Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan is one of history's immortals, alive in memory as a scourge, hero, military genius and demi-god. To Muslims, Russians and westerners, he is a murderer of millions, a brutal oppressor. Yet in his homeland of Mongolia he is the revered father of the nation, and the Chinese honor him as the founder of a dynasty. In his so-called Mausoleum in Inner Mongolia, worshippers seek the blessing of his spirit. In a supreme paradox, the world's most ruthless conqueror has become a force for peace and reconciliation. As a teenager, Genghis was a fugitive, hiding from enemies on a remote mountainside. Yet he went on to found the world's greatest land empire and change the course of world history. Brilliant and original as well as ruthless, he ruled an empire twice the size of Rome's until his death in 1227 placed all at risk. To secure his conquests and then extend them, his heirs kept his death a secret, and secrecy has surrounded him ever since. His undiscovered grave, with its imagined treasures, remains the subject of intrigue and speculation.

Abortion Referendum

It’s not and, fortunately, will not be a subject indifferent for people....

It’s not something that leave people without an opinion and it’s also a way to challenge you’re own way of thinking and acting... because problems exist and the only way to solve them is to face them.

Details can make a difference, and having an opinion is also making something out of it... is good to talk and debate ideas but, is at least as important, to contribute to them in ways that will make them effective or at least will allow you to show you’re commitment or will!

It’s a way that we can influence the future and to our future, even if we’re not contributing to change things as they are, you have ways to act and to justify yourself with yourself. At the end, that’s what each of us is made of.

2

One of the inaccurate questions that I always hear about the Abortion subject is if you’re in favor or against.... If someone asks me this, for sure I will say no! However there are things that we can not tolerate, lack of freedom to decide, hypocrisy, autonomy and lack of accompaniment, and many others...

3

Let’s stop with lies or hiding from our decisions. Portugal is the only country in Europe, apart from Ireland and Poland were Abortion is seen as a crime. A crime that women do because they don’t have other chance, a crime that women suffer everyday on the rest of their life, a crime that could kill them, a crime because they think that the best option was taken.

4

Let’s make things right! Let’s stop the criminalization or penalization!
5

PS: I’m flying back to Portugal to vote.... however, I must state and complain on what is the reason and rational why other Portuguese based outside the country can not vote.

California

I´ll be very glad to receive recommendations for my planned trip to California....


Some ideas in mind:

San Francisco
Los Angeles
Monterey
Las Vegas

Time is short but I´m planning to do the best out of it...

• UA 951 04MAR BRU - IAD 1215 1507
• UA1017 10MAR IAD - SFO 0816 1116
• UA 936 17MAR SFO - IAD 0750 1551
• UA 950 17MAR IAD - BRU 1752 0630+1

The Stone - Dave Matthews

I've this creeping
Suspicion that things here are not as they seem
Reassure me
Why do I feel as if I'm in too deep?
Now I've been praying
For some way to show themI'm not what they see
Yes, I have done wrong
But what I did I thought needed be done
I swear

Oh, Unholy day
If I leave now I might get away
Oh, but this weighs on me
As heavy as stone and as blue as I go
I was just wondering if you'd come along
Hold up my head when my head won't hold on
I'll do the same if the same's what you want
But if not I'll goI will go alone
I'm a long way
From that fool's mistake
And now forever pay
No, runI will run and I'll be ok
I was just wondering if you'd come along
Hold up my head when my head won't hold on
I'll do the same if the same's what you want
But if not I'll goI will go alone
I go a long way
To bury the past for I don't want to pay
Oh, how I wish this
To turn back the clock and do over again
Now I'm just wondering if you'd come along
Hold up my head when my head won't hold on
I'll do the same if the same's what you want
But if not I'll goI will go alone

I need so
To stay in your arms, see you smile, hold you close
And oh it weighs on me
As heavy as stone and of bone chilling cold
I was just wondering if you'd come along
Tell me you will.

13 the lucky number for 2007!!

13 will be the lucky number for this year.
We were 13 on a huge celebration on the old year and a start for the new year.
Great environment and mood from everyone!!

Some pics from the last days in Portugal...

Missing much more..... but no photos available

2006

All for you my Friends!!!

Thanks for the outstanding 2006!!!

A pocas horas de las 12 aca ....y pronto alla!!!Feliz Navidad!!!!

The below represents a X-mas message from a Hispanic Friend... Just sharing with you to understand that things are the same everywhere... In case you need translation to Portuguese or English.... let me know....

HI a todos!!!!!
Bueno otra vez es navidad y fin de año y si bien es a veces cuento repetido, vale la pena por lo menos una vez en el año lo siguiente: Hacer una auto-evaluación de nosotros, nuestra vida y de lo que hemos logrado y perdido en el camino. Bueno y de otras cosas más como: dar gracias de las cosas buenas que tuvimos, seguir desiando con ímpetu lo que nos falto, de darnos cuenta de lo que no debimos hacer o decir en alguna ocasion, evaluar nuestros errores con madurez y de pedir perdón y perdonar si es necesario.

Bueno y nada pues chicocos desde las lejanas tierras les mando un besote muy grande y un abrazote y les deseo de todo corazón una FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!! que la pasaen en compañía de sus seres queridos Y UN PORSPERO AÑO NUEVO!!!!!!! lleno de nuevas metas y retos.

Algo que he aprendido este año y que quisiera compartir con ustedes es que la perseverancia y el esfuerzo siempre valen la pena y que una sonrisa puede cambiar muchas cosas.

Les deseo lo mejor para todos en este 2007 y que todas sus metas y deseos se cumplan!!!!

Besitos y besotes, kisses, bisous,

Because there is a time to talk and a time to act!!

Flight: 1
TV 506
09/02/2007
BRUSSELS / LISBON
16 : 35 / 18 : 25

Flight: 2
TV 507
12/02/2007
LISBON / BRUSSELS
19 : 05 / 22 : 55

I really hope that will be worthwhile!!
I´m just about to pay an additional 60 Euros because I mistaken the destination and had bought a ticket to Madrid!?!?!? Damn!!! I´m really piss off!!! In Christmas you´re not suppose to give presents to guys like Richard Branson!!?!? But to who deserves or needs!?!?

I will be back to Lisbon to say YES! This is indeed my Christmas present!

Yesterday´s X-Mas at "Templários"...

Thanks to Elsa´s invitation (and photos), I had the chance Yesterday to have a very nice evening.... Highlight is going to the band "Clic".. only Portuguese songs were played and to the group of friends....

Lisbon and decision for the old year

People have decisions for new year.... I have a decision for the old year... Yes.... Because I hate to go with the system....

Main reason was discovered yesterday.... The day where I decided to go shopping... all x-mas presents were waiting for me, or...... I was waiting for them??... suddenly, I was in Fnac, when.... voila... one of my preferred movies of the year appeared as "As Brisas da Mudanca"... I laughed.... "The Winds that Shakes the Barley"?!?!...

But to be frankly what really trigger this change was when I was walking trough downtown in Rua Augusta admiring at the same time the x-mas lights... suddenly on my right.. I saw "gofres"?!?!? I was shocked... "Gauffres"?!?!?.. yes they were...

Lisbon looks the same.... As it always seemed.... good and bad... but the weather is lovely... just the way that I like.... cold but clear sky... so sunny... yesterday looking from one hill to the castle.. with the sun shining on the yellow and white houses... what a impression!!!

Yes! The decision is to make the Blog in English.... not always.... My secret wish is to make it in french or spanish... I´m working on it....

Jogos....

Foi com surpresa hoje que na minha aula de francês a professora na ultima hora de classe sugeriu dois jogos...

O primeiro era uma especie de "speed dating".... Mas em vez de sermos nos proprios eramos personagens que a professora escolhia.... Ao calhas escolhi um papel e calhou-me:

Simon

36 Anos

Cabeleireiro.....

A intencao era no fim escolhermos alguem que tenhamos achado mais interessante...

E claro que consegui fazer o milagre de ser o unico gajo nao escolhido....

Para isso admito que tenha contribuido o facto de ter conseguido ser o mais disparatado de todos... mas que foi divertido, foi!!

O segundo jogo foi um que tambem fiz nas Ardennes....

Cada um tem um nome de alguem ou personagem cohecido, escolhido pelo parceiro, colado na testa sem o saber... todos na mesma situacao... e cada um de nos pode fazer perguntas para todo o grupo que tenham respostas de sim ou nao...

A mim calhou-me o.... super-homem?!?!?

Devo admitir que desta vez nao foi muito dificil...

O que eu escolhi para a minha colega que estava ao meu lado foi Ray Charles... A rapariga de nacionalidade Russa nao conseguiu adivinhar... aliás não conhecia-o verdadeiramente..

Nas Ardennes tinha posto a Wonder Woman... também não adivinhado...

Tou a ficar sem ideias....

Mas para a próxima até que tinha vontade de por uma tal de Buffy the Vampire Slayer....

Curioso foi que perguntei a minha professora se conhecia o jogo dos Lobos e Campinos.. e ela disse-me logo, claro que sim.. me chouette beucoup!!!

Esse jogo foi a nossa coculuche no ultimo fim de semana...

Happy Holidays from the Jesuit Novitiate in California

Holiday Greetings from the Jesuit Novitiate in California...

Last time I wrote it was late October and I mentioned that during the month of November, we would be doing the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. Our 30-Day silent retreat ended on December 1 and I am happy to say that we all made it through OK. I am only now beginning to look back on my retreat experience, so it is difficult to put it into words. I can definitely say that it confirmed my calling to be a Jesuit and allows me to more fully understand what an older Jesuit once told me: "The hard part of the exercises is 'meeting yourself'...encountering God, that's easy."
What exactly do we do during the exercises and how does one meet himself, you may ask? The bulk of the exercises is focused on Ignatian contemplation, that is, inserting yourself into a gospel story. Take, for example, the trial of Jesus. One doing a contemplation is asked to picture the scence. Who is there? What do they look like? What does the atmosphere look like? Above all, what are you, the person doing the contemplation, doing and why are you doing it? How do you feel? In doing such contemplation through a variety of different gospel passages, each person's personality and desires come to surface.
After the retreat, we were off to Tijuana, Mexico, to help build houses for the poor. The houses we built were simple two-bedroom houses that nontheless required a lot of sawing, hammering, installing windows and doors, and working with cement. Us novices finished 3 houses in a little over 3 days of work, and returned to the novitiate completely and utterly exhausted. After that experience, I can say that none of us will be taking up carpentry as a career.

Back here, we will return to our apostolates for a couple of days, attend the first vows of a novice whose vows were delayed for several months because of a family emergency, celebrate Christmas with the second-year novices, and prepare for the arrival of the novices from the Oregon Province on January 3. They will be here during the month of January for a series of classes. I'll tell you more about that in my next email.
I wish you all, then...

Merry Christmas...
Feliz Natal...
Feliz Navidad...
Joyeux Noel...

and all the best in 2007!

Peace,

Luchthaven

Na ultima 3ª feira tive um amigo a visitar-me de Portugal...

Eu tinha referido que estaria em casa (perto do Aeroporto de Zaventem... em Zaventem centrum) a partir das 19horas...

As indicações tinham sido dadas... Tens que apanhar o comboio na Gare Central e ir ou para Zaventem Aeroporto, mas nao o directo.... ou Louvain que normalmente passa por aqui... mas nao deve haver problema e basta perguntares na estacao....

Subitamente as 18h49 recebo um sms.... "o comboio p tua casa e o q vai p louvain?" eu descontraido chego a casa e reparo na mensagem.... "sim e esse ou o que nao e directo para Zaventem..."...

Passado 10 minutos recebo um telefonema..." Andre, estou aqui num sitio que se chama Luchthaven.. sabes onde e isto?".. "eh pa! nunca ouvi falar nisso...mas estas perdido?".. "sim, estou num sitio que se chama Luchtaven!!".. "mas ja andaste muito?"... "sim, acho que estive mais do que na ida...".. "mas ja perguntaste a alguem?"... "sim, mandaram-me ver no monitor, #$&$#&%"... "espera deixa-me ver na net...." (la vou eu a net para ver o site dos caminhos de ferro... tento com leuch... nada.. com luch... nada!! com L.. NADA!!).. "eh pa! nao consigo encontrar mesmo... nao faco a minima ideia! tenta perguntar.. ".. "ok! eu depois ja digo"... recebo outro telefonema uns minutos depois... "olha, vais-me buscar ao aeroporto.. este e directo, ou queres que depois apanhe de volta?"... "nao deixa tar que eu passo pelo aeroporto"....

Uns minutos depois no aeroporto... "onde estavas? Onde e isso de Luchtaven??".... "se fores ver ali dentro ves que Aeroporto em Holandes e Luchthaven?!?!?!".. oooooooopssss!!

A noite cai...

... na cidade.
Lembrei-me desta frase...
Em pura verdade, a noite esta mesmo a cair aqui... sao 17hrs e estou a fazer algo que me está a dar um grande prazer.... ter tempo... sentir o tempo... controlar o meu tempo...
Num café (O Belga) com o laptop na mesa... e o prazer de escrever com toda a privacidade do mundo... isto só possível porque ninguem percebe o que escrevo... mas adoro sentir as outras pessoas a falar a beber, a fumar, a rir, a conversar, alguns cumplices outros apenas circunstanciais... uns centrados em si mesmo outros que reparam em pormenores, outros mais curiosos que se interrogam quem estará noutro lado... uns felizes em si, outros solitários com outros...
Tou a beber chá... estou contipado já há 2 semanas... o meu nariz já chora...
Aliás nunca bebi tanto chá como agora... começo a gostar... tem aquele sabor exótico que nos pode transportar para milhares de sitios so pelo sabor... quentes, frios, árido maioritariamente... solitário, por vezes, mas aconchegador...
Olho para o meu speculoos na mesa.. como, não como... acho que um pouco de doce não faz mal... adorna a nossa vida e cria aquele sorriso que todos tempo e que uns usam mais que os outros... uns adoram passar esse sorriso e alegria para outros.... são esses que dão cor a todos os outros.. que nos fazem sentir mais importantes...
Neste momento penso no momento... gosto de pensar no momento... gosto de sentir o segundo... sentir que estou em harmonia comigo... faz-me sentir tão mais em harmonia com os outros...
E continuarei pelos meus pensamentos....