Two more

Two more of my pictures have been selected for the annual World Bank photo exhibit. Here they are:

"Kinetic Botanics"

"Antelope Canyon"

Gaston

More prizes!

A few months ago I won my first photography prize at the World Bank/IMF International Photographic Society. Well, it's happened again! This time I got a 3rd Prize and an Honorable Mention in my category. That was 2 out of the 5 prizes offered that evening - something to definitely be proud of! Here are the images:

"Blue Lantern" - 3rd prize

"Evening in Chincoteague" - Honorable Mention
Gaston

Spring?

Since most of my family and friends live in cold climates, I apologize in advance for this posting. Even if it is only February, it feels like spring has arrived in DC. I went out for a walk on Roosevelt Island today, wearing just a light spring wind-breaker. There were millions of birds singing thousands of songs (or was it the other way around?). Red cardinals and orange-breasted robins were dotting the dull leafless forest with splashes of color. Hundreds of small woodpeckers, banging their heads on tree trunks, added rhythm to this avian symphony. It was a gorgeous morning to be out...

To crown the arrival of spring, I went to a Vietnamese shopping mall in Virginia, where I ate spring-rolls while watching the Vietnamese version of "Dancing with the Stars." Everyone around was Asian, I didn't understand any of the conversations and the posters on the wall revealed nothing to me. It is good to be back in North America.

Gaston

Back to School - Obama style...

Obama called on everyone in the United States to get involved in their community, to become agents of change, so, I decided to volunteer in a local school. It's not just because of Obama though, I had been planning to do this for a while, but it finally started this evening. I am now a tutor, once or twice a week after school, at the Maya Angelou Public Charter School in Washington, DC. It is a high-school for kids who were not successful in a traditional school, and therefore need the extra guidance. This evening, a young 10. grader did his homework with me, and, even if inside I was a nervous wreck, there are no mishaps to report... Stay tune for more stories of volunteering in the future.

Gaston