This is going to be a very emotional post for me… Emotional for a good reason, but with a “dash” of nostalgia. Ever since we released Ubuntu Edgy I made the decision of giving the leadership for the Brazilian Translation Team to someone else… not because I had lost interest in this task, but because after over 1 year in this position, it is the right and just decision to let someone else get the same opportunity. During these 18 months I have participared in the team, I had the priviledge to watch a great number of people grow… people who started out as volunteers, just like me, became members, and best of all, became personal friends.
The task of selecting my own successor wasn’t very easy for me, since our team is made up of quite a few capable individuals of filling this position… but since only 1 person can be the next leader, I spent a whole week pondering on this subject… and finally made up my mind, choosing my good friend André Noel! As we have always made decisions as a team, my decision was heavily based on the conversations I had with André and Fábio, both administrators of the team, Fábio being the one who’s been working with me from almost the very start.
The nostalgia came due to the 18 months of my life that I put into this journey. I came to know/meet many people, and many were the hours that we spent together sharing the same objective of improving the Brazilian translations of open source software. Many were the hours of fun, and eventually I came to really know a lot of these people, some of them as close as if we were friends from childhood! Among this bunch I just have to mention Fábio, for all the hard work, sweat, and dedication he’s poured into the Brazilian Ubuntu community… and Thiago Ayub, who even with his Stallman-like way of being, was fundamental in filling my days with great advices, great stories, and much needed laughter through the cold cold New Jersey nights via Skype… I also have to mention the critics and vicious comments I had to face, many times by myself… These I must thank because they played a major role during these last 18 months, since it was due to their criticism and comments that I was able to gather strength and energy to continue my work, specially during those days when I got home late and still had many other tasks to finish before sitting completely exausted in front of the computer, often past mid-night…
This last Thursday, in front of the members for the newly created Ubuntu Brazilian Council, and with the administrators for the Translation Team by my side, I officially announced my choice. I’m glad to say that André Noel was welcomed by both parties and I’ll be officially giving him the leadership this 19th of April.
What does all of this mean to my future with the community? This means that I’ll still be involved with the translations (now as a member) effort, but will also be exploring new ways to bring open source software and philosophy to those who haven’t experienced it yet! During the next couple of months I’ll be working closely with André so to make the transition as smooth as possible, though I am very sure he’ll do just fine. I will also be working with the Brazilian Council, organizing and guiding the enourmous Brazilian Ubuntu community!
So here’s the piece of news that left me happy and nostalgic at the same time. :)