidating
The path feels right.
There's no hurry.
But excitement.
***
Time is a partner, not an enemy.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Running
I started a running practice this week, organized by the company I work for, they hire professionals to train the ones that have interest. In contrary to my initial thought, it was not just a jogging in a park, but a real running practice!! Some people of the group run marathons!!
To my own surprise:
- After the first training, I felt like part of me had re-awakened. The part that used to be in all sports competitions in high school, brought home medals, the one that thrived on sports, the strength, speed, heights, distance... I realized how much these things have not been part of my life in the last ...um...10 years.
I think from what I am sensing now, some forward going movement might come out.
- It reminded me how much I learned by doing sports. I think at some level, the sports really bring out and shape some particular characteristics like persistence, for example.
- And then the realization of how much ones mindset determines the outcome of loosing or winning. I do remember the judo matches when I lost in 10 seconds or sprints where I was paralyzed by fear. And then some other times where I focused on strength and success and it actually did work...
- Thought after 8 km run yesterday (aihh these long distance runners!!): sometimes the big picture doesn't matter a thing. If you know you are on the right track, just keep your eyes on the heels of the guy in front of you and keep going and keep going and keep going.
And damn it's hard to keep on going when the one in front steps aside and there's no one else on sight to hold on to and the finish is still far away.
- A thought on potential: how often do we give up because we think that we have reached our limits? And how much of the undiscovered we would reveal if we didn't stop just there yet! And after that just reached out even a bit further?
I think that applies everywhere. How often does 8 km seem just way too much to run in one go? or how unachievable do certain dreams seem to be at times?
Is it really too much then?
To my own surprise:
- After the first training, I felt like part of me had re-awakened. The part that used to be in all sports competitions in high school, brought home medals, the one that thrived on sports, the strength, speed, heights, distance... I realized how much these things have not been part of my life in the last ...um...10 years.
I think from what I am sensing now, some forward going movement might come out.
- It reminded me how much I learned by doing sports. I think at some level, the sports really bring out and shape some particular characteristics like persistence, for example.
- And then the realization of how much ones mindset determines the outcome of loosing or winning. I do remember the judo matches when I lost in 10 seconds or sprints where I was paralyzed by fear. And then some other times where I focused on strength and success and it actually did work...
- Thought after 8 km run yesterday (aihh these long distance runners!!): sometimes the big picture doesn't matter a thing. If you know you are on the right track, just keep your eyes on the heels of the guy in front of you and keep going and keep going and keep going.
And damn it's hard to keep on going when the one in front steps aside and there's no one else on sight to hold on to and the finish is still far away.
- A thought on potential: how often do we give up because we think that we have reached our limits? And how much of the undiscovered we would reveal if we didn't stop just there yet! And after that just reached out even a bit further?
I think that applies everywhere. How often does 8 km seem just way too much to run in one go? or how unachievable do certain dreams seem to be at times?
Is it really too much then?
Saturday, July 12, 2008
"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"
That was a sentence I picked up from an AIESEC friend in India. He used to have that on his MSN commentline for a while.
And really got me thinking ... seriously ... when was the last time I did something for the first time? Gave a new look to something that I had taken for granted so far? Or when was the last time I stopped to think about it?
Naturally, living in a new environment, traveling, starting a new job etc offers more frequent opportunities for doing something that I've never done before. Yet, I think that the other side of this (a more critical one) is the will to take the time to reflect and the ability to look at things, even if the 'old' ones, from different and new perspective, re-thinking/re-perceiving them, in a way, re-learning from what's in and around us.
Could I do something for the first time every day? Could that, and how, be an opportunity to learn more about the world around me and within me?
*** ***
Tuesday
2nd day at work, 3rd day back in Brazil.
I opened my eyes at about 5.15, to check what time it is and to make sure I'm 'on the track' with getting to work (can't really trust myself with early alarms).
Then, the alarm went off at 5.45.
That's when I am and will be getting up to go to work from now on.
Wake up, shower, get ready, leave home at 6.30, get the company's bus at 6.40, arrive at the company's facilities at 7.40, have coffee with colleagues, get settled, start work at 8.
You know, I'm excited!!!
I had never got up that early to start work (even the thought of getting up at 5 or 6 (!!!) seemed crazy enough!!), but instead, it has even happened that I have finished work at hours around 3, 4, 5 am and gone to sleep. I used to love working at night, usually with my own projects in our NGO, thus working at home until late hours. Happened quite frequently in the last 6 months that I stayed in Estonia.
But I am really excited about the change - new way of starting the day, waking up with the sun, having a gradual entrance to the working day etc. So yes, I am excited about the change of the daily routine. And will keep learning from that way of being.
And really got me thinking ... seriously ... when was the last time I did something for the first time? Gave a new look to something that I had taken for granted so far? Or when was the last time I stopped to think about it?
Naturally, living in a new environment, traveling, starting a new job etc offers more frequent opportunities for doing something that I've never done before. Yet, I think that the other side of this (a more critical one) is the will to take the time to reflect and the ability to look at things, even if the 'old' ones, from different and new perspective, re-thinking/re-perceiving them, in a way, re-learning from what's in and around us.
Could I do something for the first time every day? Could that, and how, be an opportunity to learn more about the world around me and within me?
*** ***
Tuesday
2nd day at work, 3rd day back in Brazil.
I opened my eyes at about 5.15, to check what time it is and to make sure I'm 'on the track' with getting to work (can't really trust myself with early alarms).
Then, the alarm went off at 5.45.
That's when I am and will be getting up to go to work from now on.
Wake up, shower, get ready, leave home at 6.30, get the company's bus at 6.40, arrive at the company's facilities at 7.40, have coffee with colleagues, get settled, start work at 8.
You know, I'm excited!!!
I had never got up that early to start work (even the thought of getting up at 5 or 6 (!!!) seemed crazy enough!!), but instead, it has even happened that I have finished work at hours around 3, 4, 5 am and gone to sleep. I used to love working at night, usually with my own projects in our NGO, thus working at home until late hours. Happened quite frequently in the last 6 months that I stayed in Estonia.
But I am really excited about the change - new way of starting the day, waking up with the sun, having a gradual entrance to the working day etc. So yes, I am excited about the change of the daily routine. And will keep learning from that way of being.
Friday, May 25, 2007
"It is like that because it has always been like that"
It was freezing outside today! +5 degrees...brhhh...I know it's nothing compared to the Estonian winters that sometimes reach up to minus (actually down to!) 30, yet it's soooo cold compared to the 30ies we have had here for the last 6 month or more. Nice and warm, which I've very much got used to already.
Not to mention, it's 25th of May!
It doesn't feel like 25th of May...funny...May always has this sentiment of blossoms, spring, warmth, growth, new beginnings etc.
And I'm here, it's May and it's cold; cold like September! It's really weird to experience how the time, the date, the month of the year doesn't feel like they have pretty much always felt like! And it's not as simple as that...you only need to think a bit more to realize how many associations are connected to this small fact.
For example,
I have a Brazilian friend who has a b-day in May. Earlier, when I found out, it brought the exact May-feeling to my mind! You know, of a spring child! And now it's May and it's cold. Twisted!
Sometimes, when writing a date etc, I really need to remind myself what date or time of the year it is, because the time seems kinda..."timeless"!
The same with Christmas and New Years. The last ones went missing actually. It just didn't seem like a Christmas nor New Years with 30 degrees outside laying on the beach. Being in the middle of all the decorations and stuff just felt like being on a stage that is set up for Christmas almost in the middle of summer.
This simple stuff brought me thinking (again) today, how many things could possibly be there that I take for granted, that I am sooo used to that I don't even notice to wonder about. Yeah, with weather it's simple - it feels cold in May and thus it is immediately different from "normal".
How about the mindsets, attitudes, stereotypes created by the daily experiences and situations where I never might not take another angle to look at it from.
I am glad though, I have so far had quite a few opportunities to look at things from other angles...living here in Brazil is just another one of these opportunities.
Sifaan (my Sri Lankan teammate with whom we worked together for 1 year in AIESEC), among many others, I have to thank you as well for different angles and perspectives. The title of this posting was inspired by you! I can even hear you saying that :))), stress on the word "always" :)))
Another bit from the past: bunch of us went for our first international conference in AIESEC, to Norway in 2000, Nordic Management Seminar it was. Great experience by all means. An inspiration I brought home was a sentence from one of the sessions, which said "Nothing is normal, everything is possible". I wrote it with black marker on an A4 paper and sticked it to my dormitory wall in Uni afterwards. Kept it there for a while...hmm...I wonder if I still have it packed somewhere....
Not to mention, it's 25th of May!
It doesn't feel like 25th of May...funny...May always has this sentiment of blossoms, spring, warmth, growth, new beginnings etc.
And I'm here, it's May and it's cold; cold like September! It's really weird to experience how the time, the date, the month of the year doesn't feel like they have pretty much always felt like! And it's not as simple as that...you only need to think a bit more to realize how many associations are connected to this small fact.
For example,
I have a Brazilian friend who has a b-day in May. Earlier, when I found out, it brought the exact May-feeling to my mind! You know, of a spring child! And now it's May and it's cold. Twisted!
Sometimes, when writing a date etc, I really need to remind myself what date or time of the year it is, because the time seems kinda..."timeless"!
The same with Christmas and New Years. The last ones went missing actually. It just didn't seem like a Christmas nor New Years with 30 degrees outside laying on the beach. Being in the middle of all the decorations and stuff just felt like being on a stage that is set up for Christmas almost in the middle of summer.
This simple stuff brought me thinking (again) today, how many things could possibly be there that I take for granted, that I am sooo used to that I don't even notice to wonder about. Yeah, with weather it's simple - it feels cold in May and thus it is immediately different from "normal".
How about the mindsets, attitudes, stereotypes created by the daily experiences and situations where I never might not take another angle to look at it from.
I am glad though, I have so far had quite a few opportunities to look at things from other angles...living here in Brazil is just another one of these opportunities.
Sifaan (my Sri Lankan teammate with whom we worked together for 1 year in AIESEC), among many others, I have to thank you as well for different angles and perspectives. The title of this posting was inspired by you! I can even hear you saying that :))), stress on the word "always" :)))
Another bit from the past: bunch of us went for our first international conference in AIESEC, to Norway in 2000, Nordic Management Seminar it was. Great experience by all means. An inspiration I brought home was a sentence from one of the sessions, which said "Nothing is normal, everything is possible". I wrote it with black marker on an A4 paper and sticked it to my dormitory wall in Uni afterwards. Kept it there for a while...hmm...I wonder if I still have it packed somewhere....
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