Foc’s foundation ‘Give a Foc’ supports projects in Africa that try to prevent HIV. It’s now supporting the foundation Weebale in Uganda. Weebale means ‘thank you’ in the Ugandan language. By buying a Foc t-shirt your money goes directly to Uganda.

All projects of Weebale are being realized in cooperation with and at the request of the local population. It can only be realized by involvement, financial participation, accountability and advice by the local communities. Each euro, donated by third parties, is being spent directly, one on one, on the projects. Since the beginning of June 2011 the Weebale Foundation has the so-called ANBI-status, which means it is a government approved foundation for public benefit.

While working in the small village Banda Kyandaaza Weebale experienced that a lot of inhabitants are infected with HIV: 1.2 million people are living with HIV in Uganda! Recognizing the vital role that testing plays in preventing the spread of HIV, it is important that the clinic, belonging to the village, will be equipped with proper testing equipment. Weebale is now working on a program to educate the villagers about how to prevent STDs, and specially HIV. One important element in preventing is the use of condoms. 

Together with three Uganda musicians a special (HIV)song is produced called ‘Put It On’. An explicit text was written and Weebale intends to distribute the song by Uganda Radio stations. In the near future a video clip will be produced too.

Foc wants you to have fun together but remember, always play on safe, always ‘Put it On’!

The way of the world is meeting people through other people. Networking. Facebook is a common tool and has literally exploded in popularity in just a few short years. It’s not so much about what you know but more about who you know. In Barcelona there are a lot of meetings organized in order to network. I used to have a little allergy for them as I believed true contacts are supposed to come natural and not programmed, but now I start to understand it better. When you’re honest and open about networking in order to find somebody you can ‘use’ and also about what you want to ‘use’ him for, the other person knows your intentions and can choose whether he or she wants to start a working relationship.

Are you starting a business in Barcelona and want to meet professional people to help you? These are some useful network meetings: Meetup, Red Deluxe, Nedwerk (Dutch) in Gran Foc, and Afterwork in Hyde Club. Or become member of Internations, a group of expats in Barcelona who organize monthly meet up events as well. One advice: never remember the referrals you give through networking but never forget those you receive. And, during network meetings in Barcelona you don’t have to give two kisses by introducing yourself, a handshake will do.

To me however, the best way to network is to go to a random bar, you never know who you are going to meet, without expectations but always with a lot of people and in an open environment. You don’t wait for the right moment ‘caus the right moment will pass you by, you don’t call it networking but you call it having fun, and you could use hands but you definitely can KISS!

What if a city full of bars, restaurants and clubs have more to offer than you know off? Barcelona is good in that!

One of the trends is to hide the cool nightlife. Starting with the term speakeasy. Speakeasy was a place in the United States where people could buy alcoholic drinks illegally when alcohol was forbidden between 1920 and 1933. In Barcelona you enter the restaurant Speakeasy by knocking the back door, saying the password through a spy whole and walk though the kitchen before arriving at the restaurant where they await you with a Dry Martini.

Simular to Speakeasy is the restaurant Don’t Tell and club Mutis, both located in Eixample. Entering Don’t Tell it seems as if you’re entering a laundrette but after giving your code you find yourself in a very luxury restaurant. Club Mutis has an atmosphere from an old New York jazz club where everybody looks like a dandy and where you can listen to great live music from 24hrs. Downstairs ‘a butler’ asks you for your name and if you’re listed you can go up to have a cocktail in one of the Chesterfield couches. Wanna know more about good places to go out to have drinks check Hidden Treasures on Facebook. Also in fashion there are places to discover, like the hidden shop Paris Vintage (C/Rosello 237) or My Secret Showroom (C/Del Corretger 5).

Just keep your eyes open and your mouth shut caus Barcelona has more to offer than you see at first sight….