From both sides of the mirror...

If you ask me about the lessons I have learnt in my year abroad, living and working and studying in China...

I have to be honest, most of them are not only about Chinese culture, places or language, not even people itself, but about relationships, about life and about myself.

One of the best lessons I will always have in my heart is this one: Remember to see always from both sides of the mirror...

Many times we say something, we have an idea, an opinion, very good one, we have thought it thru, it comes after some meditation or discussion... but! Have we really tried to see things from both sides of the mirror?

For example, living in China, as in many other cultures in Asia, is quite different from living in "the West", where we have to accept that the living standards have really became "standardized" hehe... We all can have the same things and we all share doing, having (almost, in general terms) the same activities, the same ways...

Sometimes, we may think: "this people... uff, why they don't know this? Why do they do like that?" We should be careful with such quick judgements... !!!!

Maybe we are right, but who told you that is really "good"??? Who determines what is "good" or not?

I think the society many times determines this and teaches us from very little to believe it, sometimes it could be truth and an advantage to follow such principles, but if they prevent you from being happy and limit your freedom, you better think twice...

Are they real good? Why do we do them? What happens if we don't? And if you find that you are not hurting anyone else and that will lead you to be a better person? Achieve greater things.. I feel you should go ahead...

If you are in the middle of a discussion, try to ask yourself... Why could he be keeping his point? how comes he or she is saying such a thing... ? May be this... Maybe.....

That doesn't mean that you change your ideas, but you will reinforce them and know why do you have them... Or if the doubt arises, maybe you have an opportunity to change your ways for some better ones...

My Rayuela...

Hey!

Undoubtedly many should ask why Rayuela and Why Maga but I guess some of you know might already know a bit of what I am talking about it here, that's good he he.

For those who don't have a clue. Please let me introduce you to this, my Rayuela, my world...

Rayuela is my favorite book written by Julio Cortázar, an Argentinean, born Belgian who living in Paris finished writing one of the masterpieces of Latin American literature: Rayuela.

Rayuela is a game I reckon everyone in the world have played at least once, different names maybe (avioncito, tejo, hopscotch, marelles, etc...) but the same thing. As Cortazar may say, all is the same, opposites reunite, there are no indeed, we are the same animal, just different cages.
Another question I guess... Why Rayuela? What is the reason I call my blog like this and Rayuela is the name of such a book?

Well, Rayuela is a game where you are trying to reach the "Heaven", the "end", the number 10, you have to make some tricks, pass some obstacles, maybe sometimes will be hard and you have to try again before being able to succeed to the next stage... All of that, and also the fact that is like a kids' game too serious but at the same time not to be taken so seriously, it's the answer.

Like he proposed in his book, we have to try with language to fight it, we have to try with society fight society, try to reinvent the world, why to attach ourselves to rules that they don't bring us any good really? Why to follow something we are not sure of...?
Of course, as long as you don't hurt anyone in the way... he he! Don't think of me as a total anarchist he he.

Last thing before closing the first entry!
Maga... she is one of the main roles in Rayuela. Paraphrasing him thru the eyes of Horacio Oliveira, her lover... "She used to swim in the rivers I was just able to start understanding, to start seeing, to realize there were there, she was like the seagull who doesn't know she is flying but flies and enjoy, like the fish who doesn't know it is swimming but dances in the water graceful and joyfully".

Do you like Rayuela? Hope you do...

and if you haven't heard before, Welcome....