Why do people travel? People have always traveled, but the reasons for it have changed their shape (but now their nature) throughout the centuries. Originally, people have started traveling, migrating, mainly out of bare necessity: to find better soils, better natural resources, better life conditions. Another reason of traveling is represented by the military campaigns and interventions that have the goal of conquering or preserving lands and resources, ultimately for the same above mentioned goal: better life conditions. Besides these strictly material/economical/political determinants, there’s also a spiritual cause illustrated by the religious missionaries. Nevertheless, in the last century, with the rapid development of technologies, new slightly different shaped reasons have emerged that determine people to choose to travel, such as getting a better (and sometimes cheaper) education in another area than the one in which you were born in or getting a better paid job abroad. Essentially economic, these two … Continue reading
Author: nico
5 months after. Beyond all good or bad there is a space: Indonesia
Just a couple of days after my 5 months anniversary of my Indonesian experience. These months have been really, really intense! I was eager to start my Asian adventure and I was expecting a huge cultural shock, which actually happened (it always does when traveling)! On one hand, landing in the airport in Jakarta, I felt immediately extremely familiar to these people here, on the other hand, their behavior and reactions are different… Indonesia is a fascinating destination and I wasn’t ready for it, at all! Well, I believe it is hard to be totally prepared for another culture, there will always be things that will get you out of the comfort zone … Which is actually good! It is great to be out of your comfort zone because this is when u grow! And that is what I am experiencing: I am growing and I am becoming stronger! I … Continue reading
Two weeks in Indonesia … Feeling like home already!
It’s two weeks since I am in Indonesia. It’s been an amazing time, full of discoveries. I’ve been taken out of my comfort zone, I lost my sense, just to end up finding myself. People here are so warm and friendly! I really like this collective perspective of life in the Indonesian culture and society: everybody is just as beautiful and important! I am inspired by their view over family: once you move in into a place, be it just a room in a dorm, all the people on the street become your enlarged family! So, I have a new family now! It is quite big (I still didn’t learn each person’s name)! I live in a village just North of Jogyakarta, so I have a lot of relatives here! Nevertheless, it’s been one of dreams to live in the countryside and now I’m living it: I can see fields … Continue reading
Full Moon celebration in Indonesia, Chinese style!
What I love about Indonesian people is their strong connection with nature! All over the world, each culture has developed its customs and traditions observing the rhythms of nature, but somehow today I feel that in Western cultures the commercial spirit takes the lead. Like for example Easter: there is now the commercial Easter bunny story and of course the spiritual/religious part of the resurrection of Jesus and we somehow forget that each year the date of this celebration is selected according to the moon phases. This year, on the 8th of September, I had the great opportunity to celebrate the Full Moon (in Pisces according to European astrology) together with Indonesian people with Chinese background! It was a long and beautiful ceremony, full of magic and symbols, overseen by the Moon above… Also, it was my first time ever in a Chinese temple.
First week of Indonesia
Indonesia is simply surprising! It’s a total different world, and yet so familiar. People are people and in the end we share the same fears and desires, but we do manifest differently. Just one week of Indonesia was enough for me to feel their collective view about life: there is no privacy, it is important to stay together, a daily dairy is a way of communicating issues within a family. There is no confrontation, but compromise. There is no conflict but only misunderstanding. One says sorry after a presentation or a lecture: management of shame and humility. Overall I meet very nice and kind people, very humble and tender, looking after their family which has an vital part in their lives. Also, on a more concrete level, a 2 hour traffic jam instead of a 15 minute ride in Jakarta makes you understand a lot about people’s understanding of time: … Continue reading
First day in Jakarta!
First day in Jakarta was a gift! Looking forward to spending time in this amazing culture! I will keep you posted 😉 ….
On bullying (I)
“If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us” – Herman Hesse Recently, I’ve been reflection on bullying. It is only of very recent date (less than I year) that I realized that I’ve been bullied at school. It’s a perfect illustration of the fact that if one doesn’t know “the name” or “the label” of something, it might pass by as being normal in a way, socially accepted. That is why knowledge is power! And why education is essential! Now, most commonly, one would find bullying related to pre-teen and teen behavior. But it just doesn’t end here (nor does it start there). Let’s just define bullying for a start. My American heritage dictionary informs me that a bully is 1. A person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker … Continue reading
Get out of children’s way!
Children are the most authentic beings on the planet! They know exactly who they are and why they are here for. Ask them and they know exactly what’s wrong with the world and some of them have even ingenious solutions for ending world problems. I remember fragments of my childhood … visions… back then anything was possible. What happened? I got a “good education”. After learning to walk, speak and read, I was told to sit down, shut up and look up to other people. Children know naturally what is best for them. What are their interests. Instead of labeling them with ADHD whatever not or worrying about their future, satisfying their needs and encouraging them to know and believe in themselves is the key.
Ever wondered what the Fool stands for?
The fool has a name apparently (although what does ‘the fool’ really designate?), but no number. He can be named, but he cannot be counted. He stands out of the statistics. He IS before anything begins. Or IS he after everything ends? Most importantly: he IS. He is the free spirit, the forever present. No plans, no expectations, no regrets, just presence. The traveler that is always on a watch for the next adventure that will take him out of his mind, but always back to his senses. He is brave and confident, full of vitality, always on the go, always seeking. The world is full of opportunities. One must look through the eyes of the fool to really spot them.
Public body perception is changing! … thanfully!
I am each time very very happy whenever I stumble upon public (televised) declarations such as this one below, in which gorgeous women accept their body just the way it is and avoid getting into the trap of outside standards. I myself, have had a distorted body image and I am still working on improving it and really getting to terms with myself. I believe that the main issue here is that we look and we rely too much on the “outside”, on what people think and believe about ourselves. Instead, the main work should be within us. Skinny is the natural body look for just a small percentage of women. One should get the feeling of his own body and learn how to listen to it, to its needs. There are two issues really: your natural body size and having extra kilos, which are very specific to each individual. … Continue reading