Third Chapter: "...Our life is a result of everything we do (and what we do not do)..."

Previous Chapter: Second Chapter

In 2004 a very different story begins. Argentinarally.com.ar had already been dissolved. There was no intention of resuming the business that had brought so much success in those young years. Now the priority was set on my university. I started studying electronic engineering with only one goal: work at Subaru WRT one day.

After the conflicts with the world rally organization, I honestly didn't even dare to go to the offices, which were now located in Villa Carlos Paz. The city where I used to live.

But I heard rumours that the press officer, with whom I had had those differences, was no longer working for the organization. She was now working in some city council position with the new mayor, Carlos Felpeto.

That encouraged me to go to the offices two weeks before the rally, say "hi" and ask for some of those rally guides that were given out free of charge.

?Do you remember that in the previous chapter I told you about Alejandra? That person who with a lot of grace gave us the badges and vests that allowed us to do the coverage of the event. Well, before I left the organizers’ office, I heard behind me: "...Hello German! How are you?..."

It was her... who with an incredible energy welcomed me very warmly and asked me: "... Are you no longer working on your website?...". My answer, joined by a slight smile, was negative. This year there was no Argentinarally.com.ar.

?Alejandra asked me if I would be willing to work on the organization of the event.

WOW!

I wasn't expecting it, I was happy! First, she tested my English level and then she told me that she would come back to me by phone.

Later that day I received her call. My admission to work as a press translator was a reality. The job was to facilitate communication between the police of the province of Cordoba, who oversaw the security of the event, and the foreign press who hardly understood what they could and could not do.

It is true that the foreign media knows its job very well, but the Rally Argentina is perhaps the event with the most spectators in the world rally championship. These factors make certain sections of the race chaotic and controlling them is a key factor to succeed.

Alejandra told me that we would have a meeting with our boss. We were a group of 10 people, all older than me.

Do you guess who the boss turned out to be? The guy who in 1999 told me that making a website for the TV show he used to be working was not in the interest of the producers, but they did it anyway.

The world turned out to be big and small at the same time. At the end of the meeting with our boss, I couldn't help myself and went up to him to remind him about who I was. He had not changed much, but I was no longer 13 years old. I was now 18. It's a big change in anyone's life.

The 2004 edition of the rally was honestly complicated. A lot of spectators, accidents and complications meant that the work of my colleagues as well as my own was essential in order not to cancel any stage of the rally.?

I remember on Saturday at the Amboy's jump more than 40 photographers invading the route. The start of the stage was delayed, and we had the international press observers in helicopters over our heads. At that moment I received a call from our boss saying: "...German, you must move all the photographers and the spectators. If not, the stage is cancelled.

The adrenaline of that moment was incredible, shouting in Spanish, English, French and Italian to fix the situation. The stage went ahead and was a success.

This result leads in 2005 to do it again, but something happened with our boss and by 2006 he would no longer work with us.

It was now 2006, and by March nobody confirmed that we would do this work again. Alejandra told me that this job probably no longer exists. We no longer had someone to coordinate the group.?

Of course, I didn't need to think for more than a minute to say: "... I'll coordinate it...". Alejandra was not surprised by my reaction and persistence, but she wasn't sure I could do it either. She asked for time to talk to David Eli and would report back to me later.

?Again, I received a positive call from Alejandra saying: "... David suggested that you present a work plan and a team for tomorrow. Can you do that?..."?

Of course I could do it. That same day I got half the team together to discuss how we could put in place an operative and we called people on the phone to get the rest of the team ready. I can only be grateful to all those who were part of this first group I coordinated: Augusto César Grosso Porciani Agustin Magi Nicolás Depetris Matias Maccio

A few months after the rally, my life changed: 20th August 2006 was a very strange day. I had arranged to have dinner with Martin, a friend who lived in Córdoba. But going to Córdoba and back was going to take up a lot of my time since I had a university assignment due the following Monday.

The day before I had met a girl, who invited me to go out with her and her cousins in Carlos Paz. I had to options that night.

Then I thought: "... going to Córdoba and back was going to take up a lot of my time since I had a university assignment due the following Monday. And taking the second option was more attractive than the first one..."

A misunderstanding came up and I ended up not going to any of the two options. So, I decided to go to another friend's house to grab a beer and then go home.

While I was at my friend's house, Gonzalo called me by phoned to invite me to a party in Cordoba. To which I replied that I didn't have time. He insisted: "...let's go and return by car. It will be quick. I also must study..."

So, we tried to go to Cordoba in his car. I say we tried because a dog ran across the road and a bad handling to avoid it made us lose control of the car.

The car spun around 5 times, threw me out of the window and I ended up in intensive care with a broken hip and collarbone. I cracked my coccyx and skull.?

That accident, sometimes I think it had to happen. There were many barriers?that destiny made me jump. It seemed that life wanted to show me something (and at this moment, as I write this story, I wonder if I remember what I learned in 2006 or if I have forgotten it).

The rest of 2006 will be part of the next chapter, but I have to say that 2006 and 2007 were two key years in my life, full of emotions and personal obstacles to overcome. I had also some insights:

• There are things that are destined to happen.
• Those who are always there, may fade out in difficult times.
• Those who are never there, may appear in difficult moments.
• Life is fragile.
• Doing something for passion is priceless.
• Family is unconditional.
• There are people who show up in our lives and disappear leaving a lot of positive energy and will to live.
• There are personal convictions for which we must fight until we feel that we have given everything. (To keep the feeling that something could have been and wasn’t is the worst feeling I can experience).

Honestly, our life is a result of everything we do (and what we do not do). That not only impacts our own lives but also the lives of those closest to us and the ones we love.

Next Chapter: Fourth Chapter