Hi everyone, John here, and this week, we’re taking a chance to turn the camera backwards on one of own writers: Christian Aguilar.

Christian, in choosing to honor regional coordinator and friend Dave Zimet, brights us something sincere in message, but cheeky in tone:

David, muchas gracias para todos las cosas que as hecho en la region. Ay mucha gente que no apprecia las cosas que tú haces pero ha lo mínimo yo he recognizado tu abilidad en entende la gente y ayudarles en varios scenarios que se pueden presentar. Por ejemplo tu ayudantes a muchas cuando no se compensaron apropiadamente y metisteis mucho tiempo en resolvamos ese problema. Con eso incluyendo motivando a la gente en nuestra región para que tomen posisiones de responsabilidades y identificando en cuales posisiones serían mejor o explicando les cómo improvarse. Tu eres un buen ejemplo de el tipo de juez que debemos que aprender, tu sabes cuando estas correcto y como corregir a otros pero al mismo tiempo tu identificas tus propias debilidades y cuando buscar para ayuda de otros. Mi amigo gracias para todo de lo que has hecho como el líder de compasión 🙂

Which, thanks to the magic of Google Translate (and editing for clarity), means in English:

David, thank you very much for all the things you have done in the region. A lot of people do not appreciate the things you do, but I have recognized your ability to understand people and help them in various scenarios that can be presented. For example, you helped many when they did not compensate properly and you spent a lot of time in solving that problem. With that, you also motivate the people in our region to take positions of responsibility, and helping them learn how to grow and improvise. You are a good example of the type of judge we must learn from. You know when you are correct and how to correct others, but at the same time, you identify your own weaknesses and when to seek the help of others. My friend, thanks for everything you’ve done as the leader of compassion 🙂

Christian said he was trying to dispel the myth that David isn’t approachable and hard to get in touch with through this nomination, pointing out the preferred way to get in touch with the region’s fearless leader.

“On Slack, he has been much more active and his level of reachability is still very good,” Christian said.

Of course, he had to razz the regional coordinator, who has been on the job since 2009, while doing so.

“David is very approachable and not just your average bridge troll.”

The inspiration for writing the nomination in Spanish came from David’s choice to honor Christian that way in a previous wave. He appreciated the sentiment and the message, but said he noticed that there was something interesting about the language.

“OK, so if you look back at a previous exemplar that good ol’ Zimster wrote for me it’s in Spanish, and for those of you who speak a lick of Spanish, you will notice the cringe-worthiness of some of the Spanish!” Christian quipped. “It felt special that he went out of his way to write that in Spanish (albeit that was also him probably emerging from underneath his bridge).”

More than anything, Christian said he wanted to people to realize what David does for the region, if it isn’t necessarily apparent at first glance.

“David is a wonderful person, a fantastic leader and a good friend,” he said. “He has been a great fit for the role of RC and seriously don’t be afraid to reach out to him, he’s not that scary.”