Challenge: Share your ride !

Downtown Puebla street - Callejon del Sapo

A month ago, I was traveling by bus from Morelos to Puebla city during the night. When I ask for my stop around 21-22 hours, more people get down too. It was a scary scene due there were just two local taxi units and no more transportation. Therefore, there was no other choice than ask for an Uber ride.  I observe the situation. Almost everybody was using their cellphone to call their friends or families.

Two cars get immediately and lift three persons. Then a young boy and I kept there a little bit more. We were waiting for a better tariff of the Uber.  As the price was elevated, I decided to ask him. Do you want to share the ride? When he said, I already pick one. And it will get here in a minute. Suddenly he surprises me, asking back, "If you want, I can pick you up to a safer place." I accept and think:  

If you break the ice you will be able to offer or get a ride 

Last weekend during midday I was standing at the bus stop an older man was there too.  We wait for 10-15 minutes, and the bus did not appear.  What was happening with public transportation?  I did not know, but I felt it was unsafe to keep in one place for an extended period.  Then I proceed to get an Uber and remember the last day when the young guy offers me a ride. This DejaVu makes me think: Its time to get back, Let's share my ride. 

I know it is difficult to open a conversation with somebody you don't know, but if there is a purpose where you can help somebody else. Then there is an excellent opportunity to show gratitude.  I think this challenge will promote kind gestures, like the movie Pay it Forward when somebody receives the support he must pay it forward and create a change.  It is a great movie, I can give you the link if you want to watch in old ways DVD.

Pay it forward movie: https://amzn.to/2FjgkXR 

This challenge its a way to give something. Have you ever share something like a ride, a book, a cup of coffee? Well, you can share your story in the comments below.  Have a great day, and remember. Small things make a bigger difference.

Winter vacation of a Mexican young scientist

Reading Alebrijes by Cecilia Reyes 

Winter vacation on the public school system means three full weeks doing something else; personal stuff maybe,  I am not sure about working but resting is a must.

As a postdoctoral fellowship, I am not able to get into the university facilities to do some office or experimental work in the laboratory. That means that all the experimental work is on a pause. Well, this situation brings me to the next question.

Is it healthy to continue working during vacations ?  I mean, doing some reading or drafting a manuscript for a scientific publication.

For Ph.D. holders who are working right now on Mexican universities and who already got the National Research system grant (SNI-CONACYT)  maybe it is a duty to work during vacations because of the process to obtain a product (student graduation, scientific publication, patents as innovation ) take a lot of time. For those who are not familiar with SNI systems, every three years we are evaluated and if we do not fill the minimum requirement to maintain the grant then the membership and grant are retired.

I remember that when I was a Ph.D. student from 2013-2017 at UNAM, we used to work during vacations because when there is a big resting time we usually got out of focus from the research project. In my experience, I always recommend my colleagues to not take vacations during the thesis writing process because there is a risk of losing focus or inspiration. But now is slightly different.

Taking vacations, rest and go with your family but maybe it is ok but I thin not full time. For example in my experience, I do nothing related to work during the two weeks but right now I begin to feel not productive. I react to this feeling by doing some activities called "Hobbies".

 I used to do three constant activities: Reading,  programming learning and right now writing. 

Sometimes these activities are not related to science, for example, my reading motivation of this year is to be able to answer the following questions: What is it happening outside of my country in a political way?; How the human being got here to the actual world?. An, of course, be present about the environmental situation. 

This is the last vacation week: What are you going to do?  Travel, Read, Vist your friends,  Go with your Family, Work or maybe learn something new. 

Alebrijes - Lectura p.127-129

Lectura corta, páginas 127-129. Excelente libro para disfrutar en compañía de tu ser querido, cuenta la historia del artesano cartonero Pedro Linares López inventor de los Alebrijes en México del siglo XX.

Consíguelo aquí: https://amzn.to/34YcKNN