Despite the fact that circumstances at the start of 2023 were not great, I made the most of this year. Now, I’m in a totally different place, in all senses, and I’m grateful for being able to share all these memories with you today (see video below).

Profesionally, my year was really good, and as a poet, I’ve continued attending to events, festivals, talks and activities related to my writing. I’ve been in embassies, in Parliaments, in universities, in conferences, and more. I’ve met people from across the world, and I’ve been extremely lucky to get to know them and to have the opportunity to make new friends.

I particularly would like to thank you to my friends Tuti from Argentina, Jamie from the UK and Michelle from Pakistan/UK, for supporting me literally every day during 2023. Also, to Piru from Argentina for the love, to Carla from Chile for finding me a lovely place to live and work. To my friends Cande and Bota, as well as my French friend Sandra and my Canadian friend Bri. Finally, I’d to thank you to my mum who was calling me everyday to check on me during this 2023.

I’m also extremely grateful for all the professional opportunities I’ve had during this year, there were many of them and I’ve been blessed by each one of them.Thank you for all the wonderful colleagues I’ve had, some of them became my friends. Also, to my wonderful students who made me proud.

La Ninfa Eco, on the other hand, the organisation I’ve created in 2017, has grown and expanded, and we published our first book with works from 2020 to 2023. I’d like to send to all the team and other writers who collaborated with us. La Ninfa (random order): Fran, Sara, Ale, Henry, Cleo, Michelle, Mariah, Ingeborg , David, Ahmed, Eze, Kissy Marce, April, Ame, Lau, Tuti, Kari, Pepe, Miguel, Sevda & Xime.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a great year for the world, and my worst problems are really nothing in comparison to what some people are currently facing at war and in the economic crisis we are all in. I hope we were able to survive the new challenges ahead. Who knows what will happen in the world and in our lives, but one thing is for sure: challenging times come with many blessings. I’ve never felt freer than when I’m observing a sunset.

I wish you all a great 2024. Hopefully , this year will come with many memories and a life that is worthy behind. Also, if everything goes well, we will publish a book with my friend Luz.

Finally, I’d like to share a poem from Bukowski. This poem was a great inspiration for me during this year. And I believe we need to go all the way because it is the only good fight there is.

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Roll the Dice

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
otherwise, don’t even start.

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
this could mean losing girlfriends,
wives, relatives, jobs and
maybe your mind.

go all the way.
it could mean not eating for 3 or 4 days.
it could mean freezing on a
park bench.
it could mean jail,
it could mean derision,
mockery,
isolation.
isolation is the gift,
all the others are a test of your
endurance, of
how much you really want to
do it.
and you’ll do it
despite rejection and the worst odds
and it will be better than
anything else
you can imagine.

if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
there is no other feeling like
that.
you will be alone with the gods
and the nights will flame with
fire.

do it, do it, do it.
do it.

all the way
all the way.

you will ride life straight to
perfect laughter, its
the only good fight
there is.