Heeyyyy!!! - Diary of a Portuguese woman living in India

2011-11-27T03:16:00.000Z

2011-05-29T23:42:00.000+01:00

2011-03-24T21:10:00.002Z

2011-03-20T19:51:00.002Z

2011-01-22T13:28:00.000Z

The dog days are over!!!

I'm back. I've been missing my little blog but as I said in my last post I needed time to figure out what was going to happen. Since May 2010 many things have changed... fortunately!

After some visa issues last Xmas holidays, I decided to stay in Portugal. So in March 2010, I left India for good. It wasn't an easy decision but it was necessary. Only now I fully understand how necessary it was actually! And may be two years in India were even too much. Oh India... it's hard to love you and even harder to hate you! India changes you! I can see it in so many different things. For example, in the way I interact with people. I'm not shy but I don't let people become close as easily as before. I'm more careful. I don't trust people as easily. I became "colder" with people too. And worst, I became more serious and less adventurous! I know may be age has something to do with it as well, but I do believe my life in India had a stronger influence.

After coming back, I started working at Offley Port Wine Cellars as a tour guide. There, I met lovely people who slowly became my very good friends. But since it was a temporary job I needed to find something more stable. I was pretty lucky because I didn't have to send many cvs and in September I started the trainee programme of a Portuguese food retail company, which should be over soon. I can't wait to start my real job!

Now, my personal life... many things have changed too! Now that I am back to my single status, the dog days are over!!! I decided to take care of myself!!! Yes, 2011 will be the year of change. I decided to face any kind of fear and inferiority complex. It's going to take some time but I give myself a year! Let's see...

So, in conclusion, I'm happy and the best is yet to come! ;)

Happy 2011!

Nat

2010-05-11T01:02:00.000+01:00

Dear friends,

Sometimes one needs to stop and spend time thinking and planinng the next steps in life in order to avoid dead-ends. That's why I have been away from my blog and I am affraid I will have to be away for some more time.
I don't know how long... but this is not the end!

I will be back, hopefully with great news.
Nat

2010-04-10T09:26:00.000+01:00

Love, sex and the male brain
By Louann Brizendine

The other day my boyfriend sent me this aticle. I guess he is trying to say something... but I will just pretend I didn't get it... In the meanwhile, I have to admit the article is really worth reading! Here are some paragraphs that i really liked a lot!

[Read the article here]

<< Perhaps the biggest difference between the male and female brain is that men have a sexual pursuit area that is 2.5 times larger than the one in the female brain. Not only that, but beginning in their teens, they produce 20 to 25-fold more testosterone than they did during pre-adolescence.

If testosterone were beer, a 9-year-old boy would be getting the equivalent of a cup a day. But a 15-year-old would be getting the equivalent of nearly two gallons a day. This fuels their sexual engines and makes it impossible for them to stop thinking about female body parts and sex.

(...)

The human brain is the best learning machine on the planet and human beings are capable of making major changes in our lives. But there are some things that the male brain and female brain are not likely to change anytime soon. And it makes more sense to deal with these brain realities, than to argue with them or ignoring them.

The best advice I have for women is make peace with the male brain. Let men be men.>>

2010-04-09T14:41:00.000+01:00

What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage
by Amy Sutherland

This article is from 2006 but still worth reading! I think I will try those techniques on my boyfriend...
[Read the full article here.]

<< For a book I was writing about a school for exotic animal trainers, I started commuting from Maine to California, where I spent my days watching students do the seemingly impossible: teaching hyenas to pirouette on command, cougars to offer their paws for a nail clipping, and baboons to skateboard.

I listened, rapt, as professional trainers explained how they taught dolphins to flip and elephants to paint. Eventually it hit me that the same techniques might work on that stubborn but lovable species, the American husband.

The central lesson I learned from exotic animal trainers is that I should reward behavior I like and ignore behavior I don't. After all, you don't get a sea lion to balance a ball on the end of its nose by nagging. The same goes for the American husband.

Back in Maine, I began thanking Scott if he threw one dirty shirt into the hamper. If he threw in two, I'd kiss him. Meanwhile, I would step over any soiled clothes on the floor without one sharp word, though I did sometimes kick them under the bed. But as he basked in my appreciation, the piles became smaller. >>

2010-04-03T14:37:00.000+01:00

In India, Sex And A Setback For The 'Morality Police'

<>

India needs more people like Khusboo! [Read the article here]

2010-03-28T21:22:00.001+01:00

"AMÁLIA HOJE" Project

Yesterday I went to an amazing live concert of "Amália Hoje". Really loved it!

Last year, four (real) Portuguese artists decided to pay tribute to our most famous Fado singer Amália Rodrigues, who died ten year ago, by re-editing some of her famous songs. The results is innovative, surprising and elegant... simply beautiful.

I had moved to Portugal two years before and was in High School when Amália Rodrigues died. I knew who she was but I only understood how important she was the day she died. I remember newspaper titles announcing Portugal had "lost its soul". Everybody was chocked. Even I was. She was such a legend and legends never die. From old people to young teenagers no matter if they were living in big cities or in small villages in the deep countryside of Portugal... everybody knew and loved Amália Rodigues and her songs. She was the only one able to sing the soul of Portuguese people. That's how important she was for the people of this country.

I am really happy and proud to see young Portuguese singers bringing such a name alive. I'm proud to see such a quality in the Portuguese music scene.

Here are the videos of my favorite song by Amália Hoje and Amália Rodrigues (respectively):

2010-03-27T10:45:00.000Z

Would TOILET PAPER be the solution?

Last week, I was positvely surprised to read "Os segredos do papel higiénico mais sexy do mundo" (in English: "The secrets of the most "sexy" toilet paper in the world"), an interview with Paulo Pereira da Silva, the CEO of Renova. Those names might not sound familiar but what if I tell you he was the person behind the black toilet paper? Yes, Black. I remember the first time I heard about this crazy and amazing idea, I thought it was brilliant but I had the hardest time to believe it came from a Portuguese company.

I was really happy to read this:

"Innovation is like a snowball. An invention may come up during lunch time or coffee break. That's why [at Renova] everything is done for people to have coffee or lunch together, talk while playing on a swing. The culture of innovation is related to the daily life experiences and the desire to grow. Nowadays, in order to be new, an idea must be very sophisticated. Usually, you can find many variations of the same idea. Although tt may have something new, it isn't Einstein's relativity theory."

I find it funny to think that lately, the only TV ads that made me laugh were also of a toilet paper brand, but this time a Spanish brand: Colhogar.

2010-03-26T12:41:00.000Z

How far would you go to help a charity?

Well, no need to ask David Beckham, as he already answered. His last contribuition for Sport Relief was pretty amazing. Sport Relief is a biennial charity event, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries. This year it happened last week, between 19 and 21st March and it has raised £31,633,091 so far.

I don't know if it was a PR or marketing strategy for the football player, but one thing I am sure, I doubt that many sports people would do something similar. I really liked to see that this celebrety is very opened-minded and a very good sense of humor.

And here is the opinion of the actor James Smithy Corden about this experience.

I just wish that smaller NGOs would have the same opportunity. I am a little bit pessimistic about these big events where administrative costs are often very high. But at least some money goes to the cause...

2010-03-23T14:14:00.000Z

Nolan Cheddar - Seriously Strong!

2010-03-18T00:22:00.006Z

India@Portugal.pt

While flying back to Portugal, I remember reading an article in Finnair's inflight magazine "Bluewings" about how to do business in India. The article "All Eyes on India" (page 50) explained very well how companies, which used to look at India as an outsourcing destination, started looking at the country with new eyes: a market of 1 billion consumers.

At the end of the article, a subtitle called my attention: "The Indian invasion" which starts like this:
"Representing another sign of change, the flow of transactions now travels two ways. Indians have been actively buying companies from Europe and are also venturing into emerging markets in Africa and Asia"

The article referred especially to the IT sector. However, there are many others. For example, in the fashion sector, Sacoor, a Portuguese brand was created by 4 brothers with Indian origins.

I only understood how right the article was when I came back to Portugal and took the train to Porto. As soon as I got out of the train station of S.Bento, I was surprised to see the amount of Indian shops everywhere. My first thought was "Why did I go to India, I could have just come here!!!". From bindis, Indian jewellery to Bryani and Paneer...

Here are some pics:

2010-03-15T22:30:00.000Z

Lolita Fashion @Porto

I was going out of the bus 906, in Porto, near the S.Bento train station and there it was. A small shop. The cute little dress in the window called my attention. Then all the postcards with Japanese teenagers and young girls dressed like a sexy version of china dolls reminded me of a documentary I had seen on TV few days before. But I couldn't remember the name of this style. So, I decided to go inside the shop and speak with the lady inside.

I was amazed my the beautiful things I saw. And of course, I took some pictures.

Joana, the owner of the shop was really nice. Doesn't she look like a doll?! She explained me everything about this style called Lolita which came from Japan. This street fashion was inspired by the Victorian period. In Porto, there are about 50 Lolita enthusiasts. I couldn't resist and asked her... and... yes she does dress like this when she goes out for a coffee or to the cinema.

Here is the site of her shop: http://www.amethyste.pt.vu/ and some more pictures that I took. Have a look, it's really worth it! All those beautiful accessories, funny shoes, old hats and sunglasses. I would probably not wear it but still, I found it very cute. I'm happy to see a little bit of Japanese street fashion in Portugal. :)

Thanks Joana for your time and very nice explanations!

2010-03-08T15:16:00.000Z

International Women's day and women's rights in Portugal

Women's rights (or the lack of it) is a topic very close to my heart. I have lived and traveled through several countries where women have no say in their life and where I, myself, felt oppressed and had to fight to be respected as a woman and as a human being. Am I a feminist? I don't know if there is a word for what I am. It's only during a lecture about Women's right, during my Post-Grad. in Human Rights and Democracy (Coimbra Faculty of Law, 2007) that I understood and pictured what I was/am feeling inside. Our lecturer, the Professor Teresa Pizarro Beleza, took 2 pen: one red (representing women) and one blue (representing men). Here is what she showed us:

Women and men are different in nature. We can't fight against those natural differences, rather we should accept it.The problem has never been those differences. The problem is that humanity often uses/used those differences as an excuse and a reason to justify why one gender should rule the other. And that's what we should fight.

I have been blogging for almost 4 years but I never wrote anything about women's day. Why this year?! Well, the other day I went to the book store with my boyfriend and out of curiosity he checked the Lonely Planet Portugal. He was shocked to read the paragraphs meant for women travelers and called me: "Hey Nat, did you know this?". Word after word, I read it all and understood that I knew little about women's rights in my country. I guess I assumed it had always been the way it is. I felt ashamed (not only of the sad reality of my country's history) but because being a Portuguese citizen I didn't know anything.

I went back home and did a search on internet. Since the poor women's rights happened mostly during the time Salazar (the Portuguese dictator) was ruling the country (the equivalent of Franco in Spain, Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany), I asked my dad, my mum and my grandpa about what they remember. Well, they didn't remember anything! "What?!! How come, you don't remember anything?"

Not only they don't remember, but worst they have this strange "nostalgia" about Salazar and the time of the dictatorship. Could it be the Stockholm syndrome? The worst is that it's happening all around the country! In 2007, the Portuguese public elected Salazar as the "most important Portuguese personality of the XXth century" during a live TV show. How sad!!!

Due to our present economical decadence, many refugee themselves in this nostalgic feeling because "at least the country was growing, blah blah blah...". Both my dad and my grandpa remember sharing a small fish between their brothers and sisters. Is this growth?

Although I might find a way to excuse 60 and 80 years old people whose poor and short education was conditioned by that Salazar they admire so much, I can't understand the younger ones. Last week I went to a workshop, and behind me was this young woman, good looking, well educated, 35 years old, employed at the middle management level of a Portuguese company. She said : "The result of the Portuguese Personality election couldn't have been better". I couldn't stop looking at her. I was disgusted! How can a woman who have benefited all her life from the freedoms, which came with the end of the dictatorship, say something like this? What an ignorant!

For all the women who think this way I would like to point out few sad things that women were undergoing during the time this "Portuguese Personality of the XXth century" was ruling the country:

- To work outside the household, women had to ask for their husband's permission.

- It's only in 1959 that a woman who gets married with a foreigner can finally keep her nationality. Before she wouldn't have the choice and would automatically loose it.

- Prostitution was only forbidden by law in 1963.

- Until 1969, women had to ask for their husband's or father's permission to travel outside the country.

- It's only in 1969 that women are guaranteed a fair and equal salary.

- It's only in 1975 that women are guaranteed the same electoral rights as men's.

- Until 1976, husbands were allowed to open their wife's correspondence.

- Until 1978, women didn't have the same status in the family as men. Women were considered to depend on their husbands. The husband was the patriarch of the family.

This isn't enough? No worries, there's more! (in Portuguese)

Happy women's day!

2010-03-05T00:21:00.002Z

Even on Earth!!!

Here are the benefits you get when you work at Carsonified. I wish I could speak with one of the current employees just to ask if it's true because I am still not quite sure if believe it. Check it out here!

2010-03-04T22:34:00.007Z

Social medias - I just love it!

Altough I had a Facebook account for the longest time (since 2006, I think), I never really cared much about it. I only got to understand how usefull it could be in 2008, when my Indian friend - Aakash - got married. My friends and I had to plan our trip to India and a common wedding gift. Considering we were may be 15 people, from 10 different countries, living in 5 different continents... Facebook helped quite a lot, believe me!

When I heard about Twitter, I googled it immediatly and created my account right away. I thought : "This is the next big thing". I have to be honest I am more a blog person because I talk a lot and 140 characters aint enough for me! I am sure my boyfriend hoped I would actually start being more concise... NOT! :)

I used Twitter and Facebook a lot for my previous job. And I have to say social medias rock!!! I will give you the best example ever. As some of you may remember I was working for an amazing Indian NGO and the first project I started working on when I joined, was the Global Giving Opened Challenge. We had to raise a minimum of USD$ 4,000 in a month time to get a permanent spot on their website. Might look like a small amount for a "UNICEF" or a "Amnisty International" but for my small NGO, with 4 admin staff, the perspective is quite different.

I started to think about a plan on how to reach people and the direct e-mails to our existing donors was the first thing on my list. Unfortunalty, there wasn't a list of donors. It took me about 2 weeks to finally compile a kind-of-proper list of donors and to send them an e-mail. 2 weeks!!! And the challenge was going to last only 4 weeks.

Well, I was not worried because during the 2 weeks it took me to compile that famous list, we had already raised more than USD$ 6,000 . How??? Well, I only used Facebook, Twitter and our blog. Only! Pretty amazing, right? Many of our donors were either on Facebook or on Twitter. And so were the friends of our donors. And the friends of the friends of our donors.

At the end of 4 weeks we had raised more than USD$ 14,000 and ended in the top 10 of the best fundraisers. I have no doubts that social medias had a huge influence in our results! Social medias really rock!!!

I decided to write this post because I just received the first edition of Twitter newsletter and check out those numbers:

"In the course of a year, registered Twitter accounts have grown more than 1,500% and our team has grown 500%. Recently, we hired our 140th employee! His name is Aaron and he's an engineer focused on building internal tools to help promote productivity, communication, and support within our company. We celebrated with a little dance party."

W-O-W!

Before ending my post, I would like to recommend the "on-line bible" of social medias: Mashable.
Here are some very intersting articles that I recommend:

- How to implement a Social Media Business Strategy
- How to build trust with Social Medias
- How to mesure your Social Media ROI
- 5 Fantastic Facebook Fan Page Ideas to Learn From

2010-03-03T22:29:00.001Z

The flip-side of experience.

I have to admit that, for a long time, I've suffered from an inferiority complex regarding my age. I've always been the youngest in almost everything. I am the youngest in my group of friends. And in most of the places I've worked - same thing. And because of that I had to deal with the "I-know-it-all" folks who would use the age factor for everything. I've heard it all... "you're still a child", "wait to be my age an you'll see", "you don't know anything about life", "you will understand one day". I even had something like "I also wanted to change the world when I was your age".

Well, I agree that experience is something important, it brings knowledge and an amazing anticipation and organization capacity. But hiding behind experience is wrong. You tend to just "loose it", I mean, your genuine capacity of dreaming, of thinking the unthinkable. You loose your audacity and creativity almost like the adults in Peter Pan. :) These "I know better because I am older" and "It's always been like this" are just sad! And you extrapolate this into the professional field, you have the answer why things are slow and always the same.

I was reading Wolff Olins' website some time back and just loved one of the texts called "Five Marketing principles for 2010". It's starts with a beautiful sentence: "Most of the marketing rules we lived by just five years ago are practically obsolete." Things change and everybody knows that "things change". But shouldn't the "good experience" bring you the capacity of being the agent of change?

What about the following sentence: "A Bain & Co. survey notes that 80 percent of CEOs believe their product to be differentiated, but only 8 percent of consumers agree.(...) These are not just sad examples of illusory superiority, but a staggering statement of our industry's failure to add value in the past decade.". I think that the definition of the word experience needs a serious review in many people's mind!

I really loved the article. Read it here, it's worth it!

2010-03-02T22:56:00.006Z

Back to the Portuguese job market!

Yes! Now that I decided to stay back in Portugal, I am officially unemployed and looking for a job. It's actually the first time in my 3 years of professional life. I just wish the Portuguese unemployment rate wasn't as high as 10%! I was looking at a specialized portal for employement in the communication and marketing sectors and I was amazed at the amount of non-paid internships looking for unrealistic characteristics: 3 master degrees, 2 Phds, 10 years of experience, 8 languages and enough masochistic feelings for 6 to 12 months of non-paid hard work??? What else? (I am obviously exagerating...but you got the idea!).

Anyways... I found this one job posted by a communication agency in Aveiro (the main city in my region). They are looking for a "brand consultant" and after reading the job description and the requirements, I thought: "Hello! That's me!". Now I have a problem: how can I tell them that not only I AM THE ONE, but also that they will make the worst mistake in their life, if they don't choose me, without sounding too full of myself?

Brands? I may not have a brand management master degree yet but I have seen, experienced and consumed brands in countries such as France, UK, Spain, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Bulgaria, India and Thailand. And I learned to read those brands and understand how and why they would or wouldn't adapt to the different countries. Many people think it's just traveling but it's because I traveled so much, in countries where I could hardly communicate verbally, that I learned to read people's non-verbal behaviour. I learned to link with people to whom I could not speak.

My previous professional experiences taught me professionalism. I learned how to have a plan A, B, C, D and yet being flexible. I am at ease working in teams or individually. I am a go-getter. I work harder than hard. I learn fast. I make mistakes but never make the same mistake twice. I am good at what I do. And I can do anything!

Now, any politically correct way of saying this?

2010-03-01T20:45:00.010Z

Goodbye India (for now...)

My Indian adventure started almost 2 years ago, on April, 18th. I was turning 24 that day. I had been looking for a new job for almost 6 months. My only criteria was "it has to be... different! it as to be somewhere else in the world". Well, I wanted exotic and different... and that's what I got! No doubt about it! I had a "hard core" exotic kind-of-deal! India wasn't love at first sight. It wasn't love at second sight either. But as I tell everyone who asks me about it: "India?! It's hard to like it and harder not to like it". I can't compare it and say whether it's better or worst than other countries. It's just different and unique. One must live it to understand it.

I do not regret any piece of it. I just wish I had seen more! Leh, Shrinagar, Daarjeling, Sikim... so many places that I still dream of. That's one of the reasons I say "for now" in the title. (Of course, people who know me, know the other reason why I say I will probably go back one day - but for tourism!)

I have to admit that it was a hard experience. I had to handle many things that others who have never been there would define as unbearable. And I decided to leave because I was so tired that staying would have spoiled the experience. All I can say is that overall, more than a good experience, it was a lifetime experience that made me stronger.

When I look back, I am proud of saying that I've tried ALL means of transportation I can think of... car, taxi, shared taxi, AC train, sleeper class train, non-AC bus, Delux bus, Volvo bus, cycle rickshaw, auto rickshaw, byke, elephant, camel. Yes! I did it all!!! Plus, I learned to (almost) like masala in food and even, I can say I LOVE Masala chai. After work, I even used to go get my masala chai at the chai walla across the road! Can you imagine? I learned to bargain hard, to say "fuck off" in Hindi and...

to make my way between 1 billion people!

2009-11-16T15:55:00.005Z

Jama Majid, New Delhi

My favourite monument in Delhi is the Jama Masjid. It has a "je ne sais quoi"... I find it mystic and majestic! And it is just beautiful! Check some of the pics that I took this weekend and judge by yourself!

2009-11-16T05:35:00.003Z

Looks like a fun place to work

2009-11-08T10:43:00.003Z

The Singhsons

I just love love this Indian version of the Simpsons! Check it out and enjoy!!!

2009-10-29T09:48:00.006Z

Dear readers... I will be adding some widgets and changing some little things on my blog in the nexts weeks. If you pass by and see something strange, no worries, it's me (and my internet skills)! Thank you for understanding!!! Nat

2009-10-26T02:47:00.012Z

Jodphur - जोधपुर

This weekend I finally traveled again... after 3 months of staying home! Now that the weather in India is much cooler, traveling is again on the menu!

I went to Jodhpur, the so called "The blue city". To be honest, I didn't find many treasures. There are beautiful beautiful rajasthani style havelis and many many blue houses. But the fort is very similar to Jaisalmer (just from the outside) and I did not enjoy the pollution and the terrible dust, neither did my fellow travelers, Sachiko and Cibele. It was really bad!

However, I have to say that I found in Jodhpur the cleanest train station: nobody spiting on the floor or against the walls. I also found the less annoying rickshaw drivers: at our arrival, we actually had to go ask for a rickshaw which is strange considering that whenever you arrive at a tran station you usually have 30 or 40 rickshaw drivers asking "Where going ma'am?", "Maam, Hotel name, ma'am?", "You want rickshaw ma'am?". And what I loved the most about the city: there were the nicest and warmest people that I have seen so far in India. They will say hello, will not push you to buy things, will ask for a picture but no "5 rupees".

I stayed in a guest house called "Heaven Guest House". What a cheesy name I first thought. Well, Nisha, the owner of the Guest House actually choose well the name. It is almost like heaven... not the nicest decoration nor the party environment... however, a feeling like home. Really! I felt, for the first time in 1.5 years of traveling in India... no pressure at all to buy anything or eat at the restaurant... and she was actually very sweet. And so was her husband and son.

Well, and now... enough words! Here are some of my pictures. Enjoy!

Some pictures of Jodhpur Fort

The Blue City

Oops... not every thing is Blue!

2009-10-23T05:29:00.005+01:00

What do you think about India and Indians?

When they first meet me, many Indians ask me "So, what do you think about India and Indians?". I usually try to avoid answering and escape with a "It's nice" or "It's big" or even "It's very different from my country".

I believe my opinion would not really satisfy my interlocutors. But here is the truth, or, I should say MY truth!

Although this country is a kaleidoscope of micro-cultures, religions, cults, where a generalization can become hard or unfair, I can't deny that I found some very common attributes to many Indians, from North, South, East ow West, rich or poor:
- Very strong and heavy impact of family values and religion
- Very divided society and a very present cast system that leads to discrimination of Indians by Indians (which I believe is really sad)!

Then I would also say that there is a huge lack of hygiene among the population and lack of care for common Cultural and Historical heritage. There is this "I care about me, my family and my house but I don't care about the others". Someone that has an extremely clean house and is very careful with hygiene at home, will not think twice before throwing garbage anywhere, spitting and peeing in the side road or in a corner of Jaisalmer fort, somewhere in Lodhi Gardens or on the walls of Delhi Jama Masjid.

And although I am sure my next words will create a big wave of "how do you dare saying that?", I would add that the "I care about me" mind often leads to a lack of respect for others. For example, there is no respect for queues and that is everywhere... train station or 5* Hotel. The worst is that most of the time, others who are waiting in line will find it very normal when someone who just walks in passes in front of them. Another example: bathrooms in cafes, restaurants or offices. It's not difficult to find people who don't flush after using it which in my opinion is not nice (at ALL!!!) for the next person.

I would also say that the normal educational system (which excludes IITs and other very famous universities recognized for their excellence) is very poor. A student needs to score at least 30% (only) in the 10 and 12th board exams to pass! I have found a huge lack of creativity or even pro-activity in many people I have met at work, although they have the so called "MBAs".

Having said all this... I can't forget to say that I have also met many Indians who do not fit the bill. Mainly the young cosmopolitan generation, well educated and who, many times, has had the chance to travel abroad, creative, not religious at all and not family oriented at all. I have met super clever and pro-active people with an amazing energy who are artists, designers, etc... I have met many loving and caring people involved in many non-profit activities and initiatives.

I remember telling "My truth" to one of my very good friends and her answer was:
"Nat, many young Indians like me just don't recognize themselves in this culture and values but the tradition and the influence of parents is still too heavy for us to get out of it."

Finally, I must say that I believe the new generation of Indians is feeling in between two worlds, two cultures. I remember one of my colleagues, a Jain, who whenever we would have a team outing would order just meat! And another one, a Sikh, telling me that he is not religious and doesn't believe in any form of god, wearing his turban because "his parents would have a heart attack" if they knew.

As one of my best friends usually says to kind of summarize the malaise happening in the Indian society nowadays, "Yes, I am an Indian national, but culturally speaking, I do not feel Indian".

2009-09-17T10:36:00.002+01:00

2009-08-21T04:05:00.003+01:00

Support Pardada Pardadi Educational Society!

Pictures of my first visit to PPGVS

Some of you might not know it yet but I have a new job! Yes, finally I think I found the one job that is close to what I would call a “dream job”.

I am the communication manager of an NGO called Pardada Pardadi Educational Society. Our mission is to empower and uplift girls from rural areas in order to create a new generation of socially and financially independent women.

Currently, over 1000 girls attend Pardada Pardadi Girls Vocational School in Anupshahar (Uttar Pradesh, India). Not only, they learn subjects such as Maths and English, but also and they develop vocational skills in home textile work. The home furnishings produced as part as the student’s vocational training are then sold in order to generate revenues to the school.

I go every month to the village and try to spend at least 1 week with my new friends. After 1.5 years of being in India, I am finally going to learn Hindi. The girls have decided that they should teach me! It is really a great fun to see those little girls having time to enjoy their childhood! You might not believe it but in such villages, it is common to find girls who get married at 14 years old! And still there is a lot of girl child infanticide!

It is quite hard to convince the parents to send their girls to school because they have this idea that a girl doesn’t need education. And even when they value girls’ education, they need their help in the fields. Those people live way under the poverty line. There is no electricity. The familly often shares the same and unique room of the house.

One of the ways to convince the parents is to provide them incentives such as uniforms, books, shoes, three meals a day and bicycles. In addition, PPES came up with this fantastic idea of giving 10 rupees for each day a girl attends school. But the money is not given to the parents or to the girl directly. PPES deposits it in a bank account that students will access upon graduation, after 21 years old or after geting married (after they are 18 years old).

Isn’t it great?! I simply love it!

I remember the first day I went to the PPES school, months before starting to work with Pardada Pardadi. It was so special that few months later, I left my corporate job and became a full-time member of the Pardada Pardadi family!

I knew I wanted to make an impact! I wanted to change lives of hundreds of little girls. Guess what, I am trying hard to make the change happen... but in the meanwhile, it’s Pardada Pardadi who changed my life! For the first time in a long time I can say that I love what I am doing!

My lovely organization is currently participating in the Global Giving Challenge, the internationally recognized online marketplace for charity. Global Giving helps donors to find projects the care about.

In order to win a permanent spot on the website, we need to raise $4000 from at least 50 unique donors. Help us!!! Every donation helps and makes a difference.

Donate and start making an impact!

How to help further:

- Send an e-mail or sms to your friends/family and tell them about us. Ask them to suport us!
- Blog about us and add our widget on your blog/site
- Follow us on Twitter and tweet about about us!
- Don't forget to become Pardada Pardadi's friend on Facebook and send messages to all your friends
- Subscribe to our bi-monthly newsletter on our site and send it to your colleagues and friends
- Add a supportive sentence and our GlobalGiving profile link to your personal and professional e-mail signature. As an example: "I am supporting Pardada Pardadi in the GlobaGiving Challenge"

2009-07-31T21:40:00.007+01:00

The Auto-rickshaw experience in Delhi

So far, the feelings I have for Delhi are not very positive. However, I have to admit that compared to Gurgaon, there is at least one better thing: a wider choice of transportation... and the auto-rickshaws!

My daily rickshaw rides are the masala of my day, the adrenaline, the I don't know what that makes each day unique. Every morning, it begins like this:

Me:"Alo, baya... Lajpat Nagar? kitna?" which could be translated to "Hey, bro, how much to go to Lajpat Nagar?" (at least that is how I pronounce it and what I think it means).
Auto driver: Nooo, nooo. Lajpat no go. Ok. Ok. "No problmmm". 80
Me: What??? NOoooo. 50
Auto driver: 70
Me: 60. Ok?
Auto driver: 70
Me: 60
Auto driver: no
Me: "Rrrrrrr"... ok!

Sometimes they just say "No" and don't want to take me. I remember my first day in Delhi, 7, yes, 7 rickshaw drivers said "No Lajpat Nagar". Nobody wanted to take me because of the traffic. I almost cried! I was so frustrated that I even asked a random girl in the street if it was normal. By the time I found a "baya" that accepted to take me, I was 1 hour late for work.

Here is a picture of todays' ride back home.

Do you see anything strange??? C'mon try to guess. There is something wrong! Tell me what and your next auto-rickshaw ride is on me!

2009-07-31T09:49:00.001+01:00

"Scoop-Wahhah" by Justine Hardy

I am not a big fan of this book. I guess someone interested in the press sector in New Delhi would find it very nice... I did like the author's description of her first auto-rickshaw ride. It is exactly how it happens!

<<[...]I took a rickshaw. (...) The rickshaw driver looked in his various mirrors, titling the one closest ot him to check if there was any leg or better on show. All this was familiar. Rickshaw drivers have tipped their mirrors to get a better view of their female passenger ever since the rickshaw and the wong mirror first teamed up. (...)
The traffic began to move. An old Ambassador taxi cut us up and a cow wandered into the middle of the road, a half-chewed blue plastic bag hanging out her mouth; (...) The traffic darted around her in a disjointed, shriekling ballet, constantly just missing her as she made her way towards another spot that might yield up a further plastic tidbit. Brakes yelled and a bus shot straight across our path. The rickshaw driver swerved, bouncing offthe kerb before continuing on his previous course.>>

2009-07-30T18:07:00.000+01:00

Thailand!

Finally, I am posting my pictures of Thailand! Amazing country!

Bangkok

I stayed several days in Bangkok. I really liked it. Culturally speaking, there are amazing things to see! I liked the way Bangkok is clean, cosmopolitan and it is just so easy to go around because you have all kind of transportation you want: bus (with and without AC), sky train, boat, taxi, tuk-tuk, metro. And people are really nice, although I had the hardest time to understand their accent!

The main attraction is the Grand Palace complex. It is just amazing and wonderful! Here are some pictures...

FYI - To enter the Grand Palace Complex and any temple in Thailand, one has to be "properly" dressed, which means no mini skirt, no shorts, no sleeveless t-shirts. If the staff considers your clothes inappropriate, you will have to borrow long "skirts" and wrap around you. They will also provide long sleeves shirts. I don't know what happened to this family! I am still wondering whether they trying to look like locals (although I haven't seen Thais wearing this kind of "colorful" clothes)or if the employees were trying to make fun of them! Love the dragon trousers of the dad! :)

The Wat Pho - Temple of the Reclining Buddha

The food

The food in Thailand was so different that it deserves to be enhanced! You can find anything and everything...reallyyyy!!!!

Fish and prawns drying on the side of the street

Fried meat and sausages, even pork!!!

All kind of delicious (but strange) fruit

Insects.. alive or already fried, as you wish!

Street food

While in Thailand I never went to a restaurant. I was too busy trying as much street food as possible! And no stomach problems, amazing!

My favorites...

Banana Roll.. yummiiiii!!!

All kind and sizes of sausages

And.... the famous sticky rice with banana!!! LOVE IT!!!

Strange street food

Those small round white things had bamboo and spinach inside... not very tasty.

The winner of the "strange street food" category is....

The Black Jelly

It is made of Chinese herbs, served with brown sugar and ice! I tried. It doesn't really taste bad. It actually doesn't really taste anything...

North of Thailand

I went to the North of Thailand... Chiang Mae. Unfortunately it was raining so much that I couldn't take many pictures.

I did a 2 days trekking with a group of 8 people. A French couple, a German couple, 2 Dutch students and a German lady (everybody was happy to know she was a doctor... just in case). Really nice people. After a 3 hours trek up the hill with a 45 years old local guide who would climb 5 times faster than us. He was enjoying making fun of European "couch potatoes" like us who could not follow him although we were wearing branded trekking shoes and all sort of "high tech" equipment. It is important to stress that he was wearing simple flip-flops and taking smoke breaks while waiting for us!
We slept at a village and played cards all night long, drinking bears around a fire that the locals prepared for us. The next morning, going down hill was another adventure since it had been raining the all night. It was very slippery and one of Dutch students who was wearing cotton snickers fell down at least 10 times. It was not fun at all. If she had hurt herself really bad, I don't know how we would have done t bring her down the hill in such conditions.

Finally, after the trek to the water fall, it was fun time. We had a quick crash course for our white waters rafting. They explained us the basic things we would have to do: "to the left/right", "go down", "forward", "backward", "on the job"... The only thing they didn't explain was what to do if we actually fall down.. and when we asked they said: "you not fall". Humm... nobody fell so cool! It was really amazing! It was tricky to understand their English. Once, the guy leading our raft said something like "get out". Our reaction was: "WHAT????". He had said... "get down". We laughed for at least 5 minutes.

After that we went bamboo rafting. What a crap! After white waters rafting, it is a piece of cake. The elephant riding wasn't nice either. We were actually just siting on a chair and walking for 10 minutes. I could have done the same in Jaipur. Really not that nice.
I wish I had more time. In the north of Thailand you can stay in Elephant centers and learn how to take care of the animal. You learn how to feed him and ride him. It seems really nice. May be next time...

The Thai jungle is just "WOW"! Here are the few pictures I have...

The last BUT NOT THE LEAST....

The South of Thailand: The Islands of Ko Tao and Ko Pha Ngan

I think I don't need to say anything. The pictures will speak for themselves! Paradise!

Here is where I used to spend the end of my afternoons...

while waiting for this....

Not bad, hein?? :)

2009-07-29T08:57:00.001+01:00

Rape and the ugly Indian by Anand Soondas

Finally!!! Delhi is, not only the capital of India, but also known as "the rape capital of India". Read this post. Very interesting!

2009-07-28T08:11:00.001+01:00

June and July... months of chaos! Good that it is almost over!

Well, the months of June and July have been a total chaos! Not easy at all. Of course, my trip to Thailand was nice (I will upload the pics) but always shadowed by the issues going on in Gurgaon/Delhi...

So, here is a very quick update of what has been going on...

- 2 Indians girls moved into my apartment at Shushant Lock (The one with the Zebra sofas) and were/are sharing one of the rooms. Unfortunately those were not really that open-minded and cool. So we had an old "auntie" (that is how you call the old ladies in India. Men are "uncles". Don't ask why, I don't know... may the Indian need to have family everywhere) for 3 weeks annoying us about the fact that we had a boy (uhhhhhh) living with us.

- We had several problems of water and electricity at Sushant Loco... so no AC in an Indian summer is FUCKING problematic. Think about how much one can sweat when it is 45ºC outside and 55ºC inside!

- Rui left us! He is now back in my beautiful Portugal! With who am I going to speak Portuguese now?

- My last day at Evalueserve was really not easy. And they left the very last surprise to the end... no pay and only by sorting things out with the COO, Ashish Gupta (who by the way is not aware of how things work in his company) I finally got my salary the next day... even if the wrong amount (Basically Rs8000 less than what I expected)! Of course finance people are very clever in EVS! - one or two weeks later they sent me about Rs. 3000 implying they were wrong (but of course no apologies) and no explanation of how things were calculated. Future ex-employees of Evalueserve and future EVS employees... Be aware!!!!

- Then Juliane left... She is now back to Germany. Who am I going to speak with when I have a gossip?

- Finding a house in Delhi took me 3 weekends. I had to answer more questions in those days than I ever did in my entire life! And that includes personal questions such as "How much do you earn?", "What do your parents say that you have an Indian boyfriend?", "So you like Indian men?", "How much does your mother earn?". Of course, I had in my head perfect and polite answers like: "Fuck you, you fucking dirty old and ignorant bastard" that I preferred to keep for myself.

- I finally found a nice house. So moving everything is really not the dream activity for a weekend...

- When I had moved in, my landlord decided to be nosy. "Who is this boy that comes with you? There is a rule in society.. if you are single, you have to live alone". Well, I wonder if he has the book where that is written. In my book it says: "None of your fucking business". Other nice questions were: "At what time did you come yesterday evening?" and "At what time did you leave this morning?". I will publish my book and give it to him!

- I decided to move out of the house to avoid the old disgusting "uncle" whom I don't trust at all.

So now.. I am moving back to Gurgaon and will be living with Catherine whom I met when I was in Evalueserve. next step... finding a way to go from Gurgaon to Delhi on a daily basis... Carpooling could be the answer! Let's see if I am lucky!

And after that, I will just enjoy an easy life...

2009-07-07T09:34:00.000+01:00

Three cups of tea

I have just finished reading this book. It is really interesting.

Check out the website www.threecupsoftea.com

2009-06-16T20:19:00.008+01:00

Effects of the Virus called lazyness

Hi! I am so sorry, I haven't finished my posts about my trip to Goa and Mumbai. So here come some pictures. And I will write as soon as I cured from the virus!

PANJIM

Church Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição

Streets of Panjim

Caldo Verde (The typical Portuguese soup)... Saudades!!!

Bebinca (The typical Goan dessert)! Soooo goooodd!~

PALOLEM BEACH

2009-06-06T06:14:00.005+01:00

Chevrolet ads for Indian market!

2009-05-26T07:55:00.002+01:00

DAY 3 - Bogamo Beach, Goa

Being in Goa and not going to the beach is like going to Italy and not eating pasta!
Therefore, I headed to Benaulim beach a beach strongly suggested by my host. I consulted my "bible", The Lonely Planet India, to find a hotel where I could have a calm and relax stay.

The hotel at Benaulim
I picked the hotel according to the recommendation of my "bible". It said it was right in front of the beach and it was supposed to be affordable. [I don't remember the name but I will post it later...] I called on the way and they asked for Rs.1500, which I found way too much. When I arrived there, true.. the hotel was right in front of the beach but F*ing far from anything and everything. They were asking Rs.1000 for a non-AC room. I thought, "Well... let's the room". On the way to the room, there were dozens of empty bottles of beer everywhere, dirt and garbage everywhere... I guessed it was from the previous nightssss... The nights there didn't seem to be quite and peaceful at all. I quickly checked the restaurant where I would have to eat since the restaurant was so far from everything. The thousands of flies everywhere (and I am not exaggerating) as well as the smell of shit didn't inspire any good feelings. I run away from that hotel as quickly as I could! I would NOT recommend it for sure.

Bogamo Beach Resort
My taxi driver recommended my to go to Bogamo beach, 20 minutes away from the airport and very calm just to relax...
When I arrived there, I couldn't find any cheap hotel and safe enough for my standards. I was so tired and stressed that I decided to check the local resort and negotiated the price of the cottage. Finally got a good deal. Rs.2000 for a night, including the taxi to the airport and breakfast. It was basically what I would have paid in another hotel but at least I had peace!

2009-05-25T16:19:00.001+01:00

DAY 2 - Panjim, GOA

Portuguese Consulate
The Portuguese consulate is opened to the public between 9h to 10h30, from Monday to Friday. Yes, I know... it's a lot! I arrived there at 9h and the queue was already huge! More than 50 people! What a nice way to begin the day... waiting in line under the Goan sun... sweating like a pig and dreaming about AC! [PICTURE TO COME SOON]
I guessed most people were there for visas and since I was there for my passport, I hoped I wouldn't have to wait too long. Wrong idea! After 30 minutes, I decided to call the embassy and ask directly. I finally managed to get in without waiting any longer.
I was amazed to see that all the people working there were Indian, at least they looked Indian. After chatting with the employees,I found out that they were all Portuguese citizens! YES! And all the people outside... were Portuguese citizens as well! Crazy! I saw an Indian lady, wearing a Saree, a Bindi and all those Indian attributes.. holding a Portuguese ID card! It was was so strange! I finally dared to ask and learned that all the Goan inhabitants born in Goa before 1961 are Portuguese citizens if they want to. And, of course, the nationality is than inherited by their descendants...

Dinner at "A Ferradura"
Another Portuguese-Goan restaurant! Lovely ambiance... I had something supposed to be Portuguese.. but probably according to Goan standards "only"... I was quite disappointed as I was really expecting a lovely Portuguese dish.
[PICTURE TO COME SOON]

2009-05-24T15:42:00.001+01:00

DAY 1 - Panjim, GOA

Landing in Goa
After four hours in a plane with AC and a temperature of 20ºC, I stepped out and a humid and hot wind slapped my face. Not a very nice way to say "Welcome to Goa". My first three words were: "Oh my God!". It is really a huge difference. But believe me I could get used to this difference!
The Goan airport is tiny and super crowded, therefore, a little bit confusing. My luggage announced in the tray 1, finally arrived in the tray 1 45 minutes later... at that point I was so happy it actually arrived! LoL!

On the way to Panjim
Small roads surrounded by palm trees and palm trees and more palm trees! Forests of palm trees everywhere!!!! Palm trees and advertisements everywhere! The houses, lost in the middle of all those palm trees, fully painted in red are advertisements for Vodafone, Airtel, Coca Cola, and Kingfisher. Although, thanks to Indicom, some are blue! After an hour in the yellow and black cab, I finally reached Panjim.
[PICTURE TO COME SOON]

Afonso Guest House
It is such a lovely yellow house, with loads of plants in front of the entrance. And a wonderful sign: " O cantinho dos Afonsos". It looks more like the house of my grandmother than a guesthouse. At least I felt at home. Plus, a Portuguese-Goan family runs the guesthouse and both the mum and the son speak a very good Portuguese... European Portuguese! The rooms are far from amazing; I believe for Rs.750, it could be a little bit better. But it is really a safe place, in a nice neighborhood. So, fair enough...
[PICTURE TO COME SOON]

Panjim
Panjim is empty on Sundays. There is almost nobody in the streets and few shops are opened. Fortunately, Viva Panjim opens for dinner. I was craving for seafood and ended up overeating! I had fish lollipops, prawn curry and prawns in garlic butter! It was yummy! Hummmmm! [PICTURE TO COME SOON]
I loved the ambiance! I felt almost like in Lisbon: the same narrow streets, the same colors, even the same music! YES! In the restaurant, they were playing the songs of the Portuguese 'famous-among-grammas' singer Tony Carreira. I am almost ashamed to say that, for the first time, I actually liked it!!! (India, what are you doing to me???) I had the feeling I was in Lisbon, getting ready to go to those small balls organized by each neighborhood to celebrate the saint they worship.
[VIDEO TO COME SOON]

2009-05-22T15:29:00.001+01:00

VACATIONS IN GOA

From Sunday onwards... vacations for me! I am out of here! I am gone! Gone to Goa!!! Yes I am going to renew my passport in the Portuguese embassy and enjoy this excuse to take some time for myself...

Get ready for some very nice pics... please, don't hate me... in few days I will be...

...here:

Cheers!
Nats

2009-05-21T09:19:00.002+01:00

The daughters of Shame, by Jasvinder Sanghera

I just finished reading Jasvinder Sanghera's book. It's heart-rending! It is hard to believe in such cruelty. I wonder how the author is able to face such horrors every day in her life...

Synopsis
'I listen to those stories -- told by women who have been drugged, beaten, imprisoned, raped and terrorised within the walls of the homes they grew up in. I listen and I am humbled by their resilience.' Jasvinder Sanghera knows what it means to flee from your family under threat of forced marriage -- and to face the terrible consequences that follow. As a young girl that was just what she had to do. Jasvinder is now at the frontline of the battle to save women from the honour-based violence and threat of forced marriage that destroyed her own youth. Daughters of Shame reveals the stories of young women such as Fozia, aged only fifteen when her family tried to force her into marriage; Shazia, kidnapped and taken to Pakistan to marry a man she had never met; and Banaz, murdered by her own family after escaping an abusive marriage. Daughters of Shame reveals Jasvinder as a woman heedless of her own personal safety as she fights to help these women, regularly facing death threats and having to weigh up the risk to her own children. By turns frightening, enthralling and uplifting, Jasvinder's unique story gives us a challenging insight into a world where the suffering and abuse of many is challenged by the courage of the few.

Links
www.karmanirvana.org.uk
www.stophonourkillings.com/

2009-05-13T19:17:00.003+01:00

My scale is calling me Mrs Chocolate!!!

Noooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From tomorrow onwards, I start going to the gym everyday! And no more chocolate! Dammit!

2009-05-12T19:25:00.001+01:00

"WhAt AbOuT yOu???

2009-05-12T16:30:00.000+01:00

Sometimes I wish I could....

2009-04-24T09:17:00.000+01:00

Artchill

In March I went to Amber and "discovered" the Art Gallery in Amber Fort, called "Artchill". I got lost in so much beauty and colors! The staff was super helpful and passionate about their job. They explained several techniques used by some of the artists and took us in a "trip" through the feelings that each painting would make us feel! I guess it sounds strange... but is its really worth a visit!

I personally fell in love with 3 artists: Vijay Chauchan, Subrata Gangopadhyay and Shahid Parwez. I took some of my favorite paintings... hope you will enjoy as much as I did!

Cheers!

Vijay Chauchan*

Subrata Gangopadhyay*

Shahid Parwez*

*All these pictures are from the wbsite of Artchill Gallery, in Amber Fort (Jaipur, India). Really worth a visit!

2009-04-19T20:45:00.001+01:00

Bharatanatyam

This classical dance from South India is performed by woman who celebrate the eternal universe through the celebration of the beauty of the material body.

This choreography called "Varanasi" pictured the city, its river and fire. With repeated, quick and loud movements of their feet and amuzing but deep looks, the six dancers embodied the holy city and bewitched the public.

2009-04-17T21:39:00.001+01:00

JAISALMER - जैसलमेर

Last weekend I took the train to the Golden City... 20 hours in the sleeper class!!!

The sleeper Class carriage... Looks confy! lol!

Camila, Cibele and I

20 hours to finally see this beautiful fort! Worth it! No doubt about that!

Inside the fort, life was still in Middle Age...

Beautiful haveli

Relaxing...

Camels, camels, and more camels!

My love for the weekend... His name was Chewing Gum

En avant camarades!

The shadow of a painful camel ride!

Chewing gum and I ... Love at first sight!

The silence of the dunes...

The marks of the wind on the sand...

The sunset at The Thar desert...

Time passed by quickly... all in a sudden, we were back to our luxurious sleeper class...

2009-04-16T20:30:00.002+01:00

COMING BACK

It has been a long time since I do not update my blog. I have been busy trying to find out what I want to do with my life. I have not found it yet but I am working on it.

I realized that I am about to complete a year in India. Therefore, I think it is a good occasion to show you what I have seen during this year.

I will be publishing some videos with pictures of moments that somehow were important for me... of things that are normal around here and of faces that will stay in my mind forever...

Video no. 1 - India

2009-02-01T13:15:00.001Z

Goodbye Brookee!!! :(

Everybody leaving... :(

2009-01-31T17:05:00.000Z

A thousand splendid suns

I have just finished reading this book and it is beautiful! Very good! it is a must! It has been a long time since I cry while reading a book...

The title is from Saib-e-Tabrizi´s poem: "Kabul"

<<
Kabul

Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains
And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies
Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes
But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust

My song exhalts her dazzling tulips
And at the beauty of her trees, I blush
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I Bastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!

Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise
For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven
From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection
Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowers
Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair
Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs
Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats

And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara
And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures

>>

2009-01-29T07:19:00.000Z

I HATE BUREAUCRACY!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-25T08:53:00.003Z

Failure or success???

Ainda me lembro desenhar diagramas para planear a minha "carreira". Planei tudo 5 anos antes para evitar más surpresas. Pensei em planos de contenção, em datas para concorrer ao programa ABC, XYZ, etc... e de repente... os 5 anos já passaram! Fiz algumas das coisas que tinha planeado, outras nem por isso... mas não me arrependo nem do que fiz, nem do que não fiz. Durante 5 anos, senti-me dona do meu destino. Sabia para onde ia, pensava eu... Doce inocência... :)

O que não estava previsto era que os 5 anos passassem tão rápido. E agora?

Agora, muita coisa mudou... e não sei que caminho escolher. Sei que estou numa daquelas intersecções onde qualquer passo... pode ser um passo a mais ou um passo a menos.

o outro dia fui a uma entrevista de trabalho. O director de Recursos Humanos perguntou: "Se eu te dissesse: podes ser o que queres, trabalhares onde queres, com quem queres... o que escolherias?". A minha resposta em si, não interessa porque sei que lá no fundo só arranjei uma resposta "tapa buracos" para parecer bem.

Na realidade, a resposta certa era "Não sei". Que amarga e dura esta nova realidade!

E agora?

2009-01-17T12:51:00.003Z

I am in love with this song!!!!!

2009-01-08T16:03:00.002Z

It´s about to end...

I am running out of time to say how much I needed this vacation. It was good to be back and have all the attention of my parents... even if I was not used anymore to all their questions! :)

It was awesome to be with my friends again although many things have changed since I left... Some are getting married, others are about to begin a new life with someone, some don't speak to each others, some lost someone they love, some are fighting for life... Not everything was as good as I wanted... but that's reality.

I was not able to be with all of you and I am sorry... but I am sure we will be together soon...

Dear friends, thank you for everything...

I leave this country again but I will always come back... it is the only place I feel at home!

Love you all!

2008-12-16T04:16:00.004Z

Só faltam 4 dias!!!

Só faltam 4 dias para apanhar o aviãozinho que vai trazer de volta para o meu lindo Portugal. Não vejo a hora!!!
Tou com o saco cheio! Preciso de recarregar baterias, de encher o coração de gargalhadas e felicidade, de amizade, amor e mimos dos meus amigos e da minha mãmã!

Amigos, até Sábado! :)

2008-11-30T06:41:00.011Z

Udaipur - उदयपुर

To escape a little bit the monotony of Gurgaon, Juliane - my new German flatmate, and I, we decided to go to Udaipur, the City of Lakes in Rajasthan. we took a overnight train and after 12 hours... good morning Udaipur!

It is a beautiful city, with romantic palaces, gardens and lakes but still with the charm of any Indian city and its cows, traffic and garbage.

Have a look at the pics!

Houses in Udaipur

Lake Pakola

View of the City Palace and the lake

Cow relaxing after a long day

Holy ATM

City Palace

A colorful window of the City Palace

Me - City Palace

Juliane and I picturing ourselves through a mirror - City Palace

Memorials

Holy cow

Painting on the walls of the houses

Sunset and view of Jagdish Temple

Jagdish Temple

2008-11-07T11:36:00.000Z

PUSHKAR - पुष्कर

Pushkar is a beautiful and peaceful lakeside town of Rajasthan. But each year, in November, at the time of the Kartik Purnima full moon, around 50 000 camels invade Pushkar, bringing along livestock, farmers, traders and villagers from all over Rajasthan.

Originally this fair intended to attract local camel and cattle traders to do business but Pushkar Camel Fair has grown into a major tourist-trap. Tourists are easy to recognize... they are either white, pink or red (depending on how many days they have already spent taking pictures under the strong rajasthany sun)!

During one week, the narrow streets of the town are overrun with tourists, travellers, hawkers, painted and bizarrely contorted sadhus (holy men), children and women with colorful sarees.

The marvelous colors of pushkar are the best memory I have from Pushkar Camel Fair.

~

2008-10-29T14:14:00.000Z

MANALI

After 6 months of Gurgaon, I decided that I needed a break from the dust, the traffic, the stress of the unplanned and unorganized city... Rui, Ashwin and I went to Manali for 4 days to enjoy the cold and the calm of the mountains.

Have a look and relax!

On the way to Manali... Rui and Ashwin posing for the pic!

Having a ginger lemon tea with honey in old Manali

Walking up the mountain... Rui and Ash

A wonderful view of the mountains after 16km of treking

Some views of Manali and its inhabitants...

2008-10-10T12:07:00.001+01:00

TRAVELLING....

Hi everyone! Thank you for all your e-mails! No worries I am fine and alive! By the way, sorry for not beeing active with this blog but I have a good reason... I have been travelling around a little bit more, which explains why I have not been writting that much.

Now I am back again to share all my adventures with you!

GWALIOR - ग्वालियर

Gwalior is 4 hours South from Delhi. I went there a couple of weeks back with my friend Stephanie. We had quite a lot of adventures there and on the way back home... cycling at night with no light at all, fighting against strange and huge Indian insects, arguing with autorickshaws, bus drivers and train managers... and trying not to kill each other simultaneously! It was a tiring week-end but worth it, for sure!

ME

JAIN STATUES

GWALIOR FORT

HOLLY COW

KHAJURAHO - खजुराहो

After Gwalior , Stephanie and I went to Khajuraho where we went to see the famous temples with all those sexy statues... Have a look! Crazy Indians!!!

Be careful while trying at home!

2008-09-21T12:05:00.000+01:00

PARTY TIME!!!

Last week was time to party at work! All the employees of the department were invited to have dinner and dance on Indian music!
It was fun to see colleagues and supervisors in a relaxed context, moving their asses and having fun!

Here are some pics!!!

2008-09-19T05:50:00.002+01:00

Bollywood Music

Check this out and have fun!

2008-09-12T08:14:00.000+01:00

MY WORK...

People often wonder what kind of amazing job I was offered that made me move to India. It is not amazing but it is not bad! So let me explain: I am the Quality Coach for French and Portuguese. So I coach a team of 14 French analysts and a team of (for now) only 1 Portuguese analyst (me...lolol), in the Market Research department of Evalueserve.

From Monday to Friday my days are all the same. I wake up at 10am, go to Cyber Park, Tower B, 3rd Floor around 11:30am.

Before going for coffee at Costa or Barista, I say Good morning to my colleagues from the Quality team:

From left to right: Fabian (German), Ruchi, Divya, Noreen, Paraj, ME, Kommi and Anuj.

After the coffee, I walk around the department to say "Good Morning" to my French analysts and see how they are doind. Here are some people from the French team that I coach:

(Aurélien was the previous French Quality Coach)

After mentoring, monitoring, translating, doing the quality check of translations and questionnaires, filling quality feedback forms during 10 hours, I finally go back home and enjoy my Zebra sofa:

Yes, this is my living room! It was a shock for me too. But, actually, this zebra sofa is very comfortable!!!

2008-09-11T15:58:00.000+01:00

SoMe PiCtUrEs...

2008-09-09T17:29:00.002+01:00

BACK!!!

After receiving e-mails and messages from so many people wondering if I am alive, I finally decided that it was time for me to come back. Sorry it took so long but I have been busy settling in, working 10 hours per day, getting used to "Indian time", "Indian food", "Indian bureaucracy", "Indian people", "Indian taxis", "Indian rickshaws"... let´s say that I have been busy getting used to India. And believe me this country is a challenge!

"The mystic vision of elephants, tigers, and the Taj Mahal" was replaced by trips to the hospital, stomach problems, strong diarrheas and so on. India, either you love or hate it! I am still trying to figure out in which category I am.

In 4(almost 5) months that I have been living here, my level of motivation has been going up and down many times. I know I am painting a dark picture of my experience. However, I cannot complain about it either... Do not feel sorry for me! I go to fancy restaurants, well-known discos, expensive shops... I do things and go to places I could never afford back home.

Though I still think it is hard because to be in India you need to be patient, very patient! Nothing is easy and everything takes time. I guess it is part of its charm! May be it is why they call it "Incredible India". But the hardest is that I am far away from those I love! I miss my friends, my family, i.e., that place I call "home" because even if they say India is "Incredible", I do not think I will ever call it home...

Still, I don't regret my choice because I am experiencing the other India that I would never know if I were only traveling. Plus, I may not agree with the "Incredible India" branding though, it is true that I met here some incredible people!

Nat@India!

2008-08-10T17:37:00.000+01:00

Uma pessoa especial...

2008-05-08T09:08:00.002+01:00

A VAIDADE INDIANA!

É incrível o quanto estas mulheres são vaidosas! Os cabelos compridos até aos rins, pretos e sedosos (pelo menos parece ao longe... por vezes esta ideia é que está longe da realidade)... de 5 em 5 minutos ajeitam a sua Kurta e verificam que as suas calças fazem o folgo correcto. Sempre armadas do seu espelhinho para verificar que têm suficiente lápias preto nos olhos. Vota e meia, sacam um pente da mala e enquanto estão na conversa ao telefone dão um penteadela. Depois voltam a pôr batôn vermelho escuro. Depois vão à casa de banho para verificar o seu aspecto global e ajeitar o mínimo defeito. E este ritual acontece várias vezes por dia.

De manhã, quando chego ao trabalho, são 11h30. Chego ao mesmo tempo que imensas mulheres do meu departamento. E se tenho a má ideia de ir à casa de banho a essa hora... são horas na fila... atenção, estou a falar na fila para lavar as mãos! Sim... porque estão sempre dezenas de mulheres em frente ao espelho a ajeitar a maquilhagem, o cabelo ou a roupa. Estão umas em cima das outras... e claro aproveitam para tirar o raio-X às outras mulheres e a perguntar onde comprou a sua kurta porque é muito gira, mesmo que seja mentira!

Incridible India!!!

2008-05-06T12:33:00.003+01:00

PRIMEIRAS DORES DE ESTÔMAGO!

Eu bem estava a estranhar não ter ficado doente desde que cá estou! Tava a tardar! Mas, pronto, é oficial! Primeiras dores de estômago!

Tou a pensar em festejá-las… claro, só depois destas passarem! Sim, porque afinal acho que sou uma das únicas a ter aguentado tant tempo sem problemas! Hoje, é canja.. . galinha

Incridible India!

2008-04-28T19:25:00.003+01:00

JANTAR PORTUGUÊS!

Como qualquer tuga que vai viver para fora, há duas coisas que não falham na minha mala: bacalhau e vinho! E esta vez não foi excepção à regra! O bacalhauzinho e o vinho verde não faltaram! Ah... a minha garrafinha de Gazela, que bem que me soube! E sempre dá para matar as saudades que teimam em aparecer!

Ontém, Domingo, cozinhei um bacalhauzinho com natas (à "Indiana", dado que foi cozinhado com os meios locais e meio à desenrrasca) e para escorregar melhor... o meu vinho Gazela de que tanto gosto! Foi em casa do Rui, o meu "buddy" que partilhámos o belo jantar. Ele partilhou também o Porta da Ravessas que lhe tinha oferecido. Aiiii! Maravilha!

Creio que os outros convidados também gostaram dado que não se calavam com os elogios... bem, também sei que depois de tantos meses a comer indiano... qualquer coisa lhes parece divinal! LOL! foi muito agradável! A companhia também! Estavam lá o Brook -etiopiano-, a Laetita -francesa-, o Varun -indiano-, a Caterine -alemã- e o tuga Rui.

2008-04-21T20:11:00.003+01:00

1º Dia de Trabalho

6h45, toca a acordar para estar pronta às 7h30, hora à qual o táxi da empresa me viria buscar. Ainda pensei que 6h45 dava mais do que tempo para estar pronta mas de facto, tudo aqui demora mais tempo! «Welcome to India» Entre rezar para que não falte a luz e encontrar as coisas todas de que precisava... quase não conseguia estar pronta!

Mas vá, 7h45 lá chego eu à empresa com a Elizabeth, a americana que também começou esta semana a trabalhar na empresa. Elevador, 2º andar, assinar o livro de presenças, aguardar pela pass "visitor" para pôr ao pescoço tipo escolinha primária.... e lá vamos nós com olhos bem abertos apesar do cansaço ainda visível nas nossas caras.

A primeira semana é sempre de "introdução", ou seja, não vamos para o nosso local de trabalho. Todos os novos colaboradores, quer os estrangeiros, quer os indianos, passam os 4 primeiros dias enfiados numa sala de conferência a ouvir os responsáveis falar sobre a empresa e as várias àreas de negócio. Depois passa-se à fase das assinaturas. E aí sim, aprendi a detestar o facto de ter 2 nomes e 2 apelidos! Isto porque tive de assinar cerca de 50 diferentes folhas.. não estou a exagerar! Nunca pensei que houvesse TANTA burocracia! Já sabia que era muiitas mas Tannnnntoooo!!!Credo!!! Em fim, já com a mão a doer, é hora de almoço... 13h45!!! Obviamente já se ouviam as barrigas das 35 pessoas a dar horas tipo orquestra sinfónica!!!

Rumo à cantina com outros estrangeiros que entretanto nos salvaram das filas de espera! Comida indiana... muitas especiarias!!! Ai!!! Não sei se me vou habituar! LoL! E depois de uma pausa para café com os outros estrangeiros... lá vou eu outra vez para a sala de conferência para ouvr durante mais umas horas falar sobre a empresa e os seus diferentes departamentos! Aiiiiiiii!

Finalmente, chega a hora de ir embora! 18h! Boa!!!! E agora? Como é que se volta para casa??? Toca a correr os prédios todos à procura do raio dos táxis que nos levariam de volta a casa... quase impossível! Depois de 30 minutos, quase deseperadas e já muito "incomodadas" com a brincadeira... finalmente conseguimos convencer alguém a levar-nos ao sítio certo! Coitado do empregado, deve ter tido medo das nossas caras enrraivecidas! Lol!!

Foi um primeiro dia agradável sem stresses! Vamos ver como vai correr o resto da semana! :)

2008-04-20T11:29:00.003+01:00

A nova aventura já começou!

Dia 18 foi um dia, sem dúvida, muito marcante! Além de ter feito anos, foi o início da minha aventura @India! Foram ums quantas horas de avião, sublinhe-se que tive a incrível e maravilhosa "sorte" de me sentar ao lado do único gajo que cheirava mal dos pés e que obivamente sismou em descalçar-se!

Foram umas quantas horas de avião a refletir sobre o que estava a acontecer, a questionar-me sobre o que iria acontecer e a virar a página sobre o que aconteceu até agora para, assim, começar melhor esta nova aventura.

O Rui, o tuga que trabalha na empresa, foi me buscar ao aeroporto! Nem me lembrava o quanto podia ser agradável ter alguém que compreenda a nossa língua, mas que não seja para ajudar a dizer palavrões! Uma ajuda, sem dúvida, insubstituível! Ainda tenho de lhe agradecer!

Apesar de não ter dormido nada no avião (o cheiro a "bromidrose" - nome científico o chulé- é mais eficaz que cafeína) fui passear um bocadinho. O Rui aproveitou para me mostrar os sítios estratégicos. Mais tarde fui então conhecer os meus colegas de casa. O Rouven, alemão, e a Catherine, irlandesa. Até agora só tenho coisas positivas a apontar aos moços! Até já tenho pena que se vão embora! O contrao deles acaba em breve. Ou seja, não tarda nada já não tenho companheiros de casa.

Depois à noite, fomos jantar a um restaurante xpto no último andar de um shopping (sim porque aqui os shoppings são tipo cogomelos). E depois do jantar, apesar de já ouvir ao longe a minha caminha a chamar por mim, acabei por ir sair com os meus colegas de casa e outros IA ("international Analysts" - é assim que se fala deles/de nós cá). E eu que pensava que iria viver enclausurada tipo freira!!!!!! Ahhhh! Graças a deus, estava bem enganada!!!!

Fomos a club, não me lembro do nome... Fiquei espantada por várias razões:
- Os clubs são todos em hotéis 5 estrelas.
- A entrada é super cara, tendo em conta o país onde estamos. Não pensava pagar tanto: 18 euros.
- As jovens indianas são um tanto ou quanto... quase diria oferecidas. Mini saia ou mini vestido bem apertado, nem que fique mal... desde que seja curto! Saltos bem altos, nem que não se saiba caminhar ou que se caia à saída... desde que seja só à saída... o alcool desfarça a coisa!

Saimos do club já era de dia, fartei-me de dançar e hoje foi dormir até tarde, comer e deitar-me outra vez! Tenho os pés que nem posso! E as costas ainda se estão a habituar aos colchões daqui que não são nem molezinhos nem têm mais de 10 centímetros de espessura!

Mas de resto, uma primeira impressão bastante mais positiva do que estava à espera!
Segunda-feira, é dia de trabalho e é logo às 8h! A primeira semana não vai ser de trabalho mas sim de integração! Vamos lá ver como corre!

2008-04-18T11:19:00.000+01:00

"Já ninguém faz 24 aninhos!!!"

Ninguém? Mas EU SIiiiiim!!!! Obrigada a todos os todos os amiguinhos e amiguinhas que se lembraram de mim! Adorei todos os telefonemas,sms, mms e mails!

2008-04-03T10:18:00.001+01:00

Máxima Outubro 2007 vs Happy Woman Dezembro 2007

Então, não é que ao despedir-me da Happy Woman Dezembro 2007, um dos seus temas de capa me pareceu familiar?! Página 60: “O lado bom do divórcio”. E lembrei-me então da minha Máxima Outubro 2007, página 136: “O lado bom do divórcio”. O mesmo título, sem tirar nem pôr! Depois de reparar nesta “coincidência” se é que se pode falar assim… fui ler outra vez os artigos para compará-los melhor!

O primeiro artigo, escrito por Cristina Azedo para a Máxima começa com a seguinte pergunta: «Está outra vez sozinha? Nada de tristezas». Já o segundo artigo, escrito por Natalina de Almeida na Happy Woman começa assim: «Está outra vez sozinha? Sorria». Upppsss! É muito parecido, não é? Que coincidência!!! Mas isto é apenas o início de muitas outras… coincidências!

O início do artigo da Máximo começa da seguinte forma: «Quando o marido lhe disse que queria a separação, Manuela F. achou que o seu mundo ia desabar. “Não estava preparada para a palavra divórcio. Foi um choque tão grande que andei quase um ano num limbo”». O artigo da Happy Woman reza assim: «Quando o marido lhe disse que queria o divórcio, Francisca F. sentiu a vida desabar. “Não estava preparada para essa realidade. Foi um choque tão grande que fiquei a viver numa espécie de limbo durante meses”».
Eh páh! Mais que uma coincidência, parece a técnica dos sinónimos. Era o truque que eu usava nos meus trabalhos para a escola quando não queria/podia copiar o texto dos livros tal qual… então substituía algumas palavras por sinónimos! E pensava que era a maior, que a professora nunca iria perceber!

A Manuela F. da Máxima tem de facto muito a ver com a Francisca F da Happy Woman, na volta são amigas! Ambas dizem: «Acordei para a vida, aprendi a olhar mais para mim e a descobrir potencialidades» e ambas afirmam que o divórcio ou separação foi das «melhores coisas que (…) aconteceram». Woooow! Na volta são a reincarnação uma da outra! Incrível, não?!

Ambos os artigos corroboram as suas personagens com citações de especialistas sobre o assunto. O estranho é ambos usarem exactamente a mesma passagem, do mesmo livro, do mesmo psicólogo: Francesco Alberoni! Mais uma… coincidência?

As duas personagens da Máxima: a Manuela F e a Clara S. parecem dividir as suas características pelas 5 (e não 6 como diz no artigo) personagens da Happy Woman. E a verdade é que imensas frases são quase iguais nas duas revistas! Acreditem! Não faltam exemplos! Ambas falam na importância do “Pensamento positivo”, falam em “Como ultrapassar esta fase” e dão exemplos do “que fazer sozinha”: “Evoluir”, “Viajar”, “Exercício”, “Relaxar”, “Descobrir”.

Bem isto já me faz lembrar aquela célebre frase “Não há coincidências!”.

2008-04-02T10:15:00.000+01:00

Análise a revistas femininas 2

Quem conhece a minha casa de banho sabe que eu adoro revistas femininas porque são para mim uma fonte de reflexão (em momentos, como devem calcular… bastante…intensos?!) sobre este género tão complicado que a nem a si próprio se compreende. De vez em quando, quando as revistas já são demasiadas e a minha casa de banho mais parece uma biblioteca do que uma casa de banho… vejo-me obrigada a pôr algumas revistas para o lixo. Este momento tão difícil mas tão necessário (dado que tenho uma casa de banho pequena) é muito doloroso. Assim, quando chega a hora do adeus sou incapaz de me despedir sem antes folhear todas outra vez. De vez em quando até tenho uma lágrima no canto do olho a fazer cócegas mas o que tem de ser… tem de ser!

Da última vez que falei sobre estas maravilhosas revistas, apontei o quão magnífico era uma mesma revista apregoar em dois meses consecutivos ora a independência da mulheres em relação aos homens, ora explicar todas as técnicas para encontrar um homem nem que no final pareçam desesperadas. Bem a verdade é que nós, mulheres, somos um pouco assim… mudamos de vontade ao sabor do vento, sem razão e de repente… só porque sim ou porque não ou porque apetece. Num dia não queremos homens nem precisamos deles para nada e sentimo-nos super realizadas assim… sozinhas. No outro dia ligamos à nossa melhor amiga e andamos a chorar pelos cantos porque nos sentimos sozinhas e precisamos de carinhos e carícias. É! Que bichos estranhos nós somos!

Durante a minha última sessão de adeus… reparei que afinal estas revistas tinham outra característica em comum com o sexo feminino: a inveja! Sim, com certeza não chocará nem surpreenderá ninguém. É aliás do senso comum que nós mulheres temos aquele problema do “a galinha da vizinha é sempre melhor que a minha” e, por isso, copiamos e imitamos até exaustão as nossas “amigas”.

No meu próximo post, irei dar um exemplo!

2008-04-01T13:58:00.000+01:00

DUAS AMIGAS A FALAREM EM BEBEDEIRA...

Tenho imensaaaaassss coisas para fazer mas como não me aptece! E tipicamente, quando isso acontece... faço outras coisas completamente desnecessárias, numa de "faz de conta" que faço muita coisa... como por exemplo fazer listas de música no meu portátil e arrumar "os meus documentos".

Hoje, encontrei por acaso uma pasta com ideias de posts para o meu blog! E dentro dessa pasta.. SURPRESA... tinha gravado uma conversa de msn com uma amiga!!! Bons tempos...

Duas gajas a falar de bebedeira... dá nisto! (Esta conversa é real mas para segurança da outra protagonista, usei um nome falso!)

Um belo dia no msn:

«Natércia santos diz:
Temos que combinar uma grossa juntas
XXXXX diz:
sim sim
Natércia santos diz:
lolol
XXXXX diz:
mas até à morte
Natércia santos diz:
até à morte
Natércia santos diz:
yeahhhhhhh
Natércia santos diz:
lolololol
XXXXX diz:
a última a morrer ressuscita a outra
Natércia santos diz:
loooooooooooooooooll
XXXXX diz:
com um algodão embebido em Gold strike
Natércia santos diz:
óbvio
Natércia santos diz:
ou de absinto
XXXXX diz:
e depois vice-versa
Natércia santos diz:
looolllll
XXXXX diz:
a ressuscitada ressuscita a morta2»

Lindo! Infelizmente, nunca chegámos a ressuscitar uma à outra! Fica para quando voltar da Índia! :)

2008-03-31T10:07:00.000+01:00

Um fim-de-semana diferente!

Este fim-de-semana foi super diferente. Combinei com o pessoal do trabalho, aliás… deixem-me corrigir… com os amigos que conheci no meu antigo local de trabalho. Fomos ao Boteko ouvir as vozes mais ou menos afinadas e mais ou menos esganiçadas dos fadistas, e viver umas horas num ambiente bem português e bem peculiar… ao som do fado, desfilavam os copos de vinho branco maduro, os pastéis de bacalhau, as papas de sarrabulho, os caldos verdes, as francesinhas, os pregos no pão… Em fim, todos os ingredientes para ajudar a afinar os nossos ouvidos e sensibilizá-los aos poemas do Pensador! Tivemos também a companhia de amigos dos amigos que diversificou ainda mais os assuntos de conversa e foi também super agradável conhecê-los.

Depois, rumo ao Piolho, isto apesar do vento frio que rapidamente desagradou as meninas do grupo. Cafés, finos, favaios e um chocolate quente para aquecer. E depois, sim, veio o momento da verdadeira descoberta! Todos juntos, rumo ao Moinho de Vento! Para quem não conhece, uma discoteca gay do Porto. Ainda me lembro das caras dos cavalheiros que nos acompanhavam! Meios pálidos, com olhares desconfiados e com a respiração mais rápida… como se ar estivesse a escassear! Lindo! Para alguns, “ o pesadelo de qualquer homem”, para mim uma experiência super agradável, com aquela música que já não ouvia há imenso tempo (anos 70/80). A meio da noite, um show com 2 transformistas, não confundir com o termo “travesti”, isto para evitar respostas! Também gostei daqueles varões! E os animadores da noite tinham corpos bem interessantes! Ai! O que eu fazia com isso em casa!!! (não perguntem se o “isso” se refere aos varões ou aos animadores). Já há muito tempo que não me divertia assim! Adorei a noite! Adorei a companhia! Ai, vou ter saudades! Será que há moinhos de vento na Índia? Hihihihihi!

2008-03-10T01:33:00.002Z

DE VOLTA...

Caros amigos, caros bloggers... vocês que por aqui passam volta e meia para ler as últimas "blogonews", vocês que me têm enviado sms ou mails a pedir para fazer um up-date deste espaço... mil desculpas por não escrever nada há tanto tempo. Sei que estão todos impacientes para conhecer mais pormenores sobre as minhas aventuras pela Índia. Devem também perguntar o que tenho feito desde que voltei e ainda mais curiosos estarão em relação ao que vou fazer agora, não é?! Prometo honrar todas as minhas promessas de cafés, lanches, jantares, festas e fins-de-semana, o quanto antes.

Pois bem, a Índia foi de facto um país que bateu forte. Ainda ouço o eco da cacofonia daquelas ruas, ruelas e becos negros de gente. Creio que "formigueiro" poderia ser um bom sinónimo para aquele país, não fosse ele tão desorganizado! Burocracia, falta de higinene, sujidade, macacos, vacas, ratos e porcos no meio das ruas em terra batida, de onde, de repente se erguem shoppings`ao estilo europeu... foram algumas coisas que lá encontrei! É preciso ter algum "estômago" para enfrentar as centenas de pedintes que vêm suplicar por uma moeda! Não é um país para passar umas férias relaxadas à sombra da bananeira. E também não tem todo aquele romantismo "tajmahalesco" que se vê nas revistas e reportagens televisivas. No entanto, vale a pena.

Depois de ter ido uma primeira vez constatar com os meus próprios olhos a verdade daquele país (e claro, não vi, com certeza, o mais chocante), é com muita racionalidade que tive de pensar na proposta de emprego que me foi oferecida. Uma ponderação racional e responsável cuja decisão final nunca é final. Se um dia penso "Vou. É isto..." , no outro, tenho um ataque de preguiça e comodismo que me levam a pensar "Hum.. se calhar, tenho de pensar melhor". É uma decisão algo difícil que poderá ter consequências relativamente profundas na minha vida futura.
Depois de muita ponderação, decidi aceitar oficialmente a proposta de emprego e ando agora a tratar das centenas de papéis de que necessito para tudo e mais alguma coisa. Embora, como já disse a dezenas de pessoas, continua com um tal "pressentimento" que me leva a crer que à última da hora algo vai correr mal... não sei.

Entretanto, desde que decidi sair do meu emprego anterior, tenho tido imenso tempo para finalmente fazer várias coisas que já não podia fazer há imenso tempo, como por exemplo, perder-me horas e horas numa livraria, ver 3 ou 4 episódios seguidos das minhas séries preferidas, acordar às 11h da manhã se me apetecer, ir a concertos de jazz a meio da semana sem ter de correr de volta para casa por no dia seguinte ter de acordar cedo, ir tomar um café depois de almoço à beira mar e ler um livro, aguentando os raios de sol na cara. Há coisas fantásticas, não há?!

E o mais engraçado, é que já não odeio a 2ªfeira! :)

2008-02-23T00:30:00.007Z

ÍNDIA 2008

Estou de volta a Portugal depois de uma intensa viagem de 3 semanas pela India. Uma viagem no mínimo instrutiva e interessante, por vezes chocante... uma viagem que vale a pena ser feita, uma experiência que vale a pena ser vivida... não existem palavras que possam transmitir a dimensão do que lá vi... uma lição sobre o que é realmente importante, uma lição sobre o que é luxo e pobreza...

Em breve, estarei de volta à India e prometo ter o diário em dia! Até lá... duas fotografias da "Veneza Indiana"... Kochin no estado de Kerala... onde 99,99% da população é "letrada" embora por litracia se entenda "saber escrever o nome"!

A lição que tiro desta viagem: "Na Índia, TUDO é possível!"

2008-01-14T15:23:00.000Z

A febre dos passatempos II

É o que eu digo, nem preciso de participar para ganhar entradas à borla!!! LOL! Desta vez, a minha amiga Gi jogou por ela e pelo seu namorado num passatempo para o Auditório de Espinho e ambos ganharam! E eu, fui convidada! Embora reticente no início, acabei por gostar bastante do espectáculo de dança! Eles faziam ums movimentos muito engraçados com os pés que me lembraram a minha infância! Vale ir ver aqueles meninos de corpos delgados, com uma flexibilidade incrível! Aconselho!

2008-01-07T13:32:00.000Z

37 ANOS!!!

Os meus pais fazem hoje 37 anos de casados! Incrível, não é?! 37!!! Uma vida inteira juntos e ainda não se fartaram. Não sei qual é o segredo deles mas gostava de saber!

É um casal de antigamente, como antigamente! Foram mudando juntos, construindo e ambicionando as mesmas coisas, os mesmo objectivos. Também foram educados "à antiga" em que o divórcio não era opção, embora eles achem perfeitamente normal isso acontecer.

A verdade é que têm muita coisa em comum: são os dois rabujentos, peritos em remédios da avó, participam regularmente aos concursos "Quem se queixa mais, ganha!", adoram a vida simples e pacata que levam e conhecem de cor e salteado os mesmos provérbios que até já adaptaram aos seus casos particulares! Em fim... o que interessa é que se dão bem e que os adoro!

E enquanto tiver paciência (que remédio), serei o árbitro e juíz desta relação tão duradoura e forte! Aiii!

Mã&Pá, muiiiitos parabéns! Força! :)

2008-01-05T01:54:00.000Z

PORTUGAL REVISITED II

Quando vejo lugares destes, o meu primeiro pensamento é: «Sim! De facto, estou em Portugal!!!» Onde houver vinho, chouriça e Super Bock... o tuga sente se em casa!!! :) Sem esquecer o simpático senhor que do outro lado do balcão, pergunta: «E então, o que é que vai ser para estas caras lindas?!»

2008-01-02T23:35:00.000Z

VIVA O BOTEKO!!!

Esta tasca do Porto que todos os sábados, das 18h30 às 21h30, dá vida à tradição do fado merece mais uma vez destaque no meu blog.

É verdade! Sou fã incondicional da Dona Conceição e do Sr. Amaral que com muita paciência atendem a enchente de jovens e de menos jovens, deliciano-os com aquele magnífico caldo verde e suculentos bolinhos de bacalhau! Hummmmm!

Não posso esquecer de falar no Sr. Filipe que poeticamente apresenta os artistas e muito "timidamente" manda calar a audiência por"que se vai cantar o fado". E ele ouve também, no final das suas representações, uns aplausos merecidos e os "Ah! Fadiiiista!!!" do público. Devo ainda referir que embora o seu talento seja muito.. não haja dúvida que quando se trata de poesia, os aplausos vão todos para "O Pensador" e para os seus poemas sobre "As 3 panelas" que aterrorizaria qualquer criancinha em noite de trovoada (e mesmo sem trovoada... LOL)

Outra coisa que merece destaque nesta tasca é a colecção impressionane de objectos bizarros e cómicos que lá se encontram. Resolvi durante a minha última visita recolher algumas imagens...

2007-12-22T03:00:00.001Z

A Febre dos Passatempos!

No meu local de trabalho, a minha cara amiga G. lançou uma verdadeira moda dos passatempos! Só ela! Lol! Assim, cada vez que há um passatempo novo, a G. faz o favor de propagar a boa nova! Não, ela não é egoísta! Não precisa de ser porque ganha sempre! Tem sorte! É daquelas pessoas nascidas com o "cú virado para a lua" como eu custumo dizer! Mas ela é uma "habituée" e já reage com muita naturalidade quando ganha. O mais giro é mesmo ver a euforia de quem ganha pela primeira vez ou de quem ganha poucas vezes. Meu deus, só faltam os foguetes! Foi o que aconteceu com este passatempo com este passatempo para o "Viva a revista!" no Batalha. Além da G., outra colega nossa ganhou um bilhete duplo! WowowoWOOowww! Quase que se auto-ejectava da sua cadeira com tantos pulos de alegria. O mais absurdo foi que a menina já tinha compromissos para essa noite! Depois de tanta festa, confetis e foguetes... ela acabou por me dar os bilhetes a mim! Lol! E isso sim, é o que eu chamo um bom negócio!

Teria sido ainda melhor se, de facto, a revista tivesse valido a pena! Pelo menos eu não achei piada nenhuma ao espectáculo em si! Mas foi de surreal, sem dúvida! A gi, o Ricardinho, o Nuno e eu estávamos colados aos sofás, com ar meio incrédulo ao ouvir os risos orgásmicos da plateia (quando as piadas não tinham piada nenhuma)! Pior que a TVI em directo... uma realidade paralela! Mas daquelas foleiras e parolas!
Não se sei o mais engraçado foi o facto de termos gozado com o espectáculo o tempo todo (tanto que as pessoas ao nosso lado quase nos comiam vivos) ou se foi a nossa cara de algria quando as cortinas se fecharam, seguidas de caras de decepção quando anunciaram o InTeRvAlO! Obviamente, fujimos e fomos beber sangria!

2007-12-16T16:28:00.000Z

ANO NOVO, VIDA NOVA...
NEW YEAR, NEW LIFE...

Pois é! Todos os anos é a mesma coisa... decido fazer uma lista de "Boas Resoluções" a cumprir para o novo ano! E no final de cada ano, apercebo-me que não cumpri quase nenhuma! Pois é mas este ano vai ser diferente... Juro! Este ano não vou fazer nenhuma lista de resoluções! Nem uma!

Every year it's the same... I always try to make a list of "Good resolutions" for the coming year! But at the end of each year I realize that basically, I haven't done any! But this year it is going to be different! I sware! I am NOT going to make a list! Not at all!

Espero que os meus sonhos se realizem ou, melhor, que consiga concretizar os meus objectivos! Um dele, sei, de antemão que se vai realizar...

I just hope that my dreams will come true or else that I will be able to achieve my goals... There is one of my dreams and goals that I can tell will soon come true!

Pois é, amiguinhos e amiguinhas... Venho oficialmente anunciar que a partir de 20 de Janeiro 2008, estarei aqui:
Well, dear little friends... I am officially informing you that on January, 20th I will be flying to:

Em 2008, rumo à Índia! :) Em breve, mais novidades...
In 2008, I will be in India! Soon, more informations...

2007-12-15T16:28:00.000Z

À caça de presentes de Natal

Eu sou um atrasada em tudo... e no que diz respeito às prendas de natal, é ainda pior! Sou do género a comprar as prendas no dia 24 ou, no pior dos casos, apenas no dia 26. Isto deve-se ao facto de para além de não gostar de Natal, não ter mesmo paciência nenhuma para andar nos centros comerciais cheios de consumistas incontrolados/incontroláveis, de crianças aos berros, de pais a correr atrás dos filhinhos pequeninos e dos avós a empurrar os carrinhos de bébés... Por outro lado, acho completamente ridículos aqueles «gangs de teenagers "made in" centros comerciais» cuja virilidade passa pela ocupação do máximo de bancos à frente das suas lojas prediletas: «Bershka vs Pull&Bear», «McDonalds vs KFC»...

Mas este ano, dado que os meus sobrinhos vêm cá passar o Natal... vai ter de ser diferente, sobretudo, porque o meu pequenino de 5 anos ainda acredita no Pai Natal. (Só espero que não me calhe a mim vestir a farda do velhote de vermelho!) Assim sendo, resolvi tentar comprar as prendas todas com alguma antecedência e, por isso, sábado à tarde (depois do meu tradicional cafezinho no relax, à beira mar) rumo ao Norte Shopping! Uma só palavra resume esta verdadeira aventura: SOCORRO!!! Não demorei mais de 2 horas naquele centro comercial e provavelmente menos de metade do tempo é que foi passado dentro de lojas, sendo que o resto terá sido o tempo que demorei a circular no edifício.

Acabei por comprar pouca coisa (leia-se quase nada) mas houve uma loja onde me diverti imenso: a FNAC! À procura de um livro para a minha mãe, "descobri" ou "observei" um fenómeno muito engraçado.

Na parte de baixo das prateleiras com livros relacionados com "saúde das mulheres", estavam os livros sobre sexualidade. Ora, foi muito engraçado observar os homens que, interessados pelo assunto, mal ousavam aproximar-se... mas tinham os olhos quase a sair das órbitas para conseguir ler os tírulos (e alguns muito sugestivos). Aquele vai e vem mais pareceia uma dança ou um ritual para se desculpar do pecado que iam cometer! Eu, simplesmente agarrei num livro que me pareceu interessante e comecei a vê-lo descançada até ter a sensação de estar a ser observada... quando levantei os olhos estava um homem mais alto que eu do meu lado esquerdo a tentar "muito disfarçadamente" ver as imagens eróticas do livro e do meu lado direito estava uma jovem teenager a olhar para mim e para a capa do livro com olhos muito abertos que, quando eu olhei para ela, ficou super vermelha e foi embora...

Acabei por não comprar nada para a minha mãe e comprar o livro para mim...

Quando é que as pessoas hão de perceber que tabus, não levam a lado nenhum?

2007-12-14T12:01:00.000Z

O que não consigo dizer-te, vou escrevê-lo...

Amigo, admiro a tua coragem, a tua força e a tua vontade de viver! Parabéns por lutares sem nunca desistir! Contra tudo e todos, tu nunca deixaste de procurar e procurar! E ainda bem porque hoje estás aqui conosco! Alegria! Esta experiência é dura, demasiado dura! Mas tenho fé e acredito em Ti! Sei que vais lutar sempre mais, dando o valor devido à vida e tornando-te ainda mais Tu! Acredito que este obstáculo tornou-te uma pessoa ainda mais forte e mais cheia de esperança, de garra e de alegria de viver! Ontém vi nos teus olhos uma luz e um brilho... meu deus... indescriptíveis! Vi força! Vi Homem, com H grande!

Amigo, admiro-te profundamente e fico feliz e orgulhosa de ter a sorte de te conhecer... e agradeço a quem de direito ter tido a sorte de te abraçar uma vez mais e aliás... de ter a sorte de poder ainda abraçar-te muitas vezes!

Para além da minha admiração, tens o meu "Amorizade"!

És grande!

2007-12-12T14:00:00.000Z

Ainda bem que há momentos assim...

Ainda bem que há momentos assim na vida de quem trabalha! Os colegas que se tornam amigos... são, sem dúvida, o que nos torna a vida profissional mais agradável. Jantar de Natal 2007:

2007-12-09T16:28:00.000Z

PORTUGAL REVISITED

Este fim-de-semana foi algo extraordinário! Vi um Portugal diferente... aquele Portugal que não conhecia mas que me faz gostar cada vez mais deste pequeno país tão isolado e que me fazem detestar a globalização!

À tarde, rumo ao Porto... a uma tasca ao lado da Reitoria para ouvir fados cantados por senhores e senhoras de voz rouca! Simplesmente fabuloso, único, incrível! Não há palavras que descrevam o que vi e ouvi! Ao som do fado, estava eu a comer um Caldo Verde bem português que parecia sair das panelas da avózinha e uns bolinhos de bacalhau suculentos... Gisela, obrigada por partilhar comigo o teu cantinho e aquele vinho branco maduro! Obrigada também ao Paulinho, à Sara e ao Ricardinho... Estava de facto em óptima companhia!

A noite, mais uma aventura... Ainda zonza com o vinho, cheguei a casa e a Magali à minha espera... Desta vez, rumo a Viseu para mais uma aventura e mais uma agradável surpresa! Boquinhas (desculpem caso não se escreva assim...) O ponto de encontro de várias gerações, no tascozinho mais pequeno que alguma vez vi mas também muito acolhedor! Obrigada Luís! Obrigada Magali!

Em breve, espero poder colocar aqui os vídeos fantásticos que tenho!

2007-12-01T11:55:00.000Z

SEM TÍTULO... porque não precisa de título!

“Esta coisa de gostar de alguém não é para todos e, por vezes – em mais casos do que se possa imaginar – existem pessoas que pura e simplesmente não conseguem gostar de ninguém. Esperem lá, não é que não queiram – querem! – mas quando gostam – e podem gostar muito – há sempre qualquer coisa que os impede. (...).

...por vezes, o simples facto de gostarmos de alguém pode provocar-nos uma alergia... E nós, sabendo-o, mandamos para trás quando estávamos mortinhos por ir em frente. Não vamos. E muitas das vezes, sabendo deste nosso problema, escolhemos para nós aquilo que sabemos que, invariavelmente, iremos recusar. Daí existirem aquelas pessoas que insistem em afirmar que só se apaixonam pelas pessoas erradas. Mentira. Pensar dessa forma é que é errado, porque o certo é perceber que se nós escolhemos aquela pessoa foi porque já sabíamos que não íamos a lado nenhum e que – aqui entre nós – é até um alívio não dar em nada porque ia ser uma chatice e estava-se mesmo a ver que ia dar nisto. E deu.(...)

Excerto de um texto do Capitão Fernando Alvim

2007-11-26T14:55:00.001Z

Minha linda Torreira...

Como diz a música... "quando partir... vou ter saudades!!!"

2007-11-26T14:55:00.000Z

I have a dream...

No outro dia, estava a falar com um tipo sobre viagens e experiências no estrangeiro. Mais especificmente, falámos dos países nos quais estivemos e quem me conhece também conhece os meus gostos um bocado "exóticos" que, por vezes, chocam um bocadinho. Falei que gostava muito de visitar países asiáticos e do médio-oriente, tendo dado alguns exemplos. A sua reacção já aí não foi muito positiva porque falei em «países demasiado pobres e difíceis». Suponho que o tipo dorme em almofadas de veludo e tem nojo do algodão...

Quando referi que tinha vivido algum tempo na Turquia... meu deus do céu! O tipo saiu-se com a pior frase que alguma vez tinha ouvido! Disse-me no decorrer da conversa a seguinte frase: «A Turquia é o lixo da Europa».

Fiquei de tal forma chocada que parecia ter levado com um martelo na cabeça. Não queria acreditar no que o tipo tinha dito. LIXO??? O QUÊ??? Não posso crer! Quem era ele para dizer que algém ou que algum povo é lixo?!

A Turquia é um país que me diz muito mas também sou muitíssimo crítica em relação à sua cultura porque a vivi e a senti na pele. Admito que passei lá momentos difíceis que não teria vivido cá mas nunca foi o meu sonho viver num ninho a vida toda.
Conheço aquele país, o seu povo, as suas qualidade e defeitos. E mesmo assim, ainda haveria tanto para descobrir. Uma coisa eu tenho a certeza NÃO HÁ CULTURA QUE DESCULPE DESRESPEITOS DOS DIREITOS DOS HOMENS! NÃO HÁ SERES SUPERIORES NEM SERES INFERIORES! O OCIDENTE NÃO É MELHOR QUE O ORIENTE. É DIFERENTE! Cada país falha em determinados aspectos... mas uma coisa é certa: TODOS FALHAM! TODOS OS PAÍSES TÊM DEFICIÊNCIAS! Nem Portugal, nem França, nem Inglaterra, nem Alemanha, nem Noruega são perfeitos!

Então, porque é que eles são mais lixo que nós os portugueses ou que os franceses? gostava de saber? Porque o PIB é inferior ao nosso? (lololol) Porque muitos emigraram nos anos 70 para a Alemanha à procura de uma vida melhor, tal como os portugueses partiram em massa para França? Porque são, tal como o próprio referiu, "uns ladrões"? Pois, em Portugal, deve haver poucos, é por isso? Porque há pancada da grossa à saída dos jogos de futebol que opõem as maiores equipas? Aquilo que acontece entre as claques do Porto e do benfica são cócegas, não é?

Eu sei que imensas pessoas pensam da mesma forma. Mas a essas pessoas e a esse tipo em particular, oferecer-lhes-ia um espelho... Isso é RACISMO! RACISMO!!!!!!

Ainda nos dizemos ser um país evoluído? Com este tipo de pensamentos dignos da Idade Média? Ainda nos dizemos ser um país no século XXI? Que somos superiores? Deixem-me rir! Que ninguém me venha com conversa que o mundo não é cor-de-rosa! Por mim o mundo NUNCA terá uma só cor, uma só religião ou uma só raça!

"Viagens" é um tema de conversa de que gosto muito e sobre o qual poderia falar horas a fio. Falar sobre a língua ou as línguas que se falam nesse país, as diferenças culturais, os últimos acontecimentos políticos, as particularidades religiosas. Este tipo de conversas proporciona trocas de conhecimentos, de opiniões e de pontos de vista enriquecedoras. Sobretudo se os interveniente tiverem opiniões diferentes. Obviamente a condição para que o diálogo seja positivo é que ambos sejam pessoas crescidas, com capacidade de argumentação, capacidade para ouvir o outro e flexibilidade para aceitar e respeitar a opinião do outro mesmo não concordando. O que creio ter.

Devo dizer que fiquei abismada pela ignorância do moço e pela imaturidade de uma pessoa de 30 anos. Fiquei chocada com a força das palavras usadas. Fiquei revoltada de tal forma que apenas expressei o meu desacordo e interrompi a conversa porque não queria gastar o meu latim com pessoas daquelas: egocêntricas, herméticas e pior ainda RACISTAS! RACISTAS! RACISTAS!

2007-11-13T11:20:00.000Z

2007-11-08T12:48:00.001Z

2º aniversário da minha secretária!

Há dois anos que estou sentada nesta mesma secretária. DoIs AnOs!!! (Número não oficial mas real)

Ao longo destes dois anos... alguns colegas tornaram-se amigos... aliás... Amigos, com A grande. O teor das conversas foram mudando.. passaram do profissional para o pessoal... ultrapassando as barreiras do politicamente correcto nalguns casos...

Dois anos ao longo dos quais fui adquirindo experiência... ou melhor, experiências, conhecimentos e competências muiiiiito diversificadas!

A nível pessoal... Aprendi que todo o dinheiro é pouco, que o final do mês é duro, que o puto do preço da gasolina passou de 1,22euros em Dezembro 2006 para 1,34 em Novembro 2007. Aprendi o quanto as Segundas-feiras de manhã são duras. Descobri o meu amor pelas 18h das Sextas-feiras e a minha paixão pelas férias e feriados.

A nível profissional... Realizei o quanto o msn, o blogger, o google, o hi5 e o youtube são fantásticos... Aprendi o quanto detesto ver os 20 e-mails do boss logo pela manhã... Aprendi que estar parada no trânsito a aturar os piropos dos camionistas logo às 8h30 da manhã é obra... Descobri que a última coisa que gosto de fazer no meu local de trabalho... é trabalhar (atenção não estou a dizer que não o faço, pelo contrário!!!)

E para festejar esta data tão especial decidi partilhar com os meus fiéis leitores algumas dicas para passar melhor as 8h diárias de trabalho.

Dica 1) Estar na net sem que os outros se apercebam...

Sim é possível! Basta irem a www.workfriendly.net. Todas as vossas páginas net vão parecer uma página do office. Até podem escolher a cor: blue ou silver! lol!

Por exemplo... os leitores fiéis deste blog vão poder ler o meu blog sem problemas agora... vejam o resultado...

Dica 2) Não fazer nada e parecer muito ocupado...

Inspirem-se deste filme...

Dica 3) Divertir-se com os colegas de trabalho

O nosso divertimento preferido até à hora lá no escritório foi inspirado neste filme... foi de rir!!!

Vou ver se falo com o pessoal... gostava muito de tentar alfo do género do filme que segue... lolol!

2007-11-07T13:58:00.004Z

2007-11-07T13:58:00.001Z

PERDI AS MINHAS FOTOGRAFIAS!

Hoje, atacada por uma mania das limpezas súbitas, resolvi limpar do meu computador todos os documentos desnecessários que estavam a arrastar a minha máquina. Este febre estupida levou-me a cometer o maior erro da minha vida: apaguei todas as fotos que tinha cá armazenadas! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Não queria acreditar... Nem os CTRL+Z, nem os "Anular", nem a "reciclagem"... nada safou as minhas fotos!

Senti um vazio tão grande... algumas fotos não terei problemas em recuperar, pedindo aos amigos... mas outras... aquelas que guardava só para mim como se fossem um tesouro... essas que retratavam momentos mágicos, momentos únicos, momentos íntimos, momentos de alegria, pessoas amadas, pessoas que provavelmente nunca volterei a ver... essas foram embora...

"E tudo o vento levou..."

Essas fotografias que me diziam muito e que me traziam inúmeras memórias desapareceram... :(

2007-11-07T13:58:00.000Z

A PROVA!!!

2007-11-06T03:52:00.000Z

Por vezes o fetiço vira-se contra o feiticeiro...

Há uns tempos fui jantar com uma pessoa do sexo masculino com alguma experiência de vida. Fui, sabendo que pouca coisa tínhamos em comum. Mas fui... curiosidade? desafio? Não sei... fui! E foi um jantar, mais um, pelo menos para mim. A conversa não faltava... mas era mais tipo monólogo monótono... Quando não falava de si próprio, isto é, de quão bom era, de quanto o seu trabalho era bem pago, do quanto era bom no quanto fazia, de quanto as mulheres gostavam dele... bem, pensando melhor... não falava de outra coisa! A verdade é que mesmo que tivesse falado eu tinha os ouvidos em modo "OFF" a maior parte do tempo e só voltavam ao modo "ON" para verificar que estava a fazer as expressões faciais correctas. Depois era só ligar o piloto automático e imitá-lo: ora sorrir, ora fazer aquele olhar apavorado, ora aquele olhar simultaneamente compreensivo e triste. Enquanto o monólogo ia de mal para pior, eu só pensava: "Raios partam este gajo! Será que se vomitar para cima dele, ele percebe que me está a enjoar?".

O meu piloto automático avariou quando de repente aquele gajo me começa a falar de prostitutas. Segundo ele, «embora nunca tivesse pago para ter sexo», conhecia muita gente que recorria a estas senhoras. É aquela velha história do "Tenho um amigo que...". Mas isso... ainda é como o outro. O que realmente me revoltou foi a sua resposta quando lhe disse que eu era contra a prostituição: "Acredita que aquelas gajas adoram o que fazem. Elas gostam e só o fazem porque o querem! Então as (não vou dizer a nacionalidade porque acho mesmo ofensivo) são umas doidas". Ora bem... eu fiquei sem palvras... e não foi só pela vasta experiência que o cretino demonstrava!

Continuámos a conversa e cada um defendeu o seu ponto de vista. Fiquei aterrorizada pelo facto de falar com uma pessoa, dita bem formada e "sempre em avanço sobre o seu tempo", do século XXI, a pensar assim! Creio que quando falei de "Tráfico de mulheres" ele devia estar a pensar que era o nome de uma nova prática sexual e não de um desrespeito da integridade humana.

Não consigo conceber que todas as mulheres que se prostituem o façam por gozo, lazer ou prazer. Atenção, não digo isto com desprezo porque todas elas merecem o nosso respeito porque são Pessoas. Acredito que se prostituem apenas pelo dinheiro, claro. Acredito que muitas até tenham decidido, com o seu livre arbítrio, fazê-lo. Mas acredito sobretudo que não tivessem muitas alternativas além dessa.

Esta conversa foi das mais desagradáveis que alguma vez tive. Vejam o vídeo a seguir... ele deve ser desse género.

2007-11-04T23:10:00.000Z

Sex Shops

No sábado o Miguel fez anos. 25! Parabéns!!!

Calhou-me a mim a tarefa “difícil” de ir comprar a prenda: uma boneca insuflável. Aquele tipo de coisas fúteis e “inúteis” (mais ou menos) que só os amigos mais perversos poderiam oferecer!

Bem mas para encontrar A boneca perfeita... foi difícil... entre as “Fat Mamas”, as bonecas despidas, as bonecas infermeiras por despir, as pretas, as bonecas que brilham no escuro, as bonecas com mamas XXL... já para não falar da escolha relativamente a outros produtos... cujo objectivo de utilização me deixou um pouco perplexa.... A minha aventura pelo mundo das sex shops foi, sem dúvida, muito instrutiva! Há mesmo pessoas muito originais! Dá mesmo para perguntar quem é que teve aquelas ideias todas! De qualquer forma parabéns a essas pessoas!

A primeira coisa que me deixou não bem “surpresa” mas que me marcou agradavelmente... é que lá NADA choca! O sexo NÃO é de todo tabu! Não se olha para este ou aquele a ver o que ele vai ou não comprar... os clientes até se aconselham uns aos outros... não há que ter vergonha! Bem pelo contrário! E isso ... foi super agradável!

Depois a outra coisa que, aí sim, me surpreendeu foi a quantidade e a diversidade de estilos, feitios, tamanhos e cores dos vibradores! Duas paredes cheias! Grande, pequenos, brancos, rosas, pretos, roxos, florescentes, com forma de pilinha, de dedo, de outra coisa qualquer... wowow! Incrível!

Aconselho uma voltinha às nossas amigas as Sex Shops! No mínimo interessante sociologicamente! Lol!

2007-11-02T15:25:00.000Z

HALLOWEEN 2007 - CONTROVERSO BAR!

2007-10-24T23:10:00.000+01:00

Fantasias e práticas sexuais

Hoje fui dar uma volta pelas minhas revistas femininas que, todas juntas, são uma verdadeira “enciclopedia da mulher” e reparei na ínfima quantidade de artigos sobe fantasias e práticas sexuais!

- Sexo na net
- Sexo anal
- Sado-masoquismo
- Sexo na cidade
- Sexo com desconhecidos
- Sexo com vários parceiros/ Menage á trois/ Swing
- Sexo com alguém mais velho/experiente
- Sexo homosexual
- Sexo em locais públicos

Os 3 mais repetidos em todas as revistas foram, sem margem de dúvida: Menage à 3/homosexual, sexo em locais públicos, sexo na net.

1) Menage à 3

Que possa salvar um casamento, tenho algumas dúvidas mas, segundo uma ou outra revista, o menage à trois ou o swing podem ajudar a quebrar a rotina. Até encontrei uma revista na qual uma mulher explicava “Como um amante salvou o meu casamento”. Devo aplaudir! Nunca tinha lido a apologia de tal “prática”. Lol! Bem, mas voltando ao assunto principal...Não sei até que ponto, tendo um namorado a sério gostaria de o partilhar com outra menina. Sabendo, ainda por cima, que essa menina atrairia bastante o meu “manel”... não penso ser segura o suficiente para isso... mas dado que não tenho namorado as coisas são diferentes  Sendo eu livre e esempedida... devo admitir que esta ideia de sexo a 3... com 2 homens me seduz bastante! Candidatos?! Lol!

2) Sexo em locais públicos

Nunca fiz sexo em locais públicos.. pelo menos nunca cheguei a vias de facto... mas a adrenalina de estar ali em intimidades... sujeitos a ser descobertos... ui ui ui! O melhor afrodisíaco do mundo! Sem dúvida! E todas as minhas leituras (e amigas) o confirmam! Sim ao sexo em locais públicos! Elevadores de hóteis, provadores de lojas de roupa, na rua, na casa de banho de um restaurante, etc... ui ui ui ui!

3) Sexo na net

Bem devo dizer que este nunca fiz... nem na net, nem ao telefone... mas conheço quem já o tenha feito e tenha gostado... é quase aquilo do sexo com um desconhecido... sem perigos! É-se ousado ao máximo porque afinal... o que está à nossa frente não passa de um monitor! Bem... nisso eu sou bastante tradicional! Não há nada como o contacto físico e partir daí... sim! venham as fantasias! :)