Yama is my name, QE4A, quality education for all, my game. Maybe a repetition of terms there:

education, to be real, has to have quality built in, and to really work it has to be for all.

My 1995 book already tells a lot of what my views on Quality Education are, using my endearing "get this done, pronto!" style. I have softened up a bit since. Being married does that to you.

Ahoy, lake Titikaka!

Kde domov můj?

For me that is a bit of more than a poetic question. I have the un/?/fortunate situation of someone who could claim 4 citizenships, has left way too many friends too many places when "home" moves on. On the flip side, found many more friends and not a stranger anywhere when meeting local Open Software people or Scouts.

The picture at right is from my days as Captain, Bolivian Merchant Marine on Lake Titikaka. I used to list the diverse occupations I have had, takes too much space now, and it all boils down to, yes, probably I can make it work for you, or talk to it in its own language, or if it cannot be fixed or encouraged to become part of a FOSS community for Education because of my heavy accent, we might be able to have it for dinner with some roux sauce de tres tiritones. (1.5 years Chef training + very high triglycerides = what a waste!)

I was raised in the closest thing to a constructi*** household you could think of, found that to be the greatest thing ever. Of course I was handicapped by the fact that the world was not ready then, as it is not ready now, which probably explains my stance on that subject and low income.

My first computer was a ZX-Sinclair clone, at 18 years old, as expected they had to drag me away from it past midnight, my first game coded already that day (I went on to make my own LOGO interpreter there - 16 KB is a lot if you use it well).

In my days of Rugby and Experiential Education, I got an early start (?) (1994 was the year Internet arrived to Uruguay) when joining other international-ICT minded teachers, like Cheryl Vitali, of California, for Uruguayan kids to participate in international collaboration projects.

Like Yago la Serpiente, a "travel buddy" from Escuela 19, a now defunct rural school near Arequita, Uruguay, communicating at 2400 bps, 12 B.C. (Before Ceibal).

What now?

While details have not been worked out, a lot depends on shedding ballast and refocusing in some more specific set of goals and objectives. As Executive Director of OLE Bolivia, I am involved with things going on there.

24 H Aymara translation sprint

All in all, I am totally completely 120% sure that as self-sufficient as I may feel, QE4A is not something that will happen through my own work alone. I should count myself blessed if I can find and help those more able than me, to also wake up the many that currently are not aware of their own potential to stand up and make Good Things happen.

Like the volunteers translating Sugar into Aymara in Bolivia. Like the FLOSS Manuals team in DC, like the teachers in 'guay (Uyu- and Para-), the people of Sur, the enthusiasts everywhere, especially those that didn't get the memo that bumblebees can't fly.

I support of the OLPC community, freedom to learn, to share knowledge, to keep each other accountable. To be an optimist and seem gullible, and sometimes bite more than I can chew, for the sake of people to care for each other and share this dream of Quality. In education, in life, in the way we relate to each other and collaborate with each other.

Together with y'all, an honor to me.

Prof. Mtro. Yamandú Zavish Ploskonka y Rivas, DSLL