The experiment of when I am not doing anything, what do I do is coming to an end? Argentina and South America will be in my heart forever and I know I will come back here. The best ice cream, meat and wine did leave an impression on my, but as always I came to love the people. I came here quite socially exhausted after an intense half a year in Stockholm. I haven’t felt the need really to meet too many new people and friends here, yet, the ones I have met, have all played an important role in shaping this experience to what it became.
As I arrived I wanted to be alone. I wanted to understand that if I don’t need to do anything, what do I do? If I don’t keep running, what is coming up? If I am in a learning environment that I am creating, how does it look like? If I don’t receive any inputs on how things are supposed to be, how are they? Now I few months later, I have answers to these questions and in addition a new energy. These questions might appear as basic, but for me at this point in my life they were crucial. If I arrived here emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually quite exhausted, I am leaving with a feeling of being ready again. I want to take on new challenges and I want to meet and be around people again! I have deep respect for the people and the experiences that have contributed to this sense of calmness again. Eckert Tolle writes in the Power of Now that you will enter periods of not feeling peaceful, the real challenge is how you can minimize those periods, not avoid them.
This journey has been about trusting. Trusting that whatever happens is the best. That whatever I encounter I am equipped to handle. Whatever that comes up from within I welcome. At times I have been confused and lacked clarity, but nature, important relationships and myself have made those periods short, discovering and empowering…I am leaving Argentina in a week from today with clarity about what this journey has meant to me, i.e. the recent past. I also leave this trip with flow feeling of not escaping from the now, but just trying to cultivate and love that moment, whatever is there. In addition I have clarity about my future. My immediate future in the sense that I am looking forward to go to Geneva for the Youth Forum (http://www.youthforum2009.org/) and then to Tallberg (http://www.tallbergfoundation.org/) but also to know what I want should happen in a little longer time perspective…! I am not sure it will happen, but what I can impact is knowing what I want, and I do. Having said that I don’t intend to run there, just focus on what I can impact, every moment.
This journey has also been about further developing my compassion. Compassion towards myself in the sense that I am allowing time every day to physical and spiritual growth and also towards my closest relationships. I have also developed compassion towards nature, discovered that nature makes me calm and cities makes me stressed. My nature discovery is not new, but this journey, because of my travels and experiences has deepened this relationship. I am connected on a spiritual, emotional, physical and also intellectual level. It is incredible how much nature have to teach us about how it organizes itself, its warning signals and beauty. Some of the strongest memories that I am taking with me is the Aconcagua expedition, the untouched grounds in Peru and Bolivia, "Bonito-Bonito", my volcano climbs in Colombia and of course Pantanal in Brazil.
This journey has also been about choice. Everything I have done here has been done because of my choice. At first a choice impacted by how I was supposed to feel and relate to the experience, but today a choice that is mine. How many times during the day do we forget our choice? How many times do we ask ourselves why these things happen to me? How many times a day do we complain about others, forgetting that we have a choice for how to relate to others, life and ourselves? I have great respect for people denying their choice because it is hard to every moment realize that you have a choice. The responsibility can be overwhelming. Some moments just doesn’t feel good so why I am choosing not to feel good? Probably because there are things that needs to come up for processing…as they come up, there is no need to try to shut them down, because they will come back, what is important is that you recognize that you choose to feel that way. As the choice is recognized you have discovered that you can impact the situation and you chose to process what needs to be processed. Though I am writing about myself in third person here, all of these are my struggles, struggles that I am proud to recognize because I learn from them.
It is hard to believe that I only have one week left.
Until next exchange
Emanuel
fredag 29 maj 2009
söndag 17 maj 2009
gratitude...
...that is the one word helping me articulating how happy I was for all my birthday wishes...! life is good and I love you all!!!!!!
my day was celebrated by walking the streets of Buenos Aires and concluded with an incredible dinner with lost of surprises together with my love...!
gratitude, gratitude, gratitude... that is what I feel!
Emanuel
my day was celebrated by walking the streets of Buenos Aires and concluded with an incredible dinner with lost of surprises together with my love...!
gratitude, gratitude, gratitude... that is what I feel!
Emanuel
tisdag 12 maj 2009
about discovering distraction
"So we get distracted, but at some point we become aware that we haven’t been aware. In other words we regain our awareness."..."...Now we’re aware again. Now we’re no longer being driven by our habits. We have freedom again. We can decide that we don’t want to re-enter the world of distractedness. We have choice. We can choose to exercise being aware rather than be dominated by our habitual distracted states of mind. We have an opportunity to cultivate awareness by maintaining our mindfulness of the breath. When we realize we’ve been distracted we can take our awareness back to the breath." (Wildmind)
torsdag 7 maj 2009
BsAs Urban photo competition - our image of Buenos Aires
This week we concluded a urban photo competition that we initiated here in Buenos Aires. The purpose was to capture the image of Buenos Aires. The winning pictures will be posted on the walls of the participants apartments.
the categories of the competition were the following:
until next time
Emanuel
the categories of the competition were the following:
- happiness
- food and drinks
- holding hands
- architecture
- pollution
- taxi driver
- a typical person
- black and white
- underground
- the park
- poverty
- tango
- a bus
- sport, e.g. running, soccer
- 2 photos of your choice - use your Creativity
until next time
Emanuel
tisdag 5 maj 2009
Latin America - the place to be!
Today the Economist is writing about something that I sensed ever since I arrived here. Latin America is the place to be from a financial perspective going forward. "...Latin America will be its engine of growth in the next few years"
Because of a non-existing financial system in many of the countries here, there was nothing that could crash when the western/north American system crashed. The countries are clearly and naturally impacted by the crises, however, indirect. There are less people having money to go on vacation, there are fewer companies able to invest in Latin America and that can buy products from the Latin America companies, however, the safe financial markets are intact.
The financial system here is a discussion in itself. In short, it is not really possible to borrow money from the banks. The role of the banks is to store money, not to functioning as an engine in driving the development of the countries. A few months back I would probably had been very critical about such a system, however, today it is hard to deliver such a criticism.
Looking at the Latin American system in contrast to the western system, the two probably represents two extremes. The best and possibly the new balance will be a system placing itself somehow in between these two extremes. I doubt the Latin system would move towards the middle, thus, the major change naturally will happen in the western system.
To read the entire article, please click here!
A short personal update is that I am in Buenos Aires. I enjoy every day, which typically consists of studies, training and good food. In the weekend I went to Tigre, around 45 min with train from where I live. Tigre is an incredible part of the city. In a sense that trip became a Latin re-connection to the Netherlands, simply because of the extraordinary scenery with the canals and the nature. The day was about hiking and just feeling relaxed again in a non-city context. Beautiful!
Until next time
Emanuel
Because of a non-existing financial system in many of the countries here, there was nothing that could crash when the western/north American system crashed. The countries are clearly and naturally impacted by the crises, however, indirect. There are less people having money to go on vacation, there are fewer companies able to invest in Latin America and that can buy products from the Latin America companies, however, the safe financial markets are intact.
The financial system here is a discussion in itself. In short, it is not really possible to borrow money from the banks. The role of the banks is to store money, not to functioning as an engine in driving the development of the countries. A few months back I would probably had been very critical about such a system, however, today it is hard to deliver such a criticism.
Looking at the Latin American system in contrast to the western system, the two probably represents two extremes. The best and possibly the new balance will be a system placing itself somehow in between these two extremes. I doubt the Latin system would move towards the middle, thus, the major change naturally will happen in the western system.
To read the entire article, please click here!
A short personal update is that I am in Buenos Aires. I enjoy every day, which typically consists of studies, training and good food. In the weekend I went to Tigre, around 45 min with train from where I live. Tigre is an incredible part of the city. In a sense that trip became a Latin re-connection to the Netherlands, simply because of the extraordinary scenery with the canals and the nature. The day was about hiking and just feeling relaxed again in a non-city context. Beautiful!
Until next time
Emanuel
måndag 27 april 2009
About Important days in Copenhagen
4 questions - 12 days!!!
1. How much are the industrialized countries willing to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases?
2. How much are major developing countries such as China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their emissions?
3. How is the help needed by developing countries to engage in reducing their emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change going to be financed?
4. How is that money going to be managed?
I will be going to Geneva in June this year to discuss these questions and simulate the negotiation that will take place in Copenhagen 2009. For more info about the meeting, please visit: http://www.youthforum2009.org/TheCompetition/tabid/164/Default.aspx
1. How much are the industrialized countries willing to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases?
2. How much are major developing countries such as China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their emissions?
3. How is the help needed by developing countries to engage in reducing their emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change going to be financed?
4. How is that money going to be managed?
I will be going to Geneva in June this year to discuss these questions and simulate the negotiation that will take place in Copenhagen 2009. For more info about the meeting, please visit: http://www.youthforum2009.org/TheCompetition/tabid/164/Default.aspx
About a good day...
Today was a quite incredible day in Buenos Aires. Being a Swede, the weather context is important and yesterday it was around 23 degrees and sun all day, thus, like a very good Swedish summer day. A few days back I signed up to run the "Azucar Maraton" - a 8 KM run that happened yesterday. My time, 36.02 minutes was OK and according to expectation. I did push myself, but I do believe I should be able to run the KM's in around 4 min as opposed to 4.30 min and that would help improve my time quite significantly. Bottom line, it was an amazing start of a beautiful day in Buenos Aires. After the run, I had a quick lunch to regain energy and to be ready for my first ever "Polo Game". I clearly did not participate myself, but I was amazed by what I saw - a seamless connection between a human and a animal forms a fantastic show. I am not sure when I will be watching a "Polo Game" again, however, seeing Argentina winning against Brazil, and the rest of the world against England is probably a memory for life.
The night was about dining with friends and love as well as watching the incredible movie "La Tierra"/"Earth". It is by far one of the strongest movie I have seen in a long while. The scenery and the pictures that are presented should not be described in words and in addition, the message was crystal clear - why are we fu*king with our beautiful nature? That will also be my questions for today!
Tomorrow I initiate the final course of my masters. I should look forward to that!
Until next time
Emanuel
The night was about dining with friends and love as well as watching the incredible movie "La Tierra"/"Earth". It is by far one of the strongest movie I have seen in a long while. The scenery and the pictures that are presented should not be described in words and in addition, the message was crystal clear - why are we fu*king with our beautiful nature? That will also be my questions for today!
Tomorrow I initiate the final course of my masters. I should look forward to that!
Until next time
Emanuel
fredag 17 april 2009
About concluding an experience,
I am back in Buenos Aires after an intense month of nature, beauty, frustration, happiness, loneliness, friendship and perspectives from 4 new countries…!
A wise person once taught me about the importance of processing an experience. He said: “the outcome of an experience will ultimately be determined of how you chose to process that experience…” Thus, an experience, bad to its nature can turn out really good, and a good experience can turn out really bad, all depending on how you process it. I want to use this space to try to consolidate some of my dominating thoughts around the issues I encountered, the beauty I experienced and the people I met. In all of this, I’ll try to reflect upon some of my emerging transformations as a result of the trip…in short, I will try to process a very intense experience, good to its nature, to determine its permanent outcome to be good…
How the issues came together in one city…
I was touching upon some of the issues I encountered in one specific city in an earlier post. With some distance to my experience, my perception is that many of the issues of the northern part South America came together in that one specific city…!
Here are some examples of how I experienced the issues of corruption, poor leadership, education, global warming and poverty in one of the cities I visited. The issue of corruption was articulated through the reversed roles in the prison a few blocks away from the governmental palace. The issues of education and poor leadership are articulated by the corrupt leader of the country, who is making a thing of the fact that he managed to become a president without education. The issue of global warming is articulated through the fact that it is hard to breath while walking on the streets. Poverty is always around the corner and articulated through crimes and child labour. I got to channel some of my frustrations and thoughts around these issues a I arrived to Bogota, that was useful, but I am still eager to understand more about where to start and how to transform the country and the issues.
Its important to recognize that some countries are doing a lot better than others and also that I didn’t encountered all of these issues in every country I visited. However, as a consolidated picture, the above description helps me to remember some of the pressing issues of the continent as a whole. It also gives me an understanding of the issues in relation to each other. All of these are concrete, tangible and real. How to prioritize and where to start tackling them? I don’t know, however, what I do know is that they are all connected. Poor leadership feeds corruption, lack on education diminishes development, climate change is causing poverty, poverty is causing crimes, and so one… thus, without articulating specific thoughts on a solution, an integrated approach is needed. In addition, some issues are local, others global. For both the global and the local issues, my current paradigm limits my imagination of a solution, however, I do believe, governance is one of the most important components in starting moving to something that could be about “living in harmony with all aspects of our society…”
Me in all of this…
As I was mentioning before, I received the opportunity of chairing the Colombian AIESEC conference with gratitude. That became an important aspect to channel the energy around the issues described above, but also to offset my footprint discovering the continent…!
This trip taught me about trust. In order to contain myself during the trip I was forced to trust and embody a comfort that “whatever happens, is the best thing that could ever happen…”, that whatever challenges I encounter, are just precisely what I can handle at that specific time(a learning from my mum), and that the people that I meet are there to support the success of my trip. At first embody this trust and comfort was incredible tough, especially when the car broke down in the mountains of Bolivia, or when I felt followed in central La Paz, however, as the journey progressed I learned how to embody that comfort, a comfort I hope can stay with me for a long time…
Another transformative discovery is the calming effect nature has on me. Nature makes me calm and peaceful and cities make me think – a key discovery! South America has endless natural beauty… and also opportunity, not only to interact with the nature, but really to live with the nature…looking back, my natural experiences at this trip is what will leave the lasting impression on me and also a discovery that will feed as inputs for some of my future decisions about life…
I am still discovering how my increased ownership for South America is shaping up, however, what I do know is that I will come back here. What I will do, time will tell, but I will be doing something, small or big…!
Off flow, but shortly about the hike to 5132 m…
Parque Nacional Los Nevados, approx a 5132 m high hike in Colombia was just an incredible way to conclude my hiking experiences in South America for this time. Before climbing this volcano, the highest climb I had in my back pack was at around 4500 m. These additional 632 made a huge difference in terms of the physical pressure on the body. As I reached 5000 m could feel a huge difference in terms of the efforts I needed to put in to move my body. Many people got sick of the altitude, but even though I went there after an AIESEC conference and 4 hrs sleep, my body coped really well and I experienced no signs of sickness. As I reached the 5132 m I was just sitting breathing and listening to the silence for around 30 min, a super comfortable feeling.
Until next time
Emanuel
A wise person once taught me about the importance of processing an experience. He said: “the outcome of an experience will ultimately be determined of how you chose to process that experience…” Thus, an experience, bad to its nature can turn out really good, and a good experience can turn out really bad, all depending on how you process it. I want to use this space to try to consolidate some of my dominating thoughts around the issues I encountered, the beauty I experienced and the people I met. In all of this, I’ll try to reflect upon some of my emerging transformations as a result of the trip…in short, I will try to process a very intense experience, good to its nature, to determine its permanent outcome to be good…
How the issues came together in one city…
I was touching upon some of the issues I encountered in one specific city in an earlier post. With some distance to my experience, my perception is that many of the issues of the northern part South America came together in that one specific city…!
Here are some examples of how I experienced the issues of corruption, poor leadership, education, global warming and poverty in one of the cities I visited. The issue of corruption was articulated through the reversed roles in the prison a few blocks away from the governmental palace. The issues of education and poor leadership are articulated by the corrupt leader of the country, who is making a thing of the fact that he managed to become a president without education. The issue of global warming is articulated through the fact that it is hard to breath while walking on the streets. Poverty is always around the corner and articulated through crimes and child labour. I got to channel some of my frustrations and thoughts around these issues a I arrived to Bogota, that was useful, but I am still eager to understand more about where to start and how to transform the country and the issues.
Its important to recognize that some countries are doing a lot better than others and also that I didn’t encountered all of these issues in every country I visited. However, as a consolidated picture, the above description helps me to remember some of the pressing issues of the continent as a whole. It also gives me an understanding of the issues in relation to each other. All of these are concrete, tangible and real. How to prioritize and where to start tackling them? I don’t know, however, what I do know is that they are all connected. Poor leadership feeds corruption, lack on education diminishes development, climate change is causing poverty, poverty is causing crimes, and so one… thus, without articulating specific thoughts on a solution, an integrated approach is needed. In addition, some issues are local, others global. For both the global and the local issues, my current paradigm limits my imagination of a solution, however, I do believe, governance is one of the most important components in starting moving to something that could be about “living in harmony with all aspects of our society…”
Me in all of this…
As I was mentioning before, I received the opportunity of chairing the Colombian AIESEC conference with gratitude. That became an important aspect to channel the energy around the issues described above, but also to offset my footprint discovering the continent…!
This trip taught me about trust. In order to contain myself during the trip I was forced to trust and embody a comfort that “whatever happens, is the best thing that could ever happen…”, that whatever challenges I encounter, are just precisely what I can handle at that specific time(a learning from my mum), and that the people that I meet are there to support the success of my trip. At first embody this trust and comfort was incredible tough, especially when the car broke down in the mountains of Bolivia, or when I felt followed in central La Paz, however, as the journey progressed I learned how to embody that comfort, a comfort I hope can stay with me for a long time…
Another transformative discovery is the calming effect nature has on me. Nature makes me calm and peaceful and cities make me think – a key discovery! South America has endless natural beauty… and also opportunity, not only to interact with the nature, but really to live with the nature…looking back, my natural experiences at this trip is what will leave the lasting impression on me and also a discovery that will feed as inputs for some of my future decisions about life…
I am still discovering how my increased ownership for South America is shaping up, however, what I do know is that I will come back here. What I will do, time will tell, but I will be doing something, small or big…!
Off flow, but shortly about the hike to 5132 m…
Parque Nacional Los Nevados, approx a 5132 m high hike in Colombia was just an incredible way to conclude my hiking experiences in South America for this time. Before climbing this volcano, the highest climb I had in my back pack was at around 4500 m. These additional 632 made a huge difference in terms of the physical pressure on the body. As I reached 5000 m could feel a huge difference in terms of the efforts I needed to put in to move my body. Many people got sick of the altitude, but even though I went there after an AIESEC conference and 4 hrs sleep, my body coped really well and I experienced no signs of sickness. As I reached the 5132 m I was just sitting breathing and listening to the silence for around 30 min, a super comfortable feeling.
Until next time
Emanuel
fredag 10 april 2009
Thank you Colombia
I have a connecting flight from Lima in around 30 min, however, before continuing my journey, I felt the burning need to just write off a few of my thoughts around my 10 days in Colombia. I came there to channel my energy after my South America trip and look for beauty. I found beauty, challenge and the happiest people in the world!
I am looking forward to consolidate my experience at this space. Some upcoming topics include the AIESEC conference that I had the pleasure to chair, the 5132 meters hike I enjoyed, and some of my buirning questions going forward.
Now, I am just going to enjoy the now. Around 20 more hrs of travel if everything goes as planned with the end destination of San Rafael, Argentina.
At this post I didnt want to say much - just thanking Colombia, the people I had the pleaure to meet and of course, an extended gratitude to my friends there.
Emanuel
I am looking forward to consolidate my experience at this space. Some upcoming topics include the AIESEC conference that I had the pleasure to chair, the 5132 meters hike I enjoyed, and some of my buirning questions going forward.
Now, I am just going to enjoy the now. Around 20 more hrs of travel if everything goes as planned with the end destination of San Rafael, Argentina.
At this post I didnt want to say much - just thanking Colombia, the people I had the pleaure to meet and of course, an extended gratitude to my friends there.
Emanuel
fredag 3 april 2009
About the best youth leadership development platform in the world
Its good to be back. After assuming the role as an AIESEC alumni, I am now back in an AIESEC context again to chair a Leadership Development Congress in Colombia, yet another powerful experience enabled to me, through the best youth leadership development platform that I know in this world.
A few months back I realized, that the role of AIESEC, really, becomes the responsibility of its alumni. I am not fulfilling my responsibility as alumni here, simply because AIESEC doesnt need me anymore, though, I chose to be here, without the expectation of fulfilling my responsibility, and I enjoy the experience. It again becomes clear that I can only fulfill me responsibility as an AIESEC alumni, by assuming a responsibility for the prosperity of the world, not by thinking that I am helping AIESEC by for instance chairing an AIESE conference. Having said,I really think its great doing it, both for AIESEC and myself, but my way of giving back to AIESEC need to be different. Having said that, being here to chair this conference is a great way for me to regain some energy and comfort that in a few years a few more AIESECers will be ready to assume the responsibility as an AIESEC alumni and join all the other change agents out there to address some of the most pressing issues of our time.
I just closed the pre meeting today by a wish for leadership, it seems to always have the power to inspire me..
The dominating thought today...How do we contain ourselves in relation to the world?and also, its good to not travel for a few days, but have the opportunity to have the morning jogs, sleep well, eat well, breeth...in short, balance ambition and change with all aspects of my personality...!
A few months back I realized, that the role of AIESEC, really, becomes the responsibility of its alumni. I am not fulfilling my responsibility as alumni here, simply because AIESEC doesnt need me anymore, though, I chose to be here, without the expectation of fulfilling my responsibility, and I enjoy the experience. It again becomes clear that I can only fulfill me responsibility as an AIESEC alumni, by assuming a responsibility for the prosperity of the world, not by thinking that I am helping AIESEC by for instance chairing an AIESE conference. Having said,I really think its great doing it, both for AIESEC and myself, but my way of giving back to AIESEC need to be different. Having said that, being here to chair this conference is a great way for me to regain some energy and comfort that in a few years a few more AIESECers will be ready to assume the responsibility as an AIESEC alumni and join all the other change agents out there to address some of the most pressing issues of our time.
I just closed the pre meeting today by a wish for leadership, it seems to always have the power to inspire me..
The dominating thought today...How do we contain ourselves in relation to the world?and also, its good to not travel for a few days, but have the opportunity to have the morning jogs, sleep well, eat well, breeth...in short, balance ambition and change with all aspects of my personality...!
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