Train conversations...

Lately I've been traveling a lot by metro and train. Great way to meet people... or end up in some interesting conversations.
Last week when I came back from an AIESEC presentation at one of the universities here, I took the train to go back home and was talking to a friend of mine about the education system here in Spain. After a while a random person just entered the conversation and we ended up discussing the whole educational system here in Spain from ground school to university.
So why does this interest me so much? Well mainly because frankly speaking, the educational system kinda sucks here! In general students are so damn passive, they don't feel the need, see the use and are motivated to do anything besides going to class and obtain some stupid paper saying that they graduated in some study. Great, having a paper just to boost up your ego, confidence in getting a future job, but in he meantime, nothing learned. At least nothing useful! I might be offending people at this moment, and I apologise for that! But students in Spain are not even enouraged to be proactive. They go to class, professor talks, they take notes (or not) and go home. Day after day after day, for any years. In college it's not better either, the system is so passive, as if professors and teachers think that books and articles are enough to make it in life.
It's just so frustrating to see people throwing away valuable time they could use to learn valuable things, explore the world. Why stick to your little limited environment while you can explore the world? Why don't people see the use of doing something. Why only 30 people show up at an AIESEC presentation, while the entire student population is 15.000 ?

Why do universities, professors, college, tutors, schools, teachers not encourage proactivism? An entire generation that is not aware of their potential, of the opportunities that lie at their feet. Passiveness, unaware of the impact that natural disasters have in Guatamala, Paqistan, Mexico etc...

What can I do as AIESECer if the universities do not even support or encourage being a "leader" what kind of graduates are we delivering. Some days I just feel powerless here! In order to reach out, I need to change not only a culture but a whole educational system starting at elementary school!!!!

Great challenges, but where to start! What a shame... when will people at government agencies, insitutions finally get the message that we don't need straight A's, we need people who are proactive, aware and not caught up in their small little environment worried if they will have an 8. or 8.6 (scale 1 to 10) for their exam!

Random conversations...

A black man walked into a cafe early one morning and noticed he was the only black man there. As he sat down, he noticed a white man behind him.

The white man said: "Coloured people aren't allowed in here."

The black man turend around.

He then said:

"When I was born, I was Black.

When I grew up, I was Black.

When I'm sick, I'm Black.

When I go out in the sun, I'm Black.

When I'm cold, I'm Black.

When I die, I'll be Black.

"But you sir...

When you're born, you're Pink.

When you're sick, you're Green.

When you go out in the sun, you turn Red.

When you're cold, you turn Blue.

When you die, you turn Purple.

And you have the nerve to call me coloured."

The black man then sat down, and the white man walked away

Random thoughts...

I think I need to get out for a while... seems I'm to caught up in work... It's fun though, but when do you know where you have crossed the line between responsibility (even though you enjoy the work you are doing) and true blessing and happiness?

"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."

Disconnected...

Hmm, yesterday got back from our National Congress.

Realized that I really got disconnected from the world during the last 7 days. Now I'm reading the news, and so many things happened. Just feels a little bit weird being disconnected only a few days and missing out on so many important things! Sometimes it kind sucks being that occupied and cuaght up in all the work.
Tonight I'll leave Madrid and will be on the road for 3 weeks, visiting the local offices to help and support them (coaching). Don't have time enough but need to relax as well. Hope I won't be disconected from the world during these 3 weeks...

"Happiness is like a butterfly...if you run after it its bound to fly away...but if you sit still its going to enlighten upon you."