To Roam the Earth and Write About It

Posted on by taniacreations
Amazing Dubai
A few months ago I was finally able to answer that old question: what do I want to do when I grow up? Well, it may seem that people would only ask that when they are kids but in reality, most of us spend good many hours of our whole lives pondering over it.
My answer is: to roam the earth and write about it…
Well, suddenly I found myself a chance to do just that; and here I am.
I have just arrived in Brazil, with the objective and excuse as to publish my two written books. On my way I have spent four incredible days in the amazing Dubai.
During those days I exercised something that seldom in life we have chance to do: total free will. Being by myself it was delicious to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.
I have experienced and delighted in being in “Arabia”, with its new buildings, different smells, spices and lands. Admired the whole of the construction site the city is and was amazed by the vision these people had in creating for them a new future and literally creating new lands.
They simply decide to put sand over the water and build new islands in the most fantastic shapes!
It was a well worth experience and I count my blessings.
I have no idea where the path will take me, like Tolkien says, when you are out of your door, it is the road that takes you…
(Orble Votes: 112)

Dance for Non-Dancers at the Sydney Salsa Congress 2010

Posted on by taniacreations

sydneysalsacongress_2010


What The Sydney Salsa Congress offers for the Non-Dancers are the Shows and Parties to exceed any expectation! The event is a reunion of Latin Dancers. What started as a Salsa congress is now a place for all types of Latin and Brazilian Dance.
It is well worth to immerse yourself in the energy. You can buy the tickets for only the nights that you choose.
From the 28th to 31st January 2010 at the State Sport Centre, Olympic Park in Sydney.
It gives the watchers the chance to see the best and most passionate Latin dancing in Australia. Among the artists are the best in the country and important international names. As someone that simply enjoy fine arts you will be treated with performances that make you sigh, laugh, scream, cheer and sometimes even cry with emotion.
Usually everyone makes a lot of noise for the performances they like, I remember one performance from last year, Jordan and Tatiana… at the end of it I had tears in my eyes, I was practically drooling with my gapping mouth, and I couldn’t applaud or cheer, I was numbed with the extraordinary beauty of their dancing… I was glad to be able to still breathe.
Even if you don’t dance, you should stay for a while after the shows and have a look at the parties, watch the magic of people that pair up and improvise… I remember, before I started learning Latin dancing, I used to wonder: how does she know what he wants her to do?
Last year I was a watcher because I had a fractured arm, I still went every night, and some days too, because the experience is unique and once you go you always think: I am so glad I came!
http://www.sydneysalsacongress.com.au
(Orble Votes: 98)

To the Toilet with Efficiency

Posted on by taniacreations
The toilet at my workplace has a timer for the lights. It is doubtless an efficiency measure. It doesn’t take long after you have come in for you to be left in the dark.
The company gains in several ways: first because it saves energy, when there is no-one moving near the mirror the lights turn off. Other than that, you have to be twice efficient: first to do your numbers quickly and second, because of that, you have more time working.
If you take something to read you are in trouble, the lights will shut down for you. So no messing around during work time either.
I am usually quite efficient to do this, I go and do it and come back. But really I do feel a bit offended if I have an upset stomach or if I am in that time of the month and need a bit longer at the little house. I also am always prone to philosophy while during my solid issues. It is disturbing to be there thinking about the lightness of eternal beings and getting the lights turned off on you…

All the advantages go to the company in this case! 🙂

(Orble Votes: 108)

Background Check

Posted on by taniacreations
Sculpture by the Sea 2009 – Sydney – Bondi

There are so many things in life we actually never think exist. Companies that exist solely to verify the details that people provided when applying for jobs, for example. I’m temporarily working for one of these while I’m still searching for a permanent position.
My job is to verify Employment History from candidates for jobs in big financial corporations.
From this I’m getting some funny stories, as it is my style to do wherever I am.
The best story was when I called a fashion store. I don’t want to put the name of the company here, so let’s say I called Fashion. It is a big company with stores all over Australia.
Imagined I called “Fashion” and asked for payroll or HR.
The sales girl – that sounded very young and was screaming against a loud music background – answered me promptly:
– THIS IS FASHION, NOT PAYROLL!!! YOU CALLED THE WRONG COMPANY!
I couldn’t stop laughing for half an hour.

Another detail I noticed is the latest trends on “firing people” vocabulary, my favourite of all times is “retrenched”. To have been “made redundant” is already old. People are now “retrenched”. I think as you really can’t say what it means you will not feel that you were fired. HR departments have all this psychology behind what they write in your files…
I don’t think it makes a lot of difference when we are out of a job the name they gave to our “disconnection” but well, it’s funny to see how they are so creative.
Another interesting set of special names I just found out is that I started to find some positions as being: 2IC, 1IC, 3IC… I had no idea what they meant. I discovered it is very simple: Second In Command! First or Third In Command! So funny!

(Orble Votes: 66)

The Funniest Job Application Answer

Posted on by taniacreations
Dear Canddiate,
Thank you for your recent application for this role. The advertisement directed candidates to apply on our website (which you did not) and as a result your application was not received and reviewed as part of the recruitment process. This role has been filled and the recruitment process has now been finalised. If you are interested in registering your interest in a role with us, please go to the website.

I just received the above reply for a job application that I did this week.

It was really saying Canddiate instead of Candidate. And I thought it so funny I answered with the following e-mail:

Dear Sirs,

This is the funniest reply I have ever gotten for an application for a Job.
It is saying basically: thank you for your application that we received but we didn’t and you missed out.
At least it beats the “your application was unsuccessful” by far!
It is much worse but what can I do now?
I feel like a naughty kid and the teacher is saying: you have to read the questions before you answer them!!! In a very loud voice, too.
You are actually right, your advertisement probably said we should apply on your website, but after applying for 234,564 jobs you don’t see the writing anymore, you just see the big pink “apply” button.
Being like a robot, you expect that something that has a button for application means you are actually doing it: sending your information to the right person.
I have applied to other roles and when they expected the candidate to go to their website either the apply button didn’t work or sent them directly to the right place.
I guess it was kind of a test for you, hum? And I failed totally. You probably did it on purpose expecting a person that reads it all, very thoroughly.
But the funny thing is the company taking the time to reprimand the candidates that didn’t do it!
It is so good I will put it on my blog.
Don’t worry, I won’t reveal any names or companies, just tell the history and remind all other people like me, looking for a job in time of crisis, that we have to read things with more attention.
Have a great week!

(Orble Votes: 78)

Job Search Hints and Good News

Posted on by taniacreations
Do the unexpected. At the very least you will ride some pretty fancy lifts. I’ve been going to the recruitment agencies and I have good news: some of them really have people there.
The next morning from my last post I got to create some new crazy strategies, I got to think that letters with ridiculous sayings were not enough. Maybe I should do something in person, like enter the agencies singing (even though I cannot sing), the traditional wearing a watermelon around my neck or my favourite dream obsession: running naked in the middle of George Street, in this case with a body paint saying: hire me!
But by the end of the day I simply did what people seem not to be doing: visit the recruitment agencies. I realised that because mostly they don’t accept any walk-ins anymore, candidates simply stopped doing this walking around trying to talk to a consultant.
For me, the last two days have been amazing, I managed to shake hands with recruiters that actually have an open position that interests me and be interviewed by some nice people that didn’t have the job now but may have it soon. I also got a bunch of business cards; at least they give me a name to put on top of my e-mails with my resumes.
Of course I found some empty offices, got to the position of being inside a lift that doesn’t accept when you press the button. It is such an embarrassing feeling! You go inside a building, confidently go to the lift, the door closes, you press the button, it doesn’t lit, you do it again, and just one more time to be sure. Nothing happens, you press the button to open the door and leaves hoping no-one saw you.
The adventure is to ride all kinds of lifts though. I loved the one that didn’t have any buttons inside. You pressed the level you wanted to be taken in a panel outside in the hall and the panel would tell you which lift would take you there, you then ride the lift to your floor alone. Very fancy!
The best until now was that one of the companies I visited was great, the receptionist was warm and saw me as an actual person, not only a candidate, an unfortunate looking for work in times of crisis, or an annoying walk-in that doesn’t know people don’t do that anymore. She really talked to me, printed my recent resume and said a consultant would see me.
It was that then Magic happened. The consultant looked at my resume and her eyes started shining. She said it was amazing that I had walked in on her with an exact resume that would match a position she was just receiving. When she told me about it my eyes got to shine also.
I am now waiting to see how it goes but it already gave me hope and a warm feeling inside…
(Orble Votes: 58)

About Job Search in Time of Crisis and Flight attendants

Posted on by taniacreations
Do you think there is actually someone working inside those beautiful offices in the centre of Sydney, the ones with glass doors on the top floors in the city? Other than the receptionist and the IT person that configures the automatic e-mails saying things like:
“After careful consideration, we regret to advise that your application was not successful on this occasion”
I have been trying to get through, to see the inside of one of these employment agencies.
Do you know with every fibre of your being that you are brilliant at work? I do. Why? Because I care. That is the one thing that is different from good workers from the bad ones. The good try to understand the consequences of each of their actions. As simple as that.
I feel like sending cover letters with ridiculous phrases like:
I LOVE YOUR MOM…
READ MY RESUME TO FIND OUT HOW TO BE YOUNG FOREVER…
IF YOU INTERVIEW ME YOU WILL NEVER WANT ANOTHER PIECE OF CHOCOLATE…
FIND OUT HOW TO GET THIN, FIT AND SEXY LIKE BRAD & ANGIE…
HOW TO GET RICH: INSTRUCTIONS INSIDE…
Or the priceless: I LOVE YOUR BUM!!!
I don’t know, just anything that would make them pay attention to me.
I have been trying different strategies: applying by e-mail or through the employment websites. Sending a portfolio with my e-mail and not. Different types of cover letters, from formal to informal, to inspirational, to barely sane. I e-mailed all the agencies, then I am calling them, one by one. Then I call the people in the job ads and today I finished my temporary work at 3pm and decided to visit some of these companies to try to make my way to get an interview… the results were atrocious…
I went to 5 companies before 5 pm:
1 disappeared, wasn’t at the listed internet address.
1 had the lifts blocked you couldn’t go up.
1 had two beautiful receptionists but no-one could see me.
1 was closed, probably at 5, the glass doors were spotless and it was a very nice office.
1 I actually managed to meet an agent, he shook my hand and sent me on my merry way…
There must be a way!!!! THERE MUST BE A WAY!!!
If you know the trick of finding a job in this crazy market, let me know! Recruiters are people, I swear to God they are, so there has to be a way to get to them…
Or are they like flight attendants? I have never met one outside of an airplane, have you?
(Orble Votes: 72)

RITMO Brazilian Festival 2009

Posted on by taniacreations

Flyer of Ritmo – Brazilian Festival in Sydney 2009

“Ritmo” means “rhythm” and it is the name for this Brazilian Cultural celebration, an initiative of BraCCA, Brazilian Community Council of Australia. The event has been happening since 2001 and this is its ninth edition, it was created as part of the celebration of Brazil’s 500 years anniversary. Ritmo Brazilian Festival is scheduled for the 20th September 2009 at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour, one of Sydney’s most breathtaking sites. This event is so important that it has a date kept in reserve in Sydney’s calendar every year.
Attendees are entertained with the range of activities, involving music, dance and food. Starting at 11 am RITMO is a major showcase of Brazilian culture in Australia and also the most important event for the Brazilian community in the country. Ritmo is sponsored by several companies such as Sagatiba, LAN, Real Transfer, Sydney Foreshore Authority e o General Consulate of Brazil that believe in the continuous success of the festival.
The expectation is for 27,000 participants this year, seven thousand more than the record number achieved in 2008. BraCCA has plans to have an important event in 2010 to marc it’s 10 years of existance. The big success of this festival is due to the charismatic ways of the Brazilian people and the diversity of presentations such as Capoeira, Samba, Axé, Pagode, other traditional dances from Northeast and Brazilian popular music performances.
Great artists are confirmed with the special participation of Gianne Abbott, Brazilian dancer among the top 10 on “So You Think You Can Dance 2009” TV Series from Channel 10; also Latin Dance Australia; Umbela Brasil and Brazilian Latin Dance Company will shine uppon Ritmo’s stage. The bands Samba Austrália; Pisa na Fulo; Ziggy & Wild Drums and Performing Brazil will bring great music.
This is an opportunity to try the best of the Brazilian food and drinks, like Feijoada, a traditional Brazilian dish made with black beans, pork and sausages and eaten with rice. Brazilian cuisine is a mixture of exotic ingredients with a hint of passion. At Ritmo there will be an array of exquisite flavours to be tasted.
People can learn the true meaning of the word Ginga with the amazing display of acrobatic movements from Capoeira, an African-Brazilian style of martial arts. With Capoeira Brazil; Capoeira Abada and Capoeira Aruanda you will discover why Samba is famous worldwide. During the day you will also see arts and crafts from all over Brazil. It is a place to bring a picnic rug, slather on the sunscreen, sit back, enjoy the show and have a fun day out. The entrance is free!
It is a day to join the nation that introduced Samba to the world for a time filled with its joys and colours, live music and dancing. An occasion to share the tolerant and harmonic atmosphere when the Brazilian people join the Australian multiculturalism, sharing what is their best with all other cultures.

Flyer-Ritmo-2009-back


Summary: Ritmo – Brazilian Festival:

20th September 2009
Tumbalong Park – Darling Harbour
Sydney – NSW – Australia
From 11am to 6pm
Free entrance
Food: Try popular foods Feijoada, Pastel e Coxinha, Churros, Churrasco and Popcorn & Guaraná
Caipirinha Bar: Enjoy Brazil’s favourite cocktail and learn how to make it
Bands:
– Samba Australia
– Pisa na Fulo
– Ziggy and Wild Drums
– Performing Brazil
Dance:
– Gianne Abbott
– Latin Dance Australia
– Umbela Brasil
– Brazilian Latin Dance Company
Capoeira:
– Capoeira Brazil
– Capoeira Abada
– Capoeira Aruanda

Sponsors:
Sagatiba, LAN, Real Transfer, Sydney Foreshore Authority e o Consulado Geral do Brasil

Further information: events@bracca.org

Contacts:

BraCCA – Brazilian Community Council of Australia

BraCCA is a non-profit organisation located in Sydney, NSW, Australia, with the main purposes of promoting the Brazilian Culture, representing the needs of the Brazilian Community to government both in Brazil and Australia; to further motivate the cultural interchange and relations between Brazil and Australia.

Hut 45A 142 Addison Road, Marrickville NSW 2204
Phone: (02) 9560-6866

(Orble Votes: 75)

The Miracle Girl

Posted on by taniacreations
This is the nickname the doctors gave Lilian Leiva, this Ossielian (Australian Brazilian) like me. She is only 27 and had a stroke mid July. The miracle: simply her survival, her recovery, her bright star.

She is one that didn’t surrender to the downs of life. Like everyone she feels it but instead of commiserating she puts first gear in her life-car, looks to the top of the hill and heads up full steam ahead. An uncommon response… Most people feel sorry for themselves and give excuses for not living all that they can.
The flowers of this garden, this paradise where we play our lives, are people like Lilian that live all that they can, no matter what has happened to them. That is how she survives, she will recover and live a happy life.
A few years ago her fiancé was killed in a motorbike accident, they were both so young with a promising life ahead. She wrote a book about him, with pictures for his and her family, about the great moments they had together. She then went on to live and live. She studied in the United States then ended up here in Aussieland.
She came to Sydney for post-graduate studies and fell in love with a bloke from these parts and ended up staying. Her mum told me she is about to get her citizenship now.
With the stroke she had to undergo delicate brain surgery. It was a success but she has to be under supervision for a full recovery. Part of the expenses was met by her medical insurance but there is still a large bill of over 40 thousand dollars for anaesthesia, physiotherapy and medicines.
Help her with donations or by participating in the fundraising events, the information is at this website: http://lilian.greenteamedia.org/. It is really easy to help people nowadays, donations can be made through PayPal or credit cards in a few minutes online.
She has such a life force that people are moving heaven and earth for her… join us!

(Orble Votes: 66)

Guide to Brazilian Food Part 2

Posted on by taniacreations

Side Dishes…

There are a number of varieties of side dishes in Brazilian cooking, each region holds their own.
Here are a few that are all time favourites of mine.

Palm heart salads are very tasty and very light, if I could do a diet eating just that and fresh asparagus I would be happy for a long time even on diet! They don’t even need seasoning but they are awesome with some olive oil and salt.

Deep fried bananas are delicious with red meat.
Deep fried zucchinis are delicious with anything.

Then you have polenta from Italian’s influences.

My tummy smiles just to think about it!

(Orble Votes: 52)