11/30/2012


Definitely, Swiss and Spanish people are different... Happy Friday!
Mannheim

The 3 workshop days were really intense and I got quite lost at the beginning. Gradually I was understanding a little bit more.

3 different Business were discussed in this workshop: Boiler, Steam and Gas (for DE and CH) and all of them have specific and really different requirements, so the standard process is difficult to be achieved (but we will!).

One new lady came with my boss and me to this WS. We do not know if she will join us yet because after the first day she expressed her doubts about coming to this new project.

Rest of people were really nice. Specially Klaus (PM for Germany) and Patricia (Transport Director in Germany). Klaus organized a dinner for all the team. Patricia showed us the Water Tower, Castle, and she told a lot of stories about Mannheim. She is not from there, but she really loves it! It was wonderful to listen to her.


(Ina - new lady; I; Patricia; Charlene. Castle in background)

People said that Mannheim was not beautiful because it´s an industrial city... but I found it somehow lovely.

 
Best and more expected moment came on 28th night: I finally met my dear friend "Estefi" (as I call her). I was early in the Station and I was continiously looking around. I must confess that I was nervious.
 
Finally she arrived and she was exactly as I left here 7 years ago. Amazing!! Even though more prettier. I was telling her it when suddenly she said: "I´m not the same...". She opened her coat and a biiiigggg belly appeared. You should have seen my face. It was a total surprise. And I´m so happy for her!! Best thing: she´s going to have a baby-girl!!
 
Next week and on 17th I´ve to go again and probably I spend with her the weekend of the 17th of December.
 
Of course, we immortalize the moment.
 
 


11/25/2012

Manheim = Steffi

On 26th Nov in the afternoon I´ll travel to Manheim and I´ll be back on 29th evening.

I have a workshop for Transport Management (the Project assigned to me).

I´m excited, and this time not because of the workshop, but because after 7 years I will meet my good friend Steffi!!!

Steffi is from Manheim (although she´s living now in Neustadt) and as soon as she received my email asking if we could have the chance to meet, she quickly answered saying: "Yeeeessssss!!!". I cannot believe it yet!

I met her when I went to Cotbus in 2004 to do my Final Project of Career. She was an open German girl and she was ready for partying almost every day (she is not Spanish... so everyday was a really challenge for her :P).

I enjoyed a loooot with her and she helped me to prepare my German exam (level A2). At that point, she was working in the University Library and the most of the afternoons I went there with her and try to practice my poor-german. It was fun!

In 2005 she met Marco and they got married some years later. So, now I´ll meet my "married friend".

We have so much to tell us... Looking forward to meeting her on Wednesday at 19:00!!!!

11/24/2012


Happy Saturday!
(X-mas Markt in Bellevue - Zürich - with my friend Anna-Lena)

¨ I ¨

During the last months, some people have asked me how I am, what I like, etc.

Here you have the answers to some of your questions:
  • Birthday: 27.09.1981
  • Horoscope: Balance
  • Brothers/sisters: 1 sister (4 years younger than me)
  • Pets: We had 3 Cocker Spaniels: Dama (black), Golfo (golden) & Fuego (black & golden) - Dama's babies
  • Hometown: Granada (Spain)
  • Places where I have lived: Granada / Madrid (Spain); Cottbus (Germany); Glasgow (Scotland); Zürich (Switzerland)
  • Background: Chemical Engineer / Master Degree in Labor Risk Prevention (Ergonomic speciality) / Master Degree in Supply Chain Management
  • Work: I started in April 2006. 4 different Companies since then. Currently I´m working in Alstom (Switzerland) as "Procurement & Logistic Business Expert"
  • Religion: Catholic. I pray (but do not go to mass). I started to read the Bible but I have not finished yet
  • Tabu matter: Death (it´s a really interesting matter but I am not able to speak about it for longer)
  • Political view: Republican (& Conservative)
  • Special year days: Family's birthdays, death anniversaries, New year eve.
  • Season: Summer
  • Beach/Mountain: Beach
  • Car: Seat Ibiza (white) - Now it belongs to my sister. It was my mother's gift for my 18th B-day
  • Diurnal/nocturnal person: Nocturnal
  • Scars: 4 (belly button, forehead, chin, right shoulder)
  • Casual/dressy clothes: Dressy
  • Favourite piece of clothes: A white brilliant skirt (it´s really old ~ 8 or 9 years. It costed 80€ and it was the most piece of clothes I bought with my own money. I´ve never regreted!)
  • Favourite smell: My mother's smell, baby cologne, smell after raining/burning sth, smell after having a shower"
  • Non-favourite smell: Olives, cheese, cauliflower
  • Favourite number: It´s changing... right now from 1 to 10, I would say 9. In a wider scale, infinite
  • Favourite colour: Pink, yellow and white. Black/Red/Silver/Golden at night
  • Favourite animal: Bull, Lion & Horse (for having a pet: dogs)
  • Favourite flower: White roses, Sunflowers, Marguerites, Iris
  • Favourite musical group: None
  • Favourite type of music: It depends on the moment but I love showtunes
  • Favourite food: Frenchfries with frite eggs
  • Favourite drink: Coca-Cola (with lemon, ice... and straw)
  • Alcohol?: Only Tekila (and some cocktail with Tekila)
  • Favourite book: "El Principito". I also love reading Nicholas Sparks' books (I´m collecting them)
  • Favourite movie: Love american typical movies but I should recognize that since I´m a child I adore "Sissi" films.
  • Favourite TV Serie: Right now Revenge (but I was addict to The Growing Pains, Knight Rider, Team-A, Baywatch, Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place)
  • Favourite Cartoons: Candy Candy, Heidi, Oliver & Benji (these last ones have been watched 4 or 5 times... I was waking at 8:00 up during one whole summer to watch them)
  • Favourite Spanish word (s): "Súper encanta"
  • My first difficult Spanish word: "Aboca arriba, aboca abajo" (I can remember my mother correcting me... and loosing her patience sometimes!!)
  • Favourite English word (s): "Gorgeous"
  • Favourite German word (s): "Wunderbar, so la la, geil, toll" (still in progress to know more words)
  • Favourite Italian word (s): "Principessa, Sogni d'oro"
  • Favourite Portuguese word (s): "Muito fixe, sozinho, Pilarzita"
  • What I love most in my life: My mother and sister
  • Obsess with:
                    - High heels
                    - My hair care
                    - Make a list for everything (sometimes I make a list of a list)
                    - Drink with straw when I go out and to bite the beginning of the straw
  • No leave home without:
                    - Checking several times the burner, lights, plugs
                    - Eylash mascara, blusher, lip gloss
  • "Bad" habits:
                    - I do not eat vegetables, not much fish or fruit
                    - Sleep less than 5 hours (really difficult to go bed earlier than 1:30 - 2:00am)
                    - I´m a little bit messy (but tidy in my mess)
                    - I normally do my stuffs at the last moment
                    - Be very focused on my work
                    - My face reflects what I feel
  • Free time:
                    - Shoppings
                    - Reading
                    - Meet friends
                    - Go to interesting events (museums and exhibitions are included... but I visit them  
                      really fast!)
                    - Since I live in Zürich, I love to go the the lake at least once per week (normally on the 
                      weekend) - just if it is not raining/snowing
                    - Watch TV
  • What I cannot stand:
                    - Lie
                    - Injustice
                    - Smelly pple & places
                    - People tell me what I must do
                    - People try to control me
                    - People who is not close to me touch me
                    - People start asking me about work stuffs just when I´ve arrived the office and I´m still
                      with my handbad and jacket/lunch time
                    - People who split while they are speaking (normally drank people)
                    - Arrogance people
                    - People touch my Computer screen (it´s not tactil!)
                    - People interrumpt when I´m discussing sth with somebody (it´s really impolite)
                    - Receive kisses which leaves saliva on my face (I hate it!!)
                    - People drink my Coke/take my food (if you want a cola or you are hungry, buy your
                      drink/meal!!)
                    - People who never pays (and they are always invited)
  • Virtues:
                    - Make people smile
                    - Normally I give a second opportunity
                    - Trusty
                    - Tolerant
                    - Persevering
  • Faults:
                    - VERY direct person
                    - A little bit frivolous
                    - Ironic
                    - Once I have taken a decision, it is reaaaallly difficult I change my mind

  • Quotations:
                    - "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can" (Arthur Ashe)
                    - "One of the hardest parts of life is deciding whether to walk away or try harder"
                    - "Seduce my mind and you can have my body, find my soul and I'm yours forever"
Which Animal Are You?




11/22/2012

Heathrow Airport (London) vs Madrid Airport (Spain)

The new Terminal in Heathrow is the Terminal 5 (built by the British Arquitect Richard Rogers).

This is the biggest construction made in this country and if you have a look outside of this Terminal, it is nice... but, according to me, I prefer (as the Arquitect) Terminal 4 in Madrid (built by the same Arquitect).

Richard Rogers prefers Terminal 4 among other things because the Terminal inside is like he wished while Termianal 5 is not since the country did not have the requested money by Mr. Rogers.

Terminal 5 (London) is a little bit messy inside:

- The Door aisles is really small for so many people
- Shops are agglomerated (there is not a clear vision about what you can buy)
- Restaurants are almost nonexistent... Furthermore, where have you seen an Airport w/o McDonalds? Well... here you have an example.

Terminal 4 (Madrid):

- There are a lot of shops correctly aligned
- There are different restaurants/fast food (bistros) - McDonald's included
- The Door aisles have enough space an many seats

Goal Achieved!

I arrived to London on Sunday evening and my hotel was close to Heathrow airport.

The first things I saw when I came into the hotel were: many people clapping and laughing, flashes...

I did the check-in quickly and I down again to the groundfloor. There was a great event with some kind of popular people (I did not know anyone and when I asked to a girl, she spoke really fast and I did not get anything).

 
I stayed for 5 min there since the event was finishing. The surprise came when the Presenter and some people from the staff started to dance the "Gangnam style" song. And they did quite good!!
 
 
During the next 3 days, nothing special happens. My classmates (we were 6 in the course) were nice and we had lunch together. At night I had dinner with one guy from Greece that was in my hotel and took the same shuttle as me to go to SAP Company.
 
(Note: First day, I took a taxi in the morning and the wrong shuttle in the afternoon. This means that I was drived to the wrong hotel! And when they asked which was my hotel... I could not remember the name and a list of the hotels around was shown to me. Finally, I recognize the name and a "special" transport was organized for me).
 
The course has been quite interesting. It´s been a little bit hard mainly because of the Language (I am not sure that some day I get used to English Language). Anyway, I am happy to have done it and have got my certificate!!!
 
 
Pending matter: Come back to London just for fun!!

11/17/2012

Training in London

Tomorrow I´ll travel to London for a SAP training.

I´m excited about this course and I hope to be able to understand all what will be explained (I cannot avoid to being afraid of the Language). English and I are uncompatible.

Unfortunately, I will not have time to see anything except the airport - hotel - SAP Company. It´s close to Heathrow Airport.

It´s the second time I go to London and the second time that practically I will only see the Airport. It´s a shame!!

Time for Glühwein!

11/16/2012

Overload

This was my calendar this week ("lunch time" booking is something metaphorical):

 
11 tasks to do this morning, only 6 were done + France 2a and France 4 Status sent. 5 tasks left for next week + the new ones I will not be able to do from Monday to Wednesday because I have a training in London:
 
 
 
Here it´s not mention the documentation that I have to prepare earlier than 10th December, documentation about Transport Management I need to read before 23rd November and transports (and related documentation) I need to check before 28th November to move them.

I´ve not metioned yet that from 27th - 29th I´ll be in Manheim for a new TM Workshop.

Wish me good luck and let´s check my "tasks - to - do" in 2 weeks.
Natural Bicolour Hair


This is my belowest layer of hair.

When I was a child my hair was golden with ringlets only at the ends (I´ll try to find better pics when I´m at home in X-mas):

 
My hair gets straight and black with the time... Right now, I do not understand why the belowest layer of my hair is much lighter than the first one which is quite dark (normally my hair is down. So it cannot be because of the sun).
"Mother alarm"!

I´m not a morning person at all... and I have to wake up really early every morning (the latest 6:30).

I set up the alarm o´clock minimum 4 times (even though for 3 minutes... I need them!). Finally, when I got to get up I take a shower, make up while I´m dressing up. Shoes, coat, bag, keys and close the door.

I normally have to walk really fast to the first train station (about 3 -4 min). 5 min to get the second train Station to catch the one at 8:36 (if I´m lucky, 8:06). 20min by train and then bus (~ 10 min). I  normally arrive to the office about 9:20.

This week has been really intensive. At the beginning of October I was assigned a new project (big challenge - "great brownie"!) and although we started some weeks ago, this week has been the first of a lot of next intensive weeks from now to May.

Between 10 - 14 people have been more than 8 hours in a room (2 breaks of 10 min for a "cigarrete" - whom smokes for - and 30min lunch every day). English - German - English - German.... new process that I do not know - English - German, etc.

I was so exhausted that yesterday when I arrived home I felt asleep (even I was not able to have dinner) in "zero coma" seconds on Mr. Sofa.

When I went to bed I set up my alarm o´clock for 6:03 (I do not like "sharp" times: 6:00; 6:15; 6:30; 6:45 for the first alarm)... and my eyes were sooooo closed that I was not able to see that my mobile batterie was dying.

My land phone started ringing this morning and I was scared because only my family has this number. I took it really fast and my mother was on the other side.

Conversation:

- What are u doing?
- Sleeping?!
- What time did u think to get up?
- About 6:30 (for that I started with the alarm at 6:03)
- Well, it´s 7:30 and... She started to blame me

My mobile died, it didn´t ring and I was happily sleeping.



Since 2004 (when I moved to Germany), my mother checks every morning at 7 that I am awake and fine. She gave me a missed call and I returned it. Then Whatsapp came and she used Whatsapp to tell me: "Good morning, have a nice day, take care and speak later".

When she wrote me this morning and did not get any answer, then she called to my mobile and it was switch off... wait for a while... write me, call me again and not have any answer... she was worried. Poor Mum!!

After all, I was more or less on time in my workshop and everything ran better than I thought thanks to my "mother alarm".

As the saying goes: "There is no more than one mother"... and I love mine with all my heart!!

Note: During all this week I was one of the first ones in the workshop room and my boss was out of the office. Today he was in and when he saw me the first thing he told me: "Pilar, you are late"... (S***!)

11/12/2012

My Facebook Birthday

I still remember when Facebook was discovered to me.

I was in the "Core Analyst School" (in St. Charles - Chicago) and one of my teammates asked me if I had facebook. I didn´t have any clue about "Facebook" (was it a book with faces?... what a name!!). I thought: "These American are a litte bit weird".

Well... I´ve to say that if they are... I´m much more than them because I´m a really really fun of it! I cannot say how many times I check my facebook per day... countless!!

Funny thing is that the guy who told me about Facebook (Derek - the one who taught me to say: "Give me my tears" (Borat Film) is not a "facebooker" anymore.

Facebook has many advantages:

1) You can follow your friend´s posts
2) You can get in contact with old friends whom you lost the contact with (because of the circumstances of life)
3) People who like you will know about you (only thing you want)
4) It´s really often to be surprised because some posts (more often than you´d like sometimes)
5) It´s free
6) Except in China (if I´m not wrong), you can use it everywhere
7) Facebook is "friendly" (although I prefered the old layout)
8) There are many applications/games (I do not really use them... but some of my friends are obsessed with some)
9) When people like your comments/fotos (specially), it´s really cool!
10) You can trace where your friends are and you will always have some known face wherever you go

(Note: Facebook will not pay to me for saying these stuffs)

Next year will be the first year I will celebrate my Facebook Birthday. Remember the below date, we´ll have a faceparty!

 
Here my teammates (5 years ago): Michael Hsu, Therese Suaris, Derek, Sean Pasin and I.
 



I enjoyed a loootttt with them!
"Appasionata"

One friend of my mother is the owner of the Spanish horses in this show. She came to Zürich and she invited me.

I love horses but I had never been before in a show like this one. I had high expectaions and it did not dissapoint me. It was magical.

I´m ready for next year!!


Jumping Horse

11/11/2012

November'12 - 1 Week on Holidays

Week ran really fast. When I started realizing about my Holidays... the day when I had to back was already there!

I did my usual visits: Dentist, Dermatologist, Beautician, Hairstylist, Banks, shopping with my mother and sis, cinema with my mother...

None of my friends knew I was going to be there (my schedule was already plenty).

I had a rest... the rest that I needed!

7:20 in the morning on Tuesday I left home to the Bus Station - 5.5 hours were waiting for me until I arrived Madrid. Then taxi to the Airport. On Boarding time: 19:00. Arrived time to Zürich ~ 22:00. I got my flat about 23:00. Almost 16 hours travelling!!!

Positive things of my return: I was able to buy the earrings and necklace (plane tax free) from Dyberg/Kern that I was thinking about some time ago

 
... and there are fewer days to Xmas and coming back home!