One week out!

See you all next week! It's time to chill with the boys!!

Suits, shirts and ties...

It’s finally time to turn the page, enough of the good student life. Yesterday I accepted my first professional contract. After 3 interviews and one final meeting I decided myself for Ernst & Young. Taking into account that I was in the recruitment process of other consulting companies, this wasn’t an easy decision to make. Anyways, the choice is done and I can hardly imagine a better start than in one of the “Big 4” worldwide!
From the 1st of September onwards I’ll be in my Advisory position as a Consultant. From now on, it’s suits, shirts and ties… (Scary)!

Mother's Day

I have absolutely no problem in saying this. My mom is my true role model... She's the person I've always looked up to, and she's the one who always gave me the extra push and convinced me that I can make a difference in this world! For you, I have nothing less than unconditional love. Really looking forward to have you here with me for a weekend! Undoubtedly, the most important woman in my life!

Happy B-Day

As far as I remember, this dog is probably my oldest friend! When I mean friend, I mean the real ones, and believe me, there are not that many! Sorry I won't be there for the traditional dinner and booze, but I wish you the best birthday ever! Soon enough we'll be having some beers and tearing down some walls ahahah! All the best for you my brother!

Cologne, March 2010

This week I'll be too busy taking care of a presentation for my course, so next weekend I'll post a review of this night of concerts. Seriously, it surpassed all my expectations. Respect to the German crowd that was there last night! Way way better than the Dutch! Completely insane...

I didn't get that much sleep at the hostel though. The couch awaits me!

Amsterdam - February 2010

No matter where I go, these ones will always be there. Crazy days in Amsterdam...

Things happen that way

Well you ask me if I'll forget my baby.
I guess I will, someday.
I don't like it but I guess things happen that way.
You ask me if I'll get along.
I guess I will, someway.
I don't like it but I guess things happen that way.

God gave me that girl to lean on,
then he put me on my own.
Heaven help me be a man
and have the strength to stand alone.
I don't like it but I guess things happen that way.

You ask me if I'll miss her kisses.
I guess I will, everyday.
I don't like it but I guess things happen that way.
You ask me if I'll find another.
I don't know. I can't say.
I don't like it but I guess things happen that way.

God gave me that girl to lean on,
then he put me on my own.
Heaven help me be a man
and have the strength to stand alone.
I don't like it but I guess things happen that way.

Johnny Cash - Guess things happen that way

The American Feeling

Yesterday was the Super Bowl night! I’ve been watching the NFL playoffs the past weeks, and I gotta say, there’s more in this sport than what usually European people think. I always knew that the Super Bowl was a big deal in the US, and so, at my 23 I decided for the first time to stay up, have a couple of beers with some American friends and watch the game.

I’m not here to talk about the game though. I guess that yesterday, for the first time in my life, I really felt the need to know more about the culture of the country where I was born. I will always be Portuguese and feel like a Portuguese, however, when the American anthem was playing yesterday, I felt ashamed for not even having an idea about the lyrics, or whatever they talk about. I’ve been hanging around with my buddy Trent from the US and I’ve met a couple of interesting American guys, and now, more than ever, I feel the need to go back to the US and take some time to know the place. An internship of 6 months after the master’s degree, working for Eletronic Arts sounds appealing. It is worth the shot!

(Oh and by the way, Municipal Waste in Amsterdam was awesome!! A review will be posted in my other blog soon.)

Back! Hello 2010!

It has been more than one month since I’ve written for the blog. The mood was not the best one even though a lot of interesting stuff has happened. Now that I took some time for myself and put my mind back to where it should be, I’m back to my blog.

On my way back to Maastricht after the New Year’s Eve I stopped by Madrid to meet a very good friend that was doing Erasmus there (big up Rita for taking me to that “Montaditos” place”). I had my third block of classes, which was mainly bullshit as it was just a couple of classes on how to write a Master’s Thesis. Meanwhile I’ve been reading some papers and articles, and I finally have a topic for my thesis, something around User Innovation and the video games industry, but I’m still looking for a supervisor that suits my topic. Still, January wasn’t a demanding month at all. I had time to go out several times, being one of those an awesome classical music concert in a church in Maastricht, I visited a good old friend that is now living in Utrecht (thanks for everything Ricardo), and finally I went to Amsterdam for the Dropkick Murphys show, which was awesome by the way.

The fourth block started yesterday, and now it’s time to get serious again. Oh wait! I still have another weekend in Amsterdam with a bunch of Portuguese guys that are coming to visit me! To make things even better, while we are there we’re gonna see Municipal Waste playing! I’m leaving tomorrow, and coming back on Sunday afternoon.

Feels good to be back.

Happy Birthday

Today you are a child again* At your 22, you are probably the most beautiful woman I have ever met... Lucky me!

Sorry I can't give you the birthday you wanted...*

Love you*

Shit happens...

3rd degree ankle sprain. There goes my holidays... How nice is that?

(I thought about posting a picture, but seriously, it is not a nice thing to see)

It messes with my head...

... when you are studying at Master's level, and you have to take hours to correct the writing of your groupmates.

Everybody makes mistakes, but finishing a Bachelor, without being able to express what you're thinking in a (almost) clear way, is unacceptable.

The roots of the problem take us back to the Highschool education. Let's all send people to universities when they don't even know how to write.

It's 5am and I'm tired.

Update

Been a while uh guys… I know, the insane amount of work I have is not a good excuse for not posting anything, but oh well I guess everybody has the right of being lazy.
In a brief update of the situation here in Maastricht, I can say that my first block is over and I passed both the courses. The exams were tough, but somehow I managed to pass both them, and even though the grades were not that great, I’m still on my way to good average in the end of this thing.

Once the exams were finished, my girl came to Maastricht and stayed here for almost one week. Damn I missed her, and against all the problems that the distance creates we were able to have a really good time. We walked around the city, we rode our bikes all over Maastricht, we went to the most expensive Cinema in the world (I guess Dutch people really value this thing), we watched some good movies as like when we are at home, we went shopping to the centre, and we had some fun with the people that live with me. No need to say how much I miss her already.

Then the second block started. Two good courses, being Retailing and Distribution a very nice surprise, as it is one of the most interesting topics I’ve studied here (if the course coordinator could take away all the fucking statistics from the course it would be better though).
Oh right I forgot, 2 weeks ago, we threw a huge house party in our place. Can u picture those parties in American Pie? It was something like that. Ok, maybe we didn’t have the best balance between boys and girls here, but still, it was huge. Picture a place where you can fit 50 to 60 people, and then more than double this number. The police came at 3 am to cut the sound and put everybody out, but I guess they were kinda cool with the whole situation, and they even took photos with. Ahaha we were completely shit-faced that night!

Yesterday I went to Rotterdam to finally satisfy my hunger for Hardcore shows. Portuguese bands were playing, and I couldn’t miss this one. Stay tuned, in few days I’ll post a review from the show and the whole experience of watching Portuguese friends playing abroad. By the way, big up to my friend Nuno and the rest of Step Back! crew who joined me yesterday. Best guys ever! Check their MYSPACE and support!

Distance

Yes, long-distance relationships can be really hard to manage. It is said that 99% of the cases are doomed to a not-so-happy ending. I know that…
Still, I’m willing to work hard to be part of the remaining 1%.

11th of October 2009 – I haven’t been with my girl for more than 1 month now. It is strange though, I kinda feel that I never loved her more than I do in this exact moment.
I really miss the softness of her lips and that smile that drives me insanely crazy.

I’m surrounded by blonde tall girls with blue eyes everywhere, and guess what, I never missed the beauty of my brunette babe as I do now.

Amo-te.

Your best friend

... is the kind of guy that spends around 200€ just to have a couple of beers with you.

"Friends, Family, Forever" (Clichet. I know, I know...)

Not for me.

Going to bed at 2.30am, falling asleep at around 4am and waking up at 7 am to finish preparing a presentation, is not for me.

In a fucking bad mood this morning.

Mexican Tacos

Respect to my american buddy Trenton. He has been doing his magic around the house and I already started learning! Yesterday I did some nice spicy tacos! The perfect meal to go with a couple of beers.


No, but seriously, I do miss my mom's food ahaha!

After 2 weeks studying in the Maastricht you realize that…

… Portuguese educational system still has a long way to go.

… Keeping the streets clean is not as hard as it looks.

… LIDL is the best supermarket ever.

… Germans are not the formal bastards you thought they were.

… The Dutch people live in their own world.

… Bikes definitely are a good means of transportation.

… To go to a hardcore show you’ll have to be sit in a train for 2 hours at least.

… Having a coffee shop right by your house can come in handy sometimes.

… Bob Marley was unquestionably a genius.

And last but not least

… Your family, your girlfriend, and your friends, are the most important things in your life.

Miss you all guys. Regarding my girl, I’ll just say that I’ll be counting the days up until October<3

New Journey

Sorry guys for being away from the blogging world for so long. The big change took place, and now here I am, in the second floor of a small apartment, right in the centre of Maastricht. Yeah that’s right, quite a big change in my life, but I don’t doubt that it is for the best.

I would like to have some photos to share with you, but I didn’t bring my camera with me, so you’ll have to wait until October when my girl will be visiting me (damn I miss her so much!) and taking some nice shots from the city.
It’s quite a small city, you quickly get to know it after some bike touring. It’s definitely a different culture, people take their time to do their things and stress looks like something that is far way from these lands (at least in what concerns the outside space of the university ahah).

The study journey has already started, and I can tell, this isn’t going to be easy, however, classes do get much more interesting when taken up to this level. I don’t get to sleep during the lectures as I was used to. Instead, you have few lectures, and you are the one in charge of conducting your own education. How are we supposed to do that? Well, they call it the Problem Based Learning (PBL). After small lectures you are given articles, papers, case studys, to work on while you are not in the University. Then you come back to the University and you have tutorial classes. These are a kind of discussion classes where you sit around with 10 more people and one tutor that will only intervene when the discussion among the students isn’t going to the desired way. You get to work in groups during this discussion classes, and every week you have to make 1 or 2 presentations to show the conclusions you came to. It implies some hard-work back at home, but it sure is more interesting and motivating this way.

Right now I'm going to cook (at least try) my dinner. This weekend I'll be back with some news.
Stay tuned for new posts also in my OTHER BLOG (ahahah a bit of shameless promotion doesn’t hurt anyone.)

Be back next Monday!

If my lungs and liver manage to survive.