Oil Sands

             Oil sands or bituminous sands, are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit.  Those natural deposits are reported in many countries such as: Kazakhstan, Rusia and Canada.  Therefore, they are founded in extremely large quantities in Alberta.  Total oil sand reserves are estimated at 249.67 billion barrels globally  and 70% are in Canada.  Alberta has been mining oil sands since 1967.  It is the most important financial support to the province. Conventional crude oil is normally extracted from the ground by drillinng. However,  the oil sands must be extracted by strip mining or the oil made to flow into wells by in-situ techniques. These processes can use more water and require larger amounts of energy than conventional oil extraction. That means it is a cotrovesial project because is very important  in the Canadian's economic but the other hand is too dirty with the enviroment.  That's why Oil sands  have had many people  for  and against them even though Oil's companies tries to make green strategies.  According to CAPP, Canadian Asociation Petroleum Producers, the industry understands Canadians' concerns and is working with new techniques and technologies to reduce our environmental impact. They are focus on three issues: air, water and land. Particularly in relation to air, since 1990 GHG (  Carbon dioxide-CO2 ) emissions   associated with every barrel of oil sands crude produced have been reduced by 29%. Also, Canada’s oil sands industry recycles water and continues to look for ways to reduce fresh water use.  Likewise, the industry  is committed to reducing its footprint, reclaiming all land affected by their operations.  In addition , Oil sands industry  is paid significant taxes and it is a major employer throughout North America. It seems challenges are coming up to Canada's Oil industry!

Canada’s oil sandsCanada’s oil sands
industry recycles water
and continues to look
for ways t

industry recycles water

and continues to look

for ways to reduce fresh

water use.

Recycling

In my opinión, the real problem is the overpopulation in the world. In 2040 we will be more than 10 billion people and we haven't got a Ecological policy. I mean we don't have serious rules about the manage appropriate of our trash. In adition, more people are moving up to the next social class these days. For instance in Brazil the last  four years 45 million people moved up from level two to three and in China 600 million people did the same. This fact leads to more consumption and as a result more trash. But it is what it is so that Is not time to complain about it. Before I have to confess you that I had never been worried about this issue. When I came to Canada I realized people have been recycling in a different basket the containers, which applies refund policy. At the beginning it didn't have any meanings for me. But I have decided to start at home. Now we have at home a different basket in order to put in there the containers such as: water, juices and everything where I can see this logo.

Also , I told it to my family in Colombia and now they are making their best effort. I'm confident that changes are necessary in our world even small changes might do the big change. It implies you take it like your challenge and persuade others people around you. Who don't want a better world ? This is our world and our heritage to our children .

One of the best journeys in Colombia!

      “Don’t choose someone who is the most beautiful person,

We should choose the person who makes more beautiful our world” 

To be honest the person who makes more beautiful my world is my husband, but I not going to write about my husband. I just remember going to Villa de Leyva, which is a small town 4 hours by car from Bogota (Capital City in Colombia), it was one of the best journeys that I've ever had and of course we'd gone there with him.

Anyway the matter is Villa de Leyva.  I used to live in Bogota and we went there in my car. We choose “Duruelo Hotel”, which is a fantastic antique hotel.   When we look this hotel up seemed beautiful but it's a place where you will be able to find everything to relaxing.  You will take in the town, which was build almost at the beginning of the colonization times, many small and gourmet restaurants are around it.  You never can get enough of these restaurants with their traditional and international cuisine. You'll drive crazy when the night drops because of different choices, I mean, since a romantic pub up wacky party.  The atmosphere is terrific everywhere.

This is a view from  Villa de Leyva

Other activities such as: hot spring tubs, horse ridding, bike riding, visiting archeological museums are available.  Even you must visit Raquira, which is a smaller town to 20 minutes by car from Villa de Leyva. Raquira is all colorful in which you should buy handcrafts as much as possible. There are many home-businesses that make them. These handcrafts are inexpensive and very traditional. If you buy something there, most your friends will ask you where you bought it.

This is Raquira!!!

Don’t miss out on the chance to go there and enjoy having fun!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VillaDeLeyva-bynight.jpg

http://www.duruelo.com.co/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A1quira

The Battle of the Sexes

Do we have comparable conditions in a work enviroment between women and men? I think so. In my experience the real challenge is how serious could be our differences of gender. I mean, our advantages could be our disadvantages. We know women are more sensitive. That means we are more heart that reason which is very important in our relationship as a wife, mother, daughter, etc. But what would happen when we reflect it  in a working enviroment? like a inability to understand that discussions of the work themselves are not a personal discussion. Even It could be worse when we translate this lack sensitivity such a the absence of "cold head" to decision making. The person who was my boss in my last job used to tell me: " Zaida try to decide and think with your head, not with your liver". That's because women tend to impulsively decide according to our mood. Also, the other big advantage is the ability that women have to  " talk subtly" to others. It makes sense in order to influence others and not hurt their  feelings. But when you are in a managment role in a company it's not convenient for your position there. Because this " indirect communication " can be translated as a lack of management skills in communication that confuses your team. 
It is something "unavoidable" in a work enviroment a clear and direct communication that emphasize the general objectives to achieve the common goal. In summary, I'm confident that women and men have the same condition in an enviroment like this. Women just need to bring into play " emotional intelligence" in order to use our advantages as advantages,even anywhere and anytime!

Shen Yun Performing Arts

          The Shen Yun 2012 is a clasical chinese song and dance that it catch on in various cities worldwide, this spectacle will be celebrated in April 8-9 at the Jubilee Auditorium. You will enjoy reviving 5000 years of civilization because they will show all-new with live orchestra. Any information please contact SYPA , Shen Yun Performing Arts, it is a Chinese Society responsible for this event in Calgary.

COLOMBIAN COFFEE " JUAN VALDEZ"

Juan Valdez is not just our famous Colombian coffee brand. It is a culture around what means this crop in Colombia. I used to live in an small town and close there my family have a coffee farm. I spent there my elementary school break time. I remember taking care of the coffee crops despite I didn't know and understand very well about them.  The soil, coffee beans, fertilizers were rigorously prepared before they had been planted.  All of the growers receive support by NCCA, National Colombian Coffee Asociation , they are charge to look into the best growing conditions.   After  when the coffee harvest has come these  beans are carefully selected and exported.  So colombian coffee catched on  its soft and unique flavor. Most buyers pick it out every morning in their breakfast. 

The coffee crop means a culture with deep values around it, their economy as a business home and a heritage from generation after generation.  People who grows coffee up in Colombia are strong  workers.  They are an autentic face into colombian society.  Even here in Canada  you can buy it at SuperStore ( I've bought it there).  It is Yummy !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cysIKz8H3Rg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9CPwH5ekH4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=400ZtCfpUV8&feature=related

Ziplining at PANACHI PARK!!!

Have you ever felt died of fright?

That was exactly I felt while I was doing ziplining at that park.

Let me tell you where and what is " PANACHI " so you will understand better my story.

In a easy way PANACHI is a place where you can't get enough of it. But it's not much information so would be better to write that Chicamocha National Park also know as PANACHI is a Colombian Natural park along the Chicamocha Canyon (Cañón del Chicamocha) located 50 km from the city of Bucaramanga ( Santander). The site is a tourist attraction due to is spectacular landscape and the variety of outdoor activities that it offers such as paragliding, spelunking, bushwalking, camping, fishing, kayaking, rafting, mountain climbing, etc. The park is served by a 6.3 km length cable car system. It is one of the longest systems of its type in the world.  Officially opened in January 2009 it quickly became popular for all its attracions.

It's a good moment to tell you about my home city that it es located in Santander department ( or State ) and its capital Bucaramanga. It has one of the most mountainous territories of the country, as the Eastern Andes Range crosses the northern part of the department. By 2007 , they had opened the park and the " cable vuelo" was the best attraction in that moment. I was looking forward  to trying it even Whether I felt nervous about. Common sense and curiosity were my accomplices , at the end you always say " why not??? ." Then after I bought the entry pass I was ready to jump down. I went down while I was dying slowly ! Why dying? I'd never imagined how fast could be it...I felt too much afraid when I went  down through  " cable vuelo" and I almost could not walk by myself. My accomplices ( common sense and curiosity ) had disappeared and I finally got " real friends" were making fun of me ! On that link you can get an approach ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjCsznOZSq8&feature=related

Anyways it was such a great experience and I really recommend you should do it !