Finishing projects and moving on

And it has come to pass: another project is sent, accomplished, finished: a dissertation has been defended, a school has been changed, a city and a country abandoned, exchanged, switched, and forgotten. Time to move on, time to change, time to go. I celebrated, together with Catalunya, my own accomplishments. With confidence and eagerness, I defended my dissertation, the culminating result of the past five years of hard work, perspiration, and learning. 

I dedicated my dissertation to my parents, who opened the doors to education and otherwise inspire me continuously by their courage and commitment to a better life. I hope I have made them proud, at least for a short moment, at least I have tried my best.

Defending my dissertation

 Receiving last comments from the thesis committee

Done: please, call me Doctor!

Running in parallel to my own life events, Catalunya has been voicing its discontent, defending its own statements and desires, louder again during this ironic and iconic day of September 11th, the holiday in the province, celebrating defeat in 1714 of the last Catalan troops by the Spaniards. 

 Human chain in Barcelona

Catalans celebrated by joining hands across the shores of their beautiful homeland, in a movement that reminded me of Ukraine and Baltic states that had their own moment of human chains in the beginning of the 1990s. During those times, people were also full of enthusiasm and optimism in those far-away lands. Some moved west-ward, some...stagnated and turned around in a different direction. Apparently, I was also dragged to the streets by my parents, although I barely remember anything. 

And the big-picture view....

Good? Bad? Flag-waving disturbs me more than anything else, although I do sympathize with this land that has opened its arms and soul to me for a fleeting moment. Thank you for your generosity, Catalunya, and farewell.

Pictures by my mother.