Everything is NOT all "wacka wacka yeh yeh" in South Africa.

The first Google suggestion when browsing for South Africa related subjects is ‘South Africa World Cup 2010’ and this comes as no surprise since the Sports Industry has made South Africa the most popular country this month thanks to the World Cup. The $70+ billion industry seems to turn anything it touches into gold and that has been the case with South Africa’s tourism and popularity today, but as the popular saying goes: “not everything that shines is gold.” 

The World Cup might be increasing South Africa’s tourism and popularity, but it might also be covering up some more important and critical issues that are not as recent and/or as happy and positive as the World Cup.

This is not the first time Sports has popularized a country with its magical touch. Take for example Greece. The Sports Industry bought the Olympic Games back to its homeland in 2004 during the Athens Olympics. As a result, major construction took place in Greece right before the Games: Metro lines were added and opened, the main Olympic Stadium and the Velodrome were designed and constructed [by Architect Santiago Calatrava :D], the tram lines were upgraded, etc. The games were a huge success despite the tight scheduling concerns and the opposition and criticism from other European Union countries such as Germany. The Games became an opportunity for Greece to show off their culture, their hospitality, and to break through their reputation of living in the past. Athens came across as a fantastic city with some of the most modern sporting facilities in the World and Greece became more popular than probably ever before. That was then, when Greece was in the headlines for the pretty, happy, and positive stories in the newspapers, but what about today? 

Six years later, Greece is not as talked about as in 2004, and if it is, it’s surely not for pretty and positive reasons. The Athens games along with many other factors, off course, has left Greece in a colossal economic crisis, and sadly, the public is not as aware of the negative headlines as it is of the positive ones. I can assure that more people know of the 2004 Athens games than of the 2010 economic crisis in Greece. I was in Greece in April of this year and while I had a wonderful time with the lovely culture and in the remarkable archeological sites, I was robbed for the first and only time in my life; this left me thinking of the magnitude of the problem which is affecting even tourism, a major source of Greece’s income.  

 

Greece is suffering from daily riots, strikes and violent protests over unemployment, tax hikes and spending cuts among a million other issues. So while mother Sports industry made child Greece popular and happy during the Olympic games in 2004, it is completely unaware and neglectful of its child now that it’s crying  (since mother Sports Industry is completely booked in attention time with child South Africa/World cup now.) Don’t get me wrong, I don’t propose that the Sports Industry has to save Greece from its major economic crisis, but my point is that it’s a little opportunistic to seem to care and be aware of a country only while it provides us joy and amusement. 
 

In South Africa, everything IS ‘wacka wacka yeh yeh’ today. Everyone is enjoying the World Cup and having a grand time, but what about the critical social and economical issues in the country? The major electric crisis, the growing rape and murder rate and the massive racial problem in South Africa won’t wait until the World Cup ends to continue to aggravate. These things are going on today despite the few people that are conscious of them. Although South Africa’s new democracy, recently introduces in 1994, replaced the apartheid, It is moving very slowly towards resolving deep-rooted issues of inequality in income, land ownership, and hundreds of years of racial oppression. It will take at least one full generation to resolve all of these current problems. So while Sports serve as a way to unite together from all corners of the World into one country, one culture, one flag, and a sentiment of sportsmanship and peace, it also acts as a giant cloud that covers up all of the current social and economic issues going on within the host country and/or around the World. It is true that we should once in a while forget about the problems for a minute and try to have a good time while possible, but there is a difference between forgetting for a minute and completely neglecting forever. As we dance and sing the “Wacka Wacka”, the world economic crisis dances and not so much sings around a ring of fire.

The most important questions to ask here are: What will happen to South Africa after the World Cup? Will it follow Greece's destiny? Will it make the positive headlines again? and will we forget about them as we did about Greece?

Thus, for those of you reading, my call is that of awareness. The main headlines are not the only headlines in the news. There are numerous other issues that deserve more attention than those bought by the most dominant and wealthy Industries. So, lets be aware, lets get informed, and 

Let’s go South Africa!

Ps: I do love the Wacka Wacka…

Father Ties

What is the best Father's Day gift?

Today, the day when The Man of the House becomes King for a day, it's hard to find the perfect gift to show him what he really means to us. I have resolved that today the best gift for Dad is:

A Tie.



Since the early 1900s, Fathers have been opening gift boxes and ripping tissue paper to find their traditional neckties and hallmark cards, the two most popular gifts for Dads. In reality, a 'tie' is in fact the best gift for Dad; the gift he really needs! I'm not referring to a necktie, but about a 'tie' that makes the Man of the House what he is today, a Father. I know the Father-to-Son/Family tie already exists, but today is the day to show Dad it is still as strong and full of love as ever!

Every year, my dad gets something from his daughters like breakfast in bed, a new pair of tennis shoes and cologne, (plus or minus a few daily arguments.) It seems like we wrap gifts every Father's Day knowing that he can probably guess what is inside, and even though he expects it, he will still love it. Anything we get Dad today will be well received and off course greatly appreciated, or easily exchanged for something else the next day with the gift receipt... Sure, an engraved key chain is always nice, and that #1 Dad mug comes in handy for hot cocoa or coffee every now and then, not to mention Dad probably has a million neckties from every Father's Day he's had, and every pair of underwear he owns was probably bought on Father's Day, but we do that every year, Sons and Daughters of the world!

My point is that nothing would make Dad happier that just spending a whole day with their sons and/or daughters.... How about doing something you know Dad will love even though you probably hate. Something like a back-rub, or dying his gray-hairs, mowing the lawn, or watching a full boxing match while rubbing his feet? Ok maybe I'm going a bit far, but I just want to get the point across...

So, give it a go today, out of every Father's day. I know I will be perfectly happy today, watching the FIFA World Cup games of the day and waiting to find the results for the Colombian elections with my Dad, cause that's what he likes to do. There will be arguing just like any other day, there will probably be a pair of tennis shoes, a cologne, and a gift receipt, (plus or minus some exchanging for a bigger size, or a different style,) but I will make sure he remembers the importance of today, since what makes him celebrated today ironically, is a gift to me. A gift he gave me on October 15, 1987.

Happy Father's Day Fathers!

Te amo Papi, y te debo el regalo, pero te agradezco hoy por mi regalo. Gracias por darme la vida, gracias por tu amor incondicional, gracias por tus regaños y tus rabietas, pero sobre todo, gracias por hacerme la mujer que soy hoy...

Te amo, te amo, te amo!

Smaller Size

Nathalia VASQUEZ - 1,53m

Smaller Size. Greater Heart.

El lenguaje Universal.

Definitivamente cuando los seres humanos (a los cuales me referiré de ahora en adelante como terrestres) necesitamos el uno del otro es cuando mas es evidente que poco o nada nos importamos los unos a los otros. Es increíble pensar que todos estamos atrapados en este globo giratorio, respirando el mismo aire, pisando la misma tierra, prácticamente como viviendo en la misma casa, y aun así, nos tratamos como completos extraños; ojala solo extraños, pero a veces nos tratamos como si fuéramos enemigos. Me encontré con este video, el cual me recordó de una anécdota que viví en un aeropuerto de Alemania, cuando perdí un vuelo.




Desafortunadamente, mi experiencia no fue tan agradable como la de esta linda pareja. En esta ocasión, tomaba un paseo por diferentes países , conociendo diferentes culturas, y dándome cuenta de las maravillas y fiascos que trae la sociedad. Muchos terrestres fueron amables, otros me robaron, y otros se lucraron gracias a mi tardanza. Pase todo el dia en un aeropuerto de un país extraño, sin crédito en el celular para llamar a nadie, y después de haber tenido una desagradable riña con dos pésimas aerolíneas, ya que había perdido mi vuelo por un par de segundos. Aunque admito que estaba en retraso, hubiera tenido el suficiente tiempo para abordar si no hubiera sido por la poco amable señorita que me atendió. Aquí fue cuando empecé a reflexionar en lo poco que los terrestres dueños de las aerolíneas y sus insensibles empleados les importan los pasajeros. Por ellos fuera, que todos pierdan su vuelo, pues para ellos esto es simplemente significa una comida congelada mas y un muy costoso tiquete vendido a ultima hora. En momentos como este, los terrestres tendemos a mostrar debilidad por la desesperacion que nos causa sentirnos solos. Algunos lloramos, otros gritamos, e irónicamente, la reacción de la parte contraria a esta muestra de debilidad es de completa indiferencia en la mayoría de los casos, o al menos cuando se trata de las grandes corporaciones como las aerolíneas. Yo creo que cuando los Hermanos Wright inventaron el avión, nunca por sus mentes paso el diabólico concepto de las lucrativas aerolíneas…

Al viajar por el mundo, raramente se cae en la cuenta de que todos los terrestres, a pesar de que hablemos diferentes lenguas, tengamos diferentes culturas y crianzas, somos iguales. Todos necesitamos los unos de los otros. Tal vez lo que me hizo relacionar este cortometraje con lo que escribo hoy, es su naturaleza tan minima, tan simplemente hermosa desde la técnica hasta la historia… A pesar de la falta de palabras, estos dos extraños terrestres se enamoraron y se entendieron a la perfección en menos de 24 horas, (esto sin mencionar la técnica de usar solo fotografías para generar esta hermosa animación.) Con solo unas cuantas palabras escritas, miradas, y sonrisas, se genero una relación tan profunda, donde los dos entendieron que se necesitaban el uno al otro. Cuando se piensa en este concepto tan simple, se genera de nosotros terrestres mas amable y mas caritativos, aunque infortunadamente no todos pensamos en este concepto.

Pensemos que tiene que haber una razón por la cual estamos todos encerrados en la tierra viviendo juntos dia a dia, y no debe ser para crear un gigante campo de batalla. Los lenguajes y el exceso de palabras son necesarias mas que todo cuando conflictamos y debemos expresarnos mas allá de lo sencillo, pero cuando simplemente reímos, no hay necesidad de mas. Unas cuantas palabras en cualquier lenguaje se convierten en un extenso diccionario… Tal vez, la risa sea el único lenguaje Universal.

L[Oh!]VE

I wrote this about 4 years ago and found it among my things. I was reminded of it as I watched this:



Enjoy!


I believe many of us, at certain point in our lives, if not many, have asked ourselves what love really is. What is that crazy feeling that we, not necessarily look for, but when we finally feel it, we don’t want to let it go. Is that irresistible desire of being irresistibly desired, for which we can never really be entirely happy. We get into it, knowing that love is like a candle with a very small wick. It burns quickly, but we are still willing to burn it while it lasts.

We fall in love, knowing that we are probably too young, too busy, or simply too immature to really control it and know how to handle it, and despite the fact that we are conscious of this, we still do it! We still fall for it entirely, genuinely, innocently, and completely vulnerably…!! Why do we do this? Is it Masochism? Do human beings like to hurt? Or is it that Love is just so amazingly beautiful and satisfying that we are willing to go through the trouble and hurt… Just to get a glimpse of that astounding feeling…??

Love is completely imperceptible and frustrating… There is always one “a” who loves, and “b” who lets himself or herself be loved… And don’t get me wrong, “b” also loves, but just not as deeply and blindly as “a” does. Sometimes we are lucky to let ourselves be loved, we are “b”, but there are those times when we love… and love… and love…
Well… frustrating yeah, but completely irrelevant… Given that the important thing when it comes to love is TO LOVE, rather than to be loved… To enjoy those moments that are never long enough, but are always so intense and profound. To feel and understand that something other than ourselves is real! In fact, what else is love but rejoicing in the fact that another person acts, lives, and experiences otherwise than we do…? By loving and taking the risk, we are giving ourselves the gift of LOVE; the gift of that self enlarging experience… In fact, when we love deeply in one direction we make ourselves more loving in all others… This takes courage… To love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return, to just give... That takes courage, because we don't want to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to hurt, do we...? Yet… We do…

So this analysis of love comes to what? Nothing… Since love is such a pure, genuine, and indisputable concept that the only analysis we can give it is the one we understand when we are living under that second person’s skin… When ‘a’ and ‘b’ decide to become ‘c’… When the fusion of those two beings concludes… Then… Love can be, rather than analyzed or understood, it can be felt…

Love is everything it's cracked up to be… It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for, and for those of you who have no idea of what I’m talking about, the only thing I can really say without sounding like ‘the wiz of love’ is that you can only learn to love by loving… So give it a try… What can you lose but some pounds and a couple of tears…

Al[one]

There are over 6 billion individuals in the word. This enormous number makes a few 'unhappy ones' ask themselves "why am I so alone?" The reason might be precisely that which generates the question itself. While individuals are concerned with finding a few among those 6 billion people to love them, most forget that the most important love is that which one gives to oneself.

Time and Again is a short animated film by Jacques Khouri. It shows the life of one of the 'unhappy ones' and its repetitive and very boring nature.



What I love about this [among many other aspect of it] is that it loops both visually and conceptually, emphasizing the cycle human beings are constantly into.

Happy or unhappy, everyone is into a constant life cycle. It is also fair to say that everyone is one of those 'unhappy ones' at some point in life. The important thing to consider is that the cycle you are into can be as enjoyable as you make it for yourself. How different would the world be if all 6 billion people in the world didn't feel alone? If 6 billion decided to speak to Marie, or if 6 billion loved their jobs and took the long way to work to enjoy a different scenery? If all 6 billion realized that the word alone really means All+One and that '+One' is the most important of All. Maybe then, The word alone would be redefined to mean what it should mean, or even taken out of the dictionary, along with lonely, and all those unnecessary words...

"I am so alone" no. I am All in One.