When I met Javi

On my 4th year at college I met this guy who would come to class once or twice a week. At the beginning I wouldn’t talk to him at all, but on one of those occasions he sat by my side. At that moment I realised that he had a small tear on his shirt. What I did, instead of telling him about it, was to put my finger on the small hole and laugh.

It was so funny seeing him staring at me and wondering what on earth I was doing, so we started to talk and that was the beginning of a really nice friendship. Since then we started to study together, I would pass him all my notes and he used to encourage me to study (out of class, of course).

The sad thing was that a year later I left college and came to Barcelona to continue my degree at UPC. Even though we were 500km far from each other, we stayed in touch. Furthermore, last summer we did together (and a friend of him)  the Camino de Santiago: at the beginning I wasn’t sure whether to do it or not, but at the end he talked to me into. I have to admit that it was the best experience I’ve ever had.

Now he’s living in Ireland and we email each other from time to time. I barely remember last time we run into each other, but we have had a really good time together.

Bye Mikel Laboa

I listened to Mikel Laboa first when I saw the documentary about the Basc Countries Euskal Pilota. Last night he died…

This is going to be hard

Today I went to CLP Recruitment, an agencie in Dublin for those who are looking for a job.

The main office is near to the school, so it was really easy to get there. Once we were inside, in the hall a girl (the recepcionist) receaved us and asked for my cv. I gave it to her and in a few minutes a man came to us, he was Spanish and started speaking Spanish to us.

I explained to him what I was looking for… I’m an engineer and I’d like to find a job related to my studies (directly or indirectly). First of all, he told me that I had to change my cv format, it seems that here in Ireland the european template doesn’t work very well.

As a new licenciate, I should enter in a companie in the way “entry level”. Usually they form young people and give them experience. But this guy explained to me that as of five months ago the situation has changed a lot and now there are no more this kind of offer for new licenciates.

I feel that this is going to be very bad for me, but not only in Ireland, also in Spain. The companies don’t seem to look for new licenciates anymore, at least until the crisis finishes… but the crisis has just started. So what should I do now?. Of course I’m going to keep looking for a job, there is no problem for me if I have to work as a waiter or whatever. But this time is being wasted if I can’t get experience, I will have always the same problem.

First week

It’s amazing how everything can change in just a few days. The first 2 o 3 days I felt a bit sad, but now everything is ok. My classamates are very friendly and we have met up to go diner or to have a drink. Yesterday Neus and I went to Newgrange and visited one of the oldest structures made by the man in the Earth (at least, 5000 b.C.). There we met a friend of my class and other people.

Today we’re going to Howhl, a nice place in the north of Dublin where it’s possible to see the sea and take a ride. Today has been the first day that I have got up at 9… usually I have to get up at 7, so it’s better to don’t have to wake up thinking that I have to go to the School.

Anyway, these days are not so cold even though I have to wear almost all my clothes at the same time (sometimes it’s freezing, like in the fridge).

Next week I will start finding a job. I don’t know where to look for exactly and wether my level of English is or not good. But I have to try, and then we’ll see what happen.

This time in Ireland I’ve realised that Irish strong accent is very ugly and sometimes annoying. Most people speak that way, but teachers at the school don’t use it at all. They speak on a cooler way.

Ireland is so cold…

Okay… here we are

Well, I’m in Dublin again. This time I’ve realised how strong the Irish accent is. I’d prefer to go to the US or other country with a better weather, but it’s so hard to do it: all countries where people speak English and the weather is good are so far from Spain.

Our first day, Neus and I went with her house-mates to the city center and took a look to some interesting places. Tonight we’re going to the cinema to see James Bond. I don’t like it… but I need to practice my English.

Also, it’s weird to be back again and pass through the same places where I was without the same people. Now that I’m here I can realize how much I miss Laura, Elly, Serena, Nina and the others. It’s so sad. But well, that’s today, it’s the first day.

At least I can connect to the Internet through the neigbours wifi…

Back to Dublin

Ok, I know I’ve not been writing here far so long. Since I left Dublin I’ve been finishing my final project degree until the end of October. Now I’m free and I decided to go back Dublin.

During these months I’ve been studying English with an American teacher from the US. I enjoyed that time, but she’s back to the US, so I don’t have a cool American US teacher anymore, sniff

Anyway, I feel that my level of English has improved a lot. We spoke every day about all type of topics and that gave me fluence and security to my speaking skills. I still think that it’s bit difficult to understand all English accents. I’ve been able to understand very well all [English] people who I’ve meet these months, but still no understand the most part of movies or tv-series.

And that’s annoying. So I hope that my hearing skills will improve this time in Ireland. Also, I’m coming back to this blog, and I will write here a lot.

So… prepare yourself!!

I’m in Gentoo

I think it was three years ago last time I worked with Gentoo. After that, due to many reasons I didn’t try again. Actually, Gentoo requires a lot of time of hard-working and I had some other important things to do.

But this month I had some free time to return to Gentoo and finally I succeed. Here is my new Gentoo Desktop working really fine. It took me at least one week because I had to install it again and again with different USE flags in order to obtain completely multimedia support.

Finally I’m proud of my work and here is an screenshot.

Apple, never more

People think that Apple (MacOSX, iPod, iPhone, etc.) is always on the hit: the most advanced tech-company.

I thought that as well. And on April 2007 I bought a MacBookPro 17”… the price: 2400€. At the begining I looked at it like an amazing machine/laptop. But the first problem arrived when I tried to install GNU/Linux on it. It was so difficult and finally I suceed, but some hardware have never been configured -it’s so hard to do it-.

Ok, but it didn’t care me. I went on and finally I was able to be happy with my “MacBookPro with GNU/Linux”.

But one month ago something happened. Two pixels on my screen died. It’s not really important for me, but I paid 2400€ because I was sure that it was a quality laptop. So this morning I called the AppleCare Centre and… they have said to me that “Died pixels are not included on the guarantee”.

Ok. So Apple, never more. I don’t sped 2400€ for this. I have another laptop I bought four years ago and the screen works perfectly, without died pixels. Why this “quality machine” is not able to offer that “quality”?.

Apple. No, thanks.

In Alacant, again

Last Saturday I arrived in Alacant. I’ll stay here at least until July. The reason is quite simple: I have to finish my final project degree and after two months living in Dublin, I’ve nothing done, so it was necessary to come back here and do it.

If I have to explain how were these months in Dublin, I just can say that it was like a two-months-holyday. I met a lot of people, I visited a lot of interesting and amazing places, I went out more frequently than in Spain and I enjoyed it a lot.

It’s a quite strange feeling coming back and let all those things that for two months I lived. And it’s quite hard say goodbye to people that I know we would have been very good friends. Above all, there were basically three girls that I really liked… and those girls have been the main reason because now I’m a bit depressed. We were really good friends, although I always knew that friendship never is forever, so it’s important to get the best of the present moment, because we never know what the future will be.

Now I’m back. Sun is shining, my family and my friends are here. Neus is here (well, she’s now in the Sahara Desert, but she is coming back in a few days). I’m happy to be here, but… well, I don’t want to think about Dublin at this moment, I prefer looking as far as I can and go on with my life.

Nice time.

Patilo

I used to visit one forum on internet… some years ago. There I met a lot of people and I made some very good friends. At this moment… I still talking with one of them (despite we only contact each other once a year). All I write to him I think is interesting, sometimes I write him like if him was my diary although I know he is not a diary.

Anyway. I would like publish here letters I sent him. There is nothing really personal, I think is always a little philosophical. So it’s interesting for everybody. Here it go.

I need to improve my English, so I write you in English (sorry… jiji).

Yes, more or less one year ago we gave up our “relationship” (I really like this word, I’m always using it despite I know is not correct on/in this context).

The different accents are attractive for me. In Spain I used to know how were the different Catalan accents and I tried to respect the accent wherever I went in the “Catalan Countries” (jiji). Same for English: here I try to respect Irish accent and I use it.

I discovered something interesting here in Dublin: I’m always joking. People in class know me as a joker. They say I’m always laughing (I’m not sure this is the right spelling). And it’s curious because in Spain it was always my best friend who was the joker. Anyway, these months in Dublin have been gorgeous (as Irish people like to say).

This morning Neus has called me and finally we’re coming back in September because the hospital wants her to work during summer.

By the way… I met people from Cork. Actually… when I was in Cork it was easier to me understand them than people from Dublin.

Yesterday I decided to watch (again) “In the name of the father”, but this time in the original version. I think now I’m able to understand or al least to be close to understand what happened. I read some pages about Irish history, it’s really interesting.

I was really surprised when I saw the Irish nationalism. Of course it’s not a kind of “superior” nationalism, but they like their “things”, you know. Also Church (institution) is everywhere and today I discovered that up to nowadays, Church have been controlling primary schools -but it seems things will change-. These days we can see inside the buses “Church” advertisements talking about Jesus and things like that. There are lot of this type of banners everywhere trying to convince us that “Jesus” is our king and we have to follow him.

¿Qué gilipollas se cree eso?. En fin.

Here I met a lot of people, but every week we have to say good bay to some of them. Next week it will be me who will left the city. But I’m coming back. For sure.

I’m practising my French as well. There is a language exchange every week in a Library in the city centre. On Tuesday it’s Spanish-English and on Wednesday is French-English. People say to me that my French is good, and I always say that “el truco” is to say always:

“eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee” (with the french sound)

In Spanish that would be:

“yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy”

And in English:

“soooooooooooooo”

As you can see… I’ve had enough time para hacer el tonto.

Well, I always liked to speak with you. I still asking to me if your hair stills long… jijijiji

One day, I’ll visit you.

One day.

See you. Be careful. Don’t pull my leg (jajajja).

Pablo