Week 2, 2018
Turku, Finland
Writing this post let me realized that on some days I mainly have new experiences. It is difficult to describe a particular discovery, when . Instead I could make notice of all the things I MUST do and I haven’t done, for example: use social media.
As I want to fulfill my year of discoveries for this day I will report the board meeting at Aikavaellus.
Oh man!
It is going to be a BUSY 2018 !!!!
— cais
Week 30
Tuku, Finland
First some updates. On May 19th I moved to Turku, but I haven’t been really here. My things have been. It is until last Sunday, 23.7.2017, were I “landed” in Turku, so adventures ahead….
While being in a new city, a habit I am building up is: after work go to discover.
At the moment we are doing this discovering by biking, so far so good. :).
Btw, this habit should be well build up and permanent, it is amazing what one can find.
On Tuesday while returning back home, we hear someone testing a microphone on a street. It was loud for a Finnish context, this was a bit odd. Also during this day we saw small stages and people dancing on them.
Rehersal at Europeade 2017
It was on Wednesday, after we saw a sign on a street about Europeade 2017 that we realized something was going on. Then, I decided to stop at the tourist information office and I was informed about the Europeade 2017 schedule. We were just on time for the opening ceremony.
We biked to the main stage where the opening was programmed and surprise! I saw the following regional dresses:
Germany / Austria at the Europeade
The official opening include over 300 dancers from Turku region, it was something special to watch. Here a small clip of it:
The event include individuals of ALL ages groups, and this is literal, from infants to grandpas. All ages have a space in here. As the commentator mentioned:
“More than 6000 dancers got together from 24 countries, and no matter their age, weight or wehre you come from. The most important thing is the spirit!”
Indeed one could feel a magical spirit. 🙂
Diversity of ages at the Europeade
Once the ceremony finalized, as you can imagine the dancing floor was open for EVERYBODY:
So what is Europeade? Let me copy the following text from the Europeade’s website: We are committed to the preservation of our intangible heritage of regional folk culture, be it music, dance, song, or costume. To reach this goal, we spend five days together sharing our dance and music with our friends and performing in the shows.
Next a summary of this rich experience!
— cais
Week 3
Joensuu, Finland
Be my eyes, a NGO, has developed one of the most beautiful apps! Honestly, I LOVE the concept. Decide yourselves with this video:
First time I regret to do not have an iPhone, if I would, now I would be volunteer. Instead I need to wait for the android version.
Week 20, 2012
Helsinki, Finland
When I read what is happening with the Mexican university students, it moves me. For decades in Mexico we have been fighting for freedom and equality, or shall I say for centuries? That is a good question.
Nevertheless, this post focuses on our latest fight, which from my perspective started in 1968. University students from that time were fighting against the current government, which was some kind of dictatorship, we were ruled under the political party of the PRI. During the time in which the PRI was in power, the seed of A LOT of the actual problems was sown as corruption, lack of education, drugs,…..
In October 2, 1968, the government committed a massacre, which until now has not been punished. The open wound is open in our society.
The general elections of 2000 had a massive participation and we finally changed of government. I am so happy I was able to vote in those elections. Since then we have 12 years with the PAN.
Now we have elections again. The context of this election is very challenging, I would say, and it is full of LIES. Additionally, our educational system has been in decay, there is not media literacy in the country and the mass media does not want to inform objectively the society. In few words, the syndicate of teachers and the owners of the mass media have their own political agendas, which they are following carefully instead to serve the society. *sight*
In May 2012, the candidate of the PRI visited the University Iberoamericana – my alma matter btw – and the students demonstrated their opposition towards the candidate. However after the visit the publicity of the candidate’s party and the mass media did not acknowledge this event and modify it, diminish the students demonstration. Consequently, the university students react and published a video specifying that they were participants of the protest (video below).
Octavio Rodriguez Araujo wrote in his column the article entitle Los jovenes de ahora, mentioning that the actual generation we are defining as Ni-Ni because we perceive them as passive, conformist, apatic, are actually showing us that in peace, they are demanding a change. For example, they are creating a movement towards impartial media.
Unquestionably, for the actual political movements that are taking place in México, as in other countries, social networks are fundamental. The university students are putting their face, replying and questioning to politicians. They are expressing their truth and fighting for their rights. Unfortunately the Internet penetration in Mexico is low and very expensive. But things are advancing, somehow.
All these events reaffirm that Universities transpire life, they are generators of change and innovation. Universities have an important role in our societies.
Each one of us, as researchers, lecturers, teachers have an important commitment with our universities and with our youngsters. We shouldn’t transmit only collections of facts, instead supported by the subject matter of our expertise we should promote: critical thinking, questioning, search for evidence, tolerance,…. Each generation have to live what they have to live, but we have to offer them the tools for them to walk their own path!
I am impressed of the power of social media. No for the technology itself, I confess. I am marveled of what human beings can do as soon as they have the access and the know how to use technology.
Today my personal use of social media is limited to these three areas:
1. Research (main topics within technology enhanced learning and games research)
2. Re-connecting with my past
3. Keep myself informed about some actual events
Maybe it sounds not much, those topics, but the amount of information is huge 🙂 But even with these few topics, I can be sure that a new culture is raising strongly, a culture sustain by e-habits independently of the physical location, we are connecting ideas and people.
What I like and attracts me of social media is: I have opportunity to listen individuals in more “personal” basis and with natural language. It is not the demagogic speech, or the news built up to sell. We are talking about real and natural people.
Just to share a bit of what I mean:
Feb. 2010: from Chile’s earthquake:
//Translation: “If you are in Chile and you have WiFi, open its access so that others can communicate with their love ones”
// Translation: “Today Twitter was useful. The red cross was able to localized family of victims through the hastag…” //
//Translation: “How interesting to see that the information from Twitter and Ustream is 10 times better and actual versus CNN “//
Jan 2010: Foreigners after the earthquake in Haiti:
Jan 2010: Hatians raising their voice after earthquake in Haiti.
As my focus right now is to finalize my thesis I can’t put much time on this right now :(, unfortunately, but I will :). There is so much ideas and emotions, hopes and frustrations triggered by social media. there are lives and it just deserves my attention and a reflection, which I want to share.
To finalize a photo from the city of Conception, Chile by Astro_Soichi. He is a Japanese astronaut in duty right now, and he has been sharing his photos on twitter. He is amazing!!!!
Concepcion, Chile. Photo taken from the space by Astro_Soichi few hours after the 8.3 earthquake
Photo source: twitpic Astro_Soichi