Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta DanielSimkinBrecher. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta DanielSimkinBrecher. Mostrar todas las entradas

domingo, 28 de octubre de 2012

Esperando en el JFK


Hace un par de meses mi hermano viajo desde Caracas a Nueva York. Yo fui al aeropuerto esperarlo un par de horas antes de que llegara y me senté en una de las salidas del gigantesco aeropuerto JFK. Sentado ahí, me puse a ver la gente que salía por la puerta, valga la redundancia, a intentar saber por su apariencia cual era su destino de partida. Este tipo de “juego” lo he hecho antes, pero hacerlo en el JFK ha sido un reto muy difícil. Lo que lo hace tan complicado es la cantidad de gente distinta que viaja de donde sea en el mundo y que siempre por esa puerta donde esperaba se mezclaban los vuelos. Bueno, el primer grupo de gente sale, el patrón era de estatura mediana, morenos, hablaban español y tenían en vez de maletas eran bolsas plásticas con cierre y la imagen de “Piolín”. Esto es típico en Perú, Bolvia y Ecuador. Pues sí, el vuelo era proveniente de La Paz, Bolivia, lo sé por que lo confirme con uno de los pasajeros. Luego empezaron a salir jóvenes muy blancos con chaquetas de vestir azules, lo primero que viene a mi mente fue “no son latinos”. Eran muy ordenados y silenciosos, ellos iban como en fila uno tras otro. Era obvio que venían todos en grupo, pero no podía identificar de donde eran. Pensé que eran Alemanes, Polacos, Lituanos, pero es que ninguno tenia el color de pelo oscuro. Bueno, el grupo de jóvenes se reúne a un lado esperando a que salgan todos y en eso noto que los hombres tienen a un costado de la chaqueta la bandera de Finlandia. El contraste entre los Bolivianos y los Finlandeses era demasiado, y yo esperaba a los Venezolanos, mi mente no sabía que esperar a ver. En eso sale otro grupo y noto que el patrón es señores mayores como con cinco maletas en un carrito, esas maletas viejas de tela con flores estampadas. Ellos venían usando el teléfono hablando español y las familias (hijos y nietos) venían todos corriendo a recibirlos. Yo los identifique rápido y acerté, venían de República Dominicana. Ya se acercaba la hora de que el vuelo de Venezuela saliera y ponía mas atención a la gente que salía por si acaso mi hermano saliera. Alrededor mío había gente preguntando a los empleados del aeropuerto si el viaje de Madrid o de Francia ya había llegado. En eso sale otro patrón de gente de pelo muy negro, morenos y tenían muchos muchos niños consigo. No supe identificar de que país venían pero estaba seguro de que eran de cultura Árabe. Tal vez una o dos mujeres venían con la cara tapada, es decir, no vienen de un llegaron de un país muy religioso o de un país mas mente abierta. Seguido salio gente con el patrón de sombrero de llanero y sobreros de vaqueros hechos paja. No eran muchos los que salían con sombrero, pero todos o casi todos salían con camisas manga largas de tela con cuadros. También de ese grupo salieron seis o siete personas con traje de vestir que se notaba que tenían reuniones en la ciudad el mismo dái. Ellos venía hablando Inglés con acento un poco raro que realmente no podía identificar. En mi mente decía “Quién caminará por la quinta avenida con un sombrero así?” Me acerque a preguntar y ellos venían de Texas. Después, hubo como diez minutos donde paró de salir gente, eso fue raro ya que la última hora fue corrido. En eso sale gente usando camisas del Real Madrid, del Barcelona y de Argentina. Las mujeres y niñas venían muy arregladas y con lentes grandes, las jóvenes usaban sweteres unicolores, mas que todos rosados, amarrillos, verdes manzana, etc. que decían “Aeropostale” en todo el medio y grande. En general el grupo era muy ruidoso. Los señores llegaban con camisas manga larga marca polo. No se porque hubo un par de gente que salía con gorra y lentes de sol al mismo tiempo,  jajajajajaja, será que había sol allá adentro? La gente traía muchas maletas pero como las movían y cargaban con tanta facilidad concluí que estaban casi vacías y venían Nueva York a llenarlas. Era claro que el se trataba del viaje de Venezuela. Me acerque mas a la salida y empezaba a escuchar la gente diciendo “llegamos marico”, “José, agarra esa vaina coño!”, esto reafirmo que se trataba de los Venezolanos, en especial cuando un señor muy gordo y con bigotes dijo “mi hermano, hemos llega’o al Imperio mesmo”.  En eso salio mi hermano con una camisa y Crocs amarrillos fosforescentes, con una gorra de Venezuela Fútbol Club y un bolso anaranjado inmenso. Definitivamente, nos tenemos que hacer notar, somos distintos.
En verdad es un orgullo ser Venezolano! 

domingo, 30 de septiembre de 2012

Whats going on in Venezuela?

Venezuelan Politics:

As the all-important month of October draws ever closer, many Venezuelans are questioning their fate should Chavez claim victory at the upcoming presidential elections. Hugely popular at his inauguration in 1999 and capturing the world’s attention with his neoliberalism and leftist speeches, Chavez has retained his seat of power for 13 years. After a rollercoaster ride of constitutional referendums, the emergence of an explicitly socialist party and a downturn in national economic viability, many Venezuelans are asking the same question;  
Why should Hugo Chavez be given another term?  This voice does not simply come from the right-wing either. Many leftists are concerned that their once-beloved Chavez, who may or may not lose his fight with cancer is no longer the optimal choice of candidate. Food is a basic necessity- so much more than a ‘right’, for without it the body perishes. Supplying low-cost food to the poor seemed like a good idea to Chavez and it certainly won him the support of the people at one point. But after 13 years of implementing strategies such as increasing domestic production through nationalizing large parts of the food industry to increase food supplies, food shortages are now higher than ever. It turns out that Chavez was wrong- the government cannot feed people more efficiently than the private sector an. Thus if people vote with even just their belly, Chavez is not the candidate of choice. How can he be?
In what seems to be a last-ditch attempt to sway the doubts of many, Hugo Chavez's latest appearance with former Brazilian President and man-with-the-golden-touch Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was observed by the world. The hungry eyes of Venezuela will tend to overestimate the importance of Lula’s support for Chavez in the hope that the magic Lula worked for Brazil (making it the five largest global economy) might rub off onto their president should he hold office into yet another term.
Or is it time for a change?
Closing in on Chavez is Henrique Capriles Radonski, a 39-year-old Venezuelan state governor, a lawyer by profession, who was in fact imprisoned in 2004 by Chavez (but later acquitted) on charges of trespass, intimidation and "violating international principles". The reason that Radonski is the one to beat is simple: his campaign offers a calm solution to the economic crisis that Venezuela suffers beside its booming, thriving neighbour Brazil. This is slowly but steadily earning the trust of the people who really do want to see a change and hey, they having nothing to lose.
Chavez’s popularity on the other hand tends to plummet and skyrocket as he manipulates the voters with emotive leftist speeches and then disappoints them by sending their oil to Cuba and damaging their food supply. How can voters think straight in conditions such as these?
As Radonski continues to offer a more practical approach that focuses on the preparation of strategies to piece the economy and democratic institutions of Venezuela back together, this is one presidential election trail to watch.

If you are Venezuelan, please vote this October 7th. Make the effort, the country needs you.



martes, 29 de mayo de 2012

Un serveur, ma petite amie et moi au restaurant.

Moi: comment ça va?
Becky: ça va, et toi ?
Moi: je vais bien
Becky: C’est un bon restaurant
Moi: Oui, c'est  mon ami Brian Brik qui m'a conseillé de venir ici.
Becky: c'est ton meilleur ami?
Moi: Oui, c'est un bon ami
Becky: comment s'appelle  ce restaurant?
Moi: le restaurant s’apelle “Buono Café”
Moi: Garçon! Garçon !

Hôte: Bonjour, bienvenue au Buono Cafe
Voici notre menu.
Becky & moi : Merci
Becky: Quelle est la spécialité dans votre restaurant ? Sinon auriez-vous un plat du jour ?
Hôte: Nous avons comme plat du jour un hamburger accompagné de patates douces.
Becky: Je déteste les hamburgers, y aurait-il de la salade?
Hôte: Oui, la salade de la "montanga" c'est également notre spécialité.
Becky: Que contient cette salade ?
Hôte: La salade de la montanga contient : des carottes, des champignons, du concombre, des oignons, des petit-pois, et des condiments,
Son assaisonnement : un peu de vinaigre et de l’huile.
Becky: mmmmm, ça m'a l'air très bon.
Hôte: OK, je reviens dans trois minutes.

Becky: Dani, que vas-tu manger?
Daniel: Mon ami David Kaufman, m'a conseillé de commander leur viande, mais je ne suis pas encore sur. Et toi?
Becky: Mon ami, Shirley Abecasis, m'a recommandé de demander la salade capresse, mais je ne sais pas..
Daniel: Shirley est un peu folle! Mais c' est une bonne amie.

Raul Brik: Daniellll, comment ça va? Comment ça se passe à New York?
Daniel: mon pote!!! Je vais bien, très bien, j'étudie beaucoup. Et toi?
Raul Brik: Je vais bien aussi, je travaille aussi beaucoup.
Daniel: Tu as des nouvelles d'Anita, de Kenny et de  Jenny?
Raul Brik: Ils vont bien, Jenny étudie le français, Kenny apprends à jouer de la guitare et Anita travaille à la maison.
Daniel : C’est une bonn famille!
Raul Brik: Et toi Becky?
Becky: ça va bien, les cours sont un peu durs, mais ça va  !
Raul Brik: super! C'était sympa de vous revoir. Je dois encore aller voir ma cousine!
Daniel et Becky: Ok partenaire!

Hôte: Avez vous fait votre  choix, Madame?
Becky: Je vais prendre de la soupe à l’oignon.
Hôte: Monsieur?
Daniel: Je prendrai du paté de champagne
Hôte: désirez-vous boire quelque chose ?
Becky: un citron pressé
Daniel: pour moi, un jus d’orange. s'il vous plaît
Hôte: et pour la plat principal Madame?
Becky: je veux prendre la salade de la montagna
Daniel: Je vais prendre du boeuf bourguignon.
Hôte: Bon! Je reviens dans quelques minutes.
Daniel et Becky: Merci!

Daniel: C’est un bon plat
Becky: Il est délicieux !
Hôte: cela vous plaît?
Becky: oui, oui c'est parfait..
Daniel: j'aimerais commander  une bouteille de vin?
Hôte: quel vin?
Daniel: un vin français bien sur..
Hôte: pas de problème, je vous apporte notre carte.

lunes, 14 de mayo de 2012

Dans Le Noir, a blind restaurant experience...


The other day I went to a restaurant in NYC called Dans Le Noir. Its a place in where there aren't any lights at all. So, you make your reservation online a couple days ahead. Then, you go to the
place and once you arrive they show you the menu and give you a key for a locker in which you have to put everything that's may produce light (watch, cell phones, etc). Becky and I chose our plates, then we sit next to a curtain waiting for our waiter. A few minutes later a blind woman came out stretching out her arm asking "Where are my next costumers?", Becky said " Here we are". Maria, the waiter, told us "You don't have to be weary... welcome to my world".

We enter to a small tunnel and the light gets dimmer and immer with each step until it disappears completely. I enter and my other 4 senses activate. I started to hear the voices of people from other tables, the sound of cubists and people laughing. Also, I felt the temperature much more, colder. We
Sat in a row with other couples entering the restaurant. Somehow Maria remembered the name of each of us and she led each one in the right and correct seating place.

Well, Becky and I were seating in front of each other, at the end of the table with other couples and
we started to talk about the environment. In a second, Maria was very close to our table asking for beverages. A few minutes later she came with a cart serving beverages to each of us. I knew it was a cart because I touch it. I didn't know how to drink, and I didn't even know if it was the beverage I ordered because my mind used to see the color and the recognize the beverage.

We spoke with the guys next to us and the only way you can identify them is by their voice. You don't know their appearance and in this city the guy could sound as a woman, but its a man...you know.
In this case he wasn't.

The dinner continued, the conversation with my girlfriend was very good and deep. When the first plate came I just didn't have any idea how to start to eat. Sincerely, the knife wasn't useful, only the fork and the left hand I used. I didn't have idea what I was eating; I tried to identify the flavors. The experience inside the place was simply amazing. Maria moved from one side to the other side of the table in a second, she was there for you. It was the first restaurant I went to where they called me by my name and the first one I was truly having dinner with Becky without thinking in my phone and emails. I was really with her eating and hearing her voice. You don't even know what time is it, but you don't have to care about the time because you are with the person you want to be with. That dinner was a discovery path.

When we were done with the food we decided to stay and have some wine at the bar just outside the dark room. Its just that your not in love with someone because of the way she looks, you use the other senses. Then, we went out of the dark room with Marias help and we talked with other waiters. One of them named Collin. He told us a little bit about his life, how he lost his sight, and what he was working on before working in the restaurant. Collin told us that sometimes as a pedestrian before crossing a street he stands next to the traffic light listening waiting for the beep that tells him to cross. Well, a person comes to help him cross and the person helps him, whether he needs the help or not because its the same path he does everyday he lets other people help him so they can feel that they did a good thing. Collin also likes the fact people go to the restaurant and a that a blind person helps them, so we feel what he lives everyday. Instead of him "needing" our help, its us that need his inside Dans le Noir. Collin is very happy in his life and has developed other skills that someone else might not have.

For me its admirable to see people like Maria and Collin continuing and having fun with their lives. If you step in NYC and you are with someone speacial for you, you mother, father, a close friend, your girlfriend, or a friend you haven't seen for a while I'd recommend you to go to Dans le Noir 
Restaurant.