Report: “The new view from the top” – Newsweek Magazine *

Almost six years ago one of the most shocking and dramatic events were happening in the United States of America. We are still able to recall the moment in which we turned on the TV and watched the World Trade Center falling down in ashes and one of the Pentagon’s wings completely gone. That was the moment in which not only human history but also international diplomacy took a brand new direction.

It was the first time that a terrorist attack hit the U.S and affected the citizens

directly. As many political analysts once claimed, important policy changes were carrying on after 9/11 and specially in regard to external relationships. President Bush (elected in 2000 and 2004) immediately decided some weeks after the day of fire to declare a “Global War Against Terrorism” – Although, he wasn’t backed up by the United Nations Security Committee; he achieved to join forces with the Republican Party and the different national security organisms support, and the members of NATO’s troops to star war in Middle East. At this point, after five years of fighting, the consequences it has brought can’t be ignored anymore and in this sense American people are starting to work out new ways to make this conflict stop once for all.

In a beginning, when war was officially declared (10/07/01) the U.S government announced that Afghanistan would be the first target to be attacked because it was the place where Osama bin Laden, the headmaster of Al Qaide, was hidden. Afterwards they attacked Irak justifying their economic interests basically based in oil by claiming that it was a country that was living under a tirany led by Saddam Hussein and that democracy must be re-established.

Another aspect I would like to point out about U.S explanations to justify war is that at some point, those who decided on aggression must pay a price, or aggression will be universal. Specialists say that nowadays terrorism is the main threat for North America but the country took long time ago the necessary steps to face it, at least in their own way. We should bear in mind that there are many international and national interests in regard to Middle East. It is not an easy but really a complex reality that has to be solved urgently.

The truth after all is that U.S citizens are paying a terrible price for the decisions the president and his staff once took after 9/11. But also we should analyze whether a nation can declare war to another one in spite of not have been supported by the United Nations and passing over international regulations. Is there any valid explanation to sacrifice such a huge number of lives and causing serious damages in many aspects just in order to obtain nothing else rather than economic benefits?

My Mother *

Looking for me as a farmer looks for his lost sheep

God chose you to look after me every single day and night
And you brave and full of happiness accepted me
Giving your thankfulness to the sun and the moon for being your companions
always and forever in my upbringing
In the balance between the good and the evil you
chose to be a disciple of caring in regard of
how much a mom is able to love her child
Not everyone has your strength - not everyone chooses
like you did - And I simply love you because you said YES.

Night months you suffered from nightmares and insomnia
And another six months you didn't listen to another melody
rather than my whimsical and tough crying.
Since the beginning you made me lots of cloth to dress me as a Christmas tree
Until this point you didn't change and I hope you would never do.

All along these years you gave me love
and you taught me the art of being better with the passing days.
Since I gave my first breath you watched after me with your big eyes
That have scared me that much
but at the same time have loved me
In every adventure I have had.

You gave me everything and you spoiled me as every mom does
But you taught me to love from a smile to the stars in the Grey sky of June
Seventeen years old I am and I appreciated every single day of the year
for having you as my guide in this journey full of fears and joys.

My best friend and my confident
is a beautiful and incredible person
that it is also my dear "mami" . . .

And "mami" have become my favorite word since a long time ago.

I don't wanna miss any hug never again because I wouldn't like it to be the last one
And it would be never be - I know it for sure.

Starting Once Again *

It is being a long time since the last time I wrote something in my notebook - I do love to write but I don't find the time neither the space to do it.

Writing is something magic - It is just a beautiful to express ourselves for who we truly are. There is no one that judges you or tears you apart - It is YOU and your pen writing all along the lines about whatever you feel to write about.

THERE IS NO RULES

Sometimes I come to think about the beauty of writing and reading and the truth about them. I could spend my whole life doing both peacefully sitting in my porch looking at the sunset coming towards me every evening.
So, I asked myself the reason why I do not write during my days, and I simply answer because I can't, as well as I can't go to the Church every day or to spend time reading books I choose to read. But at the same time I blame myself for thinking like that because it is my responsibility to be able to do all those things and to find the necessary time for my own. But if I think about my daily activities I come to conclude that I spend time doing what I also love to do.

In this way, after all that thinking I realized that in the end life is all about to find the exact balance between decisions, obligations and desires.

After being away for two weeks and an half, I am coming back home full of faith, hope and a stronger spirit - On one hand, I can't stop thinking about all the homework I must do to catch on with my classmates but on the other hand I am happier than never before because I trusted and followed God's will and I did what I had to do as my sister, daughter and human being role.

I am re-starting a new period of my life in which I compromise with myself and with God to be the disciple He wants me to be by living every single minute his concrete love towards the others in regard to my obligations, desires and activities.

THE CEREMONY!

TODAY IS MY SISTER GRADUATION AND BIRTHDAY !!!!! YEAHHH =)

The ceremony started at 8:00 am and it finished like 11:30 am, it was truly long, but it was amazing.

It all started with a great parade in which all he graduates that were like 1700 were divided in the different departments and with the scotish band they stated walking through the university main street until arriving in the DOME, that it is a VERY BUT VERY LARGE place where they carried on all the sports during winter. Like the super dome in New Orleans.

The dome was full of friends and parentes who were so exited and we were all screaming and yelling to our respective graduates.

The presentation itself was great because different important personalities of the university made some spechees that were quite inspiering and also the way the ceremony was organized and carried on was really awsome, besides it was a great experience because it is like living a completely different graduation than what I am used to in Argentina.

It took like 2 hours until mi sis went to the stage to get her diploma but IT WAS SO SHOCKING when they called her in a rare and funny accent !!!! With my family and a great friend of my sister whose name is Lindsay we started shouting to her and all the people looked at us like what is wrong with them ? But we didn't care because we are argentinians and we are like this !! I just want to justify myself , let me be happy!!!

The whole university was decorated so beautifully and at the end of the ceremony they started singing the VANDALS song and a lot of things started to fall from the ceiling and IT WAS OHHH THAT'S COOL !!!

We took lots of pictures after the graduation and they are amazing , I think that I will print all of them !!

We are so happy of being able to be here and at some moment we can't believe where we are and what we have achieved - I am so thankful with GOD, you are truly awsome !!!!

At this point we are going out to have dinner, my family and Lindsay.. she is great, I love her, she is like one Tinnirello at this point !!!

And we are going to have even much more fun because tomorrow we are driving to Seattle !!!!

See you all, enjoy your life in Tucuman !! because I am enjoying mine... !!!

it always fixs me . . : )

When you try your best, but you don´t succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can´t sleep

Stuck in reverse

When the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can´t replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you

High up above or down below

When you too in love to let it go

If you never try you´ll never know

Just watch and learn

Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

After Vale Becker presentation, there was a song playing in my mind all day long, which is the one above and it is called FIX YOU and it is sang by COLDPLAY (one of my favorite bands).
As Vale said before the video presentation, for her that song meant an important turning point in a Moment in her life in which she thought of giving up because frustration, sadness and desperation Were much stronger than hope and faith – But after listening to the song she started realizing About what life truly is and all the amazing things that God had prepared for her. It sounds a bit strange, because it’s just a song, but during my life I came to realize that there are some songs That have such a strong message that are able to save you or even destroy you.

When I moved to Tucuman in 2005 my life became a living hell in which I didn’t find something To believe in: my sister was gone as well as my father, my mum was destroyed because Of all the economical and family problems we had, I was starting a new life and in regard I was Missing My B.A classmates so much that I couldn't stand all the new people that surrounded me.
To sum up, I had created a chaos in which I was slowly drowning and there was no one out there that could At least save me – It was really hard, I remember, because I cried like three times a day and I didn’t want to Go to school and the times I went I spent long minutes locked in the restrooms far away from all the boys And girls that nowadays are my classmates.
Little by little I started to find the answers and the correct directions to a brad new and different life from The one I used to have in B.A – There were new people and a whole new scenario in comparison to the One I grew up. I must confess that in the beginning I didn’t care at all about what was going on in YB Or San Miguel, I just wanted to go back home and living all the chaos and sadness behind at least For a week. But eventually, things started to
change – DRASTICALLY CHANGED.
The most amazing and Greatest thing that happened to me during these years was to know the Focolaris Movement and its Principles as well as their ideals. And this awesome moment actually happened to me during living in Tucuman (in the place and moment I expected in the less). This movement have given me like an 80 % of what I truly am and thanked to it I have met amazing People and I was able to have experiences that only a few have the opportunity to have.
I have changed a lot since I met the movement and of course I am a completely different person Since I came back from O’HIGGGINS, which is a city that directly belongs to the FOCOLARIS and it is Located in B.A providence – like an hour away from Junin.
I was in O’higgins for a month but the time spent there is unforgettable and will be presented in my Life until my final days. Thanks to them I have discovered GOD and everything he represented. I am proud to say that I love my GOD more than anything else and that right in this moment I am The happiest person in the world because I am never alone, HE is always besides me – I am so happy Because I let him get in my soul and since that moment he have never left my side.
In conclusion, these 2 and a half years have meant a lot to me – not only because of all the Suffering but also for the beautiful experiences I was able to live with different persons and in
Different places! Thanks to all the difficult problems, I am able to claim nowadays that I have more than what I need to be REALLY, BUT REALLY HAPPY.
So, the song above have been by me side since the moment I moved to Tucuman in 2005 and
It sounded whenever I was sad or happy, depressed or full of faith – It have been my best
Friend in the long and cloudy nights and in the shiny and lovely days.
“Fix you” meant and means an important part of my life in which everything changed, in which I Changed. It was the melody that gave me the strength enough to keep on walking in this world.

MY TRIP !!!

After three long and exhausting days I have arrived to the U.S, exactly to Moscow, Idaho Which is the state where my sister lives since 2002.
The trip was really awesome because I was able to meet Miami, Chicago and Spokane

airports and of course they where really shocking, especially Chicago’s because it was so Big and full of restaurants, halls and gates everywhere that in a moment I didn’t know Where to go. Besides I traveled with my dad who doesn’t know English, not even the way to say “hello”, so all the responsibility laid on me, to make the check-in, to departure the baggage, to find the gates, just to name a few of the activities that I carried on. It was really FUN!!!
Then, I took three different planes in order to arrive to MOSCOW, it is so far away
But really FAR AWAY – But it really worth it !Tomorrow is my sister’s graduation and I am very exited because I wasn’t able to Participate in her college life until this moment, and for me this moment means Everything, as well as for my parents.
In 2006 when my mum asked me if I wanted to come hear I told her that I really wanna it But that I couldn’t live school for so long but then with the passing months I realized that I wanted something more for me, not only being an IB GIRL but also a person who did MEET THE REAL WORLD which is not written in books but it is showed outdoors. I know that I don’t even meet a third part of what the world truly is but something that I have always wanted since I was 13 years old is to never let the study become MY LIFE. I am not saying that if your life is studying you are a loser, I am just saying that it Is what I choose to live; I don’t know if it is wrong or right, I just know that it is what My heart told me some years ago and still tells me.
My family is everything for me, especially my sister who is one of the greatest persons I
Have even known, and for her this moment is very important because she didn’t have
A high school graduation, so for her this is the only ceremony she would ever had.
On the other hand, she spent all these eyes doing all her stuff by herself – without having Us at her side – and this is really, for me, admirable. I think that not everybody has the Strength enough to live its country and fly away to a foreign place in the age of
Seventeen. Not even me.
This moment of my life is going to be presented in my life until the day I died because I
Am going to meet different cultures, places, regions and especially people who have
Another ways and points of view.
I am really looking forward to keeping this trip on – On Sunday I am leaving for Seattle
And then We are flying to Miami and there we are having a four day cruise and finally
We are going to ORLANDO !!! I am really HAPPY right now.