lunedì, febbraio 26, 2007
Cars on ice!
Here you go! Straight from the track! We are having the same practice that is compulsory for taking a driving license in Finland. We experience car reaction with different kind of weather, like ice or snow, while trying to avoid a sudden object on a straight path or in a curve. I wanted to write now, just in case I don't get to see the evening. :-)
UPDATE: after some practice each of us (we were 13) had to perform a final test. A slalom in three "doors" where the maximum allowed speed was 60 km/h. Winner was the one that went correctly through the three doors, keeping control of the car at the maximum speed.
I'm the proud winner, having crossed the doors at 57 km/h. :-)
UPDATE: after some practice each of us (we were 13) had to perform a final test. A slalom in three "doors" where the maximum allowed speed was 60 km/h. Winner was the one that went correctly through the three doors, keeping control of the car at the maximum speed.
I'm the proud winner, having crossed the doors at 57 km/h. :-)
venerdì, febbraio 23, 2007
Kalle
Thursday night at Kalle. This is one of the most famous "tradition" I have in Finland. I don't want to comment it. I just want to remember it. Anybody sees something different here. Young studs want to find some friendly faces, older ones... also. Enjoy Kalle!
giovedì, febbraio 22, 2007
Driving on ice
Hi world!
Next monday my workmates and I will go to drive on ice... Have a look at the track on google maps.
It should be a lot of fun. I'll keep you posted!
Ciao,
alfonso
martedì, febbraio 20, 2007
Back in Helsinki
Hi all!
After more than one month I'm back in Helsinki. As you can see from the picture now everything is white and there is much more light. Check out this web site about how the daylight change over the months here in Helsinki. Quite impressive. The weather is still really really cold (between -15 and -20), but it's manageable. As usual, I look forward to the next trip and I'll keep you posted.
Cheers,
alfonso
After more than one month I'm back in Helsinki. As you can see from the picture now everything is white and there is much more light. Check out this web site about how the daylight change over the months here in Helsinki. Quite impressive. The weather is still really really cold (between -15 and -20), but it's manageable. As usual, I look forward to the next trip and I'll keep you posted.
Cheers,
alfonso
mercoledì, febbraio 14, 2007
Be happy if she says no...
For the first time since I came to Mexico, Last week I went to eat at McDonald to have a quick bite.
I found this ad: "Celebrate when they say no, since the best (girl) will say yes".
I always thought advertising was a great creative work. Now I think that a little bit less. :-)
alfonso
I found this ad: "Celebrate when they say no, since the best (girl) will say yes".
I always thought advertising was a great creative work. Now I think that a little bit less. :-)
alfonso
lunedì, febbraio 12, 2007
Living in Italy with 1.000 euro
I will write this in English, even if I'm talking about a TV reportage in Italian.
This evening I was looking at national Italian broadcaster (RAI) web site. I do that quite often when I'm abroad to see how bad Italy is doing. My hidden hope is that Italy will one day realize the incredible situation it's in and do something about it.
Quite frankly, the hope is fading...
I want to link this video about people who is living with 1.000€ a month. I'm not sure for how long the video will be kept on the website, so take the time to watch it.
In the video you can see how this young generation (they call it so in the reportage, even if they are over 30 years old) is forced to make choices against their will. They have to keep living with their parents or live in shared flats, without the luxury of a car or of summer holidays and with the costant threat of some unforseen expense (like the dentist) that inevitably force them to ask money to their parents. Obviously marriage and kids is a kind of daydream for them. They can only buy clothes in sales and food in wal-mart kind of store.
I have very mixed feelings about this. One side of me thinks it's a national shame that in a country that supposedly is part of a forum for the world's major industrialised democracies (the G8) people barely survives. I believe that if you work you should have the right to live, not just survive. 1.000€ a month means surviving to me. On the other side, I think that everybody is responsible for himself/herself and nobody stops any of these people to try their luck abroad (as I did). Basically this is the same opinion I expressed in my previous post about leaving Italy.
Once I created my personal chart do distinguish between a country where I would live and a country where I would not live. If your salary allows you to afford a house in the city you live with a mortgage of 10 or 15 years, it's worthy to live and work there.
Let's take Milan. When I was working there my salary was about 1.300€ net a month. Usually banks grant you a mortgage so that your monthly instalment is around 1/3 of your salary.
A decent flat of around 60 square meters costs around 200.000€ in the suburbs of Milan.
One of the best options for a mortgage in Italy is called Mutuo Arancio, offered by the worldwide famous ING Direct group. They have a very nice tool where you can select the price of the house and the monthly instalment you are able to pay and you see how long the mortgage will last. Calculate your mortgage length. Input 200.000 in the first field (cost of the flat), 160.000 in the second field (the mortgage covers maximum 80% of the full price) and 450 in the third field, then press "Calcola" ("Evaluate"). A nice popup will inform you that with your inputs the mortgage will be longer than 30 years, and the bank does not allow that.
The site offers you the opposite tool: you can calculate your optimal monthly instalment based on the preferred duration of the mortgage. Calculate your monthly instalment. Enter the same inputs and select 15 years of mortgage. You will see the monthly instalment is about 1.200€, which means that your net salary should be of around 3.600€ to afford it.
With my personal evaluation tool, Milan (Rome would be the same, if not worse) does not qualify as a city where I can live in given my salary.
So what are the alternatives? Basically I see only two (with an optional third):
a) go abroad to get a decent salary
b) do something that will grant you that kind of salary in your own country
c) start working as a manager in the company your daddy founded
How about me? I blow (c) when I decided to study computer science, and I can't say I regret it. At the moment I'm stuck with (a), but as it's more and more clear by the day that this choice does not make me happy. So my only left hope is (b).
How to do that? Well, at the moment my best guess (left alone the chance to sell my body in Viale Zara) is to go back to school and get an MBA. But this is a totally different topic and maybe I will talk about it some other time.
I guess I'm not really making a point, and I don't think I have a point to make. I just needed to write about this to get rid of some of the frustration I get when I see how Italy willingly put herself in a toilet and desperately trying to flush it.
Too bad I'm not a computer grafic guru. I would love to create a picture where Italy (represented as a map with arms) is in a toilet trying to flush herself. ;-)
Probably something interesting would be to try to understand whose fault is this. My easiest guess is that greedy politicians in the last 30 years would make an easy target, but I guess the real situation if far more complex than this.
Alfonso
This evening I was looking at national Italian broadcaster (RAI) web site. I do that quite often when I'm abroad to see how bad Italy is doing. My hidden hope is that Italy will one day realize the incredible situation it's in and do something about it.
Quite frankly, the hope is fading...
I want to link this video about people who is living with 1.000€ a month. I'm not sure for how long the video will be kept on the website, so take the time to watch it.
In the video you can see how this young generation (they call it so in the reportage, even if they are over 30 years old) is forced to make choices against their will. They have to keep living with their parents or live in shared flats, without the luxury of a car or of summer holidays and with the costant threat of some unforseen expense (like the dentist) that inevitably force them to ask money to their parents. Obviously marriage and kids is a kind of daydream for them. They can only buy clothes in sales and food in wal-mart kind of store.
I have very mixed feelings about this. One side of me thinks it's a national shame that in a country that supposedly is part of a forum for the world's major industrialised democracies (the G8) people barely survives. I believe that if you work you should have the right to live, not just survive. 1.000€ a month means surviving to me. On the other side, I think that everybody is responsible for himself/herself and nobody stops any of these people to try their luck abroad (as I did). Basically this is the same opinion I expressed in my previous post about leaving Italy.
Once I created my personal chart do distinguish between a country where I would live and a country where I would not live. If your salary allows you to afford a house in the city you live with a mortgage of 10 or 15 years, it's worthy to live and work there.
Let's take Milan. When I was working there my salary was about 1.300€ net a month. Usually banks grant you a mortgage so that your monthly instalment is around 1/3 of your salary.
A decent flat of around 60 square meters costs around 200.000€ in the suburbs of Milan.
One of the best options for a mortgage in Italy is called Mutuo Arancio, offered by the worldwide famous ING Direct group. They have a very nice tool where you can select the price of the house and the monthly instalment you are able to pay and you see how long the mortgage will last. Calculate your mortgage length. Input 200.000 in the first field (cost of the flat), 160.000 in the second field (the mortgage covers maximum 80% of the full price) and 450 in the third field, then press "Calcola" ("Evaluate"). A nice popup will inform you that with your inputs the mortgage will be longer than 30 years, and the bank does not allow that.
The site offers you the opposite tool: you can calculate your optimal monthly instalment based on the preferred duration of the mortgage. Calculate your monthly instalment. Enter the same inputs and select 15 years of mortgage. You will see the monthly instalment is about 1.200€, which means that your net salary should be of around 3.600€ to afford it.
With my personal evaluation tool, Milan (Rome would be the same, if not worse) does not qualify as a city where I can live in given my salary.
So what are the alternatives? Basically I see only two (with an optional third):
a) go abroad to get a decent salary
b) do something that will grant you that kind of salary in your own country
c) start working as a manager in the company your daddy founded
How about me? I blow (c) when I decided to study computer science, and I can't say I regret it. At the moment I'm stuck with (a), but as it's more and more clear by the day that this choice does not make me happy. So my only left hope is (b).
How to do that? Well, at the moment my best guess (left alone the chance to sell my body in Viale Zara) is to go back to school and get an MBA. But this is a totally different topic and maybe I will talk about it some other time.
I guess I'm not really making a point, and I don't think I have a point to make. I just needed to write about this to get rid of some of the frustration I get when I see how Italy willingly put herself in a toilet and desperately trying to flush it.
Too bad I'm not a computer grafic guru. I would love to create a picture where Italy (represented as a map with arms) is in a toilet trying to flush herself. ;-)
Probably something interesting would be to try to understand whose fault is this. My easiest guess is that greedy politicians in the last 30 years would make an easy target, but I guess the real situation if far more complex than this.
Alfonso
venerdì, febbraio 09, 2007
Finally, I'm ItalianS (and Acapulco)
One of the most famous Italian newspaper as an online magazine called Italians, that mainly hosts the view of Italians who live abroad.
As such, I read it every now and again.
Few days ago I wrote a letter and I was published, so I'm now an official ItalianS... ;-)
The web site is http://www.corriere.it/solferino/severgnini/
Here is the translation in English, plus all that I wanted to add but I couldn't (there is a limitation on the size of the text):
"I'm a 28 years old man (not boy). I come from Lombardia but my parents are from the south (so the need to travel to find a proper work doesn't come to me as a surprise).
I write from Mexico, where I am for a work project. In december I was in the United Emirates, before in France, Italy, Austria, Brazil and so on.
When I talk about my work people is usually very interested, almost jealous. But the one time I offered a job interview in my company to a friend from Rome, he kindly declined.
Oh, I almost forgot. I should say I live in Finland, even if I live there 2 or 3 months each year.
I started working for the same company in Italy, but because of the salary and of the career chances, I decided to go abroad, and I ended up in Finland.
I see many friends ready to work hard, to move, to leave their house and I see they find good job opportunities.
Of course it would be easier if Italy had salary and job opportunities comparable to France or Germany (let alone North Europe). I would have really liked not to leave my friends and my family, but since Italy is in this situation, I had to make a choice and walk away.
This is why I think it doesn't make much difference to complain about how things go while staying in Italy. Which country (except dictatorships) after 10 years you say exactly the same people running for the elections?
In which city where living costs are comparable to Milan or Rome, you see salaries of 600€ or 700€?
I remember the comment of the Economist after Italy's elections and the end of talks on the youth labour law in France. The problem is, said the Economist, that still too many people don't feel any problem (since, I add, they have privileges they didn't work hard to get) in these countries and it will take still a lot of time (I add, a deeper decline) before these people will understand that without a clear and radical change these countries are doomed.
So, come on, let's all emigrate. Maybe after that the country will understand the need for a radical change e maybe in some years will be able to come back in our loved country."
So far, what I wrote to the magazine. The only thing I want to add is that the price to pay for this life is getting higher by the day, and if there would be any chance to have a challenging job with a comparable salary in Italy, I'm quite sure I would take it. So stay tuned... ;-)
Then, let's talk about Acapulco!!
Last weekend I went there and I have to say it was quite amazing to lay on the beach while in Finland it was about -20 degrees.... About 50 degrees diffence.
No words, just a picture.
Bye,
alfonso
As such, I read it every now and again.
Few days ago I wrote a letter and I was published, so I'm now an official ItalianS... ;-)
The web site is http://www.corriere.it/solferino/severgnini/
Here is the translation in English, plus all that I wanted to add but I couldn't (there is a limitation on the size of the text):
"I'm a 28 years old man (not boy). I come from Lombardia but my parents are from the south (so the need to travel to find a proper work doesn't come to me as a surprise).
I write from Mexico, where I am for a work project. In december I was in the United Emirates, before in France, Italy, Austria, Brazil and so on.
When I talk about my work people is usually very interested, almost jealous. But the one time I offered a job interview in my company to a friend from Rome, he kindly declined.
Oh, I almost forgot. I should say I live in Finland, even if I live there 2 or 3 months each year.
I started working for the same company in Italy, but because of the salary and of the career chances, I decided to go abroad, and I ended up in Finland.
I see many friends ready to work hard, to move, to leave their house and I see they find good job opportunities.
Of course it would be easier if Italy had salary and job opportunities comparable to France or Germany (let alone North Europe). I would have really liked not to leave my friends and my family, but since Italy is in this situation, I had to make a choice and walk away.
This is why I think it doesn't make much difference to complain about how things go while staying in Italy. Which country (except dictatorships) after 10 years you say exactly the same people running for the elections?
In which city where living costs are comparable to Milan or Rome, you see salaries of 600€ or 700€?
I remember the comment of the Economist after Italy's elections and the end of talks on the youth labour law in France. The problem is, said the Economist, that still too many people don't feel any problem (since, I add, they have privileges they didn't work hard to get) in these countries and it will take still a lot of time (I add, a deeper decline) before these people will understand that without a clear and radical change these countries are doomed.
So, come on, let's all emigrate. Maybe after that the country will understand the need for a radical change e maybe in some years will be able to come back in our loved country."
So far, what I wrote to the magazine. The only thing I want to add is that the price to pay for this life is getting higher by the day, and if there would be any chance to have a challenging job with a comparable salary in Italy, I'm quite sure I would take it. So stay tuned... ;-)
Then, let's talk about Acapulco!!
Last weekend I went there and I have to say it was quite amazing to lay on the beach while in Finland it was about -20 degrees.... About 50 degrees diffence.
No words, just a picture.
Bye,
alfonso
