Il mio Overseas a Sydney, Australia (Gen-Lug 2007)... e il mio periodo di Tesi all'Estero a Rotterdam/Utrecht, Olanda (Ott 2007-Mar 2008)!

20/03/2008 – 3) The press conference

After the sparkling wine everybody moved to the room provided for the press conference. The end of a cycle, started right there in room 1.3 some years ago with the Calculus lesson taken by Professor Dore.
Some questions have been gathered in the weekend after the graduation, but are published here as well. (D = Doctor, J = Journalist).

J:”Next destination? Will you remain for some time in Italy and Bologna?”
D:”I definitely need a rest. First of all I have to fix some problems with my teeth. And check what’s wrong in my back”.
J:”Which girls do you prefer? English, Aussie or Dutch?”
D:”Eheh, you never miss a gossip question! Let’s say that it shouldn’t be a bad idea to know better the Dutch, very cute girls!”
J:”Job opportunities?Are you going back to The Netherlands?”
D:”I may go back to London, I have been asked to do so, but not immediately. I have a job interview next week (26/3, ndr) but I will withdraw it. It’s the place where my friend Elisa works, but I cannot accept the fact that she could not come for working reasons. Working to live is fine, living to work is not. It is a concept that people in Italy are forgetting. Tomorrow I will send my renounce, count on it, I have got other priorities in my life: feelings. In the meantime I will give private lessons and maybe I will bring some young boys and girls on studying holidays: meal and housing for free, nice time, possibility to see new places and you get even paid. If you are interested let me know...”
J:”Do you really think of going on this way for a long time? You have a Master in Management Engineering with the highest mark...”
D:”If I find a job that lets me having some time to celebrate my Friends or to stay with my imaginary girlfriend then I will quit with these “low profile jobs”. If I will earn less it will mean I will waste less, easy. I have learnt how to do many sacrifices in these last years. I am trustful and sure of doing well. In my opinion sacrifice, commitment and precision are a great point to start from. Furthermore it's important to be surrounded by nice people, and I have a good team around me".
J:”Other plans?”
D:”For sure from 1st to 4th August volunteering with Unitalsi. Actually I invite all my Friends to join this experience. Try it once, you will not regret it. Then some other event like concerts or motorbike races (soon the list of the possible events will be available, ndr), and maybe a holiday in Cotè Azùr, guest of a friend of mine on an island near St.Tropez”.
J:”No more studies?”
D:”Never say anymore. I regret some wasted time during my studies, I will miss the status of being a student. Who knows, maybe a bachelor not much hard, to learn some languages. Or a specialised course like the one organised in Rimini and San Marino on how to plan sport events. They may be interesting solutions".
J:”Girlfriends?None?”
D:”No, not now, it’s a choice... theirs! Let’s put it in this way: if within, let’s say, six months, I will not find a girlfriend, then I may go and look for her abroad! Single way ticket!”
J:”You have beaten your friends and some friends; only two 110 in your session, happy for this?”
D:”Hold on a moment. I didn’t have and don’t have any challenge with my brothers or my friends. Actually I wish them the best, and to get even the “laude”. If there was a challenge, it was with the people who never cooperate inside the University, with those who always kept everything for themselves, for those who have never been thankful, for those who passed some exams “mysteriously”. I have demonstrated that you can win even doing four experiences abroad, having a lot of friends and, above all, dedicating some time to the others. This is the most precious victory, not the mark itself”.
J:”But the result remains and is great. Some particular dedication?”
D:”You can’t be disappointed with a 110. If I think to some members of the team, my laude would have been outrageous in their respect, so I am more than happy. A particular mention to those who have been present on the 20th from the morning. And to Piero who contributed to stop me from giving up five years ago. He left us last year. An example for everybody, there are only a few like him, and for sure all of us have lost something”.
After the afternoon press conference The Doctor climbed San Luca without shoes. In the evening there have been the celebrations for the reached target, free drinks for everybody offered by The Doctor (in case some pictures will be published soon).

Postato da: DexterH46 a 17:04 | link | commenti (13)
unibo

20/03/2008 – 2) The after race

After the crowning, it was time for the sparkling wine to be opened.
But in the meantime it was necessary to dress like a true Doctor.
A suit taken (thanks to Chicco!) in Pesaro which maybe needed some work to look similar to a biker’s suit, a replica helmet of one used by Valentino and the English, Australian and Dutch flags.

A “thank you” goes to all those who have participated in some way with their wishes and congratulations.
A BIG “thank you” goes to those who sacrificed study, work and other duties to be there for my discussion, proclamation and/or podium ceremony.
Some of them are in the picture below, but not all of them unfortunately. So I list their names here: special thanks to: Andrea F., Andrea M., Arnaldo, Chiara G., Chiara L., Clarissa, Elia, Elisa, Fabio, Fabrizia, Federica, Francesca C., Francesca D.L., Giacomo, Luca, Lucia, Marco, Paolo. For sure I will not easily forget their presence. Promised.
In the evening I have then surely appreciated the “visits” from Elisa, Federica, Gabriel who joined the others. If I knew it before I would have invited for the whole day the three “guests” of the evening, so Anastasia, Francesco and Susanna, nice guests... it will be for the next time!

Postato da: DexterH46 a 13:53 | link | commenti
party, unibo

20/03/2008 – 1) The Doctor wins!

I started saying <<That is my objective. I will finish everything within March 2008>> a long time ago. Actually it was more than a year ago. It was so early that just a few were listening to me. Once in Australia I was telling the same to my Internationals friends, but it was such a far away day, nearly a year, and they met me only a few weeks before... The target looked close after the success in the exams taken in Sydney, but even tremendously uncertain after having failed in what had to be the last exam in December. But it was not a good idea to give up. So, gritting my teeth I came back Italy in January. In or out. Then the results, at the beginning of February, and even there still was a lot to work for the thesis, I started sending invitations one month before the great day. A time window that was enough in my opinion for many to ask for half day off or a whole day off, working a bit more the days before in case. But it seems that in Italy many people are under slavery, and so on the seats of the grey Engineering Faculty, supporting The Doctor, only a few came. Not so many but... certainly good ones! And I was there, man of word, keeping my promise of graduating within March 2008.
The proclamation may sound something like <<The committee has approved your examination with a score of 110 over 110. With the powers given to me by the Magnificent Rector I hereby declare you Doctor in Management Engineering – Masters Degree>>.

After the hand shake with both the President and my Supervisor, the elation towards the crowd and the dedication to the supporters there. In the meanwhile people were still clapping their hands both for me and for the other new “doctors”.
After the proclamations and the speech made by Professor Grandi, hugs with the teammates before going out to receive the crown by Chiara, for the occasion a podium girl!

Postato da: DexterH46 a 09:32 | link | commenti (3)
unibo

ARRIVAL project, I am in as well!

A week before my graduation, the annual ARRIVAL Project meeting has taken place in Rome.
The ARRIVAL Project is founded by the European Union and is a research project.
The acronym ARRIVAL stands for Algorithms for Robust and online Railway optimization: Improving the Validity and reliAbility of Large scale systems.
The main objective of this project is to study and develop algorithms able to provide solutions and valid answers to complex problems such as railway transportation.
More information about the project can be found on http://arrival.cti.gr/
However today, being more specific, I wanted to mention this meeting that has taken place in Rome. My graduation was scheduled for 20th March in Bologna. A week before, the results of my research were already shown in this international conference. And my name appeared next to those of some true experts of these problems. A strange sensation. Surely unexpected only four – five months ago when I have started working on my thesis. But if you look on Thursday 13th, a few minutes before 3pm, here it is my name. Iurij is here! The Doctor is here! Don’t you believe me? Here you are the program of the meeting...
http://www.diel.univaq.it/arrival/program.php

Postato da: DexterH46 a 21:11 | link | commenti (1)
unibo, utrecht

A stopover in Brussels/2

However, luckily, after a few minutes the rain gave us a break. Well, actually it was still raining, but at least not as heavily as before. So we could move to the central square. It must have been an amazing one, but unfortunately they were building up a stage for some show that would have probably taken place the following days. Consequently we could not appreciate the whole square but only the tall bell tower.

We also went to look for the girl who pisses (probably created to respect the right equality between males and females) and then the boy who does the same. The latter is much more popular and centrally located. It was even easier to take a picture of this sculpture, and I am sure you have already seen it.
It was then time to go home. We were absolutely hungry and decided to cook something for dinner (err... I must admit that Francesca cooked everything while I was having some rest... lazy boy!). However, before arriving home my attention was taken by a strange coloured building. Many lights were turning on and off hiding and showing this tall building in the centre of Brussels.
It was certainly not the luckiest day in the place where my friend lives, in fact there had been some theft in the morning when we were travelling from The Netherlands to Belgium. This was the most discussed topic at dinner time among the people who live there: boys and girls from Italy, Spain, Israel and so on, everyone trying to imagine how could it have been possible to happen. At around 11pm people went back to their rooms. Francesca had to work hard to convince Chiara to come out with us. Luckily Elisa was already convinced by herself.
They brought me to a pub where they have a lot of different beers. I cannot remember the exact number, but we are talking of more than 2000. Maybe even more than 3000. Not bad!
In the picture Elisa is the first on the left. She is from Parma and studies there. She is the PR of the group, according to what I have been told.
Second from the left is Chiara. She is from Pesaro, my city, but actually I’ve only met her in Bologna where she studies and is a coursemate of Francesca.
Third is Francesca, my lovely friend from Bologna who visited me in Rotterdam and housed me there. Lucky girls, all of them still doing the Erasmus exchange, while for me it was the night before finishing with my exchange programs at the University...
The next morning I had to catch my flight to Italy. I missed the coach to the airport for 2 minutes, but I was still on time to catch the next one and get there quite on time. Unfortunately the bus did not show so a man gathered 8 people, including me, for a cab. Everything seemed fine, even the same price as the bus... but after 5 kms the driver (not the same man who pushed us in the car) started to ask for 15Euros. Still fine for me, but not for everybody (some of them were not that in a hurry). A discussion and then... he turned back! Damn! Those moments were crazy. I told him in Italian that if he would have really brought me back at the train station (which would have implied me missing the flight for sure) I would have broken his car. After some bargain with some of the present, he decided to go to the airport turning on the taximetre. A man on the rear row was going to call the police otherwise. Later on we found out that he was a politician. Actually he has been the only one who paid 11Euros. All the others, including me, paid 15Euros. But I did have not any other choice to get that flight! Another last-minute move, but not as bad as the one in London 2006! On the flight I met a girl and her mum who were in the same mini-van to the airport and, incredibly, even a girl who was left at the bus stop when we left with the cab. Okay, she did not have to do the check in, but I would have never bet a cent on her managing to catch the flight.

Postato da: DexterH46 a 16:56 | link | commenti
holiday, brussels, journey/flight, belgium

A stopover in Brussels/1

On the way back to Italy I had the opportunity to stop in Brussels, being guest of my friend Francesca.
We have done an exchange in the exchange. First she visited me in Rotterdam, then I visited her in Belgium where she is doing the Erasmus exchange. I am at the end of a cycle. She is at the beginning... lucky girl! :-)
After a nice trip in the train where we met an Italian man who moved away from our country many years ago, we arrived in Brussels and went to the place where she lives to take a rest for a few minutes (and to let me sending the last part of my thesis to my colleagues).
Then we went out. Obviously when we arrived the weather was sunny but when it was time to go out and visit the city it started to rain. However we were still able to visit the “unknown soldier” (the same as the Italian “milite ignoto”)... I am now wondering if they have one in each country! :-)

Ten more walking minutes and we were in front of the residence of the Belgian Royals. Nothing strange, except for the fact that the huge road in front of the building was quite empty, and that the king of Belgium actually does not live there. Don’t ask me where, I have spent there just one day!
I was with my guide, Francesca. When we left the place we kept on walking, finally reaching a church at least to repair from the rain that was becoming more and more intense. It was funny in someway. Many saints were represented in the sculptures outside this church, but my poor knowledge of art let me recognise only one of them. Saint Peter... together with his keys, of course!

Postato da: DexterH46 a 11:15 | link | commenti
holiday, brussels, journey/flight, belgium

UTS in NL/2 – Going around

On the next day the people moved to Delft to go on with the invasion in the city where the Dutchman moved a short time before the unexpected “visit”.
They split into two groups, one travelling by train and one by car (the legendary German car coming from Potsdam). Delft was conquered.

However, after having visited the city centre of this lovely town, it was already time for a part of the German troops to pull out. In this vintage picture you can appreciate the same people you have already seen in Rotterdam, except one. He was taking the picture from the train that would have brought him back to the German border.
The day went on with the survivors moving up north to Amsterdam, the Dutch capital city (even if the Royals live in The Hague). But the invaders were too tired and after a great evening meal they had to rest for a while on a bench.
However, after a while they were ready to patrol the popular city centre. Lights of any colour at any corner. They could find a lot of strange stuff. The idea was to confiscate everything, but it would have been an unfair battle in this part of The Netherlands.
Thanks to a night train everybody could return safely home at around 3. The following morning another Italian had to leave, but the remaining people managed to meet again on Monday night. The invasion was close to the end. The Germans and Italians lost again and had to go back to their countries, the mysterious French remained a few more days to check that everything was ok, the Italian spy was sent off the county and had to leave it within two weeks. The Dutchman was safe and could go back to the tiny Delft with his girlfriend. History repeated. And maybe will repeat again. We’ll see! :-)
As said at the beginning of the first post, the invaders were French, German and Italian people. To be more precise, here it is the composition of the troops:
French troops: Guillaume
German troops: Nico, Timm, Tobi
Italian troops: Silvia, Simo
Their names will always remain in the piece of history describing the UTS revival in The Netherlands. After one year, good friends were still there together!

Postato da: DexterH46 a 16:09 | link | commenti
holiday, amsterdam, uts , delft, netherlands

UTS in NL/1 - The Invasion

Sometimes history repeats. In October an Italian sneaked into The Netherlands and established in Rotterdam after spending a few days in Vlaardingen.
It seemed just a normal visit to the country, but actually he was spying his Dutch friend. The Italian also bribed his friend's girlfriend, and then started to plan everything.
After a few months, in February 2008, the invasion began. A strong German-Italian alliance entered into the country. Germans passed the border with cars while Italians flew and landed in different Dutch airports. It was Friday 7th March 2008.
Germans Nico, Tobi and Timm occupied a restaurant in Rotterdam while Italians Silvia and Simona explored the whole country to make sure that the resistance was set off. The Italian spy Russian-named Iurij was waiting for them at Rotterdam Central station, while the bribed Dutch Britt was kidnapping the Dutch master Zjenja. She brought him in Pizzeria Pavarotti, and suddenly he found out that he was surrounded by all those strangers. He was shocked, and could not say a word for a while.
The Dutchman was under surveillance for the whole night and then brought to a room in Rotterdam from where he could not escape. Eight people would have blocked him. His dreams of a relaxing weekend were already in the bin!

The following morning all the people were already around Rotterdam. The Dutch victim was kind of left alone at the beginning. He was forced to become a guide of the city for all the invaders, and brought them to a meaningless sculpture (which then become a meaningful sculpture for the whole history) before showing them something that left everybody astonished. Are you curious? Sorry for that... it will remain a mystery.

Later on the Dutchman called some help and managed to get his sister and her boyfriend with him. However, in the meantime some troops from France arrived as well. Their position in the conflict was cryptic, but at least at the beginning they were surely together with Germans and Italians. Everybody strolled around Rotterdam before ending for some food at the Cruise Terminal. 

Postato da: DexterH46 a 14:57 | link | commenti (2)
holiday, accomodation, rotterdam, overseas, uts , netherlands

Goodbye EUR!

On the 7th March I have officially spent my last working day in The Netherlands. I went to the *Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam*, and I think I have at least to show you a couple of pictures of it because I have never done it so far.
Coming from the city centre, just before the University there is the *Stadion Woudestein*. This is the home of one of the three football teams of Rotterdam (restricting them to those which play in the Erendivisie). It is not Feyenoord anyway! On the back you can already see the shape of one of the buildings of the Erasmus University.

One more minute riding the bicycle and we are arrived at our final destination. Coloured flags under a grey sky welcome us to the University, and a big sign on a wall tells us we are at the right place. But for me it was the last time there.

Postato da: DexterH46 a 11:05 | link | commenti
rotterdam, netherlands

A windmill in Rotterdam

After weeks wondering about a windmill in Rotterdam, I finally found the time to go and see one of them next to an artificial lake not far from my house. Actually it was only 20 minutes on my bike.

The place looked like a true Autumn landscape, with brownish and yellowish leaves on the trees, a silent and quiet atmosphere, and some animals going around.
After a twenty minutes walking around the lake I was below the windmill. Unfortunately it was too late to go inside and visit it. However it was still nice, I could finally see one of the most popular Dutch trademarks!

Postato da: DexterH46 a 19:54 | link | commenti
holiday, rotterdam, netherlands