When we talk about spicy food, it is really a personal view on the matter.  We indeed have different references to what is considered hot or mild.  So, how do you answer the question "Is it spicy"?
I found it very tricky as plenty of factors make the answer accurate or not for the person who asks:

• Who is the person asking this question? and what is the person used to eat?
• Who is the person asked to? and what is the person asked used to eat?

For example, while I was leaving in Peru, I got used to eat the aji sauce, which is a kind of chili sauce. I remember that when my parents came to visit, we ate a famous "pollo a la brasa" - the Peruvian famous roasted chicken, and so the sauce was on the table. My dad asked if it was spicy to what my husband answered negatively. Knowing my dad, I jumped in the conversation and said that aji sauce is indeed spicy even if for my husband's palate it is not. At least he had a warning! He obviously tried it and immediately said "ooooooh, that's spicy". It is because I know the kind of food my parents are used to that I can easily determine what will be spicy for them.
However, when you don't know the person, it is quite hard. Yesterday night, I ended up eating in a Chinese restaurant here in Singapore. It was my first experience with the double boiling soup and it felt refreshing to be completely ignorant of what to order. Of the 2 soups we ordered to boil all of our food one was spicy but a neighboring Chinese customer told us it would not be so spicy. Sure enough, it was very spicy, even for my husband who is more used to spicy food than I am! (the dinner was delicious though - so no complain!).

So, how is our tolerance to spice determined?
I am not sure what it is, but I'm guessing is part of the food education we receive as kids. I have seen kids from Peru eating dishes or sauce I couldn't. Another example of how our palates are educated is my 2 year and a half niece eating blue cheese or any kind of "stinky" cheese while some of my friends can only tolerate spreadable cheeses. Nevertheless, our body also plays its part to our spice tolerance, and so it's not only acquire, it is also innate. That's a good news! It's not because you were not used to eat spicy as a kid that you will not enjoy it later and vice versa.

You can read more on spice tolerance factors on Popular Science, learn why a chili burns and what you can do to soothe the pain on I Fucking Love Science and train yourself to eat spicier with Serious Eats.

Bon appétit!

It is amazing how we, human beings, can adapt to almost everything.
When I arrived in Singapore, I was sweating a lot, not able to resist the heat and humidity, I even had a heat rash. 5 weeks later, I am okay with the climate, I can actually wear skinny jeans, thing I thought was completely impossible and nonsensical to do here. It may seem insignificant, but is shows how we are, how we adapt to new environment, situations, people. We have this amazing ability and sometimes, we don't even realize it.
Think about it, we are able to go somewhere new and make it home. What seemed strange, hard, different yesterday can be now part of our daily routine. And it seems as if we have no limitations.
I did find one limit to my adaptation. It might be very strange or illogical, or maybe it's a primitive reaction?! Let me explain. I have lived 3 years in Lima, Peru. I really loved those years. Peru has almost become my second nation, I have people there I can call friends and family. I learnt so much over there. Yet, I am not sure I will be able to go back and actually start a life again over there. 
My reason is simple: Peru is situated along the boundary of two tectonic plates, the Nazca Plate and the South American one causing tremors and earthquakes. While all Peruvians I met living there had absolutely no issue with this fact, I could not get used to it. They have grown up and accepted this reality, they know it can happen, they didn't choose it, it's part of their environment. Moreover, earthquake would never be the number one reason why people would live the city if they had an opportunity. I found it extraordinary, because I can't. This is my limitation - and I don't know if it sounds very rational. Indeed I have a fear of something that might or might not happen, so I could potentially spend my whole life there and nothing would happen. But if an earthquake happens, that the one I experienced back in 2007, I know it can actually destroy and kill hundreds around me in less than 3 minutes. 
When I was living there, of course I didn't let this "fear" control my life, it would have been totally insane. I mean, you cannot live thinking something bad/wrong/dangerous might happen to you or you won't be going out of your home. I simply adapted to the situation and context and go on with my life. I come from a very "quiet" nature area and that might be the reason why I might no longer be able to go back in Lima and deal with it. Or maybe it is just a primitive sense that tells me not to add natural disasters to the current many risks of life...
Yet, who knows? Maybe I will go back.
A lot of people live in dangerous areas (dangerous for many different reasons), by choice or not, yet we are like that, able and capable of building and carrying on with our lives wherever we are, wherever we go.

It's always nice to receive advice from others but do you feel sometimes is important to learn by yourself? Or that you learn better by experiencing things on your own?

In spring 2011, I was walking down the streets in Chicago with a girl I knew. I was commenting that whatever I was doing, I tried to dress more business-like because you never know who you are going to meet or run into in the city.
She laughed at me and told me that I wasn't that famous.
I wanted to explain to her that it wasn't about me, but about maybe meeting your future boss in a cafe or simply running into one of your company partners in the streets and you still want to give a good impression of yourself and your company (Am I thinking too far?).

I am not talking wearing everyday a women suit, specially not at the beach ;) but still being a bit considerate with what you choose to wear. It can be very trendy or fashionable, I don't care, as long as it feels "right" for me.

Funny enough, 2 years later at a get together with other friends, she was telling that in order to appear more professional, and feel empowered, she was wearing more shirts and less "bohemian" clothes.



I was glad she got it. Deep down I know that 2 years before that I could have explained my reasoning and she could have used it earlier but sometimes we need our own experiences to learn.

I know, as a fact, I still have so much to learn!

And when is it?
I am not talking about inappropriate/borderline jokes that you wouldn't want your entourage to tell either at a family gathering or at work.
I am asking about plain and silly jokes.
I am often tempted to make a funny comment regarding a situation, conversation or words I consider humorous.
Some people see jokes as inappropriate in a professional environments, while others see it as an ice breaker and bonding element.

No later than yesterday night, I was in a situation where I had to bite my tongue to avoid a joke. I was at a social event and met a translator and interpreter Japanese/Singlish. After she introduced herself, I asked her in she was working for a certain industry or is she had any areas of predilection. She explained to me as a translator she works for any kind of company and products or services. As an interpreter, she usually works for conferences or official visits. Then she added that she is working at lot a the zoo. Here, a 1000 thought came to my mind - come on, an interpreter at the zoo! I didn't dare saying anything though and she explained the reason of her work over there. Grown up conversation.
However, two minutes later, she told me that she drank to much the previous day and at this event, it was a third glass and she was starting to feel tipsy. I guess my comments would not have been weird.
So I wasn't able to read the situation correctly enough to feel at ease with a funny comment.
On the other hand, when you do make a funny comment and nobody answers to it, it feel really uncomfortable. So we learn to be serious and take things seriously. 
Is it the way to connect? work? or don't we need to relax and enjoy a good laugh, sometimes?

Have you ever noticed that when you speak another language, not only your body language and hand movements are different but also your voice tone?
This is an amazing fact. Learning a language is also learning cultural and social factors and when you finally master a language, you can blend with native speakers, mimicking them at first and slowly integrating all of their physical and oral expressions.
While my voice in French is quite "normal", neither deep nor high-pitched, my voice in Spanish seems like one of a giggling teenage girl! Ok, I might be exaggerating but I sound much more higher and younger in Spanish. I think my voice tone is also higher in American English. I am not talking about intonations, because, of course intonations change depending of the language you are speaking, I am really speaking about deep or high-pitched voice sound.
I found a person on Linguaphiles asking the question of voice changes while speaking foreign languages, you can read the answers here.
One time in France, while I was having a drink with my sister and her friends, my sister told me to lower my voice, as, according to her, I was speaking very loud. I then realized that, because I just arrived from Spain, I was still speaking as a Spanish person, which is louder than a French person (at least from a French perspective). I had then to readapt myself to the French correct voice volume!  Funny how language really molds and formats us!
Being able to correct and adapt oneself culturally to any kind of situations is a real gift, but it is also a learning experience that never ends.

Did you go through hair disasters during your childhood? Whit three older sisters, I sure did!
Anyway, last week-end I seriously felt I needed to do something with my hair, either to structure it and allow it to grow or to cut it short again. So I took matter into my own hands and looked for reviews and best hairdressers in Paris on the web and found a very skilled and nice one for an affordable price. (Do I still need to emphasize that reviews, references and articles on internet are very important?).
I went there confident that I would have a great experience. Indeed, I had a wonderful time and a great haircut. We discussed what where my options and decided on going shorter. I didn't realize though how short we were talking about. Don't get me wrong, the hairstyle does suit my face shape, so it's very positive. Does it fit my personality? Well, it is quite edgy and I think of me rather as a nice but normal style person. So here is my dilemma: I have this super edgy hairstyle so how should I wear it?
I am sure  people see me differently. It is one thing to have short hair and a complete different one to have a "kinda Miley Cyrus" hairstyle!
I am amused because it's bold, it's almost a statement, so I am not really worry about people's judgement.
However as long as we would like to think appearances do not matter, they actually do!
Regarding this topic, did you see lately a video regarding people helping -or not- a man that falls on the ground? If not, it means you haven't been surfing the web for too long!
So here I share one of the many versions for you. All about appearances and judgements.
Manage your brand image and yours as if tomorrow it were to fall and you would want people around to pick it up. 

Last Sunday was Paris marathon.
This year, the runners were lucky: not too hot, not too cold and no rain. 
I was with Chicagoan friends cheering all the runners, yes, all of them! If you have ever done a marathon (full disclosure, I haven't), you know how a "bravo" or a "you can do it" or simple clapping are important. My marathon runner friends emphasized that the cheering is the little extra making you go on with your race.
Then, it was very surprising to see the spectators not encouraging the runners. One of my friends running the marathon even told me it felt like they were there just to view and judge and the difference with marathons in other cities was huge.
So, what happens with the "French" crowd? 
Are French not cheerleaders at heart? ;)
I assisted to the Chicago marathon last year and it was a great experience to be in a spectator, everybody was encouraging the runners, yelling names, countries, etc...
So, this Sunday, I was confused to see how little cheerful the crowd was. And I can't imagine it's a cultural thing because
I do remember going to see bicycle races when I was little with my father, and all kind of them: male, female, pro, amateurs, the crowds were always motivating and cheering the bikers. And what about the Tour de France? Spectators cheering on cameras, crazy advertising cars throwing goodies, it's all a big "fiesta".
So I'm confused about the 2014 Paris marathon and I want to think that indifferent and boring are just adjectives and feelings people will give to the French spectators only temporarily.
Cheers up!

It is amazing what you can learn from an afternoon with women. I was invited last spring at a Cabi showroom at my friend's and met very great women. I am sure you know the feeling of knowing only one or two people in the room. First, the conversation can be a bit awkward but then people relax and it's when it becomes really interesting.
So it usually starts with the weather, your work, activities - clothes in this case - and what you have been doing during the week or weekend. After the ice breaking, you don't know how these themes come into the conversation, but here you are talking about very deep/crude/ohmygosh topics.
During this particular afternoon, we got into the "restrooms at work". Have you already been talking about it with your friends? Man, this is a hot/long/fascinating issue. I say "issue" as for most of the people I know, there is always something wrong with this place.Bathroom, restroom, lavatory, powder room? 
How do you call it? I really like powder room, even if it is a bit over the top. When I go to wash my hands before I eat, I am actually not going to the restroom, right? Nevertheless, I don't hear it very often; last time I heard it I was helping out the organization of a gala surrounded by 50+ affluent +++ women. But back to our restrooms at work! Hover or a nester?
Choose wisely, because these are two species that hate each other... And I am both: I nest and I hove because you never know! I am probably your worst nightmare then, but for my defense, the nest protects me from former hovers and the hove from former nesters, plus, I throw it all away before I leave. Good girl!Three in a row!
So you just pushed the door of the women restroom and took the one at the far left, because all three are free and you won't take the one in the middle of course. You are peacefully peeing when you heard someone entering the restroom. Here you think: "I am here in the left toilet, this person won't use the one in the middle, she'll use the one from the right, so we both have our space". But this person is "Susie", and Susie is a nice girl, if it wasn't for her restroom habit to always choose the toilet next to the one in use. Really Susie? Don't worry, there will always be a Susie at your workplace, no matter how many toilets there are, she'd be using the one next to you. And be reassured, it's not you, she is doing it with every women in the company, there is no escape from Susie!
Who designed it?
I was working once at a place where the recurrent complaint was about the design - who would place the paper towels there? Yes, restroom design is important. Maybe I should rephrase, restroom design is a BIG DEAL. Let's take one example. JD Wetherspoon is always proud to win the Loo of the Year Awards and for a reason: you own a cool bar - excellent choice of beers & cocktails, welcoming ambiance, nice music, maybe good food - but ultimately if your restrooms are in bad shape, (and I would add especially the women's ones), well you will loose customers. It's all part of the customer experience and you can't minimize the impact restroom will have on it.Do you check first?
Cleanliness? Toilet paper? Trash can? Hanger? There is so much things you want to check before going to use the restroom and it is actually very hard to feel comfortable in your company's restroom, but you can't stop going so you have to make sure you know the place quite well, so you make the experience as pleasant as it can be. (that was weird to say).   Unfortunately, you can't control Susie but you can still have a good laugh about it with your friends as I did back in the spring!
And if you know great restroom, I just found this Cintas US best restroom contest, so please share where to go pee!