Budapest, nagyon közönöm szepen.

During a year I have been coming and going to the Budapest airport from time to time; today I go the same way,  but this time there is a tinny difference: the destination is not within Europe, the destination is México, home… and I'm not coming back, at least not in the very near future (one never knows about later).

So now, to everyone I have met during this year (not only in Budapest, but all over the place):

It's not easy to say goodbye after a period of time as long as this, even more when looking back I realize all of what was given to me during this exceptional year, and all the people and adventures I encountered across the path. Little by little, everyone I have met along this time have been moving things inside of me. Strangers who opened me the door to their homes, people who introduced me to their warm hearted families, people with whom I shared the joy of traveling, people who taught me and had patience at work, or mere people wishing to have a nice conversation with me… sometimes without realizing it, many, many, many have made a lasting impression. I consider myself extremely lucky that I got to meet all these cultures, and to cross the paths of all these lives while having fun at the same time and being able to share a little bit of my culture too (which by the way I didn't knew I loved that much until I cam here). I have been forced to see a new panorama of the world, of my own country and of myself too.

Although when people asked "why Budapest?" the answer had to be that it was almost a matter of luck (maybe destiny, if you believe on those things), and that it was not planned until about 3-4 weeks before my arrival, I have to say coming here may be one of the best decisions I might ever take. You can be sure I'll always be proud of having spent this 14 months in such a cool country, full with even cooler people. Yes, the language might had been a little bit of a nightmare at some points :P haha, but I'm glad to say we got over that and any other differences, so that Hungary has grown a very, very special and HUGE place in my heart. I can now even be sure sometimes I'll get so nostalgic I'll miss listening to Hungarian!

Anyway, Budapest, Hungary, Europe and all the people I met during this crazy times, it was a pleasure and please know you have made out of this what is for sure one of the best and most memorable years of my life. Thank you for all the life lessons, for all the stories, for making place for one more foreigner and for being part this turning point in my life… this experience has opened doors for the future that I didn't even knew existed, and most importantly it has certainly opened my mind and heart (a lot).

Thanks again, and who knows where, who knows when, I hope to see many of these people again; but until then, a "very sad because it's over, but extremely happy because it happened" sziasztok! :)

Life-changing News Anniversary

Well, this time comes a chance to write a story of my own. Boring, but I totally feel like it... just a few moments ago I was feeling butterflies in my stomach just by remembering that day, the day I was officially invited to come to Budapest as an intern.

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May 14th, 2012

Among the final exams crisis, the sleepless days, and all the huge workload of the final projects coming soon, Michelle finds herself with some kind of appointment. Not a regular one, definitely. It is this one day in which she was invited to change her life, at least for a year, probably forever.

Since a month before, she has been trying to get an internship abroad (trough AIESEC)... she knows she wants to go to Europe, but the odds say that she will not be able to. Since she started the process, it seems like all she receives are e-mails from India and Africa, places about which, when she is honest to herself, she can admit to be scary her. Anyway, she still has some hope; her friends are already starting to say "Michelle only answers to an e-mail if it comes from another country" and as long as the e-mails don't cease coming there is a chance.

Two weeks before, a Hungarian AIESEC guy with a very funny last name (Kiss) sent her an e-mail. "You seem to have the profile for this internship, if you are interested apply", talking about an internship for some company called Quince. Michelle had checked the application form and didn't thought she was suitable. The company was requiring a "flash expert", and she knew she wasn't one, she actually had hated the software when she had tried to learn it before. Also, they were looking for a designer, and the only things Michelle knew about design felt like nothing to her... and on top of it all, the company's website listed too many "important" brands as clients. How would she, a 19 years old, barely finishing her second year of college (not even as a designer) stand a chance of filling such position?

Anyway, here was this Kiss guy, asking her to apply, and all she had to do was to check out the company profile, write a cover letter and send the same portfolio that she had already sent in her other 6 internship applications she had already filled (from none of which she had had any news). In all, flash expert or no flash expert, good designer or not, applying was easy and she had nothing to loose, so she sent the application package and waited.

Several days after applying she received news from this Kiss character again. Quince had liked her portfolio and they wanted to continue the application process with her. What followed? An interview between her and Kiss first for him to check her English and personality and finally if she turned out to be sane and able to speak English, she would have an interview with the COO of Quince. The interview with Kiss had already taken place and after a little delay due to what Kiss attributed to sickness of the COO (delay in which Michelle feared they would never get back to her), they finally had set a time and date for the interview: Monday, May 14th, 8:00 a.m. for Michelle in Mexico, 4:00 p.m. for the Quincers, who spend their days in Eastern European Time.

Michelle was trying as hard as she could not to get herself too excited. As every other human, she had already had some severe disappointments, besides she still lived in a world where she wasn't good enough to work in a company as Quince. Still, too difficult to manage this excitement. Even with all the finals chaos, she had managed to dedicate several hours of her  already-sleepless nights to find out everything she could about Quince. You see, Michelle can be a little obsessive in a way if she really wants something... so she went to pretty much every corner of the internet in her time between the declared interest of the company in her and the interview. I can assure there is no post on Quince's Facebook page that she didn't see during that week. She found the blog that some Quincers had written and read every post (at least those in english, because they have some posts in dutch as well). Adding to how awesome Quince seemed to be, she knew several people who had already spent a semester abroad in Budapest, and who claimed the city was the most amazing thing ever. Summing all up, everything seemed to be ideal.

So now we are here on the day of the interview. Michelle has been awake since 4 a.m., since she had to take some pictures of the sunrise for her final Marketing Photography project. She drove to the university in some kind of dizzy state, the same she has been in the past few weeks due to the lack of sleep and her eternal day-dreaming state... but this time is different, to her usual "what if..." questions some more were added. What if they don't like me? What if the ask me about software I don't know? What if they don't understand my English? and the most important one... What if they DO like me? Although she says she tried to avoid getting excited, she had already spent way more time than she should have fantasizing about going to Budapest.

Time goes and she has to be patient. Waiting for the sunrise is not the best activity to do when you have such a huge sleep debt with your body as Michelle had, and how does she kill her time: getting even more nervous about the interview. At the point the sunrise takes place, she doesn't even care if the pictures are not that good... she knows already photography is not her thing and there are bigger issues going on. Her brain can't stop reminding her that even if through a screen she's about to have a conversation that might change her life.

Finally, she finishes taking her pictures, although she never got the light in the subject as she wanted it. Anyway, it's almost time, and even though she always late for pretty much everything, she is really wanting to make an exception. That morning she even chose the colors to wear to look serene but cheerful... she is trying too hard to make everything perfect. As we know she is nervous. So she rushes to the building where she knows she can find a separate compartment to have the conversation and begins to set everything. She places the laptop, in which Skype is already open. The COO is always online during his work-hours, she knows because the time difference is 8 hours, and while she is too busy not sleeping, she constantly checks his profile due to nerves. She plugs in the earphones and checks the angle of the laptop while watching herself in Photobooth, mimicking she is speaking. She doesn't think she looks fine, but it is now too late to change her clothes.

The final minutes before the interview pass by with her still looking at herself in the screen, testing the sound, the microphone, everything. The time arrives, by now, her stomach feels as if she were in the most freaking high roller coaster. She waits until the Quince COO starts the conversation, in which he asks politely with a message if she is ready. She replies yes, and waits for the call.

And here we are. The interview she hasn't been able to take out of her mind in all this time. I would like to tell you exactly how it's going, but it would be impossible. Michelle on one hand was so nervous she seemed to forget how to speak English, and I am not so good understanding foreign English accents. All I know is that there is Gyuri, the COO and sitting beside him is a man that Gyuri introduces, but even if Michelle can't understand what Gyuri is saying but is too afraid to ask them to repeat in fear that they might think she is not fluent in English, she knows from the pictures on the webpage (which she has also seen many, many times to this point), that the other man is the Art Director.

This interview is completely crazy. I can tell that Michelle is not understanding even half of what this Gyuri guy is saying, she is talking crazy stuff in primitive English exaggerating a little too much. It is quite evident this is Michelle's first work interview. Gyuri seems to be too polie too to keep asking to repeat herself, while the other guy only smiles, sits there and nod. Michelle doesn't know what she is saying. She is ruined, she has to be honest about not being able to use flash at least... if that would be their main request for her they must not expect what she can't do.

Wait, now Gyuri is saying that it doesn't matter. That she will have time to learn. He is not asking questions, he is now explaining himself what Quince is. Michelle knows half of what he is saying from her visits to the companies social media sites. Now he is saying something new. He is saying that the intern they are looking for will work in some project related to Philips, and he is now asking Michelle to visit one of the webpages the Art Director has been working on recently, for her to see what she would be working in. Michelle is in awe. She wants this.

Suddenly, Gyuri says that to be honest... she has already be chosen. Michelle can't believe her ears. "What?", she asks, this time she can't be having doubts. He repeats that she has been chosen already, that they liked her portfolio and that they like her cover letter, and he asks what are her plans for the summer, because they would like her to start as soon as possible. Michelle is being ridiculous, and mentions that she has just earned the right to make a summer internship in a local T.V. channel and that she has to finish the exams, but inside, she is burning with joy, she wants to tell him that she will leave tomorrow and arrive to Budapest two days later. She asks for how long to they want her, and he asks in return for how long would she be able to stay. This is a dream for Michelle they are now talking about the possibility of her making her internship last a whole year.

Michelle is a little bit too excited. She is mostly (trying to) listen, while Gyuri keeps on talking about the project. Finally they are ready to say goodbye, after Michelle promises to start to look for plane tickets and to get in touch with Kiss and him about her dates of arrival. At the time she wants to leave only two weeks later, just as she finishes her exams. She finally knows what do they mean when they say "too excited, can't wait".

The interview finishes. She is love with the world. She is in love with her life. Her stomach tells her that she is about to start flying. She knows that she has just gained a ticket to what might be the biggest adventure of her life, and that this feeling of excitement is one that she will always, always remember.

Now all that's left shout to the world "I'll come get you!"


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So that is pretty much how I recall May 14th of 2012. After that I pretty much went around telling everyone I was leaving, still not believing it a 100% myself (it is still amazing than just a conversation to a screen can pretty much change your life). Although I am not proeficient enough with this language, or even with my own to really tell you how cool I felt at the time. All I know, is that this feeling I wish to everyone! The feeling of having the impossible happening, of realization, the feeling that all effort is worth it in the end, that you can accomplish something... and most of all, the absolute certainty that amazing things are about to happen to you in a short future, feeling about which I was definitely right: this was just the announcement of all the amazing experiences that were to come :)

A pretty bad photographer... but still here I am (in purple), BUDAPEST, or as Hungarians correctly pronounce it: BudapeSHt

The Master

I've watched too many movies lately... reason for which it's even more of a shame that I have not been writing anything. 

On the other hand, I have been a little more active trying to improve my rendering skills, and after watching the superb performance of Joaquin Phoenix in The Master, I just had to try to emulate one his expressions.

I shall say quickly before showing you my not-so-much-of-a-masterpiece that I recommend The Master a little too much. It's been more than a month since I've watched it and scenes from the movie keep popping into my mind, so it's safe to say it made a very strong impression.  Still, be prepared for a slow movie, so collect a little bit of patience to get through a group of main characters that are not so likeable at all, although very human, whose peculiarities tangle up in a story worth watching. Of course, such complicated characters had to be delivered well to make the story work... and as said before regarding the performances: achievement (ultra) accomplished. If they had come to ask me who should have that Academy Award for best male performance gone to, I would have said Phoenix; no doubt (Phoenix was a nominee, but got beaten by Daniel Lewis, who played Lincoln in the 2013 Academy Awards). Too bad for poor Joaquin Phoenix that no one did ask me haha. Anyway, not only he was great... all the cast was amazing. Another extra point for The Master: the cinematography; every frame is a beautiful picture. 

Anyway, about how movies might inspire this little creature behind the keyboard... what follows is the result:

I think the feeling might there... but saddly this doesn't look like Joaquin Phoenix haha (below, the reference image)

So, Michelle, more luck next time regarding digital painting! 

Meanwhile... I have some few more comic ideas in store... (stupid things keep on happening and silly ideas crossing my mind) :D Let's see when I can bring myself to make the rest of them take a pixel form.

Sombrero Misunderstanding

Mexican sombrero is flattered... but it's time to clear up a misunderstanding that's a little too common on non-Spanish speakers.

It's just a clarification; I find funny that people think that "sombrero" refers only to this particular kind of hat, not to any hat, and of course, I don't expect anyone to know this just because... 
I surely don't know how to say hat in your language if it's not English :)

Scoundrel Pixar Sequels?

I freaking like love animation, as any animation lover, of course I am a Pixar devote. Yesterday they announced a new project

*drumrolls*...

Finding Dory

Andrew Stanton is working together with Steven Spielberg to bring to the screen a sequel of Finding Nemo, and at the same time, a sequel of Jaws!

Awesome right?
Naah, just a bad joke of course... "fish are friends, not food", and Pixar artists would have never made such poster...but I'll keep practicing ;) .
Anyway, what's true is that Finding Dory is reaching cinemas on November of 2015... what brings us to the subject: another sequel by Pixar confirmed.

I can already hear the echo of people saying (and by "people" I include myself) is: "They are making it for the money!", "they don't care about creativity anymore", bla, bla, bla. But, is this true? Well about the money, my guess would be that in part yes...  the movie industry is that, an industry, a business, and as in any other there must be a profit. Finding Nemo was a box office success with a worldwide total gross of  $921,743,261 USD*; now, I'm willing to bet finding Dory will make even more than that. But does making money and being mainstream means its a bad movie?

I think not. There is a lot of crap that sells well... but this is not the case of all Hollywood's movies; not all that sells is crap just as not all that sells is good either. 

So in particular how does this sequel sounds to me?

Being honest, I'm happy about it. Of course I would like them to focus all their energy in creating, creating and creating more... but the fact is that we already know that they have three original projects coming soon: The Good Dinosaur, directed by Bob Peterson, the yet untitled movie about the human mind, directed by Pete Docter, and my favorite the (also untitled) movie inspired by the Mexican holiday "Día de los Muertos" (day of the dead), directed by Lee Unkrich. And guess what? All productions need investment... who knows, maybe two of these projects are being financed by the money that sequel Cars 2 made and the merchandise (yes, I am making this up). Or maybe not, but for all I care John Lasseter can use all the revenue from Finding Dory to buy more toys for his office, film makers like to have nice things too, lets give them a break.

Also, it's a fact that with previous sequels the people at this studio have managed  to do a pretty nice job. I don't know about you... but I have trouble picking my favorite Toy Story movie, and if you forced me to do it I would say the third one is the best, yes, Toy Story 3, a filthy sequel. This makes my point: they are all good movies. Ok, yes, the same characters, but with huge growth and the accordingly changes from movie to movie, new good plots, new villains, in all great stories that never lose focus of the evolution that these characters must have. 

Ok, so what about Cars 2? you might ask... Well... to be honest there Pixar didn't had me as interested in the first one as I have been with their other movies. So, (maybe) shame on me... I haven't watched it's sequel; which is of course always an option if you don't feel spending your time and money in Finding Dory, same with Monster's University (I didn't found the trailer so exciting, but for me this one deserves a shot anyway).

So do we mind having a comeback of Dory, maybe Crush (those are the two most memorable characters for me)... and all these little sea creatures we loved so much from Finding Nemo?

I know I don't, in fact I'm pretty excited and I'm 98% sure I'll leave the theater loving Pixar a bit more as they make me do with every movie (yes, except Cars), and probably I'll be repeating forever Finding Dory's lines, as I do with Finding Nemo's.

Now is your turn to make up your mind... what do you think about sequels in general? And about Pixar sequels? Will you go to the cinema to watch Finding Dory?

The Act of Killing

After the silliness from the last post, (which by the way got more visits than any of my text posts will ever get) I'm ready to write a rant about some serious stuff again.

Last saturday I read the news from my country to find out that a human body had been found in pieces in 25 bags across a road, a week before that, the news were that police had found 49 bodies without head and hands... and before that more killings, more bodies, more murders. In México this kind of thing happens frequently, in the city where I'm from, Chihuahua, I even dare to say that daily. I can't say I'm surprised anymore. Terrified, yes, and although we are now used to this, we can't stop wondering "what the heck do the people that are guilty of this have in their heads?"

Well, I found some answers in this Sunday's documentary: The Act of Killing.

Imagine that a group of gangsters who murdered hundreds in Indonesia are suddenly asked to make a film about their killings. Well, that's exactly what you get in The Act of Killing.
Superficially, there are a lot of differences between the background of the murders in Indonesia (which target were to finish with the communists) and the murders going in Mexico (which most of the time are about drugs wars), but I think that just as in any other war, the end is the same; what is wanted in all cases is money and power. 

It would be stupid to think that my conclusions about this people could be right after just watching a summary of 2 hours of their whole life... but oh God, how much did I hated them. Empty. That's the most suitable word I find for them. Empty of feelings, and empty in their heads, yearning to fill up their hands with money; proud to have Hollywood's gangster movies as an example and guide in their ways of killing; doing what they do just to buy fancy clothes, and although knowing they are wrong, forcing themselves to see what they do in a perspective where it's good.

I was looking for an insight, something that could help me understand them. I can't say I fully found it, because what they did is so brutal and just beyond my personal judgment. Yet, I have an interesting point in which I can elaborate: how movies influenced this assassins.  I often listen to men argue about how it's not true that watching violence can make someone violent; well after seeing this at such a scale I will have to disagree. Yes, maybe it might not be influential in someone who has a strong base and a personal idea on what's right and wrong; but for someone who doesn't it can be a total difference (now you go judge yourself at what age and situation someone is able to have a strong base). This is also something to reflect upon in a personal level. Maybe I was not willing to kill just because I watched Inglorious Basterds, but maybe I was hoping to find Mr. Right after watching a Jennifer Aniston romantic comedies.
I really, really, really am reluctant to believe that we can be as vulnerable to influence from media as these men... but I know I am just not willing to see (the mere existence of marketing proves me wrong).

So in the end, how much of the emptiness of these men do I feel? Maybe not enough to justify taking human lives in order to buy a car or clothes, but surely enough to believe in the illusion that movies provide, maybe to even want to follow their example, the desire to be the pretty lady who finds love, to be the successful movie director, the adventurous traveler to which interesting things happen to, or whatever. Is it bad to dream, to want something we see someone else has (even if it's someone imaginary)? I don't think so, that's not what I'm trying to say... there is a reason why I love movies, and it's because they give us the impossible, but we must be careful in what we believe or how we desire to live those illusions that are ours for as long as the movie lasts. Sure, we are meant to sympathize with the characters, to feel understood as we watch someone act the way we probably would... but is good understanding that there are things that just belong to the screen.

And this is how I come back to my original subject, how the Act of Killing is a very good documentary to watch, and I wish this was one of the situations that remains only in the screen... and that murders like this didn't happen in my country.

So I recommend it. It might not give you understanding of the "why's" of these people, but it will at least give you an idea of their mindset. Maybe.

Sparkly Water