Il Sommo...

A l’alta fantasia qui mancò possa;
ma già volgeva il mio disio e ’l velle,
sì come rota ch’igualmente è mossa, 

 
l’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.

“Il Venezuela nutre la coscienza del suo popolo”.

La partecipazione del Venezuela a Expo Milano 2015 è incentrata nel evidenziare come l’alimentazione vada oltre la necessità biologica e sia inoltre rivendicata come un diritto umano e una conquista sociale. La partecipazione del Paese sudamericano all’Esposizione Universale offre al visitatore un’esperienza di grande interesse attraverso una visione approfondita e globale dei progressi raggiunti in materia agroalimentare, in linea con gli Obiettivi del Millennio. Gli obiettivi che si pone il Paese partecipando a Expo Milano 2015 sono molteplici: mostrare le abitudini e le tradizioni culinarie e delle sue otto regioni geografiche, dal processo della semina di riso, mais, avena, manioca, ocumo e patata dolce alla cultura della tavola, rendere visibili i risultati ottenuti in materia di nutrizione e sicurezza alimentare riconosciuti internazionalmente dai diversi organismi internazionali specializzati, dando particolare risalto al riconoscimento della FAO per aver raggiunto l’obiettivo della “Sfida Fame Zero” nel Paese, mostrare i risultati raggiunti in Venezuela nello sradicamento della povertà estrema e l’adeguamento del modello agricolo del Paese verso sistemi sostenibili. Nello spazio espositivo venezuelano saranno presenti elementi caratteristici dell’agricoltura venezuelana che fanno parte integrante della cultura, per esempio la coltivazione di cacao, caffè, frutta e la produzione di rum di ottima qualità. Lo spazio espositivo del Venezuela offre al visitatore l’opportunità di degustare i prodotti venezuelani della più alta qualità, dal caffè al cioccolato prodotto con il miglior cacao del mondo, fino all’allegria del rum. L’arredamento interno del Padiglione sarà incentrato sull’utilizzo di materiali organici come il legno e i tessuti. 
I temi saranno esposti utilizzando la tecnologia olografica, con enfasi speciale sui costumi, le tradizioni e la biodiversità del Venezuela. Gli eventi in programma si terranno in un ambiente cordiale e fraterno, rappresentativo dell’accoglienza dei venezuelani e sarà affiancato da molteplici manifestazioni culturali, come conferenze, concerti e mostre.
 

EXPO Milano 2015

Essere bilingue cambia la nostra visione del mondo?

Per la scienza non è una novità il fatto che parlare due o più lingue porti moltissimi vantaggi. Come hanno confermato tutte le ricerche in materia svolte negli ultimi 15 anni i bilingui hanno migliori prospettive in ambito lavorativo, minore probabilità di essere affetti da demenza senile e sono avvantaggiati dal punto di vista cognitivo. Ma una recente ricerca ha evidenziato dei risvolti ancora più interessanti: a seconda di quali specifici linguaggi i bilingui padroneggino, la loro visione del mondo cambia di conseguenza. Riuscire a passare da una lingua all'altra senza problemi è un ottimo allenamento per il cervello, utilissimo al fine di renderlo più flessibile, come confermato da diversi test. Di conseguenza, alla stessa maniera in cui allenare il nostro fisico ci fornisce diversi benefici di tipo biologico, padroneggiare due o più lingue è fonte di diversi benefici cognitivi che saranno evidenti nelle fasi più avanzate della nostra vita: disordini mentali degenerativi come l'Alzheimer, ad esempio, nei bilingui emergono mediamente fino a cinque anni dopo rispetto a chi fa uso di un solo linguaggio. Un recente studio pubblicato su Psychological Science ha studiato le differenti reazioni a diversi esperimenti di persone in grado di parlare sia il tedesco che l'inglese e di persone che al contrario si esprimono utilizzando una sola di queste lingue. Ai soggetti sono stati mostrati video rappresentanti eventi di movimento, come un ciclista che si dirige verso un supermercato o una donna che si avvicina alla sua auto. In seguito a queste persone è stato chiesto di descrivere le scene a cui avevano assistito. Gli scienziati hanno rilevato che coloro che parlano solo tedesco hanno la tendenza a descrivere la scena parlando dell'obiettivo ("una donna attraversa per arrivare all'auto", "un ciclista corre per arrivare al supermercato"), mentre coloro che parlano solo inglese invece si concentravano sull'azione ("una donna che cammina", "un uomo che pedala"). La conclusione a cui sono sono giunti i ricercatori è che il tedesco sia un linguaggio più globale mentre l'inglese sia una lingua più specifica. Quando lo stesso esperimento è stato effettuato prendendo in considerazione i bilingui, questi hanno dimostrato di essere in grado di passare da una prospettiva all'altra senza problemi: i tedeschi che parlavano anche inglese erano in grado di tenere in piedi un discorso in tutte le sue parti principali ma anche di concentrarsi sull'azione quando si esprimevano in inglese, e l'inverso è accaduto per gli inglesi capaci di parlare tedesco. Di conseguenza i ricercatori hanno dedotto che i comportamenti dei soggetti variano in relazione al linguaggio da questi adoperato. Ma c'è di più: coloro che parlando due o più linguaggi sono in grado di effettuare decisioni relative a eventuali rischi in maniera molto più razionale parlando e riflettendo non utilizzando la propria lingua madre, in quanto ciò li induce a riflettere in maniera più profonda sui rischi presi e sulla loro connessione. La lingua che parliamo, dunque, può davvero cambiare il nostro modo di vedere il mondo.

Do you want to improve your target language? Think!

Thinking in a foreign language is an important step in the long road that is fluency in a foreign language. Thinking in the language you are learning is not necessarily easy, but it’s something you can practice at any time of the day. Thinking in the language you’re trying to learn is one of the easiest ways to review the vocabulary and grammatical patterns you’ve recently acquired. Plus, by actually forcing your brain to think in a language it is not used to think in, you’ll also help activate the newly-acquired information by giving you a real-life use for it. Another great reason to practice thinking in a foreign language is that you will make decisions that will tend to be less biased, more analytic, and more systematic. A foreign language provides “psychological distance”. So by thinking in a foreign language you will not only be jump-starting your skills in that language, but you’ll also make smarter decisions. Many people approach language learning in a “confined” manner. They see language learning as something to be “studied” or “learned” during a certain period of time during the day/week, and then everything else they do is somehow totally unrelated to the language they are learning.

There is no need to go abroad to immerse oneself in a foreign language. So how can you actually start thinking in a foreign language?

1: Create a “target language environment”. The idea is to surround yourself as much as possible with the target language. Computer settings – News – Music – Videos.

2: Look around your room, your neighborhood, and your workplace and start making a conscious effort to describe things around you in your target language. See it as a game, something to enjoy doing. As you begin to increase your vocabulary little by little, start gradually increasing the complexity of your thoughts by making phrases and by describing what’s going on around you.

3: As you go about your day try to think through some typical conversations you would normally have in your native tongue. That’s an extremely useful way to quickly gain useful vocabulary that you know you are likely to use in everyday situations.

4: Speak to yourself. Aside from being useful in organizing your thoughts, it also allows you to practice pronunciation. If you do the same, you’ll kill two birds with one stone and be able to connect with other members of the language learning community. Make the foreign language a part of your life.

5: Change the language of your phone to the language you are learning. At first it will be really uncomfortable, but the necessity to understand your phone’s function will soon be strong enough so that you’ll have no choice but to remember a whole lot of new words and become proficient in using your cell phone in a foreign language.  

6: Watch movies in the target language. When you watch movies in your own language, try to watch them with subtitles in your target language. This will also tremendously help to increase your reading speed.

7: Install Windows on your computer in your target language. Just as with a cell phone, it will be really uncomfortable at first, but you’ll get used to it eventually.

8: Meet friends who speak your target language. Join a local club, a website, volunteering. Whatever you do, remember you have dozens of ways to get to speak in your target language.

By implementing only a few of the many tips, you will see, within a short period of time, a dramatic change in your fluency and in your ability to think in your target language. See it as a game, and as a way of pushing yourself and making language learning more than something that needs to be “studied”.

Remember: It’s always about having fun!

Do you know your EQ?

Decades of research now point to Emotional Intelligence as being the critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. The connection is so strong that 90 percent of top performers have high emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the “something” in each of us that is a bit intangible. It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions to achieve positive results. Its intangible nature makes it difficult to measure and to know what to do to improve it if you’re lacking.

You have a high EQ (Emotional Quotient) if you…

…have a robust emotional vocabulary.

All people experience emotions, but it is a select few who can accurately identify them as they occur. A research shows that only 36 percent of people can do this, which is problematic because unlabeled emotions often go misunderstood, which leads to irrational choices and counterproductive actions. People with high EQs master their emotions because they understand them, and they use an extensive vocabulary of feelings to do so. While many people might describe themselves as simply feeling “bad,” emotionally intelligent people can pinpoint whether they feel “irritable,” “frustrated,” “downtrodden,” or “anxious.” The more specific your word choice, the better insight you have into exactly how you are feeling, what caused it, and what you should do about it.

…are curious about people.

It doesn’t matter if they’re introverted or extroverted, emotionally intelligent people are curious about everyone around them. This curiosity is the product of empathy, one of the most significant gateways to a high EQ. The more you care about other people and what they’re going through, the more curiosity you’re going to have about them.

…embrace change.

Emotionally intelligent people are flexible and are constantly adapting. They know that fear of change is paralyzing and a major threat to their success and happiness. They look for change that is lurking just around the corner, and they form a plan of action should these changes occur.

…know your strengths and weaknesses.

Emotionally intelligent people don’t just understand emotions; they know what they’re good at and what they’re terrible at. They also know who pushes their buttons and the environments (both situations and people) that enable them to succeed. Having a high EQ means you know your strengths and how to lean into and use them to your full advantage while keeping your weaknesses from holding you back.

…are a good judge of character.

Much of emotional intelligence comes down to social awareness; the ability to read other people, to know what they’re about, and to understand what they’re going through. Over time, this skill makes you an exceptional judge of character. People are no mystery to you. You know what they’re all about and understand their motivations, even those that lie hidden beneath the surface.

…are difficult to offend.

If you have a firm grasp of who you are, it’s difficult for someone to say or do something that gets your goat. Emotionally intelligent people are self-confident and open-minded, which creates a pretty thick skin. You may even poke fun at yourself or let other people make jokes about you because you are able to mentally draw the line between humor and degradation.

…know how to say no.

Emotional intelligence means knowing how to exert self-control. You delay gratification and avoid impulsive action. A research shows that the more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Saying no is a major self-control challenge for many people, but “No” is a powerful word that you should unafraid to wield. When it’s time to say no, emotionally intelligent people avoid phrases such as “I don’t think I can” or “I’m not certain.” Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

…let go of mistakes.

Emotionally intelligent people distance themselves from their mistakes, but do so without forgetting them. By keeping their mistakes at a safe distance, yet still handy enough to refer to, they are able to adapt and adjust for future success. It takes refined self-awareness to walk this tightrope between dwelling and remembering. Dwelling too long on your mistakes makes you anxious and gun shy, while forgetting about them completely makes you bound to repeat them. The key to balance lies in your ability to transform failures into nuggets of improvement. This creates the tendency to get right back up every time you fall down.

…give and expect nothing in return.

When someone gives you something spontaneously, without expecting anything in return, this leaves a powerful impression. For example, you might have an interesting conversation with someone about a book, and when you see them again a month later, you show up with the book in hand. Emotionally intelligent people build strong relationships because they are constantly thinking about others.

…don’t hold grudges.

The negative emotions that come with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. Just thinking about the event sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat. When the threat is imminent, this reaction is essential to your survival, but when the threat is ancient history, holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. In fact, researchers have shown that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you’re holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs. Letting go of a grudge not only makes you feel better now but can also improve your health.

…neutralize toxic people.

Dealing with difficult people is frustrating and exhausting for most. But high-EQ individuals control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings in check. When they need to confront a toxic person, they approach the situation rationally. They identify their own emotions and don’t allow anger or frustration to fuel the chaos. They also consider the difficult person’s standpoint and are able to find solutions and common ground. Even when things completely derail, emotionally intelligent people are able to take the toxic person with a grain of salt to avoid letting him or her bring them down.

…don’t seek perfection.

Emotionally intelligent people won’t set perfection as their target because they know that it doesn’t exist. Human beings, by our very nature, are fallible. When perfection is your goal, you’re always left with a nagging sense of failure that makes you want to give up or reduce your effort. You end up spending time lamenting what you failed to accomplish and should have done differently instead of moving forward, excited about what you’ve achieved and what you will accomplish in the future.

…appreciate what you have.

Taking time to contemplate what you’re grateful for isn’t merely the right thing to do; it also improves your mood by reducing the stress hormone cortisol. Research found that people who work daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experience improved mood, energy, and physical well-being. It’s likely that lower levels of cortisol play a major role in this.

…disconnect.

Taking regular time off the grid is a sign of a high EQ because it helps you to keep your stress under control and to live in the moment. When you make yourself available to your work 24/7, you expose yourself to a constant barrage of stressors. Forcing yourself offline and even turning off your phone gives your body and mind a break. Studies have shown that something as simple as an email break can lower stress levels. Technology enables constant communication and the expectation that you should be available 24/7. It is extremely difficult to enjoy a stress-free moment outside of work when an email with the power to bring your thinking back to work can drop onto your phone at any moment.

…limit your caffeine intake.

Drinking excessive amounts of caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline, which is the primary source of a fight-or-flight response. The fight-or-flight mechanism sidesteps rational thinking in favor of a faster response to ensure survival. This is great when a bear is chasing you, but not so great when you’re responding to a curt email. When caffeine puts your brain and body into this hyper-aroused state of stress, your emotions overrun your behavior. Caffeine’s long half-life ensures you stay this way as it takes its sweet time working its way out of your body. High-EQ individuals know that caffeine is trouble, and they don’t let it get the better of them.

…get enough sleep.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of sleep to increasing your emotional intelligence and managing your stress levels. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges, shuffling through the day’s memories and storing or discarding them (which causes dreams) so that you wake up alert and clearheaded. High-EQ individuals know that their self-control, attention, and memory are all reduced when they don’t get enough–or the right kind–of sleep. So, they make sleep a top priority.

…stop negative self-talk in its tracks.

The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them. Most of our negative thoughts are just that: thoughts, not facts. When it feels like something always or never happens, this is just your brain’s natural tendency to perceive threats (inflating the frequency or severity of an event). Emotionally intelligent people separate their thoughts from the facts in order to escape the cycle of negativity and move toward a positive, new outlook.

…won’t let anyone limit your joy.

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from the opinions of other people, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something they’ve done, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or snide remarks take that away from them. While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within.

So, high or low EQ?