Bienvenidos a Colombia

One of the most awesome things about Colombia is the great variety of climates and landscapes in the country which means you could go from snow capped mountains to trekking through the dessert within a day or so.

But if you have to choose just one place to visit, our local friend Edwin Reyes, recommends the Villa de Leyva. Located 3 hours away from Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, the small city is full of charm. From the stone streets to the houses, it’s a beautiful representation of the Spanish colonial style architecture. Its main square is said to be one of the largest plaza in South America and the weather, well it’s nearly perfect, always hovering between 23-28ºC (73-82ºF).

More than the architecture, sights and food (arepas, yum!) there are the people. Almost always when someone speaks about Colombia, they mention the kind and welcoming Colombians that made their visit so wonderful.

So without further ado, we invite you to get to know this great group of Colombians on about.me

Better known as Patton on other forms of social media, Rafael Bayona is a avid cycler and resident of Bogotá

Diana Carolina Torres Viasus is an engineer and incredibly passionate about her role as a Microsoft Student Partner.

A musician, photographer and graphic designer, José Vergara links from his page to the beautiful websites he’s designed for each different passion.

Liliana Neugebauer is a journalist, model and graphic designer who studied and worked in Germany and now splits her time between London and Spain.

Julian Martínez Arenas‘s passion for entrepreneurship finally led him to start his own company which helps other small businesses in Colombia.

Creative and observant, Yeimy Pardo is a publicist who loves movies and photography.

Andrés Barreto cofounded sites such as Onswipe, Grooveshark and Pulso Social.

Liliana Andrade is a journalist who founded El Parlante Amarillo, a network to help others learn about and share the work of emerging Latin American and Spanish artists.

Andrés Atehortúa is a developer, web designer and photography enthusiast.

Have a recommendation for the country or city we should visit next? Share it with us in our comment section.

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Students of the Week: Real Life Learning at Boston University

These innovative students are working at the intersection of their academic pursuits and their personal passions. Boston University serves as a catalyst for their work. With two campuses in the heart of Boston and programs all around the world, Boston University is a leading private research institution.

Christopher Woodall is an inventor and a music aficionado. He co-founded onethirtybpm.com and lives in the intersection of music and electronics. He’s a big fan of guitar effects pedals and electronic instruments.

This Fulbright Scholar has translated eight novels in the Thai language. Payongsak Kaenchan is interested in bringing the computer into the classroom and is passionate about teaching materials development and instructional design.

A product manager by day, student by night, and a mom always: Irina Kofman is constantly on the move. A lover of technology, Irina likes toying around with the latest gadgets. She also loves to play tennis in her free time.

An explorer by nature, Nicholas Griggs-Drane seeks to expose himself to as many different organizations and activities as possible. He’s pursuing a career in film/television and participates in a weekly talk show called “Class and Sass” where topics range from pop culture to current events.

Things to do at or near Boston University

Museum of Fine Arts: Boston’s oldest, largest and best-known art institution, the MFA houses one of the world’s most comprehensive art collections and is renowned for its Impressionist paintings, Asian and Egyptian collections and early American art.
The North End: This Italian neighborhood, Boston’s oldest, is known for its wonderful restaurants and historic sights.
USS Constitution: The oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy and undefeated in battle, Old Ironsides earned its famous nickname with its legendary ability to repel any shot fired. Active-duty sailors guide visitors around the ship.
Harpoon Brewery: If you’ve enjoyed the Harpoon Ale products you will want to tour the brewery or join the fun at one of Harpoon’s annual beer festivals.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum and Library: Relive the Kennedy era in this dynamic combination museum and library, where your visit starts with a short film and then leaves you on your own to explore a series of fascinating exhibits, including the Kennedy-Nixon debate, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the space program, 1960s campaign paraphernalia and displays about Jacqueline and other Kennedy family members. The striking, I.M. Pei-designed building overlooks the water and the Boston skyline.

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How to Write a Compelling Career Objective

When you’re putting together your resume and searching for jobs, it’s a good idea to start by writing a career objective. This objective consists of a couple of sentences which tell recruiters what sort of jobs you’re looking for and a bit about your experience and skills. It should also pique the reader’s interest and get them to keep reading your resume. While it may seem like a lot to pack into a few sentences, it could be the difference in your resume being overlooked or actually read.

Whether you’re applying to a specific position or just sending out resumes, hiring managers will appreciate seeing a quick summary at the top of your resume. Plus, if you’re applying to a specific position, the hiring manager will see you took the time to customize your resume. If you’re not responding to any specific job post, a recruiter will know where you might fit into the company.

Also, when writing an objective, be sure to keep it short and sweet. One to two sentences on what you are hoping to do and the skills you bring to the table are sufficient. And, be specific. Writing in generalities will mean every job is the right fit for you and you may end up with offers for positions you’re not interested in. Now, here are some examples of well written career objectives.

Customer Service Representative with 4 years of experience in telephone and face-to-face sales. Aiming to use my communication skills to fill the managerial role in your company.

Computer Scientist with formal & professional training in Java, php, and Ruby on Rails. Looking to secure a mid-level position with a startup or medium sized software company.

Seeking a teaching position to share with students 10 years of expertise gained in teaching math, chemistry, engineering and communications at private high schools.

Recent college graduate with a BA in Communications and nine months of internship experience. Seeking to fill the Marketing intern role and take on more responsibility as quickly as possible.

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Technology, Dedication & Passion: Teachers

We couldn’t agree more with the quote written on Jennifer Schnidman Medbery‘s hands above, “What do teachers make? A difference.” Due to their dedication to helping us learn, most of us have at least one or two teachers who are still dear to us for the impact they made on our lives. But we probably didn’t know them very well outside of education. That’s why today we’d like to feature teachers on about.me and learn what they like to do, what makes them tick, etc.

We love that Camile Betances uses the picture of herself from her own photography studio to show off her part time work as a photographer. It’s also fun to see how E. Delfin uses his page to showcase the works he’s painted on teachers’ podiums at his school. Then there’s Robert Pronovost who links to his his blog where others can see the creativity he’s applying to both the classroom and his own home (with his own homemade doorbell!).

As you browse these teacher’s pages, have a listen to this song made by another creative teacher.

A first grade teacher and cheerleading coach, Caitlin Conroy enjoys dancing and crafting in her spare time.

Álvaro Pascual Sanz is a STEM teacher in Segovia, Spain.

Camile Betances has been nominated and won awards for her teaching at high schools in South Florida.

We’re impressed by Robert Provonost‘s credentials as a Stanford STEP graduate and advocate for using tech to improve student’s lives.

In our experience, art teachers usually pretty awesome. Amanda Hack is no exception with this amazing picture she created for her background.

Marc Turu is a proud primary school teacher from Spain now living & working in the U.K.

Becky Greenhow is a teacher addicted to learning, social media and children’s books.

An Ohio high school teacher, David Wright also recently completed a graduate degree in Library and Information Science.

FLAGeorgia Teacher of the Year 2014, Catherine Flippen hosts a weekly YouTube show for educators to discuss innovative topics in education.

E. Delfin is an English teacher who likes Snoopy and is a DJ in his spare time.

Leslie Smith is “An English teacher with a large collection of books and cardigans”, as evidenced by her beautiful background picture.

Know any other groups of cool people who use about.me? Leave us a note about it in the comment section so we can feature them!

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Singapore: An amazing mix of cultures

Did you know that the main language in Singapore is English? The country also has three other official languages, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. Not to mention the fact that over 40% of the residents are foreign born. It’s quite the unique mix for this small island nation which can be traversed in about an hour and a half.

Despite it’s small size Singapore is highly urbanized as Cesare Tagliaferri shows us in the header picture of Singapore at night. If you’re looking for some more historic architecture, however, our friend Anthony Chew recommends a visit Haji Lane. A historic area among modern buildings, it was once abandoned but has recently been revived by local designers and entrepreneurs.

Our local friends also emphasize that you can’t miss getting to know the culture through the food. With the mix of cultures here, it’s no wonder we hear such rave reviews about the cuisine. Some favorites to try are chicken rice, nasi lemak, satay and laksa. Yum!

Get to know more of our favorite Singaporeans below.

We love this action shot from one of the trips that Hajar Ali and her company put together for adventurous travelers looking to get off the beaten track.

Meet Kinmun Lee aka mrbrown aka The Blogfather of Singapore

Gina Romero is not just an entrepreneur, business strategist and community leader, she’s also a Star Wars loving geek girl.

A Myers-Briggs type INFJ Brandon Leong is a creative who loves helping others.

A children’s book illustrator and writer, Leila Boukarim writes about and for highly sensitive children.

A native of the UK, Hugh Mason is an author, entrepreneur and adjunct professor at National University of Singapore.

Tiffany Yong is an independent actress, blogger and fellow bubble tea addict.

Goh Hung Wei is a gamer and is loving his job with gaming site, Razor.

A Singaporean expat, Aresha Krishnan is a social media director by day and DJ by night.

Have a recommendation for the country or city we should visit next? Share it with us in our comment section.

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Students of the Week: Academics and compassion at the University of Washington

The picturesque University of Washington is like a scene from out of a book! These Huskies get to spend their time exploring the beautiful campus while having the fun and excitement of Seattle at their fingertips.

Things to do at the University of Washington

Practice your yoga or catch the UW crew team working out from the shady green lawns and walking path behind the Center of Human Development and Disability.
Visit the contemporary Native American art collection in the M.S. Gallagher Law Library.
Go climb a rock! Find the UW outdoor climbing rock by the Waterfront Activities Center.
Watch an acclaimed musician working with masters-level music students. Free and open to the public!
Explore stargazing with an expert from the astronomy department, using telescopes at the Jacobsen Observatory or new UW Planetarium.

It’s as hard as rocket science? Well, Sarah Hubbard would know. She’s a computer science major and former NASA Space Researcher. In her free time, Sarah passionately encourages students and women alike to embrace their love of technology and entrepreneurship.

Business savvy and a great chef, Smita Ravale is currently pursuing her Masters in Information Management. She went to school in Mumbai and previously worked at Accenture.

Samantha Zwicker is currently in grad school hoping to further examine the anthropogenic and environmental impacts on ecosystem diversity, structure, and function.

That’s all well and good in practice… but how does it work in theory? Nicola Castle-Bauer can answer that for you! A senior at the University of Washington, this academic’s research on the effects of genocide has led her to help reduce violence against minority groups.

Athletic and compassionate, Tyler Bjork, brings together his talents outside of the classroom. He is an Urban Studies major and a coach to students who compete in the Special Olympics.

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Typographers, Illustrators & Perfectionists: Graphic Designers

“Good is the enemy of great”, is one of Leslie Martin‘s favorite quotes. It seems to fit with her job as a very detail oriented (she admits she’s a perfectionist) graphic designer.

And she’s not the only one. That quality of perfectionism seems to shine through in so many of the creative and beautiful pages of Graphic Designers on about.me

Some of them, like Lisa Nemetz (in our header photo) use their pages to display their skills and passions. In case you couldn’t tell, Lisa’s a typographer and calligrapher. Others design their pages to incorporate links and apps that show off their portfolios, gorgeous websites, and personal design studios.

A designer himself, our co-founder Ryan Freitas hand picked the pages below.

Jena Clark secretly wishes she were a pirate. A nice one of course.

Jared Erondu isn’t just a designer, he’s also a writer, editor and co-founder of The Industry, which covers design focused startups and people.

A typography enthusiast, Leslie Martin is also a fashionista and friendly vegan.

A lover of comics and metal music, as a high schooler Mark Rudolph created an extreme metal fanzine. Also, his hair is awesome.

Formerly a part of the about.me team, Laura Helen Winn was born in Kentucky and raised in Tennessee so she prefers both bourbon and whiskey.

Dirk Uhlenbrock is a father, gourmand, illustrator, typographer, art director and too many things to list. You should probably check out his page to see them all.

Originally from Germany, Jani Spennhoff a.k.a. Jani Lunablau, has lived in Barcelona for 20 years. She’s a great lover of the sea and pádel.

Don’t forget to check out typographer Bram Pitoyo‘s favorite fonts, linked from his page.

Know any other groups of cool people who use about.me? Leave us a note about it in the comment section so we can feature them!

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Empowering Women through Sports: Katie Beringer

“I love all sports and I am on a mission to empower women in any path they choose- but ESPECIALLY male-dominated sports,” says backpacker, Katie Beringer (if you recognize Katie, it’s probably because you saw her in our post on about.me backpackers!).

Katie grew up playing many traditional sports, including soccer. It wasn’t until college, however, that she got into adventure sports like climbing and backpacking. As she graduated from high school, her father died, changing her perspective on life.

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Gold, Yogurt and the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria

When traveling to Bulgaria, the Seven Rila Lakes located in the Rila Mountains (pictured in our header*), should be at the top of your list. These glacial lakes are connected by streams, each with a special name like the Tear, the Eye or the Twins. With such amazing beauty, it’s no wonder this place is said to have a special energy (or that it comes so highly recommended by our friend, Angel Milev).

But aside from amazing places to see, Bulgaria is a fascinating place. Here are a few of our favorite facts about it:

The country has both Slavic and Turkic origins resulting in a unique mixture of cultural traditions, beliefs and language.
Bulgaria’s history is one of the oldest in Europe. It stretches back to the 7th century when the country was established.
The oldest gold treasure in the world, dating from 4600-4200 BC, was discovered in Bulgaria.
Bulgarians eat a lot of yogurt and the country is the historical namesake for the yeast agent Lactobacillus Bulgaricus used to make yogurt.

Now, here are the pages of some of our favorite Bulgarians:

When Petar Svarc isn’t working as a mobile app developer he loves to spend time with his amazing wife and daughter.

Vassilena Valchanova likes to talk about her five year relationship with her blog and has a passion for towels and roast chicken.

A motion graphics designer, Grisha Strundzhev loves 2D and 3D animation and everything related to tattoos.

Boris Hristov runs a Google hangout for the SQL Server Community. Check out his YouTube app to see the videos and get some tips!

A photography enthusiast, Rossitsa Tsanova captured some amazing photos of a traditional festival in Etropole. Check out them out on her Flickr app.

We found Nikolay Angelov‘s headline both relatable and attention grabbing. It reads simply, “I love chocolate”. Now that deserves a compliment.

Sabina Panayotova is an advocate for animal adoption, a TEDxSter and a blogger.

We love the beauty and simplicity of Krassimir Dobrev‘s page. Have a look!

Thanks for coming along for our world-traveling adventure! Stay tuned for our next destination! If you have a suggestion of where we should visit next, let us know in the comments or on Twitter.

*Header image, “Pogled kum ezerata ot biloto.” Licensed under Creative Commons

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