By Lauri

USA — This election is critical for everyone. Just the other day I was catching up with an old friend, when she told me she wasn't voting this election. I was in shock, I asked her why. She said, "I just don't know enough about the two parties." I sat stunned in my chair said why don't you read about them? You have a week left!"

She said "No, I just don't care..oh well". I often times can be too overly political so I decided to lay low, but inside I was feeling this was a critical reminder to make sure that everyone I know should vote if they feel strongly about our nation's future.

Change is around the corner. We must validate ourselves with this choice. Often times, in other countries, there aren't free elections. We should take advantage of this option to voice our opinions about who we think should be the next president. It is a right that not everyone has.Remember last election, the difference was just a few votes.

Learn more about Lauri

Laura (also known as Lauri) is a 23 years old public relations professional in Washington, D.C. Born in Miami to Cuban parents, she is fueled by the passion of giving back to the community.

Laura often times is too idealistic but is striving to make the world a better place. She is interested in politics, travel, and different cultures. A graduate of the University of Virginia, she will be telling the world of her life as a Washingtonian with a "cubanita twist".

Filed 31 de Octubre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Arttemisa

CHILE: In Chile, there's little coverage in the on-air broadcast news programs about the North American presidential elections. I believe the editors of these segments are more focused on local matters, without leaving behind the most relevant news of international nature, being the U.S. elections not among them.

However, I learn about what happens in the U.S. through different digital media, either newspapers or blogs. There is a great interest from Chilean young people (at least the ones with Internet access) to learn and communicate about North American politics.

I usually use a web page named twitter.com, which is a free microblog service, it also is a sort of social network, and allows its users to send text-based microposts, with a maximum length of 140 characters. Many of the user's mini-posts are talking about the victory that Obama will have in the upcoming elections.

I did a search exercise on Twitter looking and joining words such as Obama-ganará, Obama-ganador, Obama-presidente (making the search in Spanish), and here are the results:

Continue reading "Chile: Obama is a person who sees opportunities and possibilities in the world, rather than threats" »

Filed 29 de Octubre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Mayra Beltrán de Daetz

GUATEMALA: We all know that USA is one of the world-power nations and that the Latin American countries all depend on its stability to continue growing, or at least to maintain a certain stability in our economy.

Some in Guatemala are indifferent if one or the other wins the U.S. presidential race — Barack Obama or John McCain. For others, it does make a difference as was seen in the comments penned by a local newspaper columnist at one of the country’s most popular newspapers. His comments have us all thinking about what he wrote.

John McCain is seen as a continuity in the policies of the administration of Bush, which aggravated many problems of the world. The columnist mentions the educational level and experience of the McCain team, which also leaves much to be desired.

The McCain player in question is the 44-year-old lady who does not have any greater experience than being the governor of Alaska. Also, the fact that she did not possess a passport until last year indicates that she does not know anything of the world and her résumé vitae leaves much to be desired.

On the other side, we find Obama and Joe Biden, who possesses experience as a senator of 26 years and an expert in foreign policy. Obama comes from a stable family, with a complete vision of the world, its problems and its solutions, and graduated from Harvard. Besides Obama has offered to legalize the migrants lacking identity papers and wants to build a friendly relation with Latin America. He is considered a sincere person.

Guatemalans have seen, through the different media and television, how McCain attacks Obama. To us, it shows McCain’s insecurity and worry that Obama has the advantage over him. Throughout all these attacks, Obama has excelled in his serenity and self-control. He showed this in each debate when he chose to return to the important issues, such as the economy instead of being distracted towards personal attacks.

We understand there exists marked differences between their platforms, such as raising or lowering taxes, the costs of healthcare, etc. But what remains more than clear is that not only in the USA but also around the world, there is wide support for Obama.

Continue reading "Guatemala: We depend on the USA to conduct a good election" »

Filed 29 de Octubre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Lauri

USA — So the other day some friends and I went to the Cuba USA soccer game here in Washington. I was very excited to see the Cuban national team come to play the United States. It's not like soccer is the national sport, we all know baseball is.

Nevertheless, some other Cuban-Americans and I headed out to RFK stadium, wearing Cuba gear. I wore my shirt that had in a jewel design "Cuba B.C."

However, even though I saw it as symbol of potential dialogue between the United States and Cuba, many Cuban-Americans did not.

I called my abuelito to tell him the good news, that I'd be seeing the soccer game. His response was exactly what I expected — negative. He told me that I should root for the American team only, and not for "los comunistas".

I said how about I root for both of them, after all the Cubans playing are not Castro. They are human beings, right? Our blood is Cuban and now we are in America. Shouldn't we straddle both cultures to the best of our abilities and support potential dialogue, even if it's just a sports game?

I want a free democratic Cuba just as much as my grandfather does.

Then I realized this was a topic that we could never agree on. Geographically, generation-wise there are many divisions that exist between Cuban-American families.

Learn more about Lauri

Laura (also known as Lauri) is a 23 years old public relations professional in Washington, D.C. Born in Miami to Cuban parents, she is fueled by the passion of giving back to the community.

Laura often times is too idealistic but is striving to make the world a better place. She is interested in politics, travel, and different cultures. A graduate of the University of Virginia, she will be telling the world of her life as a Washingtonian with a "cubanita twist".

Filed 24 de Octubre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)

By Arttemisa

CHILE:Once a year, a check-up is required of all automobiles to comply with the law. There are other reviews that exist which are done according to conscience, nothing requires them and no law obliges us to do them in order to function, just our responsibility is what motivates us to do them.

I’m referring to the physical check-up of totally feminine issues. Well known by everyone and from personal experience of a close friend is that an annual check-up can save a life. Thank God my mother also is one more on the long list of women whose cancer was detected in time.

And as I had my check-up last week, I feel that I can share this post with all of you.

Continue reading "Chile: Don't forget the Pap test" »

Filed 1 de Octubre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Rocío Arango Giraldo

COLOMBIA:

Here in Colombia, the expression “BIT Women,” is a fashionable way to describe a woman who is an achiever, intelligent and a multi-tasker. (In Spanish the acronym stands for: Berraca, Inteligente y Todera).

I have discovered that every woman is a “BIT” woman, and I’m sure that in every place around the world the situation is similar. BIT isn’t only an Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor, or Michel Bachelet, Chile’s President, women who are smart and high-profile.

ALÓ, a Colombian magazine annually recognizes and awards BIT women.

I think there are BIT women who wake up early every day who work to get food for their sons. BIT women are in every place in Latin America who work and dream about the welfare of their communities. BIT are the girls that go to university only to go home later to cook dinner or work for their families.

My mom is a BIT. She is the support for her handicapped son and daughter and my workmates. She is the secretary that interrupts her work with her kid’s doctor’s appointments.

My families and friends are BIT too. We readers are BIT too. Cristina, my Cuban-American friend is BIT and so is Majo, my friend from Chile. I am BIT too since I never give up and always dream of a better future.

Continue reading "Colombia: A tribute to BIT Women — Helping women to believe in their own leadership" »

Filed 30 de Septiembre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)

By Janett Chávarry García

In my country, half of the young people live in the capital, Lima. These people are traveling around the city looking for a special way to live. Some of them study, work, combine both together and they always think, and I think the same — that the government has to provide a sound foundation to build our lives so we can contribute to our country’s development and economy.

Recently, many people, including me, received the news that the government didn’t approve a project that involves young people and their education. Peru is the only country in South America that does not consider art students as professionals with an endorsed degree from the government.

Many people believe this rule is unheard-of because music or art students are professionals in the same way as a doctor or lawyer. As such, they need this degree for access to scholarships or to get a good position in a European conservatory or art academy.

In Peru, an art career is the worst paid profession and many artists compensate their salaries in the streets by singing or playing in weddings or parties.

Students at Peru's National Conservatory of Music and the National School of Bellas Artes protest the university decision to not grant degrees in music and the arts.
(Photo: Andino / Victor Gomez Palomino)

I’m not convinced that staging strikes will solve problems. Sometimes, they create more disturbances and don’t contribute to the dialogue between the opposing parties, but many people like students, teachers and members of parliaments joined together to force the change of this rule.

But no traditional methods were executed in this strike.

Continue reading "Peru: Students protest government's decision to stop granting art degrees" »

Filed 19 de Septiembre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)

By Rocío Arango Giraldo

COLOMBIA: When I was a child, my grandmother used to say to me that “the most important thing is to tell the truth.” Now, that I’m an adult and a citizen (voter), I observe with uneasiness how, in the world, the truth is an object that the powerful people use for their own interests.

For example, we have had to listen about the “parapolítica” — a political scandal that linked Colombian Senator supporters of President Alvaro Uribe with “paramilitares,” a terrorist group.

After some months in jail, the Senators were released from jail. Many of them have had to renounce their Senate seats because of prosecution by the Attorney General and judged by the Supreme Court.

If they got out of jail, it is because the accusations against them, that they had abandoned the weapons for which they were put in jail, were determined not to be true. The situation was used by the people who oppose the government and to attack President Uribe, although the popularity of the President is higher than 80% and his supporters doubt the objectivity of the Supreme Court.

I am not interested in taking a position in either favor or against the ruling. I want to reflect on the truth but I don’t want to debate “What is the truth?” The Greek philosophers approached this question perfectly and its from their example that I want to invite us to think — “Which truth is our truth?”

Continue reading "Colombia: Where is the value of truth in our politics of State?" »

Filed 25 de Agosto, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)