Think square

We do all love when the train is set to depart at 09:02 a.m. and at 09:01:45 the doors are closing leaving at the exact programmed time. Who doesn’t like to stroll around Avenues and streets where you may not only eat from the floor due to how clean everything is but also enjoy your music at a full volume with your latest Bang & Olufsen headsets. Yes, these things happen in what we call the delight of living in a First World Country.

I love it and I hate it. Let me remind you that from where I come from, when I walk on the streets, I walk with caution. Don’t get me wrong when I say that but it’s true. It’s not like if I’m staring over my shoulder every 3 steps or that I’m carrying a Taser gun next to my rimmel. But it's a fact that for the past years, almost a decade, back in my hometown everyone takes their precautions.

I always say the same, if Nike would have to design an ad with what it's happening in that deep south end-of-the-world-country it would say: Run, for your life - It’s exciting into a certain extent. Somehow (for someone that was raised in such a place) this innuendo of disorganization and lack of effort left a clear trademark of adventure blend with excitement. So yes, I do love when in Tokyo or London or Berlin the train is set to leave in an exact time and without any sparing second it does – but I also get really bored of it. You may organize your professional and personal life around the system in which you are involved in but, where is the rush?

I remember when I was back in my home city that I had to go downtown to the Bank (yes to the surprise of many we, citizens, have to personally attend the Bank to do many type of burocratical paperwork that abroad you just do it online) and in that specific date there was a mayor transportation strike that lead to manifestations all around downtown that lead to many streets being cut off (so you can’t go with your car) that lead to police and pepper spray gas and many other fun entertaining stuff. Nevertheless I went to the Bank, walked through all of that and just thought: “another day in this wonderful city”. Pepper spray can make your eyes a little bit puffy for a couple of days but don’t worry, chances of getting blind are not that high after all – not.

What I’ve learned from those glory days is that it’s very important to have plans: plan A, plan B, plan C and all the letters of the alphabet and even go beyond that. If your path didn’t take you where you wanted to or simply things didn’t work out go for another plan. But keep on going no matter which obstacles come in its way. First world countries, generally speaking, avoid this. They simply don't know how to naturally think outside the box.

If a Swedish attend's a work interview the most sure thing is that he will wait for a callback – not me. Until I don’t have the working contract in my bare hands I’m still going to interviews, amplifying and using my network, going here and doing that. As a matter of fact, basing in my general experiences, things don't work out not only as I expected them to be but most of the times they simply don't work at all. So, what do I do? I go to plan B and then C and then D. It may be exhausting and frustrating, yes – but I keep on going. Consider me like the Johnny Walker but with a nice skirt, killer legs, big boobs and 6 inch Christian Louboutin pumps.

First world countries may provide a wide range of safety nets, all ordered up in a perfect scale of solutions and options – it’s true. But where is the rush of it if I already know what to expect?

(I don´t own the above picture)