What is important

Friendship. Family. Knowing in your heart what you want to do and having the courage to do it.

These are the important things in life.

I know that some people will be sceptical, but I have just watched probably the best, most powerful and moving hour of television I’ve ever seen. The OC has come to an end, and it could not have been a more perfect ending.

Please don’t stop reading. This post is not about the OC. It is about what it means.

Yes, the show wasn’t entirely serious much of the time, but the main themes running through the entire story I think really demonstrate what is truly important in life.

Firstly, that when pairs of people come together through friendship, even more so if these people are very different, they help each other. They support each other in times of crisis. They transform each other. They allow and enable each other to develop into the people they can be.

Secondly, family is so important – helping each other, supporting each other, communicating and just being there for each other. And family is defined as this type of relationship - not in any way determined by genetics - but by the feeling of being a unit, knowing each other and knowing that you will do what it takes to help each other.

And finally, the importance of really discovering what your passion is in life, and doing what it takes, using the support of family and friends, to get there.

This is what the OC was about. The support we have around us. Going through the amazing journey of life with the people around us. Filling in the gaps that the people around us need to have filled and how this allows us to reach that balance, that point in life where things work out the way they should.

Pancake Partying

This Friday we will be celebrating the grand British tradition of making pancakes* for Carnival!

If you are intrigued, please reply here:

http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/daniel.cunningham@gmail.com/pancakes

See you for pancake-making history this Friday!

*Actually, crepes. They're better.

6 months in

All the usual stuff, can't believe it, time flies, etc.

But the question is: what have I achieved in this time?

Well...

2 "lost" cellphones
1 accidental kidnapping
1 day lost in a forest
1 fight in a bar
4 seasons of Alias
3 seasons of Arrested Development
2 bizarre tropical illnesses
3 incidents of sunburn
3 visits to the cinema :-(
3 of our "weekly" flat meals together
4 trips up El Avila
5 trips to the beach
1 amazing beach trip organised for one of the weekends i was ill
23 international tables
2 friends cancelling visits here
42 meetings with companies

So, in general quite a lot of new and exciting experiences and not quite enough of some of the things I took for granted before.

And what have I seen? Some really interesting things about Venezuelan culture:

1. It is not possible for a Venezuelan to speak without waving their hands around
2. There are strict laws to ensure nobody is ever more than 10m from music and/or radio
3. If an intersection is empty, it is mandatory to try and block it, especially if there are any emergency vehicles trying to get through
4. People love to practice their English, thwarting my Spanish grocery-buying skills
5. If in doubt, always add more sauce
6. If still in doubt, turn the music up a bit
7. If STILL in doubt, add a bit more rum
8. Every meal MUST contain a plantain
9. Handshaking is a complex art
10. Yes, there is another form you need to fill in

Apart from all that, or because of it, this has been a pretty amazing experience so far. Learning to live in a different culture is at times a remarkable journey of discovery, and at other times quite an isolating and scary experience. Learning to communicate in a different language is rewarding but very challenging. I think I have come very far in that though, especially in the last couple months. Speaking is just about confidence, but understanding conversation in groups is still very difficult and frustrating. It was quite enlightening that a Colombian girl arrived a couple weeks ago and even she can't understand half of what the Venezuelans are saying!

I'm definitely experiencing a different way of living, whether that's good or bad I'm not sure. Character building, that's it. I think what I've learned is it's possible to live absolutely anyway as long as you have the right attitude (and good people around you). Being positive, finding the things you like and learning to accept the things you don't. And having an adventurous spirit.

Of course I've made some great friends, even some who aren't in AIESEC! I've learned about different cultures, about leading, managing and motivating people, about dealing with dilemnas and conflict, about the complexities and contradictions of politics and society in a developing region of the world.

But mostly I've learned about myself. What is important to me, who I am as a person, my strengths and weaknesses. I think this is one of the most important aspects of the experience.

So I look forward with optimism and excitement to the next 7 months. I just hope this guy in charge doesn't do anything too crazy in that time.

P.S. Various Christmas shenanigans here.