Quick update and thoughts about the future

I promised I would be updating often this blog. However, since I guess there are not many people out there reading it and its main purpose is to keep my written english as fresh as possible while my head correctly structured, I don't give much importance to this discontinuous process. Thus, I might as well just give you a heads up on what has been going on in my live lately, updating it with the highlights up to this moment I am writing, my flatmate in the seat next to me, in a train coming back from Barcelona. Why am I in this train? Well, you will have to wait to the end of the post, since it is chronologically structured and first things come first.

I keep playing basketball in the same team I did last year, some of the band has deserted already, but I stay there, hanging for not long most probably. I am not as excited about it as I was and the motivation of loosing every single game during 2012 does not help much. So I have diversified, playing now what in Spain is known as soccer 7, that is, same thing as standard soccer but with seven players in a smaller field rather than eleven. Central defense or however it is called is my current position and I have to confess that I am greatly enjoying it!

Besides that and all I already summarized in a previous post about traveling, I continue volunteering for Engineers Without Borders in my region. Probably not the typical NGO we are used to see or hear about, but definitely one with character. This character is basically given to the organization by its gross mass of volunteers, who shape the way of getting things done and its unique philosophy. It has been amazing being able to find a group of people with whom one can discuss issues not that common in most daily conversations, and doing so in an atmosphere of trust and most importantly, friendship.

And of course, this year there has been time for the already usual music festivals around Spain. Places like Bilbao, Burriana, Murcia... have been visited by us, always hungry for this kind of events.

Who's asked that? where am I going to spend this New Year's Eve? As some of you might already be aware of, it has kind of become a tradition to spend this particularly festive event out of my hometown (Edinburgh first and Madrid later). Well, because traditions should be kept, this year will not be an exception and we will be witnessing the dropping of the ball at Times Squares in NYC. That is right, we managed to organized an international reunion with the UVM crew this year. I have no doubt it will be awesome sharing adventures with these people again.

So what was I saying first? Ah, yes, that I am in a train back to Pamplona all the way from Barcelona. How so? Well, I have been there to do an exam in order to try and get a place in a MBA program in the US. How did it go? lets say that it didn't go as good as it should have if I plan on obtaining a full scholarship (really in decline now), but the result is still not that bad in order to get admitted in a decent business school. So it is time now for investigating options and go through with whatever looks best.

I will let you know about any further developments!!!

Where I've been so far!

Not as nice as the Scratch Map my brother gave me for my birthday, but a good remainder of how much I have traveled so far, how many countries there are to visit and how crazy I am about this passion of mine.

San Fermin? better with a Free Tour

I guess most of you are familiar with the festivals taking place every July in my hometown, San Fermin.  Probably a bunch of you guys have even experienced the craziness in which the city plunges during this wonderful days. However, my friend and I are part of those people who love to enjoy all dimensions of the festivals (the parades, the traditions, the party, the running of the bulls, the fireworks, the people...).

We believe that people who come to the city looking for this world famous event should not limit themselves to the night life. There is much more to it than just that! So with this in mind, we started two years ago with an initiative that we really enjoy. It is about sharing our love for the city with others and trying to make their stay a little bit more fulfilling.

Easy thought, easy made. We prepared the route we wanted to walk and reviewed the history of the city. The next was just printing some flyers and spreading the word around the various hostels, campings and hotels in the city. The aim of the tour is to briefly explain the history of the main attractions in town at the same time that we get the audience involved in the traditions of the festivals. Besides, some of the tips we give them so they can enjoy it to the fullest are of incalculable value.

So you know, if you are around the city on the days prior to San Fermin, that is, from July the 2nd until the 5th or so, come join us! and remember, it's free!

We even got some media coverage in a local newspaper! So you think you know San Fermines?

Vegetables and t-shirts

As mentioned before, lots of things have been going on around over this period of blog inactivity. Probably one of the most important or exciting ones is the creation of a new company. Four friends joined together, with a common desire for entrepreneurship and an idea in mind. The result, a start-up called El Palillo de Mariano.
Our moto, the new rural modern style.
I won't be talking much about it in this forum, since I prefer to let you explore all its magic through its website, online store, social network accounts, Picassa albums...
Enjoy it! and if you feel like wearing one of this amazing designs, visit us!

Can I have a trip over here?

Needless to say that I love to travel, as I have multiple times mentioned in this very same blog. Since it has been a long time, I now have a bunch of trip adventures I would love to share with all of you in extended detail. However, it would take me forever to write about all my recent travel adventures in such a way. Thus, I have opted for a brief version of it. Here is what I plan on doing, which I hope suits all your expectations. I will list, in this very same post, all the trips, together with a heading that serves as a concentrated summary of what I did, felt and experienced. But of course, because an image expresses more than a thousand words, each of the adventures is accompanied by one of this. Hope you enjoy it!

Guatemala: Experienced all dimensions of a trip.

Iceland: Nature and modern style are not incompatible.

Berlin: The other Germany.

South Korea: Work colleagues can be great travel buddies.

Milwaukee and Chicago: Training, tourism and indignation.

Ibiza: A brother of my friend is also my brother.

Peru: One word, Machu Picchu.

South Africa and Mozambique: First African adventure, pursuing it all my life.

I'm back!!

Well, it has been a long time since I left my last thoughts here in this blog. Lots of things have changed and adventures happened during all this period I have been out of the radar from the bloggers world. And before I am able to get back to me sharing my interests and experiences, I will be trying to briefly sum up what has been going on in my life all this time.

Hope you'll enjoy it!

Binta y la gran idea

I just finished watching a really interesting short movie about the importance of childhood and happiness in the world. The only issue is that the video is in French with Spanish subtitles. Well, at least some of you might be able to understand one or either of them. Enjoy!!