Reciprocity agreements

When you come from a number of Latin American countries to the US, many times you have trouble getting a visa and the fee can be quite hefty. Argentina decided it was time to create a reciprocity visa agreement. They don't put problems to give you a visa, but charge you $131 to get it (Australians and Canadians pay less). They don't even tell you about the visa until half an hour before landing (but they accept credit cards).
My Belgian side was horrified at the cost even though I would not be the one paying since this is a business trip. But when I came to the booth and they saw my passport they told me: you don't need to pay. All the Americans stared at me, anger flashing through their eyes.
This is one of the days it feels great (and cheap) to have a Belgian passport.

And finally it doesn't matter anymore

Lately I've come to terms with being from nowhere. It's like after years of struggling, it doesn't matter anymore. Is it because I will apply to the US citizenship in a couple of months (if tax refund is enough to cover the fee)? I don't think so. It's just like one of those torturous relationship you endure for years and suddenly you wake up and you are done with it.
That doesn't mean I won't keep up laughing at cultural absurdities, it's just that... well, there is no more longing to belong. I've never belonged anywhere, and I will never do. There are tons of people like me. We didn't chose it, it just happened.
Oh, therapist, what are you doing to my dark sense of humor!

Totally hooked on

Saul Bellow. My best discovery lately in my quest of mastering American literature of the 20th century.

Just Read

A few books that I enjoyed greatly:
The Master, Colm Toibín. Had no idea Henry James HATED Oscar Wilde. This book is... art. I felt grateful for its beauty and tried to read as slowly as I could.
The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, Lucette Lagnado. Talking about smart and cultivated immigrants. This non-fiction story is amazing. The father went form socialite in Cairo to sell ties in the NY subway. Never underestimate the deli guy or a cab driver.
Olive Kitteridge. Stories of small town America (New England). Lovely, although slightly obssessed with suicide and depression (Don't know the New England culture enough to see if that's cultural).

The pain of being smart

The other day, at the standing room at the opera, we met a young Korean guy, who was visiting from Arizona where he studies. He was your tipical Asian hipster nerd, srot of cute in a geeky way, and extremely smart. The poor thing had no girlfriend (and probably few friends) because (according to him):
-Beautiful blonde chearleaders didn't go for Asian geeks.
-The other blondes neither.
-There were very few non-blondes at his college.
-He didn't even liked blondes.
-He only likes hot Korean chicks.
-He had an accent, liked maths and quantum physics.

It's always tough to be (and look) smart. Yet I think it's even tougher to be a smart immigrant.

This post is full of non sequiturs. Sorry.

What do you do when your cleaning lady is more glamorous than you?

She had to leave early today to open the door to a repair man at... M. Night Shyamalan's place, a few blocks away from us. She's been taking care of his NY home for a while: Hugh Jackman got her the job. Hum!

Are we ever going to live him down?

Growing up in Venezuela, I was so proud to start my letters with "Caracas, September..." Now, everytime something like this happens, I cringe. How are we ever going to live down the shame of a president saying stuff like this (that the Haiti earthquake was caused by the US in case you don't want to click on the link, plus it's in Spanish)?

Surivor Chiguire Bipolar style

The Chiguire Bipolar is a Venezuelan satirical blog. There are producing their first web animated series called: Presidential Island in which Chávez, Evo Morales and Lula get stranded... without power. Here is the trailer.

The globalization of culture... and mental illnesses

Amazing article in the NY Times about how we're spreading psychological symptoms and illnesses to toher cultures.

ps: sorry not writing very much but work is running amok!

Book diet

Remember those yummy holidays cooking books you were drooling over in December? Well, there now fill the bargain section. The new stellar product at Borders are... dieting book. Tons of them.

Teeth: brace yourself

Today I woke up in a nasty mood. But during my commute I started to think about lots of good things that wre going on and I felt very lucky and said to myself in Spanish: "Me tengo que dar con una piedra en los dientes." Suddenly it hit me, what a ridiculous sentence (even more when translated into English): "I have to hit my teeth with a stone." Even more absurd than knock on wood. At least there you don't talk abut maybe knocking out your teeth out.
Where the hell did we get that one from? Anyone knows?

France contemplating ban against psychological abuse

Food for thought at the beginning of this new year in this article of the bbc sent to my by my friend G.
I do think they should extend this to the employee/employer relationship, especially after the wave of suicides in France related to abusive bosses.
I could have used it myself quite a few times during my laboral life.