User:Alexpreal

=My Profile=

About
Alex P. Real is a short for Alejandra Pérez del Real, unfriendly to non-Spanish speakers and not very practical online.

With an academic background in Sociology and Anthropology, the main career focus over the last 8 years has been within the so-called "UK Exams" arena (assessment, testing, certification and DL) in Western Europe. Roles at the British Council, LCCI and Pearson Language Tests have involved the three main areas of expertise: Sales & marketing, logistics and test development. In addition I offer training and assessment services and HE/FE consultancy re international curricula/syllabuses implementation, alignment, bilingual programs and double certification.

A 3-years beginning in not-for-profit makes me keep a busy volunteering agenda, mainly re Africans in the Diaspora and on-demand educational projects in Latin America.

Cultural Identity
Identity is developed/shaped in relation, in its double meaning of interaction and telling; a performance intervention constantly re-enacted. Each rehearsal is unique despite similarities and by endlessly fading away sculpts perceptions, self-awareness and identity.

A Spain passport-holder, I had no choice for I wasn't asked. Hence, such is my administrative belonging (AKA citizenship by birth). I have no problem with it, other passports may seem more advantageous/practical but I'm in no trouble to obtain residence permits, those "papers" which are vital for so many million people in the Diaspora. Thus, I can't but consider some sort of "accidental" dimension in post-natal administrative arrangements, which can indeed prove divisive later in life.

White among Africans and some Caribbeans, dark/exotic amidst Northern Europeans, Brit/Hispanic in the US depending on the language I use, sometimes coloniser within Latin America, occasionally rated Arab, even foreigner in Spain when I speak English and oppressor by minorities...In this cauldron of intercultural exchange I learn about thinking patterns, perceptions/prejudice, values,self-awareness, identity,etc., both others' and mine. Some argue mastery of a different culture is chimeric and that we basically achieve better understanding of our own, if we may ever state full knowledge of the latter. Disaggregating/dissolving in différance I later aggregate and recombine myself blending new and old ways, sometimes consciously and others completely unaware of the traces experiential performances leave. And into that kaleidoscopic identity I aim at incorporating fragments, memories, details of every culture and people I've encountered as a reminder of diversity, the need for further quest, and keeping alive those who are not around anymore. Futile attempt for, as in Live Art, the momentum is essence, tides of time washing memories away. But an odour, colour or rhythm can sometimes suffice to trigger valuable reflection.

My Sandbox
/My sandbox/